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Making Room > Project Updates Making Room Project Updates January 23, 2010 - Information Nights We welcome everyone to join us for one of two evenings, Monday, February 1 or Tuesday, February 2 from 6.45-8.30 p.m., to look at and discuss the design for the upcoming Phase One of the Making Room Project. Please join us. 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: We look forward to an update from the Project Team at the Annual Vestry Meeting on Monday, February 8, 2010. November 20, 2009 - Special Vestry Meeting Motion/Details The date of the special vestry meeting has been changed to November 26, 2009. For the wording of the motion to be brought forward from the Board of Management at the meeting, as well as to read more details of the three phase plan proposed by the project team, please click here. October 28, 2009 - Special Vestry Meeting The Project Team invites you to a Special Vestry for all parishioners on Wednesday, October 28 at 7 p.m. to discuss the scope of work and seek approval to proceed with the first phase of the Making Room Project. Phase 1 will involve opening up the Narthex area by removing the low ceiling and redundant structure that held up the folding walls we no longer use, re-purposing the chapel by integrating the space into the Nave and installing a new sound system. If you aren’t able to come to the October 28 meeting, we are holding Pre-Vestry Meetings on October 18 and 25 between the 9.30 and 11.15 a.m. services. February 1, 2009 - Upcoming Sacred Space Discussions Please join us for three evenings as we explore the dynamics between sacred architecture and worship. As we prepare to renovate the Church of the Redeemer, in these sessions we will experience the building in new ways and understand how its physical form shapes the practice of our faith. Together we will learn about the history of church architecture and the effect on liturgy. How has the Redeemer changed over its history and how might we imagine the building in the future? Come and imagine with us how we might deepen our life on the corner if we were to shape our space in new ways. Members of the Making Room Project Team will lead the discussion and offer plenty of opportunity for participation. March 2 - Prayer and Posture: the Body in the Church March 9 - Taste and See: The Senses and Emotions March 23 - Gathering and Sending: Ministry and Community February 12, 2008 - Presentation of External Design at Vestry At the annual Vestry Meeting, Elizabeth Davidson's vision for the exterior of the church was revealed. Please click here to view the conceptual designs. December 30, 2007 - Exterior Design - Final Report Elizabeth Davidson, our architect, has sent us conceptual designs and preliminary costing for the new front steps, exterior lighting and outdoor sign. The Making Room Committee is reviewing the report and will present it to the new Board of Management and the new Advisory Board after our annual vestry meeting in February. November 20, 2007 - Status Update Members of the Making Room Front Steps/Exterior Lighting/Church Sign Committee have met with Elizabeth Davidson, our Architect twice this fall to review conceptual designs and preliminary costing for this additional exterior work. The final report is due December 15 and will be presented to both the Board of Management and Advisory Board in January. We will meet as a community to discuss the way forward on a date still to be determined in the new year. September 9, 2007 - Status Update Does the Special Vestry Meeting held on June 11 now seem like a distant memory? That night we passed the following motion unanimously: “That this Vestry authorizes the Board of Management to spend an additional $11,000 to engage Davidson-Langley Incorporated Architects to prepare conceptual designs and preliminary costing for the front steps, landing and front doors, exterior lighting and the church sign.” Elizabeth Davidson and her colleagues worked hard over the summer and have made significant progress on this project. Their final report is expected later this fall. When the design work is done, we'll meet as a congregation to discuss the way forward. June 11, 2007 - Special Vestry Meeting Making Room On Monday evening, June 11, members of the community gathered to review the status of upcoming renovations and to approve an additional $11,000 expenditure to Davidson-Langley Incorporated Architects for a conceptual design of the front door, steps, landing, external lighting and sign. To view/download a PDF (2.4 MB) of the presentation, please click here. April 15, 2007 - Status Update Careful, detailed upfront planning contributes the success of any project, and one as complex as ours is no exception. The HRP Team is diligently building a firm foundation before making its presentation and recommendations to the Board of Management and Advisory Board in the coming weeks. Elizabeth Davidson, the architect who was submitting a proposal for interior space improvements, completed her report on time and under budget. RBR Development Associates have also submitted their fundraising feasibility study, which the Fundraising Team is using to finalize recommendations to take to the Boards. Although the pace may seem slow at the moment, the thorough preparation being done now will provide the parish with all the information required to decide on the course ahead when our Special Vestry Meeting is held later in the spring (date TBD). February 9, 2007 - Status Update The Narthex and Fundraising Sub-Committees are currently preparing recommendations to present to the Board of Management and Advisory Board within the next two months. The boards will then work with the HRP Team on the next steps in the Heritage Restoration Project and will consult with the parish at a Special Vestry Meeting, date TBD. January 7, 2007 - Status Update This January the HRP Team will review two reports: one from Davidson-Langley Incorporated Architects on the narthex and worship space improvements, and another from RBR Development Associates on fundraising feasibility. A status update will be presented at the Annual Vestry Meeting on Wednesday, February 7th. At a joint meeting in February, the Board of Management and the Advisory Board will formally receive both reports. The boards will then work with the HRP Team on the next steps in the Heritage Restoration Project and will consult with the parish at a Special Vestry Meeting in the spring. November 30, 2006 - Status Update Advent is the season of waiting and anticipation. That is exactly where we are as a parish with respect to the Heritage Restoration Project! Our architect, Elizabeth Davidson, is digesting the feedback we have given her and is producing her report. RBR Development Consultants is working on the fundraising feasibility study we requested. Early in 2007 the Board of Management and the Advisory Board will receive both reports and then, as a community, we will gather at a Special Vestry Meeting to further our discussions and agree on how we want to move forward. In the meantime, we have been grateful for the suggestions that have come to us from several members of the community. Review of Preliminary Design Ideas with Elizabeth Davidson On Tuesday, November 7 approximately 50 parishioners met with Elizabeth Davidson, architect, to review preliminary sketches for the narthex redesign and to provide feedback. There was lots of positive energy in the room! Elizabeth and her team seem to be on the right track and benefited from constructive suggestions from the community. Please click here to view the preliminary sketches. A summary of the evening's events and a list of frequently asked questions are also available. Any further comments or suggestions would be most welcome! Fundraising Committee Update After a comprehensive interview and research process, the HRP Fundraising Committee has selected the firm of RBR Development Associates to conduct the feasibility study authorized at the September 24th Special Vestry Meeting. The Fundraising Committee will keep the parish informed as this study progresses. "Meet the Architect" Evening - Tuesday November 7, 2006 At the Special Vestry Meeting on September 24 we agreed to engage Davidson-Langley Incorporated Architects to prepare a conceptual design and preliminary costing to redesign the church's narthex as well as various improvements to the main worship space. Please join us on Tuesday, November 7 for an evening with Elizabeth Davidson, President of the firm. We will gather for dinner on the lower level at 6 p.m. and then move upstairs where Elizabeth will present the preliminary concepts. A discussion will follow and participants will be encouraged to respond to this "first cut". September 24, 2006 - Special Vestry Approval to Proceed At a Special Vestry Meeting held September 24, the community voted to take two more steps in our Heritage Restoration Project journey. The Board of Management has been authorized to:
The parish will be kept informed as each of these ventures progresses, with the next Special Vestry Meeting to review findings and agree on future phases anticipated in January/February 2007. To download a PDF (1.6 MB) of slides from the Special Vestry Meeting, please click here. September 16, 2006 - Upcoming Special Vestry Meeting We are ready to report on our progress to date on plans to improve interior space and to raise funds for both the interior and exterior portions of the Heritage Restoration Project. On Sunday, September 24 we will hold a special vestry meeting immediately after the 11:15 a.m. service. To provide the community with an opportunity to review the proposals and to ask questions, we will host pre-vestry meetings on Sunday, September 17 after both the 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. services. Please click here to download an overview of material to be presented. For parishioners unable to attend one of the pre-vestry meetings, or for those who may feel uncomfortable voicing questions or concerns during the meetings, please click here to send us an email with your comments. We welcome your feedback! August 13, 2006 - Proposals for Interior Work On August 9 the Narthex Sub-Committee presented a report to the Board of Management on the proposals received for interior design work (sound system, lighting, and narthex). The Board has selected an architectural firm to recommend to the parish at a Special Vestry Meeting to be held on Sunday, September 24. At that time proposals and costs for both exterior and interior work will be reviewed and next steps determined by the whole community. June 11, 2006 - Organ Project Completed! The cleaning and refurbishment of the organ has been completed! John Campbell was able to start including the new Choir Division at services on June 11. Watch the Latest News page for information on organ recitals in October during the International Bach Festival at the University of Toronto. May 28, 2006 - Status Update Over the last few months, the core group shepherding the Heritage Restoration Project through to completion has been identified. Ron Dyck has agreed to chair the HRP Project Team. David Penhale did a superb job chairing the South Face Sub-Committee, and we are delighted that David has agreed to continue as Chair of the Narthex Sub-Committee. Joan Robinson and Peter Bennett ably address our Fundraising issues, and Marjorie Wrightson handles Communications. This team is moving forward with the active participation and support of the Incumbent and both Board Chairs. The Ventin Report on the condition of the South Face was received with appreciation by both boards in April. It is currently on hold as we solicit bids for an estimate of interior work required on the sound system, lighting, and narthex. The Board of Management will meet in August to recommend an architectural firm to prepare specifications and cost estimates for interior work. That recommendation will go forward to a Special Vestry Meeting in September, when the parish can review the proposals and costs for both exterior and interior work and vote on next steps. Not to be forgotten, the cleaning and refurbishment of the organ will be completed within the next two weeks! Please feel free to have a look through the screen on the chest beside the organ console. You can see the shiny new metal pipes of the Choir Division which are currently being installed. May 8, 2006 - Status Update We are delighted that Ron Dyck has agreed to chair the HRP Project Team. With the Ventin report on the south face and entrance steps in hand, we are now working towards securing a proposal for interior items (sound system, narthex, and lighting). Meanwhile, the last piece of the organ restoration – refurbishment of the Choir Division – will begin later in May. Watch for a September date for a Special Vestry Meeting when the parish can review the proposals and costs for both exterior and interior work and vote on next steps. March 15, 2006 - Narthex Ceiling Have you wondered what it looks like inside the dropped ceiling in the narthex? Click here to view photos. February 12, 2006 - South Face Final Report The church has received the final report from the Ventin Group. The report details their investigation of the south face of the church, discusses our options for a redesigned entranceway, and recommends a course of action. The HRP Committee will discuss Ventin's report at their next meeting. In March, the report will presented to Advisory Board and the Board of Management. We plan to make the report available in electronic form. Meanwhile, you can find the content of the report summarized in the HRP section of the Vestry Book. Click here to view a PDF of the 2005 Vestry Report. November 18, 2005 - Pictures of South Face Deterioration Prior to submitting their final report, the Ventin Group has provided the parish with photographic evidence of the deterioration of the south face. Please click here to view images. October 30, 2005 - South Face Preliminary Report Although the Ventin Group's detailed report is not anticipated until closer to year-end, they have provided the Boards with a preliminary update. The South Face requires extensive repairs. Stones need to be replaced, mortar renewed, and waterproof flashings installed. Ventin also recommends rebuilding the bell tower, incorporating a steel frame to stiffen the tower and support the bell. Finally, the front steps must be replaced. The final proposal will outline all work to be addressed, with cost estimates associated to each task. Also included will be two proposals for a redesigned front entrance, taking into account the input the parish provided during the September "Charrettes". October 28, 2005 - Organ Restoration Most of the organ cleaning is done! Casavant is awaiting delivery of the new pipe work for the Choir Division (expected in the spring of 2006) at which time the project will be completed. October 27, 2005 - Summary of Parish Input Sessions ("Charrettes") The approximately 50 parishioners who participated that rainy Wednesday evening or sunny Saturday morning followed a scripted tour that took them to the four corners of Avenue Road and Bloor Street. Insightful questions prompted us to look at our building in the context of our surroundings. Would a stranger walking by know what we are all about? Does our exterior tell others that exciting things are happening inside our doors? Is our entrance welcoming or intimidating? Do we look like we belong more to Bloor Street or to Avenue Road? How do we appear at night? Are the steps comfortable to climb? Where does your eye fall in the breezeway just inside the Bloor Street entrance? How does the narthex with its dropped ceiling and differences in sound and lighting compare to the main part of the church? These and many other questions prompted lively discussion on both occasions. Our distinctive architecture helps us to hold our own on our corner. The majority of feedback, however, suggested that a stranger could find us intimidating to approach. In fact, the face we present to our neighbours gives little indication of the vibrant community inside the building. Thoughtful and creative ideas from parishioners were included in a 13 page report the South Face Team presented to the Ventin Group late in September. Ventin’s mandate is to provide alternatives for a redesigned Bloor Street entrance and front steps. The informed input the parish has provided to the architects will enlighten them about the spirit of this place and our dreams for the future. September 20, 2005 Approximately 50 parishioners participated in input sessions on September 14th and 17th. They looked at the church from across the street at different angles and observed our neighbourhood. Then they moved inside the church to look at the narthex and worship space. Those unable to attend these two sessions were invited to take a self-guided tour on September 18th. A draft report compiling findings was delivered to the Advisory Board on September 20th. The Board of Management will be briefed on September 27th. When the final version is available, a summary will be provided here. August 21, 2005 In the latter half of August, we will start to see some action on the South Face. The Ventin Group will bring a “cherry-picker” to the church to assist in photographing and inventorying the stone work on the south face. In September, the South Face Project Team will host two congregational meetings to invite feedback on proposed renovations to the front entrance of the church: Wednesday, September 14th (6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.), and Saturday, September 17th (9:30 a.m. to noon). A follow-up, self-guided tour will also be available on Sunday, September 18th. August 3, 2005 (Pictures!) During the month of July, cleaning of the Swell Division was 99% completed! To view pictures of this work, please click here. One day in the last week of July, all the panels were removed from the narthex, reclaiming a lot of space for the parish at the back of the church. Click here to see what that day looked like. July 24, 2005 The cleaning of the organ's Swell Division is well underway, with completion anticipated by the end of July. The first phase of the narthex improvements will be limited to removal of the panels and a general clean-up this summer, which will not affect the organ. Should any future work at the back involve plaster dust or dirt floating in the air, the organ builder has assured us he can seal the organ to protect it. In the meantime, we will be enjoying better sound from our freshly cleaned instrument! July 10, 2005 It's happening! Contracts for both the south face examination and the organ restoration have been signed. By mid-July we anticipate the cleaning of pipes in the Swell and Great divisions to begin, with work to be completed by the end of the summer. Dates for the South Face are still TBD. And watch for panels in the narthex to disappear over the summer too! Please follow the links at the left to discover more about the various aspects of this project. |
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