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Presidents Message – Winter 2020

Presidents Message – Winter 2020

As President of the Kerrisdale Community Centre Society, I welcome you to our new look. The Society is revising its website, its program brochure, revitalizing the design of its LOGO, and over the next year, will be implementing various new way-finding tools at the centre.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

There is a reason that the Kerrisdale Community Centre has been so successful for more than 75 years (since 1943!).  It is because community-minded residents get involved in planning, implementing, and reviewing the services and programs offered at the centre.  The best way for you, as a community-minded resident, to get involved is as a member of the Kerrisdale Community Centre Society Board of Directors.  The annual general meeting of the Society and the election of Society Directors will be on Wednesday, February 19, 2020. Adult members of the Society are invited to attend, to stand for election as a Society Director, and to vote for candidates.

To encourage residents and centre patrons to participate in the operations of the centre, Society representatives will set up nomination information tables in the lobby on the following dates:

  • November 16, Saturday – information table and a chance to talk to current Directors
  • January 11, Saturday – meet Directors as part of our Open House

The Kerrisdale Community Centre Society has 18 elected Directors, each serving for a two-year term.  To maintain operational efficiency, nine of these are elected each year at the annual general meeting (AGM – to be held February 19, 2020). In addition to attending and contributing to the monthly Board of Directors meetings, Directors are each expected to participate in two Board committees.  While the Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for operational aspects of the centre, the work needed to maintain smooth operations, identify the needs of community residents, and initiate appropriate programs and services, the work required to achieve these goals is done primarily at the committee level.

Each year, after the AGM, Directors are surveyed to identify which committees they might want to serve on.  Committee choices include the following: Executive, Finance, Program, Communications, Building Maintenance, Community Engagement, Garden, Arena and Pool, Rentals, and Youth.

OPEN HOUSE:

The centre is holding its second Open House on January 11, 2020. It will be an opportune time to meet many of our program instructors and experience a bit of what they each offer.  Some 37 instructors will be invited to attend, allowing you to talk to them, and to learn about the programs they offer.  In addition to instructors of our long-standing programs, many instructors offering new programs will be attending.

STRATEGIC PLAN:

The Society Board of Directors has approved a new Strategic Plan for the Society and Centre.   The five key strategic directions, as noted in the last President’s report, are as follows: 1) Programming, 2) Communications/Marketing, 3) Succession Planning, 4) External Relations (Park Board and the community centre network, and 5) Facility Renewal.  The Strategic Plan, with details of these critical directions and proposed action steps, is posted on our web site at www.kerrisdalecc.com

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE:

One of the key challenges the Society identified through our strategic planning process was the marketing of our programs and services.  One action by the Board of Directors to address this challenge was to establish a Communications Committee. This committee comprises of five Directors and a community volunteer.  Since forming, the committee has made great strides in renewing and updating our website (to launch before the end of 2019), revising the appearance of our program brochure (take a closer look at this winter brochure), revamping our LOGO (revitalizing the old LOGO, which has served the Society well since the 1950s), and formulating a coordinated social media presence (soon to launch).

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I thank all the members of the Communications Committee for their ability to unite, define and tackle all elements of a daunting project. Their ability to coordinate with external contractors and their diligence in managing the details. The Society and the Centre will benefit for years to come from your efforts.

Over the next few months, the Building Maintenance Committee, working with the Communications Committee and Park Board staff, will be developing some tools to improve communication and information transfer within the centre itself.  It is our goal that patrons coming to the centre for one reason (e.g., use of the pool) will become more aware of the services and programs available in other areas such as the fitness centre, the gymnasium, and seniors’ centre.

Thank you for making the Kerrisdale Community Centre one of the best community centres in the City.  It is with your support that we can continue to deliver the programs and services you ask for.  Enjoy the new look!

Robert Lockhart, President
Kerrisdale Community Centre Society

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