Community centre, parking lot in plans for Muslim Society of P.E.I.

The Muslim Society of P.E.I has plans to install a parking lot and a community centre on land it purchasedin September.

The land is located behind the Masjid Dar As-Salam, the Charlottetown mosque,and is about 2,700 square metres.

Alhadi Abusneena, the president of the Muslim Society of P.E.I., said ideas for the space were discussed at a meeting on Saturday.

He saidparking in particular was an urgent need, as the Muslim community continues to grow on the Island.

"When we have gatherings or we have Friday prayeryou speak about more than 200, 300 people there,so the traffic is unsafe," he said.

1,000 members and growing

Abusneenasaid100 parking stalls will be created, with construction setto begin thisApril or May.

A community centre is also in the works with plans to be built in the nextyear or two.

Abusneenasaid it will includea prayer room, a halland a space for children, andeveryone will be welcome to use the space.

Abusneena said since he moved to the Island four years ago, the community hasgrownquickly and the mosque has more than 1,000 members.

"When I'm arriving herethe society is not like now. The need is not urgent like now," he said.

"Before, you speak about hundreds, now you speak about thousands."

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