Our History

The Marpole-Oakridge Community Centre has a Rich History

Few people understand the history of our community centres or the effort it took to establish them. In the beginning, it was the community associations who started the movement. Along the way, they enlisted the help of the Park Board — so began the partnership between community associations and Park Board.

Seventy years ago, “the seed and initial push came from a handful of local community-minded people who, in 1944, conceived of the idea that became the spark that ignited the community center movement for all of Greater Vancouver.” And that movement started right here in Marpole!