Doors open on Sudbury's first Sikh temple

There was a lot to celebrate on Sunday afternoon for Sudbury's Sikh community, which marked the grand opening of its new gurdwara in the city's west end area.

The Sikh temple is the third to open in northeastern Ontario after other spaces opened in Timmins and Sault Ste. Marie.

Inside Sudbury's first Sikh temple on Regent Street. June 19/22 (Ian Campbell/CTV Northern Ontario)

"It's been a long awaited dream for our community, especially the South Asian community, and today that dream has come to a reality," said Karanbir Badhesha, a Sikh community member in Sudbury.

"It is actually really historic. I was talking to one of our elder community members and she was telling me 56 years ago, the first Sikh family came here as miners and for any Sikh having a place where they can go and connect to their religion was like connecting to their roots."

Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger and Sudbury MPP-elect Jamie West were both on scene to mark the occasion.

"My father and my mother emigrated to Canada in the early 1950s and it was a time of prosperity and for mining in the Sudbury community," said Bigger.

"It's very significant to see all of you here today, and I feel it's similar times. The outlook for Sudbury and your community and for everyone who will come to Sudbury after this date, I believe is prosperity. We are at a position right now where there are essentially jobs for everyone … and we seem to be one of the most affordable communities in Ontario."

"This place looks beautiful and I want to thank all of you for inviting us to come here and join in on the celebration and I want to officially congratulate you on the opening of the gurdwara" said West.

The Sikh community has grown in the city as of late, expanding from 200 to 1,500 in the last seven years.

Badhesha said this was a needed step for the community and it will be home to future worship and celebrations.

The temple is on the site of the former St. Paul's United Church on Regent Street.

The former St. Paul's United Church on Regent Street in Sudbury is now a Sikh temple. June 19/22 (Ian Campbell/CTV Northern Ontario)

"We've been trying to make this place happen for years and this particular place took months of back and forth and finally the day has come," said Harshpreet Batra.

Service at Sudbury's first gurwara, a Sikh temple. June 19/22 (Ian Campbell/CTV Northern Ontario)

Badhesha said the day wouldn't have been possible without the help of community member Manjit Singh Mangat.

"It just happened and then this day came up and the community was already excited," said Mangat. "God gave me some opportunity that I was able to encourage them and then they did it."

"Everybody was feeling, even us in Brampton, that Sudbury was a big city and this community made their feelings known to me and I was able to help them out and it happened," he added.