About the Centre
In September 2019 MICCS celebrated 25 years since its inception. A good time was had by all. Check out the photos!
Today
Our Community Centre is a well-used and attractive rural venue, nicely situated on five acres of meadow backing on to the forest. The facility provides a diverse complement of ongoing programs for fitness, health and well-being, recreation and learning. We also host numerous community meetings and events such as AGMs, music concerts, fundraisers and craft fairs. To make it possible, our Board of Directors is committed to providing affordable event space for programs open to the community. The Centre is also an excellent venue for weddings and private functions.
The Main Room is bright and cheerful with its high ceilings, wood beams and large skylights. An adjacent “Social Room” features a fireplace and comfortable lounge chairs, suitable for small meetings or as an extension of the Main room for larger functions.
The Main Room will seat 60-70 at tables or in rows, while the Social Room seats about 12 people comfortably when used as a separate meeting space. During the warmer months, a marquee tent system is available on the side deck, with access from the Main room through a large, glass power door. This expands the space by another 1220 sq. ft., accommodating weddings or private functions for up to 110 guests.
Everything is on one level and wheelchair accessible. The commercial-grade kitchen is equipped with a comprehensive catering inventory and can service the Main Room via a pass-through window.
Our commercial kitchen is well set up with a gas stove and grill, dish sanitizer and a large inventory of equipment.
Our History
MICCS evolved from an earlier group, the Mayne Community Association, whose original purpose was to create both a senior’s housing facility and a community centre.
1994: The Mayne Island Community Centre Society was incorporated separately as a non-profit society on July 6, with a constitutional mandate to first acquire a site, then build and operate a Community Centre.
Land! In 1998, after some initial searching for land, Mr. Charlie Kim generously donated an excellent five-acre site with good southern exposure in the civic core of the island, as part of a development proposal for a large tract of land. At the time, a design committee working with Irving/Pitcher Architects of Mayne Island, explored many building options, with various Island organizations as possible partners and tenants. This continued until the Society received a $100,000 Provincial Community Partners Grant in 2002, at which point Phase 1 of the Centre began.
2002: Shovels hit the ground!
Doors Open: The Grand Opening took place on June 21, 2003. This was a long-awaited celebration and acknowledgement of the foresight, determination, generosity, talent, and hard work put in by members of the community. Since opening, Board Members have also undertaken several physical improvement projects such as an automatic lighting system in the parking areas, a rainwater roof-catchment and storage system, full catering functionality, the Community Garden and more recently, an energy saving installation of solar panels.
The Future
Phase 2: Expansion has been part of the vision since the early days. Original plans included an auditorium and stage facility, possibly incorporating sports functionality. Over time, demands for space are changing. We see a growing need for more multi-purpose meeting spaces for simultaneous usage of the facility. This will require a major fund raising effort. The Board would be happy to hear from anyone with ideas or expertise in this area! Original concept plans are available on request.
Acknowledgments: The Society had a goal to begin with private donations, avoiding a new tax burden for residents. So many generous donations from Mayne Islanders, large and small, have been the driving force in creating our Community Centre. An Endowment Fund was created in 2003 based on these gifts, to be used only for maintenance and operating costs, not capital costs. This helps to keep user fees as low as possible. We want to maintain an extensive list of contributors without missing anyone. If you would like to credit someone or ensure you are included, please let us know.
Mayne Island Community Centre 