Construction is now officially underway on the renovations to a church building more than a century old, in La Broquerie.
The heritage building along Principale Street, belonging to the St. Joachim Parish Church, was constructed in 1901. It was announced last October that significant repairs are needed to the structure. As a result, a fundraising campaign was launched.
Spokesperson Luc Grenier says there is a long list of improvements that are needed. This includes making their site more accessible by removing the old steps on the exterior and adding a ramp. It also includes adding accessible parking. They will also improve lighting in the building, replace doors and windows, and make everything more energy efficient by adding insulation and improving furnaces and duct work. Exterior work will also include cleaning the bricks, replacing the soffit and fascia, and fixing the roof. And finally, Grenier says they are hoping to restore the stained-glass windows and make improvements to the foundation.
On Friday afternoon, dignitaries were present to witness the official start of construction. Ron St. Hilaire, who sits on the fundraising committee, used a sledgehammer to give a crushing blow to a concrete planter on the front steps.
According to Grenier, the expected budget for this project is between $1.2 and $1.5 million. However, he notes that because it could take four years before all of the work is complete, the costs could increase. Grenier says to date they have about $500,000 in donations.
"We've been working hard getting donors, and we still need donors," says Grenier. "We needed money in the account before we can start on our project."
Grenier says they were approved for a grant through Efficiency Manitoba and are awaiting a decision on additional grant requests. However, he notes that the way many of these grants work is that they need to spend money before they receive grant money.
He notes it was a lot of work to get to the point where they could begin construction. And now that they are here, he says it is time to get going and keep the momentum rolling.
Grenier says his hope is that they can keep the building open during the entire construction process. However, he notes they have another facility they can use if the church building needs to close for a week at a time periodically.
Grenier says Friday's start of construction coincided with a cheque presentation. Russ Edwards of WGI Westman Group was on site to hand a cheque for an undisclosed amount, towards the project. Grenier says the cheque will go a long way. And, with several politicians and groups present for Friday's ceremony, Grenier says they have "huge support."
Anyone wishing to make a donation is invited to contact either the St. Joachim Parish, Luc Grenier, or Ron St. Hilaire.
Meanwhile, Madeleine Arbez is Executive Director of Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (CDEM). She was at Friday's ceremony. Arbez refers to La Broquerie as a very strong community, noting the church is an important place of worship and heritage symbol.
"It is a beacon of hope," she says, and encourages everyone to make a donation, even those who do not attend that church.