Another Maritime church is facing the wrecking ball, but first the church executive is selling off what’s left in the building, in the hopes of keeping some of the materials in the community.
“What we’re seeing is declining congregations, outward migrations, financial pressures to parishes, and other variables that impact on sustainability for churches,” says Harold Roberts, the warden of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Boylston, N.S.
St. Paul’s Anglican Church was built in 1846 and deconsecrated in 1996. For years it was used for Christmas concerts and then church officials decided to try to sell the building. However, it would have to be moved, in part because of its proximity to the church cemetery.
“You couldn’t have someone live in this church with the cemetery here for a variety of reasons,” says Roberts. “There’s no water, no sewage, no amenities like that, that would be required under current conditions for code, building codes.”
Now, the church is set to be torn down and officials have been selling parts of the interior, such as windows and pews, to help pay for the demolition.
“A number of neighbours to the church, so to speak, have come and acquired pieces, and they’re going to repurpose those pieces so the church will have a legacy, in that sense, in the community,” says Roberts.
Roberts says the demolition work is set to begin in the fall and completed by the end of October.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Dan MacIntosh
