‘Heritage alert’ declared for historic N.S. church

The Saint-Marie Church opened its doors in 1905. (Source: Gabrielle Bardall)

The International Council on Monuments and Sites has issued a “heritage alert” on the former Église Sainte-Marie in Church Point, N.S., as they and other groups hope to save it from demolition.

The council, which is a non-governmental organization that seeks to protect heritage sites around the world, said the heritage alert is their highest alert warning.

“Sainte-Marie is the third church built on its historical site, where many local families can trace their ancestry to Acadians who resettled in 1769 after years of displacement,” said a news release from the council. “For centuries, Sainte-Marie has been more than a place of worship. It has served as a gathering space, a historical anchor, and a living reminder of the strength and continuity of Acadian heritage.

“Despite its designation as a provincial heritage property since 2001, Sainte-Marie currently lacks national recognition and federal protection.”

The council is calling for a halt to any demolition plans and for a long-term plan to preserve the site.

The building, which opened its doors in 1905, is believed to be the largest wooden church still standing in North America.

The Sainte-Marie héritage et développement group, which formed in late 2024, is currently working on a plan to preserve the church and make it economically viable. It is scheduled to present the proposal to the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, which owns the building, at the end of June.

“If what they suggest doesn’t make a lot of sense, then we’ll proceed with demolition,” said David O’Carroll, property and building manager for the Archdiocese, previously told CTV News Atlantic. “It’d happen as soon as we could organize it.”

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