Church of Scientology comes to Hamilton Mountain

There's activity in the former Chalmers Presbyterian Church on Mountain Park Avenue.

The Church of Scientology began renting the property last October.

It's part of the Church of Scientology of Toronto," said Scientologist Reverend Yvette Shank.

With the coronavirus pandemic limiting in-person services at their churches in Toronto and Cambridge, Shank said they were looking for some office space to conduct online services and other programs and they saw an advertisement that space at the Mountain church was available.

The owner was OK in having a short-term lease," said Shank who noted about 20 people work at the site.

There are no plans for any in-person services at the Mountain location.

Shank said some staff are staying at the church overnight to provide security and they have been forthcoming in telling residents who ask what they are doing at the former Chalmers location.

We've had no backlash," she said.

An East Mountain resident, Shank said they are enjoying the Mountain brow location.

I think it would be nice to have a full-time church in Hamilton," she said. But it's not in our immediate plans."

Shank said the church has several hundred members across southern Ontario.

The 78-year-old mother of three and grandmother of three more said she likes working with people of all faiths.

I like religion as a whole," Shank said. We all want the same thing; we want to help mankind and it needs help."

The 113-year-old Chalmers Presbyterian Church held its final service April 29, 2018.

It was purchased later that year by realtor Michael St. Jean for more than $2 million.

St. Jean said the Scientologists are renting the 19,000-square-foot property for the next couple of years."

The realtor is looking to eventually turn the church site into a condominium development.

We are still in the early stages of the planning process and are in no rush to develop the property," St. Jean said.