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Overview of The TGCA
All about the Thorncliffe Greenview Community Association and Recreation Centre
The Thorncliffe Greenview Community Association (TGCA) is extremely active with over 800 members and thousands of visitors annually. As a community association, we serve the areas of Thorncliffe and Greenview, and we are happy to extend our membership and access to the facilities to those in the greater Calgary area.
Formed in 1956, the TGCA has grown from a one room hall to a multi-use recreation and event centre. Our facility has a variety of amenities, including meeting rooms, offices, banquet halls, a seniors’ centre-The Thornview Seniors’ Centre on the south end of the complex, commercial catering and restaurant service kitchens, and a restaurant-The 56. Looking for recreation options? The centre also houses 4 racquetball courts, 4 lanes of 5-pin bowling-which are quite popular for children’s parties- 4 pickleball courts from May – August, The Forbes Innes arena indoor skating rink. Surrounding the centre there’s a community garden, baseball diamond, inclusive playground, disc golf course, bocce ball green (managed by the seniors’ centre), and tobogganing hill just steps away.
Numerous community sporting activities take place at the centre, including racquetball, volleyball, slo-pitch, figure skating, hockey, ringette, baseball and bowling. A number of community groups make use of the facility as well, including the Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, The Fun Kids Club Daycare, Tai Chi and more. To raise money for the centre’s upkeep and staffing, twice weekly bingo is held on Sundays and Tuesdays.
There are volunteer clubs and committees committed to supporting the TGCA. The Booster Club is instrumental in raising funds at the TGCA and the TGCA Gardening Gang attend to the upkeep of the beds and other projects in the spring and summer.
The centre is located in north Calgary at the eastern base of Nose Hill Park and south of the community of Huntington Hills. Residents enjoy the continuation of the lower and gentler portion of the Nose Hill bluff system, having a foothills character affording nice views in a number of locations. The development which has occurred since the inception of our community in 1954 is predominantly single-family, interspersed with some duplex dwellings. Residents of Thorncliffe have access to Nose Hill Park and the pathway, which includes a route through the Nose Creek Valley.
What is a community association?
Community associations are membership-based, volunteer led, non-profit groups most often responsible for facilities in dedicated areas of the city that support the social, civic and cultural structure of a community. Residents can contact their community association and its board members with concerns about virtually anything related to the area; infrastructure, traffic, crime, fitness and arts programming, cultural events and so much more. The most effective way to address ongoing concerns or begin a project is often to create or join a volunteer committee or group to assess local residents’ awareness and/or make your project a reality with fellow residents and neighbours.
A bustling community association and healthy volunteer base can directly increase quality of life and even property values, so joining the TGCA is an easy way to contribute positively to your community today!
Membership at the TGCA
A strong community association is built on the foundation of its members, and the TGCA strives to bring ours programs and services that meet their needs year after year.
Over the years, the membership has worked hard to build one of the largest community centres of its kind in Calgary. Today, the centre is primarily used for recreational, cultural and social activities, such as weddings, seminars, religious celebrations, youth programs, seasonal community events and more.
Your membership includes you, your partner/spouse, and any dependents/children that you have in your care. Adult children over 18 years of age are required to have their own membership. It’s an annual membership that begins the day you join or renew. Your online account offers many convenient features like discounts on online bowling bookings.
The TGCA has two types of memberships: resident memberships for those living in Thorncliffe or Greenview and non-resident memberships for those living in the greater Calgary area. Both memberships are $15 annually, however resident members also have the option of a 3-year $30 membership.
There’s a number of direct benefits of membership at the TGCA. Check them our on the membership benefits page.
Become a member today and support community building in Calgary!
We’ve got a space for just about any event, program or occasion
Thousands of visitors come through our doors every year. Whether you are looking for a community hall for a wedding, numerous rooms for a conference or a quiet space for a small meeting, we’ve got you covered. Most of our spaces are wheelchair accessible and parking at the centre is ample. We’ve also got great options for catering and bar services too.
Below is an overview of the spaces we have for rent and their capacities:
Main Hall – The main hall is in the south portion of the centre and is used for larger weddings, conventions, town halls, youth and adult sport programs, markets and more. With over 10,000ft2 of unrestricted floor space, it’s one of the largest multi-functional community halls in Calgary and can accommodate up to 800 guests. The Main Hall measures 148’ x 72’, and comes equipped with a 12’ x 24’ stage rising 40” above the floor.
Thorncliffe Room – Located on the main floor of the south building, The Thorncliffe Room is a versatile space with great acoustics, perfect for larger meetings and smaller celebrations. It is equipped with a full bar that includes 2 refrigerators for beverages, and men’s and a women’s washrooms on site. The space measures 52’ x 47’, or 2,400 ft2, and comes equipped with a drop down projector screen, and an 8’ x 12’ stage rising 15” above the floor.
The 5600 Room – This space works perfectly for small parties and medium-sized meetings or classes. It’s bright and midway between the main building and the arena. Capacity is 40 people, 30 seated and is approximately 17’ x 31’ in size and wheelchair accessible. There is a bar with pop gun, sink and refrigerators; washrooms right outside the entrance to the space, a television and stereo available for entertainment, and a convenient space to store coats and serve food.
The Board Room – Directly adjacent the main entrance, this bright and spacious room is ideal for business or organization meetings and interviews, and is where our own board meet each month. With 20 comfortable rolling chairs, a projector screen, access to strong WIFI, and ample space for a lunch or dinner spread, collaborations and mid-sized meetings are productive and easily accommodated in this space.
The Horizon Room – This is a small room off of the Old Lobby arena viewing area. With a large table and adequate seating for 10 on comfortable rolling chairs, and strong WIFI, this room is a great option for those looking for an affordable place to meet up in a private and quiet spot. Often used by the guides, this space is ideal for small lectures, lessons and meetings.
The 56 Restaurant and Lounge – Why not forgo all that planning and let us do the work for you? The 56 hosts many types of events, like Christmas parties, anniversaries, league wind-ups, corporate and birthday parties. The capacity of the room is 80 seated, there are 8 televisions with that evening’s best games on, and we’ve got great billiard entertainment options too. At The 56 you can either have your guests order off the menu, you can pre-order food from the menu-our pizzas are always a crowd-pleaser-or you can arrange some catering from our kitchens beforehand.
See the spaces suitable for fitness classes – Main Hall gymnasium, Thorncliffe Room, Multi-purpose Room, Old Lobby.
If you are looking to book a space for an event, meeting or class, submit an inquiry on that information page or contact Rania Elkhatib, email r.elkhatib@tgcacalgary.com or call 403-274-6840 to inquire.
People look forward to our events all year
The TGCA provides a variety of year-round events and activities to increase community spirit and involvement in our area. Our seasonal family events always include entertainments and yummy food, and the annual TGCA Craft Fair is exceptionally popular, but we also offer smaller events like plant exchanges and safety meetings with Calgary Police Services. There’s always something happening at the centre.
Due to the hard work of our Family Events Committee and TGCA board members, our events are exceptionally popular and well attended by TGCA members and non-members alike.
Typically, our seasonal events revolve around children and we always have some special entertainment or activity. The children and the parents tell our volunteers they look forward to our events all year long.
Recreation at the centre
So much to do and try, it’s hard to decide where to begin!
Our facility contains a commercial catering and restaurant service kitchens, a restaurant-The 56, meeting rooms, offices, banquet halls and a seniors’ centre, so there are events to check out all year long.
For community recreation, the centre has 4 racquetball courts, 4 lanes of 5-pin bowling, The Forbes Innes arena-indoor skating, a community garden, a baseball diamond, an inclusive playground, and an adjacent green space with a tobogganing hill and disc golf course.
Numerous community sporting activities take place at the centre, including racquetball, volleyball, slo-pitch, figure skating, hockey, ringette, baseball and bowling. A number of community groups and partners make use of the facility, including the Girl Guides, Boy Scouts; hockey, figure skating, indoor soccer, and ringette organizations; as well as many other 3rd party tenants who run Pilates, dance, karate and dog training classes to name a few.
Youth and Adult Programs
Programs run by the TGCA include Hatha Yoga, Chair Yoga senior fitness, Drop-in Quilting, a racquetball league, a volleyball league, a bowling league, Senior’s Coffee Talk, a playgroup, and a number of youth, teen and adult art classes.
We are consistently building on our youth programs and adult programs to suit the perceived needs of the residents we serve.
Fitness, quality of life, creativity, optimism, and investment in relationships are some of the outcomes that the TGCA aims to create with our programs, and we are always open to hearing what you might like to see or lead here at the centre.
The TGCA owes a great debt of gratitude to our partnered youth fitness organizations. These partnerships ensure that the centre is a viable and vibrant place to gather in our community.
Our website has plenty more information available at your fingertips, but if you’d like to asks us about anything at all, either email Vanessa, v.gillard@tgcacalgary.com or call the office, 403-274-6840 and our team will be happy to help you.