Time’s up!
It’s hard to believe that there’s still things left in this city to tear down, but here’s another one…
So, see you later Christ The King. Built in 1954, it’s outlived it’s use in a little more than 50 years. I’m sure that’s not what the parishioners who built this church had in mind. South Windsor sure is a victim of changing demographics too…
Looking back on this post on Christ The King from September, it looks like George hit the nail on the head. 🙂
This is to bad…But soon, it will be Assumption Church that will be making the same kind of headline…
sooo sick. because the 3 other commercial buildings on each of the other corners isn’t enough?
This history of this parish even goes beyond the 1954 structure that stands there now. There was originally a building north of it that served double duty as school and church. I believe it is partially visible in a couple scenes in the late 20s movie Building the Bridge.
John – Only not not really because Assumption is protected by designation under the Heritage Act, plus there is a heritage easement on the property.
The idiots in London may try to close it, but they can’t tear it down.
To demolish that building for a boring, square, cheaply built commercial building (mostly likely incorporating elements of our unpopular stucco) that will never be rented because there’s already too many vacant commerical buildings in Windsor is just shocking!! I bet the inside looks just as amazing, solid, pristine and rich in materials as the outside. I wish I could see a few pictures of this inside.
The inside has large wooden arches that hold up the ceiling, some nice stained glass, rear balcony, etc. etc.
10 years (J.K. through 8) at Christ the King school gave me plenty of time to sit bored in church and look around at the building.
The intersection won’t ever seem the same without the large church taking up that corner.
Most of the time your entries are about buildings that I have only seen, or don’t know about at all, this is the first one that hits close to home though. I always wondered what someone would do with a purchased church when I noticed a bunch of them in South Windsor were for sale.
I’m sure the parishioners who gave their hard-earned money to build the church thought it would be there forever. I doubt that the church will be sending checks out once the sale is complete to refund the money.
I think a used church is the hardest building to find an alternate use for, other than as some other religious purpose. Wasn’t there a church in Pontiac converted to a nightclub? A lot of people don’t like that idea.
I guess churches depend on parishioners, if they leave, the church becomes “unprofitable”.
But then the church will be asking for more cash to build a church farther east. They should just convert an empty big box store to a church – and only rent it out. There’s plenty of empty retail available. Maybe if Laz-y-boy can leave some recliners, attendance might actually go up – more comfortable than wooden pews. Maybe with massage too.
If more commercial/retail is going to be built, that is the place for it. This would lead to a more walkable, pedestrian-friendly “mainstreet” for that community which has lost a lot of it’s close retail to the big-box inspired move out to the boonies. I have always believed that this is an important intersection that should be the focus of redevelopment, as there must be thousands of residents living within walking distance.
However- I question why the building has to be torn down to accomplish this? This is another landmark “GateWay” structure for the community (which was built up at the same time period as this church, the early ’50’s) that a visionary developer would incorporate into a successful pedestrian-scaled development. Where are these visionary developers? Build your crap disposable single-storey stuccoed retail out in the farmfields, as the life-expectancy of of those buildings and the sprawl surrounding them is only 20 years (ask any realtor or developer – they’ll concur) but this is an established community in the city that has survived and flourished for over 50 years.
We need to start demanding a better built environment in this city. Something that is worth caring about.
As Windsor keeps trying to re-invent itself, it must consider all of the things that make great cities and towns. When people visit places one of the things that they admire are all the ancillary things. Many towns and cities have signs that point to “Historical District.” Windsor could put up signs directing people to all the places that have been destroyed. That would keep them busy for hours! One could almost forguve them if there was any REAL progress.
Typical of the diocese to not care about the parishioners at all.
The sad thing is I have never once read in the Bible where it states that the church has to be PROFITABLE in order to serve the parishioners. Maybe our illustrious diocese should petition the vatican to open up their coffers a bit more because the more churches they close and the more parishes they cluster sure don’t seem to translate into more bodies in the pews.
The irony of this all is that the diocese has no problem closing down these supposed money pits but they seem to have a lot of money for new churches being built in the ‘burbs. It is really sad that most churches in the core are closed and the diocese seems to turn their backs on those who need the church the most (the poor).
As for Assumption, no they can’t tear it down but they sure can do the demolition by neglect angle strategy. Considering they were supposed to upkeep the church according to the Ontario Trust contract to which they have not done at all, I wouldn’t be surprised that they would try this tactic.
Maybe if Bishop Fabbro would surround himself with peope who have the parishioners in their best interest instead of themselves we wouldn’t be having this issue. But when they have people like Dave Savel who only serve themselves, is it any wonder these majestic buildings are left to rot or are sold? I truly believe this is Bishop Fabbro’s way out. He can state at anytime that he “didn’t get the info” or “he didn’t know”…how convenient?
I agree with Chris 100%. It would be nice to see the community set a standard for the developer to conform to. Worst case scenario: it gets torn down and a stuccoed “Dollar Store” opens up on the site. CCCCCRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGEEEEE!!!!!!
The church in Pontiac is now home to Clutch Cargo’s. It’s a great place to see a concert or go dancing (especially when swing was big as they had a great lounge with big bands every weekend). Churches can be used for other things though. In the news recently the Alzheimer Society of Windsor will be moving into a church and Tom Hogarth moved his law office to an old church on Giles.
That’s a great church and I always wished that someone would scoop it up and live in it or make it a community centre or something. Such a shame!!
Big Box religion is not that much different from Big Box retail both are selling an intangible good or dream that can’t be maintained.
“And another one gone, and another one gone, And another one bites the dust!”
Chris is right, there is a chance to do it right, but you know as well as I do that we’re going to end up with a stuccoed turd.
The thing that I find odd about that church is that it wasn’t suffering like the others. Face it that area of town has a lot of long time residents, and a lot of seinors. Heck even my wife’s grandmother used to drive back there at least once a week to go to church.
I don’t think it suffered the same decline as others did.
Strip mall here we come! 🙂
Victoria Rose — I had forgotten about the old Scientology church on Giles. Our lawyer, when we sold and moved to PEI, was in that building. It is a wonderful adaptive reuse example. The foyer of that building is absolutely stunning.
How about doing a piece on that building Andrew? The shots of the interior would be outstanding!
Josh – I just may… However for the record it was the Church of Jesus Christ, Scientist not Scientology who was the previous tennant.
Not that I’m advocating any religion (to each their own) but Christain Science is a much different thing that the cult known as Scientology…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Christ%2C_Scientist
you have GOT to be kidding!! what is wrong with this city?? that area does NOT need another strip mall of any kind, what-so-ever. i wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to learn the bidder is the city of windsor. …..imagine a rexall goes up there? gotta compete with shoppers the next block over ya know. i seriously don’t see what else it could be, because on 3 of those 4 corners you can get a helluva lot of stuff.
and i was just looking at the spot on google earth, what ever is built there is going to have to be much smaller then the footprint the church to accomidate parking. what a waste.
anyone know what else will go? about 15 (!!!!!!!) nicely matured trees. nice.
there’s also a library dedicated to someone a block to the west, they’d better start packin since the building has special meaning.
In 10 years from now all this city will be is one big parking lot surrounded by crappy stucco covered nightmares.
My great grandmother was a member of that church, Church of Jesus Christ, Scientist and I was in it a couple times when very young with her. Awed! Is a word that I would use. The Christian Scientist reading room has returned on Pelissier after many of years absent. The Christian Science Monitor is a very respected newspaper for its reporting.
Urbanrat… I remember listening to Monitor Radio on the shortwave berfore it signed off sometime in the ’90s. Its international service also had a reputation for complete and objective reporting, amidst a tug-o-war on the truth between Radio Habana and VOA. 😉
Every time Windsor tries to “reinvent” itself the city ends up worse for the experience. Maybe we ought to forget about the need to constantly “reinvent” and hold on to what we got because the alternative is more vacant lots or cheap strip malls.