A long-pursued island undertaking was finally and fully realized during opening celebrations at the Bowen Island Community Centre.
A ribbon cutting and cedar brushing ceremony took place at the facility on Tuesday to recognize the accomplishment and welcome the community inside the new building. While its doors had technically opened last week, the event served as many people’s first time exploring the different amenities the centre has to offer.
“This is a tremendous achievement for our community — after decades of thoughtful planning and collaboration, we are proud to see this project come to life,” said mayor Andrew Leonard.
The centre, located next to Bowen Island Community School (BICS) on Bowen Island Trunk Road, includes a theatre which can double as a multi-purpose room, workout and fitness rooms, a courtyard, and various multi-use rooms and communal spaces. It’s also the new home of Municipal Hall following the municipality’s move from their previous Artisan Lane location.
While the current design for the Community Centre was finalized in 2018, community efforts to establish a centre on the island can be traced back around 60 years. One of the earliest ideas came from Leslie Wallwork in the 1950s, who envisioned the Union Steamship General Store as a gathering place for Bowen’s people and performances.
The Hearth Arts on Bowen, originally the Bowen Island Arts Council upon formation in 1987, has been a driving force in the creation of a community space since its inception and worked in tandem with the municipality over time to make the project a reality.
“Some folks here in the audience have been working at bringing this project to fruition for decades,” said Leonard to the gathered crowd on Tuesday. “Before some of us in the front rows here were even born (noting the many BICS students up front) this was a conversation that was happening in the community. Community members were getting involved. They were raising money, they were pushing council. They were trying to find a site to get this built.”
“So to be a mayor and the representative of those efforts at the long end of a project like that feels like a real privilege. It feels like a real honour, and I thank you for being here,” said Leonard.
The cedar brushing ceremony was conducted by S7aplek and Spakwus Slolem (Bob Baker and the Squamish Eagle Song Dancers). When it came time for the ribbon cutting, in lieu of the traditional dignitary photo op, the mayor instead opted to invite the eager contingent of BICS students up to mark the occasion.
“I want you to feel that energy of what it means to be a kid here today, what it means to be a kid growing up on Bowen Island, and how special that is to be connected to everything that we have here,” said Leonard.
“As a parent I feel so fortunate to be able to raise my kids here, to be able to represent community here. And I know through speaking to the other older lineages on the island that it’s a tremendous honour to be a part of the community and to provide the wisdom and the eldership and the ability to help steward and guide the island for the next generation.”
James Nesbitt, board chair of the Hearth Arts on Bowen, said the level of civic engagement among Islanders is unlike anything he’s seen before. “It’s not normal folks, it’s not normal at all. It’s extremely special,” he said of the input which has gone into crafting the centre over the years.
“Someone told me this week they had a chance to go over past committee notes relating to the creation of this building. This person told me that they were amazed how long and persistent people have been trying to make this community centre a reality,” he added.
Nesbitt had special thank yous for members of the Hearth, ‘Old Bowen’ figures who were instrumental in moving the project along, and the municipality for being a welcoming partner in the push. “We ventured up the hill, we met you here in this very real and tangible space. And it’s been emotional. It’s been powerful… We know the real work lies ahead, but at the Hearth we’re absolutely committed to making this relationship thrive.”
“This space could be so much more than a building we spent a lot of money on. It can be a place where we gather, where we plan, create, celebrate, and even love,” said Nesbitt.
The Community Centre project cost approximately $19 million overall, and was aided by many grants, contributions and fundraising efforts. Funding of note included $4.3 million of federal funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, $3.6 million from the provincial government in 2020 along with other contributions, and sizeable amounts from the Bowen Island Community Foundation, BC Arts Council, and BC Alliance for Healthy Living Society.
Several donations also came from individual community members themselves, many of whom have been recognized with their name on a chair at the new theatre.
“We love coming together, and now we have a wonderful new space that will support and strengthen this important part of our culture,” said Leonard. “Beyond being a venue for programs and events, this centre is a catalyst. It’s a spark for connection. It will be a place where new friendships are formed, collaborations are born, and shared experiences will enrich our community in ways we’ve yet to imagine.”
“Today we celebrate not just the building, but the spirit of Bowen Island,” said the mayor.
