A historic church in Clare is set to stick around for years to come.
Plans to demolish Eglise Sainte-Marie in Church Point have been suspended following a decision from the province to maintain its heritage status.
The announcement was made by the Association Sainte-Marie heritage et developpement during a keynote speech at the National Trust for Canada’s annual conference, October 24.
Properties under the Heritage Act cannot be legally torn down.
Gabrielle Bardall, with the association, tells our newsroom there are no words to express the sense of relief and just joy.
“The outpouring has just been so heartfelt and so widespread. It’s major,” says Bardall.
How it all happened
She says it all started when their organization came together last fall, when they learned there was a request from the Archdiocese to tear the structure down and remove the heritage designation.
The request was denied, so the church can no longer be demolished.
What’s next
The 100-plus-year-old structure was once the tallest wooden church in North America and closed in 2019.
Now, Bardall says, the association can turn their attention to future plans for Eglise Sainte-Marie that involve transferring ownership; but not before some repairs.
“We are hoping to be able to patch a roof leak which is causing water infiltration, which is dangerous for the structure,” says Bardall. “Although the structure is solid at this time. So, that’s our top priority.”
Then, she says, they intend to gather donations in order to turn the church into a heritage destination, attracting people from across the Acadian region, the province and beyond.
“We know that this is a site of international importance. It’s not another parish church, but it will support local sites as well by drawing a broader attention to it,” explains Bardall.
The goal is to “transform” the building into a civilization museum of Acadia, that displays artifacts and emphasizes the living culture and vitality of Acadia today.
That, she says, could not only generate dozens of jobs but bring in millions to the local economy.
Governor’s Award
The Governor’s Award is offered each year for organizations that have shown innovation and an impact on heritage.
This year it went to the Association Sainte-Marie heritage et developpement.
Bardall says to be recognized in that way was “stunning” and calls attention to some of the things they’ve been able to do with support of the local community.
She says the support has been “overwhelming, incredibly motivating and they certainly wouldn’t be successful without it.”
