Recycling a Church

The view from my balcony faces east.  Our building is about 35 years old, built when land wasn't so expensive and buildings weren't squashed together, so we have a lovely wooded ravine and stream at the back of the building and a long drive and gardens facing the front.   From my balcony I have a pleasant view, mostly trees and a lovely old smaller church with a wonderful spire.  Every morning and evening from the spire came some lovely music.  It sounded like bells, but it wasn't the real thing, something electronic.  Nevertheless, everyone in our building looked forward each day to the few minutes of music.  It was built in the 1800s and a few years ago was declared not safe.  So the congregation and the music maker moved a little distance up the street to a new church situated within a Catholic School.  The rumours went around that the old church was too bad to be fixed and too expensive anyway.  Much to our delight, the Town stepped in and purchased it and began renovations.  The plan is to make it into a community arts centre.  It will have a stage and rows of movable seating, and a new area in the front of the church that will serve as an welcoming area and a small bar.  We were a little leery of the design sketches, and waited for the work to begin.   During last summer and fall a lot of structural, roofing and inside work took place, and just recently the outside has begun to take shape. The photos below show the project so far.   It doesn't look at all out of place, just a bit modern and if you have to add a big chunk to the front of a beautiful church, glass was a good choice.