(rdnewsNOW/Sheldon Spackman)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19) and Sheldon Spackman

built in 1950

Sunnybrook Farm officially opens relocated church

Jun 17, 2023 | 11:52 AM

The Willowdale Zion Presbyterian Church was officially re-opened this week at Sunnybrook Farm in south Red Deer.

That is where the church was relocated to last fall and put onto a new foundation.

Originally, the church was finished in 1950, on a lot just southeast of Red Deer, in a small district called Willowdale.

“We were given an anonymous gift of $250,000 four years ago to look for a church to save and bring here,” explains Ian Warwick, Sunnybrook’s executive director.

“Our entire south development project is meant to tell the story of the farm community and what pioneers did by coming together and building their community. We’ve been looking toward that vision with the garage we’ve added, as well as the co-op store and the schoolhouse. The church was still on the list.”

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The project’s entire budget was $467,000, part of which was the anonymous donation. Another $50,000 came from a provincial CFEP grant, and the remainder was from private donors.

“Our board did a lot of research to see which church might fit the space here, as well the history. This one was slated to be demolished, so this is also an opportunity to provide some healing to the church community in terms of saving their building,” added Warwick. “The entire interior was restored and now it’ll stand another 60 or 70 years.”

Shunda Consulting took care of the actual move, as seen below.

(Sunnybrook Farm)