Hope Returns to St. Joachim Church as Volunteers Restore a Piece of Local History

By: Matt Weinagrden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter

Restoration efforts are gaining momentum at the historic St. Joachim Church, located at the end of French Line Road. Once a vibrant spiritual hub built by French pioneers in 1882, the church has sat vacant for nearly 25 years since closing its doors in 2000.

The 927 St. Joachim L’Association, a not-for-profit group formed last year, is leading the charge to repurpose the building into a community centre. On Sunday, September 14, from 1 to 3 p.m., the group will host a public event to share updates and invite residents to witness the progress firsthand.

Paul Mullins, who is spearheading the project, discovered that the Diocese of London still owned the property and was willing to transfer it to a municipality or non-profit for a nominal sum. Thanks to a $30,000 donation, Mullins was able to hire consultants, architects, and engineers to assess the feasibility of restoring the structure.

“My hope was that we could at least save the façade,” Mullins said. After pumping out nearly two feet of standing water that had lingered in the basement for two decades, inspections confirmed the building is structurally sound. “It has been determined that the basement floors and walls were in incredibly good condition,” he added.

Since then, volunteers—now known as the Friends of St. Joachim—have removed thirteen dumpsters of rotten drywall and flooring, remediated mold, reconnected hydro, and purchased furnaces. New basement entrances have been constructed, and all exterior repairs have been completed and painted. Upcoming priorities include installing water service and washrooms.

The group is confident the building can be saved and restored to serve the community once again. “It’s one of those situations where seeing is believing,” Mullins said. “We want people to come see what’s happening for themselves.”

To continue the effort, the association is actively seeking volunteers and funding. A second open house is planned for Saturday and Sunday, November 2 and 3, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the church on County Road 42 in St. Joachim.

For more information or to get involved, visit the group’s Facebook page at 927 St. Joachim L’Association, or contact Paul Mullins directly at 519-982-3300.