Our Story
Mark and Eileen first opened our doors in 1991 at the “Abbotsquare Mall.” Eileen had been teaching a parent/tot program, known as “Scribbles” for the Abbotsford Rec commission. Initially, she taught at the Abbotsford Ag Rec Centre and later the McCallum Activity Centre, but realized a more permanent space was needed to continue to run this program. So “Abbotsquare” was the answer. Back then, the school was known as “Creative Edge Music & Activity Place.” To make the best use of the space there, Eileen ran “Scribbles” in the day while Mark, who has a degree in music education, began offering afternoon music lessons. Soon afterward they added art classes and within a year had already grown to 135 students. After the first year they moved into the Clayburn Centre to make room for this growth, and the addition of new programs in dance and drama.
In the new facility they became known as “Creative Edge Kids Centre”. Here “Scribbles” became an official licensed “child minding” and soon after became an official licensed preschool offered 5 days a week. Since then, Creative Edge have experienced unprecedented growth, with enrollments peaking at over 1500 registrations. In 2013 they welcomed Andrew, Mark and Eileen’s younger son, and his wife Stephanie, home from University in Victoria and they began teaching and helping with the everyday operations of the studio. Around this time Creative Edge also outgrew the second location and moved to a larger space within the Plaza, where they are today.
Creative Edge now offers fine arts programming 6 days a week for ages 1-Adult! It has the largest youth Theatre program in Abbotsford; an incredible recreational and competitive dance program with award winning dancers, teachers and choreography; an ever-growing Visual Arts program; a huge selection of group and private music classes; aerial hoop, acrobatics and creative writing classes, school age care and, of course, the Fine Arts Preschool which started it all!
In December 2016 Mark passed away. He would be very proud of how the studio has continued to grow and uphold the standard of excellence and family values that he strove for in the 25 years he devoted to Creative Edge.
Currently in our 32nd year, Creative Edge is still proud to serve the Abbotsford community and will continue to do so for many years to come.
