Saturday, February 27, 2021

St. Andrew's Hall - 178 & 178A Royal York Road

178 + 178A Royal York Road - St. Andrew's Hall
courtesy Google Streetview - 2016

This usual building, half underground at 178 + 178A Royal York Road, is St Andrew's Hall and was built in 1924 (despite the 1923 datestone on the front of the building).  

In 1924 Martin Collett, Mimico Druggist and Laura his wife sold part of Lots 30 and 31, Plan M76 to Alexander Shaw and Edward Blair as Trustees for the Sons of England Benefit Society for $1,125.  

The Society was founded in Canada in 1876 and provided insurance to members in need due to family illness and other unfortunate circumstances.  

The Society built St Andrew's Hall that same year with an original address of 182 Church Street.  The Hall was an event space for the community and hosted various functions such as political meetings, community dinners, dances and other events.  

In 1925 the Hall would became the home of the minority of members of the Mimico Presbyterian Church who were opposed to the merger with the new United Church of Canada.  As detailed in the October 10, 1925 edition of the Globe and Mail, the vote in the Mimico Presbyterian Church was 170 for the merger and 131 against.  Since the majority voted for the merger with the United Church, the Mimico Presbyterian Church on the south east corner of Mimico Avenue and Church Street was renamed St. Paul's United Church.  At that point those still opposed to the merger left and began to worship at St. Andrew's Hall as the Mimico Presbyterian Church.  

In 1926 the Mimico Presbyterian Church requested that St. Andrew's Hall be given tax exempt status which caused quite the bruhaha at Mimico Town Council.  

As detailed in the August 24, 1926 edition of the Toronto Star "Seldom if ever have personalities been indulged into to such an extent as at last night's meeting of the Mimico council over the question as to whether St. Andrew's hall, now the Presbyterian church, should, as recommended by the finance committee, be exempt from taxation from the beginning of 1926... the fireworks started when Councillor Hendry (a former Methodist) did not think they could exempt St. Andrew's hall for taxation as the building, he understood, was owned by a syndicate and the church were only tenants."  

This set off the Mayor and others and a lively debate recorded verbatim ensued: 

Mayor Savage (who is the clerk of the sessions of the Presbyterian church): "There is a lot of opposition to the Presbyterian church and I want to find out where it comes from.  I am not going to stand for it."   

Councillor Hendry:  "There were political meetings held there last year."   

Mayor Savage:  "It has only been used as a church this year.  We do not have a gymnasium or rent it out for public entertainments.  The finance committee took legal advice before making their recommendation."  

Councillor Waiks (Methodist):  "It has been used as a dancing school."  

Mayor Savage:  "Don't make insinuations here or ask such impertinent questions.  I am not accustomed to having my word doubted.  The Presbyterian church was here long before the United church and will be here long after the United church has gone."  

Deputy Reeve Murphy took strong exception to the councillor's remarks, adding:  "It looks as if petty spite is being used."  

Councillor Hendry:  "If there is an act you are going by, I don't understand it." 

Deputy Reeve Murphy:  "If you cannot use common sense there is no talking to you.  You are practically calling a man a liar."  

Mayor Savage:  "The church act has nothing to do with municipal affairs.  This is only a stab at the Presbyterian church in the town."  

Deputy Reeve Murphy:  "If this is Christian attitude I am darn glad I am not in that class."  

Councillor Hendry:  "There is no good going into personalities."  

Deputy Reeve Murphy:  "You are only calling a man a liar in other words and are not man enough to do so to his face."  

Councillor Waiks:  "The atmosphere is not clearing.  It is not a personal matter."  

Mayor Savage:  "This is a personal grievance against the church."  

Councillor Hendy:  "It is a pity you are getting up in the air."  

Mayor Savage:  "You had no right to doubt the word of the finance committee."  

Councillor Hendy:  "You are getting a little excited."  

Mayor Savage:  "You doubt my word and I am not going to stand it".  

Deputy Reeve Murphy:  "I was perfectly satisfied to make the recommendation and the reeve entertained the same view."  

Councillor Waiks:  "We have a perfect right to ask questions."  

Deputy Reeve Murphy:  "This is only a question of spite - and I take strong exception to the attitude of Councillor Hendry and Waiks.  If they are Christians I am glad I am not of their ilk."  

Despite this lively debate the motion did carry and the building was granted tax exempt status.

The Mimico Presbyterian Church would remain at St. Andrew's Hall until St. Paul's United Church decided to merge with Wesley United Church and join them at their recently built new church on the north west corner of Mimico Avenue and Station Road.  That merger took place in May 1927 after which there appears to have been a gap in time while the the building was vacant until the Mimico Presbyterian Church moved back from St. Andrew's Hall.

Alexander Shaw, Trustee of St. Andrew's Hall died on September 1, 1941, and since Blair had predeceased him ownership of the property was transferred to Alexander Shaw's widow Mary Jane Shaw.  She held the property until March 25, 1946 when she transferred the property to Albert Sturton and George Rush Jr as the new trustees for the Sons of England Benefit Society.   In 1951 George Rush Jr died and the property was transferred solely to Albert Sturton, Trustee.  He then transferred it to the Trafalgar Social Club for $2.   It was purchased by Glencoe Harvey Hogle of Hogle's Funeral Home in Mimico in March 1955 for an undisclosed amount and the building began to be used for retail purposes as a women's clothing store.  

Five years later in 1960 Hogle leased the building to Bertram Lyn of Woodbridge for 10 years at an annual rent of $2,400.  In 1967 Hogle extended the lease by three and a half years to Bertram Lyn's widow Dora Caroline Lyn.  However in March 1969 Hogle sold the property to Walter and Marlene Peteraitis.  They transferred it to Oscar Peteraitis in September 1974.  He sold it to Catherine Nagy and Shelia Wright in April 1976.  In 1977 they transferred it to Safety Floor Installation Ltd.  The company defaulted on its mortgage and the property was assumed by Neda Gagro in October 1979.

The building has been vacant for a number of years and its future is uncertain.

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