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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, May 12, 2016 | 12 Seniors take issue with new policy at Gurdwara by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff A group of local senior women are planning a protest for Sunday (May 15) in the hope of keeping open the building they have been using as a senior's centre. The structure in question, which serves between 35-50 older women, is located on the property of the Halton Gurdwara Sahib, a Sikh temple at 2403 Khalsa Gate. "It is a school portable building that was brought here in 2012," said Gurinder Malhi, who is assisting the seniors with their problem. "The ladies get together there. They do prayers, yoga and stuff like that." Malhi, who claims to be a former executive officer at the Halton Gurdwara Sahib, claims management at the temple changed the locks on the facility May 1, so the space could be used as a meeting room for politicians and other highprofile visitors. When reached for comment, Harmohan Parmar, a spokesperson for the temple, said the structure had never been a dedicated senior's centre or home to any seniors' association. "We never had any seniors' association or seniors' centre here, so we never closed anything," he said. Parmar acknowledged the portable on the property is used "once in a while," but emphasized it is temple property. A group of senior women showed up at a portable on the property of the Halton Gurdwara Sahib Monday to meet in the place they say they've been using for activities. | photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) An undated posting on the Halton Seniors Association website (www. haltonseniorsoakville.com) directs readers to the portable at 2403 Khalsa Gate for free yoga classes offered Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The posting furthers states the Halton Sikh Cultural Association had granted temporary permission to hold the Halton Seniors Association's classes and daily, weekly or monthly meetings there. Malhi said the senior women have been devastated by the news the portable is no longer available to them. "It's affecting their mental health and emotions," he stated in an email to the Oakville Beaver. "These senior ladies and their families contributed so much money to this Gurdwara and now they feel hurt and insulted. They have no idea what to do. They are asking for the community to help get their centre back." Malhi said in 2011, when he served as executive officer within the Halton Gurdwara Sahib, the congregation's senior ladies had long requested the creation of a senior's centre, but the Gurdwara could not afford the construction of a permanent building for that purpose. The idea was ultimately formulated to use a school portable and after hearing about their plight, a construction company contacted Malhi and offered to donate a portable for the seniors at no charge. The cost of moving the portable from Ancaster to Oakville was approximately $3,500, he said. "A lot of donors donated cash to Halton Gurdwara to cover the moving cost of $3,500. One company installed anchors to secure the portable building at no charge that normally cost $1,600. A businessman from Brampton donated carpet and another company did the electrical work for free," stated Malhi in the email. "A trucker brought free gravel and a painter painted at no charge. At the end, our seniors group had a beautiful senior centre that they called their home-away-from-home." On Sunday, the group of seniors hope to stage protest at 2403 Khalsa Gate in hopes of regaining use of the portable. Oakview Funeral Home: a special place to remember You are unique. Your loved ones are unique. So at your time of need or when planning ahead, rely on our specialists to provide everything you need to create a one-of-a-kind remembrance. Call us today for a FREE Planning Kit! Look for us on Facebook 905-842-2252 Visit www.oakviewfuneral.ca for a virtual tour of our funeral home. Oakview Funeral Home by Arbor Memorial Arbor Memorial Inc. 56 Lakeshore Road, W., Oakville Family Owned. Proudly Canadian. Interlocking & Concrete Specialists DINE IN ONLY · Pebble Concrete · Stamped Concrete · Interlocking · Flagstone · Walkways · Garage Floors · Patios · Driveways · Curbs (French) Call Mario 905.842.7171 sunmarlandscape.com Valid only at 1011 Upper Middle Rd, Oakville Expires: June 1st, 2016