Sydenham Street United Church, Kingston

Sydenham Street United Church, originally known as Sydenham Street Methodist Church, is a historic religious and community landmark in Kingston. The present building dates back to 1852, though the church's roots stretch further to early 19th-century Methodist congregations in the region. Its earliest origins lie in the New Methodist Chapel of 1811 and a British Wesleyan chapel built around 1816–17-both modest wooden structures that eventually merged during the union of various Methodist branches.

Prominent Kingston businessman and the city’s first mayor, John Counter, played a key role in establishing the new church. He donated the land-formerly used for a circus-and even laid the cornerstone on April 17, 1851. The building was designed by noted architect William Coverdale, with construction overseen by Reverend Samuel Dwight Rice. The resulting stone church, 60 by 90 feet in size, could seat over 1,000 people and was considered impressive for its time.

Architecturally, the church is built in a “plain Gothic” style, featuring tall, narrow windows with decorative tracery, a tower punctuated by pinnacles and intricate battlements, and lancet openings on the belfry. Over the decades, the church underwent several renovations-in 1878 and again in 1887 by Power and Son of Kingston-to widen and improve the structure.

Today, the building is known as The Spire, reflecting its new life as a cultural and community hub. It is home to organizations such as Cantabile Choirs of Kingston, the Kingston Choral Society, Autism Ontario, and several others. The building hosts a wide variety of events and functions each week, with spaces including a main performance hall, lecture room, boardroom, and meeting rooms-serving approximately 1,000 people weekly.

Steeped in history but vibrantly active in the present, Sydenham Street United Church continues to be a pillar in Kingston’s spiritual and cultural landscape.