CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

It might not look like a lot is happening from where we're standing, but it is! The new Parish Family Pastoral Center is almost completely framed and the roof will be going on soon. We hope to have the roof on and the west side of the building pretty much completed by Christmas so that when the winter rains arrive, construction can continue unimpeded. Once again, we gently ask those who have pledged to the building, and who can afford to do so, to continue with their pledge payments. We are almost done with pledges and that will help us finish the building in good financial shape. For new parishioners who would like to be on board with providing this marvelous new facility to benefit our parish for years to come pledges and donations are still (happily) accepted!

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

The parking lot in front of the church has been striped and the handicapped parking places are back where they should be. We did not lose any handicapped places. In fact, we gained two! Work continues along at a good pace on our new Pastoral Center. Very soon now the steps will be replaced in front of the parish center entrance. They were illegal in height so had to be replaced. The new fountain is rich in symbolism as was explained in last Sunday's announcements. The four pillars represent the four gospels, each of different lengths going in different directions to represent the different audiences for whom they were intended, watering and giving life to the four corners of the world. The source of the life-giving water, like the Holy Spirit, is evident but hidden. (Also, since there is no pond open toteh elements there is less evaporation and water use in this fountain, which also keeps our little ones from splashing in and falling into it.)

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

HOPEFULLY, at this writing, the following will have been done this week: The driveway lights have been installed, the fountain in front of the church is up and working, concrete curbing has been poured in front of the rectory, the ground there has been prepped for asphalt work this week. By Friday the hope is to have the parking lots done and ready for complete use (and the west parking lot will be resurfaced after New Year’s Day). Yes, you can drive through the lot as we used to be able to do! The huge mountain of dirt that has stood in front of us since August is gone and serious work in the new Family Pastoral Center itself begins. We’ll see visible evidence every week of the continuing growth of our new building.

BIRD'S EYE VIEW

Good evening, friends of San Rafael Pastoral Center! Since groundbreaking, I've been videotaping the construction site and have uploaded some time lapse footage onto YouTube that I hope you find interesting, comprised of footage from June thru last week (22 Oct). There are three files containing footage that I have filmed from the roof of the Excel building (great birds-eye view of the whole project), as well as footage from the parking lot and from the patio. Here are the links to YouTube for your viewing pleasure:From the roof of Excel office building: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=hansonmarketing#p/u/0/D9O5feNFumAFrom the side parking lot (betw church and rectory):http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=hansonmarketing#p/u/2/BDyGbXOU8pYFrom the patio, looking toward the new building:http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=hansonmarketing#p/u/1/onSd7dg2wlEI will post new footage in January that captures the project thru Nov-Dec, when we will start to see the building really take shape! I have actual, real time footage if anyone wants to view it -- but be forewarned, there's a lot of it... hence the time lapse. Enjoy! Tom Hanson

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Landscaping features for the parking lot have been delivered have been planted, but the large outdoor Christmas tree which we ordered had a crooked trunk so we sent it back for another one. HOPEFULLY, the parking lot lights will soon all be in. Until then, temporary flood lights are being used in the parking lot at night. PLEASE BE CAREFUL while driving in the parking lot. The parking area in front of the rectory is supposed to be completed this coming week. The west parking lot will be resurfaced after New Year’s to assure that all possible parking will be available for the Holidays.

UPDATE

CONSTRUCTION on the new Family Pastoral Center continues. This week the slab was poured and has to “cure” for a few days before other work can commence. Next week we’ll begin to see framing go up. The church entryway has been completed and the pavers extend across to the parking lot to where the new parking lot will be. Yes, there will be drive through areas over the walkway. They’re just hard to distinguish because the parking lots are not yet finished. The new lights will be installed on the parking lot very shortly and work on the parking area in front of the rectory will begin soon. The handicapped spaces will be removed but we will put more, temporary handicapped spaces on the west side of the church.

BUILDING FUND PLEDGES continue to come in and we are entering the last of the initial pledge period. Many have already paid their pledges in full and others are near the end. If you made a pledge for the new building (which contains new offices, a smaller parish hall, a youth center/offices, and meeting/classrooms) we urge you – if you are able – to continue to pay on it until your pledge is met. If everyone pays the pledge chance are very good that we can open our new building debt free!

WHAT BECOMES OF THE CURRENT OFFICES when the new building is opened? The current parish offices will become the Religious Education Center. The present meeting rooms will all be refurnished with kidling-sized tables and chairs to accommodate our young parishioners for their classes. This way we can keep our religious education program contained in one facility.

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES UNABATED

Concrete curbing for the parking lot planters is being poured as well as for the front patio and a new fountain will be installed. The new fountain will be off to the east side of the main entrance to the church and will consist of four pillars, representing the four gospels, without a pond. Why was the old fountain removed? There are several reasons: 1) It took up a LOT of space and hindered gathering before and after Mass; 2) Little kids (of which we have more and more) loved to play and splash and fall into it; 3) It was a bear to clean and keep clean; 4) People kept throwing coins in it and, believe it or not, the bank wouldn’t accept those coins because they corrode and jam the coin counting machines; 5) Someone thought it would be fun to take the protective cap off the water return to the pump and drop coins in it, effectively clogging the water return and burning out the pump. To repair it would have necessitated breaking up the fountain anyway. The old parking lot will also be completely re-landscaped. SDG&E has finished their work of re-routing the utilities off of our property to service the Hilton Hotel and the rest of the required retaining wall will soon be completed. Steel is being laid for the foundation pad of the new building and soon the concrete pad will be poured. Keep those smiles coming! J

SUNDAY PARKING IS GOING VERY WELL. Thank you all for your patience. However, we have noticed some people who have “Handicapped” placards in their cars who don’t appear to be handicapped L and who take up the handicap spaces L!! In one instance a gentleman who needs to carry oxygen with him couldn’t park in a place meant for him because someone who didn’t really appear to need the space had taken it. Please be considerate of others. If you don’t absolutely need the handicapped spaces please leave them for those who do. If you don’t need it and use it anyway just remember: God is watching.

These photos were taken at the end of the day on Tuesday, August 4th. All of the trees, shrubs and landscaping medians in the parking lot were removed on Monday. By the end of Tuesday, most of the asphalt has been dug up and hauled away.

Parking continues to be a new challenge every day, depending on the parish activities scheduled for the day (and please believe that activities are being kept to an absolute minumum!). We just have to keep reminding ourselves each day that this is what we have been planning for and working so hard for the last five years! One thing is for sure, we are all getting our exercise in just trying to walk from one side of the property to the other taking care of daily business!

Parking Announcement

As most of you are aware, we have been delayed by factors beyond our control in the construction of the first phase of our new parking lot, those spaces that will be adjacent to the new building. Unfortunately, we must go forward with phase 2 demolition and construction beginning this Monday August 3rd in order to be ready for religious education classes in September. Phase 2 will close the majority of spaces in front of the church and parish hall. This will be the parking situation from August 3rd through Sunday September 14th (the next 6 weeks):

There will only be 32 spaces available in the east portion of our lot, adjacent to the classrooms. These 32 spaces will be accessible by the main entrance on Bernardo Center Drive. We will have volunteers available to advise drivers when that lot is full. There will be no possibility of ‘drop-offs’ from the Bernardo Center access.
There will only be 50 spaces available on the west side of the church accessible from Bernardo Terrace. In addition to those 50 spaces, we will continue to be able to use nine (9) of the existing handicapped parking spaces. ‘Drop-offs’ may be possible at the west side. However, west side spaces may be full and not available to the car dropping off. Volunteers will be assisting drivers in the westside parking area also.
There will be more than ample parking available in the Excel and Hilton parking areas. This will require coming a little early and burning some calories to walk to church.
We strongly recommend that ALL able-bodied parishioners use the Excel and Hilton parking areas.
Please consider sharing a ride with fellow parishioners.
Unfortunately, there will be no large van access for drop-offs. Therefore, The Remington Club and Casa de Las Campanas residents will be driven to other churches during the next 6 weeks.
During this time, we will work to keep Masses to 45 minutes.

Again, this will be the parking situation from August 3rd through September 14. We are sorry for any inconvenience. Please, be patient. The end result will be very much worth it!

Expanding Parish Breaks Ground on Energy-Efficient Center

Here's an article about our June 7 groundbreaking ceremony that appeared in a local community newpaper called "The Sun Signature."

"The parishioners of San Rafael Catholic Church gathered on June 7 to break ground for the parish's new Family Pastoral Center.

Joining pastor Monsignor Dennis Mikulanis was honored guest Carl DeMaio, San Diego City Councilmember. The event took place at the building site, adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn Rancho Bernardo.

The building's design is being praised for its energy-efficient lighting and reflective ceiling and window materials, expected to cut energy costs by over 30 percent compared to similar-sized, existing buildings.

When completed in May 2010, the new two-story center will add more than 15,OOO-square-feet of meeting rooms, covered parking and offices for the growing parish's ministries and community outreach.

Established in 1974, San Rafael Parish currently serves over 3,500 Catholic households from Rancho Bernardo, Poway, 4S Ranch and nearby communities. The Church is located at 17252 Bernardo Center Drive in Rancho Bernardo. To learn more about the parish's Family Pastoral Center project visit their website at: http://www.sanrafaelparish.org/ or call (858) 487-4314."

(Pictured..)
DIGGING WITH SPIRIT: Ground breaking began at San Rafael Catholic Church for the parish's new Family Pastoral Center. Left to right: Councilmember Carl DeMaio, City of San Diego District 5; Monsignor Dennis Mikulanis, pastor and Mr. Don Schmidt, chairman of the building committee.
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Week of July 5-11