Local church plans to build 'hub of non-profit activity' for Waterloo neighbourhood

A local church is building a new facilitywith the goal of bringing itsneighbourhood together under one big roof.

The project led by All Saints' Anglican Church in Waterloo will include a small church space and a larger community centre.

"We want to create a hub of non-profit activity," said the church's pastor, MartyLevesque. "The idea is to build a place for the delivering of services and for the building of community."

The community centre will be focused on providing a space for existing local non-profit organizationsto deliver services closer to the residents in need, who live in the Lakeshore North neighbourhood of Waterloo.

Levesque said the community centre is being built according to suggestions from non-profit organizations based in Waterloo Region.

"One of the things that we continually heard that was lacking in Waterloo was gym space and kitchen space," he said. "Both of those things would normally exist in small neighbourhood community centres.We really felt there was a hole here."

That's when members of the church decided to take matters into their own hands.

An opportunity presented itself when Waterloo North Presbyterian Church permanently closed down, allowing members of All Saints' Anglican Church to buy the building and land attached to it.

Levesque said the leaders of thechurch then decided to sever the land, selling two-thirds of it to a housing developer. Themoney made from that sale went towardjump-starting the church's community centre project, locatedon the portion of land it still ownedat 400 Northfield Dr.W.

Supporting newcomers

The new facility will include a medium-sized gym, an industrial kitchen and programming spaces to host free art or language classes.

Levesque said the goal is to give new Canadiansa sense of belonging and community.

"There's a large diaspora in our community," he said.

"You have thislarge grouping of immigrant families who want to get together and want to have space to be able to build and maintain community, especially because they've left their community to immigrate to this country," he said.

He said the churchplansto partner with a local food bank to help facilitate the bulk cooking program on a weekly basis. All of its programs will be done through partnerships with various local non-profit organizations.

"I think it's better that the people who are already in the space, who are active and doing the work, are just supported," Levesque said.

"I don't think it would be worthwhile for All Saints' to create a new counselling program whenCarizon Family and Community Services and Lutherwood Children's Mental Health, for example, already do that."

Funding challenges

Levesque said the more than $6-million project isfacing some funding challenges because costs have jumped due to inflation, pandemic delays and supply chain shortages.

The church has already approachedregional and local governments for help, as it tries to fill a roughly $700,000 hole in funding. Levesque said about $400,000 of that funding shortage is due to development fees.

He said representativesasked regional council members on Tuesdayto find a way to help bridge the church's funding gaps for the community centre project.

Regional council directed staff to explore the need in the community and what sort of support can be provided.

The new facility is on track to open in the fall of 2023.