The flock at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Barrie is looking for a new pasture to pray in.
Parts of the church in downtown Barrie were heavily damaged by a $2.5 million fire in February.
Related: Officials release video footage of St. Andrew’s Church fire
The Christian Education wing has had to be gutted, with walls torn back to the brick and interior studs. The clean-up has also included asbestos removal work. It was in the 1920s addition, known as Memorial Hall, and in tiles in the basement kitchen, located under the sanctuary.
The congregation decided on Sunday that the cost of repairs, and other upgrades ($100 thousand), is just too much.
“When one looks at the facts, we really can’t afford (to rebuild what we had),” said Gord Thompson, St. Andrew’s Board of Managers chairman. “We will have other costs. Because the building did not meet all the Building Code requirements before the fire, we will have those (costs) as well. Places that weren’t damaged by fire need to be fixed.”
Adding to the costs, as well as to uncertainty regarding the buildings, is nearby pile-driving that has occurred as high-rise buildings have been constructed nearby in Barrie’s downtown, where soils are sandy. If the congregation opted to preserve the sanctuary and demolish the 1920s addition, helical piles would need to be put under the sanctuary’s foundation to stabilize it, particularly as construction in the city core continues.
The board will seek out new opportunities including a land swap, a land sale and inclusion in a new
development or purchase of a different site or building or a new partnership.
The current sanctuary, at the corner of Owen and Worsley Streets, officially opened in February 1883. It has been used not just for worship, but for community fundraisers and musical events. Its basement was
where Barrie’s Out of the Cold program began, and a soup kitchen served many meals to those struggling with food security. Its gathering hall and library were home to an array of support groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, as well as Guiding and Scouting groups and an art guild.
