St. John The Evangelist Anglican Church

Prescott, Ontario

2021 Ecclesiastical Insurance Cornerstone Award (Resilient Historic Places)

A remarkable model of resilience, this grand neo-Gothic stone church (circa 1861) has successfully adapted its space to accommodate multiple types of use. Thirteen years ago, the church was transformed into a living community space, welcoming to all. The project included renovating the back of the church into an accessible community centre , and the addition of washrooms, a modern functional kitchen, meeting rooms, and a large hall. Where possible, the rehabilitation used eco-friendly materials, with an overall goal of reducing the place of faith’s carbon footprint through new insulation and high efficiency furnaces.

The result is a modern, accessible community centre with a historic traditional worship space that has maintained the heritage integrity of the building, achieving a careful balance between preserving the past and serving the future. Given its location in a small community, it supports a broad range of community-led activities – and at a time when many places of faith are seeking to re-establish their relevance to their community – this site has demonstrated that it can be done.

Key Players:
• St. John The Evangelist (Owner and Operator)
• D.C. Snelling Ltd. (Contractors)