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September 27, 2002
Burquest grand opening
The new centre's renovations are now complete.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
After 25 years of hard work and dedication, the Burquest Jewish
Community Association, also named Congregation Sha'arei Mizrah,
is preparing to host the ceremonial grand opening of their new Jewish
community centre Oct. 6.
The facility has been in use by the community for more than a year.
However, renovations to the building have just recently been completed.
The centre features an assembly hall, a kosher kitchen, three classrooms
and an office. The location also offers the congregation opportunities
for growth in the future.
"Part of our consideration in buying the land was that adjacent
to the land are five small building lots that really can't be built
on because the only access to them is through our property,"
explained Dov Lank, the congregation's president. "I think
the site has quite a lot of potential for expansion in the years
to come, as that becomes appropriate."
Reisa Devlin, who, along with her husband, Bob, organized the centre's
renovations, said the completion of the project is a big step toward
making the community feel like they have a home of their own.
"We've got a great day school that's a home to our children.
It's a community centre for our people to grow and to gather and
we're going to start a seniors group and drop-in groups so people
have a place to meet new people," she said.
"It's sort of an all-encompassing community centre and synagogue
and a permanent home, which we've never had before."
The Burquest community began by meeting at the homes of various
founding members during the late 1970s. In the 1980s and '90s the
group rented space in local community centres, schools and church
halls. Today, Burquest serves more than 2,500 Jews from Burnaby
and the Fraser Valley, which makes up approximately 11 per cent
of the Lower Mainland's Jewish population.
The centre is located at 2860 Dewdney Trunk Road, in Coquitlam.
For more information about Congregation Sha'arei Mizrah, call 604-552-7221
or go online at www.burquest.org.
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