Councillor Jason Farr (left), Durand Neighbourhood Association member Janice Brown (centre), and Mayor of Hamilton Fred Eisenberger at a ceremonial ground-breaking event at St. Mark’s Church on June 6, 2022. After sitting vacant for decades, the 155-year-old historic building is being restored and expanded. It’s scheduled to reopen to the public in summer 2024. Photo credit: Twitter/Jason Farr
After pandemic-related delays, last week the City of Hamilton broke-ground on the next phase of its adaptive reuse project converting St. Mark’s Church on Bay and Hunter streets across from city hall into a cultural programming space.
The church, which was built in 1877 and closed in 1989, was rescued from immediate demolition by the city back in 1994. The building was designated a heritage site in 1995 but sat vacant as attempts to see the church restored fell through time and again throughout successive decades.
In 2019, following the long-time efforts of grassroots organizations like the Durand Neighbourhood Association, council approved a motion by Councillor Jason Farr to restore the historic building.
First phase interior and exterior restoration work, including new service hookups and foundation repairs, took place at the site shortly after council approval. The city was set to go to tender for the second phase of restoration but then the pandemic hit and delayed the process a full two years.
After putting out a call for bids in March of this year, in May the City of Hamilton awarded a $4.6 million contract to Toronto-based Renokrew for the second phase of restoration.
With support from the Patrick J. McNally Charitable Foundation, the site will now undergo a full-scale revival. Updates include: the construction of a brand-new addition to the southwest end of the church, equipped with washrooms, a kitchen, and barrier-free entrances; restoration of the interior for multi-use, including a barrier-free stage; creation of a large outdoor gathering space and community perennial garden; and the installation of an on-site water management system.
Architectural rendering of the on-site addition. Photo credit: City of Hamilton
“This project will transform this historic church into a new cultural centre for all to enjoy,” Mayor Fred Eisenberger said in a statement. “We thank the McNally Foundation for their generous contribution and look forward to celebrating the completed project and seeing it in wide use by the Hamilton community.”
Project completion is slated for summer 2024. Once open, the restored church will provide access to cultural programming, support group activities, and function as a rare, publicly accessible greenspace amongst the many high-rises and city streets of the Durand neighbourhood.
In an interview with CHCH News at the ceremonial ground-breaking last Wednesday, Durand Neighbourhood Association board member Janice Brown talked about the importance of the church grounds in the highly-urbanized, densely-populated area just south of Jackson Square.
“If you look around and you see all the apartments, we lost a lot of our heritage. Heritage is important,” Brown said. “Having greenspace (is important) …Duranders have one park – the Durand Park – 0.4 hectares in the centre of the city for over 12,000 residents. What can I say? This is important.”
Designed in the Vernacular Gothic Revival tradition with a gabled roof, buttresses, belfry, and pointed arched windows, St. Mark’s was the fifth Anglican church built in Hamilton, and the first constructed of brick.
