Kimberley’s Sacred Heart Parish is getting provincial heritage funding to help restore its church to the way it looked when it was built in 1927. Demand for that funding has hit a record high.
The project is one of 31 across British Columbia sharing $476,912 in Heritage Legacy Fund grants this year, Heritage BC announced. The organization did not say how much the Sacred Heart project will receive.
Heritage BC describes the church as one of Kimberley’s oldest buildings and one that has been in continuous use. The grant comes through the fund’s heritage conservation stream, which supports work to conserve, rehabilitate and restore heritage buildings and sites.
Parish records say the church and rectory on Kimberley’s Church Hill were built under Father Hartman, an Oblate priest who arrived in 1925, and completed in 1927.
The money available falls well short of what groups are asking for. Heritage BC received 121 complete applications this year seeking more than $1.85 million, which it called a record level of interest. Last year, 92 applications sought about $1.8 million.
“We are pleased to support these wonderful projects, and yet we consistently see a record amount of funding requested again this year, which highlights the growing need for heritage funding across BC,” said Keri Briggs, chair of the Heritage BC board of directors.
“While the Heritage Legacy Fund provides essential support, funding for many important projects remains precarious. Heritage BC will continue to advocate for greater investment in heritage to help communities protect significant places, preserve local stories and ensure heritage remains part of BC’s future.”
This year’s grants support projects across the province that conserve historic places, build heritage awareness and planning, and share community stories, Heritage BC said.
The Heritage Legacy Fund is the only provincewide grant program in B.C. focused on heritage, according to Heritage BC, which administers it. The fund was created in 2003 with a $5-million gift from the province and is held by the Vancouver Foundation.
