Muslim Association of Canada looks to build new prayer centre in Waterloo

The Muslim Association of Canada hopes to build a new prayer centre in Waterloo.

However they have run into a couple issues after some people tried to block zoning changes.

Some people in our region are concerned about noise levels, traffic, and building size.

Waterloo council heard the Muslim Association of Canada’s request on Monday to rezone an agricultural property at 510 Erbsville Road to institutional so it can be used as a prayer centre.

Councilor Brain Bourke says while the land is zoned agricultural, that doesn’t necessarily mean its being used.

“Before people get the idea that somebody is chewing up a huge piece of prime farm land, it’s not a farm. It has a house on it and a garage.”

Bourke says he got an email from a concerned resident saying the centre planned to put loud speakers on top of the building.

“So we asked the representatives from the Muslim Association if that was the case, ‘are you planning to put loud speakers on the building’, he said ‘no why would we do that?’ It’s a spiritual centre, we have churches in neighborhoods, and some churches have bells.”

He says some have sent him emails worried about the location but the Muslim Association of Canada says they want the space because that area is home to over 100 Muslim families.

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