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rfmcdonaldThis weekend, I learned that the former home of the congregation of the u>Sackville United Church is up for sale, for the price of one dollar Canadian. This doesn't include the cost of moving the church from its current location, on 112 Main Street in the New Brunswick town of Sackville.
The Sackville Tribune-Post's Katie Power noted last February that the sale price is a matter of last resort.
The cost of maintaining the church, along with the shrinking size of the congregation, is cited in multiple sources as the reason for the church being placed for sale. I'm a bit surprised this is the case, since Sackville, in the penumbra of greater Moncton and home to Mount Allison University, might be expected to fare somewhat better.
I wonder what will happen. Will the church, with its architecture and its history, be saved? Or will it be torn down, bits perhaps scavenged? (The stained glass windows are to die for.)
The Sackville Tribune-Post's Katie Power noted last February that the sale price is a matter of last resort.
Property owner John Lafford of Lafford Realty Inc. said he has listed the building through a local real estate agent and is open to discussions with anyone interested in purchasing the former church.
[. . .]
The Laffords purchased the property (which includes nearly three acres of land surrounding the church) more than a year ago after a decision was made by the Sackville United Church council to downsize to a smaller and more efficient building, one which didn’t require hundreds of thousands of dollars in maintenance and repairs.
Lafford has been busy over the past year developing commercial and residential units on another section of the property but he admits the time is soon coming to begin making plans for the rest of the site, hence the need to sell the church building.
A group of community members have come together in the interest of saving the local landmark and Lafford said he has tried to give them ample time to develop an action plan, “something viable” that would ensure the building could be maintained.
“I didn’t want to make any rash decisions,” he said, “and I think I’ve kept a pretty open mind.”
The cost of maintaining the church, along with the shrinking size of the congregation, is cited in multiple sources as the reason for the church being placed for sale. I'm a bit surprised this is the case, since Sackville, in the penumbra of greater Moncton and home to Mount Allison University, might be expected to fare somewhat better.
I wonder what will happen. Will the church, with its architecture and its history, be saved? Or will it be torn down, bits perhaps scavenged? (The stained glass windows are to die for.)
