By Balwant Sanghera

Richmond’s #5 Road is also popularly known as the Highway to Heaven (H2H). This stretch of a few kilometers of # 5 Road in Richmond between Steveston Highway and Bridgeport Road is home to about 25 places of worship of different denominations. Most of the world’s major religions are represented on this stretch of few kilometers on the east side of #5 Road. These include Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism and many more. A few years ago, around 2004/2005,as president of the Richmond Multicultural Community Services (RMCS) I requested one of our staff members to prepare a list of all the places of worship springing up on the east side of # 5 Road. Based on that information, I wrote an article in the local newspaper (Richmond Review ) and coined the phrase Highway to Heaven for this portion of Number Five Road.I wrote that this is Richmond’s Highway to Heaven. Since then, it has caught on. Now our Highway to Heaven is well known all over. As a matter of fact, it has become as one of Richmond’s favourite attractions.

Many students and other visitors from all over come to visit our Highway to Heaven and learn about different religions. Not only that, they also appreciate the way different places of worship work and support each other. A few years ago, a Canada wide survey  of Canada’s favourite places placed Richmond’s Highway to Heaven  as one of 50 most popular places to visit. Following that, BBC did a story about our Highway to Heaven. It went viral. In November 2017, 13 United Nations Ambassadors were coming to Vancouver to attend a Conference on Peace and Defence. I was approached by Global Affairs Canada with a request to host them as they were keen to visit our Highway to Heaven. It was a pleasure for us to host them at India Cultural Centre of CanadaGurdwara Nanak Niwa, 8600 #5 Road in Richmond. They were very impressed with a delicious vegetarian lunch and discussion about our efforts in promoting intercultural and inter religious harmony.On this occasion, the Canadian Ambassador was beaming with pride and remarked to his fellow Ambassadors:” This is my Canada”.

Incidentally, around 2018, National Film Board of Canada did a short documentary on our H2H. That was another feather in our cap. This documentary is reported to be played occasionally on Air Canada’s international flights. 

As mentioned earlier, close to 25 places of worship are proud to work to-gether in promoting our shared vision and common goals. As chairperson of the Highway to Heaven Association (H2HA), it is a great honour for me to bring to-gether our partners and work together in promoting intercultural and interreligious harmony. As a group, it is an honour for all of us to support each other and stand with each other in times of need. We rejoice and celebrate any developments along the H2H. For example, one of our H2HA members, Lingyen Mountain Temple is adding new premises to its existing facilities. They had a big celebration for the Ridge Beam Completion Ceremony on Sunday, September 22. This is in connection with their new building for the Buddha Hall Phase 3 .It was a very impressive ceremony. The event was overflowing with VIPs, special guests and the public. It was a historical occasion to mark this milestone in the history of Lingyen Mountain Temple.

The organisers of the Ridge Beam Completion Ceremony did an excellent job in ensuring that everything went smoothly. From parking to seating to lunch everything went like a clock work. The volunteers were very pleasant and helpful. The message from the organizers about this new facility was very succinct: “The temple will soon be able to provide even more services, guidesentinent beings onto the compassionate vessel, and lead the community in their Buddhist practice.” On behalf of the Highway to Heaven Association, I offer my hearty congratulations to the organizers, volunteers, temple leaders and the congregation of this marvellous place of worship.

Balwant Sanghera is the Chairperson, Highway to Heaven Association.