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25. 717 Buxton:
Fish Symbol Remains
The official union of Presbyterian, Methodist and
Congregational churches in 1925 was, for the
Presbyterians of Indian Head, a divisive issue. The
vote was close: 70 in favour of union, 68 against. The
Reverend Thomas MacAfee persuaded the minority to
remain Presbyterian. However, they needed a building.
On August 21, 1930, the cornerstone of St. Andrew’s
Presbyterian Church was laid by 90-year-old Dr. Angus
MacKay, original superintendent of the Dominion
Experimental Farm. As he took the silver trowel to tap
the cornerstone, Reverend MacAfee stepped in to help
the old man. “I don’t need any assistance from you, you
scaly-wag.” said Dr. MacKay in a very loud voice.
Since both churches opted to keep the name of the
original parish, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and
St. Andrew’s United Church existed for 74 years within
half a block of each other. Eventually, the Presbyterian
congregation dwindled and decided to close the church.
The building began a new life in 2003, when Jamie
and Derek Olson, seeing the “for sale” sign, decided
to put in an offer. In the fall, the work began: cutting
trees, burying power cables, and insulating. They replumbed,
rewired, and re-stuccoed and installed a wraparound
deck at the back. A new staircase leads from the
basement right up to the loft, and a cast iron and stone
fireplace rises from the floor to the twenty-foot ceiling
of the great room. After six years of work, the Olsons
moved in. The copper fish weather vane, a gift from
Jamie to Derek, found its perfect and permanent home.
LK
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