President & Executive
Director's Report
Three months ago, we pushed open the door to our new Annex after almost eight years of lobbying, planning and building. That step through the door represented a major milestone in the life of Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH).
There were bumps along the way. Realizing that we had to situate the kitchen in a room with curved walls (think about it – appliances are all square or rectangular) was an interesting design challenge. And hearing that our parking would be spread between two buildings wasn’t a good day. But we figured things out: most of the appliances are clustered in the middle of the kitchen or against interior walls; and participants will park in the large number of spaces conveniently located under the Annex beside our elevator, while staff will park in the few spots under the adjacent building across the courtyard.
When staff and participants enter our Annex at Boundary Road and Vanness Avenue they will enjoy a stunning 14-foot-ceiling space bathed in natural light. The multipurpose room includes a sprung floor and wall mirrors that lend the room a sense of spaciousness. The art room offers a dedicated space in which our neighbourhood can express its creativity. The children’s room will feature an afternoon preschool and other opportunities for children to play and learn in a space built specifically for them. The kitchen will be a hub of cooking, learning and sharing. And the offices will give staff the opportunity to work in bright, well-designed spaces.
Reaching a milestone like this is the result of years of hard work by a myriad of people. First, huge thanks to our staff who have been so dedicated to opening this new space. They have worked extremely hard, often on top of their regular workloads, because they were so passionate about seeing this space come to fruition. Their dedication has been extraordinary and we are so deeply thankful to them.
Thanks as well to our current and past Board members who, over the past eight years, have worked hard to help vision and plan the Annex and raise funds to support it. They have been outstanding.
We’re so thankful for our community partners, who joined with us to lobby for this space for our neighbourhood. And we are so grateful to the City of Vancouver for giving us the space and putting effort into ensuring it will meet our neighbourhood’s needs for years to come. This neighbourhood is experiencing rapid densification and desperately needs more spaces like CNH and CNH’s Annex; we’re grateful that the City recognized the opportunity to invest in our community. And kudos to Wall Financial which built the Annex to such a high standard, showing that not-for-profit spaces can be both functional and beautiful.
Please come visit us at our Annex and see it for yourself – it’s there for you and your neighbours as a place to belong, a place to grow. See you at the Annex!
Paula Lindner, President of the Board
Jennifer Gray-Grant, Executive Director