In March, the Parish of St. Margaret began major repairs and renovations to our lovely hundred year-old building.  Since that time we have relocated many of our activities to various locations in the Long Branch and New Toronto areas.

                      1.  Sunday Morning Services take place at                                                  

                               LAMP – 185 Fifth Street, Toronto M8V 2Z5

                              10:00 AM during July and August

                               Kids/Youth Activities with Youth Worker

                               Coffee and Fellowship following

                         2.  St. Margaret’s Office is located at                                    

                                3352 Lake Shore Boulevard W.               

                                Toronto M8W 1M9   416-259-2659

                                Site of various parish activities

                                - choir practice, bible study, teas

                                - next event - Peach Festival

                                        - September 11, 2010

                         3.  Community Dinners are held at the                 

                              Royal Canadian Legion

                              150 Eighth Street, Toronto M8V 3C6

                               one Friday of each month

                                  - next one Friday, September 24, 2010

What is Happening at 156 Sixth Street? – A Pictorial Update

For those of us who have had the opportunity to see inside our beloved St. Margaret’s the transformation that is taking place is quite overwhelming.  The side entrance has been opened up to allow for the installation of the elevator and a new, modern, accessible entrance.  Stained glass windows have been removed to be relocated in the new outside walls to provide room for a front entranceway into the nave of the church from the elevator.  All the walls in the basement have been taken out and new heating and water pipes installed as well as a new sump system.  No more leaks!.  A lot of shoring up, as well as a few steel beams, were needed in the church basement to allow for the relocation of the kitchen into the central part of the building where the stage used to be.  The photos below will perhaps help you to see the extent of the renovations and how our building will now be accessible, water tight and up to code.  We look forward to our return to our wonderful new facility on Thanksgiving weekend – mark it on your calendar!  More photo progress to come!

What Are You Seeing?

This is a view south from the basement of the church looking into the gym area through the area of the removed stage.  There was a massive amount of shoring to support the church floor while wood beams were taken out and steel beams put in.  This has allowed for the removal of several support posts in the basement.  An engineering miracle! 

 What Are You Seeing?

This is the view north from the gym after the shoring has been removed with lots of steel beams in place.  The two windows to the left of the steel pillar used to be Rev. Renate's office.  To the left of these is the exit to the laneway to the north of the church.  The kitchen would be down to the right.

What Are You Seeing?

This is the view from the doorway area of the old kitchen looking at the remains of the old electrical cabinet.   To the right is where the old women's and men's washrooms used to be.  There are actually windows behind where the kitchen cupboards and washrooms used to be that will be opened up and new glass put in to add additional light.

What Are You Seeing?

This is the view from just outside the gym door looking east out towards the road.  The stairs, doorways and bathrooms have been removed to make way for the new, accessible entrance as well as the elevator shaft.  Stairs to the nave of the church will go up from this entrance to the upper entrance of the church.

What Are You Seeing?

This is the same view as above a while later with the elevator shaft going in.

What Are You Seeing?

This is an underground stream that was discovered under the old stage - now the new kitchen.  Water was actually running!  We wondered why the basement was always so damp and wet - now we know.  This stream has been diverted with weeping tiles to a new sump well in one of the storage areas.  The sump well is pumped by an electric pump and backed up with battery power and will be hooked into the alarm system if the water gets too high.  We will have a much drier basement!!!

 More photo progress to come!