Proposed Muslim Association prayer centre met with more opposition

Some Waterloo residents are speaking out after the local Muslim Association of Canada has proposed a rezoning of a property in order to build a new prayer centre.

City of Waterloo Ward 2 Councillor Brian Bourke says this isn’t an unusual request.

“It’s in the midst of one of the biggest housing developments in Waterloo…this particular stretch of land hasn’t been developed and is zoned ‘Agricultural’, as was all of Waterloo at one point.”

The property in the Laurelwood area, located at 510 Erbsville Road, would need to be switched from an ‘Agricultural’ zone with the City of Waterloo, to an ‘Institutional’ zone.

Controversy arose after the city held an informal public meeting about the possible use of the property last May. The opposition escalated earlier this month, after a public information night was held at the nearby Sir John A. MacDonald High School.

A flier is now being distributed in the area and online, with the title “This is the wrong location. Say no to 510 Erbsville Road Rezoning”. It cites reasons such as an unjustified need for another prayer centre in the area, impact on local wildlife and rush hour traffic, and the lack of transparency by the city in the application process.

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The unnamed opposition group has also started an online petition that has garnered more than 630 signatures.

Bourke says that the city has been open to questions and comments about the property since the proposal last year.

“I find it very ironic that people who won’t identify themselves will declare that you’re not transparent. We had an informal public meeting at City Hall last May where the entire proposal was discussed, it was posted on our website…the information is out there.”

He adds that there are already 11 churches within a 6 km area whose construction didn’t receive any opposition, and the Muslim Association of Canada is being very careful with what they’re calling their potential new building.

“This is a difficult thing to say, I don’t know, maybe there is a difference but I do believe that the people applying for this are calling it a ‘spiritual centre’ because they are afraid of the impact the word ‘mosque’ would have,” says Bourke.

Local spokesperson for the Muslim Association of Canada Rania LaWendy spoke at the public information meeting to address the concerns of those who live in the Laurelwood area, of which she is also a resident.

“One woman said to me, ‘well you shouldn’t have a mosque or a prayer centre here, you guys should be in some farm somewhere where no one can see you,'” says Lawendy. “Now, is that the general sentiment of the community, I don’t think so. We’ve had lots of letters of support and I encourage anyone…to be vocal because a lot of times when there’s opposition people are vocal, but those in support don’t tend to be as vocal.”

She adds that their plans right now are to use the building already on the property as a prayer centre for people in the neighbourhood, and it would only have 5 to 25 worshippers at once.

They have pitched building plans for a larger mosque down the road as per the city’s protocols, but that is a hypothetical situation down the road if the needs of those worshippers grow and change in 10 to 15 years.

They addressed the public’s concerns in terms of the size of the potential new building, and any traffic problems at the meeting, and LaWendy says they have a great relationship with the neighbourhood and the city.

The responses from the public have been mostly positive and supportive.

570 News has reached out to the creators of the flier for comment. 

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