To celebrate Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, we’re sharing stories from our program participants, staff, and volunteers about what makes our House so special.

Here, Christine, who started attending programs at our House at just five years old, describes her earliest memories.

I was born in 1993. My dad was a single parent with three kids—he had to work and provide for us.

So he put us in programs and after school activities, and I started coming here when I was five years old. My brothers were also here, and my aunt and cousin came too, because my cousin was in preschool here.

My earliest memory was probably summer day camp.

We could go on day time activities. We would go swimming, we would have team building activities, we would play games, meet other kids, chat with them. We were put into groups, and each leader was assigned eight or 10 kids. 

We would become leaders, and made a lot of friends.

Back then, this neighbourhood of Vancouver wasn’t the safest area—it was East Vancouver. So the Neighbourhood House was a safe environment. Everything was in walking distance here, which was great.

And so many people at the House helped shape I am today, especially my friend Tammy and the youth worker Romy. Romy still is my part-time mother, part-time therapist, part-time guru! Really, if I had a problem at school, I’d talk to Romy. If I was unhappy about something I hadn’t achieved, I’d tell Romy. She guided me.

Who knows who I’d be without the House? 

Do you have a story about what your Neighbourhood House means to you? Share it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtag #myNHstory!