“Can I lend a hand?”
That’s how John Hollyer introduced himself to Christ Church Bells Corners.
He continued to lend a hand for 11 years—until he died in 2016, age 82. To the surprise of everyone who knew him he left his entire estate – all $70,000 of it – to the parish.
When the Housing Project for Bells Corners, with 35 units of affordable housing and a community resource centre, opens later this year it will be named Hollyer House.
Hollyer’s unexpected bequest came at a time when the parish was actively considering a housing project on the site of its rectory. Initially, the parish Vestry voted to use the bequest as seed money for feasibility studies.
After the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa provided seed funding the Hollyer bequest became the foundation for parish-based fundraising that passed the $750,000 mark and continues today as a diocesan campaign with a goal of $1.6 million.
John Hollyer lent a hand in many ways. He drove seniors to church in his old pickup truck until his eyesight failed. He took young men off the streets to help them overcome addiction, sharing his small mobile home at Bells Corners Trailer Park. He became an avid member of the gardening club and the parish’s Cursillo Group.
“We can think of no more fitting name for the building than Hollyer House,” says Archdeacon Kathryn Otley, rector of Christ Church. “The house, like the man, will lend a “hand up” with respect, offering a chance for those who find themselves in need to have a fresh start in safe, supportive and affordable housing.”
The Rev. Canon PJ Hobbs, director of Community Ministries, was the rector of Christ Church when Hollyer first approached the parish. His partner Sheila, suffering from cancer, was in palliative care. He came to the church looking for pastoral support. Sheila died soon afterwards.
“He was a humble man, very smart and creative, with a particular gift for friendship,” Canon Hobbs says.
Hollyer’s fellow parishioner and close friend Victor Wehrle recalls first meeting him in the church’s garden. Walking by, he stopped to say he liked gardening and asked “Can I lend a hand?”
Wehrle soon invited him to join the Cursillo Group. He became an enthusiastic member, attending weekly breakfast meetings at Wehrle’s home – until ill-health prevented him from going out. Instead, Hollyer organized a party at his own trailer park home.
“We had a wonderful afternoon,” Wehrle recalls. “He was in good spirits. We shared lots of laughs. But we all knew he was in bad shape. He died five days later.”
The time before he came to Christ Church remains vague. But those who knew him agree on several points. He sold a small farm in southwestern Ontario to take up a trade in renovations, sometimes subcontracting to other builders. Self-taught, he was extraordinarily skilled. He may well have come to the Ottawa area seeking medical support for his partner Sheila.
His attempt to help the homeless didn’t always succeed. Some relapsed. But he never gave up offering a fresh start in his humble home. Neighbours and professionals who knew him talked of their trust and regard for a humble, honest and hardworking man.
You may also be interested in this May 2024 story:
Diocese celebrates success creating more than 150 affordable housing units
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