Rowntree Memorial United Church began as a white frame building that was brought in from the North Bay area and erected at Elliott and Cheapside Streets. Bellwood United Church was dedicated on April 11, 1948. It was part of a two-point mission charge with Richards Memorial and Rev Gillies Eadie was appointed minister to both churches. In 1955 a campaign to raise building funds was initiated and Mr. and Mrs. Chester Rowntree donated funds to build a new church if certain conditions were met 1) the name of the new church would be Rowntree Memorial United Church in memory of his parents, 2) the building would be adequate as a church and religious education centre, 3) that it should do honour to the denomination and be a source of pride and satisfaction of the donors. Rev Anne Graham was inducted as the first Rowntree minister on June 20, 1955. The cornerstone was laid on November 5, 1955 by Chester Rowntree and the new building was dedicated on March 5, 1956 as Rowntree Memorial United Church. In 1958 a house and two lots immediately joining the church property on Elliott Street were purchased and became the manse. (The manse was removed in 1997 to make way for needed parking.) A building addition using some of the manse property was started on December 22, 1963. The cornerstone was laid April 5, 1964 and the Christian Education Building was dedicated on May 10, 1964. In 1997 a new Constitution for Rowntree Church was approved and included the Mission Statement “Reaching In, Reaching Out, Reaching Others”.
