In a small, quiet Alberta village lies its newest addition — a Gurdwara — which is now inviting residents to attend an event to "learn about Sikh faith."Rockyford's municipality posted on its Facebook page, offering its residents a chance "to learn about the Sikh Faith on September 20 at 10 a.m." thanks to an invitation by the Guru Harkrishan Sahib Gurdwara, which now occupies the premises of the old Rockyford school.The village, which has a population of over 400, had sold its former school, closed back in 2016, to an undisclosed buyer who took possession of the property back in April.The Western Standard reported back in June about the Gurdwara, which the village had previously stated was a "cultural centre," but which now has been officially announced as a religious Gurdwara..In response to the sale of the school, Rockyford released a statement to residents in April about the new owners.The letter reads the mayor and council are committed to maintaining an "inclusive" and "respectful community for all."It states Rockyford is home to "many different cultures," and that their community will continue to grow.Some villagers have previously stated their discontent about how the old school was sold by the village..EXCLUSIVE: Alberta village criticized for selling old school for Sikh 'cultural centre' without consulting residents.One resident, Sharon Morrison, has been living in Rockyford for eight years, and disclosed to the Western Standard that along with herself, many residents have not been impressed by the village's conduct.That's because the village did not consult with its residents at all in selling the publicly owned building.Morrison claims there was "no town meeting" to discuss the sale, nor the impacts on the community of introducing a number of new daytime residents to the village.The Western Standard also talked to another local of Rockyford, Geoff La Prairie, who has been living in the village for 13 years, and who was also not too pleased with the way the village announced the old school building had been sold.."When it came to putting out offers on the school, which they did over the weekend with no notice to the community, other than a posting on Facebook," La Prairie said.The old school had actually been sold back in 2024, but the buyer backed out of the deal — and a commercial realtor began selling it in January 2026.The school was originally listed for $125,000, and two offers were made at $135,000 and $156,000.Council had decided on the offer of $31,000 above the asking price, from the buyers who now make up the Gurdwara..The mayor of Rockyford, Darcy J Burke, also explained to the Drumheller Mail the cost of maintaining the building was around $20,000 annually.The Drumheller Mail also previously wrote that kids will be bused to the location, according to Rockyford Mayor Darcy Burke.Statistics Canada's most recent 2021 Census data reveals there is nobody in the village who has Sikh religious affiliation, which explains why people would be bused to the centre.
