church2

So what has been happening with the building?

Blue Prints: We are moving forward to acquire the existing set of blue prints used at Bethlehem Lutheran in Outlook, Saskatchewan. This L-shaped design will work well for our needs and will save considerably on design costs. This church design has also been proven to be a very cost-effective with regards to building costs, which we all know are very expensive. To begin building sooner, we will be constructing the church in two phases. The first phase will include a 330 person sanctuary, a large kitchen and meeting area for a combined area of 10,181 sq. ft. Phase 2 will consist of an educational wing providing much needed classroom space and additional office space. The phase 2 will likely be around 5,400 sq. ft with the possibility of some basement development.
bethlehem floorplan option2

Capital Funding: First of all, a big “Hats Off” to everyone who has contributed towards the building fund. As a congregation we have decided to have 1/3 of the total cost of the church in the bank before we begin building. We have done exceptionally well raising funds towards the required 33% of estimated construction costs. As we move closer to our 33% goal, we will begin preliminary quoting from suppliers. Rough estimates on construction indicate a final building cost of $1.5 million for the church but with the help of volunteers and corporate contributions and discounts, we should be able to significantly lower our cost of building.
2008 Site Plan
Lot Development: Lot work is on-going but unfortunately most of it is being done on computers and is not yet physically visible on the property. We are continuing to work closely with our architect Obert Friggstad, and the City of Camrose on property setbacks, utility easements, underground mining restrictions, utility deep service locations, landscaping plans and design requirements. We are currently working on having a geo-technical survey done which is required for city permits. This is also necessary to give the engineers and architects a detailed picture of what type of building foundation system will be best suited for the property to ensure a solid structure for years to come.

Sincerely,
Geoff Semmens
Chair Building Team