Sackville residents worry church demolition will disturb graves

Some Sackville residents are worried graves from the 1800s may be disturbed during the demolition of a church in the town.

The town's heritage board approved a salvage and demolition permit earlier this month for the United Church on Main Street.

The church's cemetery sits adjacent to the building.

"Graves don't stay in place,” said Sackville resident Christian Corbet, a forensic artist.

Corbet has drafted an online petition to Premier Brian Gallant, asking for a new land survey and that the developer hire an archeologist to assess the cemetery before heavy equipment starts digging.

“Graves shift and graves move with a period of time."

Corbet also said the high acidity of the soil means older coffins have disintegrated and the bodies, once inside, could have moved.

"My concern is is that they're going to start excavating, they're going to start plowing into things and they are going to turn a blind eye," he said.

Historian says archeologist unnecessary

Some worry there may be graves under the church building as it was expanded in 1898, but Phyllis Stopps, the chair of the church's cemetery committee doesn't think so.

Stopps is a historian and said the church has very good records of burials.

"We have maps of all of the grave markers and we've never lost a body yet," she said.

She said a new land survey was done when the church sold two or three years ago, and while some of the graves may have shifted slightly, and some may be close to the boundary, the developer is well aware of that.

"I don't think it would be necessary to have an archeologist on site," said Stopps.

Meanwhile, a group trying to save the church says the fight isn't over yet.

John Duchemin speaks for SPLASH — Sackville People Leading Awareness to Save Heritage.

He said the group filed an appeal Friday with the New Brunswick assessment and planning appeal board.

He said that will delay demolition of the church, at least until after the appeal is heard.

There's no word yet on when that appeal will be considered.