On Feb. 21, the historic Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church was destroyed by fire. (Submitted/ Megan Scragg)

By Nigel Maxwell

Community projects

Historic church, consumed by fire, to be commemorated with locally made bell tower

Mar 10, 2025 | 5:00 PM

As the investigation continues into last month’s fire that consumed the historic Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church northeast of Prince Albert, a local resident has started a special project to commemorate the site.

Ian Kosik is busy fundraising for the manufacturing and building of a bell tower in the cemetary. He told paNOW he has a number of family members buried there including his dad and grandpa, and they had all attended the church on a regular basis.

“It was devastating and a shame that someone has to burn a church,” he said.

The church was founded in 1910 by Polish immigrants and services were held every Sunday for a number of years. There was also a rectory in the northeast corner of the church yard where the priest stayed. The last funeral was held in 1995 and an anniversary in 1999.

Due to the deteriorating condition of the church, it was decommissioned in 2018 after the last church service. The original bell was located by Kosik before the fire and the cross from the steeple was recovered after the fire.

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“So I figured in memory of the church and our pioneers who built the church, I was gonna put up a memorial bell tower at the cemetary,” he said.

The manufacturing process is taking place at a shop on Kosik’s farm. Having set a fundraising goal of $5,000, he estimated it will cost about $3,500 to make the bell tower which when complete (hopefully in May), will stand about 12.5 feet.

“The money raised will be for material and labor, any other money raised will go to beautifying the cemetery,” he explained.

RCMP previously confirmed that the building was empty at the time of the fire, and no one was injured. They also confirmed they are investigating the fire as suspicious.

Prince Albert RCMP are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area of the church on the evening of February 21, or who has information about the fire, to report it to police by calling 310-RCMP.

Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Blue Sky: @nigelmaxwell.bsky.social