Shannon - No funding for St. John Cantius Church.pdf7/1/22, 2:01 PM City of Northampton Mail - No funding for St. John Cantius Church
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ik=fec0f72d97&view=pt&search=all&permthid=thread-f%3A1736441712612499210%7Cmsg-f%3A17364417126124…1/1
Sarah LaValley <slavalley@northamptonma.gov>
No funding for St. John Cantius Church
1 message
Rebecca Shannon <becky@beckyshannon.com>Thu, Jun 23, 2022 at 11:57 AM
To: "slavalley@northamptonma.gov" <slavalley@northamptonma.gov>
Dear Community Preservation Committee,
Thank you for your commitment to our city and for your thoughtful consideration on how to expend our CPA
funds. I know your decisions are often difficult.
I am writing regarding the matter of the request by O’Connell Development Group (ODG) for CPA funds
under Historic Preservation to preserve the St. John Cantius Church building.
Using our CPA funds to preserve private property where the property has limited public access or benefit,
and a building that was sold because of child rape and abuse, seems irresponsible and, sadly, a
misappropriation of precious CPA funds. Public funds that would enable preserving religious symbolism
that is very painful for many individuals and families.
While St. Cantius resides in the Pomeroy Historic District there are other historic buildings in our
neighborhood more deserving of $500,000. The houses on Pomeroy, for example, where foster children
are housed, are buildings that would be worthy for their historic value and community value. And their
preservation would be helping children instead of funding preservation of a monument to a religion that
abused children and women for many, many decades.
Thank you for considering my thoughts.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Shannon
2 Pomeroy Terrace
Northampton