Musical parade marks church’s 150th birthday

Meet the Naden Band, play games and take part in a parade at celebrations marking the 150th Anniversary of St. Paul’s Church, Anglican Parish of St. Peter and St. Paul, on Saturday.

The parish church has had many names. Over the years, it has been known as the Admiralty Church, the Esquimalt Church, the Esquimalt Episcopal Church and the Naval and Garrison Church.

The Naden Band will lead the community down Esquimalt Road on Saturday, tracing a route reminiscent of a journey once taken by St. Paul’s Church.

“In 1866 the community raised funds to build St. Paul’s Church on the Royal Navy Base at Signal Hill on Esquimalt’s natural harbour,” said Towstego, rector of the church.

“But in 1904, the Canadian Government needed the land and the church was slowly being shaken apart from gunnery vibrations, so it was brought piece-by-piece to where it is now.”

After being welcomed by First Nations, the Township of Esquimalt and members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Church will be open for a special presentation by the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Association commemorating their 32 years of involvement with the church.

The parish hall will also be open to view exhibits from the last 150 years, including a virtual-reality display of the church and its surroundings.

Food trucks from the Songhees First Nation and others will offer snacks for purchase.

The procession will gather at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot across from the Wardroom by the Military Family Resource Centre. The one-kilometre-long march will end at the church, 1379 Esquimalt Rd. Details at stpeterandpaul.ca.