Wooden Greek Catholic church in Canada destroyed by fire will be reconstructed

St. Elias Ukrainian Catholic Church in Brampton, Ontario burned to the ground in April will start reconstruction in May. It has received $500,000 in donations, half of which came from an anonymous donor at a recent benefit concert and dinner, the Star informs.

"The local community has really supported us," said parishioner Lu Bobyk after the Sunday service, which has been held in the atrium of St. Augustine Secondary School since the fire.

Bobyk said the St. Elias' insurance will cover $3.8 million for construction of the new building plus $1 million for interior furnishings. The church has not yet officially started fundraising, he said, but more money will be needed for furnishings.

"We'll need significant funds to refurbish the inside with iconography."

Father Roman Galadza said the architects of the new church, which will have a wooden structure very similar to the old one, are in the final phase of their drawings. They recently met with city staff to discuss the next steps toward reconstruction.

"The city knows our parish and our community," he said. "It regrets the loss along with us and wants to see the building back."

The plan is to break ground in May and complete construction by summer 2016.

In the meantime, both Bobyk and Galadza said the congregation's 175 or so families have remained tight-knit while attending at St. Augustine.