Kitsilano Community Centre
REGISTER @ VANREC.CA
SPRING 2025 BROCHURE
REGISTER @ VANREC.CA
SPRING 2025 BROCHURE

The Board of Directors

The Board

The Kitsilano War Memorial Community Centre Association Board of Directors jointly operates the Kitsilano Community Centre with the Vancouver Park Board.  Some of the responsibilities of the Board include approving an annual budget, developing policies and strategic direction, monitoring financial assets, making decisions on membership issues, and strengthening personal and business relationships with the community. Board members believe in the importance of neighbourhood-based community centres and have a desire to work in a team to develop and foster community engagement throughout the Kitsilano community. Community members are welcome to volunteer as committee members, or they can be elected onto the Board at the Annual General Meeting, or during the year as space permits.

Scroll over photo below to read bio.

Jerry Fast

President

Jerry is a retired public school teacher with a lifelong interest in health and fitness. He has lived in Kitsilano for 20 years and has served on the Board of Directors of the Community Centre for 18 years.

He is excited to be working with the Board and Centre staff on community engagement strategies and programs to better serve the recreational needs of the Kitsilano community. He welcomes your ideas, suggestions and participation.

 

Liz Cochran

Vice President

Liz is a teacher, counsellor ,workshop leader and parent of 4 children including an always inspiring son with special needs.
In addition to her work in Arts education, she has been actively involved as a volunteer in a variety of local non-profit organizations including co-leading (with Yuko McCulloch), the Vancouver Parent Transition Group) which supports families of youth with special needs.

 

Suzanne Narvey

Vice-President

Suzanne is enthusiastic about giving back to the community she has been part of for the last 36 years. She and her family have participated in various fitness, recreational and educational activities at KitsCC. For the last five years, she has part of the Program and Special Events committees at the centre. Suzanne believes in the importance of community and feels that community centers are a hub where people of all ages and diversity can gather to enrich and strengthen their well being.

Suzanne is a retired special education teacher who has worked both at the school and district levels. She has hosted many educational workshops in Vancouver and volunteered for the Vancouver Film Festival. In her spare time, Suzanne enjoys spending time with her family, playing tennis and bridge, reading her book club’s latest pick, spending time in her community garden and enjoying its produce.

Annette Whitehead

Member at Large

Annette is a longtime community member and volunteer; she focuses her efforts at Children’s Hospital, Kerrisdale Community Centre, and here at Kitsilano CC, with our Seniors’ programming, Special Events, Program Committee and as a member of the Board of Directors. Annette loves photography, and enjoys spending time with friends at Kits.

 

Arlene Brown

Treasurer

Arlene has been a resident of Kitsilano for 20 years, and a member of the Kitsilano Community Centre Association for 17 years. Arlene is a regular user of the Kits CC Fitness Centre, and currently serves as both Chair of the Program Committee and Board Treasurer.

Alfred G. Lam

Secretary

Born and raised in Vancouver, Alf has lived in Point Grey for forty-four years. Retired from the City of Vancouver following twenty-eight years as an Electrical Inspector,

Alf became a Kitsilano Community Centre Association Board member in 1988. In the time since, he has acted as Association Treasurer for eight years and is now the Secretary. Alf also chairs the Building Committee, and is a member of the Program Committee.

 

 

Douglas Beaton

Member at Large

Doug has a young family in Kitsilano that are regulars at the Community Centre. His kids love the bouncy castle at Open Gym and dance lessons in the studio, while he visits the Fitness Centre as often as possible. He feels strongly that the Centre plays a critical role in connecting the community and promoting wellness. Doug brings significant experience in finance, accounting and operations from his corporate career. He has also served on several boards and in public policy development roles previously.

 

Cecilia Langill

Member at Large

Cecilia is a community minded individual who has called Kitsilano home for the past few years. She finds great fulfillment in fostering meaningful connections with her fellow human beings and building a strong sense of community. Originally from Calgary, AB, Cecilia now works at the University of British Columbia where she manages leadership and professional development opportunities for undergraduate students. Outside of work she finds peace through creativity, whether that be in her kitchen cooking up a meal for her family or at the wheel in her local pottery studio.

 

Peg Hillman

Honorary Member

Honorary Member. Peg Hillman was continuously involved with Kitsilano Community Centre Association throughout the 80s and 90s – as Secretary, and as representative of Vancouver Ringette Association.

Her husband, Ken Hillman, was Vice President. Along with her late husband, Ken, they were involvement with the Community Centre began when their children were attending pre-school.

 

 

 

Angie Walkinshaw

Member at Large

Angie is a retired Recreation Programmer with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.   Prior to that, she was an elementary school teacher. Throughout her adult years, Angie has volunteered with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, BC Cancer Society, The Canadian Red Cross, Vancouver Emergency Social Services, Vancouver School Board, and most recently the Museum of Anthropology at UBC.   She also serves on two strata councils.  Some of Angie’s happiest moments are spending time with her grandchildren.  She likes to read, cook, garden, and participate in fitness activities.  Angie is a strong supporter of community centres and community associations.

Ryan Tittmar

Member at Large

Ryan is an outgoing Grade 12 student with a love of business who goes to Kitsilano High. Having grown up in Kitsilano, Ryan is deeply rooted in the neighbourhood. Hoping to be an advocate for the teen demographic, Ryan looks forward to fostering closer collaboration between the Community Centre and Kitsilano High School to develop opportunities and strengthen connections. Inspired by fond memories of the Centre, Ryan believes in the power of giving back – by serving the local community with his youthful energy and passion.

Nona Thompson

Honorary Member

A graduate of UBC, Nona Thompson was the founding teacher of Step Up School, an alternate Vancouver School Board school for youth on probation. Nona operated the school for 30 years, while serving on the Board of Directors with the Learning Disability Association, Elizabeth Fry Society, Mokoyokai Society, UBC Special Education Association, the Alternate Education Association, and the Kitsilano Community Centre Association, where she was Volunteer of the Year in 2005. A passionate advocate for multiculturalism, Nona has hosted more than 1200 international students in her home, inviting many to participate in Kits CC as volunteers throughout their stay. Nona has taken on leadership roles with Older Adults Special Events, the Multicultural program, while serving on four different Committees at Kits: Older Adults, Multicultural, Program, and Kitchen Committees.

 

Robert Haines

Honorary Member

As Robert looks back on almost 35 years of work with Vancouver Community Centre associations, he still finds it intriguing and encouraging that virtually any member of the community can make the choice to step up, have input, and effect change. In the case of Kitsilano, the association was created by local veterans, friends and neighbours returning from WWII. The group approached the City for assistance providing recreation in Connaught Park and enabled construction of a gym and Centre in the early 1950’s. This spirit of self-empowerment in local decision making lives on in our Kitsilano War Memorial Community Centre Association today.