Excavator, dump trucks, and cement mixers are busy working: footings and foundations will be in shortly.
All Saints', Waterloo enters the final phase of a years-long and exhausting process of building a new church: the excavator and dump trucks are in, it's noisy and dusty, and no one complains.
In 2012, Waterloo North Presbyterian Church came to an end of its life cycle and closed. Ownership of their 50% share of the property at 400 Northfields Dr. West reverted to their national church body. All Saints’ Waterloo was given a choice at that time to sell the property and move or purchase the Presbyterian’s share.
In 2014, after a rigorous internal capital campaign, All Saints’ purchased the Presbyterian share of the property to become sole owners of the property and church at 400 Northfield Dr West. It was known in 2014 that the facilities were in a state of disrepair but following vestry, diocesan recommendations, and recommendations from the “Who is my Neighbour” report that viewed the location a strategic asset for the diocese, All Saints’ stepped out in faith to become the sole owners of the property.
The parish was aware at that point that we could not repair the facility and maintain an ongoing mortgage. We could afford one but not both. The purchasing of the property allowed All Saints’ the opportunity to decide its own fate. Over the following 2 years, the parish looked at what they would need to be successful, and it was determined that the current facilities no longer met the needs of the parish community nor the mission field. It was determined that the parish required a larger sanctuary, gym facilities, a proper kitchen that could be used for parish meals as well as rentals and finally, we required additional meetings rooms/program space.
In 2016, the parish voted to severe a portion of the property, about 2/3, and relocate the church to the corner of Highpoint Ave and Northfield Dr. West on the retained lands.
A new church and community center in the mission field where All Saints’ had built many relationships would allow All Saints’ to continue to make a significant impact in the neighbourhood and continue to thrive in the long term.
Since 2016 All Saints’ has had a few ups and downs as we have navigated the development process of re-zoning, severance, many minor variances, site planning and building permit. And after many long years of planning All Saints’ has finally begun building the new church and community center.
Over the next 12-18 months of construction All Saints’ looks forward to sharing this Good News with the rest of the diocese. We will highlight building features, new programming as we build a vital piece of infrastructure for the mission field and share this journey with our diocesan family.
As for now, the excavation has begun, and the footings and foundations will be in shortly. Yet even as excavator, dump trucks, and cement mixers are busy preparing the foundation, we know that “no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 3:11)
With deep thanks to God for guiding us this far, we look forward to all the great things God has in store for All Saints’, the Deanery of Waterloo, and the Diocese of Huron.
Rev. Marty Levesque