Primary Construction Completed on Vic Chapel
The historic Victoria College Chapel, built in 1892, has been transformed into a modern multipurpose space through an extensive renovation that preserved its heritage character while improving accessibility, acoustics and flexibility for a wider range of events.
By Samantha Chater
Renovating Victoria College Chapel, one of Vic’s most iconic locations, presented significant challenges but was well worth the effort.
“I could probably write a short essay on all the challenges,” said Vikas Mehta, associate CAO of infrastructure and sustainability. “One of the biggest was working on the second floor of a building with events happening daily. Construction is noisy and dusty, and despite our efforts, people were still inconvenienced.”
Eight months after construction began, primary construction is now complete, with only finishing touches like installing the organ and a final light fixture remaining.
Thanks to a generous gift of $500,000 from Vic alumni Brian Johnston Vic 8T1 the space has undergone significant upgrades to transform it into a multipurpose room. Fixed row seating was removed, an accessibility ramp was added to the stage and soundproofing was improved while heritage design elements were preserved.
The chapel, which opened in 1892, has hosted classes, concerts, weddings and religious services. The fixed seating limited its use, but new removable seating will soon be installed to accommodate a variety of events.
“Our goal was to create a multipurpose space for events like weddings and dinners, as well as classes, town halls and exhibitions,” said Mehta. “We wanted to retain the chapel’s heritage look and feel while improving functionality.”
The stage at the front of the room was lowered slightly so a new accessibility ramp would blend seamlessly into the chapel’s original design. The original organ pipes from 1964 will remain as a decorative feature above the entryway and an organ will be installed on the east side of the chapel in the coming months.
The renovated Victoria College Chapel now features an integrated accessibility ramp to the stage, part of a broader effort to make the space more inclusive.
Restoration work was done to repair the wall underneath the five iconic stained-glass windows above the stage featuring the Victoria University crest, John Milton, John Wesley, Martin Luther and Isaac Newton. Three damaged non-stained-glass windows were replaced with smart glass to heritage standards and can now be darkened as needed. The original cast iron columns on either side of the chapel were also stripped and repainted to match the original design.
The chapel on the second floor of Alumni Hall had noise issues from other parts of the building. Extensive work was done to improve the soundproofing, including the installation of soundproof paneling on both sides of the chapel as well as insulation in the ceiling and floor to soundproof and reduce sound reverberation.
“Since it’s a popular event space, we wanted to improve the acoustics of the room as well,” said Mehta.
The audiovisual equipment has also been modernized and upgraded, with new speakers and six new microphones. The wi-fi signal in the chapel has also been boosted.
Lighting was upgraded to LED for better function and energy efficiency. The ceiling was redesigned to hide exposed plumbing for a cleaner look, and a large electric projector screen was installed to retract seamlessly when not in use.
“The lighting is fully customizable and highlights the chapel’s heritage features, like the stained-glass windows,” said Mehta.
With improved lighting, soundproofing and modern AV upgrades, the renewed Victoria College Chapel balances historic elegance with contemporary functionality.
Final inspections are underway to ensure the building reopens safely to the public in the coming weeks. A community open house will be held June 19 to celebrate the reopening of Victoria Chapel.
“I’m really proud of what we accomplished,” said Mehta. “It was a big effort by the Infrastructure and Sustainability team, who worked closely with consultants, architects and partners to preserve the chapel’s history and charm while also improving the space so it can be used more by our Vic community.”