We are writing to express our opinions about the temple proposed to be built on 410 Clair Road East. We attended the public meeting about this issue on March 1, 2010 at Guelph City Hall. After examining the information obtained from the meeting, we would like to provide you with the following comments on the proposed re-zoning.
First of all, we noticed that at the meeting the speakers who opposed the temple to be built are the residents who live nearby, but the speakers who supported it are the residents who live far away (some are as far as in Cambridge and Brampton). This is an important point.
If an airport were built in a location, lots of people who do not live in that area can feel the convenience because they can go there easily for flights. But people living in that area would have louder noise and consequently a decrease in life quality. Therefore, the opinions from those who live in the area should be weighted more in your decision making.Secondly, there are lots of concerns regarding crowds, traffic, and noise. If a new church or a temple were built in a less populated area, it would be a better arrangement for the residents. For example, Calvary Baptist Church is located on 454 Arkell Rd., which is a very secluded area without many residences nearby. This is the kind of area where the temple should be built and in addition, there might be more room for future growth.
Thirdly, regarding diversity and tolerance, we do appreciate and respect other people’s rights of religion and freedom. Accordingly, we do not oppose them for building a temple, but we strongly oppose them for building a temple in a residential area, particularly where most of the residents (above 95%) do not follow that religion. The rights of those residents who follow the religion can be equally appreciated by finding a suitable location for this temple elsewhere in Guelph.
Fourthly, about the people who will use the temple, they claim that about 400 people will go there regularly. However, it is not realistic to believe that this number will remain the same. What about the situation in ten years? Will there be about 400 people forever? We do not think so. If over 1000 people come to the area for gatherings, the residents living there will suffer from the increased traffic and noise. A council decision should be based on a long term, at least 10 to 20 years, and looking on a 5 years term may be short-sighted.
Fifthly, about the benefits for the economy of Guelph after this temple is built, we agree and disagree. We concede that in building the temple, Guelph may attract more people to the city, and will benefit from the increased diversity. New business may come to Guelph.
However, we do not see the correlation between building this temple at this particular location and the benefit for the economy. The temple could easily be built in another more suitable location, and the economic benefit will still be available.Finally and more importantly, there are detailed by-laws in the Westminster Woods and Pine Ridge subdivisions that control the outlook of the neighborhood such as neutral colors for the bricks, sidings,
and doors. If a shed to be built or installed, it cannot be above a certain height, etc. This is what makes this area consistent and attractive to many home buyers. Clearly, the proposed temple will be much taller and have a quite different look, which will break the consistency and attractiveness of this neighborhood.To sum up, we strongly oppose a temple to be built on 410 Clair Road East. The south-end community in Guelph is well planned, and it stands out as one of the best residential areas among Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph. This is also what attracted us to move here and we truly love the way it is. We want it to remain as one of the best highlights in Guelph. While we do not oppose the building of a temple itself, we do strongly object to the proposed location. As can be seen in the attached signature list, the contents of this letter reflect the shared views of several hundred residents in this area. We sincerely hope that you as Mayor for the City of Guelph will listen to and respect our opinions.HY