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Mental health emerges as key concern in Greater Victoria Daniel Palmer News staff
Rev. Chris Parsons sits in the pews of St. Peter's Anglican church, one of 11 in Greater Victoria that were put up for sale in 2010 due to declining congregations and mounting debt. Several churches in Saanich and Oak Bay didn't sell and have carried on in the community. Edward Hill/News staff
Few buyers for church lands Anglican churches survive by grace of tepid Victoria real estate market Edward Hill News staff
Nearly four years ago, the Anglican Diocese of B.C. recommended closing 11 churches across Greater Victoria, and selling the property in a bid to reduce debt and reinvigorate itself in the face of shrinking congregations. Out of the 11, three have sold and two are leased by other
organizations. The remainder are open for business as Anglican churches, and no longer face imminent closure, largely by strokes of luck. “They were put all on the market at once, the ones people wanted to buy immediately are the only reason (others remain),” said Rev. Chris Parsons, speaking for the diocese. “We only wanted to sell a certain amount and reevaluate what was needed.” Properties like St. Saviour in Vic West and St. Martin in the Fields in Saanich sold, the former to a dance company and the latter to an evangelical denomination. St. Columba in Saanich’s Strawberry Vale and All Saints in View
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Royal have closed as Anglican churches and the space is leased out (St. Alban’s had sold in 2009, prior to the mass sale). Others once on the block – St. David by the Sea in Cordova Bay, St. Peter’s in Lakehill, St. Philip and St. Mary in Oak Bay and St. Mary in Metchosin – survived by the grace of not being attractive to other organizations or property developers. “Lower Vancouver Island was over-churched, which came from our history of opening a church on every corner,” Parsons observed. “I feel selling properties is the nuts and bolts. The real change has to do with the ministry, it’s a longer process of change.”
Parsons, the reverend for both St. Peter’s and St. David, said the churches are no longer being marketed for sale, and the individual parishes themselves have a much more rigorous process of reviewing finances. There’s also better resource sharing among churches to keep a lid on costs. “With the assistance of diocese personnel, we’re a lot better at looking at (financial) red flags before it becomes too serious,” he said. “We don’t say everyone can relax. We’ll always be reviewing ... there’s a diligent review process for personnel and the viability of ministries.” PlEASE SEE: Low turnout, Page A4
Greater Victoria’s annual checkup shows residents are most worried about the cost of living and problems associated with mental health. The eighth annual Vital Signs, produced by the Victoria Foundation, is a comprehensive report and survey on 12 key areas and emerging needs in the region. Nearly half of the 1,200 residents who completed this year’s online survey ranked the cost of living as the most pressing issue, while 20 per cent say mental illness is a growing challenge. Housing, homelessness and health care also remain strong concerns. “We’re noticing with the grant applications that are coming in, mental illness is a big concern,” said Sandra Richardson, Victoria Foundation chief executive officer. The foundation distributed $10 million in grants last year to nonprofit organizations. The Victoria Foundation has also produced the region’s first food strategy road map for Vancouver Island, a result of input from 43 non-profit organizations. Negative trends include a significant loss of urban tree cover, rising childcare costs and single-parent households rising to more than 15 per cent in Greater Victoria. “This report has really become a catalyst for collaboration and change for the community,” Richardson said. “We’re better together.” To view Vital Signs, visit victoriafoundation.bc.ca. dpalmer@vicnews.com
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