St. Thomas Wesley United Church

Description of the Historic Place

St. Thomas – Wesley United Church is a brick structure with a large Norman Tower. Located in Saskatoon’s Riversdale Neighbourhood, the church was built in 1911 and is located on a corner lot at 808 20th Street West.

Heritage Value

St. Thomas – Wesley United Church is valued for its status as a religious and cultural landmark. In 1911, the congregation of St. Thomas Presbyterian Church (named in honor of Thomas Copland, a civic and church leader) accepted the plans of the architectural firm of Storey and Van Egmond for a new church with a seating capacity of 600. In 1930 a working agreement between the St. Thomas Presbyterian and Wesley Methodist churches was entered into under which both congregations worshipped together in the St. Thomas building under joint ministry. In 1934 the congregations became one and St. Thomas Wesley United Church was born.

In 1950, St. Thomas – Wesley United Church had the largest United Church congregation in Saskatoon. It ran four services a day, one of which was broadcast on the radio. A new hall, designed by Webster & Gilbert, opened in 1956 to accommodate all of the youth and adult activities of the church. By the end of the 20th century, the church’s congregation had significantly reduced in size. The church offered the building to the community in 2004 with the provision that the congregation be able to remain in the building. 

Source: City of Saskatoon Built Heritage Database

Character Defining Elements

Key elements which contribute to the heritage value of this historic resource include:

• Those elements that speak to its status as a neighbourhood landmark, including its location along 20th Street West, its brick facade, and its continued use as a religious/community facility.