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September 25th

Traffic lights flashing green. East Broadway meets Prince Albert Street.  Rain, rain, rain.  A banner hangs from the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House.

Harvest Festival

Saturday, September 25th

It is the eve of the festival and the house is buzzing with activity.

The front entrance is plastered with community bulletins: Job opportunities, volunteers needed, community events, UBC research projects.

Three computers.  Free internet.  One man admits that he started coming here because of the complimentary phone.  He volunteers on occasion, helping out where he can.

The house is a welcoming and inclusive space.  “People don’t look at you funny here,” said a young Aboriginal man.

Posted behind the front desk is a giant whiteboard:

Date: Friday Sept 24^th 2010

Time:               Group:

9-12                   FDI

10-12                 Seminar Mandarin

10-4                   Mahjong

10-12                 Vietnamese Seminar

11:30-1              In Pleasant Care

1-3                      Line Dance

3-6                      Teen

6-10                    Pre-Teen Dance

The whiteboard accurately reflects the diversity of the visitors here.

Children and caregivers button up their coats.  Family drop-in time is over and the East Hall is being converted into a dance hall.

Seniors pour in the front door as noon approaches.  One woman picks through the shopping cart full of free bread.

Free loaves of bread are available to visitors on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Women rush in and out of the kitchen.  Lunchtime is fast approaching and people are lingering outside the dining hall.  There is talk about line dancing and the Harvest Festival.

The festival is an annual event thrown by the neighbourhood house.  Block party.  Live bands.  Workshops.  Cake walk.

The house is an important gathering place for the community.  An alternative to city community centres, the house connects people from diverse backgrounds through a variety of activities and programs.

Volunteers are hopeful that people will come inside this Saturday to see what the house is all about.

Owned and operated by the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of BC, the house has served the community of East Vancouver since 1976.  It is one of eight neigbourhood houses in the Lower Mainland.

For more information visit www.mpnh.org