The City of Burnaby will soon open the Celeste Redman Community Resource Centre in the Brentwood Town Centre neighbourhood, the seventh such facility of its kind in Burnaby as the City continues to leverage growth to ensure vital services are in place to support the community.
The centre, expected to open in early 2022, is located at 2038 Rosser Avenue within a 42-storey mixed-use high-rise tower as part Appia Developments’ Solo District project. It is named for the late Celeste Redman, who served on Burnaby City Council from 1990 to 2005. She was a champion for social causes and dedicated herself to the service of Burnaby residents.
“I'm thrilled and my mother would be too,” said Mondee Redman, about the new resource centre being named in her mother’s honour. “She helped every person and animal in need that crossed her path. A community resource centre is a fitting way to remember her.”
The 4,231-square-foot space will be home to Cameray Child & Family Services, a community-based non-profit agency offering counselling, education, outreach, advocacy and other services.
“Cameray is thrilled to have been awarded this amazing opportunity and to be able to provide services that are more accessible to North Burnaby residents,” said Tracey Rusnak, Executive Director of Cameray Child & Family Services. “We plan to offer parenting support services, victim support and counselling out of this new space, in addition to creating a new home for our administration offices. We are particularly excited about the much-needed group space, which will allow us to open our programs up to more families. Without the support of the City, we would have been unable to accomplish this, particularly in such a beautiful and accessible facility.”
Through the Community Benefit Bonus Policy the City receives community amenities or equivalent in-cash donations from developers in return for additional density in housing projects. In Burnaby, since the policy was implemented in 1997, these benefits have included the creation of new parks (e.g. Jim Lorimer Park) and funded construction of civic facilities (e.g. Tommy Douglas Branch Library and Bonsor 55+ Centre). As well, this policy has funded the creation of community resource centres, which become City-owned spaces leased to Burnaby-based non-profits for programming and office use at below-market rates.
This is the second resource centre in this neighbourhood and both are centrally located. The Brentwood Community Resource Centre (2055 Rosser Avenue) is home to Burnaby Community Services, Burnaby Meals on Wheels, Burnaby Seniors Outreach Services Society and MOSAIC.
“Appia is proud to deliver this brand-new facility as part of our commitment to develop thriving communities in Burnaby,” said Marc Swanton, Project Manager for Appia Group of Companies. “We worked hard with representatives from the City of Burnaby to design and construct this custom-made space in order to support families living in Solo District and the surrounding neighbourhood. Appia is looking forward to seeing the Celeste Redman Community Resource Centre open its doors to serving the people who live here for years to come.”
Burnaby’s community resource centres are home to a wide range of programs and services. Non-profits at other resource centres include Afghan Women's Support Society (Edmonds), Burnaby/New Westminster Child Care Resource & Referral (Metrotown) and Burnaby Family Life Institute (McKercher).
Media Contact:
Chris Bryan
Manager, Public Affairs
City of Burnaby Public Affairs Office
604-570-3616 | [email protected]