On a single, 45-foot trailer and 50-foot tractor, banners will showcase the different places of worship found along No. 5 Road.
“What we have is each temple or church designing and printing a banner with their logo to be placed on the side of the float,” said Winnie Chu, a volunteer coordinating float decoration.
The float, representing Richmond’s famous “Highway to Heaven” will also be adorned with flowers and festive colours, along with association members, both on and off the float, representing something unique about their identities.
“On the weekend before July 1, all participating institutions will come together to decorate and put the banners up together,” added Chu.
A few of the participating institutions include Nanak Niwas Gurdwara (Indian Culture Centre of Canada), Saint Monica Parish, Ling Yen Mountain Temple, BC Muslim Association, and Thrangu Monastery Canada.
The Highway to Heaven Association hopes its participation in the Salmon Festival is an opportunity to come together as a community and prove different religions can coexist and help one another.
“Richmond can be really proud of its intercultural harmony. We get along well with each other, we respect each other and we respect other diverse religions and cultures,” said Balwant Sanghera, who credits himself as having coined the term “Highway to Heaven” to describe this unique area in Richmond.
“About 12 to 13 years ago, as a member of Richmond’s Multicultural Concerns Society (RMCS), I saw some places of worship along No. 5 road and sent one of my staff members to do a little inventory to see how many places of worship there were.”
Sanghera remembers when the Indian Cultural Centre of Canada, where he has been an active member for years, was the first religious institution to be built in the area about 30 years ago.
Since then, Christian churches, mosques, a Sikh temple, Hindu temple, Buddhist pagoda, monastery and even religious schools make up the 20-plus places of worship along No. 5 Road.
“Our strip from Bridgeport to Steveston Highway is a really unique place. I don’t think you will find something like this anywhere else in the world,” Sanghera said.
It was only three years ago Sanghera was approached with the idea of forming an association.
The Highway to Heaven Association has since met to discuss issues of common concerns and mutual interests.
At their last meeting, they discussed their first ever participation in the parade at Steveston’s annual Salmon Festival.
