Three years later, in 1930, a severe test came. The city, in considering the widening of Burnside Street, proposed a plan that would take 50 feet from the south side of our structure. Much prayer was made by the congregation and eventually a decision was reached to take 20 feet from each side of the street. 

Even that loss meant extensive alterations, and numerous difficult changes. The rented stores would have to be reconstructed, the building entrance changed, cloakrooms moved into the annexed building, the entire seating arrangement altered - and the addition of a balcony in order to compensate for the loss in seating space. The whole interior would need renovating and redecorating - but not one of those alterations were major compared with the problem of tearing down and rebuilding the outside wall.

If torn down, the exterior appearance would be ruined because no duplicate brick was available and a substitute would give a patchy look. However, out of the dilemma came an idea - that of separating the 100-foot wall, 44 feet high, from the body of the building, moving it intact across the 20-foot space, and joining it to the remainder of the structure. Could it successfully be done? City engineers said "No." Housemovers declined the job. The one who drew up the plans had never moved a wall; but an ingenious system was worked out by which a track was constructed on heavy timbers, with solid steel rollers, and placed under the sections of the wall.  Devices for rectifying the swaying of the wall were worked out and its movements were gaged by surveying instruments to see that it moved into its true position. Motive means was supplied by jacks.