Announcement by the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church, Canadian Diocese
Board of Trustees
It is with great sadness and disappointment that we learned of the AGBU Central Board’s decision, represented in Toronto through Armen Ontario, that the Toronto AGBU Centre adjoining the Holy Trinity Armenian Church has entered into an agreement of purchase and sale with Centennial College. This at a time when mutual discussions between Armen Ontario and the Diocese/Holy Trinity Church have been going on and off, both locally and at the highest level of our Church at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Needless to say, this decision will have a detrimental effect on the Toronto Armenian Community and in particular the Holy Trinity Armenian Church. The latter is the shining star in the Canadian Diocese and now will have to face numerous challenges, some unsurmountable. It was the late great Benefactor Alex Manoogian’s vision along with local leadership and the community at large in the early eighties, to have the AGBU Centre and the Church built next to each other, making huge sacrifices and infusing large amounts of donations for the success of both projects.
A few days ago, The Holy Trinity Armenian Church released the following announcement:
On Tuesday October the 30th at 8:00 p.m., upon the invitation of the Pastor and Parish Council of the Holy Trinity Armenian Church, an urgent meeting was held at the Maral Ishkhanian Hall of the Church. The meeting was presided by the Vicar of the Diocese of Armenian Church and Parish Priest, Rev. Archpriest Zareh Zargarian and later via Viber call, Primate of the Diocese of Armenian Church Canadian Diocese, His Eminence Bishop Abkar Hovagimian. Present to the meeting were, past and present chairpersons of the Diocesan Council, current delegates, current members of the Parish Council, and the Chairperson of Barev Centre.
This meeting was called as a result of AGBU’s decision to sell the AGBU/Alex Manoogian centre to Centennial College (see below communique issued by AGBU on October 30, 2018). The sole agenda item for this meeting was to explore and discuss the Church’s options to address this major development.
After a lengthy exchange of views and ideas, the meeting unanimously decided to recommend to the Church membership, that the Church exercise its first right of refusal option (that exists between AGBU and the Church) and purchase the AGBU Centre to protect and safeguard the survival and long term growth and services of the Church to the community.
Based on the foregoing, it was decided to call a special and urgent General Membership meeting on November 11, 2018 to debate and approve this recommendation.
The members of the Board of Trustees are elected by the majority vote of the registered delegates at the Diocesan Assembly subject to the approval and confirmation of His Holiness the Catholicos of all Armenians. The Board of Trustees has the power to control all real property or property rights in real estate used by a parish operating under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada.
It is therefore, in adherence to the By-Laws of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church, Canadian Diocese, the Board of Trustees will work hand in hand with the Diocesan Council and the Holy Trinity Armenian Church Parish Council to address the concerns of the Diocese and the Parish to bring this matter to a positive conclusion.
Board of Trustees
Armenian Holy Apostolic Church, Canadian Diocese
November 3, 2018
