Hindu Temple Gets Nod From Plainfield Board

PLAINFIELD, IL — Two weeks after finally giving a green light to a Muslim community center, the Plainfield village board signed off on a proposal for a Hindu temple on Route 59. The board voted in favor of drafting an ordinance to allow the Sri Ayyappa Swami Temple to occupy a space in the Meadows commercial building at 13250 S. Route 59.

The vote came after applicant Anil Nair agreed to close one hour earlier on weekends. The hours will be 5 to 9 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Nair said 10-20 members, maximum, will be at the temple on weekdays, 50 to 60 on Saturdays and 40 to 50 on Sundays, according to village documents. Special events will have a maximum of 100 attendees.

The complex includes a dentist's office and several businesses that operate on standard 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours on Monday through Friday. Another religious institution, Harvest Church, is also located in the Meadows.

Unlike a typical church service, members of Sri Ayyappa Swami Temple would come in and worship independently on their own time.

Nair said the group's active members include about 40 families from Plainfield, Naperville, Bolingbrook and Aurora. Up until now, they have been meeting for prayer and worship at members' homes and, twice per month, at another local temple.

The Meadows complex is bordered by residential areas and the nearby Menards center to the east. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

As with the Islamic center, neighbors expressed concerns with parking issues and the temple's hours of operation.

Patch file photo