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“It is feared the temple, described as a one–of–a–kind
example of Chinese sacred architecture, will not survive another rainy
season.” — Reuters,
June 25, 2001 |
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| The temple requires
extensive rehabilitation and daily maintenance. A coalition of community
groups, including the temple’s owner, the Marysville Chinese Community,
Inc and Friends of the Marysville Bok Kai Temple, Inc., are working together
to save the temple. The groups have joined with Marysville City leaders
and other concerned individuals to seek funding for the preservation of
the temple and its collection of historical artifacts. Restoration architects
and engineers were hired to evaluate the structure’s condition and
made recommendations for addressing the most immediate concerns. These concerns were included in the Historic Structure Report completed by Architectural Resources Group (ARG), a prestigious San Francisco Firm, in September, 2002. The complete report is included on this website. The cost of the HSR was paid by the Chinese Community, Friends of the Marysville Bok Kai Temple, Marysville-Pekang Sister City Assoc., the City of Marysville, and three small grants received thru the National Trust. The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of San Francisco raised over $200,000 towards the Temple restoration in 2004 and the Marysville Rotary Club dedicated the proceeds from two golf tournaments for the Temple which added $40,000 + . These generous donations paid for work that literally saved the murals from being lost due to their fragile condition and continued weather damage. In 2007 The McBean Family Trust granted FMBKT $31,500 for a specific restoration project, preferably completing restoration of the murals. The Mcbean family was formerly of the Gladding-McBean Clay Tile manufacturers in Lincoln. |
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An important segment of restoration, subject to funds raised, is a professional inventory of artifacts and developing a proper archival place to house them. Our long range goal is a courtyard on the south edge of the temple with handicapped access and educational possibilities for school children, especially. We already have donations dedicated to this project from the Tom family of Marysville. Another ongoing fundraiser is engraving the clay tiles removed from the Temple roof for donations to our restoration account. A large brass plaque has been placed close to the entrance to the Temple, honoring all who contributed $100 to $ 10,000 to the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of San Francisco fund-raising.
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| ©2008
Friends of the Marysville Bok Kai Temple original artwork by Naiying Wang Davis photo courtesy NTHP |
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