Community News

CHURCH PROPERTY ELIGIBLE FOR LOANS, GRANTS

ACCEPTED BID WAS ONE OF 11 OFFERS NARROWED DOWN TO SIX AND IMPROVED AFTER ‘SIGNIFICANT GIFT’

CRAIG CAMPBELL ccampbell@ hamiltonnews.com

Grace Valley Church will be eligible for up to $55,000 in combined grants and loans for restoration and conservation of 147year-old Knox Presbyterian Church due to the property's status in the CrossMelville Heritage District.

An offer to purchase the 1.54-acre property, with

three heritage buildings, at 23 Melville St. from Grace Valley was accepted by Knox Presbyterian in December and the sale is

scheduled to close at the end of March.

In a livestreamed Grace

Valley sermon Dec. 19, shortly before the sale agreement was confirmed by both parties, Grace Valley pastor Paul Vanden Brink told the congregation there were 11 offers and five had been rejected. The remaining six, including Grace Valley's offer, were to be reviewed by Knox representatives.

"Our offer was the lowest of the six," Vanden Brink said, of the original financial bid.

Grace Valley decided to improve its offer and resubmitted it, with the support of "a late significant gift from an outside donor."

Vanden Brink said Grace Valley was the only church among the final six offers reviewed by Knox.

Details of the successful offer are not yet available, but Knox Presbyterian's original asking price was $2.5 million.

Adam Durant, City of Hamilton economic development and research officer, said there are no grant applications currently in progress for the Knox church property.

"However, the subject property is designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act given its location in the Cross-Melville Heritage District," Durant said. "Given its location and heritage status, the owner of the property would be eligible to apply to the Hamilton Heritage Grant Program and/or the Hamilton Community Heritage Loan Program for works deemed as eligible expenses under the programs."

Grants between $1,000 and $5,000 are available, as well as no-interest loans up to $50,000 for building restoration and conservation projects. Several loan repayment options, up to a maximum period of 10 years, are available.

Judy Lam, the city's manager of urban renewal, said Grace Valley would be encouraged to contact urban renewal incentives co-ordinator Carlo Gorni upon closing the sale in March 2022 about potential grants and loans for heritage restoration and conservation.

"Any work started prior to an application is not eligible," Lam said.

Grace Valley Church (Dundas) was registered as a charity in Jan. 2018.

Its total revenue reported in 2020 was $997,613 and total expenditures reported was $448,793. The church reported total assets of $895,128 including property worth $700,000. A 2021 financial report was not yet posted on Canada Revenue Agency's public charities registry.

Grace Valley owns 11 King St. E. in Dundas. The property was purchased in May 2020 for $700,000. It was still the registered owner as of Dec. 23.

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2022-01-20T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-20T08:00:00.0000000Z

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