February 4, 2018

Dear Parishioners:

Modified Design for Parish Hall

Thank you for your feedback regarding the initial design for our parish hall presented to you in May 2017.

A modified design incorporating many of your suggestions is now on display at the entrance to the church. It is also available on the parish website @ stclement-ottawa.org.

There are several significant changes with this new option, the main one being that the rectory would be retained but moved to the back of the lot by a house moving company.

Retaining the rectory yields significant advantages:

• our priests get to remain in a house that suits their needs and at the same time we can switch from the electrical heating to natural gas, resulting in major savings over time.
• while under construction our priests and the parish office will relocate to the house on 566 Old St. Patrick St. After completion of the project, the priests will return to the relocated/renovated rectory and the house at 566 Old St. Patrick St. will be sold.

  566 Old St. Patrick St.

This new design would mean a smaller hall with the seating capacity of the banquet room reduced from 288 with the initial plan to 224 with this design.

The main features of the hall, which would be handicap accessible throughout, are as follows:

Main Floor

• banquet room with a stage and seating capacity of 224. For a concert or conference we would be able to accommodate up to 279.
• terrace with an awning allowing for additional outside seating of 48.
• large, commercial-grade kitchen.
• large bookstore/gift shop offering quality reading material and religious articles.

Basement

• reception/office area with a private office for each priest and a small boardroom.
• all-purpose meeting room for parish groups, catechism instruction for children, and adult faith formation.
• separate room for choir practice.
• office space for rent to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.
• ladies and men’s washrooms and storage rooms.
• some space set aside for future needs.
• accessible by stairs and elevator.

Design Parish Hall Modified Proposal Feb 2018 (PDF format)

The total estimated cost to move and renovate the rectory, and build the hall is approximately $2.3 million. If we proceed with this design we would use some of our funds on deposit with the Archdiocese of Ottawa as a downpayment and the eventual proceeds from the sale of 566 Old St. Patrick St. would leave us with a loan from the Archdiocese secured by a mortgage of approximately $1.1 million.

To cover mortgage payments and hall operating costs after applying income earned from the bookstore, rental of office space to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and proceeds of fundraising would require an increase in our weekly collections of $650. With the present number of envelopes, this would represent an increase of approximately $3.00 per envelope each week.

Please review this modified design and provide feedback by placing your comments in the box beside the display. The display will be available until Sunday, March 4.

Once we have summarized your comments, we will convene a general meeting of parishioners to discuss them, consider changes, review a detailed budget, make a decision and move forward.

A parish hall is the next step in building a stronger more vibrant and united parish community. Thank you for keeping this important project in your prayers. If you haven’t already done so, please pick up the prayer card to St. Joseph at the entrance to the church and say the perpetual novena prayer to St. Joseph to provide for our temporal and spiritual needs.

If you have questions or require clarification, please contact Mr. Stéphane Lalonde at 613-446-9972 or Mr. Frank Tanner 613-233-1146, extension 226.

God Bless,

Father Erik Deprey, FSSP

Pastor