The building in Uptowne which formerly housed The Brick furniture store is about to become a church on a temporary basis.
On Thursday, the Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) approved a development permit application allowing the Home Church to use the space on 50th Avenue between 51st Street and 52nd Street for services and office space until December 2018, at which time they hope to move into a new church they're planning to construct.
Officially, the application was to change the use of the space to allow it to be used for “public and quasi-public use” so it could hold church services, etc.
Development officer Carey Keleman said town development officials circulated notice of the application to 37 landowners in the area and no objections were received.
“We did not receive any communications at all, so no concerns were expressed or anything with regards to that.”
“We feel it would not unduly affect the use and enjoyment of the neighbouring parcels (of land) and therefore, we support approval of the application,” she said.
In fact, some MPC commissioners said the new use could likely benefit Uptowne Olds because it would bring many more people into the Uptowne core, primarily on Sunday mornings when church services would take place.
Home Church pastor Ed Furst agreed with that assessment in a letter he sent to MPC regarding the application.
“By filling this currently vacant space, we would contribute to the dynamic and vibrancy of our Uptowne. I believe it reflects favourably on our community to have as (many) of our Uptowne storefronts occupied and utilized as possible.”
MPC commissioner and Olds mayor Judy Dahl agreed with that. She quoted a principle provided by a town municipal planner: “unoccupied spaces project an image of decline in an economic downturn.”
Dahl went on to say she'd like to see the current two-hour parking limits in the area waived – at least on Sundays – to encourage congregants to linger and possibly eat and/or shop in the area.
She said she'd like to get input from the Uptowne Olds Committee about that idea.
During an interview with the Albertan, Furst said he's hopeful congregants can start meeting in the new church space by around late October/early November.
Furst said for the past six years, the Home Church (formerly known as the Word of Life Church) has been renting space from Olds College and Olds High School. Efforts are underway to obtain space for a new, permanent church and offices in the west side of Olds.
When the matter came up for discussion Thursday, some concern was expressed that there won't be enough parking for congregants. There are only six parking spots at the old The Brick building.
However, it was pointed out there's lots of space in the surrounding area for vehicles to park, including a public parking lot on 52nd Street, just west of 50th Avenue.
Furst said there are about 300 people in the congregation. He anticipates about 100 would come to the first service at 9 a.m. and the other 200 or so would come to the second service at 10:45 a.m.
He predicts about 110 parking stalls would be needed. He anticipates 45 vehicles for the first service and about 65 vehicles for the second one.
In addition, the church holds prayer services Wednesday nights which attract about 25 people and a mothers' group on Friday mornings which involves about 40 people.
During the rest of the week, Furst wrote, the church won't require “any more parking than the businesses that formerly occupied that space.”
"By filling this currently vacant space, we would contribute to the dynamic and vibrancy of our Uptowne. I believe it reflects favourably on our community to have as (many) of our Uptowne storefronts occupied and utilized as possible."ED FURST PASTOR HOME CHURCH
