This affordable home comes from an historic library and church and includes a bedroom that was once a choir loft. It’s Home of the Week

Maintenance fees: $432/month

The sellers: Wendi Morrison remembers going to the old red brick library in Cobourg where she lived as a young girl. Now, to her wonderment, she lives there.

“Who would have thought that after exploring the creaking staircase in a corner of the library as a child, this would be my staircase?” she says.

The well-worn wooden stairs lead from the grand foyer to the third-floor loft in the condo townhouse she and her husband Barry bought 11 years ago after downsizing from a big house in Peterborough.

The library was converted to six condominium units in the 1990s. Originally, the 140-year-old building served as a school for the church across the road.

The Morrisons were instantly captivated by the 1,200-square-foot townhome’s historic character, original woodwork and 20-foot-high windows.

“I’m pretty sure my jaw was on the floor for the first 10 minutes,” Barry recalls. “I thought, ‘holy geez’!”

With its aged patina, banister and curving, ornate balustrade, the stairway to the former choir loft tells its own story.

You can still see the choirboys’ carvings in the wood and the “hundred years of wear” on the railing side where they climbed to get to practice, according to the homeowners.

The staircase is Barry’s favourite place, with their artwork on the walls and many places to string up Christmas decorations. He’s even counted its parts: “One newel post, three landings, 35 stairs and 76 spindles.”

The loft, which was an art gallery in its library days, is their bedroom, and has space at one end for a home office or lounge area. As her side of the bed is closest to the window, Wendi has the best view outside.

“I just love seeing the sky lightening in the morning and the leaves on the trees …” she says.

The couple, who value the privacy their home provides, appreciate how they can walk everywhere in the small town and they like the proximity to the VIA train station, which offers a stress-free alternative to the 90-minute drive to downtown Toronto.

The agent: “It’s rare to be able to own a home that has all the charm and character of a century home, but without the burden of maintenance, being a condo,” says realtor Jacqueline Pennington, who notes that each unit in the building is unique. 

Priced well below the average home in the area, it’s the perfect starter for someone looking to get into the market, says Pennington, who adds the townhouse would also appeal to buyers with wanderlust.

“You can simply lock up and travel!”

Highlights of the property include:

• One bedroom, two bathrooms

• Well-appointed kitchen with stainless steel appliances and breakfast bar

• Living room fireplace

• It’s steps from downtown Cobourg and the beach.

When the Morrisons move to Parry Sound to help Wendi’s parents age in place, they’ll miss their extraordinary home with its “built-in StairMaster.” But they have visual reminders of the storied staircase where the steps served as tiers for 20 people posing for the traditional family photo every Christmas.

The listing agent for this home is Jacqueline Pennington, broker with RE/MAX Hallmark First Group Realty Ltd., 905-377-1550, JacquelinePennington.com