Gila Valley Arizona Temple

The Gila Valley Arizona Temple is a planned temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to be constructed in the town of Central between the communities of Pima and Thatcher in Arizona. The announcement of the temple on April 26, 2008 came concurrently with the Gilbert Arizona Temple, and together were the first new temples announced since Thomas S. Monson assumed responsibilities as the President of the LDS church. [cite news |first=Mike |last=Branom |title=New Mormon temple slated for Gilbert |url=http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/114955 |publisher=The East Valley Tribune |date=2008-04-27 |accessdate=2008-04-28]

Local church leadership announced on September 21, 2008 that the temple would be built on church owned property adjacent to US Route 70 in the unincorporated community of Central. A petition to grant an exception to building height restrictions to accommodate the temple's steeple was given a favorable recommendation by the Graham County Planning and Zoning Commission, and will be formally decided by the county on October 20. [cite news|title=Temple could be in Central|publisher=Eastern Arizona Courier|date=2008-09-29|accessdate=2008-09-30|last=Saunders|first=Diane|url=http://www.eacourier.com/articles/2008/09/29/news/doc48dd8a4384d11464477187.txt]

The new temple will serve the significant LDS population in the eastern part of Arizona's Gila River Valley, who currently must travel to the Mesa Arizona Temple 150 miles to the west. Thatcher, which was founded by LDS pioneers in 1881, was home to former LDS church president Spencer W. Kimball during his youth in the early part of the 1900s. [cite news |title=LDS Church announces two new temples in Arizona. |url=http://www.sltrib.com/lds/ci_9071215?source=rss |publisher=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=2008-04-27 |accessdate=2005-04-28]

ee also

* List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
* List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by geographic region

References