In 1956, Ron and Mary Sweeney purchased four acres of land located at the east end of Hazel Street. They moved into a small house which they had transported to their property from Kilgard. This was to be temporary until they built their dream home. As the years slipped by they had more children, less space and insufficient funds to build a larger home. Mary was anxious to sell but Ron didn't want to give up his cow, chickens, and the wonderful paying area for his seven children and neighborhood kids.

In her search for alternate accommodation. Mary met a realtor and together they looked but could find nothing suitable. Mary was on the verge of admitting defeat when Albert called to tell her there was something that she had to see. It was the six bedroom home of Sergio Petrelli on South Fraser Way. Mary looked and immediately fell in love with the house.

Unfortunatley the property had been sold to Jacob Klassen and would be the future site of James Apartments. However they could purchase the house for $2,000, provided it could be moved from the site. Nickel Bros. of Vancouver were contacted and on viewing the house and surrounding agreed it could be moved. They presented a proposal of $5,000 plus the cost of necessary permits, and a deal was struck.

The Sweeneys waiting anxiously for the arrival of their new home. But approvals form Matsqui, Abbotsford, Sumas, BC Hydro, BC Tel and the Ministry of Highways and the RCMP had to be obtained and paid. Also, the house had to be excavated and raised onto steel beams for transportation.

With this accomplished, another seemingly insurmountable obstacle appeared. The Maximum allowable height for the moving of utility wires was 27 feet and the loaded house would tower to 33 feet. The deal was off.

Mary refused to be denied. She confronted the Nickels' foreman and insisted that some thing could be done. He scratched his head and said the only solution was to take off then roof. "We'll do it," she replied.

Ron was less then enthusiastic. He doubted the wisdom of having a roofless house for an indefinite period in a climate like ours.

Mary began her search for a roofer who could remove the roof at night and restore it the next day. After many refusals, Mr. Enns of Enns Roofing succumbed to the flow of Mary's tears, crossed is fingers and said "yes".

The fateful day in March, 1967, was overcast and blustery. The roofers, armed with chain saws, scrambled to the roof and began to feverishly dismantle roof and rafters. The house looked half its size. It was starting to drizzle, and there was more scrambling for tarps and plastic sheets. A large Mack truck attached itself to the many wheeled vehicles carrying the house mounted on two steel beams.<

The truck roared, the vehicle lurched and the house swayed as tit was eased out of the excavation. Cautiously, the load moved down the sloping property toward South Fraser Way. At this point, there was a six foot drop from the lot to the road.

Fortunately, there was a D10 cat on the property. Its winch was attached to the load to act as a counter with to assist in the descent to the road. Wooden blocks were strategically placed to form a ramp for lowering. Mary clutched Ron as the house teetered on the ramp, poised like a prehistoric monster ready to charge across the road and into the ravine on the other side.

By now a crowd had gathered, attracted by the flashing lights of the police vehicles waiting to lead the parade. Ooh's and aah's were audible as the load inched shakily down the ramp and veered sharply to face down the street. At this point Ron was ordered to the top of the house where, armed with a length of shiplap, he was charged with the duty of engaging utility wires with the shiplap and ensuring that wire and house were not entangled. 'This involved leaning out the front of the house; snaring the wired with the shiplap; holding it overhead; doing a 180; walking it to the rear of the house and dripping it over th side.

By now it was raining and puddles were forming on the tarps and the slippery plastic covering the open top of the house. Ron was having difficulty with the footwork necessary to negotiate the task of walking across the ceiling joists, which were hidden from view by puddles and covering.

Oops! Miss one and a foot goes through the gyproc ceiling of the second floor. The spectators watched in awe as they debated which would fall first: The teetering house or the staggering Ron.

Down South Fraser Way wen the parade of police cars, flagmen, spectators - and the truck with its precarious load. The interesection at McCallum brought an abrupt stop and quick conference. Hydro went to work on the traffic lights and the load squeezed under.

On down South Fraser Way, a left down Montrose, a quick right down the hill by Goslings a left past the Atangard Hotel (quite a few patrons swore off alcohol that night), a precarious turn on to Hazel and laborious pull up Hazel to it present and final resting place.

Once maneuvered into its excavation, the roofers vigorously attached the replacement of the roof. Luckily the rain had ceased and the work went swiftly. It was now *am and Ron, a teacher, had time for a quick change before heading off to school while the workmen went to the Atangard for breakfast.

The house looked forlorn and bedraggle in its new location, perched atop four beamed towers but after the addition of basement, decking and landscaping it took on a more comforting appearance, providing many enjoyable years for the Sweeney Clan.