Philpott Church rebuild fundraising plan gets resounding ‘yes’ from congregation
http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...m-congregation
A multimillion-dollar proposal to demolish and rebuild a historic downtown church has been supported by its congregation.
Pastor Lane Fusilier of Philpott Memorial Church said the proposal to begin fundraising received the support of 90 per cent of the congregation. A decision on whether to rebuild the more than 100-year-old church on York Boulevard across from Copps Coliseum will be dependant on the success of the fundraising plan.
The project could cost as much as $13.4 million.
A complete rebuild is an unusual project for a church to undertake but a renovation was not feasible, the project’s steering committee believes. Repairs to the roof and ceiling of the sanctuary alone would cost about $2 million and would still not bring the facility up to city code requirements.
Before demolishing the current building, a new sanctuary/auditorium would be built behind the church, where the parking lot sits now. The first phase is expected to cost $4.7 million. Thier + Curran Architects Inc. of Hamilton was hired to design the project.
The plan includes the construction of 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.
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.
While the building is beloved by some in the community, demolition is permitted because the building is not designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.