New Fellowship Hall
New Community Fellowship Hall
being constructed next to St. John’s
By Ted Pennekamp
As anyone traveling along the 700 block of S. Wacouta Avenue would have noticed, there will soon be a big, new Community Fellowship Hall next to St. John’s Catholic Church.
“It will be there to be used as much as we can,” said Father Jim Weighner, who noted that the Fellowship Hall will be used for parish events, parish dinners, funeral dinners, a variety of receptions and some adult education.
Weighner said that the 7,000-square-foot hall will seat about 280. It will have a kitchen, handicapped accessible restrooms attached to the church, a storage area and the hall area.
“This project is something that has been discussed one way or another for the past several years,” said Weighner, who noted that the hall will be part of the Holy Family Parish.
Ground was broken in November of 2014 and it is hoped that the project will be completed sometime in the fall of 2015. “We are trying to do this with local contractors as much as possible,” said Weighner. “We have a committee which chooses the contractors.” Weighner said that Midwest Builders of Fennimore is the project manager.
“This (the Fellowship Hall) is the first of two projects from our capital campaign of two years ago,” said Weighner, in noting that ground will be broken in April for a new building attached to the west end of St. Gabriel’s Catholic School at 515 N. Beaumont Road.
The new building at St. Gabriel’s will house a gymnasium and offices and will offer some day care, Weighner said. The “middle school-sized” gym will have seating for 100.
Weighner said that the merger of St. John’s and St. Gabriel’s in 2012 into Holy Family Parish has helped with fund-raising and administration for the two projects.
“These projects speak to our confidence in Holy Family Parish and Prairie Catholic School that we will continue to be a presence in the Prairie du Chien community offering a quality education for our young people,” said Father Weighner.