SNA Recruiting Board Members

The Spence Neighbourhood Association (SNA) is currently looking for people interested in running for board positions at the next annual general meeting on January 19. There are 12 spots open for nomination, comprised of eight area directorship positions and four at large board directors.

The most important spots to find people for are the area director position, according to Kate Sjoberg, executive director of the SNA. “Area directors have to live in the area [that they’re running for].” said Sjoberg. Directors-at-large don’t have to live in a particular constituency within the neighbourhood, they just have to live, work or volunteer in the area.

The SNA deals with the downtown area bound by Portage Avenue to the north, Notre Dame Avenue to the south, Balmoral Street to the east and Sherbrook Street to the west. Area directors represent one of eight constituencies within those boundaries. The SNA board currently has six of those eight positions filled but some of those positions are filled by outgoing directors.

Since the SNA is a grassroots organization, their strategy to gain interest in board positions has been a grassroots effort, including advertising articles in the SNA’s newsletter, website bulletins and word-of-mouth. “We’ve been going to people that have been active in the community and asking them if they would be interested in a position on the board.” said Gerry Berard, president of the SNA and outgoing board member.

Since directors-at-large are not obliged to live in a constituency or represent a geographical body, the positions are easier to fill according to Sjoberg. “Everyone wants to be a director-at-large.”

The SNA has been responsible for providing services such as running the Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre and vast neighborhood reconstruction. “We’re one of the leaders in urban green space,” said Sjoberg.

Elected board members would help set the priority of the association, having a large impact on the neighbourhood as a whole.

There are many incentives to run for a board position, according to Sjoberg, including a strong voice in the community as well as the education and experience that comes with a board position.

“A lot of members in the neighborhood have never been on a board of directors and we give them that and experience in it.” said Sjoberg.

Between all those involved, the SNA has vastly improved the neighbourhood which has rebounded from being an area in which two of every three residence were leaving the neighbourhood between 1991 and 1996 and had the lowest housing prices in the city in 1991 according to a 2008 report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

More information about the SNA, board membership and the nomination form can be found at their website, SNA - Spence Neighbourhood Association.