Published: May 19, 2008 10:12 pm            

CITY COUNCIL: Prayers answered for Sacred Heart

For the past 154 years, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church has been a beacon of hope in the city’s North End.

Despite its closure, it now has the potential to remain that way for many years to come.

The Niagara Falls City Council voted in favor of bestowing local landmark status upon the church, rectory, convent and school during its meeting Monday. The decision was met with a standing ovation — and a few tears of relief — from nearly 50 Sacred Heart parishioners in attendance.

“Sacred Heart parish is deserving of a long life,” said parishioner Audrey Perry, who added she was “baffled and heartbroken” about the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo’s decision to close the church as part of its consolidation plan.

Founded in 1854, Sacred Heart Church and the three other buildings on its campus are located at the corner of 11th Street and South Avenue. The church had a congregation of 617 families before being closed last month and merged with St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus under a new parish named St. Raphael.

The historic designation extends to the exterior of all four buildings and the interior of the church, including the choir loft, altar, organ and windows. The structures are now eligible for state and federal historic preservation status as well as various grants and tax credits to help keep them in good condition.

“Please help them get the tools to save these historic buildings,” City Historian Tom Yots told the council prior to its vote. “We owe this to them and to the community.”

A few of the speakers highlighted other positive development happening on the North End near the church, specifically along Main Street where the $44.6 million municipal safety complex is under construction. Parishioner Chris McGovern asked the council to allow Sacred Heart to remain a “beacon to the community.”

“Let us continue to move our city forward, but let us remember our past,” he said.

This was the second time in three months the council accepted a recommendation from the city’s historic preservation commission and bestowed landmark status upon a church closed by the diocese. In February, Holy Trinity Catholic Church and four connected buildings were approved following a lengthy battle.

At that meeting, Councilman Chris Robins warned that the real challenge is maintaining the buildings now that they’ve been shuttered. Robins echoed that Monday.

“This only starts the battle for the parishioners of Sacred Heart,” he said.

In other action, the council approved a one-time contribution of $250,000 to help Family & Children’s Service of Niagara, Inc. establish a one-stop assistance center in the 1500 block of Main Street.

The $2.3 million project calls for the renovation of an existing building and consolidation of Family & Children’s headquarters that would bring 60 employees and more than a dozen programs under one roof.

The agency, which has been located in Niagara Falls since 1895, offers 17 programs including family counseling, domestic violence and youth runaway support, mental health assistance and child abuse prevention. Nearly 3,000 families were helped last year, including 1,750 from Niagara Falls.

In addition to the $250,000 from the city, funding will come from a $1 million capital fundraising campaign, state and community development grants and $200,000 in financing from M&T Bank.

        

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