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Our press release on the launch of the 'Pledge a Pew for Prospect' campaign
Help save a historic church in Prospect - and put your name on a piece of history
August 30, 2016, Prospect - The Prospect Old Church Association has launched the Pledge a Pew for Prospect campaign, to raise money to save the historic church and hall in the coastal village of Prospect, on the outskirts of Halifax. The Association wants to purchase the buildings – currently for sale and at risk of demolition – to create a social and cultural space for the community.
Each $1,000 donation will be honoured with a commemorative plaque placed on one of the beautiful, hand-made pews. The commemorations can celebrate families, individuals, businesses, organizations or groups of friends.
The pledges will only be collected after a successful negotiation with the Archdiocese and a thorough inspection of the property. Pledge-makers will be provided with regular updates.
"We are eager to take stewardship of this important and historic property and return it to the vibrant community space it once was, but we need help to do it," said POCA President Laura O’Hearn. "We're excited to launch our Pledge a Pew for Prospect campaign to help fill the church and hall with people once more and we encourage individuals and groups to find creative ways to raise money to pledge a pew."
With the closure of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in July 2014, the community faces the possibility that the church and adjacent hall could be sold and potentially demolished. We are calling on lovers of history and healthy local communities to help us preserve these buildings and contribute to a reinvention of community space.
By Pledging a Pew for Prospect, supporters can help an old church become a thriving new hub. And they will get to have a seat in a historic building they’ve helped save – for the past and for the future.
To make a pledge, please email prospectvillagers@gmail.com
For media inquiries please contact: Laura O’Hearn, POCA President: 902.719.6809
Email: prospectvillagers@gmail.com
We're in the media!
Community group wants to buy NS church - Global News
Residents of the Prospect, N.S. are hoping to save an iconic building in their village. The former Catholic church has been an important part of their community for decades but the parish has put the church up for sale. Now, an association of community members is trying to raise the money to buy it. Watch the news report >>
Prospect Old Church Association looks to buy Our Lady of Mount Carmel - CBC
Fundraising in the hopes the building can serve the community for another 220 years. Read the CBC News Story >>
Prospect residents trying to buy old church - CTV
A CTV Atlantic news video. Watch the video now >>
Our press release on the launch of the campaign to buy the church and hall.
Prospect village group launches campaign to buy former Catholic Church with goal of creating community space.
June 6, 2016 - Prospect, NS. The Prospect Old Church Association (POCA) announced its plans today to acquire the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and hall in Prospect Village, and create a community space for social, cultural and economic activity. In 2014, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax and Yarmouth decided to deconsecrate the church and sell the property due to mounting debts. Throughout 2015 the church and hall remained available for occasional community use, however, the buildings were closed to all activity in early 2016. Prospect’s church and hall have served as a gathering place for the community for over 200 years.
“The church and hall have always been home to the celebrations of life and love that bind our community together,” says POCA President Laura O’Hearn. “Although efforts to work with the Archdiocese to transfer ownership of the church back to the community were unsuccessful, we are excited at the opportunity to come together as a community and once again shape our future in this historic space.”
“POCA has spent the last year developing an economically sustainable business plan to reclaim our church and hall for our community,” said O’Hearn. “As the heart and soul of Prospect, the buildings will be welcoming spaces that provide social opportunities that are essential to the health and vibrancy of the community. Places where young and old can congregate to celebrate life events, socialize and support one another. We will need to raise a significant amount of money to purchase the property, but we are confident that we will be successful.”
The Archdiocese has listed the property at a current sale price of $334,900. POCA has launched a fundraising campaign in order to raise the funds necessary to make a realistic offer of purchase and sale. The offer will be based on an appraisal of the property’s fair market value as well as a structural assessment report on the conditions of the buildings. The offer will also take into account the accumulated value of the contributions of generations of Prospect Village parishioners who have supported and maintained their church and hall for over two centuries.
For more information on how contributions can be made please visit the POCA website at: www.prospectoldchurch.ca.
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For media inquiries please contact: Laura O’Hearn, POCA President: 902.719.6809
Email: prospectvillagers@gmail.com
Prospect loses its 220-year-old church
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth plans to sell Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church to help pay off debts...after a deconsecration Mass. Listen to a CBC radio interview >>