Landmark Fredericton church needs $15M in repairs, diocese says

The future of a national historic site in Fredericton is up for discussion at meetings across New Brunswick in the next few weeks as the Anglican diocese considers what to do about costly repairs needed at Christ Church Cathedral.

“It's a beautiful building in which to worship,” said Anglican Archbishop David Edwards, however the estimate on required maintenance is more than $15 million.

Located between Waterloo Row and Brunswick Street, adjacent to green space along the river at the south end of the Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge, the cathedral is one of the most prominent buildings in the city.

Its construction dates back to 1845 when New Brunswick became a separate diocese of the Church of England, under the direction of Bishop John Medley.

He had the church designed to suit a style of worship that leans heavily on rituals, Edwards said.

The cathedral is described as “an icon of Canadian ecclesiastical architecture,” on its page in the Parks Canada directory of federal heritage sites.

The page says it is “one of the best and earliest examples” of Gothic Revival architecture in the country.

Some of the features of this style are stone construction, a steeply pointed roof and arches, tall spires and decorative tile.

Now, the green part of the cathedral roof, which dates back to 1912, as well as a newer section of roof, installed in the 1990s, are “showing signs of failure,” said Edwards, and require “major emergency repairs.”

Additionally, some stonework may be shifting and the building has electrical issues, he said.

Repairs are also required to windows in the upper part of the church, the stained glass and the stone divisions in the windows, according to a news release from the Anglican Diocesan Synod of Fredericton.

The total cost estimate for repairs, including an endowment fund for future upkeep, is $23.5 million. That also includes an allowance for inflation, since it's expected to take at least three years before the work can begin, the news release said.

“At the moment the building isn't in danger of falling down or anything, so if the money isn't raised, we'll be able to continue there,” Edwards said.

The cost of needed repairs is more than could be asked of church members, he said. They number about 250 families and about 100 people attend weekly.