'We weren't expecting it to happen that quickly': community purchases land for Leamington mosque
The community currently worships out of St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church
It's been a dream of the Muslim community in Leamington to have its own place to worship.
That dream is finally becoming a reality, with the purchase of land on Talbot Street East in Leamington. The Windsor Islamic Association announced the purchase Friday.
The new mosque will be home to about 70 people every week. $180,000 was raised at just one fundraising dinner at the end of January.
"We know that our Windsor community is very generous, from past experience," said Dr. Basel El-Tawil, who helped organize the fundraising efforts. He called the response "overwhelming."
"We weren't expecting it to happen that quickly."
Najum Jutt expects the design phase to be at least a year.
"The land is paid for and a private donor paid for the foundation, but we will need money for the building," said Jutt, who acts as the prayer leader for the community right now. He expects there to be more fundraising dinners to raise the money, including in other cities in Ontario.
WATCH: The Leamington Muslim community currently shares space with an Anglican church.
The closing date on the land was Jan. 30, 2019 and construction can begin once legalities and designs are sorted out.
According to El-Tawil, he hopes construction for the community centre and worship space will start Summer 2019. He hopes it won't cost more than $800,000 for the building and parking lot.
"It's very important for the community to have our own community centre and prayers place," said El-Tawil. He said the community centre will have a gymnasium, computer lab and family room.
Jutt agreed and said the community centre will feel like home.
"Having our own place is significant, because it allows us to have a bigger place to worship, allows us to have not only a symbolic place but a place where we can have a lot more activities," said Jutt.