Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By Curtis Galbraith

Local History

Historic church could re-open in late summer

Apr 3, 2019 | 5:30 AM

A downtown Grande Prairie building is getting new life, 80 years after it was first built.

A huge restoration effort has been underway at the former Anglican Church on 102 Street since The Worship Centre took it over from the Historical Society more than a year-and-a-half ago.

Pastor Terry Rodgers says while progress has been slower than hoped, a lot of work has been finished.

“We’ve put (in) all new windows, all new insulation inside. We’ve got all-new furnaces. We’ve got the addition flooring finished. The basement flooring is done, concrete is completed. There has been a lot of progress, so, at this stage now, we are currently just about ready for drywall.”

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That addition has been made to the north side of the building. Part of the north side wall also had to be replaced. The building had old-fashioned lathe and plaster on the inside walls and sawdust insulation. That has all been or soon will be replaced. There was also two feet of water in the basement at the time the Worship Centre took over.

Photo by Curtis Galbraith

Rodgers adds businesses have donated materials and volunteers have donated time.

“Since it is a historical building, we were honoured and privileged to get it and to continue to bring it back to life for the community.”

They hope to be hosting church services by late in the summer.

Rodgers believes it is important to have the church, which was first built in 1939, available for the community again.

“It has been in our city for so many years and so we hope that people can take advantage of the building and utilize it for perhaps other purposes other than having a church meeting.”

Rodgers says one man came in to see the restoration, pointed to a spot near the front and said that was where he and his wife stood when they were married 65 years ago.

The church once sat at the southeast corner of 102 Street and 99 Avenue, before being moved half a block south and across the street to its current location. Another building that had served as a barn when the church was first built was torn down before the Historical Society stepped in to save the church from the same fate.