Sydenham Street United Church (The Spire)

Sydenham Street United Church is a historic stone church that sits tucked away in the heritage blocks just back from downtown Kingston. William Coverdale designed it in local limestone, and it opened in 1852 as a Methodist church before joining the United Church of Canada in 1925. Most people now call it The Spire. That spire is worth pausing to photograph while you are spending the day exploring Kingston. It's slender and finely worked, and pops up above the rooftops from several streets away. Make sure to take some time to walk the area and find a gap that shows the spire popping up over the rooftops. Up close the street is narrow so you will have to cross to the far corner of the intersection and tilt up to take the whole tower. The grey limestone photographs well on overcast days, and snow changes the mood of your composition completely. Inside, the sanctuary doubles as a concert hall, so the layout changes depending on what's booked. A Casavant pipe organ sits at the front. Accessing the interior may take a bit of luck because the building closes between events and services. (Kingston, Ontario, Canada)