Grace Lutheran Church

This winter has been up and down or more correctly, cold (well below zero) and cool (above zero, often with freezing rain), often the same week. This has created a number of issues keeping the sidewalks and parking lot safe. Already this winter we have lain down grit twice. Everything else seems to be surviving and now that we are through the worst of winter we can start to look forward to Spring.

Our downstairs washrooms have continued to be a problem, with the Men’s getting plugged with paper. For the most part we have had them closed. For the NA marathon meeting over Christmas we opened them and used hand towels not paper towels. No luck, still plugged, so they are closed once more. We will be doing a scope of the lines but we may need to rip up the floor. Hopefully, we don’t have to as it will not be cheap.

As I noted back in November, we had an energy study done. This report identified a number of cost savings, including upgrades to lighting, windows, furnaces, sinks and others. We are planning to proceed with some of the upgrades, on a staged basis. If this report is of interest, let me know and I can provide a digital copy to you. The report also addressed adding PV (solar cells) onto the roof. We have an excellent south-facing roof that just begs for installation of PV. (St Paul’s United in Belgravia and also All Saints Lutheran in Castle Downs installed PV recently). We had a preliminary proposal prepared by a PV supplier. At the November Voters this was received positively and we are considering how to proceed. (25% of the cost could be rebated by Energy Efficiency Alberta (EEA). There are additional rebates that also may be available to us.

We are also planning for the replacement of both the steep roof and the furnaces once Spring (May-June) is here. Plan to attend the Voters Meeting, (AGM) Monday, March 11 to hear updates and have your say.

As always there are other tasks and projects that come up. If you notice anything that needs work let me and/or Eric know. Keep warm throughout the winter and don’t eat too many chocolates on St. Valentines Day!

Respectfully submitted,
David Kraatz
Director, Church Properties