A Tour of our Building
Lower Level
Our ground floor entrance. This level includes:
- The Coffee House, which is used by several community organizations
- Coffee House Kitchen
- Former recreation centre, used for Rummage sales
- Custodian’s room
- Furnace room
- Elevator to the upper floors (installed in 1991)
Main Level
The entrance from Peter Street leads to the Welcome Centre with seating by the fireplace and photographs of previous ministers on the wall. This level includes:
- Church Office
- Fellowship Hall, the scene of many dinners, receptions, coffee hours
- Welcome Centre, for information on upcoming events
- Minister’s office
- Library and photocopier
- Church School Auditorium, with classrooms off the auditorium and office for the Seniors’ Centre & Youth; with children’s activities and games on the upper level
- Kitchen
- Washrooms
- Access to elevator, for all levels
Sanctuary
The original pulpit, just inside the ramp door, was restored in 1950. On it is the “In Remembrance” book acknowledging many gifts received through the years. Plaques around the sanctuary walls honour the memory of many members and ministers who contributed greatly to our congregation.
The pulpit is a memorial to the Rev. John Gray, MA, DD, first minister of the church who was associated with OPC (St. Andrew’s) for 62 years (1851-1913).
The 4 Manual Casavant Organ was installed in 1921 in the substantially enlarged organ chamber, with most of the 1893 Warren instrument being moved to the south-east tower to become the Echo division. The front façade, still a stop of the Pedal division, is from 1893. A fire in 1985 destroyed the Echo organ, and a year later, Casavant installed a new Echo instrument.
The Main organ was rebuilt and enlarged from 1995-97 by Orgues Létourneau, with the entire instrument containing over 5,300 pipes over nine divisions. This organ ranks among the 20 largest great Pipe Organs of Canada.
The audio visual system is operated from a control desk at the back of the sanctuary. The balcony, showing the beauty of the sanctuary, is reached by a circular stairway in the south west entrance or a stairway in the south east entrance. The Bell Tower houses the Centennial Carillon, installed in 1967, which was modernized in 2002 to a digital system, chiming the hours at noon and playing familiar hymns at noon and 5pm.
Top flOor
- Organist’s office, with a large supply of choir music
- The Parlour
- Kitchen, to provide facilities for light refreshments
- Sanctuary Choir room, accommodates choir gowns
- St. Andrew’s Room – our Sunday School room
- Session meeting room, the Upper Room, with photographs of past elders on the walls
- Descending the stairs, on the first landing – the Church school office and storage
