Stone Church Restoration Society is hoping to save St. Alphonsus Church

A group that's trying to stop the demolition of St. Alphonsus Church in Victoria Mines is getting ready to make its pitch to the Diocese of Antigonish next month.

The  building was slated for demolition in Feb. 2014, but that's been put on hold to give the group time to present its proposal.

The Stone Church Restoration Society has raised $10,000 so far to help with its offer.

Melanie Sampson is the group's director and she says its business plan is almost ready. She says the group has been told by Diocese officials there would be a cost in handing over the church.

"This here's a building that people want to save. It's got national attention and if it's going to cost them a large amount of money to destroy it, why not turn it over for a small fee to a non-profit society so that it can stand for another 100 years or more?" said Sampson.

The church was built 99 years ago and stands on a hill overlooking Sydney Harbour.

Sampson says the group would like to turn the building into a community centre and non-denominational wedding chapel.