Church’s big move delayed anew

Toronto

The national church office’s move to new quarters at 80 Hayden St. in Toronto, just one block from the old building at 600 Jarvis St., is tentatively scheduled to take place in February.

Construction delays pushed the move date back from a previous estimate of January. Finishing touches are being applied to the 17-storey tower at 80 Hayden that will contain four floors of General Synod offices and residential condominiums. The Anglican Book Centre, a major retailer of books, CDs and other religious items, will move into the ground floor of 80 Hayden, but may not pack up at the same time as other departments at Church House, the informal name of the General Synod offices.

The Jarvis Street location, site of the Anglican church office since 1922, is scheduled for eventual demolition and the developer, Philmor Group Ltd., plans to erect a 21-storey condo tower on the site. Plans are in the works to invite former 600 Jarvis staff back for a farewell to the old building and a dedication of the chapel in the new quarters.

The current office, a three-storey building, was last renovated 40 years ago and is plagued by operational problems. On Sunday, Dec. 7, an air conditioning unit sprang a leak. Staff at the Anglican Book Centre arrived Monday morning to find dozens of Christmas cards, books and a computer damaged by water – at the store’s busiest season. General manager Dan Benson estimated the damage at $1,000-$2,000. Treasurer Jim Cullen said the leak started in the same unit that caught fire 18 months ago and that damage in the rest of the building was limited to soaked carpets.

The new General Synod address: 80 Hayden St., Toronto, ON M4Y 3G2. The main telephone number remains the same at 416-924-9199, as do all other phone numbers, extensions, fax numbers and e-mail addresses. For information about the move, contact General Secretary Jim Boyles at extension 280 or General Synod treasurer Jim Cullen at ext. 338. Information about the Anglican Book Centre may be obtained from general manager Dan Benson at ext. 226 ([email protected]).