Erie Street United Church - DEMOLISHED
40 Erie Street SouthRidgetown ON
N0P 2C0
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Current Owner: |
Trustees, Erie Street United Church | |
| History: | The Erie Street United Church is a 140 year old Ridgetown landmark designed by William G. Malcomson, the architect who built Henry Ford’s first home as well as other designated buildings in Michigan. An outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture, the spire of the church can be seen from miles away and the building compliments the fine Victorian architecture of the neighbourhood in which is stands. | |
| Details: |
The church faces imminent demolition. The building, designated in 1986, needs repairs and the congregation, which has moved to another location, wishes to sell the building. They have a potential buyer who wants the land to build condominiums. In 2006 an engineer’s report and a condition survey were commissioned by the Trustees of the church. These showed problems with the fabric of the steeple, with the foundations and the roof. On the basis of this report, the Chatham-Kent Chief Building Officer has issued a demolition permit for the church and on December 1, Chatham-Kent Council voted to allow demolition.
Meanwhile, a local group is willing to put together funds to purchase the church with the aim of saving and repairing it. Architects who have seen the church feel it has not deteriorated to the point where it cannot be saved. A suggestion has been made that the church would make an ideal site for the local library. The current library needs to expand and studies have been made in that direction. To gain time to negotiate with the church Trustees and to gauge again the possibilities of finance, the ACO wrote to the Ontario Minister of Culture Aileen Carroll asking her to put a stop order on demolition of Erie Street United Church. In spite of intense negotiations, continuing research and negotiations the Minister denied the request for a stop order on 9th December. Sadly this came at a time when part of the “rescue team” had started to get indications of strong financial support for saving the church. The threat to this building has been raised in the Legislature: Hansard, December 10, 2008 Statement by Peter Tabuns, MPP, Beaches-East York HERITAGE CONSERVATION Mr. Peter Tabuns: Today I was contacted by the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and told that another piece of Ontario's heritage, the Erie Street United Church, dating from 1876, located in Ridgetown, Ontario, is going to be demolished. Once again, the Minister of Culture has failed in her responsibility to protect Ontario's heritage. The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario requested that she issue a stop order to save this Henry Langley church, designated by the municipality. Ministry staff were in contact with the chief building officer and the local congregation and managed to negotiate a two-day pause but couldn't get a voluntary agreement to stop. The congregation can't afford to maintain the building; it needs about $1 million in repairs. But as one of the engineer's reports said, the building would last another 300 years if it had been maintained. The chief building officer was persuaded to issue a demolition order. The minister had the power-and a request-to issue a stop on that. She didn't. We lost Alma College in St. Thomas-lost to fire-after the minister refused to act. At the rate the minister is going, we'll see an awful lot more buildings lost in this province. |
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What can you do to help: |
This is a building of historic significance; it would be a tragedy to lose it. Write the Premier, copy your letter to the Minister of Culture and refer the press to this website.
Hon. Dalton McGuinty
Premier of Ontario Legislative Bldg, Room 281, Queen's Park Toronto ON M7A1A1 The Honourable Aileen Carroll
Minister of Culture
900 Bay Street, Mowat Block 5th Floor
Toronto, Ontario, M7A 1L2
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