Ave Maria Village plans expansion with new chapel

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Image courtesy / Ave Maria Village This artist’s rendering shows what the updated Ave Maria Village will look like, when the new chapel is added.

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Ave Maria Village will be undergoing a facelift to keep up with a growing need 50 years after its formation.

The long-term care facility in north Jamestown has announced it is seeking funds to build a new chapel and parking facility.

“It’s a big undertaking — its’ not super-duper huge — but it’s pretty big for us,” said Tim Burchill, Ave Maria CEO, of the $1.2 million project.

As well as hosting more religious activities, Burchill said he wants to open the new chapel to everything from Boy Scouts to baptisms.

“Our intent is to make it open to the community too, for use for functions on a scheduled basis,” he said.

The current chapel also serves as an activity room. Burchill said it can get very busy. There’s a plethora of groups for residents, community members and staff as well.

“Now we can schedule a lot more group activities and still have the space for religious activities,” Burchill said.

The other part of the project will be the construction of a heated garage, so residents can come and go as they please without being exposed to the elements of North Dakota winters.

He said it will be similar to the parking garages at hospitals.

As for funding, Ave Maria is starting a capital campaign to raise an estimated $800,000 needed for the project.

“We’re venturing into new territory here with the capital campaign,” Burchill said. “It’s never been done before. We’re watching to see the community’s response to that.”

He hopes to break ground this fall, and depending on the winter the project could be completed by spring.

“We have a lot of friends and supporters in the community, and in the history of Ave Maria Village we haven’t given them an opportunity to be part of our ministry,” Burchill said.

The new project will change the face of the long-term care facility and at the same time offer more community members the opportunity to use it.

“There are people that have never been up here and we want them to come up and see what we’re all about,” Burchill said. “I think that will bring people to our facility that would otherwise not have an opportunity to come.”

Although the campaign hasn’t formally begun, those interested in making a donation can contact Burchill or Tom Geffre at 252-5660.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, expansion