The Chinese Alliance Church has agreed to add two housing units as part of the development of its new worship hall after community members raised concerns over the project’s contribution to the erosion of residential space in the neighbourhood.
The church is planning to expand onto two lots adjacent to its Eccles Street location, a project that involves razing two houses to build a multi-purpose hall with an underground parking lot.
Church officials say they asked their architect to revise the building plans after the Dalhousie Community Association opposed preliminary sketches.
“We took it very seriously when we heard the feedback,” says church elder David Young.
“We want to send the message that we’re here to support the community and not be contradictory in terms of trying to expand our facility at all costs.”
Young says the new housing units will conceal the Bell Street facade of the hall, thus preserving the street’s residential appearance.
DCA president Eric Darwin says the destruction of housing is an ongoing problem in the area. He’s pleased the church is reducing the impact its expansion will have on the neighbourhood.
“A large church frontage on Bell Street would have been overwhelming to the street and out of scale institutionally,” Darwin says.
Young says the church, which has a Protestant congregation of 480 people, will now have to function with a smaller hall than originally envisioned.
The church is preparing its rezoning application for city hall approval, but church officials say the new building may not be operational for another one to two years.