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A Family Affair

It’s clear that for Dennis Healey, going to the Kerrisdale Community Centre is truly a family affair. Dennis is a regular at the centre (he uses the fitness centre six times a week) – and almost everyone that passes by waves hello or stops to chat with him. In addition, both his wife and son used to work at the centre and are still members. He laughs: “We have all been here a lot over the years and since I retired, I am here even more. It is like a second home.”

Dennis says that because he works out regularly at the fitness centre, he has had the opportunity to get to know others who use the facility. “You see many of the same people every day,” he explains. “You get to know each other, you understand the fitness goals of each person, and you support them. We are all competitive with ourselves, but never with each other. That’s the nice thing about Kerrisdale – it is supportive and encouraging.”

“We have become a close-knit little group when it comes to fitness,” he says. “No matter who is working out, there is always someone to chat with if you feel like talking. And you can always find something in common. It is a nice feeling to walk in and feel welcomed – no matter what your fitness level, age or where you are from. It’s an inclusive group, where you never need to worry that you won’t belong. There will always be someone here who is going to say hello first. That’s just who we are.”

What Dennis Wants the Park Board to Know

“Kerrisdale Community Centre has people who work here who actually care about each of us. It is one of the community centre’s strongest assets – they take the time to know about me, to ask how I am doing, how my fitness training is coming, and to really listen to me. They care about what I have to say. We want people who are a part of the community to being running the community centre, not some faceless bureaucrat on the other end of the phone.”

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