Oct 16: Vancity opens West End Branch

Vancouver, October 16, 2003 - Vancity's new West End Community Branch held its grand opening celebration recently with a fall festival in the Capers Community Market parking lot across from the new branch at 1680 Robson Street. More than 500 people pored out of their various corners of the West End in the pouring rain to gather under the heated tent for an opportunity to mix and mingle with the branch staff, executives and board members. They also came to enjoy the entertainment, and feast on the bounty of the season including chilli, pumpkin soup, fresh bread, pie and cider, courtesy of Capers. The ribbon is now cut and branch manager Janine Davies and her staff are waiting for your business. Drop by soon.

Vancouver - Vancity Credit Union has just opened a new branch in the city's West End to grow its business and serve its members better.

The branch, which will serve as a temporary location until the permanent full-service branch opens at a nearby site next year, is located at 1680 Robson Street, across from Capers Community Market. The branch is fully staffed with five financial experts, a mobile mortgage manager and an insurance specialist. A full-service ATM is steps away for cash transactions.

While this may be its first branch in the West End, Vancity has been active in this community for many years through its support of events and initiatives such as the Dr. Peter Centre; the Vancouver International Film Festival; the West End Seniors Network; Dusk to Dawn, a program for street youth run out of St. Paul's hospital; Dining Out for Life; and the Stanley Park Ecology Society.

"We've been looking for a home in the West End for a long time and it feels great to finally be here," said Branch Manager Janine Davies, who has already been a brisk business since the doors opened.

"We look forward to opening our full-service branch, but knew it was important in the meantime to start building our presence here," said Bruce Ralston, Chair of Vancity's Board of Directors.

A community event to celebrate the opening of the new branch is planned for November 15.

Vancity is Canada’s largest credit union, with $9.3 billion in assets, 305,000 members, and 41 branches throughout Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Victoria. Vancity was chosen as the best place to work in Canada for 2005 by Maclean’s Magazine as part of its annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers issue. Vancity owns Citizens Bank of Canada, serving members across the country by telephone, ATM, and the Internet. Both Vancity and Citizens Bank are guided by a commitment to corporate social responsibility, and to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.