Fire cleanup almost complete, St. Patrick's Church expected to reopen at end of July
Church hall and flea market to remain closed until further notice
More than a month and a half after a fire closed St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church, the Yellowknife parish hopes to return services to the building by the end of July.
The fire on June 4 in the adjacent church hall and flea market caused severe smoke damage to the sanctuary, forcing the church to close its doors.
"When we were coming in the beginning, you could just feel the smoke," said Father Marek Pisarek.
"It was hard to breathe."
He said cleaning of everything from the ceiling to the pews and books, as well as ventilation, has made a big improvement.
"Now they are cleaning and washing the carpets because it also takes up the contaminated smoke so they have to wash it very seriously."
In the meantime, masses are being held at St. Patrick High School. One wedding and one funeral were moved to Holy Trinity Anglican Church and another funeral was held at the school.
Sunday mass is expected to be held at the church again at the end of July, and Pisarek said being able to hold services in the church again will bring him great joy.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, though the Yellowknife fire department determined it to be suspicious. The church hall and flea market will remain closed until further notice as they are still undergoing repairs and cleanup.
