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From the Barrhaven Independent
All good things are worth waiting for.
That cliché could not be more relevant for the Barrhaven Salvation Army Church, which held its opening celebrations Sat., April 13.
Commissioner Lee Graves, who with his wife Debbie serves as the territorial leader of the Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda, recalled how the church left its old location in the city on Woodroffe Avenue in 2007 with the plans of eventually moving to a new church in Barrhaven.
“I wonder if you would have had the courage to step out, as you did then, if you knew the timeline,” Graves said, drawing laughter from those in attendance.
One of the original delays of getting the building on the edge of the South Nepean Park at 102 Bill Leathem Drive built was the recommendation from Ottawa city staff to reject the plans for the church and community centre.
Staff had recommended not allowing the building of the church and a community centre as it falls within the Airport Operating Influence Zone.
Council voted 9-1 to give the green light to the church and community centre. Ottawa International Airport Authority said that there is too much noise for the facility. The church and community centre would be two-and-a-half kilometres from the airport’s busiest runway.
The Airport Operating Influence Zone restricts noise-sensitive development, but the zoning rule excludes schools, places of worship, daycares and retirement residences.
“I think for me, the words ‘Are we there yet?’ come to mind,” said Graves to smileds and more laughter of the gathering. “And we watched. And we watched. And we watched. And we waited. And we waited. And we waited. In fact, we went out of the country for five years, and we came home to be surprised that we were still waiting… But this does truly represent a significant milestone.”
Barrhaven East Councillor Wilson Lo brought greetings from the City of Ottawa.
“The community spaces that are here now, and what’s to come in the future, are going to be really valuable as a hub and a gathering space for residents both in Barrhaven and across the City of Ottawa,” Lo said.