On Wednesday, July 17th,  community residents, staff, volunteers and invited guests will gather at the Virginia Park Community Centre to celebrate the centre’s fifteenth anniversary. To mark the occasion, an open house will be held at the centre. Many guests are expected to drop in for the celebrations that will include a cake-cutting ceremony and a pictorial presentation highlighting some of the important events of the last fifteen years.

Located on 1134 Harding Road in St. John’s east end, the Virginia Park Community Centre serves a community of 202 social housing units with an approximate population of 606 people. Opened in 1987, the centre was established in order to respond to the recreational, social and educational needs of residents in the community and to encourage the involvement of tenants in their neighbourhood  through  programs and activities. While the main focus for program development has been based on the needs of tenants living in Newfoundland and Labrador Housing (NLHC) units of the Virginia Park area, programs have also been made available to any area residents. NLHC provides base level funding to the centre.

During the past fifteen years, the Virginia Park Community Centre, with its dedicated staff and volunteers, has continued to offer a wide range of community-based social, educational and recreational programs, as well as health and economic services to individuals and families in the neighbourhood. Some of the core programs offered include, a Family Resource Centre, After-School Program, Teen Program, Summer Day Camp and Summer Drop-In Program.

Paul Lahey, executive director of the Virginia Park Community centre since it began fifteen years ago,  is justifiably proud of the work  the centre does and is enthusiastic about the opportunity to celebrate fifteen years of growth and accomplishment. Paul commented, “This centre really has become a focal point of the Virginia Park community. Although children and teens are the primary focus of many of our programs, we like to think that we have something for everyone, from youth to seniors. This is a very proud day for the centre and everyone associated with it, including our staff, volunteers, residents and community partners.”

Also attending the July 17th anniversary celebration will be Jim Walsh, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Responsible for Housing, the Honourable Oliver Langdon. Mr. Walsh, who will represent Minister Langdon at the event said, “I would like to congratulate the Virginia Park Community Centre on reaching this very important milestone. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly on behalf of their community. It is because of their dedication and vision that the Virginia Park Community Centre has evolved into what it is today – the heart of the community. I wish them many more years of success in their work.”

The Virginia Park Community Centre’s Fifteenth Year Anniversary Open House will be held at 1134 Harding Road on Wednesday, July 17th, between 2:00 pm and 4:30 pm.

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For further information, contact:
Madonna Walsh, Corporate Communications
Telephone:  (709) 724-3059 
E-mail:  releases@nlhc.nf.ca