September 5, 2008

Guadwara Temple construction update

Officials and community leaders check in on the construction workers building the expansion of the Guadwara Temple: (l to r) Gary Singh Sidhu, general contractor; Kirpal Singh Atwal, community activist; Pritam Singh Grewal, stage secretary; Sohan Singh Dhanota; committee member, Bhupindar (Bob) S. Dhillon, general secretary; Rose Hererra, community advisor; Harden Singh Takhar, president; Surinder Singh Purewal, committee member.

Construction for the expansion of the San Jose Guadwara Temple on Murillo Road is progressing quite well. The $18 million project will add 70,000 square feet to the existing Temples facilities. The new building is expected to be completed before its planned date of Dec 31, perhaps in time to celebrate in the late fall.

Bob Dhillon says the new facility will be the main prayer hall, a school with classrooms, library and meeting spaces, and a dining room. The project broke ground on Oct 7, 2007. Once completed, there will remain a $10 million dollar loan, but fundraising, sale of property and operating budgets will repay the loan.

The Sikh community in San Jose numbers about 12,000 families.

—Photo by Bill Bellou