September 8, 2013March 12, 2002 May 2, 2002
Fifteen years have passed since the consecration of the new Yokohama Masonic Temple on the grounds of Yokohama International School. Although the arrangement worked to the advantage of both the School and the two Yokohama lodges (Far East No. 1 and Star in the East No. 640), it was clear from the beginning that it was not permanent, and that the day would come when the lodges would have to look for a new home.
That day has come, a little sooner than we expected.
For those brethren not familiar with the arrangement between Yokohama International School (YIS) and Masonic Hall Ltd. (MHL), the owner and custodian of the Temple, a brief summary follows.
When the old Temple at 3 Yamate-cho became too old to maintain, MHL was forced to look around for another location in the same area. Although the sale of the Temple land had generated a large sum of money, the directors of MHL judged it insufficient to cover the cost of both new land and a new temple. Fortunately for MHL, the School had acquired a sizeable plot just down the road from its main buildings, and was looking for cash to finance the construction of a new gymnasium.
MHL and YIS entered into a complex cross-rental arrangement whereby MHL would pay for the building of the gymnasium and then rent it to the School. The School would then rent part of the basement back to MHL for use as a Masonic Temple. It was envisaged that this arrangement would continue for 20 years.
The new gymnasium was completed in 1986, and MHL was fully prepared for some change in the arrangement in 2006. Last year, however, the School asked MHL if it would consider terminating the agreement four years early, as the School wanted to make use of the entire gym basement area for its academic expansion program.
This request came as a great surprise. Not wishing, however, to hinder the development of the School, MHL willingly agreed to vacate the Temple premises by the end of July 2002, thus allowing the School to renovate the basement in time for the start of a new school year at the end of August.
For the last few months MHL has been looking at several possibilities for relocation. All being well, we shall be moving into a new Temple in October, or November at the latest.
Please check the FE1 Web site from time to time for more news of the big move.