Italian Cultural Centre Vancouver facts for kids
The Italian Cultural Centre (also known as Il Centro) is a special place in East Vancouver, Canada. It's like a community hub where people can learn about and celebrate Italian culture. You can find a cafe, classrooms, and different groups meeting there. It's even where the Association of Italian-Canadian Writers was started! Outside, there's a cool metal sculpture called Pagan by an Italian artist named Severino Trinca.
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How Il Centro Started
The idea for the Italian Cultural Centre began in 1974. The Italian Consul General, Giovanni Germano, met with Dave Barrett, who was the Premier of British Columbia. Premier Barrett knew that many Italian-Canadians lived in his area of Vancouver. He challenged Consul Germano to make the dream of an Italian cultural centre come true. Premier Barrett promised that the B.C. Government would help with money.
At Vancouver City Hall, Mayor Art Phillips also knew the Italian community wanted a centre. He told Consul Germano that the city might offer land at a special price. The land they chose was an old city dump, about 8-acre (32,000 m2) big, right in the middle of East Vancouver.
Building the Dream
Both the Provincial Government and the City of Vancouver kept their promises. To get more people involved, a group called the Federation of Italian Associations was formed. This group later became the Italian Cultural Centre Society.
Thirteen original groups joined this Federation. These included societies like Associazione Nazionale Alpini and Circolo Abruzzese. Today, there are 37 different groups connected to the Italian Cultural Centre.
Grand Opening in 1977
On September 24, 1977, the Italian Cultural Centre officially opened its doors. The old city dump was now a place in Vancouver where the Italian community could gather. Their main goal was to keep, grow, and share Italian culture and language.
Il Centro helps new Italian immigrants settle in. It also serves as a community centre for all Italian-Canadians.
The centre has many useful services. These include a restaurant, a museum, a library, and a large hall for events. There's also a daycare centre and an indoor bocce ball court. Every summer in June, the centre hosts a week-long Italian festival called Italian Week.
The centre works hard to share Italian culture with everyone in Vancouver. They offer Italian language classes for all ages. They also host art shows, wine tastings, and cooking classes. They help organize Italia Day on Commercial Drive and Il Mercato. These events show off Italian culture and businesses in Vancouver.
In 1977, "The Drive" (Commercial Drive) was known as "Little Italy." It had many Italian cafes and restaurants. By 1997, the area had become more diverse. However, the Italian Cultural Centre remained a busy place for the Italian community.
What Il Centro Offers
The centre has many great facilities for the community. These include:
- Multiple classrooms and dance rooms. These are used for Italian language classes, meetings, and cooking courses.
- Italian-speaking childcare. This is for children aged 2.5 years up to kindergarten. The childcare uses a special learning method called the Reggio Emilia approach.
- Il Museo (the museum).
- A trattoria (a type of Italian restaurant).
- A Grand Ballroom for big events.
- Two Piazzas. One is in the centre, connecting the three buildings, like in old Italian cities. The other piazza is on the side.
- A bar.
- La biblioteca (the library).
- An indoor turf field.
Most of these spaces can be rented or used by the community. Some might need you to be a member of the Italian Cultural Centre.
Il Museo
The Italian Cultural Centre in Vancouver also has a museum called Il Museo. The museum's goal is to tell the stories of Italian pioneers and modern Italians. It also shares the history of Italian groups in Vancouver and beyond. Il Museo shows the many lively stories of Italians in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia from 1890 until today. The museum's curator is Angela Clarke.
In June 2025, Il Museo hosted an exhibition by the famous Italian-Canadian architect Bruno Freschi.
Future Plans
Around 2017, there was a plan to redevelop the centre. This plan suggested connecting three new buildings with piazzas and open spaces. It also proposed replacing the outdoor parking lot with underground parking. This idea is still being discussed.
