Flames have ravaged the Main Street church as these aerial photos from Turkey Red Media show. Picture by Turkey Red Media
By the Rev Ian Miller
It’s some time now since the residents of Queen Street, Alexandria, were awakened by a strange orange glow in the darkened street and the unmistakable sound of the fire engine sirens.
Upper Bridge Street Church was in flames and ultimately reduced to rubble.
The conspiracy theories were many, but the fact was that a striking building was no longer part of our landscape.
Since then Bonhill School, Ladyton School, St Ronan’s Church and the Vale of Leven Academy have suffered the same fate — and now it is Alexandria St Andrew’s, the old Parish Church.
One can ponder from now to doomsday why anyone would want to set fire to any building that in its own humble way has sought to be of service to the community. One thing for sure their demise affects the visual landscape of our community.
In the case of St Andrew’s it further begs the question what is our Main Street going to look like in 5, 10 or twenty years time?
Will what remains of St Andrew’s church become a twin to the neglected and pathetic remnants of the Millburn Parish Church in Renton, just across from the Vale of Leven Academy.
I think this intensifies my desire to see people turning out to the hustings meeting at Lomond Church this Wednesday where they will have a chance to hear all of the candidates for the forthcoming council election speaking about their vision for our community and for the centre of Alexandria.
Their vision or lack of it should determine where we place our cross on election day. Please join us at 7.00pm Lomond Parish Church (White Church in Balloch) on Wednesday evening
Meanwhile, local journalists reported that fire crews were battling a blaze at the B-listed Alexandria church for the second weekend in a row.
The inferno at the former St Andrew’s Church on Main Street broke out early this evening, with smoke seen across the Vale of Leven.
It comes after another blaze also broke out at the Church on Easter Sunday, which police are currently investigating.
Aerial photographs taken by local photographers Turkey Red Media show the scale of the damage, with Main Street in Alexandria.
Smoke floats from the fire at St Andrew’s Church, which was seriously damaged by the blaze . Pictures by Turkey Red Media.