Newly opened Richmond Cultural Centre Annex to provide city with expanded arts-and-culture space

Revitalized building features a pottery studio, History Lab for Richmond Museum, artist-exhibition space, and more

Mayor Malcolm Brodie (seventh from left) celebrates the opening of the Richmond Cultural Centre Annex with local representatives.

THE CITY OF RICHMOND announced the official opening today of its newest arts and culture hub, the Richmond Cultural Centre Annex, at the former site of the Minoru Place Activity Centre.

The city worked with a budget of $3.06 million to transform the old seniors centre into an extension of the adjacent Richmond Cultural Centre and Library, rather than demolishing it as previously planned. The provincial government contributed $2.1 million to the revitalization, and the federal government invested an additional $133,000.

“The Richmond Cultural Centre Annex is an exciting new hub that will play an important role in strengthening Richmond’s already strong and vibrant arts and culture community,” says Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie in a release. “Not only will it complement our city’s existing cultural facilities, it will showcase and foster the creativity of many emerging and established local artists and performers.”

The building on Minoru Boulevard checks in at 15,154 square feet. Its revitalization was achieved thanks to the Community, Culture and Recreation stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

Various art disciplines and cultural considerations are represented in the building’s new features. It is now home to a pottery studio, a History Lab for Richmond Museum school programs, and a lobby with plentiful artist-exhibition space. There are also a number of other studios onsite usable for visual and performing arts.

The outside of the building received a facelift as well. A total of 88 high-output solar panels were installed on the roof, which will generate 41,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. The sustainable choice means that the building’s yearly energy consumption is equal to that of just four residential homes.

Visitors can check out the Richmond Cultural Centre Annex from Monday to Friday between 9 am and 9 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.

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Emily Lyth

Emily Lyth is a Vancouver-based writer and editor who graduated from Langara College’s Journalism program. Her decade of dance training and passion for all things food-related are the foundation of her love for telling arts, culture, and community stories.

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