Making a house a community home

The people behind Mollie Nye want the rooms and halls filled with the warmth of community and connection. With a range of intergenerational programs and a willingness to discuss more, this Lynn Valley jewel hopes you will stop by for a visit.

A community home

What is now known as the Mollie Nye house was one of the first homes built in Lynn Valley and was the lifetime home of Mollie Nye (1913-1997). The award-winning teacher was a lifelong community advocate who continues to serve long after her passing with the legacy of the Mollie Nye House. The community space remains a place to gather and connect. Helen Murphy“I want to fill the house as it should be,” said Helen Murphy, community engagement specialist for Lynn Valley Services Society.The Mollie Nye House is a community resource overseen by a partnership between North Vancouver Recreation and the Lynn Valley Services Society (and also used by the Lynn Valley Community Association and the Lynn Valley Seniors Society). Its location and easy parking make it an ideal place for programming, said Murphy. “It is very accessible, there are good railings and grab bars - there has been a lot of care taken for access and inclusion,” she said. In an ideal world, the doors would be - literally - open and people would come and go from The House as a gathering space and community hub, said Murphy. This goal makes it an ideal space for rentals and to run inclusive community programming. 

Knowledge keepers and sharers

A wearer of many hats, Murphy brings her background as a community engagement specialist with past experience facilitating programming at Sunrise Senior Living, the District of West Vancouver and her work with the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations. It’s shaping her vision to make The House a hub of intergenerational exchange. Programs run by the Lynn Valley Services Society aim to be affordable, keeping costs to a minimum and offering discrete financial assistance to those facing financial hardship. “One program I run is called Gather,” said Murphy. “And that is really the goal of Mollie Nye House to bring people together to create connections.”Running every Wednesday through the end of the month each session is $7 and is facilitated and sweetened with tea, coffee and snacks. Participants come from a variety of backgrounds from young new immigrants to Lynn Valley old timers for an exchange of experience. “We have people in our community who have so much to offer,” said Murphy. “Just because you are retired doesn’t mean you are done. My work with the Tsleil-Waututh has given me an even deeper appreciation of knowledge keepers. My own taught me the gift of sharing and teaching by just spending time together. I learned knitting, crochet, felting . . .”The House is open to those who want to share a skill or experience. There are special events like Ocean Ambassadors Canada presenting a monthly Climate Cafe – a discussion of current events with an environmental lens, and a bi-monthly drumming circle. There are discussions in the works for more yoga. Plus an entire calendar filled with everything from Tai-chi to walking groups to the neighbourhood favourite Munch & Mingle. “There is a wonderful library in the back where people can come and borrow books,” said Murphy. To reach the goal of open doors and community gathering Murphy is always on the hunt for new programs to connect people of all ages.“We don’t expect people to donate their time,” she said. “It could be singing, yoga, or something else fun. We have funding to pay people for their time and keep the programs low-cost for participants.”Coming upThe calendar is pretty full at Mollie Nye House for the coming month. Join your neighbours at: 

• Gather

  • Wednesdays until Oct. 30, 1-3 pm, $7/session tea, coffee and snacks, pre-register 604-987-5820

• Drumming with Abby

  • Every second Monday, October 7 & 21,  3-4 pm. Suggested donation of sliding scale  $20

• Climate Cafe with Ocean Ambassadors Canada 

  • Last Thursday of the month, Oct. 24, 1-2:30 pm, free, pre-register 604-987-5820. Light refreshments. Up next: Discussing carbon offsets

Looking for more?

There's always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.