Nearly six months after a fire destroyed the iconic Our Lady of the Snows church in Colville Lake, N.W.T., the small community of about 100 residents continues to adapt by holding worship services in alternative locations.
Last Sunday, weekly prayers took place at the local youth centre, where a makeshift altar was arranged on a folding table. Isabel Orlias, who led the prayers, remarked, “It’s not the same, but I’m glad people still come together for Sunday prayers.”
Shifting Worship Spaces
Weekly gatherings now occur at the youth centre or in residents’ homes. Larger events, such as Christmas mass, move to the community gym. Carla Tutcho, who joined Sunday’s service at the centre, expressed, “It’s just not the same” without the original church.
Orlias shares a deep personal connection to the structure. “We always have our Sunday prayers there, or people would have their babies baptized here, or kids would get their first communion, confirmation. I got married in the church. And people have their funerals here,” she said. “It was just such a special place.”
Memories from the Builders
Gene Oudzi, one of the original builders from the 1960s, recalls the construction fondly. Under the guidance of bush pilot Bern Will Brown, residents hauled logs by dog team since snowmobiles were unavailable. The most challenging task involved raising the 1,000-pound bell to the roof “inch by inch,” Oudzi noted. “It was fun.”
Work began in 1963 and wrapped up in the winter of 1965. The first service, a midnight mass, filled the community with joy. Today, Oudzi laments, “Now, I walk by, all I see, ashes. There’s no fun.”
Rebuilding Prospects and Fire Investigation
No firm plans exist yet for reconstruction, though Jon Hansen, bishop of the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, has indicated willingness to assist. He recently provided no specific timeline.
The Northwest Territories Office of the Fire Marshall concluded its probe, deeming the cause undetermined. “This means a definitive cause of the fire could not be found,” the office stated. The RCMP closed its investigation on November 17 without charges.
