St Andrew’s United Church, originally Westminster Presbyterian Church, once occupied a building at 117 Bloor St E (on the south side, opposite Park Rd) in the Yorkville neighbourhood of Toronto.
In 1923, Westminster Presbyterian Church built a new 960-seat structure to replace their previous church that had been destroyed by fire in 1920. In the years to come, the church became known as Westminster United, then Westminster Central United.
In 1950, the congregation from St Andrew’s United Church (once at 415 Jarvis St) joined Westminster, and the church was renamed St Andrew’s United.
In 1981, St Andrew’s United Church was demolished. However, the church’s stone arch was preserved and rebuilt as a pedestrian gateway when the city closed the McGill St and Yonge St intersection to traffic. Now known as the McGill Street Arch, it’s located downtown on Yonge St, south of Carlton St on the east side.
In 1983, a new St Andrew’s United Church was built at 117 Bloor St E.
St Andrew’s United Church & McGill Street Arch Photos
McGill Street Arch
“This stone arch is from the former St. Andrew’s United Church (built in 1923) on Bloor Street East at Park Road. The City of Toronto purchased the arch when the church was demolished in 1981. The arch was then rebuilt here as a pedestrian gateway, after the intersection of McGill and Yonge Streets was closed.”
Heritage Toronto 2011
Source
- Heritage Toronto plaque
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Jan 31, 1920, pg 1
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: May 28, 1923, pg 11
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Jan 19, 1950, pg 9
- Current Photos: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives
