Project: Holy Ascension Orthodox Cathedral and Bishop’s House
After the successfully installing of a state-of-the-art, hi-fog mist fire suppression system at Kenai’s Holy Assumption Orthodox Church in 2013, ROSSIA has extended its fire suppression efforts to Holy Ascension Cathedral in Unalaska.
Below is a February 2021 update from the Unalaska project manager:
Work on the Fire Suppression Systems for the Bishop’s House and the Holy Ascension Cathedral began in Fall 2020 when the Fire Protection Equipment Building box outfitted by Yukon Fire with the fire protection equipment arrived in Unalaska. Our local Civil Contractor, Northern Alaska Contractors did the earth work and poured the concrete foundation. After curing for a couple weeks, Northern Alaska and BKR Contractors lifted the Fire Protection Equipment Building in place on the foundation and welded it to the foundation. All at no cost to the project.
Marc Daniels started working the last week of September getting things ready for the sprinkler system installers from Yukon Fire by building a utilidor between the Bishop’s House and the Boiler Building. This utilidor will accommodate not only sprinkler piping but also domestic water, electrical lines and heating system piping. Marc also worked on getting the boiler building cleaned out and finished a new floor, insulation and sheetrock. We next had Aleutian Electrical Contractors come in and completely wire the boiler building. They did this at no charge to the project.
The sprinkler contractor arrived on site the first week of October and starting working on the Bishop’s House as well as getting things ready in the Cathedral. Work continued thru October with the final Bishop’s house piping completed and pressure tested near the end of the month. Marc continued to work on skirting the Fire protection Fire Protection Equipment Building and building the utilidor between the Fire Protection Equipment Building and the Cathedral where the fire suppression piping will run. The sprinkler installers departed the third week of October and Marc departed on the 28th.
The Yukon Fire workers were back the first week of November and continued to work on the piping in the Cathedral ceiling. After a short break around Thanksgiving the Yukon installers were on-site and finishing up the piping and nozzles in the main room of the Cathedral and are currently working on the bell tower piping. The workers were on site until Dec 23rd, took a break for Christmas, and then returned in January for the final push to complete the piping, testing and final commissioning.
We continue to work on getting the final electrical put in as well as getting water to both the Bishop’s House and the Fire Protection Fire Protection Equipment Building.
The parish was hopeful to have a completed Fire Protection System in place and protecting the Bishop’s House and Cathedral by the end of January; however, the COVID-19 virus interrupted that plan by delaying some of the workers from returning to the site.
Therefore, we hope to have the system completely installed by this spring.
David Gregory, ROSSIA Board Member
Holy Ascension of Our Lord Starosta and Project Manager
Unalaska, AK
Our Goal
For the restoration of the exterior and roof of the Holy Ascension Orthodox Cathedral in Unalaska, our goal is to raise $550,000 by May 30, 2021. The full project costs on the site will be larger than $2 million. No amount is too small. We appreciate any amount you would like to donate!
