Category — Immigration

Vancouver's original Sikh temple, built in 1906 at 1866 W. Second Ave.

The prayer service held today to celebrate Arthur Erickson’s design of Khalsa Diwan Society’s Gurdwara, which dominates Southwest Marine Drive just west of Knight, became a celebration of a turning point in the Sikh community’s life.

For generations, the Sikh community in BC, which never numbered more than a few thousand, was centred on the original wood frame Gurdwara at 1866 W. 2nd Ave., within walking distance of the mills that then clustered around False Creek.

As the forest industry moved to the Fraser River after the Second World War, many Sikh millworkers followed to homes along Southwest Marine Drive.

By 1968, the temple was too far from the community, too small and too dilapidated to repair. With the city’s help, the Society acquired the land on Marine Drive to rebuild.

Artak Gosal, a member of the temple committee that retained Erickson, recalled the decision to fire the first architect, who was unable to pronounce “gurdwara.” Erickson was introduced by a friend and “we knew immediately we had met a genius.”

Erickson listened carefully to their concerns “and acted,” Gosal said, to make their dreams a reality. An austere, dazzling white gurdwara that appears to float over the landscape was their reward.

Committee members travelled across the province to raise the $300,000 it cost, including the land, to raise the new temple, a dramatic statement of confidence by such a small community. The temple opened in April 1970. A few years later, changes to the immigration laws opened the door to more arrivals from Punjab. The Ross St. Temple was ready to greet them, a fitting centre for the life of a community in the process of transformation.

“Every time I come here,” Dr. Gurdev Singh Gill told the congregation, “I am awestruck at the beauty of the building.” Dharm Makwana, of 24 Hours, captured that beauty in this short video:

This new book by Masako and Stanley Fukawa on the history of the Japanese Canadian fishing fleet, which I reviewed today on The Tyee, is a landmark. The first such history to include Japanese language sources previously out of reach of BC historians, it revolves around the expulsion of the Japanese Canadians from BC in 1942.

It’s the story of modern Canada’s most extreme experiment in ethnic cleansing, but is also a testament to the resilience of the Japanese Canadians  and their determination to resist intolerance. Profusely illustrated and gracefully written, it’s a remarkable contribution to our province’s history.

Yesterday council approved an option for the Burrard Bridge lane reallocation trial that allocates a southbound road lane to cyclists, the east sidewalk exclusively to northbound cyclists and the west sidewalk to exclusively to pedestrians travelling in both directions.

Mayor Gregor Robertson and the Vision councillors supported the one-lane trial, COPE councillors supported a two-lane trial and NPA councillor Suzanne Anton was absent.

Mayor Gregor Robertson committed to a one-lane trial during his election campaign. During debate yestereday, he told council “this is not a decision that comes easily, but it is driven by safety first and affordability.

“We heard compelling calls for a two-lane trial but there are obvious ongoing concerns about the shift of traffic volume. This option represents an opportunity to demonstrate how quickly traffic can shift. For cyclists this is an opportunity to begin a transition.”

The arguments for a trial are conclusive. It is the best way to learn whether or not the Bridge can be made safe for cyclists without a $30 million sidewalk widening procedure that would destroy the Bridge’s heritage character. That’s equivalent to an entire year’s expenditure on transportation improvements.

This decision disapppointed many cyclists, who overwhelmingly favoured the two-lane option presented to council. But the one-lane trial is an important first step in the drive to improve cycling and increase the number of cyclists in Vancouver. Success on this lane separation project should demonstrate the value and necessity of creating separate lanes for cyclists city-wide.

In addition, a one-lane trial should go a long way to assuring motorists that lane re-allocation is a sensible way to grow more sustainable transportation options in Vancouver. As many studies have shown, concerns about new gridlock are often unfounded.

The Burrard Bridge lane re-allocation can’t wait. We need the trial. I’m hopeful this trial will lay the groundwork for more improvements on the bridge and citywide, for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

Woodwards towers, April 2, 2009

Gilbert Morven, right, with (left to right) Westbank's Ian Gillespie, architect Gregory Henriquez and Gary Jobin of Bladerunners.

In a hectic 60-minute tour of the Woodwards project today, organized by developer Ian Gillespie and architect Gregory Henriquez for Premier Gordon Campbell, Mayor Gregor Robertson and city councillors, the most important speech was made by construction worker Gilbert Morven.

A member of the Nisga’a Nation, Morven is one of 18 Bladerunners working on the project who began as a trainee and begins work tomorrow as a crew lead hand.

Bladerunners takes street youth, often aboriginal, and supports them to undertake jobs in the construction industry.

Morven told the visitors of how the job, which he started “when it was just a hole,” has changed his life.

As a result of his time with Bladerunners, Morven hasl eft behind a very bad period. He still has little money, because he’s retiring his debts, but expects to qualify soon as a rebar worker with Red Seal certification. “After that, my wage bumps up and I’ll be happy as hell.” The VIPs burst into applause.

The experience has been so transformative that Morven has begun reaching out to other aboriginal young people who could benefit from his story and the program. It was a small example of the changes former councillor Jim Green, who was also on the tour, has always promised could flow from thoughtful development.

My favourite shots from the tour, including views from the roof, here.