Larry Hnetka Community Builder Award

Larry Hnetka was born on the prairies and grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan.  He travelled to Vancouver in his 20’s and quickly decided BC was where he wanted to be.  He moved to Kitsalano and lived on W 4th since the mid ’80’s.

He was a beloved friend, neighbor and colleague to all who had the pleasure of knowing him.  He loved his neighbourhood and every dog he met particularly the ones around his home whom he often baby sat.  He used his dog walking as a way to get to know people.

In the last decade of his life he was “the” person who brought the 6th Avenue Kitsilano neighborhood together.

He watched many changes happen in the Kits area, one major one was the revitalization of the Kitsalano community centre.  He walked around the block everyday to see what progress was made. He became friends with every project manager and construction worker on site.

Larry was a proud tour guide when the renovated Kits House opened and had just become actively involved in the art courses at the time of his passing.

Everyone on site as well as many in the neighbourhood knew him by name and by reputation- he was known as the man with a million ideas and the charm and energy to make them happen.

Nominees for the Larry Hnetka Community Builder Award must be from Vancouver’s Westside which includes the neighbourhoods of Kitsilano, Dunbar-Southlands, Shaughnessy, Kerrisdale, Arbutus Ridge, West Point Grey & UBC.

Nomination forms can be submitted online to faithg@kitshouse.org – deadline for submissions is Monday October 16, 2023 by 5pm

Nomination forms can be downloaded by clicking on the link below:

Kitsilano Neighbourhood House – The Larry Hnetka Community Builder Award 2023/ PDF