Saving One Of Ontario’s Oldest Churches – “It Can Be Done”

By Becky Day

I returned a call to a Mr. Sean Fraser, Manager, Acquisitions and Conservation Services, from Ontario Heritage Trust today. He was calling about the Beaverdams Church property and suggested some ways we could conserve it.  It was encouraging, first because he called us. Usually it is the municipality calling the Ontario Heritage Trust.

The historic Beaverdams Church - rotting away but still trying to hang in there. Who will save it?

Fraser has looked at some of the past reports on the building and said there are ways to get help, naming Trillium as an example and even Benjamin Moore for paint. We talked about how this is a provincially designated building and how important it is being the birthplace of Methodism in the area. Many of the earlier settlers of this area were attached to this church.

In fact, this church is one of the oldest surviving ones in all of Ontario and is a designated heritage site, built in 1832. It’s first minister was the Rev. Egerton Ryerson, who Ryerson University is named after. He is considered the builder of the Ontario public school system. The church was the site of the first free school in Ontario and a place of worship until the late 1800’s.

Fraser suggested we create a detailed plan/vision for the property and to come up with a few uses for the building. So I put this out to all of you. How do you see this building serving the community?

To hear an official from Ontario Heritage Trust say “it can be done” and to know that they are taking a real interest in this project and are willing to support one of our buildings is promising, as well as a huge honour. It makes me feel hopeful that we can do something with it if we take the right approach. Some time has gone by now and this could be just what we need to get the wheels turning again.

We are still looking for more committee members in the Thorold area to help with the preservation of this historical treasure. If you are interested in this project and please pick up an application at Thorold city hall. Our first meeting will be in September.

As a postscript from Niagara At Large, if you are interested in historic buildings in this province, whether you live in Fort Erie, Port Colborne, St. Catharines, Grimsby or Toronto, do a few searches for information on the Beaverdams Church, then contact Thorold city hall if you feel this historic site should be saved, and let them know that.

(We at Niagara At Large to encourage you to share your views on this story in the comment boxes below. Thank you for being among the growing number of readers visiting this independent site for news and commentary on matters of interest and concern to residents in our greater binational Niagara region.)

(Becky Day is a recently elected member of Thorold, Ontario’s city council who worked as a journalist prior to her election to council.)

(We at Niagara At Large to encourage you to share your views on this story in the comment boxes below. Thank you for being among the growing number of readers visiting this independent site for news and commentary on matters of interest and concern to residents in our greater binational Niagara region.)