Jewish Community Centre in Vancouver to get $25M makeover

The federal government has announced $25 million in funding to redevelop the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.

The funds, announced Monday, will be used to redevelop the current property into a "state-of-the-art, multigenerational community hub" according to a release from the Jewish Community Centre (JCC).

Ezra Shanken, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, says the new space will be almost double the size of the current facilities, which were built in the 1960s. Every year nearly 40,000 people visit the centre, which is located at West 41st Avenue and Oak Street in Vancouver, he said.

"Not only is the current facility showing its age, lack of space is an issue. We want to do our part to address some of the pressing issues that people face across the region, such as creating more childcare spaces. That just isn't possible in the current space," Shanken said.

The new hub, which Shanken said has been in planning for around a decade, will have a bigger early childhood education centre and more programming for seniors, as well as a theatre, upgraded arts facilities and a fitness space.

The redeveloped site will also include two separate residential towers, each more than 20 storeys tall with up to 500 units of mixed-use rental housing.

It will join the ongoing development in the city's Oakridge neighbourhood and Cambie corridor.

Shanken said the new site will bring together several organizations that are currently located across the city — including Jewish Family Services, Jewish Museum and Archives B.C., and the Vancouver Jewish Film Festival Society — into one space.

"The new space is poised to be a connection point that people of all ages and from all walks of life can enjoy for generations to come, and the legacy of this redevelopment will last a lifetime," JCC executive director Eldad Goldfarb said.

Holocaust education centre

The redeveloped site will also include upgrades to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, Western Canada's largest Holocaust museum, which was built in 1994. 

"We hope that will be a major attraction for people wanting to learn about the Holocaust and the message that it sends us about building a tolerant and loving society," Shanken said of the centre, which offers educational programs to the public.

The announcement comes amid concern over antisemitism in mainstream culture, with rapper Kanye West and NBA star Kyrie Irving dropped by sponsors over antisemitic tweets. Meanwhile, in Vancouver, an official definition of antisemitism recently adopted by city council has drawn criticism from those who say it has the potential to stifle free speech.

Federal Minister of International Development Harjit Sajjan says the JCC development is a step closer to building a larger community hub where Vancouverites of all backgrounds can connect.

"I want to emphasize, the community centre here is far beyond the Jewish community. It benefits all communities here," Sajjan said during a news conference Monday.

The JCC, the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and King David High School have partnered on the project and have already held public consultations.