“President Monson Announces New Temples,” Ensign, Nov. 2008, 126–27
President Monson Announces New Temples
More Church members will receive the blessings of the temple after the completion of five new temples announced during general conference. President Thomas S. Monson announced plans for the new temples during his opening remarks in the Saturday morning session on October 4, 2008.
The new temples will be built in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Córdoba, Argentina; the greater Kansas City, Missouri, USA, area; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; and Rome, Italy. Sites for the new temples have already been acquired.
“What a glorious day for us to witness the announcement of five new temples by our beloved prophet,” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, said in his conference address following the announcement. “What a beautiful day for all of us.”
The temple in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, will be built on Church-owned land next to an existing meetinghouse in the northwest part of the city. It will be the eighth temple in Canada and the third temple in the Alberta province. Other temples in Canada include those in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Edmonton, Alberta; Cardston, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Toronto, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec; and Vancouver, British Columbia (the temple in British Columbia is currently under construction).
The temple in Córdoba, Argentina, will be situated on the Belgrano meetinghouse site, next to the present mission home. It will be the 34th temple in Latin America and the second temple in Argentina. The first Argentine temple was dedicated in 1986 in the capital city of Buenos Aires.
Steady Church growth in the United States is reflected in the announcement of plans for a temple in the greater Kansas City, Missouri, area, and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. These temples will add to the dozens of other temples throughout the United States. The temple serving the greater Kansas City area will be built in Clay County, Missouri, within the Kansas City limits on residential property in the Shoal Creek development. The temple in Philadelphia will be built downtown, similar to other temples built in urban areas such as Manhattan and Hong Kong.
Saints in the Mediterranean will benefit greatly from the announced plans for a temple in Rome, Italy. The temple will occupy part of a 15-acre (6-ha) Church-owned site near the ring road skirting the northeast section of Rome. The announced temple will be the 12th in Europe. Members of the Church in surrounding countries will benefit from less travel time as well as reduced travel expenses.
There are currently 128 dedicated temples in operation and another 17 announced or under construction, bringing the total number of announced or operating temples throughout the world to 145.