Province provides $100,000 for church repair

The secretary and treasurer of an 88-year-old church in southwestern Manitoba says she’s delighted the historic landmark can be preserved through recent provincial funding.

The St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, built in 1938 in Fork River, Man., has significant issues with its concrete foundation that were too costly for the parish to fundraise alone, said Hope Toporowski.

Receiving the $100,000 grant through the From the Ground Up-Safe Healthy Communities for All program has helped propel the project forward, she said.

“We are very, very excited, happy, grateful that the government decided to grant us the funds so that we can continue on with this project,” Toporowski said on Sunday.

“For us, it means a whole lifetime of recognizing and appreciating what our pioneers did.”

The Manitoba government made the funding announcement in a news release on Saturday.

While Toporowski is unsure when the restoration work will be completed, the church is still in use thanks to a contractor who was able to temporarily stabilize the structure years ago, she said.

Toporowski said she hopes construction won’t disrupt the two services held at the church annually for the feast day of Saint John the Baptist on June 24 or a Thanksgiving celebration in the fall.

“At both of our church services, we have a potluck meal, and believe me, it’s a feast,” she said, adding that people in the surrounding communities of Rorketon, Ethelbert, Winnipegosis and Dauphin also attend the church.

Parishioners wish more than two services could be held at the church per year, but the reverend, who’s based in Dauphin, has a busy schedule as he provides services at up to 14 other churches locally, Toporowski said.

The place of worship holds special meaning for Toporowski, who has volunteered there since 1972. Her grandfather, Peter Semchyshyn, is one of the people who built the church and she remembers going there with him and her grandmother as a child, she said.

“Several members of that building group or that membership at that time have offspring in Fork River right now. I’m not the only one,” she said.

The church is meaningful to many people in the community and is a place to celebrate and share fellowship, she said.

Toporowski expects the costs to repair the foundation have skyrocketed since they received their first quote from a contractor to fix it years ago. She appreciates the government grant and the efforts the community have put in by hosting Ukrainian zabavas.

Last year, the community raised $13,000 at a zabava and Toporowski is still tallying up the funds from Saturday’s celebration at the local community centre.

“The church remains a vital hub for worship, community connection and cultural preservation,” said Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn in a provincial news release on Saturday.

“The legacy of Ukrainian families who worked tirelessly to preserve our rich traditions deserves to be recognized and celebrated.”

Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard said in the release that the parish is a “cornerstone” in Fork River and the surrounding area.

“Our government is proud to support the dedicated volunteers and families who are working tirelessly to preserve this historic gathering place,” he said.

“This investment will help ensure the church remains safe, stable and welcoming for generations to come.”

Government officials recognize the parish has already demonstrated a commitment to preserving its heritage.

Toporowski said two Ukrainian seniors spent years reviewing decades of handwritten records to identify at least three unmarked graves at the cemetery near the church. The parish has also installed new aluminum signage and a weatherproof cemetery map.

» tadamski@brandonsun.com