Thetis Island Community Association

Forbes Hall Community Centre - A Brief History

Forbes Hall is named in honour of Thetis Island pioneers Rupert and Laura Forbes, whose daughters, Josephine Ateah, Helen Sinclair and Ursula Kasting donated this property on which the original hall was built. Rupert came to Thetis with his mother Geraldine in 1907 to visit his aunt and uncle, Henry and Helen Burchell. They purchased land and returned to England while the Overbury house was being built and arrived back on Thetis in 1910 after Rupert had completed studies at Cambridge. He returned to England to join the war effort and married Laura Warren Jones in 1915. They returned to Thetis in 1919 with their first daughter Josephine and lived here for the rest of their lives.

TICA was incorporated on March 13,1981, in order to accept the land donation from the Forbes daughters. The building of Forbes Hall was started in Aug 1985, with the hall officially opening in 1987. Once opened, the Hall became the hub of Thetis Island social and cultural activity. It was the venue for community worship, community gatherings, civic meetings, arts and entertainment, exercise and fitness, public speakers, and library.

In Oct 2016, the Thetis Island community received a $100,000 repayment from BC Ferries, which the Ferry Advisory Committee was to dedicate to a use that would benefit all islanders. The Thetis Island Community Association was their choice as TICA’s mandate is to “establish, maintain and make available facilities for the use and enjoyment of all residents of the Thetis Island community”. These funds and their designation started the conversation and planning for renovating the current hall. In 2018, TICA applied for a capital project grant and received $250,000 from BC Gaming towards the renovation that started in the Spring of 2019. Aside from some smaller grants in addition to the Gaming grant, the lion’s share of funding came from individuals and families of the Thetis Island community. The newly renovated Forbes Hall Community Centre had a limited opening on June 13, 2021, with its Official Opening Ceremony on Sept 18, 2021.

A photo from the early 1950's in Vancouver of the three Forbes sisters and their partners: Robert and Ursula Kasting, Josephine Forbes and friend, Helen and Alan Sinclair.

September 18, 2021 The Re-Opening of Forbes Hall. Ribbon cutting by Ella Kasting (great-granddaughter of Ursula Kasting), Maynard Johnny Jr. (artist), and Lynne Smith (CVRD Director), with Kelly Bannister (MC).