Philpott Memorial at $13.4m crossroads
Parishioners of downtown church consider rebuilding
A plan to take Philpott Memorial Church into the future is finally ready, and after 30 years of debate, it’s time for a decision.
Parishioners of the downtown church, which is more than a century old, are considering whether to tear it down and rebuild in an ambitious project that could cost as much as $13.4 million and take years to complete.
It’s a decision that’s exciting and scary at the same time, said church administrator James Dean, and the discussions have been ongoing “for the last few years.”
This will be at least the third time Philpott has considered a renovation or a rebuild in the past 30 years. In 1991, the congregation did not support a renovation proposal that would have cost $3 million.
Dean and the church’s steering committee unveiled their dream — called A Kingdom Build — to about 30 parishioners on the weekend and will hold more information sessions this week. He admitted at this point it’s hard to tell if the plan has the full support of the congregation.
“One of the things we are doing is getting permission for fundraising,” Dean said. “Nothing will be confirmed until (a vote) on the 28th of April.”
Senior pastor Lane Fusilier said he preferred not to speak outside of the church until a decision has been made.
“Everything is preliminary,” he said. “I may have some exciting things to tell you about in a couple of weeks.”
A complete rebuild is an unusual project for a church to undertake but renovating the venerable building on York Boulevard across from Copps Coliseum is not feasible, its steering committee believes.
The cost to repair the roof and ceiling of the sanctuary alone would cost about $2 million, and those repairs would still not bring the facility up to city code requirements.
If approved, the project would begin with the construction of a new sanctuary/auditorium behind the church, where the parking lot sits. The first phase is expected to cost $4.7 million. Thier + Curran Architects Inc. of Hamilton has been hired to design the project.
One highlight of the plan is theatre-style seating for approximately 900 with state-of-the-art acoustics, audio, video and lighting. It’s hoped the new auditorium will be better for the congregation, but also used for plays and concerts for community groups.
Dean said the theatre would be an affordable, ideal downtown location for local performing arts groups. A coffee shop included in the final phase of the three-part expansion would open onto Park Street, where it could be used by the congregation and the public.
The Associated Gospel Church typically has 300 to 400 adults attending one of two sermons on Sundays, with parishioners who have roots in more than 50 countries.
The downtown church is also active in the community with programs such as cooking and crafts for new Canadians and men’s soccer. During the winter, a drop-in program offers hot chocolate and cookies for the homeless.