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A Treasure Trove of StoriesCollege Lane B & BBy Linda Aksomitis
Every piece of furniture in the cozy B & B had a story. The incredible teak coffee table, with its sculptured designs of the birthday party carefully protected by a glass cover, was a fifty year old treasure from Hong Kong. The television was discretely concealed in an antique writing desk. Wall hangings were from Cambodia and Thailand. A Vietnamese indigenous art form made with egg shells sat beside a prairies antique from the 1920s. David and Elaine Taylor, owners of College Lane B & B have visited over thirty countries around the world and brought a story home from every one to share with visitors. College Lane is situated in the historic community of Camrose, less than an hour’s drive outside of Edmonton, Alberta’s capital city. At one point in its existence the completely restored 1912 home provided offices for Augustana University, whose long walkway fills with students each morning just outside the Taylor’s front door. With three comfortable bedrooms, one a large suite, it was just the kind of property they were looking for when they decided to turn their lifelong passion for traveling into providing for travelers themselves. So, I asked, “Why did you open a Bed & Breakfast?” David was quick to reply. “We like to spoil people. We really enjoy it—we like to provide an experience for people.”
The four-poster bed with its canopy overtop was as comfortable as it looked I soon discovered, flopping onto it and checking for bounce. With its light colors, my sitting room invited me to sit down and relax, or, what was even more necessary, open up my laptop and do a little work! The walls in the house, I soon discovered, were all original plaster, made of horsehair and lath. Some were painted and some papered in the traditional style of the era. Renovations had provided space for modern amenities, like the exquisite bathroom off my bedroom. The huge old-fashioned bathtub, with its cast iron claw feet, was a real treat to relax in. In fact, I wondered why on earth we’d modernized such a wonderful invention at all.
While the upper hallway was small, as was traditional in that era of homes, the Taylor’s had used every available space to display the treasures they’d collected. The stairwell was lined with an intriguing collection of artwork, making it difficult for me to just gallop down the stairs with my usual pace for tea and cookies! David and Elaine arrived in Camrose in 1980, planning to stay for five years. However, they soon decided to make it their permanent home. The furnishings and décor of College Lane had been collected throughout their marriage, so they felt right at home in the historic community. As dark fell and the supper hour approached I set off in search of an evening meal. College Lane was only a few blocks from lots of choices from fine dining, to fast food. I walked through the historic business district, admiring the window displays and beautifully painted snow-filled flower boxes. I decided I’d have to visit in the summer to see the community in all its beauty—winner of the Communities In Bloom award, I was sure the drive would be worthwhile.
After a leisurely breakfast, and getting David to tell me some more stories, I was soon packed up and heading out on the highway. Many international visitors, the Taylor’s had told me, make the B & B their home away from home, and explore various attractions Alberta has to offer that are less than an hour away. I can highly recommend many of them: Edmonton (their historic attractions as well as the West Edmonton Mall); the Reynolds-Alberta Museum (includes airplanes, cars, and agricultural exhibits); the Royal Tyrrell Museum (participate in a dinosaur dig or enjoy the incredible museum of dinosaur fossils); the Ukranian Cultural Heritage Village; and Beaverhill Bird Interpretive Centre. Photo credits to Linda Aksomitis Contact information for College Lane: David & Elaine Taylor
Information on visiting this area: City of Camrose -- http://www.camrose.com/index.php Edmonton Tourism -- http://www.tourism.ede.org/ Royal Tyrrell Museum -- http://www.tyrrellmuseum.com/programs/ Ukrainian Cultural heritage Village -- http://collections.ic.gc.ca/ukrainian/ Reynolds-Alberta Museum -- www.reynoldsalbertamuseum.com/ Beaverhill Lake Nature Centre -- http://www.tofieldalberta.ca/nature.htm |
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Have
you ever had one of those experiences where a last-minute change of plans
makes for many memorable moments? When one of my workshops was cancelled
last spring I found myself with a free day, five hundred miles from home, so
scrambled to locate something productive to do. The result was a great stay
at the very comfortable College Lane B & B in Camrose, Alberta.
I
had to agree. Wandering through the house was an experience of itself,
without hearing David and Elaine’s fascinating stories about the pieces
they’ve collected and display in the rooms. Taking my things up to the suite
I took a few minutes to settle in before joining them both for tea after my
arrival.
Of
course I had to explore the other rooms as well. The Garden Room was the
original master bedroom for the families who had lived in the house over the
ninety years since it had been built. While there were only snowdrifts
visible through the windows when I peeked, I could imagine the flowers
Elaine described planting and caring for each spring. A beautiful brass bed,
manufactured in Alaska, adorned with a hand-quilted cover, filled the room,
offering a night of peaceful dreams. The Garden Room, like my suite, had a
private bathroom, the house’s original. The Blue Room also seemed
comfortable and inviting, with its ensuite bathroom. The antique four poster
bed featured another beautiful quilt that carried the colors of the décor on
its white background.
My
evening’s sleep was as restful as I’d imagined it would be. David and Elaine
had asked me earlier what time I wanted breakfast, so at 9 a.m. I wandered
down to the dining room for a culinary treat. They offer over 50 different
gourmet meals for breakfast and cater to special diets as well. While I
normally eat a light breakfast, I couldn’t resist the four courses they
offered from the fresh fruit to the home-made cinnamon bun, to the delicious
apple main course.