The Al-Furqan Learning Centre located at 4419 55 Street. (City of Red Deer)

By Sheldon Spackman

Application Denied

Planning commission denies Place of Worship application on 55 Street

Nov 21, 2019 | 10:30 AM

An application to operate a Place of Worship in the Woodlea neighbourhood has been denied by Red Deer’s Municipal Planning Commission (MPC).

The proposed development was to be located at 4419 55 Street, currently home to the Al-Furqan Learning Centre, a facility that provides educational services for youth that was approved by MPC on Apr. 26 of this year.

A development permit application to also use the learning centre as a mosque was not supported by City administration, and subsequently denied unanimously by MPC on Wednesday.

Reasons cited to deny the application included the proposed use not being compatible with adjacent sites, noting exterior nuisances such as noise during early morning and late night activities, increased traffic congestion along 45 Avenue and other nearby streets, as well as inadequate parking on the property containing only 14 stalls.

Bashir Hareed, president of the Al-Furqan Learning Centre, says he’s disappointed with the decision.

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“We did give the City our proposals to solve the problems, the issues that the neighbours have expressed, but unfortunately the City had to make their own decision as well,” he concedes.

“We’ll respect the decision, but we wanted to advise the City that we do have a Muslim community that is growing, that needs to be accommodated. Currently we do have one space, one mosque that’s located in the south of the City, and that’s not enough for us.”

Hareed says the need for more space for Red Deer’s growing Muslim population is an issue he hopes to resolve with the City as soon as possible, adding the Al-Furqan Learning Centre’s future is now uncertain.

“Our financial support did depend on our Place of Worship, and we’re not sure if we are able to continue with our services in the way it is,” he admits. “We want the City to address the issue with us. It’s very difficult for us to designate a place to say that this would be a Place of Worship for us, so this is something that’s not clear within the bylaws of the City – a place that doesn’t have a specific zoning, it’s always a discretionary use.”

The building in question was originally built as a church around 1952 and later used as a funeral home until 1994. Since then it’s been home to a photography business, yoga studio, dance studio and a massage therapy clinic before becoming the Al-Furqan Learning Centre.

The City started receiving complaints in August regarding the use of the site during early morning and late evening hours with increased noise and traffic, especially on Fridays.

Several inspections were then conducted which City officials say revealed the building was being used in a manner not consistent with its approved use as a commercial school. An unscheduled inspection conducted by City staff on September 6 found the site was being used as a Place of Worship.

During the inspection, officials say it was observed that many attendees of the building were parking their vehicles on 45 Avenue and that the parking lot for the site was at capacity.

A Stop Order was then issued Sept. 17, with the business owner advised they would need to address the noise, traffic and parking concerns raised by area residents, then submit a development permit application in order to operate as a Place of Worship.

Mayor and MPC chair Tara Veer told those in attendance the site has had numerous challenges for many years.

“It is an area where there are historic uses on the site that have changed as the area has intensified as 55 Street has become (busier),” she explained. “While the commercial service facility is completely within the scope of permitted uses, the Place of Worship component is not. So I do feel confident that an alternate location where permitted zoning exists elsewhere in the city can be reasonably accommodated.”