Work Continues
/Work goes on in the background
Lodgings Building
We are happy to report that, due to generous donations towards the end of last year, work on the new lodgings building recommenced during the winter and is nearing completion. This work has gone on in the background for most of the resident community, with the exception of Ajahn Chaganando who has kept in daily contact with the contractors, effectively acting as project manager. Simple as it appears from the outside, it’s not a simple building because of the need for fire and other safety regulations to be met, etc., requiring a sprinkler system to be installed alongside the HVAC system. Eventually it will all be powered by solar panels installed in the field behind the Buddha pavilion.
We are very grateful to Ajahn Chaganando, and to the generous supporters who have made this possible. We hope there will be enough funds to finish within the next couple of months.
Solar/Electrical Infrastructure
The solar/electrical infrastructure project is next in line and we hope to get going on that this summer. It will involve the installation of new electric lines, a lot of trenching, two new ground-mounted transformers, inverters, and batteries, in addition to the solar panels themselves. With the prospect of the end of rebates and introduction of tariffs, we are hoping we might be able to begin acquiring the panels soon.
All this is in preparation for the eventual development of buildings as laid out in the monastery’s master plan, to power the new sala and temple as well as the lodgings buildings and new barn/utility building. So, much of the infrastructure for all that needs to be installed beforehand – which is where we are now.