NDG’s St. Columba Church saved from demolition, for now

MONTREAL – On Monday Global News reported that the future of St. Columba Church in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce hung in the balance.

A register was held on Thursday, to determine if the city would be forced to hold a referendum over the demolition of the church.

The citizens who petitioned the borough needed 166 signatures, they succeeded with 224.

READ MORE: Signatures will determine the fate of NDG’s St. Columba Church

Côtes-des-Neiges/Notre-Dame-de-Grâce mayor, Russell Copeman told Global News Friday morning, that he will ask the council to scrap the current proposal.

“What I guess I am disappointed in is that at the end of this process, I am not sure what the community has really gained. We have an abandoned church that will be empty for the foreseeable future,” said Mayor Copeman.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "What I guess I am disappointed in is that at the end of this process, I am not sure what the community has really gained. We have an abandoned church that will be empty for the foreseeable future," said Mayor Copeman.

Currently, the NDG Chabad, a Jewish community centre, is the tenant of the parish hall which was to be maintained and not demolished.

St. Columba was sold to a private developer by the Anglican Church and was desanctified in 2012.

Although the current plans are to be shelved, the property developer, is not giving up.

“If the residents feel that a vote against the project will maintain the status quo, I am sorry to say, they’re going to be extremely disappointed. We are business people, we are not paid by the city, we made a substantial investment and look to seek a return on our investment,” said Robert Blatt, the current owner of St. Columba.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "If the residents feel that a vote against the project will maintain the status quo, I am sorry to say, they're going to be extremely disappointed. We are business people, we are not paid by the city, we made a substantial investment and look to seek a return on our investment," said Robert Blatt, the current owner of St. Columba.

Citizens can expect an official announcement by the borough to be made in May.

WATCH BELOW: St. Columba church in NDG has sat empty for several years, but residents are worried about what will happen if a local developer has his way and demolishes the religious site.

2:13 St-Columba church development