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Show Third Site Chose for New Tropic LDS Ward Building TROPIC A change in the location of the new LDS church slated for Tropic has been announced by Escalante LDS Stake president Richard Crawford. The new church will be built within the town at the site of the building currently being used, Crawford said, probably adjacent to the present building which will be torn down upon completion of the new structure. Crawford emphasized that plans were not totally finalized pending negotiations for additional property at the site to accomodate the larger facility and sufficient parking area. Location of the church had been a subject of considerable controversy last year when LDS Church authorities decided not to build on a site in Tropic originally purchased by the church for a church location. Tropic officials protested when church officials elected to accept a new site located just outside the town's boundaries but finally decided, in a split-vote, to go along with the new site by permitting culinary water to the location. The out-of-town location was to have served the communities of Tropic, Cannonville, Henrieville and Bryce Canyon, but many Cannonville and Henrieville church members preferred to keep their present buildings and attend church in their own towns. This led to a delay in proceeding with construction while the difficulties were worked out. President Crawford said that the new location is in line with the LDS Church's new policies governing the building of churches in southern Idaho, Utah and northern Arizona where small rural communities will be permitted to continue attending church in their own towns. In other areas, church policy is to build churches which will serve two, three or more wards. President Crawford said that at the present time no changes have been proposed in the size of the structure to be built in Tropic even though it will not be used by the other two wards. Estimated at $800,000, the building has been designed as a four-ward church which is expected to take nine to 10 months to complete once construction commences. |