Vancouver - RayCam Renew
RayCam Cooperative Community Centre (920 E Hastings Street) has been a gathering place for East Vancouver families since 1976. This welcoming space is one of Vancouver’s most well-used community centres. It offers recreation and programming for youth, seniors, new immigrants, Indigenous people and more.
After nearly 50 years of service to the community, it’s time for a new RayCam. BC Housing, City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, and RayCam Cooperative Association are working together on this project, called RayCam Renew.
The partners have been working alongside the community to create a vision and a plan to build a new and improved community centre, including childcare. The new project will also include housing with affordable and subsidized housing units.
Project Phases
Plans for this project are progressing but we still have a lot to learn about what the local community wants to see in a renewed RayCam.
2014-2022 - Visioning
A solid foundation for the project is developed through Indigenous protocols and inclusive community engagement.
2023-2024 - Engagement and Planning
Community members share their wants and needs for a new community centre and housing through various activities.
This input is used to develop designs and options for how buildings will be placed on the site. These designs become part of a rezoning application.
2025 - Rezoning Application
The RayCam site must be rezoned before we can build housing. This process involves an application to the City of Vancouver, staff review, public input and City Council decision.
2026-2027 - Design
After rezoning, we create more detailed designs and apply for development and building permits to the City of Vancouver.
Construction
Construction will start once the designs are finalized and approved.
Note: The timeline is subject to change.
RayCam Renew
The RayCam Renew project is about more than replacing an aging community centre; it is an opportunity to build a new kind of neighbourhood. Community members have been and remain at the centre of conversations about RayCam’s future.
These are the project Vision and Values, co-created with the community throughout several phases beginning in 2014:
- Co-creation
- Working together as equal partners
- Capacity building
- Involve local residents to strengthen skills and foster thriving communities
- Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and Nations
- Resilience
- Neighbourhood resilience and sustainability
- Environmental stewardship and sustainable design
RayCam renew is expected to have:
- A new, purpose-built community-centre
- A variety of much-needed rental housing
- Childcare facilities
- Seniors facilities
- Cultural space
- Training and educational space
- Be a hub for partner organizations
- Local-serving retail
- Improved pedestrian connections
Questions
You are welcome to send any comments or questions to communityrelations@bchousing.org.