New LDS “Legacy” chapel in Mapleton
Large crowds toured Mapleton’s new LDS “Legacy” chapel on Friday, August 8. The new building will serve the 2nd, 7th, and 23rd wards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Meetings held in the Legacy building began Sunday, August 10.
“We’re excited to start meeting in this beautiful new building,” said Gordon Harkness, Elders’ Quorum President in the Mapleton 7th ward.
“Ground was broken on June 1, 2013, and construction proceeded smoothly,” says President David Jones of the Mapleton North Stake. “This building is very efficiently built.”
Various displays were set up throughout the building, highlighting the work of auxiliaries and groups within an LDS ward, such as the Primary, Relief Society, Young Womens, Young Mens, Scouts, and Family History.
The Legacy building has many modern features, some readily apparent and some not.
The chapel is spacious, wider and not as deep, with the benches on the side being slanted. The sacrament preparation is located to the side instead of the front, as in older buildings. The hallways are also wider, with no breezeways.
Rooms throughout the building have motion sensors which turn lights on and off automatically. All of the electronics for the building can be managed from a central control center. The stage at the back of the cultural hall has a lift to improve handicap access.
Many other small features have been incorporated to improve the building’s functionality. For example, classroom doors swing into the classrooms, not the hall, so they don’t impeded traffic flow. Bishops’ offices are set off in an area off the hallway, again improving traffic flow and adding a measure of privacy.
“I think the Lord is really pleased with how this building has turned out,” added Todd Miller, Counselor in the Mapleton North Stake Presidency.
“There’s just a really sweet spirit here,” President Jones concluded. “This is a modern design for the growing LDS church in this area.”