2012 Places of Worship Committee Award
Saint Mark’s Place (former St. Mark’s Lutheran Church)
5142 NS-332, Middle LaHave, NS
Jim Lindner
Saint Mark’s Place post-restoration. Photo by Heidi Jirotka.
St. Mark’s Place, Middle LaHave NS, was the inaugural recipient of the Places of Worship Committee Award. The new award was conceived by the Trust to recognize outstanding work in the conservation and protection of a place of worship in Nova Scotia.
The award was presented to Mr. Jim Lindner, owner of St. Mark’s, at the Annual Dinner of the Heritage Trust on Saturday, May 12, 2012. St. Mark’s Lutheran Church was dedicated in 1902 and served as a Lutheran church until 2005 when it was closed. Jim Lindner bought the church building in 2009 and after a period of research and restoration, it re-opened in 2011 as a privately owned state-of-the art entertainment venue available for community use on Nova Scotia’s South Shore.
Jim Lindner is an audio-visual archivist, known for preserving cultural heritage. St Mark’s is very much part of the cultural landscape of the LaHave area. At the time Mr. Lindner acquired the building, he stated, “We will not be restoring the church in the sense that it will be functioning as a congregational church, but it is a spiritual place and our hope is to preserve the character and respect the history of the building and the community.”
Before commencing conservation measures the building was documented photographically and measured. Architect Michael Napier assisted with restoration of the building. Rotten wood was removed and the roof replaced. Replicas of missing architectural elements were crafted based on original pictures of the church. The large louvers in the bell tower were replaced to restore the elegant look of the entire building. Most of the interior plaster was saved. The paint was stripped off the entire building and it was recoated with a clear stain. The pews were disassembled, the wood saved and later reinstalled in other parts of the building. The plumbing and electrical services were upgraded. The new wiring can accommodate the lighting and audio equipment needed for a performance venue.
The interior of St. Mark’s post-restoration.
The magnificent stained glass windows were restored and stabilized by Cranberry Stained Glass Studios, Halifax. Their restoration was a significant part of the project. See the June, 2012 issue of the Griffin for a complete description of the window restoration. For a detailed description of the repairs and renovations to the entire building, including photographs, see www.stmark2005.com/reno2.htm.
Congratulations to Jim Lindner and all the craftspeople and suppliers who participated in the St. Mark’s Place restoration. The project is a much deserved winner of the first award made by the Places of Worship Committee.
