A historic church in Splatsin is to be moved. Splatsin Development Corporation has received a $500,000 grant from Heritage BC’s 150 Time Immemorial grant program and a $100,000 Rural Development Education grant to relocate and renovate St. Mary’s Church. The 104-year-old structure is located in southern Enderby, in the Splatsin area. The training program will allow SDC to hire a red seal carpenter to train Splatsin community members in the basics of carpentry while renovating the century-old church. Splatsin Kukpi7 Chief Doug Thomas says he is pleased with the funding now in place to successfully move and renovate the church. “I’ve been working on this initiative since my second year on the Splatsin Complex council, and it’s been a long time coming,” he said. “I would like to thank the elders of our community who requested the restoration of the church, Lawrence Williams, SDC, and especially Heritage BC for their assistance. There are a few details about migration and recovery that need to be considered. However, I believe we will receive very positive input and assistance from our community completing this project.” The new location for the church is currently under consideration and has not yet been determined. The next step will be to proceed with an asbestos assessment consultation and possible abatement. The original St. Mary’s Catholic Church was struck by lightning and burned to the ground in 1916. This church was located near the Splatsin Band Cemetery on Highway 97 south of Enderby. The families living near the church managed to save the bell, the altar and some of the statues. In 1916, men from the Splatsin community, along with an Oblate priest, began sawing trees from the reserve to transport to Armstrong to be milled into lumber. They used the lumber to build the existing church on Canyon Road at Highway 97, using a design similar to churches in Europe. The new church of St. Mary was completed in 1918. It stands today as a gathering place for members of the community of Splatsin for prayers, weddings, baptisms, confirmations and funerals.
