Description of Historic Place

The Haliburton Street Methodist Church is a late Victorian one-storey building with asymmetrical towers located on the main thoroughfare of one of Nanaimo's oldest neighbourhoods, just south of the city centre. The historic place is confined to the building footprint.

Heritage Value

Built in 1891, the Haliburton Street Methodist Church is a very good example of late Victorian Eclectic architecture and is one of the oldest surviving church buildings in Nanaimo. The picturesque massing typical of this style is demonstrated in the asymmetrical, gable roofed towers. Although there have been some changes to the original building, its essential form is still intact.

The Haliburton Street Methodist Church's tall towers, large mass and location on a main street, in a predominantly residential area, make it a highly prominent neighbourhood landmark.

The Haliburton Street Methodist Church is an excellent example of the adaptive re-use of a building. When the congregation dwindled and the building was no longer viable as a church, it was successfully converted to accommodate a variety of uses including a First Nations health and wellness centre.

Source: City of Nanaimo, Development Services Department

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Haliburton Street Methodist Church include:
-all of the elements of the Victorian Eclectic style as expressed in the picturesque massing, the asymmetrical towers and tall arched windows, front gable with hip roofs on towers.
-the building's location on a main street.