Council member offers cash to help move historic church

Tom Finn offers $1,000 toward the cost of moving an 83-year-old church to a spot about 25 feet away.

By JENNIFER GOLDBLATT

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 22, 2001

NEW PORT RICHEY -- After failing to get consensus from his fellow City Council members, Tom Finn has decided to put his money where his mouth is.

Finn said Thursday that he would give the city $1,000 to move Our Lady Queen of Peace Church -- about half of the estimated cost.

After the city moved the 83-year-old church from Washington Street to Sims Park on June 5, Finn contended that the church was not where council members indicated they wanted it last fall, and asked his fellow council members to consider moving it again, about 25 feet.

In a meeting Tuesday, the three other council members voted to keep the historic church where it is, contending they didn't want to spend the money to move it -- even if it wasn't exactly where they wanted it. (Mayor Wendy Brenner was absent from the meeting.)

But Finn isn't willing to let it end there. He says where it is, the church blocks the view to Sims Park for the residents of Sims Lane. He added that it's too close to Grand Boulevard, and those driving by would get a better view of it if it was in the corner of the property. He said he hopes that citizens who feel the same way might also make contributions to the city to cover the entire cost.

"In the place where it is, it just doesn't add anything aesthetically," Finn said. "I know it's not a big distance, but if you view the whole layout and if it was (moved to a more westerly) direction, you could see more of it. It would just look so much better like we planned."

Even if the $2,000 was raised, council members would still have to approve the move.

"It sounds like the decision is more financial than aesthetic," he said of the meeting Tuesday. "So hopefully I'm giving them the latitude to put it where we want without (the city) spending the money."

-- Jennifer Goldblatt covers the city of New Port Richey. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6229, or toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6229.

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