104-year-old Alberta church may have been saved

Efforts to save a 104-year-old church near Stony Plain, Alta. may have been successful.

Members of the Hope Christian Reformed Church have voted in favour of selling the building to an ownership group that will preserve the old church and seek historical designation.

The church, located next to the Yellowhead Highway approximately 40 kilometres west of Edmonton, had been put up for sale for just $1 after the congregation was unable to afford the upkeep. The building needs extensive restoration and repair work.

READ MORE: $1 church west of Edmonton could be off the market 

In an e-mail to Global News, former Pastor Russ Graff said the community must come together to form the ownership group which will be tasked with seeking historical designation and provincial funding. He stressed the congregation will not be organizing the ownership group.

A meeting will be held on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. at the new Hope Church (located just west of the original building).

With files from Kendra Slugoski, Global News