New Yellowknife mosque and community centre to be built after long wait

After years of fundraising, Yellowknife's only mosque will be demolished making way for a new "modern" Islamic centre to meet the needs of the city's growing Muslim community.

Permits to demolish the building an aging trailer and a neighbouring lot have been filed with the city. If approved, tear down could begin in late May.

"We have been waiting for so long for this moment," saidNazim Awan, chair of the Islamic Centre of Yellowknife from inside the mosque. Cracks in the ceiling and slanting floors show wear from years ofshifting ground below. Awan said it's the third attempt to move the project from the fundraising phase to shovels in the ground.

"You can say that I am so excited. The time has finally come!"

Yellowknife's Muslim community has grown from just a few families in the early 90s to more than 300 people, according to the Islamic centre's website. During busy times of worship the trailer's narrow lobby is often used for overflow. The women's prayer area is even smaller, accommodating up to 20 people.

Zeina Alhajy said the new space, which includes a larger prayer hall for women, will be a big improvement.

Alhajy came to Yellowknife with her family from Syria as refugees three years ago. She often worships at home because there isn't enough room in the women's prayer space.

"There is no space so small," she said in Arabic through a translator."This [new] centre will help us build our relationship with our community,"

Her son, 16-year-old Diya Alhajjy is also looking forward to more opportunities.

"Sometimes back in my country there were books for me and teachers teaching. This [new] space will be helpful for me and the new kids to learn more about this community. The mosque is for everybody, not only for Muslims."

New mosque expected open in 2020

The two-storey 7,500-square-foot centre will include larger worship spaces for men and women, a youth hall, a library and space for an Islamic school.

The Zubaidah Tallab Foundation, a small Islamic charity based in Winnipeg, is helping to build and finance the new mosque. It's built mosques in Thompson, Man., Inuvik, Iqaluit and most recently Whitehorse.

They rely on local donations, plus fundraising in Muslim communities across the country.

The Islamic Centre of Yellowknife has already raised $150,000 toward constructing the estimated $2.5 million project.

The centre took a financial hit after a former Imam defrauded the organization of more than $117,000 money destined to build a new mosque.

Unlike the mosque in Inuvik, Yellowknife's new Islamic centre will be built from scratch. The plan is to hold regular open houses inviting non-Muslims into the space.

"The new centre will be a community centre, managed by Muslims for the community. That is the dream," Awan said.

He said demolition is expected to begin the last week of Ramadan. They're still finalizing a transition plan for an alternate worship space.

The new Islamic centre is expected to open in 2020.

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