FAQ – New Temple

The current temple is designed for 100 occupants.

Our plan accommodates approximately 300 occupants. Since we are not on  the municipal systems, our occupancy number is limited to septic capacity and  fire protection. However, we will supplement the system to meet our  occupancy of approximately 300. 

The structure is designed to meet building code standards for assembly  building 4.8kPA (100lbs/ft2), which can accommodate as many people as  possible to fit physically, that is, more than 1000 occupants. Our houses are  designed to 1.9kPA (40lbs/ft2).

 As per the Building Code, we require 105 parking. Since our occupancy is  less on most days, we are requesting a minor variation to reduce parking to  75.

There are many ways to approach a construction contract. It will be decided  once we decide how the construction contract is set up.

The new temple team is working on attracting more devotees to engage  with the new temple project. All suggestions are welcome.

The temple started in 2007, and for the first few years, the number of devotees  actively doing special poojas was about 150. This number has increased to about  450 now, and based on this number alone, it is possible to attract more devotees  to the New Temple. 

Yes. However, with the experience our sister temples are going through now, a  separate Prist Residence is a must for a temple to operate efficiently as well as  meet the city regulations. Therefore, the best option is to have the temporary  temple and the priest building at the back, leaving the front and center for the new  temple activities. We see a good potential usage for the temporary building once  the temple operations are transferred to the new temple Building.

 The Temple committee presented a short-term solution to expand the existing  temple in 2010. However, at the meeting, a decision was made to spend the money  on a new temple instead of renovating the current structure, which is old and  would be costly to renovate/expand/maintain to meet all the requirements of the  Sivan Temple that is envisioned.  

The experts within the Temple Trustee Board and their friends volunteered and  produced all the plans and diagrams presented on various occasions since the  temple’s inception in 2008. The work was all charity, and there was no cost to the  temple. 

We understand the risk and our risk mitigation measure is to build to a  minimum size and cost as less as as possible to sustain the operation for a  few years until the new one is built. The plan is to have the Kumba Abishekam  done for the New Temple in July 2028.  

As indicated, the board of trustees has discussed many different versions of  the temple, considering the costs and the requirements of a Saiva temple  suitable for our Saiva community. All the Trustees believe that we have the  right plan and are in a position now to build a temple that meets our needs.

In the future, we will hold regular in-person info sessions and send updates by email,  website, and newsletter.  

The Board of Trustees is actively working to include the devotees in the New Temple Project  (NTP). It is essential for the temple that the devotees participate in the decision-making  process of the new temple, which is to serve all of us for years to come.

The estimated cost of the new temple project was indeed $4M in 2016. However, at that  time, our savings were not adequate, and we were not in agreement that we could build the  temple based on 9 years (2007 to 2016) of financial data. However, based on our experience,  we are confident that the New Temple will be a reality to start now, with an anticipated  completion in five years in 2028.

We understand the cost escalation on any project. We have experts in-house  and manage the cost overrun under control.

We believe in securing a few personal guarantees from our devotees.

We have devotees from other communities visiting our temple regularly. We  plan to approach them as well. 

The new temple project team is working on the tax benefits for the donations to  present to the donors on their donation benefits.

The new temple project team is working on a monthly contribution solution  for devotees who want to contribute monthly. 

The new temple project team is working on reaching out to other temples.

The new temple project team is working on temple promotional materials.

The new temple project team is working on attracting potential devotees.

The new temple project team is working on keeping records of the donations.

We understand the risk, and the new temple project team is working on  mitigation measures. 

We are collecting the data related to potential communities, and plan to  approach them as well. 

We have had similar donation entities, and plan to approach them.

Karunkal, local brick, and concrete materials were reviewed and  karunkal was chosen for durability while keeping the traditional beliefs  and values in line with no compromise. 

Yes, Earthquake design is required for buildings built in Ottawa. 

It was very reliable and durable compared to other options. 

Yes. Our youth are good in our official languages, so it is easier to include  non-Tamil-speaking youth as well. See the next question below.

Some of the existing efforts include running Saiva religious classes on  Sundays, encouraging children to sing Thevaram and bajan during festival  times, running Bajans on Fridays, and encouraging them to be involved in  volunteer activities. As parents and community well-wishers, we have a duty  to engage youth in temple activities to sustain our rich language, spirituality,  culture & traditions that have survived thousands of years.