$400K donation offered for Hamilton church facing demolition: heritage advocates

Those behind a campaign to save St. Giles United Church from demolition and transform it into a community hub say they have secured a $400,000 donation for the cause.

The anonymous donor has offered the funds for the adaptive reuse of the shuttered church on Main Street East at Holton Avenue South, the Friends of St. Giles say.

Places of worship are the original community spaces, and St. Giles is so meaningful to Hamiltonians, so it's a natural fit," spokesperson Sarah Sheehan said in a news release Monday. Imagine the possibilities at this beautiful building."

St. Giles, which was built in 1912, has been the subject of a public struggle over its future with owners New Vision United Church planning to raze it to build housing on the property.

New Vision has worked with United Property Resource Corporation (UPRC) on plans for a mixed-income community.

Rev. Ian Sloan of New Vision acknowledged receipt of The Spectator's request for comment Monday but didn't respond to questions about the status of the St. Giles project.

An emailed statement attributed to Tim Blair, CEO of UPRC, said the corporation looks forward to hearing more about the donation" and working collaboratively with the community."

The partners have described the St. Giles housing plan as a way to help New Vision maintain its historic downtown sanctuary and music hall at Centenary Church next to the MacNab bus terminal.

Last spring, council held off on shielding St. Giles from demolition through heritage designation in order to give New Vision time to consult with the city and residents and present alternatives.

In June, project team members told a community forum that it would take a 20- to 25-storey condo tower - with no affordable units or funds for Centenary - and an estimated $13.1 million to stabilize, restore and reuse the church while demolishing a newer wing.

But knocking down St. Giles and developing a six-storey building with lower-rise townhouses and apartments would create 80 to 100 units, 30 per cent of which would be affordable, is financially feasible."

Sheehan said the $400,000 donation, which is expected to be held in trust, could be multiplied" by tapping into programs that involve matching or top-up funds, for instance.

Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com