A local Sikh Punjabi group is urging Milton council to support its efforts in establishing a permanent place of worship to meet the needs of the growing community.
Sandeep Sambhi, representing Gurdwara Singh Sabha Milton, addressed council last week during discussions on the Town’s official plan update.
“Currently, we rent facilities at the fairgrounds to hold monthly services, but rising costs and increasing attendance have made it difficult to sustain these gatherings,” Sambhi explained during the Dec. 9 meeting, highlighting the group’s challenges.
As awareness of their services grows alongside Milton’s expanding Sikh population, the group has outgrown its temporary space. Their vision is to build a permanent Gurdwara that would serve as both a spiritual center and a hub for cultural and community activities.
“We respectfully request council to consider our community’s needs when future lands are zoned for places of worship,” Sambhi said. “We also ask to be included in the planning and development processes for new neighborhoods, so we can actively collaborate to meet these needs.”
Councillor Sameera Ali inquired about how the Town plans to address places of worship in its planning processes. Jill Hogan, commissioner of development services, outlined proposed policies for new growth areas, including the upcoming Britannia Secondary Plan set for council review next month.
The plan would require developers or landowners to reserve one-acre plots of land for up to three years exclusively for places of worship.
“The Town of Milton will contact all faith groups on our stakeholder list to inform them about available land zoned for worship,” Hogan explained.
She acknowledged that securing land has been a persistent challenge for faith groups, as developers often acquire suitable properties far in advance. The proposed policies aim to address this issue by reserving sites, giving faith groups the opportunity to purchase land and establish new worship spaces.
“By implementing these site reservation policies, we hope to provide faith groups with the chance to secure land and realize their visions for permanent places of worship,” Hogan said.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this news article has been gathered from local news sources. Please refer to the provided references for verification. Click Here.
Feel free to reach out to us at news@miltonbaithak.ca or follow us on WhatsApp, with any news tips, story ideas, or information you'd like to share. As a dedicated platform focused on advertising and curating news centered around MILTON, we welcome submissions related to businesses, news within the business sector, or inquiries about other people. Our goal is to assist you, whether you're interested in featuring your business or sharing relevant news.
Comentarios