Five Oaks Centre, located in Paris, Ontario, is a unique intercultural and interfaith centre offering a safe space for educational and spiritual programs and retreats. From one-off workshops to week-long residential experiences, Five Oaks provides a place where individuals and communities can explore their lives and the world in light of faith and values, discovering their calling to participate in Spirit’s healing work in creation.
Situated on 116 acres at the meeting point of the Grand River and Whitemans Creek, among old-growth Carolinian Forest, Five Oaks features 13 buildings that support its work, house guests, and provide spaces for programming, dining, accommodation, and recreation. In line with its core value of environmental stewardship, Five Oaks Centre has prioritized the care of both its land and buildings essential to its mission. This commitment has included ongoing investments to ensure the best possible facilities for its staff and guests, while also fostering sustainable practices that benefit both the community and the Earth.
“Our buildings are more than just structures; they are the foundation of our mission and the spaces where transformation and positive change occur. Each addition and renovation reflects our growth and our commitment to providing a nurturing environment for all who come to Five Oaks” says Kailey Stewart, Communications and Social Media Administrator , Five Oaks Centre “Whether it’s the tranquility of our Simply Be retreats with creative practices and nature connection, the transformative journey of our Seeking Transformation programs exploring biases and perspectives, the custom group retreats designed for team-building, or our engaging outdoor education and camp programs promoting biodiversity and inclusion, our facilities support every aspect of what we do.”
Caring for the Land through its Facilities
Over the last decade, Five Oaks has made significant upgrades to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of its facilities. Nine windows have been upgraded, and all light fixtures and bulbs have been replaced with LED units. The Centre has also installed seven dusk-to-dawn lights in the parking lot and around its pool area, and old toilets have been replaced with low flush units. During the renovation of its Upper Room part of its main facility, insulation was added to both the walls and the ceiling – which previously had an R-value of 4, with the exterior walls lacking any insulation. In 2016, the furnace in its House on the Hill was also replaced.
“Our planned improvements would further reduce our environmental footprint but also reflect our dedication to creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for our guests. While these choices would be more expensive, requiring additional fundraising efforts, we firmly believe that investing in our property is the right path forward for the future of Centre.” shares Mary Palka, Donor Development, Grants and Gifts Coordinator,Five Oaks Retreat Centre.
Five Oaks Property 5-Year Rejuvenation Plan: Investing in Key Spaces on the Property
To further invest in its property, the Centre adopted a business model in 2016 that included developing a 5-year property rejuvenation plan. Incorporated into the Centre’s Strategic Plan, under the key objective ‘revilitize key spaces’, the rejuvenation plan laid out an extensive retrofit of the Five Oaks property buildings and surrounding areas, with special attention to ensuring environmentally responsible decisions.
Five Oaks started with its building’s Upper Room in 2018. In 2019, they renovated its New Hall, installed an elevator, refurbished its Model Suite, and replaced its Hermitage building roof. The A Wing of its main building were updated during 2019 and 2020, while its New Hall radiator covers and windows were updated in 2020. The carpets in its House on the Hill were replaced in 2021, and its washrooms in the Chalet and Lower Campus, as well as its kitchen were renovated the same year. The furnace in its House on the Hill was changed to an air-source heat pump system in 2022, followed by the conversion of its Peace House and Friendship House from an oil system to air-source heat pumps in 2023.
Faithful Footprints Helps Fund Rejuvenation Plan
To support the Centre’s rejuvenation efforts, The United Church of Canada’s Faithful Footprints program provided $30,000 to help fund the replacement of the 39 windows in several key buildings on the Five Oaks property, including its Peace House, House on the Hill, Friendship House, its main offices, bookstore, prayer room, art room and guest bedrooms.
“This project is a crucial element of our broader rejuvenation plan for our 71-year-old retreat centre. By upgrading our facilities with these new windows, we are not only enhancing the immediate environment but also ensuring that Five Oaks continues to be a vibrant and welcoming space for future generations. Our goal is to preserve and improve our centre so that it remains a place of inspiration, reflection, and community for many years to come.” says Stewart
The new windows dramatically improved the energy efficiency of the buildings, providing better insulation and reducing heating and cooling costs. The upgraded windows also offered additional benefits including improved lighting and aesthetics.
“The results had exceeded our expectations.” says Palka“The windows have also enhanced the aesthetic appeal of our facilities, giving them a fresh, modern look while maintaining the charm and character of our historic property. The improved natural lighting in the prayer and art rooms has been particularly impactful. These spaces are now even more inviting, providing a warm, bright, and welcoming environment for reflection, creativity, and community activities. The main offices and bookstore also benefit from the increased natural light, creating a more pleasant and productive workspace for our staff and visitors.”
In the last year of the five-year plan, the Centre invested $339,000 dollars of capital investment into their property. Upgrades included:
An investment of $166,000 to complete a renovation of its dining hall, including upgrades to its industrial kitchen. This project was partially funded through the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
An investment of $13,000 to apply fresh paint, new carpet, flooring and new shower liners in its House-on-the-Hill.
An investment of $100,000 to both its outdoor washrooms and Chalet washrooms received upgrades funded partly by the News Horizons for Seniors Grant.
An investment of $8,000 for upgrades to its walking path, including a new set of stairs down to its lower campus. TD friends of the Environment Grant funded this project.
Continuing Property and Building Upgrades
The commitment to rejuvenate its property extended beyond the initial scope of the five-year plan. With ongoing investments, the Centre remains dedicated to sustainability, energy efficiency, and enhancing the overall experience for guests and staff.
“We continue to upgrade the spaces with the environment and our guests in mind,” said Mallory Biggs, General Manager, Five Oaks Centre “Beyond the original five-year plan, our focus is on ensuring the safety and longevity of our property and buildings. These upgrades are essential to building a safe and lasting space that aligns with our values of sustainability and excellence.”
In 2022, the Centre put in $343,000 of capital investment into its building which involved:
An investment of $115,000 to install a two-story deck behind the main building to increase and offer three-season seating off our dining room, and offer an outdoor gathering space off the Upper Room. This project was funded by the Hamilton,Halton Brant Regional Tourism Authority, through Federal Development Canada.
An investment of $26,000 to replace 18 windows, partially funded by a Greening Sacred Spaces Grant.
An investment of $16,500 to undergo a complete retrofit of the New Hall Washroom, which is now fully accessible, and partially funded by a New Horizons for Seniors Grant.
An investment of $94,000 to replace the roof on the main building, partially funded by our Raise the Roof Walkathon.
In 2023, the Five Oaks expanded its capital investments into its building which included:
Installing air-source heat pumps in its Peace and Friendship Houses, as well as its office, bookstore, and Upperroom in its main building. This HVAC upgrade significantly reduced heating fuel consumption while adding air-conditioning, enhancing the year-round accessibility and comfort of these spaces.
Refreshing the B and C wings of its main building with new paint and LED lighting.
Starting renovations in its Chalet's dining room.
Enhancing 60ft of the property’s boardwalks with a Brant Community Foundation grant.
Future projects
Five Oaks has ambitious plans to continue upgrading its property and buildings. Future projects will further enhance sustainability and energy efficiency, ensuring the best facilities for staff and guests. These ongoing improvements include:
Master Site Plan: Mapping out the property and its capacities.
HVAC Upgrades: Future upgrades to the rest of the main building.
Bedrooms and Windows: Comprehensive upgrades to all bedrooms and windows in the main building.
3-Season Pavilion: A future goal to develop a versatile pavilion for extended seasonal use.
Road Upgrades: Enhancements to the roadways on the property.
Shop Upgrade: Future enhancements to the shop, extending beyond the original five-year plan.
Main Building Energy Transition: Moving the main building off oil, a step beyond the five-year plan.
The United Church of Canada (UCCan) is a vision partner of the Five Oaks Centre. Vision partners share actively in the governance, programs, funding, and maintenance of the Centre. UCCan specifically offers access to funds for programming that supports the mission of the denomination and has legal oversight of the Centre.
Faithful Footprints Program
The United Church of Canada’s Faithful Footprints program offers inspiration, tools, and grants to help its faith communities reduce their carbon footprint. With the Church’s commitment to reducing its greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions by 80% by 2030, this one-of-a-kind program offers up to $30,000 in grants towards energy conservation and renewable energy projects (conditions apply).
Faith & the Common Good is the delivery partner for the Faithful Footprints program. To date, we have engaged over 500 congregations, camps, and buildings across the country. Your participation in the program puts your faith into action and helps the Church reach its target.