New Chapel Doors Honor Park Family and Friends Doors are profound metaphors representing the past and future. Closed, they stand as symbols of strength and protection. Open, they represent opportunity, possibility and hope. As a grand passageway to one of the most cherished buildings on Park University’s Parkville Campus, new doors at Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel were dedicated on Sept. 10 during a special ceremony to thank Park donors who contributed funds to purchase the new Chapel doors in memory of their beloved family members and friends. Originally built in 1931, Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel was rebuilt in 1938 after an extensive fire. Today, the Chapel houses the University’s renowned International Center for Music and is a premier venue for concerts, lectures and convocations. Many alumni and community members have been married in the Chapel over the years, an opportunity that Park reinstated in 2011. “The Chapel is so important to Park and preserving it is critical to Park’s heritage,” said Park University President Michael Droge, Ph.D. “It represents the Presbyterian foundation upon which this institution was founded.”
Missouri weather takes its toll on wood, prompting the Chapel doors to be replaced many times over the years. “This time, we wanted the doors to be made of more durable material, yet retain the beauty of the original building,” Droge said. The new pair of 36-inch doors were custom designed to work within the irregularities of the historic stone construction of the building, which is one of the challenges of preserving historic buildings, according to Clint Harris, manager of plant operations, maintenance and environmental services at Park. “The old doors were expensive to maintain. Every few years we had to remove, sand and re-stain the doors,” Harris said. “The new doors were selected with efficiency and durability in mind.” Made from a fiberglass composite, the new Chapel doors are weatherproof, rotproof and fireproof. The custom doors include an electronic proximity card reader for secure building access that was seamlessly incorporated into the design of the door’s hardware. “We wanted the technological elements that the doors required to be hidden to preserve the original beauty of the Chapel doors.”