Historic church's steeple damaged by stong winds
The Feb. 7 wind that blew through the region was not only strong enough to create a gaping hole in the steeple of the historic Église SainteMarie church structure in Church Point, but was strong enough to fling the debris into a parking lot well across the road.
“It basically tore off a section of cladding and shingles. It carried the parts all the way across the street to the parking lot of the credit union,” said André Valotaire, who has been a caretaker of the Digby County structure located in the Municipality of Clare. “It’s a piece that is about 20 feet long and I think it broke apart when it hit the ground.”
Southwestern Nova Scotia was hit hard by strong winds the night of Feb. 7, with some peak gusts in the region measuring around 120 km/h or higher. The wind led to downed trees, power outages and property damage.
Valotaire said it was fortunate the damage to the steeple happened at night.
“If it had happened during the day it would have been serious because there would have been vehicles and people in that parking lot, possibly,” he said.
He said it’s not surprising damage occurred, given the wear and tear the structure has been under for decades.
“The bottom of that hole (in the steeple) is 150 feet up, the top is about 170 feet. There’s nothing much to protect it against high winds and it’s been sustaining high winds for 150 years,” he said. “We knew it was getting close to the point where things were going to start happening. That’s why the society is looking to raise that money to fix it.”
The Société Édifice SainteMarie
de la Pointe has taken on the task of raising $3 million to purchase and repair the building so it can continue to have a future use in the community, although it will never serve as a church again. Church services stopped being held inside the building years ago and in January the church parish officially closed.
Given the structure’s history and notoriety, many hope to see it remain. It is one of (if not the) tallest wooden church structures in North America.
The society has until September 2021 to raise $3 million and purchase the building from the diocese, otherwise the structure may be demolished. Many would hate to see that happen. Halifax-area resident Rose Marie Mahar (who was a Comeau and grew up in Church Point) is amongst those who have made a donation towards the society’s efforts.
“It’s a very special building and it should not be destroyed. I hope they can get (federal) funding because they can’t do it themselves, that’s for sure,” she says. “I got married there, was baptized there and my confirmation and first communion were there. We even used to go and wash the sanctuary floor.”
She remembered once, when she was about 13, climbing into the steeple with her sisters as a hurricane approached.
“When we got home, late, our mother said, ‘Where were you?’ and we told her. After that the door to the steeple was locked,” she recalled with a laugh.
Valotaire said they have been in contact with the insurance provider, adjusters and contractors about the steeple's damage.
“The main concern I have now is if we get a strong southerly wind and the wind were to blow into that hole, it might blow out the other side of the steeple,” he said. “I’m sure at the very least they’re going to want to patch the hole. Put some plywood in. They may not want to do a whole repair until the spring, but I don’t know.”
Exposure to rain or snow is not a big issue, he said.
“It’s above the bells and where the bells are there’s louvers on all sides that are open. Whenever it’s rainy and windy or snowy, it gets inside, but underneath the bells there’s a false roof made of copper, so any water or snow that gets in where the bells are will sit on that area and eventually flow out or dry off.
“So any water that that gets into this, if it does leak through, will only get to where the bells are and not get any further down into the building to do more damage,” he said. “The wind doing more damage – now that it has that hole – that’s the biggest issue right now.”
While it’s discouraging to see the damage, Valotaire said the situation reinforces why repairs are needed and why money needs to be raised.
“The good thing is it’s drawing attention to it,” he said. “Any publicity is good publicity.”