Sikh community excited to break ground on new gurdwara

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This article was published 10/03/2025 (196 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new gurdwara in northwest Winnipeg is exciting and a long time coming, members of Winnipeg’s Sikh community say.

The new Kalgidhar Darbar Sikh Gurdwara, or place of worship, was approved by the Lord Selkirk-West Kildonan community committee on Feb. 8.

It will replace the current gurdwara on the same property, located at the intersection of King Edward St. and Old Commonwealth Path in the Inkster Gardens area.

A director for the Sikh Society of Manitoba said the new gurdwara wasn’t just good news for the Sikh community.

“It’s great news for all,” said Amrik Kainth.

The present worship space, which is about 7,000 square feet, is no longer big enough to serve the growing congregation, said Chamkaur Singh, vice president of the gurdwara.

“The present gurdwara is too small, especially for weddings and funerals,” he said, noting Sunday services at the site and the langar, a free community meal, number between 400 and 500 people.

At 35,000 square feet, the new worship space will be able to accommodate everyone, he said, adding the space will also be used for Punjabi language classes.

Singh hopes construction can start in late summer with a grand opening sometime in 2026. The projected cost is about $4 million.

“It’s been a long process,” he said, noting the congregation started talking about replacing its meeting space in 2021. “The space has been too tight for a long time.”

In addition to the new building, there will be public green space, including a playground, open to everyone.

At the committee meeting, members spoke in favour of the new facility but raised questions about traffic congestion and ensuring good traffic flow. They were assured it wouldn’t be an issue on Sundays. Unlike at churches, when everyone exits at the same time after a service, a gurdwara is a come-and-go place of worship.

They were also assured the three-storey building would be fully accessible, with an elevator and accessible washrooms.

Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) congratulated the gurdwara’s leaders and members for their “tremendous effort” in creating the plan for the new building.

“This will serve the growing Indo-Canadian community,” she said. “It looks beautiful.”

According to the 2021 census, there were 32,510 Sikhs in Winnipeg, with many living in the northwest section of the city. There are nine gurdwaras in Winnipeg.

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