After years of waiting, one the North Shore’s fastest growing neighbourhoods now has a community centre of its own.
Since February, North Van Recreation and Culture has been slowly bringing Lynn Creek Community Centre to life, opening for limited hours and offering a smattering of programs – all of which have been immediately popular. The centre will have its grand opening on April 5.
“I am pleased to welcome the residents of Lynn Creek to this neighbourhood community recreation centre,” said Mayor Mike Little in a statement. “As the town centre continues to evolve, this new facility will serve as a vital hub for connection, recreation, and community programs.”
For some, the term “community centre” may conjure up images of a pool, ice rink and workout facilities. They will have to manage their expectations as the 27,000-square foot facility doesn’t afford that much space.
“It’s not meant to fulfill all the recreation needs. That’s why we have a whole system of centres,” said Heather Turner, director of North Vancouver Recreation and Culture. “We had a footprint that this building had to fit in so we had to determine what would get the maximum use.”
What the Lynn Creek Community Centre does provide is a full-sized gymnasium kitted out for badminton, pickleball, basketball and volleyball.
On the first two floors, there is oodles and oodles of multipurpose space, which is being programmed for everything from preschool socializing and babysitting classes to aerobics and seniors’ board games.
Judging by how quickly the limited classes and programs have been filling up, it’s clear there’s a lot of pent-up demand, Turner said.
“Because we’re opening a little later than was originally planned, the interest has grown, and that’s not a bad thing,” Turner said. “There will be way more opportunities for people to register and take part in things.”
Perhaps the community centre’s most novel feature is its method for dispensing novels. To make the most of the 250 square feet of space allotted to the North Vancouver District Public Library, the centre has a book vending machine. Visitors can browse the kiosk’s rotating carousel of 340 books and movies or use a touch screen to put a hold on any of the 360,000 items in the district’s collection.
“It’s the first in Canada,” Turner said. “These are designed to fulfill more needs in the community. People think recreation is just active recreation. Well, reading a book is also recreation. [We’re] giving access to library books in a neighbourhood where maybe there’s a bit of a barrier.”
Once someone’s checked out a book, they’re welcomed to curl up in one of the community centre’s two “living rooms” complete with comfy seating, faux fireplaces and big screen TVs, which already became gathering points during the Four Nations Face-Off and Canadian curling tournaments.
As most of the nearby patrons live in condos, visitors appreciate having that “second place.”
“It’s super important in community facilities. Now, people want a place to work, study, hang out, grab a coffee, talk to people, grab a book,” Turner said.
On each of the three floors of the facility, visitors will find playful works of public art by noted Vancouver artist Carson Ting.
The top floor includes a massive day care facility operated by the Parkgate Society.
The final cost of the Lynn Creek Community Centre was $25.7 million, with the District of North Vancouver contributing $6.5 million. When district council granted approval for developer Intergulf’s request to rezone the entire 1400 block of Hunter Street in 2017, it came with a requirement for the company to put up the land and build the rec centre’s shell.
North Vancouver neighbourhood changing
The opening of the community centre is also something of a milestone for the Lynn Creek neighbourhood, which is one of four areas targeted for residential growth under the district’s official community plan. Over the next two decades, the community is expected to include about 3,000 new homes and approximately 6,000 new residents.
Leanna Mann, who has been waiting anxiously for construction to finish from her nearby apartment for the last four years, said the new community centre will be a critical meeting space for all her neighbours.
“It’s just nice because it’s such a growing community around here,” she said. “I think the space is much needed to build more community.”
Already, Mann has taken a fitness class and signed her toddler up for music classes.
“I think it’s beautiful. The staff seem very friendly. It’s nice and bright,” she said.
The opening of the Spirit Trail Bridge over Lynn Creek in 2023 was another a huge step forward, putting everyone in the nascent high-density neighbourhood within a much shorter walk of shopping and services at Park & Tilford, Mann said. That has bridged relationships as much as it has neighbourhoods.
“It’s good. There is quite a sense of community, like lots of young families,” Mann said. “I walk across it probably six times a day, and keep running into the same people and am slowly building some friendships.”
As the neighbourhood continues to develop, Mann said she looks forward to having a few more options for places to eat.
“It’s not like Lower Lonsdale where you can just walk to any restaurant,” she said.
Grand opening festivities at the new Lynn Creek Community Centre run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 5.
