An offer by the Summerland Museum and Heritage Society to purchase the Lakeside Presbyterian Church building has expired.
Sandy Nicolson, chair of the society, said the offer expired at the end of last week
The 105-year-old building at the corner of Shaugnessy and Butler Avenues in Lowertown was put up for sale earlier this year after the congregation disbanded.
The society had put in an offer of $425,000, which had been accepted. At the time, however, the society was in need of some additional funding to make the purchase.
“We just could not arrange the financing,” she said.
In addition to the purchase price, the cost of maintaining the building was also a factor.
The church building contains an old pipe organ, which had been purchased used from a church in Port Arthur, Ont. in 1926.
The organ is believed to have been built in the 1880s.
“The cost to buy it and maintain it was prohibitive,” Nicolson said. “We hoped that there would be an individual or individuals who would have the money.”
Money had come to the society in the form of a bequest, but this funding was to be spent on a facility to house an art collection.
Nicolson said the municipality is not able to purchase and maintain the building.
“Council isn’t able to spend that kind of money,” Nicolson said.
Last week the society held a public meeting to discuss possible uses for the church and ways to acquire and protect the heritage building.
The meeting drew between 40 and 50 people, and while ideas were discussed, a committee to look after the fundraising for the purchase did not form.
Members of the historical society say the building has played an important part in Summerland’s history.
Over the years, the building has housed the Baptist, United and Presbyterian congregations. In addition, it served as the Masonic Hall from 1958 to 1991.
The bell, installed by the community in 1927, was used by the community for an emergency alarm.
While concerns have been raised about whether the building will remain in its present form, the municipality has a heritage register in place and has identified the building on that register. This affords a level of protection to the building.