Saskatoon Construction II

[brannelford]

I'd really love to be proven wrong, but my gut tells me that this is yet another instance whereby Saskatoon's heritage will be sold out from under it. From what I understand: "Members of the Third Avenue United Church congregation say they're upset and shocked by their board's choice to sell the Saskatoon cathedral to a new non-profit organization led by engineer John Orr" ...per the Star-Phoenix

I used to live in Saskatoon, so I still follow events in this city, but admittedly, not on a daily basis. As such, I don't understand, if the members of Third Avenue United Church supported the TAC bid, then why did John Orr's bid win?

My gut tells me that Saskatoon's latent, but vocal and puritanical segment of the population is showing is ugly face once again in this zeal for a Bible College. [Yes, I realize the irony in my saying that when we're talking about a church]. But again, I come back to wondering why the TAC bid was turned down, especially after being given support by members of the Third Avenue United Church.

Church board secretary Philip Bray said Orr has a good reputation as a landlord. "I hope John Orr is a man of his word," he said. Like several other members who questioned Barnacle, (Helen) Few wonders if the congregation's right to use the cathedral and its basement rooms will be guaranteed and whether the church pews and pipe organ will remain. "The Third Avenue Centre made its business plan public to demonstrate its long-term viability, will Mr. Orr do the same?"

So... based on Saskatoon's sketchy past with regard to preserving the historical integrity in its buidlings, here are my predictions:

1. Orr will not be a man of his word (the fact Philip Bray even mentions this suggests there is already doubt in some people's minds)
2. the pews and pipe organs will disappear... as inevitably someone in Orr's organization will bring into question the structural integrity of these pieces of history, so they will need to be gotten rid of
3. in replacement of the pews and pipe organs, the core of the building will be gutted and subdivided into bible-school classrooms, much in the same way that century-old-houses are gutted and subdivided into cheap rooming house apartments
4. the only concerts I predict to be held at the Third Avenue United Church will be Christmas pageants, Easter remembrances, and the odd gospel music concert and prayer session held by some travelling televangelist from the southern USA.

Again - I'd love to be proven wrong on these counts... just given Saskatoon's track record, I'm not holding my breath.
(Capital Theatre, the old Iron Bridge, dozens of 100-yr old buildings turned to gravel parking lots, etc.)