Highlights
- The Craigieburn Sikh temple in Melbourne gets $500,000 worth funding boost
- The grant will be utilised to build a community centre within the temple premises
- More than 60 infrastructure projects will share $21 million investment made through this year’s state budget
The funding support is part of the Victorian Government's multicultural community infrastructure fund (MCIF) that has been allocated to the Sikh temple in Craigieburn in a bid to boost the state's infrastructure and support the culturally diverse communities.
The grant which will be utilised to construct a community centre within the temple premises is expected to cost nearly $1.2 million.
Calling it a "big news'", Minister of Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence said a new community centre would serve a dual purpose of enriching the diversity and generating jobs for the community members once it is constructed and operational.
She also thanked the Sikh community for their contribution and service towards supporting Victorians. Source: Facebook/Ros Spence MP
“In Victoria, we want to have many easily accessible, high-quality, culturally diverse spaces, that are safe and welcoming, and that can bring joy and connection to Victorians of all backgrounds.
“I'm thrilled to support this very worthy project, which will benefit our entire community across Melbourne's outer north," Ms Spence said in a statement.
She also thanked the Sikh community for their contribution and service towards supporting Victorians in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that brought unprecedented challenges.
“A big thank you to our local Sikh community - and all of our local multicultural communities - for the extraordinary work they have done supporting Victorians of all backgrounds throughout this challenging year," said Ms Spence.
More than 60 projects are expected to benefit from a $21 million investment made through this year’s budget that will support and improve Victoria’s multicultural facilities to ensure communities can meaningfully celebrate, preserve and share their traditions and promote social cohesion.
Sri Guru Singh Sabha - Craigieburn Gurudwara Source: Facebook
In an interview with SBS Punjabi, Paramjit Singh Grewal, the president of Sri Guru Singh Sabha - Craigieburn Gurudwara said the funding boost could not have come a better as the temple needed a bigger hall to accommodate the increasing footfall of devotees who regularly worship at the gurudwara.
“We would like to thank the Victorian Government, especially Minister Ros Spence as this grant of $500,000 will hugely help us towards the construction of the hall, which is expected to cost upwards of one million dollars," said Mr Grewal.
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