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Before the 1998 announcement of a temple to be built in Edmonton, Alberta, members of the Church in Edmonton looking to attend a house of the Lord would drive five hours south to the closest temple, in Cardston, Alberta. Many of these Latter-day Saints would move to Cardston after their retirement in search of warmer weather and to be closer to the temple.
Donald D. Salmon, who moved to Edmonton in 1951, had such retirement plans, but the announcement of the Edmonton temple urged him to stay there. “We are staying, and many others are staying, too,” said Salmon, who was called as the first temple president of the Edmonton Alberta Temple.
The Edmonton Alberta Temple was dedicated throughout seven sessions from Dec. 11 to Dec. 12, 1999, by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. Although attendees at the dedication huddled in vinyl tents for warmth amid the cold temperatures — around 32 degrees Fahrenheit — thousands of members attended the dedication, with around 6,900 Saints attending one of the seven sessions.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Following this dedication, may only those who are worthy in Thy sight cross the portals of this, Thy house. When they enter herein, may they do so knowing that they come as Thy guests, here to feel the presence of Thy Holy Spirit. Enlighten their minds with an understanding of the sacred ordinances in which they will participate.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Edmonton Alberta Temple here.
The Edmonton Alberta Temple was announced on Aug. 11, 1998, in a First Presidency announcement after Church President Gordon B. Hinckley’s nine-day ministry across Canada, during which he visited Alberta. President Hinckley’s counselors were presidents Thomas S. Monson, first counselor, and James E. Faust, second counselor.
The groundbreaking for the Edmonton Alberta Temple was held on Feb. 27, 1999. Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi, second counselor in the North America Central Area presidency, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony, which was broadcast to Church members in meetinghouses across the temple district.
The public was invited to tour the Edmonton Alberta Temple from Dec. 3-7, 1999. An estimated 27,213 people attended the event.
The Edmonton Alberta Temple was dedicated in seven sessions from Dec. 11-12, 1999, by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. The Prophet was joined by his wife, Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley; Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elder Hugh W. Pinnock, president of the North America Central Area; and other local Church leaders.
On Aug. 11, 1998, the First Presidency of the Church announced the Edmonton Alberta Temple after President Gordon B. Hinckley returned from a nine-day ministry across Canada, including Alberta. Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi, second counselor in the North America Central Area presidency, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony of the temple on Feb. 27, 1999.
After construction was finished, the public toured this house of the Lord from Dec. 3-7, 1999. President Hinckley dedicated the Edmonton Alberta Temple throughout seven sessions on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, 1999.
The total floor area of the temple is 10,700 feet, and it sits on 1 acre of land. The stone for the exterior of the edifice was quarried from Quebec, Canada.
A common motif throughout the temple — seen in the stained-glass windows, railings, doorknobs and furniture — depicts wheat, honoring the importance of agriculture in Alberta. Rooms inside the temple include a baptistry, a celestial room, two ordinance rooms and two sealing rooms.
11 August 1998
11 December 1999
14335 53rd Ave. NW
Edmonton, AB T6H 5G6
Canada
View schedule and book online
(1) 780-434-7436
This was the second Latter-day Saint temple in Alberta and the fifth in Canada.
With this temple dedication, Alberta became the first Canada province to have more than one temple.
This temple was announced shortly after Church President Gordon B. Hinckley’s nine-day ministry across Canada, during which he announced two other Canadian temples — the Montreal Quebec Temple and the Regina Saskatchewan Temple.
The Edmonton temple was dedicated around six months before the Montreal Quebec Temple and just under one month after two other Canadian temples, which were both dedicated on Nov. 14, 1999 — the Halifax Nova Scotia Temple and the Regina Saskatchewan Temple.
This was the second Latter-day Saint temple in Alberta and the fifth in Canada.
With this temple dedication, Alberta became the first Canada province to have more than one temple.
This temple was announced shortly after Church President Gordon B. Hinckley’s nine-day ministry across Canada, during which he announced two other Canadian temples — the Montreal Quebec Temple and the Regina Saskatchewan Temple.
The Edmonton temple was dedicated around six months before the Montreal Quebec Temple and just under one month after two other Canadian temples, which were both dedicated on Nov. 14, 1999 — the Halifax Nova Scotia Temple and the Regina Saskatchewan Temple.