Pam Currall is a woman on a mission.
She and the other members of the small Kurow Victorian Preservation Group want to see the St Alban's Vicarage restored and available to the community as a venue for functions and conferences.
Long term, the aim is to have "top-end" accommodation upstairs in the John Meggett Forrester-designed building.
It is an ambitious project but one that Mrs Currall sees as very worthwhile.
"It [the building] is just so beautiful; you just can't not want to do something with it."
Mrs Currall and her husband, Ian, "escaped" Christchurch and moved to "beautiful" Kurow five and a-half years ago.
The St Alban's Chapel and Vicarage is listed as category 1 with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, meaning it is a place of "special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value".
The chapel and vicarage - which are attached - were built in the 1890s.
According to the trust's register, Emily Campbell, wife of the North Otago land baron Robert Campbell, left a bequest of about 5300 to finance the building of a church and vicarage in the district. Her generosity proved to be somewhat of a mixed blessing as the Anglicans of Duntroon initially disputed Kurow's suitability as the parish's centre.
The controversy was eventually resolved by Bishop Nevill, of Dunedin, who recommended a church be erected at Duntroon, while a vicarage and adjoining chapel be built at Kurow.
The large size of the vicarage might in part be explained by the fact the first incumbent at St Alban's had a large family and a private income with which to pay domestic and stable staff. The last resident vicar left in 1970.
The vicarage is still owned by the Anglican Church and is leased to another church group, which occasionally uses it. Church services are held in the chapel on the second and fourth Sunday of every month.
The building was "as solid as a rock" and no structural work was required, apart from installing a new kitchen downstairs, Mrs Currall said.
A public meeting was held in the chapel in July last year to discuss what the community wanted done with the building.
"The recurring theme was how lovely to see this building used by the community."
A Mrs Bouquet's Candelight Supper at the vicarage was a "hit", followed by Teas and Tours at Labour Weekend and a community bonfire night at Guy Fawkes.
A recent fashion parade raised $1800 for the restoration and more fundraising events are planned.
While the total cost of the project was not known - "somebody suggested $500,000" - Mrs Currall said if they thought too much about the cost, then they would never get started.
"You've got to take the plunge and go."
