St. Alphonsus Church sale comes as a shock to community group

A community group in Cape Breton that's been trying to save a century-old former church from the wrecking ball says it's shocked to learn the building is for sale.

St. Alphonsus, also known as the stone church, was slated for demolition by the Diocese of Antigonish last year.

The decaying Roman Catholic church on the shores of Sydney Harbour was built in 1916 along Highway 28. Structural issues forced the closure of the 99-year-old church in 2007.

A group of parishioners formed the Stone Church Restoration Society has raised $10,000 to turn it into a community centre and tourism hub for Victoria Mines.

But the diocese said they still haven't seen a business plan.

"Regarding the the restoration society, the diocese has given them ample time to come up with a business plan. They haven't done so and so we're putting it on the market," said Father Donald MacGillivary.

He didn't disclose the purchase price.

Melanie Sampson, a member of the Stone Church Restoration Society, says they're still determined to buy the property.

"We were quite shocked to find out it's for sale but we've been told that someone has put an offer in on the building. They would graciously like us to put in an offer as well," she said.

Sampson says the group is going to meet with a provincial heritage group , the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and their lawyer to try to find a way to boost their case.

"We've been fighting this battle for a while and this is a very iconic building. People nation wide want to save this building and preserve it just as it is as a piece of heritage not because it's a church but because it's a piece of Canadian heritage," she said.

"We're not done wanting to save it we're urging everyone to please pull together and help us save this building."