By Sam Borsato - @BorsatoSam on Twitter

Lethbridge Muslim Association purchasing Bill Kergan Centre with member donations

Apr 27, 2017 | 9:53 AM

LETHBRIDGE – City Council has finalized a land sale for the Lethbridge Muslim Association to turn the Bill Kergan Centre into a community centre.
 
The building, located at 207 13 Street North, went for a purchase price of $575,000. Hyder Mohamed, association president, says it will be utilized by the city’s growing Muslim community for educational purposes, prayer gatherings and plenty of other uses.
 
“The current building [was] built in 1993, and we have seen the community growing. So, it was about the right time to find a bigger place to accommodate all the brothers and sisters,” Mohamed told Lethbridge News Now.
 
But the Muslim Association, which is a religious organization registered with the province of Alberta and Revenue Canada as a religious charity, is no stranger to the Bill Kergan Centre. Mohamed says the group has rented the space for years in order to host a number of events, and believes it should fulfill their needs for the next 10 to 15 years.
 
He added that there are plenty of proposals in front of the association for the current Islamic Centre, which is located just down the street, but there are no intentions right now to get rid of it.
 
The purchase is truly a member-driven effort, according to Mohamed.
 
“The donation process is on-going. We haven’t gathered the whole amount yet, but everyone is pitching in.”

The closing date is set for September 18th, 2017, if the group can present $500,000 cash on or before that date. They hope to open the doors shortly after that time.