THE LATEST: The estimated 10-year, $25-million renovation and construction project of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church is planned to emerge in four phases: Phase 1 demolishes and replaces the existing parish hall and changes the entrance into the church; Phase 2 constructs a new church (expanding seating from 550 seats to 1,200) and a new administration building; and, Phases 3 and 4 renovate the school and add a gymnasium. Ron Runolfson, business and facilities manager, said. “We’ve already received approval on the temporary building permit so we can erect a very large tent that will take the place of our hall which will be demolished during Phase 1; we will be using that to carry on with parish activities during the 16-month construction time.” Runolfson added the entire project is self-funded, “The entire construction cost is provided by the parishioners, there are no outside monies from anywhere—people that use the facility are paying for the facility.”
WHAT’S NEXT: If everything goes well with the city approval process, Runolfson said, “We’re looking at possibly May or so to have all our signed, stamped approvals, if that in fact happens then we would hope to start demolition construction the day after school lets out in June—we are trying to schedule this around the school.” Looking to the future, Runolfson says of the completed project, “It’s going to be, we believe, a major enhancement structurally to the visual landscape of this area; we are taking into consideration many green technologies—we are developing rooftop gardens. There are a lot of things being taken into consideration to be a good neighbor.”
FIND OUT MORE: www.olfchurch.net/new_church.html
—Shelley Murphy
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