The Islamic Center

The Prince George Islamic Centre
An Investment for the future of our children
Background
The Prince George Chapter of the British Columbia Muslim Association was initiated
in June 1999 with the objectives to:
- Bring the Muslims of Prince George and surrounding area together and help them in
their Practice of Islam;
- Make Islam better understood by the Prince George and
Northern BC communities;
- Promote understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims.
The Muslim population in Prince George is growing steadily due to the diversification
of the local economy and an effective support network provided by the local Muslim
community for the practice of Islam.
In the early years, congregational prayers were offered in classrooms and Islamic
classes offered in people houses. At the end of the year 2000, a small room was
rented in a local motel to offer Friday prayers. Since 2002, weekly Islamic classes
were held regularly in classrooms provided by the Immigrant and Multicultural Services
Society. Since November 2004, the community has been renting space from a local
Church to offer Friday prayers.
In 2003, the community decided to explore the possibility of purchasing land from
the City of Prince George and build an Islamic centre. The Muslim Community presented
its needs to the city council in two council meetings. In March 2004, the Prince
George City Council approved the sale of a piece of land to our community An agreement
with the City Administration was reached in late 2004. In March 2005, the Prince
George City Council unanimously approved the rezoning of 3.8 acres of City land
for the construction of an Islamic Centre. The final sale agreement was signed
on April 21, 2006. prayer-hall with a mezzanine provides space for congregational
prayer. Two classrooms provide space for weekend religious and language education.

The Project
The Prince George Chapter is building the first Islamic Centre in Northern
British Columbia. The Centre hopes to cater to our Muslim community including the
growing Muslim student population at the University of Northern British Columbia
in Prince George.
The Islamic Cultural and Educational Centre in Prince George will act as the focus
for our community’s activities and will serve many functions which include
but are not limited to:
- Providing a place for congregational prayer;
- Having a centre for education and learning for both Muslims &
Non-Muslims;
- Creating a place for providing guidance, counseling and support;
- Establishing a place from which to promote and organize charitable
events;
- Instilling pride in our youth and in our entire community;and
- Providing a place in which to host our community’s social
& recreational events.
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Construction and Funding
We will start the construction of the Islamic Centre soon; the estimated cost of
the first phase is about 1.2 million dollars.
The first phase will contain the main prayer hall and a multi-purpose hall
that will be used for holding conventions, youth and sport activities, multicultural
and interfaith dialogue, and other social and educational gatherings. The first
phase will also include two classrooms that will be used as a daycare. The second
and third phases will include a gym and an Islamic public library.
We consider the first phase to be extremely important as it is critical to
the creation of a solid, visible base, around which current and future Muslims can
nurture and grow their faith in Northern B.C. This Centre will help Northern BC
attract and retain immigrant Muslims from all over the world.
Our community has conducted several fund-raising activities, but it is recognized
that, due to our size, we will need the financial assistance of Muslim and
non Muslim organizations as well as provincial and national organizations.
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The Site
The project site is on the north-east corner of 5th Avenue and Foothills Boulevard.
The property is approximately 3.39 acres, sloping at a gentle gradient down to the
east and north. Across Foothills Boulevard is a steep escarpment with a mature native
landscape that is part of an greenbelt. Across 5th Avenue are single-family residences.
A series of single-family dwellings are along the northern property boundary and
a multi-family townhouse development is adjacent to the east. An existing berm,
with established planting is along the east property, provides a natural screen
for the townhouses. A covenant stipulates a no-build setback of 10m along the east
and north property lines to mitigate the impacts of this development on adjacent
residences.
City utilities do not currently service this property.
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Master Plan
The site master plan anticipates gradual growth of the facility over a period of
time. The first phase of the project would occur along the southern portion
of the site. The building would be located on the south-west corner and the parking
would be adjacent, extending from the building to the 10m no-build setback to the
east.
The intent is to maintain the centre of the site as an open landscapes area, with
a combination of a formal garden and a small orchard. Future expansion of the building
would occur in a linear fashion along the west property line. Parking growth would
expand north adjacent to the existing berm. A new berm with planting is proposed
parallel to the north of the property line, to create a landscape screen for the
single-family residences and to establish a sense of enclosure for the central garden
area.
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Building Program
The first phase of the project establishes the minimum spaces required for
community activities for the Muslim population of Prince George. The principal space
is the multi-purpose hall for social and recreational activities. A small prayer-hall
with a mezzanine provides space for congregational prayer. Two classrooms provide
space for weekend religious and language education.
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Building Design
The design proposes to unify the building with its geographic terrain. The building
massing rises gently to the west against the backdrop of the forested escarpment.
The large enclosed mass of the multipurpose hall is disaggregated by a break in
the roof surface. The dynamic roof forms are created by the intersection of geometries
between the orthogonal Prince George city grid and the axis to Mecca (N16.5˚E),
to which Muslim prayer spaces align.
The entrance to the building is at the east end of a colonnade that separates the
multi-purpose hall on the south side and the prayer hall to the north. The colonnade
is exposed by the slope of the adjacent roof. The glazing would be articulated with
Islamic geometric patterns bringing visual interest to the entrance.
The massing culminates in a minaret that rises above the building, topped by an
open cupola. As well as being a symbolic element of Islamic architecture, the minaret
will assist in stack ventilation for the building, contributing to the sustainable
features of the building.

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Construction Materials
In selecting structural and finish materials the main objective is sustainability.
This will be achieved by using locally or regionally sourced materials or by using
materials that have a long service life. The main structural system will be timber
frame and glu-lam members. The palette of exterior materials will be masonry, metal
cladding, glazing and fibre-cement board.
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Sustainability
The intent in this project is to incorporate as many environmentally sustainable
strategies as possible. In addition to natural ventilation and material selection
noted above, daylight harvesting, on site storm water management and efficient fixtures
and equipment will be investigated.
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The Holy Prophet on the importance of mosques:
1. O ye people, praise God. Anyone who builds a Mosque for the sake of God, the
Exalted, God will in return builds an abode for him or her in the Station of Bliss
(Paradise). (Bukhari, Muslim)
2. To God, the most adored places are the mosques and the most undesirable places
are market places.
3. Mosques are the houses of God and those believers who enter therein are the guests
of God.
4. Those who visit the mosques in darkness (dark hour of nights) convey to them
the good news that God shall bestow upon them from Himself perfect light on the
day of judgment.
5. For him (or her) who makes his ablutions at home and then walks to one of the
houses of God, one single step of his towards the Mosque wipes out a sin and next
step raises his status.
6. Whenever anyone of you enters a mosque let him pray that "O God open up for me
the doors of Thy Mercy"; and whenever anyone from among you leaves a mosque, let
him pray: " O God, I seek from Thee Thy blessings".
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