St. Dunstan's Basilica Parish having historic bells refinished

The 17 bells of St. Dunstan's Basilica Parish in Charlottetown have been sitting in storage for more than 40 years.

But that will soon change as the 1928 bells have been sent to a foundry in South Carolina to be tuned againand refinished.

"This is for generations to come,"said Kevin Murphy, chair of the bells committee. "It's not just for today."

The bells have historic significance as a unique set made at the Paccard foundry in France. But, they had to beremoved because of structural issues with the steeple. Those structural issues have since been resolved, said Murphy.

'A fitting end to the project'

Fundraising efforts are ongoing with the committee raising half of the $450,000 it needs to refinish the bells.

Murphy said the goal is to have the bells back ringing in the steeple in time for Canada Day celebrations.

"Wouldn't that be fitting to have the basilicabells in a national historic site in front of Province House where the Fathers of Confederation walked up Great George Street to have them ringing again?,"he asked.

"It would be a fitting end to the project."

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