Carnegie Community Centres’ 30th Anniversary

Just some of the events over the next week:

FRIDAY JANUARY 15
~ Carnegie Jazz Band Open House, Theatre, 11:30 to 2pm
~ Vancouver Public Library Book Giveaway, outside 2:30 to 3:30pm
~ Have Your Portrait Done, 2nd or 3rd floor, 2:30 to 5pm
~ Carnegie Theatre Workshop Open House, Theatre, 3 to 5 pm
~ R & B Dance Music: Michelle Richard and Friends, Theatre 7 to10pm

SATURDAY JANUARY 16th
~ Chess Tournament, 3rd floor, 1 to 5pm
~ Documentaries for Thinkers: Films about Carnegie and the Downtown Eastside, Theatre, 7 to 10pm

SUNDAY JANUARY 17
~ Walk Run Program – Orientation for the Sun Run, Gym (2nd flr) 12noon
~ Annual Anniversay Pool Tournament, Lane Level, 1 to 5pm
~ Movie Night, Theatre, 6pm

MONDAY JANUARY 18
~ Carnegie Village Choir Open House, Theatre, 1 to 3pm
~ Cultural Sharing: Featuring Indian Time Drum, Theatre, 6 to 8 pm

TUESDAY JANUARY 19
~ City Proclamation Recognizing the Carnegie Community Centre Association, mid-morning, Vancouver City Hall Council Chambers
~ Pancake Breakfast, Dunlevy St. (Oppenheimer Park) 11am to 1pm
~ Music Jam, 2pm and Cabaret , 7pm Theatre

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 20
~ Carnegie Community Centre 30th Anniversary Commemoration, Theatre, 2:30 to 5pm +
~ 30th Anniversary Supper – a special favourite meal from the Carnegie Kitchen, 5pm
~ 30 Years! Tales from the Carnegie – memory lane with staff and members past and present, Theatre, 7pm

———————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Carnegie Centre: The Downtown Eastside’s Livingroom

1905                                                                 2003

http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/carnegiecentre/

401 Main Street Vancouver BC V6A 2T7 | 604 665 2220

The Carnegie Centre provides a range of social, recreational and educational programs for the residents of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. It is often described as the community’s living room—a place where people can come to participate in programs or to simply relax and socialize with others.

Carnegie is open 7 days a week every day of the year from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm as a safe, drug and alcohol free environment. Among the services and resources are:

• Vancouver Public Library Reading Room
• Seniors Centre
• Weight Room
• Learning/Literacy Centre
• Kitchen: 3 nutritional meals a day plus snacks
• Art Gallery
• Auditorium and Gym
• Dark Room and Pottery Room

Carnegie is also known for its rich multicultural program and arts activities. There is an outreach program in Oppenheimer Park for residents of that neighbourhood, and the “Street Program” for substance users at the corner of Main and Hastings and in Pigeon Park. Both are meant to serve people at the very margins of the community and to help them obtain real options for moving out of often destructive life styles.

Over 400 volunteers working in virtually every facet of the Centre contribute their time, talents and enthusiasm, The Carnegie Community Centre Association is the community’s voice in Carnegie, and represents Carnegie to the community and governments.

The Carnegie Newsletter is published twice a month and contains a lively range of articles, news and views, prose and poetry about life in the Downtown Eastside.

The Carnegie Community Centre building was opened in 1903 as Vancouver’s first public library. Funds for the construction of the building came from American steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. In 1957 it became the City Museum and then was empty for ten years. Following a massive campaign spearheaded by the Downtown Eastside Residents’ Association City Council agreed to save the building and convert it to a community Centre. Carnegie Community Centre opened its doors to the public on January 20, 1980.

The Carnegie Centre is a testament to the strength and commitment of Downtown Eastside residents in their struggle to renew and build a healthy community for people with low incomes and many different life styles and backgrounds.