Yorkregion.com - Whitchurch-Stouffville - $9 M Springvale ‘campus’ set to open
$9 M Springvale ‘campus’ set to open
Worshipppers take part in Sunday service in the gymnasium of Springvale Church this spring. The church officially opens next weekend. Ontario Lt-Gov. David Onley will take part in celebrations at the Stouffville Road campus.
Whitchurch-Stouffville
May 17, 2008 01:00 AM
Massive Stouffville Road church addition four years in the making
By: Alyshia Higgins
It’s not your grandparents church.
It’s massive, costly, took four years to build and comes with a new name.
Next weekend, it officially opens.
Springvale Church has a new look, name and is hoping to attract new people during its grand opening next weekend.
“We’ve put up a multi-purpose facility that can be used for people of like-faith,” Senior Pastor Bob Flemming said. “It’s a bit of a campus thing we have here.”
The new motto, “Building faith, community and family”, is something Mr. Flemming hopes will be achieved with the new addition.
The grand opening weekend begins at 2 p.m. next Saturday, with Lt-Gov. David Onley kicking off the celebrations.
According to John Halse, a member of the church, the process has taken so long due to the fact the addition was being built on the environmentally sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine.
“Many levels of government have to approve what you’re doing,” he said.
“It was also such a massive project. It just took longer than we thought.”
The $9-million, 60,000-square-foot addition isn’t quite complete yet, but new occupants are already calling it home. A Chinese Baptist church is using the old sanctuary as home, while Mother Goose Academy, a pre-school, is also using the new facilities.
In addition, Stouffville Christian School is moving to the top floor of the new building and hoping to start classes in September.
While the exterior has changed and expanded, Mr. Halse said the name was changed from Springvale Baptist Church to just Springvale Church to encourage more people to attend the facility.
“Our services are more contemporary,” he said. “With the new and old entities coming in, we’re really trying to build a whole campus that will be community focused.”
A large gym is also under construction, currently serving as a temporary sanctuary, housing about 700 people.
The new sanctuary, expected to be complete in the coming months, will hold about 1,100 people, Mr. Halse said.
Mr. Flemming credits those sitting in the pews for donating and sacrificing to make the addition possible.
“Everything basically came from within the congregation,” he said. “These people’s commitment.. It’s been amazing.” The church has also held auctions and dinner for nine years.
Sports leagues are in the planning stages. Mr. Flemming is optimistic all renovations, including playing fields on the back 15 acres, will be completed within six to 10 years.
He encourages residents of all faiths, ages and backgrounds to check out the new facilities.
“We’re having kind of a ministry fair (in the lobby), where people can wander around and find out about all the different programs they can get into,” he said.
Tours and refreshments will start at 5 p.m. the new church, located on 3885 Stouffville Rd., next Saturday, with Phil Callaway, a comedian, speaking shortly after.
Sunday, Charles Price, senior pastor at the People’s Church in Toronto, will perform the dedication service at 2 p.m.
For more information on the events, call 905-887-5651 or visit springvale.org