Message from the National Spiritual Assembly, 16 April 2018: Historic developments in properties

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

Further to our earlier announcement of the establishment of a Community Endowment Fund for the acquisition and maintenance of properties to support the work of expansion and consolidation, attached for your ease of reference, the National Spiritual Assembly is delighted to share with you some exciting and historic developments in Canada.

Urged by a 1 April 2016 letter written on the Universal House of Justice’s behalf to give priority to finding suitable properties with residential capacity in Vancouver and Toronto to serve all forms of educational activity, the National Assembly began a search.  As you know, real estate costs in these two cities that serve as sites for the dissemination of learning about the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme are the highest in the country, and the task was daunting.

In December 2017, it came to our attention that two duplexes comprising four units were nearing completion immediately adjacent to the Vancouver Bahá’í Centre.  When the Spiritual Assembly of Vancouver learned of the availability of these units, they wrote to the National Assembly to offer a repurposing of the Bahá’í Centre, in fulfilment of this goal.

With gratitude for this ready spirit of collaboration and the vision of the Vancouver Bahá’í community, we are thrilled to announce the acquisition of the duplexes adjacent to the multi-purpose space of the Vancouver Bahá’í Centre, which together with the Centre form the first facility of its kind in Canada.  It was quickly readied for the first camps and institute campaigns, which began in March.

As outlined in the National Assembly’s 6 April 2018 letter to all the friends, decades-long efforts to learn about growth have borne wonderful fruit during the bicentennial year.  In clusters and neighbourhoods working with larger numbers, the lack of space is a substantial obstacle.  To overcome this impediment and welcome all those who wish to participate in the work of the Cause, the National Assembly is developing a strategic national plan for the acquisition of properties at all levels to meet the most pressing of these needs.  Contributions to the Community Endowment Fund are providing a strong foundation.

In addition to an initial infusion from the National Assembly, a community contribution goal of $500,000 for this Fund has been set for the year to come, to ensure no delay in meeting the need for space for the building of strong communities.  It is with joy and loving invitation that we share with you this step on a new path.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF CANADA