Church back on track

ALMOST two years ago a group of parishioners from the Anglican Parish of Kangaroo Flat saw their church gutted by fire, but parishioners are confident that exciting times are ahead. Plans are being drawn up to rebuild St Mary’s Anglican Church Kangaroo Flat, after the old church burnt down in suspicious circumstances in December 2008. St Mary’s Anglican Church building committee chairman Colin Clark said local architect Leigh Cartwright from the Hughes Cartwright Design Group had been working on plans for the past six weeks, and it was hoped concept plans would be received in a fortnight. Though a definitive cost for the project is not yet known, the building committee expects it will cost up to $1.5 million.Mr Clark said the church would be built so it could join onto the existing parish hall, where parishioners have been gathering for services since the fire. A new church, parish office, kitchen, indoor toilets and storerooms will be built as part of the project. Mr Clark said they hoped to seat 150 people in the new church building. The parish started making plans for the new church about two months ago, when it conducted surveys among parishioners to see how they would like to see the new church built. “We collated all that information, and passed it on to the architect... together with rooms we require, and approximate sizes,’’ Mr Clark said. Once the concept plans are completed, he said they would then need approval by parishioners before they got final approval from the Anglican Diocese of Bendigo. Mr Clark said final drawings would then be put together before the church sought tenders, and began applying for permits for the project.He said the new church would have a modern design, and two-thirds of the project would be funded by insurance. Mr Clark, who has been a member of the parish for more than 20 years, said it was an exciting time for the community. “It’s a devastating feeling when it goes, but it’s very exciting to see something starting again,’’ he said. “All people would be very excited about a new building going up.’’