About the Society
Founded in 1943, the Kerrisdale Community Centre Society (KCCS) is a registered society under the BC Societies Act. It is governed by its Constitution and By-laws and by its Board-approved Policies.
The Society is responsible for the programs, services and activities at the Kerrisdale Community Centre. The Society is also involved in some projects and activities in the community. Its mission is “to provide social connections, cultural experiences, wellness programs and recreation opportunities that advance the quality of the lives of our community’s residents.”
The Kerrisdale Community Centre Society, in cooperation with Centre staff, arranges for all the programs and other activities presented by the Centre; purchases furniture and equipment for the Centre; and from-time-to-time contributes to the physical upgrading of the facilities.
The Society is run by a Board of Directors elected by its Members at the Society’s Annual General Meeting held in mid-February each year.
The Society has a Joint Operating Agreement with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation that sets out the terms of their respective responsibilities relative to the operation of the Kerrisdale Community Centre.
Society Documents: Minutes of Annual General Meetings from 1949 and Meetings of the Board of Directors from 1943 are published after they have been approved. Annual Reports from 1945-46, Audited Financial Statements from 1945 and Statements of Retained Earnings from 2018 are also published each year.
Board Committees: The Board has a number of committees, each with specific responsibilities. While most committee members are also Board members, any Society member may be appointed to a committee.
The Society’s Strategic Plan 2020-2024 was adopted in August 2019. The most recent Community Needs Assessment was accepted by the Board of Directors in May 2019.
Contact the Board: Email: kerrisdaleccsociety@gmail.com or telephone 604-257-6904
KCCS Board of Directors
Members of the Society’s Board of Directors are elected onto the Board at the Annual General Meeting held in February each year; from time to if vacancies occur between annual general meetings, directors can be appointed by the Board to complete a term.
Officers of the Society 2023-2024
President …………………………………………….. Kathy McKay
Vice President……………………………..…………. Morag Pansegrau
Vice President…………………………..……………. Miran Aziz
Treasurer……………………………………………… Kathleen Bigsby
Secretary……………………………………………… Dorothy Chang
Directors of the Society (At-Large) 2023-2024
Humaira Akhtar, Mani Bala, Oscar Bisnar, Claire Cheung, Richard Dopson, Alistair Eagle, Rafid Haq, Keiko Honda, Wendy Ma, Edward Quan, Jin Sang, Yee Wong, Joshua Yoon
KCCS Staff
Administration Assistant …………………………… Alison Verghese
Communications Assistant ………………………… Sheila Hansen
Accountant ………………………………………… Sadaf Eghtesadi
Food Services Coordinator ………………………… Lis Dixson
For information about the activities of your Board of Directors, please check the Society bulletin boards in the Centre or look on our website.
Current Society Projects and Priorities
Kerrisdale Welcoming West Boulevard Pathway Project:
This project came out of the community’s desire to enhance the Community Centre’s front entrance pathways and green areas to make it more accessible and welcoming. We now have a broader, paved entry walkway, a new bicycle parking area, a crushed rock garden pad, and improved access to the ramp. Tree trimming has allowed more daylight to the area. Fresh paint, seating areas, new lighting and signage will complete the project in 2019.
The objective is to bring a sense of community enrichment into public green spaces, strengthen overall community connectedness, and create spaces where people can gather and animate those places in different ways.
This project is supported by the Vancouver Park Board’s Neighbourhood Matching Fund, the Kerrisdale Community Centre Society, Park Board Operations, and personal donations.
The Birds of Vancouver Installation
Under the direction of artist Natalie Purschwitz from the Elm Park Fieldhouse project, community members made 250 bird decals that were installed on the windows in the entrance area to help prevent bird collisions. Natalie also worked with over 25 youth to create bird houses in the Tudor-style design which represented the heritage homes that were once built in the Vancouver’s west side.
Society Links with the Community
Kerrisdale Earthquake and Emergency Preparedness (KEEP)
KEEP is a community-led volunteer initiative to increase Kerrisdale community capacity, and build collaborative readiness to address earthquakes and other urgent situations of vulnerability. Free workshops will be held on the third Tuesday of each month.
To join or inquire about more information, please email: KEEP-KCCS@googlegroups.com.
Kerrisdale Community Garden
The Kerrisdale Community Garden (KCG) is a collaborative association of 21 plot holders who work together to: grow vegetables and flowers in an organic and pesticide-free manner collaborate on community based projects enjoy the harmony and good feeling that comes from honest satisfying work in a beautiful setting. The Kerrisdale Community Garden offers a welcoming place in which a community of gardeners can flourish along with their crops.
Our community services include:
- providing some edible production on a non-profit basis to the seniors’ centre kitchen at the Kerrisdale Community Centre,
- providing herbs to members of the local community, for example through a “Cut and Come Again Herb Garden”,
- growing pumpkins for kindergarten children at a nearby elementary school, and
- enhancing the beauty and species diversity of our neighborhood, for example by planting a wildflower meadow in the area between our garden and the Arbutus Greenway.
The Kerrisdale Community Garden (KCG) is located at the junction of W.60th Avenue and Angus Drive.
View our Website: kerrisdalecommunitygarden.wordpress.com
Kerrisdale Business Improvement Association (BIA)
The Kerrisdale Community Centre Society has a liaison member attend meetings of the Kerrisdale Business Association to share information and, on occasion, share resources to improve the community. For further information about the Kerrisdale BIA go to www.kerrisdalevillage.com
In addition to our strong relationship with the KBA, the Kerrisdale Community Centre Society is pleased to recognize the more than 30 local businesses that support, in one way or another, our efforts to meet the recreational, social, and artistic needs of our community.