After 20 years of struggle, Sikhen bought an empty church and built Gurdwara Sahib in Red Deer City.

Toronto: For the first time since 2005, an old church in Canada’s Red Deer City has been converted into a Sikh place of worship following a request from the local Sikh community. Cornerstone Gospel Chapel at 5911 63rd Street is now Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara and will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. It will reportedly serve around 150 families, 250 international students and temporary foreign workers from India. Nishan Singh Sandhu, president of the gurdwara, said that ‘the community is growing every day. So many people are coming here from BC, Calgary and Ontario.

Sandhu said, ‘It is very important, otherwise we do not have space to come together. We have fought for the last 20 years to build the gurdwara.” The community received donations as well as private donations of $450,000 from neighboring Sikh communities in Calgary, Edmonton and Reese, British Columbia, allowing them to live without any problems. Permission was granted to purchase the building. The gurdwara, which opened last month, comprises a large basement area and a main floor with a kitchen. The kitchen of the center provides free vegetarian food (‘Langar’) to every needy.

Gurcharan Singh Gill, vice-president of the gurudwara, told that ‘people do not know about the turban. People do not know about Sikhism. Now, at least they know who we are.” Gill explained that the community hopes to organize a ‘Nagar Kirtan’ parade this year and increase its presence in the community and the city. As per reports, the community members are planning to upgrade the kitchen, build a perimeter fence and install a Sikh flag known as Nishan Sahib.

Last month, the Sikh community took possession of the building after Red Deer County in Alberta province approved its request for the gurdwara in August last year. Prior to this, Sikh families would gather once a month at the Bower Community Center for prayer prior to the purchase of the building.