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The Story of The Cedars
It All Started With Two Neighbours
It All Started With Two Neighbours
The story of The Cedars began in 1994 with a casual, over-the-fence conversation between two Waterloo neighbours: Jim Robinson of Westminster United Church and Mark Pancer of Temple Shalom. At the time, both congregations were relatively small and searching for a permanent place to call home.
Rather than walking separate paths, they recognized a shared need and dared to ask a radical question: What if a Christian and a Jewish congregation worked together to plan, build, and share a single spiritual center?
What started as a neighbourly chat blossomed into an unprecedented partnership, the first joint venture of its kind in Canada. Driven by a mutual desire to foster interfaith understanding and serve the broader Waterloo community, the two faith groups broke ground on a $1.4 million collaborative facility.
Architecture with Meaning
Opened and officially dedicated in September 1996, The Cedars was designed by renowned architect Charles Simon to visually represent the harmony between the two congregations.
Before he began any designs, Charles brought together members of both congregations to brainstorm different design ideas for the worship centre. Over the next six weeks, key issues of sharing space emerged, and little by little were worked out.
The building’s striking exterior features two distinct peaked roofs, symbolizing the two unique faiths that anchored its creation. Inside, the layout originally featured two independent sanctuaries separated by retractable walls. This allowed both congregations to hold their own distinct Friday night and Sunday morning services, while easily opening up the entire 384-seat space into a large hall for shared community events, joint celebrations, and holiday gatherings.
There was just one problem. The huge retractable doors separating the worship spaces broke early on and refused to close. Members of both congregations decided this was a fortuitous sign representing the open-spirited relationship between them. The doors have remained open ever since.
A Hub for the Waterloo Community
For three decades, The Cedars has stood as a beacon of cooperation. Today, we open our doors wide to the entire Waterloo region, acting as a gathering space for cultural events, educational programs, music festivals, camps, and private rentals.
Whether you are looking to rent a room for an event, attend a community gathering, or simply learn more about our unique history, we invite you to be a part of our ongoing story. Welcome to The Cedars!
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