Needed: New home for Vancouver's queer community centre
COMMUNITY / Town hall meeting gets the ball rolling
Video by Rob Easton / Vancouver / Friday, July 10, 2009
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In April, Vancouver queers heard that The Centre was quietly considering relocating its operations out of the gay village. It's either we move, or we won't be able to pay the rent or keep staff, claimed their board of directors.

News that Burrard and 7th was a possible option for relocation sparked community outrage that such a key organization was being moved away from its core users and volunteer base.

The relocation talk reignited longstanding community debate about creating a vibrant, multi-purpose, well-funded centre in a new, accessible home.

A townhall meeting on Jul 9 got the ball rolling on a new home for the community centre — check out Xtra.ca videographer Rob Easton's report:




Stay informed and read more: join the New Vision for a New Centre campaign by signing up for the mailing list on Xtra.ca or by joining the Facebook group.



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Reader Comments


 
Pulse 'town hall meeting' for the centre
Well, everything was rolling along just fine until it came to Mr. Harding's spiel. If this so called 'captain of industry' has anything to do with the formation of the board of directors for the centre you can count me out from supporting the new centre. I found his 'elitist' attitude very, very alarming. The idea that the board of a not for profit needs to be stacked with egotistical 'money men' is one that I find quite appalling. The idea that 'nice' people need to be told to piss off as they have no place on the board as they lack money is simply disgusting and very discomforting. These 'well connected and rich' people that Mr. Harding would like to see the board made up of are also the same captians of industry that just scuttled the US financial market and sent it down to Davey Jones' locker. And we need these 'captains' running our centre? No thanks, I don't want anything to do with a corporate profit driven centre.
Bobbie Bees, Vancouver BC
07/10/09 10:04 PM EST
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Bobbie Bees comment clarification
I was invited to speak about funding for two quite separate things being addressed that evening. One was a new physical FACILITY which would be a kind of Gayopolis. The other was a new ORGANISATION which would be an umbrella group running and occupying the facility and embracing many gay organisations. For a new building a Capital Campaign and Campaign Cabinet will be required. The Cabinet is the group of dedicated people who have the contacts, cash and/or influence to go out and ask the business and government community for serious cash and, because of their knowledge and reputations, have a good chance of getting a 'Yes'. Take a look at any Capital Campaign Cabinet in any city in the world and you will certainly find well connected, highly respected, often wealthy, people. In Vancouver we certainly have a mumber of gay as well as gay friendly people who fit that bracket. The Cabinet disbands after the successful Campaign is over. A far different group are the people who would be recruited for a professional Board of Directors and Advisory Committee - the organisation which would be the 'umbrella' over such a group. For a Board it is common practice to recruit a group of diverse people with connections, cash and/or influence who would be able to offer guidance to the organisation. One normally recruits great people with a positive attitude who can get along with each other very well. Many Boards are ruined by victims and the angry. I cannot understate the improtance of being sure the organisation recruits professionals as they will be expected to appear everywhere (not at the expense of the organisation) and basically be a fabulous marketing machine. The best example I can think of in Vancouver is the Aquarium Board who pull off phenominal things for their organisation. The other group is the Advisory Board which would be a committee of well known and respected people (doctors, lawyers etc) who would add professional 'content' credence to the organisation.
Michael Harding, Vancouver BC
07/13/09 8:22 PM EST
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Didn't we Get Rid of this Guy Once Already?
Is Mr. Harding really giving advice on how to make the GLBT Centre successful? As I recall, he was fired from this job once already. Xtra West's esteemed panel: the former director of the Centre (fired), a paid fundraiser from the Jewish community, and two people who work at the local bookstore. For a newspaper that has been rallying about "change" and "new leadership", they seem to parade the same old faces around. White. Male. Old. It IS time for some new leadership in the gay community. Let's start with the journalists.
Steven, Vancouver BC
07/14/09 7:05 PM EST
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Uncalled for
Vicious comments by a person who has his/her identity hidden is not journalism and I fail to see how the color or sex of a person has anything to do with the current issue of the crisis of the center of which Michael Harding has had nothing to do with. The same people who fired Michael are the reason the center is today in its current undesirable situation. As a community I feel we would get farther and accomplish more if our talents as individuals were properly utilized but instead those who involve themselves find themselves being attacked. I would like to see the center removed from the west end as gay people live all over this city and the current facility is inspiring division when it should be about unity.
Timothy Reid, Vancouver british columbia
07/15/09 5:52 PM EST
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