Ants Elken and Mihkhel Bach, Architects

St Peter's Estonian Lutheran Church: March 20, 1955, consecrated in the presence of Mayor Nathan Phillips, the first modernist church in the city of Toronto, a sanctuary reminiscent of an overturned boat which symbolizes the refugees’ reaching safe harbour. In the church courtyard, a Columbarium with niches in which are interned the cremated remains of more than 300 individuals - including many founding church members, war veterans, and community leaders.

"St Peter's showcases the struggles and triumphs of the Estonian People and their hopes and dreams of a new life in Canada: a symbol for freedom and democracy, a wonder for Estonians living in exile, a church by an Estonian architect, headed by an Estonian minister, funded and built by Estonian war refugees, with stained glass windows that celebrate Estonian heritage by Austrian-Canadian artist, Ernestine Tahedl, a central hub for the Estonian and surrounding community, that offers scouting, daycare, clubs, choirs, and more.

September, 2020: to gauge interest in selling; the church building, which sits on valuable midtown real estate and suffers from dwindling attendance, members who had contributed financially to the church the previous year were invited to vote on a proposal by St Peter's executive. The vote passed but congregants in favour of preservation rallied to form “Friends of St. Peter’s,” to develop a business plan that would allow St Peter's to operate more economically and to apply for its listing as heritage. Their intervention to protect caused the executive to resign. St Peter's is no longer in danger of being sold but, like many churches in Canada, it remains in danger, due to its diminishing congregation and its need of imaginative solutions if is to survive in future.

With thanks, A symbol of the Estonian diaspora in danger of disappearing, Dave Leblanc, "Architourist", Globe and Mail, March 30, 2023

April 24, 2023: On behalf of ACO Toronto, Amanda Large wrote to the Toronto Preservation Board recommending that St Peter's Estonian church be included in the Heritage Register.

May 16, 2023: North York Community Council approved the inclusion.

June 20, 2023: St Peter's Estonian Lutheran Church 817 Mount Pleasant Road added to the Heritage Register