UPDATE June 1, 2017: The Town of Huntsville is seeking input from the public on the future of Madill Church. Click here to complete the survey before July 3, 2017.
The fate of Huntsville’s Madill Church is still up in the air, but if partners don’t step forward with an interest in helping to preserve it the historic building will almost certainly be demolished.
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, was before Huntsville’s General Committee on May 25 to explain the organization’s stance on Madill Church. The Toronto Conference oversees the local presbytery that includes Madill Church.
Beard said that the building, which was constructed in the 1870s, predates the formation of the United Church of Canada and originally fell under the auspices of the Methodist Church. He acknowledged that it is an iconic building, but that the local congregation has disbanded and the trustees have resigned and the UCC has no future congregational use for the building.
He also said that as the property could not, in his opinion, accommodate a well or septic system – it is surrounded on three sides by a cemetery – it is not suitable for modern, all-season occupancy and is therefore not marketable. He added that the Toronto Conference has no economic interest in the property – they got it for free – and it currently accrues cost and shoulders unwanted risk associated with the building.
Beard said that he recommends one of two solutions: transferring title to the town or clearing the site. “The United Church of Canada has no desire to destroy the building. I am fully prepared to recommend to the Toronto Conference that Madill Church be given back to the people of Huntsville. The only thing I would request is the Town provide the legal and administrative needs to effect the legal transfer of the title.”
When Deputy Mayor Karin Terziano asked what would happen should the Town not want to assume ownership, Beard replied that he would recommend the Toronto Conference apply for a demolition permit to mitigate their risk. “It would be impossible to secure the building.”
Director of Operations and Protective Services Steve Hernen noted that the church has significant structural problems. “We do maintain the graveyard and cut the grass. It looks pretty but the reality is it’s slowly deteriorating.”
Madill Church is one of Huntsville’s oldest buildings. Huntsville’s founder Captain George Hunt is interred in the adjacent cemetery. (Read a previous Doppler story about the church here.)
Committee’s reaction
Councillor Bob Stone wondered if there would be interest in moving the church to the pioneer village at Muskoka Heritage Place. Director of Community Services Kari Lambe noted that there is already a “like building of that type of structure from that same period at Muskoka Heritage Place. There would be no value in it at Muskoka Heritage Place.” Hernen also noted that moving the building would be difficult both due to its current state of disrepair and its height.
Councillor Jason FitzGerald said that in a discussion with Teri Souter, the Town’s Manager of Art, Culture and Heritage, she was of the opinion that Madill Church has significant heritage value. “I’m not sure that the municipality is in a position to take it on,” he said. “I think we need to discuss it further and come up with some creative options.”
Councillor Nancy Alcock is opposed to the idea of demolishing the church and said that she’s heard from several members of the community who said it’s important to their families as well as others who said they’d be prepared to help with restoration. “I think it’s too significant. It’s an opportunity for us, and I’m not suggesting we take it on and spend a lot of money… We could market this as a feature when people come to Huntsville. It’s part of our heritage, part of our history.”
The costs associated with restoration and maintenance, even if the structure is repaired only enough to be a static display, was a concern for Councillor Det Schumacher. “I would have no problem having a plaque there commemorating the fact that Captain Hunt is interred there. I would leave the building with this organization to do with what they want,” he said, adding later in the meeting, “I would not like to saddle the taxpayer with another venue that year after year they would be responsible for paying for. If there’s an interested group that wants to take it on financially, go for it.”
Mayor Scott Aitchison wondered if the Town were to assume ownership, if its capital asset management plan could specify that it be funded not through tax dollars but through donations. “(The Town could) create a partnership with an organization that is responsible for preserving the building and that it’s based solely on the contributions received. And if those contributions aren’t forthcoming and the building is no longer safe, then we just dispose of it.”
Staff were directed to “explore options for non-municipal owner-operators including non-profit organizations and private sector options for Madill Church as well as obtain public input.”
Following the meeting, Councillor FitzGerald said, “The church is not willing to support future use of Madill Church and are proposing that the municipality take ownership or they will demolish the building. Currently, the municipality is entertaining the idea of ownership provided we get some non-profit or private sector individuals involved for the refurbishing of Madill Church to keep it as a landmark in our community.”
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Bruce West, my grandfather and his wife, and several ancestors, including an original Huntsville settler, are buried in Madill cemetery. Bruce West was a celebrated G and M journalist. His original story on Castro coming to power was republished in the Globe on Castro’s death last year. I am sure there are other Huntsville boys and girls who should be celebrated by the restoration of this important part of Huntsville and Canada’s heritage.
This year Canada is celebrating 150 years since Confederation, and a historic log church, rich in pioneer history, is being considered for demolition? This is appalling. And where did the extremely high cost estimates for restoration come from? Fifteen years ago we had a log house taken apart, moved to our location, rebuilt with some repairs to the logs on a new foundation, with a new roof, second floor loft, and electric service added, all for $25,000. Even with inflation this is a long way from $300,000.
Madill Church with its peaceful cemetery is a resting place for generations of my family, including George West, one of the original pioneers. Those pioneers had a tough challenge, carving a life and community out of the rugged Muskoka terrain and the church was an important symbol of the hope that kept them going.
Another native son buried there is my father and George’s grandson, Bruce West, who grew up in Huntsville and went on to a become one of Canada’s best read and much admired columnists and authors. He was also, incidentally, instrumental in the group that first promoted skiing and winter tourism in Huntsville in the early 1930s.
I know I and my family would be happy to contribute money to a fund to restore the church in its original setting. There are probably matching funds that could be raised from various heritage organizations and “in kind” donations that could be used to lessen the costs. With a little creative thinking the church and its setting could be used to draw tourists, provide a venue for weddings, inspire historical lessons for school children, and other uses that have yet to be imagined.
The Town of Huntsville has released a survey asking for input on the future of Madill Church. Read details here and submit comments before July 3, 2017 if you’re interested: https://doppleronline.ca/huntsville/town-huntsville-seeks-public-input-future-madill-church/
They are spending over $40k to buy a sign for the theatre but won’t support our heritage. I don’t get it. And I don’t think even if they would accept it, which they don’t sound like they want it, to move it to the Pioneer Village should even be thought of when it’s perfectly fine where it is. Come on people, it’s our heritage and our ancestors. They already allowed one historical building to be changed out of recognition.
I’ve never been inside this church but do remember visiting the site when I was in public school, a long time ago. I think it is fairly important to try to keep and remember an area’s heritage whenever possible. It seems that there is interest and some able contractors interested in helping. I also think that the estimate to stabilize and restore this building that I saw noted some months ago was very high, at least at first glance.
I think we should try to save it somehow.
We raised nearly a million dollars to save the old Bigwin Ferry boat.
The Trans Canada trail extension seems to be able to be funded.
I just have this feeling that somehow the area can come up with enough funds and volunteers to save this old church.
I know I’d donate something if there was a suitable fund set up.
I subscribe to the “has significant heritage value” side of this conversation. I wish that “one of Huntsville’s oldest buildings” remain standing to help balance out such things as Huntsville’s newest, generic buildings. There has been a general slippage in understanding that where we come from and what people have come through, means something in our daily lives. Please publish here or on Doppleronline where I can put my name on a list of volunteers willing to help with labour on the structure.
I agree with Ron, as a builder and with experience in log buildings and log replacement it seems the quotation for repairs in my view is inflated.
The town happily spends $5000 on a coat of arms but takes no interest in maintenance of historic structures.
I would be willing to put forth some of the resources I can provide from Rose Lake Sawmill to save this building.
My name is Bill Bradford. My parents, my brother and my son are buried at the Madill Church Cemetery. I used to own most of the property around the church. My father, William Bradford preached at the Madill Church back in the 40’s and early 50’s. Our family often went to Madill’s when the services were conducted monthly. My wife Victoria and I have often attended the yearly services. We are very upset about hearing that the church may be taken down. We are now in our late 70’s and on pension so I am not sure how we can help. I know I gave some money to restore the old African Church in Oro Township. I certainly would be willing to contribute some money to a fund for the Madill Church to be restored.
As a long time log building contractor I find the Madill Church story intriguing. Over the years we given new life to many old log structures with log replacement and stabilization. The building would have to be in very bad shape to be considered a complete tear down. There is always the possibility of salvage at least in part. It is impossible to put a value on the heritage aspect of this church but if torn down it is gone forever.
There have been a number of people express interest in helping refurbish the church. We would just need some of these big business and the town to chip in some cash to pay for materials that would be needed.
I don’t believe it would come anywhere close to the amount that was estimated earlier.
Why don’t you sell the white elephant Waterloo building and put the money into looking after our heritage. Oh yeah and I’m sure the $143k that they are putting into the walkway would go along way to fixing up both Madill Church and Dyers memorial. Why is it in this town they saddle us with new things that turn out to be of no use to anyone and we end up selling at a loss and we lose parts of our history like the Brunel Hall and Madill Church and the church at Ravenscliffe they are fighting to keep? Someday our children will be missing our history and wondering why all this happened.