Our History

St. Andrew's United Church holds an honourable place in Nanaimo's history. The first church on this site was a wooden structure in the Gothic Revival style. The cornerstone of this imposing brick landmark church was laid in 1893. The earlier wooden structure was incorporated into the later church hall in 1927. The architect of the brick church was Warren Hayes, who was born in New York and later settled in Minneapolis. He was regarded as a specialist in church design and is credited with developing the diagonal form of the auditorium, of which this church is a very fine example. It is thought to be one of two alike architectural design buildings in Canada. The contractor for the building was W. N. Shaw.

The church has a high central hipped roof and lantern, and symmetrical cross-gabled wall dormers. The tall bell tower is a landmark in the area. This picturesque and complicated roofline is typical of the late Victorian period. The construction is brick throughout, with sandstone trim and drip moulding. A coat of roughcast pebble-dash stucco has been applied over the original brick façade because of the deteriorating state of the soft bricks. Tall stained-glass windows fill the round-arched openings. Because of the fine acoustics, it is regularly used by professional choirs, orchestras, and other musical groups in concert.

In 1901 despite difficult times, the present pipe organ was purchased from a firm in Woodstock, Ontario, for 1'900 $. Dept followed the church, but many people continued to serve as they were able until 1922 when they achieved a debt-free status. On January 22, 1923, the mortgage was burned at the Congregational Meeting.

The bell was dedicated on Easter Sunday, March 24, 1929. It is 40 inches in diameter, weighs 1'500 lbs, and is made of steel alloy.