Whether it is our Chapels, Visitation Rooms, Coffee Lounges, or Reception Facilities, the flexibility of our layouts at both locations, allows us to accommodate a broad range of services.  Our facilities can support everything from very large assemblies to the smallest of intimate gatherings. 

          Each location has it's own unique character.  The Waverley Chapel is a more traditional 12,000 square foot building near Waverley park.  It is the original Everest Funeral Chapel, and it began as the Woodside family home called "the Maples".  Around 1938, Arthur and George Everest built the first addition to the rear of the home, which became the chapel.  In 1940, the funeral home that exists today was built.  The original house was never torn down - the Everest's simply built around it.  George was very proud of the fact that during construction, they continued to operate, never missing a day.  Later, another visitation room was added, and around 1960 an additional arrangement office was built on the east side of the building. 

          In 1980, additional arrangement offices were built upstairs, and in 1998 we added a wheelchair ramp to allow for handicap access to the building.  In 1993, we made our mainfloor restrooms totally handicap accessible, and converted one of the large upstairs residences into a coffee/smoking and reception area with 2 additional restrooms.  Today, the upstairs is also home to our monument display area.  In 1999, a large, well-lit canopy was installed over the front stairs, allowing protection from the elements for our visitors.

          The Everest family was very proud of their continuing efforts to improve their facillities for the comfort of their client families.  According to George, they were the first firm to have an air-conditioned chapel, and subsequently central air-conditioning.  Over the years, we too have invested a great deal of time and money to continually maintain and upgrade the Waverley building.  It may be over 60 years old, but one would never know it based on the condition and surroundings.

          The mainfloor plan, is based on the concept of the chapel as the core area, surrounded by hallways and other visitation rooms.  Unique to Thunder Bay, this style allows for very good "traffic flow" and for all areas of the building to be used simultaneously - even when a service is being held.  Moveable walls and partitions make it extremely flexible for larger services.  Our music and public address system extends throughout the building, so that even the upstairs areas can be used for overflow seating.

          The fact that the Waverley Chapel is built on the side of a hill, allows for selection room, garage, work areas and preparation room to be housed in the basement.  An elevator provides service for moving caskets easily and quietly to the main floor.

          The Westfort Chapel is a modern, contemporary funeral home, designed and built from the ground up as a funeral home for the modern family.  The floor plan was designed by John-Bryan Gardiner, and encompasses many of the attributes of the Waverley building.  One of the most notable features is a large canopy which extends the full width of the front of the building.  This allows people to enter and exit the building, and loading of the hearse for services, without fear of inclement weather.

          While the building is much newer than Waverley, and the modern indirect lighting changes the atmosphere greatly, we used comparable colours and patterns in the paint, carpeting, and furnishings to make the basic atmosphere similar in both facilities.  

          At just 7,800 square feet, it is smaller than Waverley, but there is very efficient use of space, and minimal storage areas.  The majority of the foor plan is dedicated to the public areas, and the one-level design makes the entire building handicap accessible without the use of an elevator.  Once again, moveable walls, windows, and large doorways were used, so that virtually the entire public area can be opened up for large gatherings.  While the main chapel can seat over 170 in the pews, in total we can seat nearly 350 in the building, and have had services with over 500 people - and they can all see and hear the service!  Like the other building, the sound system reaches throughout the Westfort site, so everyone can hear the service, regardless of where they are seated.

          Just like Waverley, the design allows for the use of, and access to all the areas of the building, even when a service is being held.  Furthermore, it allows for 2 different options when we are exiting the chapel with a casket.  The hearse is parked under the large canopy at the front of the building, and we can either recess down the aisle of the chapel to the main doors, or leave by the side doors near the front of the chapel.

          While the building was not constructed with a formal reception area, just like at Waverley, we do host funeral receptions.  Ultimately, the building was designed with additions and a reception area in mind for the future.

          Just like the Everest family, we are extremely proud of our facilities, and have gone to great lengths and expense to provide a warm and comforting environment for bereaved families.  We are sure you will agree, that our facilities are second to none in Thunder Bay, and that they rival those found in many other communities.

       - John-Bryan Gardiner, Vice-President, Managing Partner.       

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