What is New Roads?
New Roads is an ambitious project to renew Knox Presbyterian Church—a cornerstone of the Oakville community for more than 185 years. It’s an opportunity for us to come alongside God and together build a facility that’s not only practical, but fully accessible to the congregation and to the broader community. The project will allow us to better reach beyond our doors and serve more people in mission and community service than ever before.
In embarking on the New Roads project, we seek explore new avenues for Knox and the town of Oakville while leaving a lasting legacy for the generations yet to come.
As it says in Proverbs 16:9: “The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.” Let’s take those steps together.
What Does New Roads Entail?
New Roads is a multi-million dollar facility upgrade, and is broken into three main phases. This approach allows us to continue to use one portion of the building for our missions and ministries while another portion is undergoing construction. Here’s a run-down on each phase of the project.
Phase One: Lower Level – Now Complete!
Phase One is complete! We were able to commission our newly renovated lower level in early 2021. It was a long, hard road, with lots of complications from unforeseen site conditions (that’s the fun of working on a 180-year-old building!), and COVID-19 related shutdowns that slowed progress.
However, we’re delighted with the results. We now have a bright, airy, air conditioned lower level. It includes:
- Beautiful Nicoll Hall, which boasts a stage, an easy-to-use sound system, and dimmable lighting.
- Nine new gender neutral bathrooms, including one barrier free bathroom and a shower.
- A servery to permit prepared foods, snacks and beverages to be served in Nicoll Hall.
- A completed and commissioned elevator to make the lower level accessible to all. (This was originally slated to be completed in Phase Two, but we felt it was too important, and ensured it was completed in Phase One).
- Air conditioning and circulation throughout the lower level. Our new heat pumps and HVAC system ensure fresh air circulates and is replaced every eight minutes.
- This phase also included significant structural, electrical, and plumbing work to support Phase Two.
Check out the video produced for our congregational meeting on November 13, 2022, to see the journey so far, including before and after shots of the main areas on the lower level:
Phase Two: Main Level – Now in Pre-Construction
Knox Oakville is well known for its hospitality. Whether it’s our willingness to open our doors for downtown community events, giving out free hotdogs, or putting on exceptional receptions after funeral services, our church members always go above and beyond to ensure people feel loved—and well fed!
Yet the building’s small, dated kitchen makes it difficult for large teams of people to prepare food side-by-side. The main hall, where most events are hosted, is bland and unmemorable, and its acoustics make it a challenging space for musicians and speakers.
The layout of the main floor also poses challenges. The narrow main hallway causes congestion as people try to move past, visit the washrooms, or enter the hall. The glass door off Dunn St., which serves as the primary entrance on weekdays, is hard to see from high-traffic Lakeshore Rd. Visitors sometimes circle the building trying out doors until they discover the correct one to use.
We want to make our building as hospitable as the people who fill it. And it’s well overdue. The main floor of Knox has not been renovated or updated for over 50 years. It was last improved with a major addition in 1955.
Phase Two: The Plan
The second phase of the New Roads project will put the finishing touches on some of the work from Phase One, and will focus on improvements to several areas of the main level, making the space more practical, beautiful, and accessible. It will include:
- Adding air conditioning to the main floor, except for the sanctuary. (Several heritage experts have advised us against air conditioning the sanctuary, and we want to ensure we take good care of the oldest part of our heritage building.)
- Doubling the size and enhancing the functionality of the kitchen to make food preparation easier and more enjoyable. This will make it possible to have larger teams working side by side, and house food-related missions and community events.
- Improving the traffic flow of the building and optimizing usable space by adding additional entrances, including a higher visibility main entrance.
- Major aesthetic and acoustic renovations of the main church hall (called MacMillan Hall), including a beautiful fireplace and screen. This will make it an in-demand space to host church, family, social, and community gatherings and events.
- Updates to meeting rooms on the main floor.
Phase Three: Knox Common – also in Pre-Construction
We dream of a church that is available to the community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some of that dream is met by the Farrow Cloister and Memorial Garden located on the east side of the building. This garden provides the community with a beautiful space for quiet contemplation. But we think we can offer more.
Phase Three: The Plan
The final phase of New Roads will create a new community garden and sitting area on what is now the west lawn, and a fully accessible entranceway visible from both Dunn St. and Lakeshore Rd. This space will welcome people and families to Knox, and the bright entrance will usher them into the building.
The community garden will serve as an important link between the church and the broader Oakville community.
Why Should I Support New Roads?
Knox is an active and vibrant part of the downtown Oakville community, as it has been for well over a century. The story doesn’t begin with us, and it doesn’t end with us. By investing in New Roads, we seize the opportunity God has placed before us to make a space for a thriving congregation, a hub for the community, and a home for more missions, more hospitality, and more service than ever before.
It’s also an opportunity to honour those who have gone before, or to memorialize fond memories. By making a gift in memory of a loved one, or in honour of a marriage, baptism, or a childhood spent roaming the halls of this beautiful building, you will leave your mark on a place that has played a part in your life, in the life of someone you love, or in the life of the Oakville community.
We invite you to be a part of this investment in God’s Kingdom, made visible here on the corner of Lakeshore and Dunn.
How Can I Support New Roads?
It’s easy to support the project. You can donate one time or over a period of months or years.
Your gifts can be made to the New Roads project through:
- Cheque: Make cheques out to “Knox Oakville” with “New Roads” on the memo line.
- Pre-Authorized Debit: Monthly gifts can be made directly from your bank account through our PAD plan.
- Credit Card: Please visit our donation page to set up your donation through Canada Helps, our online gift processing service. Or drop by the church office to make a donation using our merchant terminal.
- Gifts of Publicly Traded Securities: 100% of your gift of securities will come to Knox Oakville to be used for New Roads or the purposes of your choice. Contact the church office to learn more.
Conclusion
We’re so grateful for the interest and support we’ve received from the community so far. We hope you can see the value of this project not only to our church family, but to the downtown Oakville community. We hope you’ll join us on this exciting journey.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to learn more about the project, you can contact David Platt, the project’s chair, or call the church office at 905-844-3472.
All illustrations courtesy of Farrow Partners.