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An Invitation
Hello my urban loving friends,
I am writing to invite you to the Henry Hudson Elementary School centennial celebration on June 21, 3:30 to 8pm.
This is an amazing opportunity to take part in a family party and history salute AND celebrate the wonders of an urban school community. Hudson, the much loved red brick school house near Cornwall & Cypress, is 100 years old.
Your kids will love it
At our party, you’ll find performances, decade theme rooms, costumes, vintage vehicles, activities, aboriginal education display and catering by Triple O’s. Nat Bailey was part of the school rifle club in the 1910 era, just after the school opened. We hear that the Vancouver police motorcycle and mounted squads will attend and I think I’ve got a former school trustee (tattooed Sharon Gregson) committed to showing off her Harley. The effort some members of our school are putting into this is phenomenal.
Attend as a vote for urban communities
I know you all love the city. And, aside from the FUN you’ll have, I wanted to tell you what makes Hudson so interesting as an urban community school, in case you’re still not certain about whether you should attend. Trust me – you’re making a vote in favour of the value of urban communities.
Hudson has long been a prominent fixture on Vancouver’s city scene. Hudson’s history includes the CPR, Greer Beach squatters, Chief Khatsahlano and the First Nations struggle – and “relocation” — amidst Vancouver’s expansion to Kits Point. Our early families included both the offspring of well known businessmen and civil servants and those of families who worked at the dockyards, canneries, warehouses and bottling plants of False Creek. Our community was shaped by creation of the Burrard Bridge, Seaforth Armoury, Sikh temple, Vancouver archives, planetarium, museum and academy of music, not to mention the 4th Avenue street car line and expansion of Kits Beach. We’ve seen two wars, including a rifle club at our school during WWI and use of our neighbourhood beach for mock invasions in World War II. The neighbourhood later saw 1960s “Chemical Row” on West 7th, the Poppy Family house, communes, struggles with Mayor Tom Terrific Campbell and even the founding of the Georgia Straight after an especially infamous brawl up the street. Our unique, on site out of school care society emerged as women hired at the Molson Brewery in the 70s sought safe, stable, progressive care for their kids. Moms at our school founded one of the city’s longest running hot lunch programs about 70 years ago. Our school has long been known as one of the most multicultural schools in the city – it was known as a settlement destination even in the early days. We feature a choir directed by a professional soprano but also have a standing room only annual hip hop showcase – everybody fits in here. We walk to the theatre, museums, beaches, Granville Island, parks and school tennis lessons – our kids are city kids. Hudson saw revitalization with the addition of French Immersion in the 2000s and has grown from a population of about 150 to a predicted 350 next year. Today, our catchment draws from Kits Point, False Creek, the West End, Coal Harbour and Yaletown, though the area around Hudson has a bit of a Sesame Street feel. In spite of our wide reaching catchment – which includes dual track French and English education – many of our students and their families have known one another since infancy or preschool.
Feel free to tell everyone!
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