24/05/11 - Thomas Vale starts work on the new community centre for Britain's first Gurdwara

To mark the start of the project a Foundation Stone Ceremony was carried out by Thomas Vale and the Gurdwara, for which the ‘Panj Piyarai’ (Five Sikhs) of the Gurdwara carried out prayers for good luck in the project and poured cement into the ground.

The Gurdwara community centre has been designed to Government BREEAM Very Good Standard and will be one of the most energy efficient in the UK with a low carbon footprint. It incorporates a 30,000 litre rainwater harvesting tank used for flushing toilets and urinals, Under-floor heating, Heat recovery and recycling systems, and an award winning lighting systems that automatically dim or switch off when compensated with sunlight.

Mr Tarsem Singh Shokar, President of Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Smethwick said, “This is a very exciting time for our congregation. We have been working for a long time to bring forward this project and I am delighted that we have secured the services of a first class construction partner in Thomas Vale Construction Ltd.”

Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick is a Sikh temple in Smethwick and is the UK's first and biggest Gurdwara. The total Gurdwara span an area of about 78,000 square metres and the building is four storey’s high.

Tony Hyde, Managing Director for Thomas Vale Group; “We’re pleased to have been given the opportunity to work on such a famous and historic building. This is one of the largest religious buildings we have worked on so far, and aim to finish with a community centre the local community can be proud of.”

The conceptual design is the work of Reade Buray Associates in collaboration with a dedicated building sub-committee of Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick. The project is being funded by Barclays Corporate, Birmingham.

Joe Kavanagh, Relationship Director, Barclays Corporate, Birmingham, said: “We are delighted to support this exciting development of the Gurdwara, helping both the Sikh Community and the wider community in Smethwick. This demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the local area and we look forward to continue working with the Committee members and trustees now and in the future.”