Christ Church Cathedral's bell spire will be revealed.
The new stained glass bell spire at Christ Church Cathedral will be revealed the week of October 2, 2016, as the scaffolding is removed.
There have been multiple attempts to raise funds for a bell spire since the 1940’s, but only in the recent campaign Raise the Roof, Ring the Bells, Feed the Hungry was the possibility made reality. Early in the campaign, in 2014, Vancouver philanthropist Darlene Poole offered a gift of $2.5 million toward the Cathedral’s capital campaign. This gift allowed the Cathedral to begin fundraising and provided the financial confidence to complete the 75 year old vision.
The design and construction of the bell spire involved dozens of artists and tradespeople. The tower was designed by Hugh Cochlin and Ben Nielsen of Proscenium Architecture + Interiors, and the cross was designed by Ben Nielsen. The four bronze bells were designed and cast by Paccard Foundry of Annecy France. The stained glass, “Welcoming Light” was designed by Sarah Hall, RCA, who designed a tower at Regent College as well. The stained glass was fabricated in Germany and shipped to Kitsilano Glass, Richmond where the glass was cut and placed in each of the 204 panels. Scott Construction managed the installation of spire, the bells, the electrical and the glass. Christ Church Cathedral is grateful for the dedication to care and detail by all involved.
The bell ringing program is scheduled to begin as early as this month. The four bells, which ring the Westminster chime, will ring for the four services each Sunday, for weddings and funerals, at the beginning and end of each workday and in celebration of civic holidays and those of our interfaith neighbors.
For further information and to give in Thanksgiving for the sound of bells downtown, contact Emily Pritchard at the Cathedral at (604) 682-3848.
PHOTOS by Martin Knowles for MKPHOTOMEDIA. These photographs were taken the afternoon of October 3, 2016