Who We Are...

Our Story

In the early 1970s, a group of sober individuals on the North Shore recognized the need for a place where they could come together to socialize and share their new way of living with other like-minded individuals. This marked the birth of the Alano Club of North Shore, originally located at 3rd and Lonsdale above the drug store. In the 1980s, the Alano Club moved to its current location at 176 – 2nd Street East.

This new ground level location made it possible for physically challenged people to access the facility and enjoy the activities and fellowship in “the club”. 

Over the years, thousands of men and women have found support within our walls. We have not only been a haven for recovery but have also extended our services to benefit the broader community of people with addictions and their families.

Every week we now count hundreds entering the doors of the Alano Club.

Mission Statement

The North Shore Alano Club is a non profit Organization focusing on supporting people
in Recovery and those programs they attend. We are funded solely by membership,
charitable donations and grants.

More About Us...

Meetings

Meetings at the North Shore Alano Club and the surrounding area

Events

Events at NSAC

Alano Updates

Minutes, Newsletters and What’s New at the club

Our Rooms

Learn how to rent our space for your meeting or event

Members Stories

Leif

When I first got into recovery I was completely unaware of the existence  of the Alano Club on the North Shore or anywhere for that matter. I was very concentrated on just attending meetings and working on my recovery. There were lots of people in my life and lots of events and after meeting get togethers. However all those activities slowly ceased to be so frequent. One of my meetings was a Cocaine Anonymous in West Vancouver. It was located in a small room lent to us from an ADP centre and it served our needs for some time as a Step Study. Eventually we out grew that room and after a couple of different locations we ended up at the North Shore Alano Club. This club became a cornerstone of the Friday Nite Live C/A meeting. We have held dances. card nights, Christmas dinners, New Years Eve parties and numerous dances and gatherings at this location over the years. I’ve noticed there are so many other fellowships gathering in this special place that is so safe for newcomers and all of us over the many years I have been here. In hindsight I know that the Club would have also been a corner stone to my early recovery as I see every day newcomers making use of these facilities.

Leif

Elaine B

Although I’m not a member of the North Shore Alano Club, I am a member of AA. I frequent the Alano Club for the 4 pm meetings and the fellowship following gathered in “The Hallway”.

In times of loneliness and stress from dealing with life on life’s terms, I have found meeting with other alcoholics and talking about the solution to my problems with people, places and things a very valuable outlet for my recovery. 

The North Shore Alano Club offers the “space” to do this. 

For that, I am grateful for the North Shore Alano Club having their doors open everyday of the week, as this disease does not take holidays from my “self”.

Elaine B.

Kim

In the 70s the first Alano club was open at third & Lonsdale as the Twelve Step Club.  I had the privilege of being on the board at that time. It was safe, especially for women to go to as there weren’t any women around at that time. We started the women’s group in the back room, and we had many events there. New Year’s Eve we would have a potluck and we would play and dance to the music off the TV.   

The Alano  club is a wonderful gathering place and they are doing such a great job now and having different events going on there I have had my 50th AA birthday celebration there hosted by friends, I was so touched. All my family came—a great nephew said to me oh boy aunt Kim you know a lot of people.

in early sobriety, we’re learning about ourselves and we’re trying to obtain ‘friendships and have some  fun in our lives and the North Shore Alano club certainly did that for me. I have such fond memories of people coming especially to third and Lonsdale, when they were having a rough day.The club will always serve the purpose of helping others when you have an awesome board that directs the action. You can go to the North Shore Alano club at second and St. George’s you can have breakfast you can have lunch you can have dinner you can attend different meetings, you can just go in and have a coffee or a cuppa tea. There will be someone there for you to chat with.  You can support the North Shore Alano. Just show up and be a part of what’s happening. 

We have had two women’s day events there and they were both fantastic. The feeling in the room was just so awesome. Now there is men’s, Indigenous, LGBTQ2 day, plus several events hosted by other 12 Step groups –  that’s what it’s all about. We have to give it away in order to keep it and one of the places you can give it away is the North Shore Alano club Help to keep the doors open.

Kim

Joan

The North Shore Alano Club is an important part of my sobriety and has been since my early days of Recovery when each day when I awoke I knew I had an Alcohol Free friendly welcoming place to go. Now 48 years later I still go on a regular basis for conversation and a meal, or a 12 step meeting.

Joan

Fiona

The North Shore Alano Club has been a vital and positive part of my recovery since I arrived in 1991. When I was new, I didn’t know what to do with myself not drinking; I had nowhere to go and nothing to do. It was a safe hang-out, and a place to have conversations and do service outside of meetings. It was a place to just sit and have a coffee and slowly learn how to talk with people, and be part of a group. I remember how happy I was to attend the dances, and do some service at the Christmas midnight meeting, and assist my group with breakfast meetings on the weekend. 

Now that I have been sober for several decades, I love coming to the club for day-long events that enhance my recovery. Thank you, North Shore Alano Club!

Fiona

Robin

When I first got sober, I knew that I was such a liar, cheat and thief.  I remember the first time I was allowed to volunteer at the Alano club.  I was afraid that they would not let me due to my past, but I told them and they stated. ” because you told me I stole things, money etc that it was ok to prove to myself that I was changing”.  I will never forget that feeling.  Nor have I ever forgotten that promise I made to her.  

It was one of the first times someone trusted me to do the right thing no matter what. 

I am really grateful for the NSAC. It was a place for me to learn how to be sober and to practise  sobriety.

Robin

Carol

I stumbled upon the North Shore Alano Club in 1991 after leaving a treatment centre in the US. I had just moved out of my family member’s home who weren’t too sorry to see me leave. I had just moved onto the North Shore and luckily found some AA meetings in North Vancouver. I learned this was a safe and sober place to go and hang out at. That’s what the Alano Club became for me – a safe and sober place to attend meetings, meet other sober people, and a place to hang out and learn a new way of life.

Even though I moved away from the North Shore – I will always be grateful for the club. Thankfully I had a job and a place to live at the time, but other than that, I was alone – no family or even any friends in North Vancouver yet. Then I met some sober people at meetings and in the club. My friends and I went to dances and hung out at a the club at least 4 times per week. I had no idea at the time I would meet some of the best people and would still be friends with them over 30 years later. I’ve been sober ever since. I truly don’t know where I would be now if I hadn’t found the club and the members back then. Thank you for having open doors when I needed a place to be.

Carol

Viki

Although I sobered up in Langley, very early in my journey I discovered the North Shore Alano Club.  It was a 5-minute drive from work so I took to dropping in for lunch at 3rd & Lonsdale above the drug store.   Winnie was cooking and there were meals twice daily through the week, plus a breakfast on Sundays prior to the AA meeting.  Members like me moved our bar stool to the club and those were definitely glory days where a fellow member could be found at any time of the day if I was feeling the affects of sobriety.  Sunday breakfasts were served by volunteers, clean up including hand washing dishes was a group effort, and some member chaired the meeting.  The club had 2 rooms, the main open area where members gathered and large meetings were held, and another smaller room in the back where small meetings were held.  The fellowship on the North Shore was so attractive that I moved there in my 3rd year of sobriety.  I had already joined a group that met at the club.  Weekend plans always included the club – whether it was to dance the night away Saturday, then set up for Sunday; go skiing or camping somewhere; fill a car and drive to a roundup out of town, or just hang out over coffee.  

We moved to the current location at 2nd & St. George,  with Bob F at the helm, and for several years I continued to participate at the club and in the meetings there.  Due to a relocation out of the city I left the club and found fellowship & sobriety in my new location.  Fast forward several years, and I find myself once again on the North Shore.  Although participation in the club has changed considerably, it is still a resource for me on several levels – including that valuable fellowship I find myself in need of from time to time. I feel so blessed to have this invaluable resource and pray it remains in place for any new person seeking the fellowship for their continued sobriety. 

Viki

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