Balmoral Ashram Redevelopment Project
Dear Family,
Jai Shri Mataji!
With our amazingly joyful International Easter Puja Seminar completed, our attention now turns to other important Sahaja Yoga projects.
One of these is the Balmoral Redevelopment Project. This project has taken some time to grow and mature but we feel that the project is now ready to be fully established.
For your information, we now share the 2 development project options for Balmoral.
On Sunday, when we collectively gather for Sahasrara Puja at Balmoral, we will briefly present the options and then seek collective support for the recommended way forward.
We thank you for your patience and support for the continued growth of Shri Mataji’s Balmoral Ashram as a foundation of our Sahaja culture.
Balmoral collective Redevelopment – Project Brief
Balmoral development project brief is to address the ability to host major events such as Easter and other Seminars and to be able to provide under cover space to accommodate Yogis in some comfort and amenity.
New Amenities Block added to either Option 1 or 2 being : $284,000
Option 1: Buy a hanger
Purchase a Hanger and construct it at the back of the Puja Hall. Wooden floor (Shri Mataji said not to have concrete floors as it blocks vibrations).
Build a Hanger Option.
- Purchase and erect a pre-fabricated Hanger to be added to the end of the current Puja Hall
- The hanger can provide both additional space to provide basic under cover accommodation for Yogis.
- The hanger also provides expansion space for the existing Puja Hall to add additional under cover meeting space for events .
- Wooden floor installed as Shri Mataji has indicated this is preferred to a concrete floor which blocks the flow of vibrations.
- This is generally in line with the currently approved DA that is in place and would involve an update to the DA but less delay from the Council.
- An amendment to the DA is needed as we are changing from a new building to erecting a Hanger but less of a change from our DA.
- A hanger is the quickest and most cost effective solution to provide more under cover space at Balmoral with less building effort required.
- Once the Council approve the change from the DA to the Hanger option the time to erect the hanger and install the hanger would be quickest.
Cost
Estimate of the cost: $310,174
New Amenities Block: $284,000
Total Cost with Amenities Block: $653,591 (incl GST)
- Supply and install shed Kit / Concrete foundations / Internal Floor Timber / Sanding and sealing.
- Basic lighting( assumed 10 led high bays ) / Veranda timber frame and posts sheeting colour bond/ Paving to Veranda.
Option 2: Build 4 separate Accommodation blocks
Purpose built accommodation block which designed and built to provide a high degree of privacy and comfort for Yogis for accommodation.
- Accommodation designed as a standalone building providing privacy and a quieter living space away from the activity of the Hall .
- The four buildings could be built in style similar to the other major buildings to create a more integrated aesthetic as a community of buildings
- Each accommodation building can be built in stages as and when needed and when we have collected sufficient funds.
- This option does not add additional space to the main Puja Hall for our major events such as Easter .
- This is change in direction from the current approved DA and we would need to negotiate a major change in direction with the local Council.
- It is likely this option would take significantly more time to negotiate with the local Council as it is a significant shift from the approved DA.
- The change to the DA and would mean this option would take longer to approve and longer to build.
- This option is approximately double the cost of the Hanger option.
Cost
Estimate of the cost: $952,400
New Amenities Block: $284,000
Total Cost with Amenities Block: $1,360,040 (incl GST)
- Four Separate Buildings two single storey and two 2 storey plus Amenities Block – Domestic Masonry walls construction.
- Roof framing timber with metal deck roof sheets, timber floor internal / Single Storey Buildings ( two buildings 100m2 each) Including verandas @1100/m2.
- Double Storey Buildings (two buildings floor area 200m2 each) / Including verandas and stairs @1350/m2 and covered central Court.
Building Plans
