KMA Photo Collection 2834. Taken form back of Gordon's Store - Presbyterian Church in the foreground. Roman Catholic Church on the hill in the background. 1898. (image credit - Kamloops Museum)

By Michael Reeve

THE OLDEST PUBLIC BUILDING IN KAMLOOPS

St. Andrew’s on the Square – a storied and unique history

May 3, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Thursday (May 2) morning, a fire scorched the historic St. Andrew’s church in downtown Kamloops causing a still unknown amount of water, smoke and fire damage to the building.

St. Andrew’s on the Square is the oldest public building in Kamloops, with construction completed in late 1887. The first service was held on Christmas Day of that year as St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. When it was built, primarily for railway workers, the location on Second Avenue was considered on the outskirts of town.

“Reflecting the growth of the city and the expansion of the original local Presbyterian congregation, plans to build Kamloops’s first permanent church commenced in 1887. Spearheaded by Reverend John Chisholm, over $5,000 was raised to build the church on land donated by the CPR, at a location considered to be on the outskirts of town at the time. Construction funds were raised largely by CPR employees, many of whom were of Scottish descent. The church was built with lumber from the James McIntosh lumber mill,” reads the historic documentation provided by the city of Kamloops.

KMA Photo Collection 6585. Presbyterian Church, St. Andrews, Seymour Street. 1920.

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“It’s has a few pretty prominent names attached to it as well,” said Kamloops Museum Educator Meghan Stewart. “Probably most famously is Phil Gaglardi — his statue is in the park that is there. He is probably most famous to most people in living memory and the B.C. minister of highways — famous for the expansion of the highway system and ferry system. But he was actually also the reverend at the church and he was part of the restoration that happened in the 1940s.”

Over the past 136 years, the church has had many uses, including being a badminton hall during the early years of WW2. At one point during the late 1950s and 1960s, the site housed the largest Sunday school in Canada.

“The other big name that is associated with St. Andrew’s on the Square is Robert Henry Lee. He is the architect who designed St. Andrew’s, and he also is responsible for the city layouts of Merritt and Princeton — so a prominent name,” said Stewart. “St. Andrew’s on the Square pre-dates Kamloops. 1887 and Kamloops doesn’t become a city until 1893, and [Lee] is on that first council in 1983. And then he also serves as mayor from 1894 to ’96. That is something you see pretty commonly with a lot of the historic architecture is those people are also connected to politics in Kamloops.”

Now the old building is used by numerous community groups including the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra for their annual Barb’s Used Book Sale.

“The church slowly fell into disrepair until 1991, when it was bought by the city to avoid demolition. In 1996, through the collective efforts of tireless volunteers, the Kamloops Heritage Society, the City of Kamloops and a grant from BC Heritage Trust, the church was restored to its original exterior presence and now serves as a successful community centre and reception hall,” continued the historic documentation.