I live in Westminster Woods and like many residents in this neighbourhood, I have been following the rezoning application for 410 Clair Road East very closely. I continue to be very concerned about the impacts of the proposed Sikh temple on our neighbourhood.
In addition to the very real and valid concerns already brought forth to Council (i.e., the location of the temple, the size of the temple, the temple’s maximum occupancy, whether parking will be sufficient and the design of the temple), the recent violence and escalating infighting among some members of the GTA’s Sikh community is extremely unsettling.
It seems obvious that a new large temple will attract Sikhs from areas outside of Guelph including those areas of the GTA in which infighting within the Sikh community is occurring, sometimes with violent outcomes. National newspapers, including the National Post, have stated that Sikh temples in the GTA are “interconnected”. Political power and management of the Sikh temples is cited as the cause of the infighting and resulting violence (see article at http://www.nationalpost.com/todays-paper/story.html?id=2931688).
Police were in place at a Sikh temple meeting in Rexdale on April 21st because of fears that violence might erupt again as it did on April 18th. The April 18th incident involved machetes, hammers and construction knives and involved a large mob of approximately 100 people who spilled out of the temple during the violence (see article Toronto Star http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/797333–bloody-fight-erupts-at-brampton-sikh-temple?bn=1 ). This is something I do not want in my peaceful, quiet family-friendly neighbourhood.
The same Toronto Star article mentioned above explains that while the violence on April 18th was “the most extreme example of internal conflict at a Sikh temple in the Toronto area in recent times, it was by no means the only one”. It states that almost all of the two-dozen Sikh temples in the Toronto area have been touched by controversies, usually over control of the temples. How are we to know when or where one of these conflicts will again result in violence?
It would be irresponsible and negligent not to consider the recent events at other Sikh temples in the GTA when deciding whether or not a large Sikh temple belongs in a residential neighbourhood, especially when that temple is next to a large elementary school.
I decided to move my young family to Guelph less than two years ago. We love Guelph, our diverse neighbourhood, our neighbours and our home.
Before deciding to approve the rezoning application for 410 Clair Road East, I would like the Mayor and Council to think about the impacts of this decision from our prospective. This is our home. A place we want to feel safe and know that our children are safe. Whether we are talking about the recent violence at Sikh temples or the issues around the proposed temple location, adequate parking for the proposed temple or the maximum occupancy of the proposed temple, it all comes down to safety. This temple does not belong in a residential neighbourhood. SM