Varouj Gumuchian - 50 Stories for 50 Years (Story # 37)
Varouj Gumuchian has been dubbed a community alchemist and nowhere is that description more apt than at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, where he helped set up a Men’s Shed: a place where men gather to learn new skills, discover new interests, and make new friends.
The men who gather at MPNH’s Men’s Shed come from different backgrounds and bring different skills and experiences. They are musicians, carpenters, writers, businessmen. Some have mobility issues; others have health challenges.
During the first hour they talk about their lives, relationships, challenges, and wins. The second hour is for planning and the third hour is for doing the work: carpentry, landscaping, repairs, and other projects.
What began with a few meeting in the park during covid has grown into a large gathering of men working shoulder to shoulder, contributing what they know and learning from each other. There is plenty of good-natured ribbing, socializing, and even the occasional road trip.
For Varouj, creating community is not a new pursuit. A retired architect, city planner, community supporter, and artist, he has spent much of his life thinking about the relationship between people and the places they inhabit. Over the years, his projects have included community art, children’s architecture workshops, performances, neighbourhood walks, and sculpture installation workshops. He is also vice president of the BC Association of Men’s Sheds and a member of the City of Vancouver’s Older Persons and Elders Advisory Committee.
Varouj loves the Shed camaraderie. He values what happens when the men have something concrete to do together. Conversations are not forced. Connection develops alongside the work. Varouj calls it “health by stealth.”
One project stands out for him. The group assembled furniture, play structures, and shelving for a children’s group. The work itself was satisfying, but what Varouj loved was seeing the children using what the men made.
The Shed has broadened his horizons. Being part of the group has made him curious about experiences he might not otherwise have encountered. When someone is living with dementia, he wants to understand dementia. That curiosity has led him to learn more about loneliness, suicide, and mental health. People can talk about things here that they may struggle to talk about elsewhere.
“It’s a safe space.”
That does not mean bringing together different personalities, abilities, and interests always works perfectly.
“We get through it,” Varouj explains.
And Mount Pleasant plays an important role.
“They spoil us,” Varouj jokes. There’s coffee, muffins, and helpful people. Most importantly, there is a place to meet. “They provide space and let us do our thing.”
Asked what he would like MPNH to be doing 50 years from now, Varouj hopes it will still be giving men a safe place to come together.
As for what the Shed gives him now, “It keeps me young.”
Story written by Signy Marcyniuk through an interview with the participant during her practicum placement at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House.
50 Stories for 50 Years at MPNH is a collection of meaningful stories that celebrate the lasting impact our Neighbourhood House has had over the years. These stories come from long-time participants, families, youth, volunteers, community members, and regular visitors whose lives have been touched, supported, or transformed through our programs, services, and connections at the House.
