As London's fugitive slave chapel deteriorates, four London city councillors are hoping a grant can give the building new life and a new location.
A fundraiser launched earlier this year to relocate the chapel to Fanshawe Pioneer Village has come up with just over $85,000, leaving the project more than $200,000 short.
Now, councillors Mohamed Salih, John Fyfe-Millar, Elizabeth Peloza, and Shawn Lewis are asking the city to pitch in to cover some of the difference.
"As colleagues may know, the building is currently in poor condition and continuing to deteriorate without proper care. In order to prevent further deterioration and allow for stabilization and restoration, it is important the building be relocated before the winter of 2022/2023 arrives," the four wrote in their motion.
They're asking for $71,000 from the city's Community Investment Reserve Fund to go towards moving and preserving the chapel.
Their colleagues will vote on the idea at a council meeting next week.
"For a number of reasons, the relocation and restoration effort has been stalled. The compromised state of the building and ongoing exposure to the elements has worsened its condition. It's critical if we're going to save this very important piece of history that we get it moved and the building envelope sealed before another winter has the chance to damage it to the point of no return," Lewis told London News Today on Friday. "We'll be in the winter of 2022-2023 before the next budget update, if we wait for that, we could lose it forever."
Councillors are hopeful that the $71,000 can be leveraged into another $150,000 from Cultural Spaces Canada to complete the move and restoration work.
The chapel was built in 1848 and is the oldest surviving structure that relates to London’s historic Black community, according to pioneer village officials.
"This is an important investment in our community. Council is being called upon to be leaders, to be partners, and to be allies in helping champion and fund a key historical project recognizing the early lives of Black Londoners," said Peloza. "Championing this project is part of creating an inclusionary community today by recognizing the long standing historical contributions of London's Black community.