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ABBOTSFORD
– A community gaming grant of $25,000
has been provided to the Abbotsford Khalsa Diwan Heritage Society for a
recently completed public square at the Abbotsford Sikh Heritage Temple,
Premier Gordon Campbell announced today at the re-opening of the historic
temple.
“The
Abbotsford Temple, or Gurdwara, is the oldest standing Sikh temple in North
America and is a testament to the incredible resiliency and vitality of early
Sikh pioneers,” said Campbell. “A few years ago, I had the opportunity to
travel to the Harmandar Sahib Temple, known as the Golden Temple, in the Sikh
holy city of Amritsar. I was reminded that the Gurdwara is much more than just
a place of worship. For the Sikhs, it is also their municipal hall, their
conference centre and their community gathering place and as such is part of
their identity. This temple stands as a symbol of the enduring contribution of
the Sikh community to B.C.”
When the Sikh community settled in the Abbotsford area
more than a hundred years ago, they had no gathering place where they could
conduct their readings from the Holy Scriptures, engage in their cultural
ceremonies and marriage functions or hold community meetings. The Abbotsford
Gurdwara provided this central place to re-affirm their culture in their new
home in B.C. In 1911, all the lumber to build the Gurdwara was donated and
transported by hand to the current site of the temple. The funds announced
today are for a recently completed public square, which is a continuation of
the society’s efforts to make the Gurdwara site as authentic as possible.
To
be eligible for community gaming grants, organizations must be non-profit and
volunteer driven. Funds must be used within British Columbia to cover costs
essential to the direct delivery of a program that benefits the local
community.
Gaming
grant funding is part of the $143.5 million that approximately 6,300 community
organizations will share this year from gaming revenue. This revenue is
generated from commercial gaming conducted by the British Columbia Lottery
Corporation on behalf of the Province.
A
complete list of community organizations that receive gaming grants and
applications and information on how to apply for community gaming grants is
available at: www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/gaming/
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contact: |
Press Secretary Office of the Premier 250 213-8218 |
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