Rustico residents fight to save Belcourt Centre from demolition

Some Rustico residents are fighting to save the Belcourt Centre from demolition.

Art Buote is heading the campaign to not only save the 80-year-old P.E.I. building, but to have it preserved as well.

They have filed an application with the province to have the old Belcourt Centre protected as a heritage building

The Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown plans to demolish and replace the centre as part of a major construction project. The diocese plans to spend up to $2.5 million to build a new facility on the site.

The new building is intended to generate more cultural, spiritual and economic activity in the community.

But Buote and others are arguing against that and have received support from singer songwriter Lennie Gallant.

In a published opinion piece, Gallant said the Belcourt Centre is an important symbol of Acadian culture. He calledon the Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown to preserve the building.

A convent on the site dates back to the 1880s and the present building was constructed in the 1930s. It now sits among a cluster of well-preserved Acadian buildings in the village.

"Well I think it's not just the age, of course. It's the attachment our people have to this building and all the people of Rustico and how it complements all the other buildings in the area here and that's what's very important to us here," said Buote.

The two sides will meet later this week to discuss what the diocese is calling "common objectives."

Diocese officials say there are ways to save the old building. It includes a land swap or moving the old building to a new site. But to do it, the community needs to pitch in.

Gerry Gabriel is with the Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown. He says Gallant's op-ed piece might help.

"Personally I'm pleased that he wrote that letter and maybe it will just muster just enough community support that there's a willingness to take the building on," said Gabriel.

The Belcourt Centre will remain open for business even when the new facility is being built on land behind it. The diocese intends to start construction later this year.