07/10/2026
It is our privilege at Larkin Architect to work on many heritage churches. The legacy and collective memory of these landmarks help define a community. As worship practices and community needs evolve, we work to adapt these structures to revitalize their use while preserving their beauty. One of these spectacular places is Community Church Canada. Built in 1894 in the Richardsonian Romanesque Style, the building is a striking landmark in downtown Paris, Ontario but it needed significant maintenance work.
The church leadership approached Larkin Architect with a bold vision called the initiative, an outward-looking commitment rooted in sacred generosity. It became clear in the process that a thoughtfully renovated and equipped facility could provide Paris with a much-needed space for community gathering and engagement, while honouring and preserving the history of the building. LAL helped to develop a long term master plan that outlined restorations, renovations, and additions that created a new vision for this historic place.
This collaboration has reinforced for us these three vital lessons about heritage revitalization:
1️⃣ Honour the Heritage: People sense care, and sense that a proper restoration is protecting our shared heritage.
2️⃣ Mission Over Maintenance: Don’t just maintain the status-quo; ask how the building can better serve the community’s current needs for the sake of hospitality and witness.
3️⃣ The Power of Invitation: Sacred spaces best fulfil their function as a blessing through being shared.
Through a multi-phased, years long process, PCC is slowly redeveloping the facility through restoration, renovation, and reimagining into a community hub.
