Commemorative plate of old méthodist Church in Island Brook. Photo : MAXIME ROBERT

In our editorial this issue, above, Maxime Robert argues that while not all historic churches and heritage buildings can be saved, municipalities and religious orders should make such preservations more of a priority.

“Often, I’ve had to negotiate with religious orders and municipalities who are the owners of old churches but for whom the churches’ heritage value and identity came last,” Robert writes.
In the last edition of the Journal, the real estate agent mandated to sell St. Peter’s Anglican church in Cookshire is quoted as saying that the diocese would “generally” leave its future use, including demolition, up to a buyer. “While the Anglican Diocese of Quebec would certainly be saddened to see this beautiful heritage property demolished, and would love to see the building preserved, the ultimate use of the property by any future buyer is generally at their discretion,” he wrote. “We are focused on securing a fair and respectful offer for the property, regardless of the buyer’s intended long-term use.”
Earlier this year, the Trinity United church building, just up the street from St. Peter’s, was sold. It is also one of the region’s heritage jewels. In this case, though, the United Church took care to protect the future of Trinity through its sale, choosing local arts and culture patron, Gilles Denis, and his organization, Espace culturel Cookshire-Eaton, as the buyer.

Denis loves the church for its aesthetic beauty, history, and remarkable interior, including excellent acoustics. Espace culturel organizes concerts at the church and agreed to let the local United Church community continue holding services there.

The United Eaton Valley Pastoral Charge, among others, is to be congratulated for the care it took in ensuring the best possible future for Trinity. Now, we hope that Gilles Denis and Espace culturel Cookshire-Eaton will long carry on the important social responsibility of preserving and showcasing such an invaluable part of our built heritage.

Ten years ago in a Record editorial, I was critical of the decisions that saw the dismantling of the Island Brook church, without fully knowing what it is to care for and protect a historic church. It turns out that Maxime Robert was one of the purchasers, dismantling it in the hopes of seeing it resurrected elsewhere. That hope never became a reality.
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They can’t all be saved, he writes. But Trinity has been. So has the old Methodist church Maxime and his partner inhabit in East Angus. Now let’s hope the owners of St. Peter’s make preservation a priority too.

Scott Stevenson