Dave Wildeboer was eight years old when he last visited the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre in Vancouver. This past spring break, he returned—this time with his wife and four children.
A resident of Abbotsford, Wildeboer discovered the Space Centre’s Community Days event and saw an opportunity to share the experience with his family.
“It’s pretty impressive—lots of great exhibits to explore. We’ve really enjoyed it,” says Wildeboer. “It’s a fantastic initiative to explore the Space Centre. Our kids definitely learned more about space with hands-on experiences.”
Wildeboer and his family were among more than 400 residents of the Fraser Valley who received free admission to the Space Centre as part of its first ever Community Days event. On March 22 and 29, residents from Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope and Agassiz took advantage of the inaugural Community Days event at the Space Centre, where kids and adults alike enjoyed the magic of space exploration.
As soon as visitors entered the Space Centre, they were greeted with interactive booths and activities. A spinning wheel game booth gave kids a chance to win various prizes, including another free visit to the Space Centre with their families. Children also had the opportunity to create their own designs using a 3D printer. However, the highlight for most was the Planetarium theatre, where audiences were immersed in breathtaking space-themed shows.
“The Space Centre is the perfect place to spark curiosity about space,” says Michael Unger, Director of Programming at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. “All it took was one visit here as a child to inspire my lifelong fascination with space science. That’s what we hope to offer kids and families, especially those who might not normally have access to our facilities.”
This Community Days event was made possible by a sponsorship from Enbridge, an energy delivery company that operates a natural gas pipeline system across British Columbia. Enbridge partnered with the Space Centre to extend access to communities along its Westcoast Pipeline right-of-way in the Fraser Valley. Enbridge, through its Fueling Futures program, contributed $50,000 to support the Space Centre and its Community Days initiative.
