Council for the Rural Municipality of Hanover has provided the necessary approvals, setting the stage for a Church to relocate to the municipality.

Peace River Gospel Church has a congregation of between 120 and 160 people and is currently meeting at Steinbach Legion Hall. A delegation from the Church appeared before Hanover Council this last week seeking approvals to build a Church in Hanover.

Walter Sawatzky is the owner of a 54-acre parcel along Road 35N. He has received conditional use approval to subdivide more than six acres in order to construct the Church. As a result of the subdivision, he needs to vary the minimum site area for lot 2 from 80 acres to 47.71 acres and the minimum site width from 600 feet to 66 feet.

Dale Christiuk lives at 387 Homestead Crescent, near the proposed site. She voiced concerns at Tuesday's public hearing over the increased traffic this Church would create and whether McKenzie Avenue will be properly maintained in respect to the additional vehicles. Christiuk questioned how many people would be attending this Church and whether the parking lot would be paved.

According to Sawatzky, they would like to build a Church that can seat 400 people. He says they want to build it large enough to be flexible in case of growth in the future. Hanover Councillor Dylan Barkman commends the Church for wanting to build a structure that is now too large, as it shows good planning.

But Sawatzky says they do not yet have any building designs, as they first want to get the necessary approvals from Hanover. He notes a paved parking lot and dust control will depend on what is asked by Hanover. Sawatzky says there are no plans for the Church to add a school at that site.

Hanover Council voted in favour of approving the Conditional Use and Variance Order. Reeve Stan Toews says the Church will need to enter into a development agreement, where Council can address some of the concerns.

Sawatzky says they hope to put shovel in the ground in spring of next year.