Members of the St. Joseph's Kingsbridge Community officially assumed ownership of their former church yesterday.
The St. Joseph's Church was closed in 2012 and the Community, which is now a registered charity, purchased the church and the rectory for one dollar.
Director Jennifer Miltenburg explains they wanted to accomplish two things.
They wanted to preserve a heritage building and they also wanted the building to continue to be a public meeting place because there isn't anything else in the area.
She explains there are renovations that have to be made to the church to bring it up to standards for a public building and they include meeting fire codes, putting in handicapped washrooms, they're also re-pointing the brick and weather-proofing the windows as part of the general maintenance of the building.
Miltenburg says the first phase of the work will cost about 169-thousand dollars and they already have pledges to cover that. She adds they hope to have a grand opening in August.
More information on the Kingsbridge church can be found on the St. Joseph's Kingsbridge Community Facebook page.