I'm sure you heard this morning in General Conference, President Monson announced that the Provo Tabernacle will be rebuilt as a second temple in Provo. This is very exciting news because, if you remember when I
posted about the fire, I was concerned that it would be demolished. When the "braces" went up while they investigated the cause of the fire, I was hopeful. Rumors have been flying over the past couple of months that, indeed, it would be rebuilt, and that the church had purchased the Travelodge and Tres Amigos property south of the Tabernacle (the old Roberts Hotel was long-gone). There is even talk that the church is working to acquire the property where the main post office stands. Well, all speculation is over. There are, however, unanswered questions: what will we do for a tabernacle, what will the new temple be called, who will be in the new temple district, will they close and remodel the existing temple in the Ogden mode? Time will tell.
1902 view with tower
17 December 2010
1 October 2011, with "braces"
Rendering of the new temple
I was also pleased to hear they will build a temple in Hastings country, in Star Valley, Wyoming. I was bowled over by the Provo announcement, but was actually expecting they might announce at temple in Wyoming, one of the few states without one. Good news all around!
That's all for now.
OXO
D.
1902 view with tower
17 December 2010
1 October 2011, with "braces"
Rendering of the new temple
9 comments:
I think it is great they aren't going to tear it down, but I am kind of sad to lose a cultural venue. Graduations, youth symphonies, Christmas sing-a-longs. Do we really need more temples? (I'm only sort of joking).
The announcement of new temples this morning was indeed the most exciting since about 1998 when the Kona Temple was announced. My excitement over Provo was only exceed by my excitement about Star Valley. I'll be waiting anxiously to find out exactly where and hoping that it might be slightly different than the standard small temple model.
Bill: Do you think it will be in Afton?
I am pleased that they no longer seem to be building the cookie-cutter small temples. Each new one seems to have its own design and they seem to be of varying sizes according to need. Kona is about 10,700 sq. feet, Curitiba Brazil, built in the second wave of smaller temples is about 28,000, Gila Valley Arizona about 18,600. I imagine the Star Valley Temple will be something like the Gila Valley. I am quite sure it will be its own design, though.
It is exciting, although I share some of Anna's sentiment in that it will be sad for most people to lose access to the building.
But hooray for Star Valley! It's about time.
Since the announcement was Star Valley and not Afton, I suspect they may not have settled yet on a site. There are now two stakes in the valley -- the other in Thayne.
Exciting indeed. I did think of you when I heard the announcement.
Anna said EXACTLY what I was thinking!
I had the same question as Anna, where are they going to do the non-temple stuff? My law school graduation was in the tabernacle. But if they bought the adjoining properties - I assume mostly for parking - then maybe they have something else in mind. When they built the Conference Center they didn't junk the Tabernacle on Temple Square.
Here's the deal. The tabernacle had become too small for stake conferences. They need something that will hold close to 3,500 for Provo stakes, and the tabernacle only held 1,500. Our last stake conference was held in the stake center and broadcast to the Provo High and Timpview High auditoriums. We were at Timpview and it was packed. So they will need to build something bigger. Whatever they build, if they do, will also serve for community/BYU and cultural events, too. The idea of a "conference center," however, is only speculation at this point. Time will tell.
D.
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