One of Bracebridge’s oldest structures could soon be town property.
Town council has directed its Public Works Department to look into the feasibility of buying St. Stephen’s Anglican Church in Vankoughnet, which was built in 1891. They were also asked to investigate possible uses for the building.
No timeline was given for when those two tasks may be finished.
David Hudson with the Friends of St. Stephen’s submitted pages of letters in support of the town buying the building. The group was formed in Aug. 2023 in hopes of finding a way to save the building and find a use for it.
The move for the town to take ownership of the building comes after a meeting in June 2022 when Mayor Rick Maloney, Deputy Mayor Brenda Rhodes, and Coun. Barb McMurray joined a handful of residents to discuss the issue. “There was non-stop talk,” said McMurray during the Oct. 3 General Committee meeting.
“The chapel is 132 years old,” she continued. “Beautiful little church. Older than a lot of major, old structures within our Town of Bracebridge, including our old library.”
She explained the issue is that the church has not been used much since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and was at risk of no longer being considered as an Anglican Church.
With it potentially becoming town property, McMurray floated that it could be used for weddings or be rented as a space for other kinds of events. “It is gorgeous,” she said. “It needs to be respected.”
Maloney added that he expressed during the June meeting that “we don’t want to just have a padlock on it.” He said they want to make sure it’s in good condition, maintained, and used.
He expressed appreciation to the community members who “turned over every stone” to support the church.
It’s noted in one of Hudson’s letters that the other buildings similar in age to St. Stephen’s are the Muskoka Foundry (1903), Bracebridge Library (1908), and the Clock Tower (1915).
