Parish History

The first service was held, without a church building, on December 23, 1888 at 720 Granville Street in the town of Vancouver. Later, on February 14, 1889, a building committee was formed to collect the necessary funds for the erection of the church. It would be located on land bought from the Canadian Pacific Railway; Henry John Cambie, chief engineer of CPR's Pacific Division and People's Warden of the new church, was a key negotiator in acquiring the property.

Christ Church Cathedral in 1908

By October 1889, Christ Church's basement was built and on October 6, the opening service was held for 52 parishioners. The joy of a new church did not last forever.

By 1891 the CPR objected to the unfinished building that had quickly been nicknamed the root house. It was viewed an "eyesore" and the parishioners feared they would lose their location due to lack of funds to complete the building.

A financing scheme was developed by a parishioner and the corner-stone was finally laid July 28th, 1894, and the church dedicated, Sunday February 17th, 1895. The church was built in the "Gothic Style" with ceiling made of cedar planking and ceiling beams and floor constructed out of "old growth" Douglas fir.

By 1909 the first expansion was done and by 1911 the first organ had already worn out (it used a human "blower" hired at $5 per month) and was replaced by a new organ manufactured by Wurlitzer. In 1920, electricity replaced candles for lighting, and in 1930 the lanterns now in the church were installed.

Cathedral Service Circa 1930

In 1929, the Archbishop of New Westminster constituted Christ Church as the Cathedral Church of the Diocese. The church planned to build a bell tower, but in 1943, the city by-laws were changed to restrict church bells.

In 1949, after many building alterations, the Casavant organ was installed. Constructed partially of war surplus parts and remnants of the Wurlitzer, the instrument served well but had a problematic history.

Spring and Fall 2004 saw the installation of a Kenneth Jones tracker organ in the south gallery of the renovated Cathedral. Comprising a three manual console and 2500 + pipes (1700 salvaged from the Casavant) it is the first Christ Church Cathedral organ custom built to "speak" with optimum effect in the sanctuary.

In 1971 the church membership voted to demolish the building and replace it with a hi-rise tower complex designed by Arthur Erickson. This redevelopment was opposed by the public and in 1976 after much lobbying; the cathedral was named a Class A Heritage building in the municipality of Vancouver and The Province of British Columbia.

In 1995 an eleven year program of Restoration and Renewal was begun. Christ Church Cathedral is the Regimental Church of the Seaforth Highlanders and is in the process of being designated Regimental Church of the BC Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own). It is also the church at which the British royal family worships when in Vancouver.

To discover what is happening with the church building today, visit our Restoration and Renewal page.