After months of waiting, one Sexsmith landmark made a historic move this week.
The Emmanuel Anglican Church was approved on Monday to be moved from its location on 101 Ave to a vacant parcel east of the Paszkowski House on 99 St.
Township Building Movers made the move straight down 99 St. to the building’s new home; ahead of the move, residents were asked not to park on 101 Ave or 99 St.
Sexsmith and District Museum Society board member Sharon Ophus said the move has been long in development, with the last few details entailing ATCO and Eastlink co-ordinating around power lines on 99 St. now in place.
The trailer holding the Emmanuel Anglican Church is looked over before the move. (Photo by Jesse Boily)
First built in 1936, the church has been sitting on a flatdeck in preparation of the move for the past three weeks, Ophus said.
A s a worker looks over the trailer holding the church the sun shines on the date the church was first constructed. (Photo by Jesse Boily)
“So there’s been many stages to this,” Ophus said.
The move is necessary in light of an engineer’s report received in March.
“The building itself is structurally sound, but the foundation is from 1936,” Ophus said.
“Some of the walls were starting to crumble, some of the support beams; in March (it was given an) eight to 10 month lifespan on the foundation.
“We are coming up to the eight-month mark now.”
The motion to move the church at the subsequent museum society meeting was unanimous.
In June, Town of Sexsmith agreed to purchase the property the church previously sat on for an appraised value of up to $75,000.
“Support from the Town of Sexsmith has been non-stop,” Ophus said.
Once the building was lifted, Ophus said there was an outpouring of love from residents in seeing the building preserved.
“There is a lot of sentiment around this building,” she said.
“That part was very heartwarming. People said, ‘I was baptized there.’ ‘We were married there.’ ‘My kids were baptized there.’ They’re so glad it’s going to be usable again.”
The church has been closed for approximately 20 years.
Ophus said after the move the society plans for the church to have its doors open as part of the museum during summer hours and expressed an interest in renting it out for weddings.
“It’s going to be available for the community again,” she said.
The future location of the Emmanuel Anglican next to the Paszkowski House. (Photo by Jesse Boily)Crews were busy disconnecting lines to provide room for the church as it needs to fit underneath. (Photo by Jesse Boily)A worker takes a part a line before the churches move. (Photo by Jesse Boily)Crews hook up a truck to the Emmanuel Anglican Church. (Photo by Jesse Boily)Trailer hooked the church says one last good by to its former location. (Photo by Jesse Boily)The Emmanuel Anglican Church begins its move. (Photo by Jesse Boily)A crowd gathers to watch the Emmanuel Anglican Church make its move to a new spot in the town. (Photo by Jesse Boily)The crowd grows. (Photo by Jesse Boily)The church makes its way down 99 st. It needs to turn down 101 Ave. (Photo by Jesse Boily)The church makes its way down 99 st. It needs to turn down 101 Ave. (Photo by Jesse Boily)It makes the turn! (Photo by Jesse Boily)A lone tree branch stops the churches journey. (Photo by Jesse Boily)Workers quickly trim the branch to continue the move. . (Photo by Jesse Boily)The Emmanuel Anglican Church inches closer to its new home. (Photo by Jesse Boily)A worker records the move on their phone while high in the sky. (Photo by Jesse Boily)The truck backs the Emmanuel Anglican Church next to where the church will soon lie placed.(Photo by Jesse Boily)It is careful maneuvered to sit next to the ready foundation. (Photo by Jesse Boily)Sexsmith and District Museum Society board member Sharon Ophus records the churches journey. (Photo by Jesse Boily)Women watch as the church is careful maneuvered next to the new foundation. (Photo by Jesse Boily)The Emmanuel Anglican Church for it move over on to the foundation. (Photo by Jesse Boily)It is expected to be set on the foundation on the next day, Thursday October. 19. (Photo by Jesse Boily)
