Church is tangible part of our history

Re: “1926 church in Fairfield to be demolished for suites,” March 16.

What a disappointment to read of the impending demise of the Fairfield United Church. In so many ways, this is wrong for our community.

Victoria is recognized for its success in restoring unique heritage buildings. These efforts seem wasted in the face of the destruction of this important part of our past.

This property, for sale in 2016, was examined closely to determine whether it was feasible for conversion and re-use and was found to be a great candidate to meet the continued needs of the church and provide unique new accommodation.

When, in the article, it was “noted that when the church was built, no one would have imagined hundreds of motorized carriages whizzing by the site,” I cringed at this logic in the argument to tear it down and thought how the same could be said for Notre Dame Cathedral or St. Paul’s Cathedral and many others.

The very fact that this building was built in the era of horse-and-carriage is reason enough to preserve it. It is a tangible part of our history.

And beyond that, for its architectural integrity, it deserves heritage designation, which was recommended by the city, but was rejected by the owners.

Plenty of alternative opportunities exist to create rental housing. A simple uptick of zoning to provide an additional floor in other projects could easily address this important need without desecrating a structure that speaks to our history and deserves heritage protection.

Please help to reverse this travesty.

Richard Holmes Victoria