Part of local history has been reduced to ashes after a late-night fire consumed a church that had stood for more than a century.
Fire crews from the Garden River department were called around 11 p.m. CST on Friday to the former Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church, better known to many as The Polish Church.
Built in 1910 and abandoned for decades, it was located about 25 minutes north of Prince Albert in the Claytonville District.
Although investigators have yet to release an official cause, members of the community believe the blaze was intentionally set.
They say the loss is felt by everyone, given the church’s long-standing role as a historic landmark.
Reeve Ryan Scragg of the Rural Municipality of Garden River said the building was more than just an empty structure.
Scragg describes it as a vital piece of history, connecting local families to the early settlers who first built it.
“To think that someone would indiscriminately destroy this piece of our heritage is beyond frustrating,” Scragg wrote in a social media post.
“Whether you had a personal connection to the church or simply appreciated it as part of our landscape, its loss is deeply felt. If anyone has information about what happened, I encourage you to come forward.”
The fire department has not reported any injuries.
The investigation continues, and officials are asking anyone with information about the fire to contact the RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
Scores of churches have been torched across Canada after a BC First Nation alleged they had discovered the graves of 215 children at a residential school in Kamloops.
Not a single body has been found.
