The Lund Gathering Place Grand Opening on August 10

Completed and ready – the Grand Opening of the Lund Gathering Place will be at 4pm this Saturday, August 10, immediately followed by the 69 Annual Salmon BBQ, at the Gabriola Island Community Hall. Submitted photo

Elizabeth Iachelli

Gabriola Island Community Hall

The Board of the Gabriola Island Community Hall Association is pleased to announce that the official opening of the Lund Gathering Place will happen on Saturday, August 10th at 4 pm, to be followed by the 69th Annual Salmon BBQ. All are invited.

This is the culmination of a process that began in the summer of 2021 when we received funding approval from the ICIP-CVRIS Program by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia for the creation of an Outdoor Community Gathering Space on Gabriola with a grant of $254,155, of which $203,324 was provided by the Federal Government and $50,831 by the Province. The objective of the program is to create community infrastructure that responded to the Covid-19 crisis and will increase community resiliency in the future.

After  over a year of consultations with stakeholders including the Snuneymuxw, island organizations and groups as well as professional and technical experts, the Hall engaged Architrave Design Build, an architectural firm on Gabriola, to create a building and surrounding area that we think is beautiful, functional and innovative and James Strobl Construction Ltd. of Gabriola was selected after a tender process to build the structure

The Lund Gathering Place – named for the late Gail Lund, a beloved community leader, activist, educator, choir leader and champion of the Community Hall and all things Gabriolan –  will provide the island with a covered outdoor, multi-purpose space that can be utilized by islanders in a myriad of ways. Think of concerts, theatre, community picnics, sports, lectures, covered market, pop-up food trucks, cinema under the stars, board games, book clubs, art in the park, family events like First Night and Halloween – the possibilities are endless. And should Covid-19 or a variant endanger us all again, the Lund Gathering Place will provide our community with a venue to continue activities essential to its physical, mental and economic well-being.

The structure, surrounded by a green area, has  a footprint of approximately 1000 sq.ft. with a concrete foundation, a curved roof supported by steel beams and with storage and electrical closets located towards the back. The surroundings have been reconfigured to rationalize the parking area, increasing safety and accessibility, and include an EV Charging Station, installed as a result of a collaboration with the Regional District of Nanaimo and a separate grant from the Nanaimo Foundation.

The design allows for the later incorporation of eco-friendly features such as a green roof and berm, rainwater harvesting, solar panels, underground services, integrated lighting and furnishings which will be undertaken in a subsequent stage as new funding becomes available. The Hall has already applied for grants to carry out this second phase and is extremely grateful for substantial donations that have been designated to help us achieve this expanded vision.

The Opening Ceremony on August 10th is an opportunity for the Gabriola Island Community Hall to recognize and thank its major funders, individual donors, supporters and volunteers and the community at large who came together to bring this important island infrastructure project to fruition.

We are delighted that Nanaimo-Ladysmith M.P., Lisa Marie Barron, will be present, as will Doug Routley, our MLA in one of his last official events before he steps down as the representative for Nanaimo-North Cowichan.

Gabriola resident, currently the MLA for Nanaimo and Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction as well as the NDP candidate for the new riding of Nanaimo-Gabriola Island, Sheila Malcolmson, will act as MC for the proceedings.

“The Lund Gathering Place embodies Gabriola Island’s strong sense of community. From its name to the collaboration behind its construction”, said the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities. “We are proud to celebrate the opening of this beautiful space, and will continue to work with our partners to invest in impactful infrastructure projects such as this one around our country.”

“Gabriolans of all ages will be able to gather, work and play in the new Lund Gathering Place, a multi-use outdoor space inspired by the late Gail Lund”, said Anne Kang, BC Minister of Municipal Affairs. “I’m proud of the collaboration among all orders of government to improve community infrastructure and support resilience in communities. I applaud Gabriola for their innovative efforts which help British Columbians live better and thrive.”Affairs

The Hall is a registered charity run by a volunteer board with the goal of maintaining and preserving the Hall as a community asset in perpetuity for all islanders. The Lund Gathering Place is an exciting new addition to our community’s infrastructure and we welcome all to help us celebrate its opening.