TUPOC is out, but the future of St. Brigid remains uncertain

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The United People of Canada was evicted by court order, the locks changed, and red banners adorned with their logo removed from the front of the old St. Brigid’s Church in Lowertown.

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But questions remain about the future of the huge historic property and what follows from the group that occupied it for three months of turmoil, controversy and conflict.

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Property still for sale, owner Patrick McDonald confirmed on Saturday as he headed inside to assess the church that he said he hadn’t been able to get into for seven or eight weeks “because they were threatening to arrest me and do their citizen’s arrest and all that.”

The 130-year-old building “is a wonderful and very important space for the downtown Ottawa area,” McDonald said.

“People have talked about a lot of things, from… would the city be interested? Who knows at this stage. But it’s very important to Lowertown and it’s very important to the city. There’s a lot of history.”

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McDonald said he was happy to receive all the interest from potential buyers and that he did not discriminate “against creed, religion, orientation or anything like that…and I never have.”

According to evidence presented in court, United People of Canada (TUPOC) director William Komer signed an agreement to purchase the church and adjacent buildings for $5.95 million. The agreement included a provision allowing TUPOC to rent the church for $5,000 a month until the purchase was finalized in December.

TUPOC failed to deliver the agreed-upon deposits, Superior Court Judge Sally Gomery wrote in a decision published Friday, confirming the termination of the group’s lease and send Komer and his followers packing.

Changing the locks on a side entrance to the church on Saturday, Francis Healy said the group’s belongings were gone and so were they. “I hope I never see them again.”

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One of four investors who bought the property in 2007, Healy has been a “wreck of nerves” from the TUPOC ordeal and the owners, of which he remains one, will be very careful going forward.

“The next person comes over to buy it: show us you have money. We didn’t do it the first time… People are treated in good faith,” said Healy, a bricklayer by trade who moved from Dublin 33 years ago.

“But we got ripped off, and this is where we are now.”

Stabilizing the bottom of his ladder while Healy worked above to remove the TUPOC banners from the front of the church, Neighbour Heather Cole said, “It’s going to be amazing” to walk out of her house and not see visual reminders of TUPOC’s presence in her neighborhood.

“We didn’t know who they were when they moved in, but we know who they are now and they’re not welcome here. And this is the first time since they moved in that there are no convoy vehicles in the parking lot,” Cole said.

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His own celebratory mood was tempered somewhat by concern about what’s next for the TUPOC group, which had ties to the convoy occupation of Ottawa last winter and the larger “Freedom” movement, which includes a wide variety of people who oppose COVID-19 vaccines. and mandates, public health measures like wearing masks, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government, and a variety of other causes.

“Because, although I am super happy that they are no longer in front of me, I do not wish this type of organization and occupation on my worst enemy… It is toxic. It’s just toxic,” Cole said.

Walking her dog, area resident Jenn Wade said she would like to see the church return to a community-driven use and was glad to see TUPOC gone.

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“Happy it’s done. For now. Small wins,” Wade said. “Someone told me that they are moving to another place. I’m just not going to think about it.”

Before COVID wiped out its operations, the deconsecrated church had operated as St. Brigid’s Center for the Arts, which hosts concerts and events and Irish pubgoers at Brigid’s Well in the basement. what will become of the place will correspond to its owners, current and future.

Healy says it’s a good site for development, but patrimonial restrictions are “hindering” us.

And while TUPOC has vacated the building, Komer shared plans Friday to appeal the court ruling and file a perjury complaint against McDonald.

“I hope it’s over,” McDonald said Saturday, noting that Komer had multiple opportunities to produce the money they had agreed to for the church and opportunities to make his case through the court process. “Maybe it’s part of his game. I dont know.”

With files from Andrew Duffy and Jacquie Miller