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Community Involvement & Collaboration
John Braithwaite Community Centre and its three partner agencies are committed to working with the people in the Lower Lonsdale community to provide social and recreational programs and services. JBCC collaborates with members of the Lower Lonsdale Network to ensure these services meet the ongoing and future needs of the community.
North Vancouver City Council approved the following guiding principles for this community-based development approach on May 8, 2001. These principles define the role of the community in the operations of the John Braithwaite Community Centre.
Community
Community is defined as including residents, business owners, interest groups, community services, and churches. Geographically, the community would include (in order of priority): Lower Lonsdale, the City, North Vancouver, and the North Shore.
Collaboration
Collaboration refers to a full commitment to a common vision, strong relationships, cooperation and communication on all levels.
Local Community Decision-Making
Decisions concerning use and space programming in the Centre will involve the local community, defined as the City of North Vancouver, with a primary focus on Lower Lonsdale.
Effective and Substantive Community Involvement
To encourage effective and substantive community involvement in the Centre, a range of opportunities for involvement will be provided which reflect different interests and abilities.
Inclusive Community Processes and Solutions
To be inclusive, the Centre must provide a variety of opportunities for people in the community to be involved. This may include consideration of special circumstances such as language, ethno-cultural background, socioeconomics, ability, mobility, etc. Furthermore, the Centre must have an atmosphere where people feel welcome.
Enhance Community Capacity
Community capacity refers to the collective abilities, assets and resources that can be used to build a better community. The Community Resources value statement in the City's Social Plan acknowledges the true wealth of the City's residents.
Working Together with the Community
A willingness to work together with the community includes a commitment to collaborate.
Lower Lonsdale Network
The Lower Lonsdale Network is a collaborative effort of local social service agencies, organizations, businesses and individuals committed to addressing issues emerging in the Lower Lonsdale community. This umbrella organization was formed in November 2004 after the City of North Vancouver consulted with stakeholders in the area.
Goals
Recommendations from those collaborative consultations guide our combined efforts to build a sense of pride in Lower Lonsdale. The Network meets every three months and is dedicated to supporting and encouraging the community to:
* Activate effective programs and services to respond to local needs and opportunities
* Work towards developing and retaining affordable housing
* Take action to make affordable food available to those in need
* Address safety and security issues in the community
* Encourage and cultivate community collaboration
* Address concerns regarding substance abuse in the area by participating in the North Shore Task Force on Substance Abuse
* Raise awareness and promote the use of Network agencies’ services by all who work, live and play in Lower Lonsdale.
Cultural Events
There are so many opportunities in North Vancouver to enjoy the arts and unique culture of the North Shore, we'll just point you in the right direction. The major venues are listed below. You can also visit the website of the North Vancouver Office of Cultural Affairs www.artsalivenorthshore.ca to get all the latest news and to view an up-to-date calendar of artistic events across the North Shore. Enjoy!
North Shore Venues
The North Shore is brimming with places to experience the arts and participate in cultural events.
In Lower Lonsdale, Presentation House Gallery has an unrivalled reputation for innovative photo-based and media arts while the Cityscape Community Art Space showcases the creative talents of local artists.
In Deep Cove, the Seymour Art Gallery has developed a reputation as one of the best small galleries in the greater Vancouver area.
In addition to visual arts, numerous performing arts venues across the North Shore offer a wide variety of local and touring productions. In the world of theatre, the Deep Cove Shaw Theatre and Hendry Hall each present a full and varied series of dramas, comedies and musicals, as well as an opportunity for the more adventurous to audition or work behind the scenes. The Presentation House Theatre – just a couple of blocks from the sea bus and downtown – offers an exciting range of professional theatre offerings and is an emerging music venue.
Capilano College Performing Arts Theatre hosts a range of exciting series, showcasing the best in blues, jazz and folk music from around Canada and the world while Centennial Theatre, located in the heart of Lonsdale, offers an eclectic mix of family fun, music, comedy, variety shows, film festivals and more.
Parks and Outdoor Venues
In the warmer months, a number of parks and open spaces are converted into outdoor venues and are used to host an extraordinary range of concerts, festivals and celebrations. Sign up for the monthly “Arts Alive” newsletter to keep up to date.
Click on any venue name that appears in blue in the list below to visit their website.
Venue |
Location |
Phone |
2055 Purcell Way, North Vancouver |
604-984-1775 |
|
Lonsdale and 23rd Street, |
604-983-6455 |
|
4360 Gallant Avenue, North Vancouver |
|
|
815 East 11th Street, North Vancouver |
604-980-3744 |
|
1700 Mathers Avenue, West Vancouver |
604-913-3634
|
|
333 Chesterfield Avenue, North Vancouver |
604-986-1351 |
|
333 Chesterfield Avenue, North Vancouver |
604-990-3474 |
|
4360 Gallant Avenue, North Vancouver |
604-924-1378 |
|
1570 Argyle Avenue, West Vancouver |
604-925-7291 |