Shanti Ghat in Delta
Los Angeles/July 20, 2026
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh
For a long time, our community has been trying to secure a suitable place along the Fraser
River in the Metro Vancouver area where people could scatter the ashes of their loved
ones. There have been a number of instances where the community’s hopes in this regard
went up. Unfortunately, some of these claims proved to be false and nothing concrete
materialized. Many people from our community have been taking the ashes to India to be
immersed at certain designated places. In the Metro Vancouver area, some people have
been renting boats etc.to disperse the ashes in the ocean. Finally, our community has a
place in Delta where the ashes of our beloved ones can be scattered in the flowing water of
Fraser River.
This has been made possible by the collective efforts of our community, various Gurdwaras, Hindu Temples, South Asian media, along with the leadership provided by Delta Mayor George Harvey and his Council. The strong support and commitment made by Attorney General/Deputy Premier Niki Sharma and Delta North MLA, and Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon gave it the final push.
It was great for our community to participate in the dedication of this site on July 16. Delta Mayor Goerge Harvey and his Council must be commended for taking the lead on this issue. Also, Attorney General and Deputy Premier Niki Sharma and Delta North MLA and Minister of Jobs Ravi Kahlon deserve our thanks and appreciation for their full support for this much needed project. As Mayor Harvey mentioned at the dedication, more work needs to be done to make this facility easily accessible. This place-Delta's Fraser Viewpoint public park- on Tilbury Island will be known as BC’s first dedicated ash scattering site. Incidentally, this scenic park is not very far from the Five Rivers Funeral Home.
In this regard, the press release by the province states: “The updated public park provides families a respectable, dedicated gathering space and a platform directly along the Fraser River to disperse cremated remains in accordance with their cultural and spiritual traditions.”
There is no doubt that this is an excellent site. In dedicating this site to the community, Mayor Harvey mentioned that more work needs to be done including a board walk, signage, parking, accessibility etc. In a sense, it is still work in progress. Our community is very thankful to everyone who has been working hard on this much needed facility. Now families can disperse the ashes of their loved ones in the Fraser River on Tilsbury Island rather than renting expensive boats or travelling to India. This is a good start. Hopefully, other decision makers in the province will follow Delta’s lead.
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