2 yrs after devastating fire, Vancouver gurdwara reopens

Considered the pre-eminent gurdwara in North America, a historic place of worship in Vancouver has reopened after nearly two years. The Gurdwara Sahib in Vancouver, run by the Khalsa Diwan Society, was closed for renovations after a devastating fire in August 2016 extensively damaged the main building. Better known within the community as Ross Street Gurdwara, it welcomed back the ‘sangat’, as the faithful streamed in for a grand reopening.

TORONTO : Considered the preeminent gurdwara in North America, a historic place of worship in Vancouver has reopened after nearly two years.

The Gurdwara Sahib in Vancouver, run by Khalsa Diwan Society, was closed for renovations after a devastating fire in August 2016 extensively damaged the main building.

Better known within the community as Ross Street Gurdwara, it welcomed back the ‘sangat’, as the faithful streamed in for a grand reopening that was attended by Canada’s national defence minister Harjit Sajjan, the premier of British Columbia provvince, the mayor of Vancouver, MPs and provincial ministers.

The Gurdwara Sahib in Vancouver is considered the successor to the first Sikh temple in Canada, and possibly North America, which was constructed in 1908. A new building replaced the original temple in 1970. The original property was sold at that time, which the Society has noted “was very unfortunate” since that led the community “to lose this historical Sikh monument”.

Sajjan tweeted this was “an exciting day” for the Sikh community in Vancouver South.