Vivien Symington

Vivien Symington has over 50 years of gymnastics experience and has a BA/BPHE from Queens University. In 1986, she established Club Aviva Recreation, a large family-owned and operated gymnastics facility. Her goal was to promote healthy physical and emotional lifestyles.

In 2002, Vivien launched the Empowering Steps Movement Therapy Program (ESMT), a unique child-centered intervention for children and youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome.

In 2009, Vivien established the Symington Endowment Fund (held by the Coquitlam Foundation) to financially support youth at risk, children with NDD, and gymnasts in the pursuit of excellence. And in 2017, she was inducted into the Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame as a Community Builder while Club Aviva won best BC Gymnastics Club of the Year.

In 2018, Vivien was awarded Business Leader of the Year by the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce.

Vivien believes that in society today it is vital to build a strong sense of community and shared goals. She believes children are our most precious resource and that it takes a village to raise a child. She strives to provide an inclusive center in Coquitlam offering a safe and nurturing environment to promote the empowerment and health of all participants no matter what their abilities.