Iconic Hamilton church undergoing painstaking repairs
A Hamilton icon is getting a facelift.
The city's Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King is undergoing $3.5 million in repairs and restoration to halt the spread of moisture creeping into the church.
It's painstaking, delicate work, says Father David Wynen, but it's being done with a careful eye not to alter this architectural marvel that could stand up against any ornate European church.
"This whole complex was very well built," Wynen told CBC News. "But after 84 years, we all need some fix up."
The Catholic church was built in 1933, and, like much of Hamilton, has steel at its heart. The church's structure is steel girders, with stone built around it.
It cost $1 million to build in the 30s — which, according to the Bank of Canada's inflation calculator, translates to just over $18 million today.
Much of the spectacular inside of the building is untouched, except for a fire in 1981 that caused some damage and forced some alterations.
The outside is where much of the current work is taking place. The scaffolding snaking up the cathedral tower is the most obvious indication that repairs are ongoing.
The roof is being replaced, while the stone up and down the sides of the church is being cleaned and/or replaced.
Get close enough and you can actually see the difference between the clean, light beige stones and the dark, untouched stones.
"That's 84 years in Hamilton with imperfect air," Wynen said.
Not included in the $3.5 million for repairs, but still on the things to do checklist, is restoring many of the church's stained glass windows, which have warped over time. Years of hot sun blasting the windows has superheated the air between the two panes of glass, giving them an unwanted "3D effect," Wynen says.
Luckily, the same German company who cut the original glass will be doing the restoration, in an effort to keep as much of the church's original feel as possible.
"This is such an iconic building, and we want to make sure it will be preserved."
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