Exciting Developments Announced
at the Irish Heritage Society AGM
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
 BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the Irish Heritage Society: (L-R) [Front row] George McDonnell (first vice-president); Gwen McCamley (treasurer); John A. (Tony) McCamley (president); Ivan Douglas (second vice-president); and Adrienne Sutherland (secretary). [Back row] Teresa McDonnell (director); Steve McVittie (volunteer); Margaret Rogers-McKay (volunteer); Tom O’Flynn (director); Maureen Gerard (director); Vern Loewen (director); Tom Scanlon (director); and John O’Flynn (director). Directors not present at the meeting were Ann Kerrigan and Mark McDonnell. |
VANCOUVER – The Irish Heritage Society of Canada (IHSC) held their annual general meeting at the Elks Hall in Vancouver on October 7.
President, Tony McCamley said, “we are still making progress on the centre but at present we are tied up in traffic problems and permits.
“Some of the older residents around the proposed centre are holding up moving forward on the project, especially regarding Willoughby Hall, which is on the property and deemed a heritage building.
“We also had a problem with Victoria regarding our license for a 50-seat pub and also we will now have to put all the parking at the centre underground.”
He said the process was very frustrating at times since bureaucracy is really the hold-up at the moment.
“Gwen and I could easily walk away from this whole situation, but we aren’t going to. We are going to stay the course until it’s done and I can assure you that this centre will be built!”
Tony said they are hoping to start building condos by February, but “the bank wants us to wait until all the permits and everything is in order before we start the building.”
Vern Loewen showed an architect’s drawing of the proposed 170 condos to be built and sold on the property and he reported that they were close to getting the development permit for the project, but that negotiations were still ongoing regarding Willoughby Hall.
He explained that since they have been told that all the parking at the centre must now be underground, this has driven up the cost a further three to four million dollars, and the engineer’s report has yet to come in.
Vice president George McDonnell spoke about his recent meeting in Ireland with Pat Hickey, the president of the Irish Olympic Committee (IOC) in Howth, County Dublin, and the possibility of an Irish Pavilion in Vancouver at the time of the Winter Olympics.
George took a presentation from both Ceili’s Irish Pub and Doolin’s Irish Pub, and after careful consideration the IOC chose Doolin’s presentation which includes a large tent to be erected outside Doolin’s Irish Pub. This will provide seating for an additional 500 people and provide food, beverage, and entertainment nightly throughout the Olympics.
“The IOC, the Irish Heritage and Doolin’s Irish Pub are all working together on the Irish Pavilion,” said George. “It is fully funded by Granville Entertainment and the Irish athletes will be well taken care of.”
George also indicated that photos of the Irish athletes who will be coming to Vancouver for the Olympics will also be posted on the Irish Heritage website shortly.
Speaking about the impact of the Irish Pavilion at the Olympics, George said, “the Irish Pavilion is going to create the most exciting Irish buzz in Vancouver. Doolin’s are also going to have buses that will be seen around the city, and the Irish flag will be flown all over Vancouver.”
In closing, George said, “on his recent visit to Vancouver, His Excellency the Ambassador of Ireland, Declan Kelly, told me that he hoped that all the Irish groups would work together on the Pavilion and also on the Irish Centre.”
After the election of the new IHSC Board of Directors, the meeting was adjourned.
For more information about the IHSC, call (604) 270-2881, or visit: www.irishheritagesociety.ca.
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