New Belcourt Spirituality Centre to be built

Open house meetings will be held starting next Thursday briefing parishioners onplans for a new Belcourt Spirituality centre in South Rustico, P.E.I.

A number of people in the community had hoped the old Belcourt Centre building could be renovated, arguing it has historical significance and is a landmark. The historian for the Charlottetown Diocese says the building does not have any historical significance.

The existing building replaced an earlier structure that was destroyed by fire in 1932. It has been used in the past as a school and convent, and for the last four decades as a retreat centre.

The Charlottetown Diocese says it is simply too costly to make renovations to the old building.

"When you look at what the state of the building is now and you look at the challenge of trying to modernize it and bring it up to code, and provide the kind of capacities and amenities that you want in a new facility for generations to come, it just wasn't possible," said Gerry Gabriel, executive assistant to the Charlottetown bishop.

Gabriel said a new building is being made possible through a donation from an Island family earmarked for the Belcourt Centre. He hopes construction can begin in the spring.

Gabriel said during the open house meetings the advisory committee and the architect will outline plans for a new building. He said the old centre will not be torn down until the new one is complete.

Open house meetings will be held in Charlottetown, Rustico and Summerside.