Officials from the Singh Sahib Zorawar Singh Gursikh Temple recently handed a cheque for $24,000 to Stuart Lake Hospital Auxiliary to fund the new hospital in Fort St. James.

FORT SAINT JAMES  – The Fort St. James Punjabi community has donated $24 000 to the Stuart Lake Hospital.

Officials from the Singh Sahib Zorawar Singh Gursikh Temple recently handed a cheque for $24,000 to Stuart Lake Hospital Auxiliary to fund the new hospital in Fort St. James.

The construction of the new hospital is expected to begin in summer 2021 and be open for patients in 2024.

According to an official with the Punjabi community in Fort St. James, its the home to about 350 Indo-Canadians during the 1970s and 80s.

Most were employed within the forest industry. In 1981, the close-knit community built the town’s first Gurdwara (place of worship) with the first wedding ceremony taking place in February 1984.

As years went on, the community grew older and children moved to larger cities to pursue post-secondary education, while retirees moved to larger cities to access medical services.

As the community decreased in number, the Gurdwara was attended less frequently.

In 2013, when the Municipality bought and converted the Victory Christian Church building into a Community Centre, the Punjabi community offered the Gurdwara to be used as their Church.

This year, the Victory Christian Church purchased the Gurdwara building and the Punjabi community chose to donate the proceeds to various community organizations.