Threat of demolition fades for former Sacred Heart convent
KITCHENER — The threat the former Sacred Heart convent would be demolished has been averted after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton invested about $100,000 in a new roof and other work to ensure the building’s survival.
The diocese is also looking at buying a neighbouring property to improve development options for the old convent, said Jim Long, director of finance and administration for the diocese.
“At this point, demolition is not one of the options we’re looking at,” Long said.
The diocese applied in the spring of 2015 for a permit to demolish the former convent at 79 Moore Ave., saying it no longer had any use for the building, which has been vacant since at least 2009, and needed the parking for the adjacent Sacred Heart Church.
After Kitchener’s heritage committee moved to protect the former convent with a heritage designation, both parties agreed to pull back and see if it was possible to come to a solution that met the parish’s needs, while conserving the 1927 convent building.
As part of those talks, the city presented the diocese with a list of work that needed to be carried out to ensure the building didn’t deteriorate further.
The diocese spent about $100,000 this fall to fix the roof, install a furnace and electronic thermostat to ensure minimal heat, and remove furniture, carpets, drapes and debris that could attract animals or mould. It also arranged for the church caretaker to conduct periodic checks to make sure the heat is on and no water is leaking in.
That work was “a first critical step,” said Leon Bensason, Kitchener’s co-ordinator of heritage planning.
“It’s bare-bones, but it’s enough to properly mothball the building.”
The repairs are a clear indication that the diocese is interested in doing something with the convent building, rather than demolishing it, Bensason said.
The work prevents further deterioration, Long notes, adding, “We haven’t made any changes or alterations, nor have we made any improvements. That’s really because we don’t know what’s going to happen to the building.”
The diocese is talking with the Catholic school board about buying the former Sacred Heart school, on the other side of the convent. That deal could go through as soon as the end of November, Long said.
Owning the school site would open up the redevelopment possibilities for the convent, which has no driveway or parking, Long said. It would also address the church’s need for parking, which was one of the main reasons the diocese wanted to demolish the convent.
“We’re very pleased with the direction we’re moving forward,” Long said. “I think at the end of the day this is going to be a good project. I think it’s going to work out positively.”
Bensason said the developments were “a significant step forward.” Getting the building repaired and secure “was priority No. 1. Now we can move on to the next priority, which would be, let’s find a use for the building, a purpose for the building.”