By Ben Morgan and FOX23.com News Staff
BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — A local political group hosted a meeting on Tuesday night for anyone opposed to the proposed mosque in Broken Arrow.
The group Constitutional Grounds met at Property Event Center. Former Councilwoman, Deputy Mayor, and current Oklahoma State Senator Christi Gillespie explained the city’s zoning process and what councilors will have to consider.
Gillespie shared some of the reasons she feels city councilors should vote against the mosque, citing that there is currently no plan to widen the road.
Former State Senator Nathan Dahm also shared his thoughts on the proposed mosque.
“Go to Google Maps or whatever you use and look at the two pieces of property. The two pieces of property are almost identical in size. If you look at what Walnut Drive has, they have about 150 parking spots. Now this Islamic center — this mosque — says they are going to have 750 parking spots, five times as many,” said Dahm. “If you just tackle a simple overlay of the parking Walnut Grove currently has and multiplied it five times and put it on the property, it wouldn’t even fit on the existing property without half the property being in swampy land that can’t be used for parking anyways. SO you’re talking half of the property is going to have to fit five times [what] Walnut Grove currently has. It’s not possible.”
FOX23 was asked to leave the meeting prior to public comment began. Meanwhile, the Islamic Society said the mosque would serve as a place of prayer, education, and charity.
It will have a food pantry and a free medical clinic that’s open to everyone, similar to the Tulsa location.
“Well, one of the hallmarks of the institutions of the United States is the right to free practice of worship and while there are many other faith traditions that have places to worship, we only have the one main [location] in Tulsa and our community has grown and expanded,” said Dr. Sandra Rana with the Tulsa Islamic Center. “I can remember in Broken Arrow when there were hay fields and horse pastures between Tulsa and Broken Arrow. Now there’s Bass Pros and hospitals and hotels and convention centers. We’ve been a part of that growth and we would like to have a place that we can worship in the same town that we work in, live in and conduct our lives in. We’re part of the Broken Arrow community and we would like to be able to worship in Broken Arrow.”
The Broken Arrow City Council’s next meeting on the topic is set for January 12 at 6 p.m.
