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 July 12, 2007
BRAMPTON - It has taken several years, but construction of a mosque in Heart Lake has finally been approved and the building’s project manager says it is destined to become a local landmark.
The two-storey, 10,000 sq.-ft. mosque will be built on the southeast corner of Hwy. 10 and Sandalwood Parkway. It will have a 96-foot tower, or minaret, topped with a blue dome. It could be completed and opened in 2009.
“It will be a unique, beautiful mosque and a very highly visible one because it is on Hwy. 10,” said project manager Naseer Ahmad. “I think it is going to be a landmark in the City of Brampton.”
It will be 10,000-square-feet of space on each level, with the prayer area for men on the main floor, the prayer area for women on the second floor, and a kitchen, office space and meeting room in the basement. Muslim men and women must pray separately, so there was a need for more than one level, Ahmad said.
Community Heart Lake Branch. Right now, the congregation does not have a place to worship. They meet and pray only about twice a month because they are limited to rental space in Loafer’s Lake Recreation Centre. Between 150 and 250 gather on Fridays for prayer.
However, with a place of their own, they can hold prayers every Friday, or any time throughout the week.
“As Muslims, we are supposed to pray five times a day, ideally in congregation and in a mosque,” according to Irfan Sheikh, general secretary of the local group.
There is still a lot of preparation work to be done on the building, with technical drawings still in the works and a development agreement to sign with the city, all of which could take several months before a building permit is issued, Ahmad estimated.
About a year to construct
After that, Ahmad said construction could take about a year.
“We wouldn’t like to see more than one year. We hope, and pray, to be praying in the Brampton Mosque sometime in 2009,” Ahmad said.
Council’s approval was welcomed with hugs and tears from some members of the community.
“They were ecstatic,” Sheikh said. He said Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell broke the news to the community at its recent annual convention.
“It was very emotional. A lot of people were very, very happy,” Sheikh said.
Fennell has been a strong supporter of the project, and her support has won her praise from the Muslim community.
“I’ve dealt with a lot of mayors across Canada, and I find her to be a very brave lady,” said Ahmad. He has been involved in construction of five mosques across the country, including one in Vaughn 15 years ago, and one currently under construction in Calgary.
“The mayor deserves all the credit for wholeheartedly supporting our original application of a two-storey Mosque. She is indeed a very brave and courageous person and she has earned our respect tremendously,” Ahmad said, also crediting councillors for supporting the project, and the efforts and support of city staff and Bramptonians.
The holdup in Brampton has largely been due to concerns from area residents about traffic, parking, noise, and the size and appearance of the building.
However, all of those concerns have been dealt with to the satisfaction of the city, Ahmad said. Traffic studies were done, the group has agreed to build two accesses onto Hwy. 10, put in a traffic light and more than double the required number of parking spaces.
Residents complained to the city that the building and its size would not fit in to the area, but Ahmad said as soon as one concern was addressed with the neighbours, another was brought up.
For instance, the original plan was for a stainless steel dome, but residents complained that it would be too shiny and could reflect too much light, so Ahmad said the colour blue was chosen to match the sky. However, residents objected to that colour, too.
He said it happens everywhere a mosque is proposed, and even more so post 9-11.
“Wherever we have built a mosque, we have faced certain resistance, but we have never, ever taken the resistance as hatred or as bias. We think that it is based on ignorance and what we have to do is do more education.”
He said he is “very positive” that, when the mosque is built, there will be no unhappy neighbours in the area, much like what happened in Vaughn where the mosque has become an attraction.
“We are going to make sure the neighbours aren’t bother, the neighbours are looked after, and the neighbours are very happy with it,” Ahmad said.
Click here for the Brampton Guardian news. | | | |
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 Calgary`s $15M not-so-little mosque on the prairie -- the largest of its kind in Canada -- will officially open July 5
June 23, 2008
The plan was to build an indoor basketball court for the kids.
The final result: Canada's largest mosque, a $15-million, 48,000-sq.-ft. centre of worship and community, due to officially open in 12 days.
"We wanted a simple hall for basketball -- that's how it started," said Dr. Safeer
Kahn, spokesman for Calgary's Ahmadiyya, the Muslim sect constructing the huge
mosque at 53 Ave. and 44 St. N.E. More | | | |
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 Maple`s Muslims Heed the Call to Prayer and So Did I (National Post)
September 26, 2007
At 5 a.m. it was pitch dark at Jane Street and Major Mackenzie Drive in Vaughan. More | | | |
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 Building the bridge to a new school
August 7, 2007
Summer program helps young Muslim immigrants learn new language skills in their local mosque More | | | |
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 Global warming on Muslim agenda (Sun News Edmonton)
Everyone welcome to attend conference
July 21, 2007
God does not love polluters. . . More | | | |
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 20,000 at mammoth Amadiyya meet (South Asian Focus)
July 3, 2007
A mammoth gathering estimated by organizers at 20,000 community members got together for the 31st Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at in Canada, held at the International Center in Mississauga over three days. More | | | |
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 Meet the Ahmadis (The News Mississauga)
June 30, 2007
There are the Sunnis, the Shiites and now, meet the Ahmadis.
In fact, meet thousands of them as they converge at Mississauga's International Centre for the 31st annual convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community over the Canada Day weekend. More | | | |
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 Muslims "reaching out" at annual gathering
June 30, 2007
20,000 people expected at weekend event in Mississauga More | | | |
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 Muslim convention will draw 20,000 (The news Mississauga)
June 28, 2007
Thousands of people will attend the 31st annual convention of Canada's Ahmadiyya Muslim Community over the Canada Day weekend. More | | | |
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 Three-day conference on Islam faith to be held in Mississauga, Ont. (The Chronicle)
June 28, 2007
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. (CP) - As many as 20,000 people are expected to attend a three-day conference in Mississauga, Ont. focusing on the Muslim faith. More | | | |
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more news . . .
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Sunday August 22, 2010
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at condemns plans to burn Holy Qur’an in United States more
Thursday August 19, 2010
US Citizen Killed in Religiously Motivated Attack in Pakistan more
Tuesday August 17, 2010
Another Ahmadi Muslim doctor brutally martyred in Karachi more
Friday May 28, 2010
Ahmadi Muslims Martyred in Sectarian Terrorists attacks on two Ahmadiyya mosques in Lahore more
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