New church plans get go-ahead
Building may start two weeks from date of council's approval
Joseph Tunney
Northern News Services
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Village council voted to approve the development permit submitted by Rowe's Construction to build a new Catholic church in Fort Simpson.
With the development permit approved, Fort Simpson senior administrative officer Beth Jumbo said the only thing between now and the construction of a new church is a 14-day waiting period. The old Sacred Heart Catholic Church was torn down in 2013. - NNSL file photo
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"Tomorrow it will be posted up," said senior administrative officer Beth Jumbo at the July 18 regular meeting. "And there will be 14 days before they can actually start building just in case there are any complaints or appeals from the public."
However, outside of those 14 days, Jumbo said the approval of the plans is the final item in the checklist that precedes the construction of the church.
In 2013, the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, which used to sit on the main street of town, was torn down after it was closed in October 2009 due to concerns about its foundation.
The teardown of the old church was supposed to be the first step toward building a new one.
Earlier this year, community members and members of the Mackenzie-Fort Smith Diocese raised between $350,000 and $375,000 for the structure.
Previously, Bishop Mark Hagemoen said the diocese has also received a pledge of $100,000 from the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton and a further $100,000 from the diocese of Hamilton, Ont.
The new church will be multi-purpose and is designed to be used for community activities as well as church activities.
It will also have apartment units for members of the clergy.
At the meeting it was said that the steeple from the previous church will remain next to the building as a separate structure.
Before the destruction of the building the church's steeple and bell were removed.
