“Where we are sitting today, nobody is tearing down Madill Church and nobody wants to either.” Those words were delivered to Huntsville’s General Committee on Wednesday, July 26 by Teri Souter, the Town’s Manager of Arts, Culture and Heritage. She presented the results of a recent public survey regarding the historic church, which was built in 1873, and recommended that the Town host a public meeting to bring together interested parties in hope of identifying or forming an organization that would take ownership of the church.
In May, Tim Beard, Director of Property Services for the Toronto United Church Council, a United Church of Canada (UCC) agency which has been engaged by the UCC’s Toronto Conference to manage and divest its surplus properties told committee that it had no further congregational use for the church.
In response, committee directed staff to seek public input, which it did via a public survey that closed on July 3. There were 107 respondents to the survey, 60 per cent of which came from the Huntsville area, 13 per cent from other parts of Muskoka and the Near North, and 27 per cent from the rest of Ontario, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, and New York.
Of those respondents, many noted several areas where they would be prepared to help preserve the church. Souter also noted that the United Church of Canada has indicated its willingness to contribute the equivalent cost of demolishing the church – estimated at $7,500 to $10,000 – to an organization willing to take ownership, and that a private group could set up a fundraising page to gather further support.
“The results (of the survey) underscore the need for a public meeting to get everyone together, and present the challenges and the options to them… and see if they could form an organization,” said Souter, adding that she’d be happy to help in an advisory role.
An overview of the areas of interest indicated by respondents to a survey on Madill Church (Image: Town of Huntsville)
Souter said that the Town has received two requests to designate the property as a heritage building, but noted that the Town has never designated a property against the owner’s wishes. She added that in the case of Madill Church, a new organization should be in place before there is a designation. “I would suggest that the work that is needed on this building, in particular the drystack foundation, if there was a designation on the building, my recommendation to the municipal heritage committee would be that the drystack foundation stay the same or be replaced with same. If we wait until the needed work is done and then put the designation on, it allows more flexibility.”
Madill Church is, however, listed as a building of heritage interest and if the United Church were to apply for a demolition permit for the property, the Town has a legal right to withhold the permit for 60 days to allow the Municipal Heritage Committee time to discuss options.
The public meeting will be held on Thursday, August 17 at 6 p.m. at the Active Living Centre. All are welcome.
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