Ten years of work came together Monday night as the Islamic Association of Saskatchewan (IAOS) received clearance to establish a new mosque in Regina Industrial Tuxedo Park Zone.
“This is some very exciting news for us. This is something we’ve struggled to set up, develop and build over the last ten years,” IAOS Regina president Fasial Khan said.
City bylaws prevent faith-based institutions in industrial areas, but council granted this project approval and it will serve as the basis for a potential bylaw change.
It was a bumpy road for the IAOS to get to this point. They previously tried to build the mosque off Highway 33 on five acres of land they own in the RM of Sherwood.
Their application was twice rejected, first because the RM said a faith-based institution doesn’t fit their vision for the area and later over traffic concerns.
“Even then, we were declined twice, so we had to come back to the city where we belong, and this is very exciting news for us,” Khan said.
The IAOS plans to start a business venture on their land in the RM of Sherwood in order to turn it into an income property. One of the plans being discussed is rental housing.
Located in the 500 block of 12th Avenue East, the future mosque is a warehouse now owned by the IAOS. Khan said that the plan is to renovate the space and open it for worshippers in time for Ramadan in May 2018.
Mayor Michael Fougere said he was happy to grant the approval at council, as the new mosque will take pressure off the crowded mosque on Montague Street in the Lakeview neighborhood.
“It’s just incredibly jammed. It’s actually outrageous that you have to walk through different rooms and they can’t worship the ways they want to,” Fougere said.
“So this is about accommodation, and I’m glad they finally found a place.”
“It is cramped, there is a lot of pressure on our Montague facility, and it does disturb the neighbours,” Khan said in regard to the Montague Street mosque.
Parking concerns should be alleviated at the new mosque, which will have space for over 100 vehicles.
The IAOS plans to tear down the warehouse in the next two to three years once they get the financing in place to build a new mosque at the location, which will also serve as a community center.
“We’re very, very excited to be a part of this very good community. A very accommodating community,” Khan said.
“Now with this facility we want to show how good neighbours we are and to show our true identity, and Islamic architecture matched with Regina’s architecture.”