The Spire Renewed, Decarbonizing and Saving a Community Facility
- Heat the Heart of Kingston: Keeping The Spire a Welcoming Community Space
- The Spire Renewed, Decarbonizing and Saving a Community Facility
- The Spire Kingston
- The Spire
-
The Spire’s heating system is failing, and our community can’t afford to lose this warm, welcoming space. Every day, neighbours, families, students, artists, and support groups rely on The Spire to meet, rehearse, gather, and find connection. If the boiler breaks down, we risk cold rooms, cancelled events, and doors closing on some of the most vulnerable in our city.
This project isn’t just about replacing an old furnace—it’s about protecting a historic place that has served our community since 1852. Upgrading to a modern, low‑carbon heating system will keep our doors open year‑round, reduce energy costs, and lower our environmental impact. A vote for The Spire means backing a real, everyday community hub where people of all ages and backgrounds come together.
Your support helps preserve both the building’s heritage and its role as a living community space. It sends a message that old buildings can be both green and welcoming, and that local care can safeguard shared spaces for generations to come. With your vote, The Spire stays warm, open, and alive as a heart in Kingston. -
The heating system at The Spire is deteriorating and increasingly unreliable. It depends on an aging boiler and distribution network that require a spalling, failing chimney for venting, introducing structural and life‑safety concerns. The system is inefficient, burns fossil fuels, and works against Kingston’s and Canada’s climate objectives, generating avoidable greenhouse gas emissions.
The Spire aims to replace this system with efficient heat pumps and renewable technology to cut emissions and ensure steady warmth year-round. This keeps our doors open for hundreds of local groups, weekly gatherings, and family events without interruption from breakdowns or cold snaps. Lower energy costs free up funds for youth programs, music nights, and community meals, while greener operations build pride and connections in our Limestone City neighbourhood —strengthening ties, supporting local artists, and creating a sustainable space for generations of Kingstonians to thrive together. - Nestled at 82 Sydenham Street in Kingston's Old Sydenham Heritage Conservation District, The Spire at Sydenham Street United Church has been a community anchor since 1852. This Gothic Revival limestone building started as a Methodist gathering spot in a growing port town. It expanded in 1888 and gained a renowned Casavant organ in 1929, welcoming worshippers, English classes for Chinese immigrants, cultural festivals, theatre, concerts, and Queen's University events. Today, it draws thousands of weekly visitors—neighbours, self-help groups, choirs and orchestras, food security programs, seniors’ classes, music lovers, and so much more—making it Kingston's go-to space for shared stories, community connection, and support under its welcoming vaulted ceilings.
- https://thespirekingston.org/
