At the October General Committee meeting, Huntsville councillors were asked to approve a Heritage Permit Application for the relocation or demolition of St. Mary’s Church at 323 Raymond Road in the Town of Huntsville.
Councillors heard that the neighbour is interested in purchasing the church and the intention is to move it to the neighbouring property if feasible.
Council also heard that while the church has not been officially designated a heritage building under the Ontario Heritage Act, it was included on the Town’s register of heritage properties of interest, which requires a permit application.
Councillor Jason FitzGerald asked about those interred in the cemetery on the property. The Town’s Director of Development Services, Kirstin Maxwell, said it is her understanding that the Incorporated Synod of the Diocese of Algoma intends to ask the Town to take over the cemetery. She also noted that the Town cannot refuse and added that the Diocese intends to sell the church to the interested buyer.
News that the church would be moved and possibly destroyed did not sit well with Councillor FitzGerald.
“We’re losing all our heritage structures, and I don’t think in two generations there’s going to be any left. When do we stop them all from disappearing?” FitzGerald also questioned why the municipality wouldn’t be able to take over the church if it were to be required to take over the cemetery. “I think it’s a consideration we should make.”
Huntsville Mayor Nancy Alcock said the Huntsville Historical Society appeared to have no issues, as per the report. She asked whether they hoped the building could be preserved rather than demolished. Maxwell said they are hopeful the building can be moved. Maxwell said they requested access to document the structure before it is moved, particularly if there’s a potential that it may have to be demolished.
Maxwell said she did not have additional information about the cemetery.
FitzGerald said situations like these would happen more frequently and questioned whether the municipality should let all the old churches go or try to salvage one or two.
Deputy Mayor Dan Armour said the issue of old cemeteries was raised at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario related to funding and the burden of having to look after cemeteries that are no longer active.
FitzGerald returned to discussing the church.”I just think remember the past, embrace the future. We’re forgetting one of those components there… we have been for a long time, just letting stuff go,” he said. I’m not saying we need to do it or have to do it, but we can’t not investigate the possibility of trying to save some of these structures so there’s a couple left.”
Councillor Helena Renwick said she does not think the Town has the resources to take over the buildings. “My thought goes to, for example, the little church that was on Highway 60, that was moved to the property also on Hwy 60, and it is being used for weddings, it’s being used for other things. The integrity of the building and the history of it is still there, but it’s being used and it’s being used by a commercial venture… I don’t think our municipality has the resources to take on all of these buildings.”
Renwick told FitzGerald that she concurred that history should not be lost, “but we don’t have the resources to keep them up.” FitzGerald said he’s not suggesting the municipality take over all of the buildings, “I’m worried at what point there’s nothing left… what if it doesn’t move successfully and then it’s gone?”
Renwick pointed to the Huntsville Historical Society and said they were very active and engaged.
Councillor Scott Morrison asked if the Town could use the vacant land left behind by the removal of the church. “Is there any benefit to us taking that over, selling it off for housing, or doing something to recoup some finances to allow us to maintain the cemetery? Or is the land somewhat useless once the church is gone? I don’t know, but I think it’s something worth exploring.”
Maxwell said the land is under one acre and does not have a driveway of its own.
Councillor Cory Clarke lamented that there is no provincial help or funding to help municipalities that are being asked to take on former cemeteries. “The problem is when we take these on, they become our problem forever. I really hope that municipalities are continuing to advocate on our behalf to the provincial government to try to get funding.” Clarke asked the CAO whether there was any degree of organization on the issue. She said if the municipality were to take on the site, it would have to maintain it. She said there may be grants available, but that is something staff would have to investigate.
FitzGerald also suggested that if the municipality has to take over the cemetery anyway, why not take over the church as well and lease it out to recoup the costs of maintaining the cemetery?
Councillors noted that there is already a buyer for the church, so it’s a moot point.
In the end, the committee approved the application.
All recommendations from committee must be ratified by council. You can find staff’s report HERE.
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The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I am hoping that the Church will be able to be moved intact. It is a lovely spiritual place to experience even as we drive by on Raymond Road. We were privileged to live in Northern Alberta in a historically designated hardware store that we restored.Our building was important to the community as the store was also the meeting hall for the early town councils. Other historical buildings were moved and restored and are in use. They add significantly to the community identity and continuity with its past. Being on the original site is an important factor in the building’s historical significance, but continuing designation of the site as “of historical interest” is helpful to represent Muskoka’s history of settlement. The cemetery associated is of course more than historical real estate and will be given into our respectful care as is appropriate.