The Dunbar Community Centre Association board has a vision for a 'state-of-art, first-of-its-kind' community centre that will meet the health & wellness needs of our community for the next 50 years...
We need Vancouver Park Board to partner in a feasibility study to plan for Dunbar Community Centre's renewal.
Other questions and comments can be submitted via the link below or written in the comment book at the renewal booth in the Dunbar Community Centre Lobby.
About 8 years ago, the Vancouver Park Board presented a Community Centre Renewal Plan. The Dunbar Community Centre (DCC) was identified as a ‘High Priority’ project. Specifically targeted were seismic deficiencies. DCC is designated as an Emergency Response Centre in case of natural disaster. It would most likely not survive a significant earthquake. There are numerous other deficiencies including aging infrastructure (50+ years old), inflexible & inefficient space utilization, safety & security concerns, poor accessibility and an inability to service changing community needs into the future.
We have asked Vancouver Park Board commissioners to approve funding of a ‘Feasibility Study’ sometime in 2010.
(See What is the next step in Community Centre Renewal). The Dunbar Community Centre Association has also set aside funds to partner in this study and to demonstrate our commitment and belief that this project should be a high priority. We expect the commissioners to make a decision shortly. You can help by
clicking above and letting them know you support facility renewal. Community support is critical in making this project happen!
The Dunbar Community Centre Association (DCCA) has already made presentations to Vancouver Park Board (VPB) commissioners and staff. Specifically, we have requested funding of a ‘Feasibility Study’ to be led by VPB sometime in 2010. It would be guided by our Health & Wellness vision. A Feasibility Study will deliver a redevelopment concept, space program and global cost estimate, and will undertake more extensive public consultation. VPB has funds set aside in their budget for such a purpose. We want Dunbar Community Centre to be a priority for this funding and have offered partner funding (from DCCA reserves) to demonstrate our commitment and enthusiasm for the process. We expect the commissioners to make a decision shortly. You can help by
clicking here and letting them know you support community centre renewal. Community support is critical in making this project happen!
The Dunbar Community Centre Association will advise and assist our partner, the Vancouver Park Board, in providing a modern, state-of-the-art facility that is guided by our Health & Wellness vision. More details of this vision can be found in the Executive Summary
downloaded here (
DOC 106KB). We will advocate active and healthy lifestyles combined with preventative and rehabilitative programs that are not only innovative and superior, but can be both measured and evaluated.
The original building dates back to the late 1950’s -- this was enlarged in a 1984 addition to the south side of the building.
The Dunbar Community Centre Association (DCCA) has acknowledged the deficiencies of the current facility for many years now – via staff and customer feedback as well as ongoing day-to-day experience. This experience and anecdotal evidence needed to be gathered and quantified by an outside consultant. The DCCA retained TyPlan Planning and Management (TyPlan) to prepare a Needs Assessment Report for the DCC.
The report was based on available technical reports and ongoing consultations with the Dunbar Community Centre Association Board, programmers, instructors, users and potential project partners. It also involved some limited, but well defined consultation with a number of focus groups and specific organizations in our community.
Beyond the obvious safety and building deficiencies, it was clear that the Dunbar Community Centre is unable to adequately service its current customer base. More importantly, as the building was built more than 50 years ago, it will be unable to meet the future demands of a community with ever changing needs. The key findings of the report can be found in the Executive Summary
downloaded here (
DOC 106KB) or you can download the full needs assessment report
here (
DOC 3.36MB). A copy is also available at the Front Desk in the DCC.
The Board of Directors of the Dunbar Community Centre Association and its Facility Renewal Committee are working in partnership with the Vancouver Park Board (VPB) and targeting other government and community partners to develop the backing and funding to move forward with renewal of the Dunbar Community Centre. Specifically at this stage, we are urging VPB commissioners to support joint funding of a Feasibility Study to advance the project further.
Once a Feasibility Study is approved, it will still take until Fall of 2011 to get formal approval from the City. There are many steps in the process. If successful, we would expect to be included in the Vancouver Park Board 2012-2014 Capital Plan. Construction would commence sometime during that period.
We will not know the cost of facility renewal until the Feasibility Study is completed and we ensure the present and future needs of the community are met. We hope to receive financial support from all levels of government as well as community sources. The Dunbar Community Centre Association will also undertake a fundraising campaign.
We don’t know yet. The postcard you received in the mail in the Fall of 2009 shows a picture that is merely a rendering of what it could look like (thanks to Hughes Condon Marler Architects for permission to use this image). During the Feasibility Study stage and beyond, the public will have an opportunity to engage in this process.
There will be opportunity for community input during the Feasibility Study stage of the project
(See What is the next step in Community Centre Renewal). Please support our efforts for facility renewal.
Click above and register your support. Community support is critical in helping make this project happen!
We recognize that you might have many questions, some of which will probably be answered during the Feasibility Study stage of the project
(See What is the next step in Community Centre Renewal). However, if there is something we haven’t answered here, we will try to answer your question.
Click here to send us an email. We will get back to you in due course. Please recognize that we are all volunteers but we will do our best.
