First seeds for the TCS Construction Project Planted

TCS Board Members Muzeyyen Coskuner-Henriksen, Sinem
Senol and Zafer Koprulu host Councillor Andrew Knack at
the Annual Mahatma Ghandi Commemoration Reception
October 2, 2016

TCS President Ms. Muzeyyen Coskuner-Henriksen, Board Members Sinem Senol and Zafer Koprulu attended a charity dinner hosted by the Mahatma Ghandi World Peace Foundation in early October and hosted Councillor Andrew Knack at their table, along with Mr. Suat Demirer and Mr. & Mrs. Mustafa Kuyuk.

We used this reception as an opportunity to further discuss project ideas. Councillor Knack has graciously agreed to meet with us in the future once our project ideas materialized further.

During this meeting, our volunteer designer Mr. Suat Demirer had a chance to meet Chaplain Kuyuk, and started incorporating his feedback in to the project plans. Through the month of October Mr. Demirer started working on the initial plans for the #YEG Turkish Mosque as a stand alone building on the north west corner of our property.

Reviewing Design Options and Arrival of Turkish Chaplain

Mr. Mustafa Kuyuk
Muslim Chaplain for Edmonton
addressing the Turkish Canadians
October 8, 2016

During summer 2016, Mr. Suat Demirer, a Turkish architect who works as a manufacturing engineer in Edmonton, offered his services to the Board as a volunteer. Mr. Zafer Koprulu and Mr. Suat Demirer continued to evaluate various design options. Initial feedback from the community members for the cheaper construction solution of adding a second floor to the Gym was not positive. The Board abandoned that option in early August and focused on the arrival of Mr. Mustafa Kuyuk, the newly appointed Turkish Chaplain assigned to the City of Edmonton by the Turkish Directorate of Religous Affairs.

Mr. Kuyuk and his family arrived in Edmonton on September 3, 2016 for a 5 year appointment. Through the month of September the priority for the TCS Board was to ensure the smooth settlement of Mr. Kuyuk's family in Edmonton. TCS rented a residence for the family across the street from the Cultural Centre, and ensured that the Kuyuk children started school as soon as possible.