Greater Sudbury Northern Life
In Greater Sudbury, even churches are building green.
The new All Nations Church, to be built off of St. Raphael Street in Minnow Lake, will be a place of worship of God and respect for the natural world, said Rev. Jeremy Mahood at a ground breaking ceremony Tuesday morning.
The new $5 million church is expected to be open for worship in late 2010, said Mahood. It will sport a monolithic dome connected by a foyer and baptistery. There is room for an 800 seat auditorium.
“The monolithic dome will enable All Nations Church to build the most eco-friendly energy efficient church in Canada,” said Mahood.
“At this time in history people are concerned about the environment and our carbon footprint,” he said.
The structure also has an economic payoff.
“With savings in energy costs each year we will be able to pay for the church in 16 years,” he noted.
Capital costs have been raised from donations and a small mortgage.
All Nations Church was started by Mahood's father in the early 1950s. It is named after the many nationalities who made the church their own though they came from many different countries to work in the mines.
“The church has consistently grown over the years. We have met in the Fraser Auditorium at Laurentian University since 1999. We have outgrown that space.”
Mahood said it was a “miracle” when a year ago local developer Ed Masotti asked him to exchange four acres of land off of Centennial Drive the church purchased in 1987, for approximately 14 acres of land overlooking The Kingsway.
“That encouraged us to build an innovative project, one monolithic dome, the most energy efficient structure known now along with another activity dome containing a chapel.”
The building will use than half the energy normally required to heat the space.
“With the addition of a solar wall on the south side we hope to generate most of the electricity and heat needed. We plan also to light up our parking lot using solar light standards, again cutting down our carbon footprint.”
Water will be conserved by harvesting it off the roof. As the community becomes more involved with the site, Mahood expects gardens to sprout as well.
Mahhod said the innovative design will put Greater Sudbury on the map.
“We will be only one of the few places in Sudbury to have a building like this. There are a couple out west but none other exist in Ontario.”
Local professionals and businesses are involved. The architects are Perry and Perry Architects.
All Nations Church provides a host of ministries for youth and children, women, couples and outreach.
For more information, contact All Nations Church, at 673-6110 and visit www.monolithic.com
