Space > Making More Room Project > Updates
Making More Room Project Updates
November 26, 2009 - Phase One Begins!
At the Special Vestry Meeting held November 26, 2009, the following motion from the Board of Management was approved:
That this Vestry approve the commencement of Phase One of the Building Project. (This will include opening up the Narthex by removing the low ceiling and the redundant structure that at one time held up folding walls; re-purposing the chapel by integrating the space into the Nave; and installing a new sound system.) The estimated cost of $300,000 will be funded by $243,000 from our Capital Accumulation Account, with the remaining $57,000 to be raised by a capital campaign that would begin in the first quarter of 2010, with any shortfall to be withdrawn from our Sceptre Fund if necessary.
This project is about hospitality. We want to make room for all who come through our doors, ensuring that the quality of sound, lighting and sight lines provide the same worship experience for everyone.
For details of the three phase plan, please click here.
June 13, 2010 - Update to Mid-Year Congregational Meeting
At the mid-year congregational meeting today, the Project Team shared the presentation they had made to the Diocese to obtain diocesan approval on May 20 for Phase I of the Making More Room Project. To view/download that presentation, please click here.
At 8 AM the last Eucharist was celebrated in the chapel.
Our area bishop, the Rt. Rev'd Dr Patrick Yu, joined us at 9:30 and 11:15 services as we commemorated and gave thanks for the Price Chapel, used for midweek services, Sunday Eucharists and special liturgies since 1961.
Work has begun! A large, blue plastic sheet protects the body of the church from construction dust in the narthex. The Casavant organ has also been wrapped in plastic.
The wooden screen separating the former Chapel from the body of the church has been removed, and pews from the back of the church have been moved to this area.
The Chancel has been set up for weekday services and the 8 AM Eucharist on Sunday mornings.
Stained glass windows, memorial plaques and the floor in the narthex have been protected.
Scaffolding has been installed in the narthex and exploratory holes created in the drop ceiling.
At the end of the first week the drywall ceiling had been removed in the narthex, exposing the steel structure that used to support folding partitions.
Pews that used to be at the back of the church have been set up in the former Chapel area for Sunday worship. With the wooden screen removed, this area now feels like it is part of the body of the church.
During week two work is progressing on removing the drop ceiling in the narthex.
At the end of week two significant progress had been made in removing the drop ceiling and steel girders in the narthex.
What a difference just a couple of days can make! A lot more of the steel structure in the narthex ceiling has been removed, revealing the height we've been missing in the space.
Looking SE towards the kitchen door and hatch:
The NE corner of the narthex, with the blue plastic sheeting separating the narthex from the body of the church:
Facing N, with the centre aisle of the church on the other side of the blue sheeting:
The NW corner of the narthex:
The narthex looking S towards the main Bloor Street doors:
The narthex looks quite large at the end of week three!
Looking SE towards the kitchen door and hatch:
The NE corner of the narthex, with the blue plastic sheeting separating the narthex from the body of the church:
Facing N, with the centre aisle of the church on the other side of the blue sheeting:
The NW corner of the narthex:
The SW corner of the narthex:
Facing S towards Bloor Street:
At the end of week four most of the structure is in place for the new ceiling in the narthex. Drywalling is expected to start in a few days.
Two views of the east end of the narthex:
Facing north, with the body of the church on the other side of the blue plastic sheeting:
The west end of the narthex:
Facing the main doors on Bloor Street, illustrating the height that has been reclaimed in the narthex:
At the end of the fifth week the framing for the new ceiling and bulkheads was complete, the first layer of drywall protection for columns had been finished, and electrical rough-ins were underway.
We have drywall on the new ceiling in the narthex!
At the end of the sixth week preparation of the new narthex ceiling was well advanced, including decorative dropped arches above stained glass windows.
At the end of the seventh week the ceiling was being prepared for painting. Imagine the height and sightlines when the blue plastic protective sheeting between the narthex and the body of the church is removed!
With less than 2 weeks to go, trim is being applied to columns and bulkheads before painting begins.
With one week left in the project painting has begun and the blue plastic sheeting between the narthex and the body of the church has been removed.
The back wall has been painted brick red, and the ceiling and wood trim completed. With the blue plastic sheeting and some of the scaffolding removed new sightlines from the narthex into the body of the church and from the chancel to the back of the new, expanded worship space are impressive!
The aumbry has been relocated from the former chapel area to the wall above and behind the credence table. The exterior still has to be finished to match the surrounding wood panels.
Final tasks were being completed at the end of the week. On Sunday, August 22 coffee hour will once again take place in the narthex. The organ will be available on August 29.
The narthex was back in use for coffee hours on August 22. The book cabinets have been painted the same colour as the back wall, new lighting fixtures are in place and the new sound system console is in position behind the pillar in the north west corner of the narthex.
The community gathered on Sunday, September 19 in our new space at the back of the church for its rededication.
Our main entrance from Bloor Street has had a facelift! The doors have been painted and the panels in the centre doors have been replaced by glass. This presents a more inviting (and less intimidating!) entrance into the space.
Inside the solid doors separating the breezeway from the body of the church have been replaced with new doors featuring glass panels. If they are closed people are still able to see what is happening in the worship space beyond.
