YMCA BC Selected Operator of MCC’s leləm̓ Community Centre at UBC

A Community Hub Rooted on Musqueam Lands
Located at 5490 Shortcut Road, the leləm̓ Community Centre sits at the heart of the award-winning leləm̓ Village development on Musqueam lands, adjacent to the University of British Columbia and surrounded by one of the region’s most vibrant and walkable communities.
Its location reflects Musqueam Capital Corporation’s vision of creating a connected, sustainable, and community-centred neighbourhood. Residents and visitors enjoy convenient access to shops, cafés, restaurants, childcare, health services, and over eight acres of publicly accessible green space, all within walking distance. The Centre also provides direct connections to the renowned Pacific Spirit Regional Park, offering access to more than 2,000 acres of forests and recreational trails. As the social and cultural heart of the village, the Community Centre was designed to bring people together while supporting a healthy, active, and connected lifestyle.
Selected through a competitive process, YMCA BC will manage the Centre’s long-term operations, programming, and maintenance when the Centre opens later this year.
In this article
- A partnership grounded in shared values
- A strategic location within the University Endowment Lands
- A 15,000 sq ft facility designed for accessibility and longevity
- Musqueam art integrated throughout the Centre
- Opening later in 2026
- Frequently asked questions
A partnership grounded in shared values
The selection of YMCA BC as operator represents an important milestone in establishing a collaborative governance framework for the leləm̓ Community Centre. This partnership brings together the Musqueam Indian Band, Musqueam Capital Corporation (MCC), the University Endowment Lands administered by the Province of British Columbia, and YMCA BC, each contributing to a shared vision for a vibrant, inclusive, and community-focused gathering place.
Following a competitive selection process led by UEL , YMCA BC was chosen from a strong field of qualified candidates. Under a long-term operating agreement, YMCA BC will be responsible for the Centre’s programming, operations, and maintenance, working in partnership with MCC and the Musqueam Indian Band to ensure the facility serves the needs of residents, members, and visitors for generations to come.
YMCA BC also brings extensive experience in delivering community-focused programs across British Columbia. Serving more than 225,000 people in 58 communities, the organization has a proven track record of operating facilities in partnership with municipalities, Indigenous communities, and other public-sector organizations. This experience provides confidence that the Community Centre will deliver high-quality programs and services that align with the aspirations of the Musqueam community and support the long-term success of leləm̓ Village.
Through this partnership, the leləm̓ Community Centre will become more than a recreation facility. It will be a place for gathering, wellness, learning, and connection, reflecting the shared commitment of all partners to building a healthy and thriving community.
“We’re excited to bring our health expertise, incredible service, and commitment to building vibrant, inclusive and healthy communities, to the leləm̓ YMCA Community Centre.”
— Heidi Worthington, YMCA BC President & CEO
Connected and Accessible
-
Frequent transit service along University Boulevard, with buses arriving every 15 minutes or less during peak periods.
-
Extensive walking and cycling routes connecting leləm̓ Village, UBC, and Pacific Spirit Regional Park.
-
On-site electric vehicle charging stations.
-
Convenient access from downtown Vancouver and surrounding communities.
leləm̓ Community Centre
5490 Shortcut Road, Vancouver, BC
View on Google Maps
Designed for Generations
The 15,000-square-foot, two-storey facility was developed by Musqueam Capital Corporation and designed by Francl Architecture to serve the evolving needs of the Musqueam community for generations to come.
Built to LEED Gold standards and recognized with the 2024 Land Awards for Excellence in Real Estate by the Real Estate Foundation of BC, the Centre reflects Musqueam’s commitment to sustainability, accessibility, and community well-being. Every aspect of the building was designed to support a diverse range of cultural, educational, recreational, health, and community programming in a welcoming and barrier-free environment.
Visitors are welcomed through a dramatic double-height atrium, highlighted by a feature staircase and gathering spaces that serve as the social heart of the building. A generous covered entrance extends activity outdoors, creating opportunities for community events, celebrations, and informal connections throughout the year.
Building Highlights
- A striking mass timber roof structure featuring tapered glulam beams that create a spacious, column-free gymnasium.
- An innovative hybrid structural system engineered by Fast + Epp, combining mass timber, steel, and concrete.
- Nail-laminated timber ceiling panels crafted in part from reclaimed Musqueam-owned logs, bringing materials from Musqueam lands back into a building created for the community.
- Connection to the award-winning leləm̓ District Energy System, which utilizes wastewater, geothermal, and recovered refrigeration energy to provide low-carbon heating and cooling throughout the community. A 2024 Clean50 Top Project recipient and tied for Top Project of the Year
Together, these features reflect a shared commitment to environmental stewardship, design excellence, and long-term resilience.
Celebrating Musqueam Culture Through Design
From the earliest stages of planning, Musqueam artistic leadership was central to the design of the Community Centre. Art is not treated as an addition to the building but as an integral part of the visitor experience, expressing Musqueam identity, history, and values throughout the facility. Major commissioned works by Musqueam artists are woven into the architecture, creating spaces that honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire future generations.
The result is more than a community building. It is a place of gathering, learning, wellness, and connection that reflects Musqueam’s enduring relationship to the land and its vision for future generations.
What Once Was Will Always Be — Robyn Sparrow
What Once Was Will Always Be, by Musqueam artist Robyn Sparrow, is a reflection on culture and identity. In the artist’s own words, the piece carries a hope “for the people and visitors of this space to find comfort in viewing my art and hopefully see the reflection of us as a xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Musqueam people in this piece.” The work positions contemporary users of the Centre within a cultural continuum that long predates leləm̓ and is intended to continue well beyond it.
![]() |
![]() |
|
Image: “What Once Was Will Always Be” by Musqueam artist Robyn Sparrow, installed inside the leləm̓ Community Centre, reflecting cultural continuity and identity. |
|
Circular Traditional Musqueam Weaving Installation & Painted Traditional Design Elements — Debra Sparrow & Gabriel Hall
Debra Sparrow and Gabriel Hall’s installation wraps the ceiling and railings in a blend of traditional and contemporary design that holds true to Salish weaving technique. The repeating pattern and cohesive palette are intended, in the artists’ own framing, to reflect how creativity connects people to their immediate and extended community — specifically the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Musqueam community.
![]() |
![]() |
|
Image: Ceiling and railing installation by Musqueam artists Debra Sparrow and Gabriel Hall at the leləm̓ Community Centre, blending Salish weaving with contemporary design. |
|
Grand Opening later in 2026
If you’ve been looking for a place to live that puts a fitness centre, a gathering space, and 2,000 acres of forest inside a ten-minute walk, take a look at the current residences at leləm̓ — and follow our socials for opening and programming updates as they land.
Frequently asked questions
Who operates the leləm̓ Community Centre and why was YMCA BC selected?
Selected through a competitive process, YMCA BC will manage the Centre’s long-term operations, programming, and maintenance.
Who developed the leləm̓ Community Centre?
Musqueam Capital Corporation developed the leləm̓ Community Centre as part of the leləm̓ village master plan. MCC is the economic development arm of the Musqueam Indian Band and acts as asset manager for the Nation’s real estate holdings, including the 21.44-acre leləm̓ village site within the University Endowment Lands at the entrance to UBC.
Where is the leləm̓ Community Centre located?
The Centre is at 5490 Shortcut Road in the University Endowment Lands, at the entrance to UBC. It sits at the heart of leləm̓ village, a master-planned community on Vancouver’s Westside, and is within walking distance of Pacific Spirit Regional Park and the UBC campus.
Who designed and built the leləm̓ Community Centre?
The 15,000 sq ft, two-storey building was designed by Francl Architecture with structural engineering by Fast + Epp. It was developed by Musqueam Capital Corporation and built to LEED Gold standards. The hybrid structural system uses mass timber for the roof, steel for columns and lateral loads, and concrete for the foundation.
Is the leləm̓ Community Centre open to the wider public?
Yes. The Centre serves both leləm̓ residents and the wider Westside Vancouver community through YMCA BC’s membership and drop-in programs, with financial assistance available for members who qualify.
When does the leləm̓ Community Centre open?
The leləm̓ YMCA Community Centre is now open and welcoming members and visitors.



