| Dear North Vancouver Residents In 2018, the City of North Vancouver announced plans that they will build a new Harry Jerome Rec center, and that they would keep the current Harry Jerome Centre open so that residents would not be impacted by any closure. But early this year, Mayor Buchanan and city council quietly announced that they will be closing down the current Harry Jerome Rec Centre at the end of this year while a new center is being built across the street. The new center will not be ready until at least 2025/2026. So for the next 3+ years: Seniors who use the current Harry Jerome center to stay healthy with swimming and using the gym might have nowhere to go because this is a big concern for them. The same seniors have shared that their health declined dramatically when the center was closed for only 6 m. Furthermore many seniors don’t drive or don’t have vehicles, some even don’t have. bus passes to go to alternative facilities which are too far for them to walk. Kids who play hockey, take skating lessons will have to go farther away, and possibly pay more to do that. – Children and youth will have a harder time registering for swimming lessons – Swimming clubs where youth learn to swim better and to compete will have less opportunities – Lacrosse, a traditional indigenous sport, will not be played on the North Shore anymore because Harry Jerome is the only place on the North Shore where this sport can be played – Some staff will lose their jobs and their income The users of Harry Jerome Rec Centre are concerned about the negative impact of the center’s closure on the community and have started a petition to keep the center open. Please go to https://change.org/keepharryjeromeopen to tell the city to keep this center open for all of us. |