Yorkminster Park Baptist Church

By
TorontoJourney416
-

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church is located at 1585 Yonge St (at Heath St E on the northeast corner) in the Deer Park neighbourhood of Toronto.

Built in 1927/28, architects George, Moorhouse & King designed the church, the congregation’s sixth, in the Gothic Revival style.

A Timeline of the Congregation

  • Dating back to 1929, the first services were held just southeast of King St E and Yonge St.
  • By the late 1860s, the church became Bond Street Baptist Church, just northeast of Queen St E and Yonge St.
  • In early 1870, a Sunday School mission began in the village of Yorkville followed by regular prayer meetings.
  • In the summer of 1870, a little chapel was built on Scollard St. The following year, it offically became the Yorkville Baptist Church.
  • With its congregation growing, a larger space was needed. Renown Toronto architect, EJ Lennox was commissioned to design the church’s fifth structure. Built in 1882/84, the church was located Bloor St W and Bay St, on the southeast corner. It was renamed Bloor Street Baptist Church. By the early 1920s, the congregation had expanded so much that evening services were held at the nearby Uptown Theatre.
  • The evergrowing congregation had to once again move. In 1928, the church moved to the then northern suburbs at Yonge St and Heath St and was renamed Yorkminster Baptist Church.

In 1961, Park Road Baptist Church (once at Park Rd and Asquith Ave) united with Yorkminster Baptist Church’s congregation. The church was renamed Yorkminster Park Baptist Church.

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church Photos
2021 - Yorkminster Park Baptist Church is located at 1585 Yonge St and Heath St E on the northeast corner
2021 – Yorkminster Park Baptist Church is located at 1585 Yonge St and Heath St E on the northeast corner
1928 - Looking east from Heath St W towards the Yorkminster Baptist Church located at 1585 Yonge St
1928 – Looking east from Heath St W towards the Yorkminster Baptist Church located at 1585 Yonge St (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Series, File, Item 12957)
2021 – Looking east towards Yorkminster Park Baptist Church located at 1585 Yonge St - the three large windows over the entrance, screen the church's great pipe organ
2021 – Looking east towards Yorkminster Park Baptist Church located at 1585 Yonge St – the three large windows over the entrance, screen the church’s great pipe organ
1955 – Looking northeast towards Yorkminster Baptist Church located at 1585 Yonge St and Heath St
1955 – Looking northeast towards Yorkminster Baptist Church located at 1585 Yonge St and Heath St (Toronto Public Library R-2061)
1953 - The interior of Yorkminster Baptist Church - its steel truss roof construction allows for unobstructed views throughout the nave
1953 – The interior of Yorkminster Baptist Church – its steel truss roof construction allows for unobstructed views throughout the nave (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 318)
1928 - Near completion of Yorkminster Baptist Church at 1585 Yonge St
1928 – Near completion of Yorkminster Baptist Church at 1585 Yonge St (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Item 12843)
1928 - Yorkminster Baptist Church Sunday School located at 1585 Yonge St
1928 – Yorkminster Baptist Church Sunday School located at 1585 Yonge St (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Item 12844)
1920s – Yorkminster Baptist Church postcard
1920s – Yorkminster Baptist Church postcard (Toronto Public Library PC273)

Bloor Street Baptist Church (previous church)

1926 - Bloor Street Baptist Church was once located at Bloor St W and Bay St, on the southeast corner – the church became too small for the congregation and moved to Yorkminster Baptist Church at 1585 Yonge St
1926 – Bloor Street Baptist Church was once located at Bloor St W and Bay St, on the southeast corner – the church became too small for the congregation and moved to Yorkminster Baptist Church at 1585 Yonge St (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Series, File, Item 8191)
1899 - Bloor Street Baptist Church once located at Bloor St W and Bay St, southeast corner
1899 – Bloor Street Baptist Church once located at Bloor St W and Bay St, southeast corner (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 204)
1920 - Bloor Street Baptist Church once located at Bloor St W and Bay St
1920 – Bloor Street Baptist Church once located at Bloor St W and Bay St (Toronto Public Library TSPA_0110990F)
Circa 1901 - Sketch of Bloor Street Baptist Church once at Bloor St W and North St (now Bay St), on the southeast corner
Circa 1901 – Sketch of Bloor Street Baptist Church once at Bloor St W and North St (now Bay St), on the southeast corner (Landmarks of Toronto Volume 4 by J Ross Robertson – 1904)
1899 - Goads Map showing the location of the Bloor Street Baptist Church at Bloor St W and North St (now Bay St) – at the time north of College St leading to Bloor St W, the street was called St Vincent St, Chapel St and North St, today Bay St
1899 – Goads Map showing the location of the Bloor Street Baptist Church at Bloor St W and North St (now Bay St) – at the time north of College St leading to Bloor St W, the street was called St Vincent St, Chapel St and North St, today Bay St (Toronto Public Library)

Park Road Baptist Church

1931 - Park Road Baptist Church once at Park Rd and Asquith Ave – in 1961, the congregation joined Yorkminster Baptist Church and became Yorkminster Park Baptist Church at 1585 Yonge St
1931 – Park Road Baptist Church once at Park Rd and Asquith Ave – in 1961, the congregation joined Yorkminster Baptist Church and became Yorkminster Park Baptist Church at 1585 Yonge St (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 8630)

SOURCE

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR