Description of Historic Place

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church of St. George is a Municipal Heritage Property which occupies three city lots in the City of Melville. The property features a brick veneer church built in a cruciform plan that has a large central dome adorned with a decorative cross and two smaller domes also adorned with crosses. The church was constructed between 1939-1941.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church of St. George lies in its connection to the religious values of the Ukrainian settlers in Melville. Constructed in 1939-1941, the Church of St. George replaced an earlier Ukrainian Catholic Church built in Melville in 1916. By 1939, the expansion of the community and the parish had outgrown the facilities of the 1916 church and a bigger building was constructed. Designed according to a cruciform plan and topped with a large central dome, the building is similar to churches built in Ukraine. The construction of this church demonstrated the desire of the Ukrainian settlers in the region to continue their religious practices in their own language. In addition, the church has served as a place of preservation for the Ukrainian culture as numerous social and cultural events are held in the building.

Source:

City of Melville Bylaw No. 11/93.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church of St. George resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements reflecting the building's function as a place of worship for the Ukrainian community including the three domes with cupolas and crosses, original lighting, original glass, religious ornamentations and decorations, murals, interior arcades and pilasters, and vaulted ceiling.