"Bedford_DJ":
St. Joseph’s historic church reduced to dust
North-end chapel was rebuilt after Explosion
By Our Staff
Sat. May 9 - 5:17 AM
A church raised from the ashes after it was levelled by the Halifax Explosion is now gone for good.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Halifax’s north end was knocked down by machines Friday, almost two years after the Halifax diocese decided to shut it down.
About 700 people attended the historic church’s last mass in June 2006. While it was standing-room only on that day, the church had been crippled by declining membership and faced a repair bill of about $665,000.
Church officials combined the parish of the Russell Street church with that of St. Stephen’s Church after the 2004 report on the reorganization of the Halifax diocese.
Later engineering studies showed that St. Stephen’s needed less expensive and less immediate work, so services moved to the Normandy Drive church in the city’s far north end.
The congregation continues to worship there under the name of the Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish.
The former St. Joseph’s site is a short walk to the historic Hydrostone area and a neighbouring Russell Street condominium development called Hydrostone Place.
According to the parish’s website, the St. Joseph’s property was sold in March 2008 to ECL Developments, which requested the development be called St. Joseph’s Square.
While many of the pieces from within the church — the chalices, statues and church records — were brought to the new parish, several items were given away. The stained glass windows dedicated in 1987 to victims of the Halifax Explosion were given to ECL "on the stipulation that they only be used in the development on the (church) property," the parish website states.
The church, which celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2005, was destroyed in the Dec. 6, 1917, blast in Halifax Harbour that devastated the city. Members worshipped in the church’s basement until the new church was completed in 1961.
Just to give an exact location of this it is one block over from 5552 Kaye Street. Also I'll try to remember to get a shot when I'm visting 5552 Kaye today.
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"Keith P.":
I grew up in that area and attended that church as a kid. As students at the adjacent school we would occasionally be herded into the basement for some sort of service. I always found it strange that it seemed to be 2 churches in one -- the newer, glitztier upstairs, and the older, workmanlike one in the basement.
I think it's unfortunate that the developer couldn't find a way to incorporate the structure into the development.
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"Bedford_DJ":
Here are some photos from today about the St. Joseph's Church (all taken by me);
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"someone123":
It does seem like a waste to be tearing down buildings like that. Hopefully the replacement will be nice.
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"DigitalNinja":
Whats going up in it's place?
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"gm_scott":
Condos apparently
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"hfx_chris":
I have to admit, I always hate seeing churches torn down...
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"planarchy":
From Ekistics
website
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"DigitalNinja":
Looks nice will go nicely with the one going up on kay street and the hydro stone.
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"Bedford_DJ":
Ah WoW!
I was not expecting anything that impressive!
If this goes through Gottigen will look a lot different!