Preserving our Masonic Buildings/Heritage
On March 7th, 2022 (4:30pm EST) this author (as the Border Masonic Temple Association’s Building Committee Chair) will attend the City of Windsor’s Standing Committee on Heritage meeting.
Anyone interested can view this meeting at:
This author will be there to discuss Agenda Item 10.1-regarding the beautiful Windsor Masonic Temple and, more particularly, the Temple Association’s plan to maintain and preserve the Windsor Masonic Temple “For The Next 100 Years.”
In preparation for the meeting, this author is considering why preservation of our Masonic Buildings is so important & relevant, both for Freemasonry in general and for the communities in which Freemasonry is located.
In September 2021, the Grand Lodge (the Governing Body for Freemasonry in Ontario), in an official correspondence, noted that “Freemasons are committed to doing what is best for Society.”
The Grand Lodge noted this in relation to federal, provincial, and municipal health and safety commitments (with which the Windsor Masonic Temple has and continues to comply). However, this commitment also relates to Masonic Buildings.
Doing what is best for society means ensuring our buildings are as environmentally friendly and energy efficient as possible. Doing what is best for society means ensuring our buildings are fully accessible. Doing what is best for society means ensuring our buildings’ heritage features (and the information contained within) are, for future generations, preserved and maintained.
A Masonic building is more than bricks and mortar, as the Mayor of the City of Windsor noted, a Masonic Building “…is a special place where thousands of people have passed through, building friendships and forming cherished memories to last a lifetime.”
A Masonic Building’s façade is usually the most forward facing aspect of Freemasonry within a community.
It is also important to note that what is contained within a Masonic Building(historical documentation dating back centuries) must also be preserved, through both physical and digital techniques.
This author, through the Border Masonic Temple Association and Square & Compass, will continue to work to ensure the Windsor Masonic Temple is preserved “For the Next 100 Years.” We hope every Freemason from every Masonic Building will look at how he can do the same for his Masonic Building!
