A simple history of OUR Spaces

09 July 2009: 1st Town Hall meeting at Pulse - to protest the idea of a new Centre being built without a cultural component and outside the Westend.

September 2009: 2nd Town Hall meeting at the Westend Community Centre resulting in a unified statement of intent from the working group to build a community & cultural centre for the GLBTQ community.

03 November 2009: 3rd Town Hall meeting at the Central Presbyterian Church resulting in the creation of a Temporary Executive to guide the working group to a non-profit society.

08 December 2009: 4th Town Hall meeting at the Roundhouse Arts & Recreation Centre resulting in an approved mandate and constitution. The society was subsequently registered as a non-profit society in British Columbia.

Archived Articles online:

OUR Spaces Seeks Donors (23 November 2010)

OUR Spaces moves forward (22 April 2010)

This Is An Historic Moment (17 December 2009) pdf

Needed New Home For Vancouver's Queer Community (09 July 2009)

Packed Town Hall Envisions New Community Centre (16 July 2009)

EGM
Many thanks to the members who came to the EGM on 21 November. The membership expressed concerns:

- We are not communicating with our membership in a timely fashion
- We are not moving fast enough and losing momentum
- We are not ready should a site be made available

Since the meeting we have:

- We met with a lobbyist who has agreed to represent us at the civic and provincial level
- We are meeting with a social media expert
- We are reviewing our approachto succeeding

OUR Spaces at VQFF

Thanks to all who stopped by our Community Sponsor table at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival on August 21, 6:30 PM at Empire Granville.

A Special Message to Members of OUR Spaces,

A few months have passed since we last met and we are looking forward to meeting our members again this coming Pride Day.

We are pleased to announce that we will have a tent at Sunset Beach where we will again get to update everyone about our progress.

And it is time to call out for volunteers to help with the set-up and tear down for the day, and to help us talk to the public about Vancouver Out Under The Rainbow Spaces Society.

Details:
Sunday, 01 August, 2010
at Sunset Beach on English Bay, Vancouver
Start as early as 9:30am and go as late as 7pm.
One hours shifts at from 11 to 6.

Please respond to this email if you are ready and willing.

We would love the help and you will be playing a vital role in the promotion of OUR Spaces.

Write me for answers to any questions you may have.

Thanks.

____________________________________________
Seán Cummings
Volunteer Coordinator, Corresponding and Recording Secretary
Vancouver OUR Spaces Society
sean.cummings@ourspaces.ca

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Our Spaces Society
08 February 2010

OUR SPACES SOCIETY SUPPORTS NEW OFFICE SPACE FOR  QMUNITY

Vancouver, BC – Out Under the Rainbow (OUR) Spaces Society announced today that it fully supports the plans of a local developer to build new office space for Qmunity.

“We are very pleased to learn of this exciting opportunity for Qmunity and our greater GLBTQ community” said James Beresford, an interim board director for OUR Spaces.  “Qmunity is a vital part of the Vancouver community-scape and needs revitalized facilities. This plan will enable them to continue to provide and further enhance services to our community.” OUR Spaces Society supports Qumunity’s need for new office space and encourages Vancouver City Council to support development plans that lead to the realization of this initiative.

“Our respective organizations are committed to working together to make a lasting difference, “said Beresford.

OUR Spaces Society is committed to raising funds to build and maintain a multi-purpose GLBTQ community centre in Vancouver. The community centre will serve the GLBTQ community as a whole, bringing together arts, recreation and social service organizations. OUR Spaces Society will be hosting their first annual general meeting on March 15, 2010 and encourages you to come out and elect the first permanent board. A public announcement will be made confirming the time and location of the meeting.

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