WHAT MAKES A COMMUNITY?

by Sophia Han

What makes a great neighbourhood? 

Renfrew-Collingwood is an ideal place to raise a family, enjoy local greenery, walk dogs and transit to other neighbourhoods in Vancouver.

It has a vibrant community, but what does community really mean?

A community is a group of people who share something in common. Renfrew-Collingwood has over 55,000 residents. More than 50% speak a mother tongue other than English, including Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Punjabi.

People here come from all walks of life but what they have in common is the goal of making this neighbourhood their home.

Building connections 

What makes a community is the people who come together to support, teach and learn from each other. Sometimes they do this through classes and programs at a local community centre or neighbourhood hub like Collingwood Neighbourhood House. Since the late eighties, this institution has provided important services – everything from childcare to programs for seniors and settlement services.

This summer, keep an eye out for public events like Collingwood Days, a festival that celebrates the neighbourhood’s diversity and Indigenous culture. Free, family-friendly activities and workshops take place July 14 to 23 at Gaston park and Collingwood park. In late June, there will be events at 3690 Vanness Avenue to celebrate National Indigenous People’s Day on June 21 and Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27.

To learn more about the latest programs and events, or meet the people working in community development, drop by the Collingwood Neighbourhood House main reception at 5288 Joyce Street or visit www.cnh.bc.ca/what-is-communitydevelopment/.

Vocabulary

ideal – best example of something transit – to travel to another place vibrant – lively residents – people who live in an area mother tongue – the first language you speak walks of life (idiom) – different types of jobs, backgrounds and levels of society late eighties – the last few years of the decade from 1980 to 1989 institution – a large important organization settlement services – services to help people settle in a new country keep an eye out (idiom) – to look out for something diversity – the different races