PCHC-MoM’s Journey at Car Free Day
Vancouver hosted two exciting Car Free Days this year, one on Commercial Drive on Saturday, September 6th, and Main Street on Sunday, September 14th. Car Free Day began in 2004, when founders Matt Hern and Camren Mills organized the first festival on Commercial Drive with the help of 30 main organizers and roughly 300 volunteers. Over 25,000 people attended, marking monumental success. The festival expanded in 2008 to include Main Street, the West End, and Kits Block Parties. Today, the Car Free Vancouver Society oversees these events, celebrating community, diversity, sustainability, and zero-waste initiatives, while encouraging attendees to walk, bike, or take public transit to reduce their carbon footprint. Their partnership with TransLink further enhances accessibility and aligns with the festival’s environmental mission.
The Pacific Canada Heritage Centre – Museum of Migration (PCHC-MoM) had an incredible presence at Car Free Day, which was held on September 6th from 12:00 pm–7:00 pm. PCHC-MoM was graciously sponsored by Vancity, and was located under the Vancity Pavilion on Commercial Street and East 2nd Avenue. The event was a huge success, both in terms of community exposure and team bonding. The PCHC team met dozens of curious individuals, sparked engaging conversations, and shared the organizations missions with the Vancouver community.
This opportunity would not have been possible without Carly-Rae Cook’s incredible coordination and Lucas Facchin, Branch Business Account Manager at Vancity’s Commercial location, for his support in giving PCHC the chance to connect with the community.
This success was largely successful due to the dedication of PCHC-MoM’s team and volunteers, which included MoM Young Ambassadors Life Coach and Counsellor Kayo Devcic, Co-Presidents Stan De Mello and Lucy Sun, Operations and Outreach Manager Nafisa Golwala, VP David Pais, and Volunteers Lidio Daneluzzi, Justin Pua, and Javier Tarazona. The team shared information, distributed pamphlets, and encouraged guests to take part in upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. They also highlighted PCHC’s storytelling initiatives while talking about the significance of migration stories. The conversations according to our team Onsight were “inspiring and reaffirmed the meaningful work that PCHC-MoM carries out every day.”
At the end of the event, as members were heading back to the office, a sudden downpour caught the team by surprise, no one on the team had anticipated such heavy rain. The team laughed and quickly thought of creative ways to stay dry, for instance, they used a poster wrapped in plastic to create a makeshift tarp, and a kind family even offered them shelter under their roof until the rain passed. What could have been a minor inconvenience instead turned into a memorable team bonding experience. The team shared laughter, teamwork, and a perfect reminder of how small, unexpected moments can bring people together.
Car free Day was an amazing day, not only because it increased awareness of PCHC-MoM, but also because it gave the team a chance to come together, celebrate shared dedication, and build stronger connections in the community. The day highlighted the power of storytelling as a bridge across cultures and generations, as well as the importance of engaging with the community. PCHC-MoM left the Vancity Pavilion ready to continue sharing migration experiences, fostering understanding, and creating a more welcoming community. Car Free Day wasn’t just an event, it was a celebration of people, stories, and Vancouver’s vibrant energy.
