Calgary Alberta Temple
Thomas S. Monson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced the Calgary Alberta Temple in the opening session of the 178th semiannual General Conference on 4 October 2008. The Calgary Alberta Temple is the eighth temple built in Canada, and the third built in Alberta. The other temples in Alberta are the Cardston Alberta Temple (1923) and the Edmonton Alberta Temple (1999).
There are 192,299 members of The Church of Jesus Christ living throughout the Canadian region. There are 7 missions, 482 congregations, 8 temples, and 166 Family History Centers.
Mormons first began to settle in southern Alberta in the 1880s as contract workers on the St. Mary's Irrigation Canal and as farmers in present-day Cardston. By 1895, the first stake in Alberta was established, and membership in the Church has continued to thrive ever since. Today there are over 75,000 members throughout the province.
On 4 October 2008 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that it would build a new temple in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The temple is located on the northeast corner of Royal Oak Rd NW and Rocky Ridge Rd NW, Calgary, Alberta. The site has a panoramic view of the city and is adjacent to the Royal Oak Chapel in northwest Calgary. Over 18,000 members of the Church in 6 stakes will use the temple.
The new Tuscany/Royal Oak rail station will be within short walking distance of the temple, facilitating access for those who use public transportation. The completion of the Calgary Ring Road, with a close exit, will make the temple accessible for those traveling by car.
The temple will be Canada's eighth temple and Alberta's third.
Mormons first began to settle in southern Alberta in the 1880s as contract workers on the Canadian Pacific Railroad and as farmers in present-day Cardston. By 1895, the first stake in Alberta was established, and membership in the Church has continued to thrive ever since. Today there are over 75,000 members throughout the province (LDS Newsroom, 4 Oct. 2008).
The groundbreaking for the temple was held on May 15, 2010.
A temple open house was scheduled wherein community leaders and the general public may have an opportunity to tour a Mormon temple and receive explanations of how it is used for worship and as a house of God. The open house was scheduled for 29 September through 20 October 2012, excluding Sundays and Saturday, 6 October.
The temple was formally dedicated on Sunday, 28 October 2012, in three sessions. In conjunction with the dedication of the temple, there was also a cultural celebration featuring music and dance on Saturday, 27 October 2012.
The temple was dedicated by Mormon prophet and president Thomas S. Monson. Assisting President Monson for the traditional cornerstone ceremony prior to the dedication were Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Craig C. Christensen and Elder William R. Walker of the Seventy and temple president and matron, Blair S. and Mary Jane C. Bennett. A choir composed of Latter-day Saints from within the temple district sang Church hymns for the dedication and cornerstone ceremony.
The Calgary Temple is the third in Alberta; the Cardston Temple opened in 1923 and the Edmonton Temple in 1999. The Cardston Mormon Temple is the 140th of dedicated temples worldwide with nearly 30 announced or under construction.
