Long Term Restoration

The Restoration Program at St John’s began in 2010 with an initial architectural investigation and recommendations on both urgent and subsequent needs to safely restore and adequately preserve the cathedral building in the long term (+/- 100 Years). Given the significant volume and critical nature of the identified work, in addition to the essential and daunting capital requirements, it became clear that restoration would have to be delivered in several stages.  Thus, the concept of a multi-year Restoration Program comprised of several Stages each made up of several Phases was adopted. 

The Restoration Program is lead internally with ongoing assistance from a bona fide Construction Manager (PCL Construction Management) and initially from an Historical Building Architect (Kendall Jessiman - Arcon).  A Restoration Committee (J. Crosby, B. Halliday, D. Crozier Smith, B. Munro) was appointed by Vestry, and the Program was developed to address urgency, task synergies, and unforeseen items as expediently and flexibly as possible, while reflecting the transient availability of capital and mitigating further serious building envelope damage. The following summary outlines the overall Program as conceived and as completed to date. Some variations have occurred due to unforeseen and hidden issues, expedience, and the passage of time.

In conjunction with this Long-Term Restoration Program, it is incumbent upon St John’s to carefully consider, establish and set aside funds necessary to the ongoing maintenance and operational requirements for the cathedral in order that the life of these significant capital investments is maximized.  Past practice has been to “band aid” and to repair at least cost which has covered up larger problems, exacerbating deterioration and made the work required for this restoration excessive. 

  • Structurally critical building envelope repairs and restoration necessary to maintain long term occupancy

    Phase 1 (2010 – 2012)

    Complete

    Architect analysis & report; north & chancel gutters; interior drainage; clock tower louvers; masonry repairs; foundation repair 

    Phase 2 (2012 – 2014)

    Complete

    Lady chapel roof structure; lady chapel, chancel, vestry, side aisle roofing; electrical; insulation; interior drainage

    Phase 3 (2016 - 2018)

    Complete

    South gutters; interior drainage; masonry repairs; damaged doors and pews repaired

    Phase 4 (2020 - 2021)

    Complete

    Roofing material purchase; south transept and nave roofing; nave, transepts attic insulation; spire restoration; clock tower access; masonry repairs; fire control panel

    Phase 5 (2021 - 2022)

    Complete

    Baptismal apse gutters, drainage, roofing, insulation, roof structure; north transept, nave roofing; clock tower structural; masonry repairs

  • Critical building and building envelope repairs and restoration

    Phase 6

    Exterior brick and terracotta cleaning and repointing preparation & testing, exterior door refinishing

    Phase 7 – South & West Walls

    Exterior brick and terracotta cleaning and repointing

    Phase 8 – North Wall & Transept

    Exterior brick and terracotta cleaning and repointing

    Phase 9 – Chapel, Chancel, Vestry, South Transept

    Exterior brick and terracotta cleaning and repointing

    Phase 10 – Clock Tower

    Exterior brick and terracotta cleaning and repointing

  • Critical building component repairs, upgrades necessary to long term sustainable use

    Phase 11

    Repointing rood screen

    Phase 12

    Interior stucco, flooring

    Phase 13

    Stained glass repair secure

    Phase 14

    Electrical upgrades

    Phase 15

    Mechanical upgrades

    Phase 16

    A/V and staging

Our Restoration Partners

ARCON Architechture is an architechtural firm headquartered in Vancouver, BC. With a focus on building envelope architechture, ARCON has specific expertise in hertiage buildings and restoration and they are among a very select group with the authority to work on such buildings in SK. They have been involved in several high-profile heritage restoration projects, such as the Steamship Terminal Building in Victoria, BC, the Sinclair Centre in Vancouver, BC, and our own St. John's Cathedral. ARCON’s founder and president is a Board Member of Heritage BC and is active with the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals.

PCL Construction is a Canadian–American group of independent general contracting constuction companies with its headquarters in Edmonton and US headquarters in Denver, CO. With a history going back to its founding in 1907 in Stoughton, SK, PCL Construction has grown to become the largest contacting organization in Canada and the 8th largest in the United States.

PCL has perviously partnered on restoration work at St. John’s Cathedral during Phases 1–3 and is the construction manager for Phase 4. The local focus provided by their Saskatoon office and their previous experience working with our architect, the Restoration Committee and Cathedral building itself means that expertise and knowledge gained in previous phases of restoration will be applied to the present work.