Stone church restoration society in Victoria Mines waits for keys, deed

The Stone Church Restoration Society, a group trying to save the heritage St. Alphonsus Church in Victoria Mines, has been facing delays in getting access to the keys and deed.

The society has been negotiating with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish since 2014 to buy the church, which was listed that year as one of the top 10 endangered places in the country by the charity Heritage Canada. 

The church is one of several in Cape Breton to be closed and deconsecrated because of declining attendance and rising maintenance costs.

In 2015, the society negotiated to pay the diocese $40,000 in four equal payments.

No keys, no deed

Society president Melanie Sampson says they were supposed to get the keys and the deed after the second payment in January, "then we were taking out a vendor mortgage with them for the remaining $20,000."

That hasn't happened yet.

Sampson says the society was just waiting for a land survey to be finished to begin restoring the church.

Rev. Paul Abbass, who speaks for the diocese, says the survey has been completed. 

"We've approved the survey, but we just need to get a final copy of it so that's part of the sale agreement as well," he said.

Abbass says the diocese is also waiting for the final paperwork related to the sale to be completed and signed as well, but it should be done soon.

"Real estate matters, they don't happen one day after another day after another day," he said. "Even though everyone has agreed to the selling and the buying, there often are periods where you wait on others to conclude their part of it." 

100th anniversary

Sampson says she understands the delay; she just wants to begin the restoration process for the church's 100th anniversary this summer.

"It's very hard to plan events when you don't have access and ownership," she said.

The third payment of $10,000 is due this Saturday.

Large donation

Sampson says there was a risk of the society coming up short, but it has received a $5,000 donation from Sydney businessman Parker Rudderham.

He says he donated to the church because of the society's dedication to saving it.

"I was very impressed with their persistence and tenacity and how they've taken this thing and they've made it … a national campaign," said Rudderham.

Sampson says the final payment is due July 30, but her group is hoping to make it sooner.

"The church was built by the community and it's going to be saved by the community," she said.