A Message from the Wardens
Important Updates
re: St. James Cathedral and Cemetery
Many important capital projects have been scheduled to be started and/or completed in 2020. The following is an explanation and status of each.
1. Cathedral Lighting Project:
The completed project is intended to recognize the historic importance of St. James Cathedral and will enhance the façade and the historical character of the site. It will significantly improve the security of persons and property, which is an issue in the neighbourhood. Our lead consultant is ERA Architects. This project is being undertaken at no cost to St. James.
Background – The Cathedral Lighting Project was initiated some years ago by the late Councillor Pam McConnell, who proposed to provide City of Toronto funds to cover the larger part of the cost to install state of the art, energy efficient, building lighting at St. James Cathedral. This is part of a wider program to light significant buildings. A private donor stepped forward to cover the balance of the cost. After design, the project went to tender, but all qualified bids exceeded the budget. Accordingly, the City was asked to provide additional funds, which it agreed to do, and the funds were sent to us in the summer of 2019. The project was re-tendered, and contractors hired to supply and install the system.
Status – Work began in the fall and the lights, which are long lead items, are currently being installed and will be completed in a few weeks. In the spring, the contractor will return to remove the old light pole bases, completing the project.
2. St. James Cathedral – East Tower Repairs:
This project is one of several on a list of capital repairs that need to be performed over the coming years to both the building and the organ. Necessary repairs, primarily to masonry, are being undertaken on the east face of the clock tower under a cost sharing agreement between St. James and a private donor. (The same donor paid for the replacement of our front steps a few years ago.) Our capital funds do not permit us to undertake more than one face of the tower at a time.
Status – The project was put to tender by our heritage architect, ERA Architects, in 2019 but, despite having a budget based on a detailed scope of work, all qualified bids exceeded the budget. The project was postponed to 2020 to permit us to take advantage of an additional year’s worth of capital allocation and an additional donation. The work was put out to tender in mid-January and we expect to have it performed in the spring.
3. St. James Cemetery – Hillside “H”:
This project is being undertaken to stabilize a hillside that is slowly subsiding into the valley below. Graves exist on the hillside. Our lead consultant is E. Lees and Associates, landscape architects.
Background – The problematic landform was created adjacent to the crest of an existing hill in the late 1960’s to make space for additional burial lots. By the mid-1980’s, it became clear that the landfill was starting to subside into the valley below and that corrective measures would need to be taken. In early 2016, St. James Cemetery contracted with Lees to conduct an investigation and consider solutions. After preliminary findings were reached, an agreement was signed with the consultant in May 2017 for the design and project management of the corrective work. Also in 2017, St. James Cathedral and the Diocese of Toronto approved a low-interest Diocesan loan of up to $1.2 million to finance the work, which will be repaid out of future cemetery revenues.
Status – Since 2017, our team of consultants has been engaged in design development collaboratively with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). Design development has been complicated by the need to install key structures in close proximity to existing graves, as well as to meet the stringent requirements of the TRCA and the Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO), all while keeping the cost of the work within a budget we can afford. Recently, the City of Toronto and the TRCA have agreed to our proposed design and our consultant is proceeding to prepare tender documents. Target completion dates are as follows:
• Release of tender documents: March 16-20
• Receipt of tenders from contractors: May 8-20
• Completion of Construction: October 2020
Project Risks – This project involves earthworks, inherent in which is the potential to discover unanticipated soil conditions, despite soil investigations we have undertaken to date. The work will take place in close proximity to existing graves. To address site conditions, we are using innovative technology, so cost estimates are less accurate than normal (better cost certainty will be achieved when construction tenders are received). We will be under the scrutiny of the TRCA and the BAO. For these reasons, we assess this project as presenting above average risk. To mitigate risk, extra effort has been applied at the design stage, which has consumed more time, but the timetable is not pressing. Delay and disruption will be expensive once the construction work begins so we want to minimize them.
A second slope, Hillside “A,” also requires attention but the site conditions there are much more favourable to a simpler and cheaper solution.
4. St. James Crematorium:
Because of declining reliability, new, more stringent provincial emissions regulations, workplace safety concerns and complaints from neighbours, we are contemplating the replacement of our two retorts (chambers in which remains are cremated). For example, the south retort is currently shut for interim repairs, as the floor tiles supporting it have given way after the past 25 years of use.
Background – The current retorts were installed in 1994 and 1995 and have produced excellent revenue for St. James Cathedral, effectively allowing us to enjoy an operating budget far in excess of what our maintenance offerings will support. Retorts operate at high temperature and therefore experience high rates of wear and tear. Lately, our retorts have become unreliable, despite repairs that have taken place over the past two years and are producing unacceptable levels of smoke emissions. Decreased reliability has led to a drop in revenue and rising concern that we will drive away our clients. We are now forced to consider replacing our equipment, perhaps one or two years late. Other parts of the cemetery also require care and attention, such as the slate roof on our heritage-designated Chapel of St. James-the-Less and the decorative ironwork fence, but they are not yet putting pressure on revenues.
Status – Dealing with issues at the cemetery has been delayed by the absence on long-term leave and then retirement of our cemetery manager. We have now retained an experienced, highly qualified consultant – a member of the board of the BAO – to assist us not only with advice on managing the cemetery but, also, with developing a business case for and implementing a plan to replace the failing retorts and exhaust system. Several equipment suppliers, representing a range of price and quality, have inspected the property and have been invited to make proposals for replacement of equipment. It is our intention to finance a replacement project with a low-interest loan and/or grant from the Diocese of Toronto, which will be repaid from future cemetery revenues. The work would take place in 2020/2021. It may not be possible to keep our crematorium in operation during construction so it is vital that we have in place a plan to service our customers. Our plan is based on temporary diversion of work to the cemetery of St. John, Norway. We have been in communication with St. John’s with a view to preparing for the replacement of our retorts.
Our Finances:
We are fortunate to have a beautiful Cathedral and Cathedral Centre, significant capital and several streams of operating income. However, it can be seen that there will be significant demands on our capital, not only in 2020, but in the years to come. We need to maintain and, if possible, build up our capital so that it’s there when we need it for major projects. This means that, if we and generations to come are to continue to provide and experience inspiring worship at St. James, we must strive to keep our finances in order and minimize deficits in the operating budget. We pray that you believe in the future and will support this objective.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Blessings,
Don & Jayne
wardens@stjamescathedral.ca
