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 located on Slocan Street near Grandview Highway. This centre is a hub for Italian culture, offering a bar, classrooms, and spaces for many groups. It even has a unique welded sculpture called Pagan by Italian artist Severino Trinca at its entrance.

How Il Centro Started

The idea for the Italian Cultural Centre began in 1974. The Consul General of Italy, Giovanni Germano, met with Dave Barrett, who was the Premier of British Columbia at the time. Premier Barrett knew that many people of Italian heritage lived in his area of Vancouver. He understood their dream of having a cultural centre.

Premier Barrett challenged Consul Germano to find support to make this dream real. He promised that the B.C. Government would provide money. The Mayor of Vancouver, Art Phillips, also knew about the community's wish. He suggested that the city could offer land at a special price. The land chosen was an old city dump, about 8 acres (32,000 square meters) big, right in the heart of East Vancouver.

Both the provincial government and the City of Vancouver kept their promises. To get more people involved, a group called the Italian Folk Society was formed. This group later became the Italian Cultural Centre Society. Many Italian associations joined together to form this society. There were 13 original groups, including the Associazione Nazionale Alpini and the Sicilian Club. Today, 37 different societies are connected to the Italian Cultural Centre.

Grand Opening in 1977

On September 25, 1977, the Italian Cultural Centre officially opened its doors. The old city dump was transformed into a vibrant place. It became a spot in Vancouver where the Italian community could gather. Their 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 hub for all Italian-Canadians.

What You Can Do at Il Centro

The centre offers many services and activities. It has a restaurant, a museum, a library, and a large hall for events. There's even a daycare centre and an indoor bocce court.

Every summer in June, the centre hosts a week-long festival called Italian Week. This festival celebrates Italian culture with lots of fun activities.

Il Centro works hard to share Italian culture with everyone in Vancouver, not just the Italian community. They offer Italian language classes for all ages. You can also find art shows, wine tastings, and cooking classes. They organize events like Italia Day on Commercial Drive and Il Mercato. These events show off Italian culture and businesses in Vancouver.

In 1977, the area around 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 very important place for the Italian community.

Sports and Fun

Right next to the main building, the centre has a special indoor court for bocce. Bocce is a popular Italian ball game, similar to lawn bowling.

A bocce expert named Tom McNutt once said that the Italian Cultural Centre has "one of the finest bocce facilities on the continent." He called it a "great institution" that any culture would be proud to have.

Il Museo: The Museum

The Italian Cultural Centre in Vancouver is also home to a museum called Il Museo. The museum's main goal is to tell the stories of Italians who came to Vancouver. It shows how they helped build the community from 1890 until today. Il Museo shares the many interesting and lively stories of Italians in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. The museum's curator is Angela Clarke.

In June, Il Museo will feature an exhibition about a famous Italian-Canadian architect named Bruno Freschi.

Future Plans

Around 2017, there was a plan to redevelop the centre. The idea was to connect three new buildings with open spaces and covered areas. The current parking lot would be replaced with underground parking. This proposal is still being discussed.