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St. Anne’s Log Church in Parksville getting new roof

128-year-old building gets first new roof since late 70s
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Rev. Andrew Twiddy, of the Anglican Parish of St. Anne and St. Edmund, in front of the Parksville log church’s new roof on July 25. (Kevin Forsyth photo)

St. Anne’s Log Church in Parksville is looking a little different these days.

The 128-year-old building is in the process of having a new cedar roof constructed.

“The building goes back to 1894,” said Rev. Andrew Twiddy of the Anglican Parish of St. Anne and St. Edmund. “And the last time we put a roof on it was 1977 I think. Shakes and shingles — that’s probably the full extent of their life cycle.”

The old shingles were very thin and some critters were tearing them apart to build a home, Twiddy said.

“So we thought, ‘you know what, maybe we’ll help the raccoons to gently find a new home,’” he said with a laugh.

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Twiddy said the renovation is being done to protect and preserve the building. The new roof is made from locally sourced cedars and its orange colour stands out in contrast against the church’s old logs.

“I know over time it will blend in,” he said. “But I chose that as a symbol of our new relationship between the churches and the society and the Indigenous peoples of this land.”

Twiddy referred to Pope Francis’ recent visit to Canada to apologize for the abuses Indigenous Peoples suffered in residential schools.

“I’m just very aware of our changing understandings in Canadian society and especially the church, of our past responsibilities and errors and also the new direction we need to undertake,” he added.

Twiddy said he would like to honour the fact that the parish gathers on the traditional lands of the Pentlatch and Hul’qumi’num-speaking peoples and the Anglican Church and parish are full committed to the pathway of reconciliation.

The plan is to have everything covered and open by Sept. 1 for community programming.

The church’s steeple and lychgate will also be renewed, hopefully in August sometime.

The renovations have been planned for some time and are not related to a recent fire, which affected a different building on the church grounds, Twiddy said.

The parish was in the process of a full year of 125th anniversary celebrations when the COVID-19 pandemic put things on hold.

Funds for the new roof, steeple and lychgate come from the church community. The Anglican Parish of St. Anne and St. Edmund is hoping to raise $125,000 this summer and, thanks to a donor, the first $50,000 will be matched.


kevin.forsyth@pqbnews.com

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St. Anne’s Log Church in Parksville is getting a new cedar shingle roof. (Kevin Forsyth photo)