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By Victor Kaisar

St. Andrew's on the Square

Restoration and improvements at St. Andrew’s on the Square in Kamloops to cost a little over $1-million

Jul 27, 2025 | 10:12 AM

KAMLOOPS — City of Kamloops staff are asking council to approve $302,000 in funding from reserves towards restoration and improvements at St. Andrew’s on the Square downtown.

In a report going before Tuesday’s (July 29) meeting, city staff say repairs and restoration work on the building, which was damaged in a fire on May 2, 2024, will cost a little over a million dollars, the majority of which – $752,000 – will be covered by insurance.

“The insurance coverage will restore the building to its pre-fire condition, along with some minor upgrades to current BC Building Code requirements,” the report said.

The final engineering reviews and sign-offs will also be covered by insurance.

According to the report, some restoration costs – for instance, a like-for-like replacement of the roof and some components of the HVAC systems – were not covered by insurance, and that prices have gone up from previous estimates.

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The contents of the building were not insured, though Julia Cyr, the city’s Museum Supervisor, said things like the pews and the piano were salvaged. Other items like tables and chairs, mirrors, décor, decorative plants, photos, rugs, audio equipment, and appliances could not be saved because of fire/or and water damage.

Restoration work on the historic church began this month and its expected to be complete by January. The building, which is popular with weddings and tourists, has been closed since the fire and the hope was to try and get it open by the fall this year.

The restoration work is being led by Reimagine Architects, and its being done in consultation with the Kamloops Heritage Engagement Group and the Kamloops Heritage Society, which used to operate the facility.

A contractor for the rebuild work has been hired by the city’s insurance company, and pending the approval of city permits, construction is set to begin on Aug. 25.

If City councillors approve the funding request, staff will use $264,750 from the Heritage Reserve, $5,250 from the Risk Reserve, and $32,000 from the Capital Contingency Reserve.

Most of the money – $218,000 – will go towards improvements at the 138-year-old building like upgrades to the washroom layout, the kitchen, the security system, as well as new technology, and accessibility improvements.

It will also include new flooring, lighting, trim, baseboards, moulding, paint and wallpaper, hardware, and décor that aligns with the building’s heritage.

Another $52,000 will go towards contents including tables and chairs, audio equipment, as well as appliances and decor, and the final $32,000 will go towards the cost increases.

“The restoration plan for St. Andrew’s on the Square includes improvements focused on key facility needs related to accessibility and inclusivity, functionality, technology, security, and alignment with the building’s heritage,” the report added.

“These improvements will preserve the building’s heritage while supporting continued community use.”

You can read the entire report from city staff here.