Dear Heartwood Community,
It is with a heavy heart that we announce Heartwood’s permanent closure on Monday, August 15th.
We would like to thank Trinity United Church for investing in such a necessary space. We’d also like to thank Rhizome Café for starting the legacy we worked to continue and build. Heartwood has grown in its own ways that leave us in awe of the amount of talent, resistance, and power that our communities hold. We have grown in laughter, full bellies, hardships, healing, vulnerability, and celebration together. With this growth comes the inevitable grieving of a space many of us call home.
The closure of spaces like Heartwood can often displace communities. As much of our solidarity building was done with LGBTQ2AI+, racialized, Indigenous, and youth communities – communities who have been marginalized and have limited access to resources – we will work to honour the beautiful connections we have made by figuring out ways we can fill in the gaps our closure might create.
As local artist and Heartwood friend, Toni Latour, says, “Let’s heal the divide.”
Moving Together
When the Purple Thistle Centre, another amazing and necessary space in Vancouver, closed their doors they likened it to an opportunity for growth, to pollenate their ideas into their own communities and to create projects and initiatives that seeded as a result of the connections made in their space. Heartwood has always hoped for the same. Below are the ways we hope to move together with the Heartwood Community as our time winds down.
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with our leadership team.
Anita Sparrow
Restaurant Manager
Email: [email protected]
Ainsleah Hastings
Kitchen Manager
Email: [email protected]
Melanie Matining
Community Development Manager
Email: [email protected]
You can also get in touch with Trinity United Church through Rhian Walker (Minister) at[email protected].
Until then and always, we’re living everyday in love and liberation. Thank you to the Heartwood Community for being such an amazing support for the last three years. Now let’s see what else we can create!
In solidarity,
The Heartwood Crew
It is with a heavy heart that we announce Heartwood’s permanent closure on Monday, August 15th.
We would like to thank Trinity United Church for investing in such a necessary space. We’d also like to thank Rhizome Café for starting the legacy we worked to continue and build. Heartwood has grown in its own ways that leave us in awe of the amount of talent, resistance, and power that our communities hold. We have grown in laughter, full bellies, hardships, healing, vulnerability, and celebration together. With this growth comes the inevitable grieving of a space many of us call home.
The closure of spaces like Heartwood can often displace communities. As much of our solidarity building was done with LGBTQ2AI+, racialized, Indigenous, and youth communities – communities who have been marginalized and have limited access to resources – we will work to honour the beautiful connections we have made by figuring out ways we can fill in the gaps our closure might create.
As local artist and Heartwood friend, Toni Latour, says, “Let’s heal the divide.”
Moving Together
When the Purple Thistle Centre, another amazing and necessary space in Vancouver, closed their doors they likened it to an opportunity for growth, to pollenate their ideas into their own communities and to create projects and initiatives that seeded as a result of the connections made in their space. Heartwood has always hoped for the same. Below are the ways we hope to move together with the Heartwood Community as our time winds down.
- Time to put our minds and maps together! Last year, Heartwood did a call out for social spaces in the city. Share the ones you know to the list!
- Let’s talk creation and collaboration! Vancouver is infamously known for being a difficult city for financially, physically, and emotionally accessible spaces to thrive in. What spaces are needed? For whom? And what resources do we already have in our communities to spark more? Stay updated on our events calendar as we’ll be hosting community discussions on how we can build community spaces together. Got ideas? Let Melanie (Community Development Manager) know at[email protected].
- Bring Soup for the People to your space! As a continuation of Rhizome’s Lentils Are Everything Stew, we hope that more spaces offer up accessible and nourishing meals in their neighbourhoods. As a pay-what-you-can or pay-it-forward supported menu, we know full bellies play a key role in community and movement building. Interested? Let’s chat! Contact Ainsleah (Kitchen Manager) at[email protected].
- Come to our Heartwood Community Celebration and Farewell party on August 12th! The event will be a fundraiser for Gallery Gachet and will showcase our Best Of’s and buddies throughout the years!
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with our leadership team.
Anita Sparrow
Restaurant Manager
Email: [email protected]
Ainsleah Hastings
Kitchen Manager
Email: [email protected]
Melanie Matining
Community Development Manager
Email: [email protected]
You can also get in touch with Trinity United Church through Rhian Walker (Minister) at[email protected].
Until then and always, we’re living everyday in love and liberation. Thank you to the Heartwood Community for being such an amazing support for the last three years. Now let’s see what else we can create!
In solidarity,
The Heartwood Crew