The
St. James Cathedral's Parish House is getting its second semicentennial renovation care of
Peter Clewes,
Dalton construction and $16 million.
"The space was getting pretty tired," says St James' director of operations and finance Rob Saffrey, "which is probably being nicer than one might otherwise be."
They demolished the one-storey 1959 addition and are replacing it with a three-storey space, primarily to be able to offer parishioners and community members more space to meet and celebrate.
"One of the major programs we run is an outreach for people in the neighbourhood. We do a foot care clinic, cutting of hair, we serve a meal one day a week, so the space was not really adequate for that at all."
Other groups that have been using the space, and could benefit from more of it, include a mother-and-baby group, and a Muslim men's prayer group.
Saffrey says $5 million is coming from St James' coffers, and $11 million from donations and capital funds.
In addition to the space, St James and Clewes are also revealing some of the original 1909 architectural details that were covered up in the 1959 renovation, including some interior stone archways.
The
renovation and addition, set to be finished by October, 2011, will also include a new slate roof, the cleaning and exposure of much original interior brick, and the installation of various audio-visual conveniences.
Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Rob Saffrey
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