First Presbyterian Church

First Presbyterian Church Conservation Plan and Exterior Restoration, Edmonton Alberta

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First Presbyterian Church is a Provincial Historic Resource and was constructed in 1911. A model Late Gothic Revival church, First Presbyterian Church has stood, since its construction in 1911, as a landmark church in downtown Edmonton. While not the earliest Presbyterian church built in Edmonton, First Presbyterian Church was certainly the largest, built to seat over twelve hundred people. Significantly, the plan represents an adaptation of the popular Gothic Revival “Akron Plan” of church architecture. By incorporating large Gothic windows, the architectural firm of Wilson and Herrald were able, despite the size of the building, to create a space that was monumental, but not overwhelming. Grand in scale and finely crafted inside and out, the building retains its landmark status as a unique church building amidst the urban environment surrounding it.

This project began as a conservation and maintenance plan in 2013. The Church was subsequently designated as a Municipal Historic Resource in 2014 and received $500,000 in financial incentive from the the city toward the $1.8M + restoration budget. Exterior restoration started with the tower masonry and wood bell louvres. In 2015, the stained glass west window was removed for restoration by Gilroy Stained Glass in Vancouver and the masonry of the west facade was restored by Scorpio Masonry in Edmonton. The 2016 work will include the return of the west window and the restoration of the front steps. In 2017, the restoration of the remaining masonry facades will continue and will be completed over the following 5 years.