How the Community Centre will benefit Bowen Island

Most communities have a Community Centre. Bowen does not. For over 20 years, islanders have dreamed of a place to call our own. A place to learn, work and play together.

Now, we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to make that dream a reality. Bowen Island Municipality has received a grant of $7.9 million from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of BC.

Receiving this remarkable grant right now is a once in a lifetime opportunity to put the last few pieces of the funding together and finally build the Community Centre. While the pandemic is here for now, it won’t be here forever. By the time the Centre is built, we will be coming back together to rebuild our social connections and recover from periods of isolation. More than ever, we will need a community space where we can gather, share and reconnect – Our Island Place.

The Community Centre, located on 1.6 acres east of Bowen Island Community School, will provide dedicated space for arts, culture and recreation. Over 16,000 sq. ft has been designed to reflect both the unique and shared needs of the community. 75% of the facility is exclusively devoted to community use with the remaining 25% becoming the home of Bowen Island Municipality.

We need to borrow up to $4,040,000 to build your new Community Centre. For the average property, that works out to about $50 a year in increased property taxes.

A new Community Centre will help Bowen Island…

Build Community

Provide opportunities for social connections.
Foster a sense of belonging.
Bring everything under one roof – services, recreation, arts and culture – to create a hive of activity.

Be Active for Life

Create fun spaces that make physical activity fund and accessible for all.
Inspire participation in fun programs.
Motivate people to be accountable for their physical and mental well-being in an inspiring space.

Live healthy lifestyles

Encourage participation in events and activities to benefit physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being.
Foster volunteering opportunities to promote community social engagement to enhance other people’s experiences at the centre.

Please show your support and vote in the referendum on Saturday, September 12, 2020. Advanced voting and mail ballot voting will be available if you can’t vote on General Voting Day.