Some much-needed repairs are almost complete at one of the oldest landmarks in Cambridge, Central Presbyterian Church.
The extensive renovation has cost just over $2.5 million and there is still more work to be done.
After first opening in 1880, Central Presbyterian Church has become a staple in the scenery of Galt, but 142 years of weather damage has taken its toll
In 2018 an engineer assessed the problems the building was facing. Leaky roofs, broken windows and bricks that were literally turning to dust inside the walls were all at the top of the list.
“There were voids in between the blocks. They had to cut out and rake out the old stuff. Behind a lot of it there was just sand, it had deteriorated to just sand,” said Horst Wohlgemut, a member of the church who is leading the project.
The renovations are nearly 90 per cent complete, including the restoration of the two main stained glass windows costing nearly $200,000.
According to Wholgemut, one of the windows had openings that wouldn’t close and snow and rain would come into the church causing major problems.
They also had the spire refinished. The scaffolding alone cost $250,000, because it had to be specially engineered to fit safely around the building. The spire was literally falling apart, says Wholgemut. Metal pieces were flying off due to deterioration of old rivets holding them together.
In the report done by the engineer, the church was given a timeline when these repairs needed to be completed. The lengthy list was a cause for concern by some members of the congregation. An ultimatum was made, sell the church and move elsewhere or stay in downtown Galt and do the repairs.
“The new church would cost $8 million to build, including the price of land. Finishing all of the repairs would cost around $5 million over 30 years,” said Wholgemut.
The church asked for a long window of repair time because some of the work was non essential, like carpets and new door finishings. They could spread the expense out over time and address some of the main concerns now. The biggest ones being the windows, bricks and the spire.
Donations to help restore the church have come from all over the region. Veterans Affairs Canada has given a grant of $25,000, because the church has been designated a war monument. They have also received grants from the City of Cambridge through their heritage programs and the rest has been raised by the church.
According to Wholgemut, the total amount raised has been just over $900,000. All major structural repairs are slated to be completed by May 2022.
