There’s an old saying stemming from a Robert Frost poem, that “good fences make good neighbours.” The intricate and beautiful work of a McCauley family demonstrates that good fences can also be functional, attractive works of art.

Ruth Sorochan lives with her partner Rebezar and their daughter Maia on 96 Street and 109 Avenue. In the last year, Rebezar built a wooden fence featuring unique geometric patterns and a functional bench on the outside.

“Rebezar’s passion is log home building,” Ruth explains. “He’s a builder who will do projects of any size. He loves the craftsmanship, and putting the patterns together.”

As well, during the same time period, Ruth conceptualized and Rebezar brought to life a Little Free Library named the “Spruce Cone Library,” after the spruce cones from their tree which decorates the structure.

“I love the idea of Little Free Libraries. I like to share” says Ruth, adding that it has been well-used in the community with people taking and dropping off books.

Ruth and Rebezar came up with the idea of having a bench attached to the fence because Maia, when she was younger, would often play in front of the house on the sidewalk. “It’s nice to have a comfortable place to sit,” says Ruth.

The bench is an old wooden bed frame that was intended to be turned into a bed for Maia. However, a better frame was found for that purpose, so it was turned into the bench instead. It is extremely sturdy, and has a slight slant to prevent rain from pooling.

In fact, most of the materials for the fence, bench, and library were reused. The only purchased component is the plexiglass for the windows on the library.

Keep an eye out for this one-of-a-kind arrangement – it is definitely worth a second look.