Church, mosque to get restoration aid

St Joseph's Church's stained glass windows, made in 1912, were found to be in a poor state and could fall off at any time. -- ST PHOTO: RAJ NADARAJAN

A CHURCH and a mosque here, both a century old, will receive funds from the Government to restore their buildings this year.

St Joseph's Church in Victoria Street and Abdul Gafoor Mosque in Dunlop Street will get grants from the National Monuments Fund, a co-funding scheme which throws a lifeline to owners of non-profit and non-commercial national monuments to pay for preservation works.

St Joseph's Church will get $532,050 - roughly half of what it would cost to restore its Italian-crafted stained-glass windows. The rest will have to be raised through donations.

Dr James Boss, chairman of the Gothic-style church's Parish Pastoral Council that advises on administration and programme matters, said the 60 windows - the largest collection among churches here - will be taken apart panel by panel.

The outlines of the Biblical scenes on the glass were rendered in lead, which, weather-beaten over the century, has shrunk.

The lead needs to be replaced in what will be the first restoration work since the windows were made in 1912.

A 2009 report commissioned by the Preservation of Monuments Board said the windows were in a poor state and could fall off at any time, said Dr Boss.

The Abdul Gafoor Mosque needs its leaky roofs reinforced and a skylight in its main prayer hall repaired.

It will receive $137,500 from the fund for the work.

Mosque chairman A.M.A. Nasirudeen described the grant as 'much needed' to salvage the 105-year-old building, which is a blend of southern Indian and Moorish styles.

Repair work will start after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan ends next month, he added.

Around $3.6 million has been given out in grants to 11 monuments under the National Monuments Fund since 2008. Monuments in need of repair are identified when a team from the Preservation of Monuments Board makes its rounds.

For instance, the Abdul Gafoor Mosque was encouraged by the team from the board to apply for the grant when they saw that its roof needed urgent repair.

Ms Jean Wee, the director of the Preservation of Monuments Board, said the grant's co-funding model encourages monument owners to also step up to take responsibility for their buildings.

'We're heartened that many monument owners have taken very positive and proactive steps,' she said. 'We hope that, with everybody chipping in, our national monuments can continue to stand as witnesses to our shared history, and benefit future generations of Singaporeans.'