During the summer of 2021, a 35,000-square-foot creative arts space opened at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Eighth Street in New Westminster, providing not just a vast space for artists but also a place for underserved communities to come together for creative endeavours.
Eighth & Eight Creative Spaces, launched by the Massey Theatre, has since evolved into something that is as much a community as it is a creative arts space.
Soon, it will welcome two of the New West food scene's favourite faces and provide a second home to the city's beloved Coming Home Cafe.
Eighth & Eight has announced that Guy Dubé of Coming Home Café, who has been a champion of the 2SLGBTQI+ community in New West, will assume the new role of coming home program director, co-ordinating social and creative programs.
Dubé was widely known and loved in New West as the owner of Coming Home Café, which opened in 2005 and closed late 2022. With his new role, the welcoming and inclusive space that was Coming Home will re-emerge at Eighth & Eight Creative Spaces.
In the next few weeks, Coming Home will see Dubé steering some social and creative programs for the 2SLGBTQI+ community — namely Rainbow Connections Cafe. The first event will be held April 19 from 3 to 8 p.m., and will be recurring every Wednesday, for folks to come together for coffee, conversations, dreaming and community-building.
“We know this community faces many barriers," said Jessica Schneider, the Massey Theatre's executive director. "We hope that this program will fill some of the needs for collective and individual well-being for our community members,”
Dubé will also be working with the team at Eighth & Eight to create delightful food experiences for the artists and visitors coming to the Eighth and Eight.
The second addition to the Eighth & Eight team is a favourite local restaurateur — Christopher McFadden, of New Westminster’s Piva Modern Italian.
McFadden, according to the news release, has been helping Eighth & Eight Creative Spaces establish innovative approaches to service at performances as well as for special events and catering.
McFadden, who has over 20 years' experience in the restaurant industry (notably at Biff’s French Bistro in Toronto, The Belvedere in Calgary, Hy’s of Canada Steakhouses, the Glowbal Restaurant Group in Vancouver and Piva Modern Italian in New Westminster) recently started his own company, the McFadden Group, through which he is collaborating with hospitality businesses like Eighth & Eight Creative Spaces to provide food and beverage programs for the community.
“Working with Christopher and Guy has been a wonderful experience as we explore the ways this food and beverage program will align with our values as an organization,” said Schneider. “These two have different but complementary approaches with many established relationships to draw on. I’ve long admired Guy as a community inclusion champion, and having him as part of the programming team has been incredibly enriching and fabulous.”
The food and beverage program also recently launched a pre-order system, which allows Massey Theatre audiences to order their treats before the shows — including from local favourites like Yum Donuts, Le Chalet Pâtisserie, MacShack Cookiery, Trove Desserts and Big Star Sandwich.
The Massey Theatre Society is fundraising (with a goal of $30,000.00 to cover design, construction, installation and implementation) to build the community kitchen that will support the food and beverage program.
For more information, contact Massey Theatre.
