December 2012 Village Vibe

December 2012

villagevibe News and views from the heart of Fernwood

Neighbourhood Orchard & Kitchen Garden Take Root

City of Victoria Approves the installation of an orchard & kitchen garden on land surrounding the Fernwood Community Centre

(Left) Future site of Fernwood's Neighbourhood Orchard—West of the Fernwood Community Centre. (Right) Future site of the Kitchen Garden Project—South of the Fernwood Community Centre. Photos: Mila Czemerys

local food infrastructure. The programs also align with the Victoria Sustainability Framework and the Sustainability Action Plan.

“Community orchards and kitchen gardens offer an incredible opportunity for people to connect with their neighbours, grow nutritious food and then maybe sit together around the kitchen table digging into an apple pie to celebrate,” said Mayor Dean Fortin. “These projects aim to grow sustainable, local food and strong neighbourhoods.”

A Community Orchard is a grove of fruit or nut trees in a public park where a community group participates in the care, maintenance and harvesting of the trees.

The food that is produced is then shared with the community. The Community Orchard will be developed within Stevenson Park and will demonstrate how food production can co-exist in public spaces with multiple uses.

Fernwood NRG will propose a design for the orchard (with input from neighbourhood residents—see sidebar) and will select fruit and nut trees that will continue to thrive in drier, hotter summers

and wetter, stormier winters. The City will purchase the trees, install and maintain irrigation and mow the lawn around the trees during regular park maintenance.

Fernwood NRG will be responsible for planting the trees, tree health, pruning, harvesting and distribution of the fruit.

The orchard will also be a site for public education programs such as fruit tree pruning. These details will be set out in a license agreement, similar to what is used for community gardens in City parks.

The Kitchen Garden project at the Fernwood Community Centre will transform the centre’s 1800 square foot front ornamental garden beds (currently managed by the City) into edible food gardens that will be managed by Fernwood NRG. The gardens will be used to educate program participants, and to supplement some of the 700 snacks and meals that the centre provides to program participants each week. The plantings will include a mix of annual vegetable crops and fruit trees, vining fruits and berries and berry bushes. Fernwood NRG will be recruiting volunteers in January to help with preparing the site and planting and

Buzz

Feature

Mark Your Calendar

Ode to Fernwood page 2

Food Neighbourhood page 4

Christmas Lights Bike Ride page 7

›› Lee Herrin

A

n appetite for local, healthy, sustainable food is bringing a City of Victoria urban food production pilot project to Fernwood. Fernwood NRG is partnering with the City of Victoria on the Community Orchard Pilot Program and a Kitchen Garden Pilot. Both will demonstrate new ways of growing food in the City in visible, public places.

These programs align with the Food Systems objectives found in the Official Community Plan. The objectives include: increasing urban food production on private and public lands, ensuring that citizens have access to affordable, healthy and local food and strengthening

maintaining the gardens. This is the first phase of Fernwood NRG’s long term vision to establish the Fernwood Community Centre as a hub for food programs and demonstration projects.

Neighbourhood Orchard Consultation Come learn more about Fernwood’s Neighbourhood Neighb ood Orchard d and d provide p prov e input in ut into the design. e final d design gn n.

When: Whe en: e n: Monday, Monda Mo day ay December ay, Decem emb mber berr 10th, 10th th, 7pm 7p pm m Where: Whe ere: Fernwood Fernwo oo ood od od Community Com munity ty y Cen Ce Centre, entre nt 1240 Gladstone 1 240 0G Glads Gladst ton one n ne Avenue A nue ue e Find out more re at: at fernwoodnrg.ca/2012/12/ 2/ neighbourhood_orchard_ ha consultation

in this issue To get the Vibe digitally, sign up at fernwoodnrg.ca

editorial:

villagevibe

Learning from the ‘Hood

Published by Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group Editorial Committee

Lee Herrin Matt Takach

Mila Czemerys Azelia Serjeantson

Founding Editor Lisa Helps Contributors

Lee Herrin Jeffry Colin Vos Mila Czemerys Kelsey Singbeil Margaret Hantiuk Mark Dusseault Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition Art

Vector Open Stock Axel Sam Macey

Mila Czemerys David Cooper

Production Mila Czemerys

Contact us

1313 Gladstone Avenue Victoria, BC V8R 1R9 T 778.410.2497 F 250.381.1509 vibe@fernwoodnrg.ca www.villagevibe.ca To enquire about advertising in the Village Vibe, please contact ads@fernwoodnrg.ca The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily reflect the views of Fernwood NRG.

›› Lee Herrin Sometimes, things change slowly. Even though you might be right in the middle of the change, if it happens slowly enough, you might not even notice it. It’s only when you stop and think—how long has this been going on?—that you realize what a tremendous change has happened.

It used to be that once every few months or so, a student would contact us about potentially using Fernwood as a subject for their research. But last month, there was one week in which we had students come into the office every day. Apparently, the word has gotten out that something interesting is happening in Fernwood.

And students (and others) are regularly enquiring about Fernwood NRG and the neighbourhood, or are being directed to Fernwood by their instructors.

Thinking back, in the past two years both Fernwood NRG and the Belfry Theatre have hosted case studies by business students from Royal Roads University that identified opportunities for both organizations, I have twice spoken with groups of students studying Urban Geography at the University of Victoria, Fernwood NRG and the Belfry Theatre spoke to a group from the Creative Cities Network of Canada (they were having their annual conference in Victoria), and most recently I spoke to a group of middle school students about urban planning. Additionally, we have had numerous individual undergraduate and graduate students approach us for one on one interviews about Fernwood NRG and the neighbourhood—there were half a dozen such inquiries in the past six weeks. The disciplines included anthropology, geography, child and youth

care, and business; the most distant student we’ve helped has been visiting here from Germany.

Years ago, even before we purchased the Cornerstone Building, we had ambitions that others would take inspiration from our work. We dreamed of somehow reaching out to other struggling neigbourhoods to share our story. We haven’t done that yet (though we have improved all of our communication tools), but by sharing our story (now with hundreds of students) we are getting the word out. Many of the students at UVic and Royal Roads come from other cities across Canada and around the world. Hopefully they’ll carry a little piece of Fernwood back with them when they return home—and the world will become a little more humane, a little greener, a little more enterprising, and a little more colorful as a result.

buzz: declaration of principles & values ››

Ode to Fernwoodians

We are committed to creating a socially, environmentally,

and economically sustainable neighbourhood;

››

We are committed to ensuring neighbourhood control or ownership of neighbourhood institutions and assets;

››

We are committed to using our resources prudently and to becoming financially self-reliant;

››

We are committed to the creation and support of neighbourhood employment;

››

We are committed to engaging the dreams, resources, and talents of our neighbours and to fostering new links between them;

››

We are committed to taking action in response to neighbourhood issues, ideas, and initiatives;

››

We are committed to governing our organization and serving our neighbourhood democratically

›› Jeffry Colin Vos Dear Fernwoodians, I am blessed to have lived in Fernwood for over a year. Fernwood and the amazing people living and sharing in this community, allowed me to learn a lot about myself and how a community can choose to be.

I want to thank each and everyone one of you for choosing to be apart of the magic that is Fernwood, because it is the people living here, in harmony with their natural and structured environment, which makes this the shining community that Fernwood

continues to be.

The people of Fernwood NRG continue to enrich, enhance, and strengthen the foundation of Fernwood by choosing to nourish the most important components of any community: the natural environment and the people living in it. With the continued growth and inventions of selfreliant resource creation— specifically focusing of food production— livable housing initiatives, within community employment, open artistic expression, inclusion of all voices, open knowledge sharing, and other life-supporting services, Fernwood continues to increase its overall

quality of life.

By living in and away from Fernwood, I have come to realize some immensely important life-lessons. The way for any community, and therefore, person, to increase quality of life, it has to start with taking responsibility for the choices being made. The only way to learn, is to make a choice, see it through, and then make another choice. Mistakes are foundations for making new choices, and in my opinion are not mistakes. I make choices to learn and grow, take responsibility for my choices and how they impact the people and environment around me, because I care about everything’s quality of life, as much as my own. This knowledge was gifted to me by all of you, just by being yourselves, and by continuing to make collective choices that enrich everything inside and outside of Fernwood’s borders.

My thanks and blessings to Fernwoodians for all you give yourselves, and thus the rest of us. For me specifically, I now have the awareness and inspiration to choose to return to my friends in Fernwood and Victoria, to be apart of the amazing community transitions and choices that are taking place everyday.

with a maximum of openness, inclusivity and kindness;

››

We are committed to developing the skills, capacity, self-worth, and excellence of our neighbours and ourselves;

››

We are committed to focusing on the future while preserving our neighbourhood’s heritage and diversity;

››

We are committed to creating neighbourhood places that are vibrant, beautiful, healthy, and alive;

››

and, most of all, We are committed to having fun!

page 2

villagevibe

December 2012

News and views from the heart of Fernwood

buzz:

Give the Gift of Good Food Every year it’s hard to find that perfect gift during the holiday season—why not give good food?

›› Mila Czemerys This time of year the malls are packed with shoppers, stores are blasting Christmas carols, and it feels like the thing to do is buy, buy, buy! Why not avoid all of that hassle this year and give your loved ones something fresh, tasty, and useful.

Giving a Good Food Box gets fresh fruits and vegetables into the fridge of your best friend, your little brother, your grandparents, or anyone you care about. You can choose from a variety of boxes—Small, Medium, Large, Snack, Fruit, Organic.

They come in all shapes and sizes. You can get a Snack Box for your child in residence at University; nothing in this box requires cooking. You could get an Organic Box for your environmentally conscious friend.

Whatever box you choose, you don’t have to worry that they won’t use this gift.

Everyone eats!

This gift is good for the planet and doesn’t require wrapping. You can have it delivered right to the doorstep of your

Instead of buying another set of holiday themed PJs or the lastest trendy gadget, get some good food for your loved ones. Photo: Mila Czemerys

chosen recipient. After a long day at work, they will come home and find a box full of goodies waiting for them.

Are you feeling generous? Do you have a family full of carnivores? You can also donate money to provide boxes for families who have a little less. All the donations collected during December will help provide boxes of produce to families in need in Fernwood throughout 2013.

Good Food Box is a year-round

alternative food distribution system for fresh fruits and vegetables. The Good Food Box purchases high quality produce and prioritizes locally grown and seasonal items, ensuring variety, freshness, and affordability. Good Food Box is a project of Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group.

Learn more at fernwoodnrg.ca/2012/11/ give-the-gift-of-good-food/. To order call 250-381-1552 ext. 100.

PART-TIME PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE Starts February 23, 2013 Early bird rate is $899 before January 1, 2012, $1099 afterwards www.permaculturebc.com

Happy Holidays! &Žƌ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ŽŶ ŚŽǁ ƚŽ ƵƐĞ ƚŚŝƐ ŐŝŌ ĨƌŽŵ ƵƐ͕ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ŐŝǀĞ ƵƐ Ă ĐĂůů Ăƚ ϮϱϬ͘Ϯϵϰ͘ϲϯϲϯ

ΨϱϬϬ 'ŝŌ sŽƵĐŚĞƌ*

EĂŵĞ͗

ΎhƉŽŶ ĐůŽƐŝŶŐ ŽĨ ZĞĂů ƐƚĂƚĞ WƵƌĐŚĂƐĞ Žƌ ^ĂůĞ ĚĚƌĞƐƐ͗

,ŽůĚĞƌ ŽĨ ƚŚŝƐ ǀŽƵĐŚĞƌ͗ ŽŵƉůĞƚĞůLJ ƚƌĂŶƐĨĞƌƌĂďůĞ ƚŽ ĨƌŝĞŶĚƐ͕ ĨĂŵŝůLJ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶ ĐŽǁŽƌŬĞƌƐ͊

ŵĂŝů͗ WŚŽŶĞ η͗

KŶůLJ ŽŶĞ ĐŽƵƉŽŶ ŵĂLJ ďĞ ƵƐĞĚ ƉĞƌ ƚƌĂŶƐĂĐƟŽŶ͕ ƚŚĂŶŬ LJŽƵ͊

^ƵƩŽŶ 'ƌŽƵƉ tĞƐƚ ŽĂƐƚ ZĞĂůƚLJ sŝĐƚŽƌŝĂ ηϭ ^ĂůĞƐ dĞĂŵ ŚƌŝƐ ĂƌƌŝŶŐƚŽŶ &ŽŽƚĞ Ͳ <ƌLJƐƚĂů ^ĐŽƩ Ͳ <ĞǀŝŶ :ŽŶĞƐ Ͳ ŝĂŶĞ ĞŝĞƌ ZĞĂůĞƐƚĂƚĞ LJŶĂŵŝĐƐ͘ĐĂ ĨŽƌ /E&KZD d/KE ZĞĂů ƐƚĂƚĞ LJŶĂŵŝĐƐ͘ĐĂ ĨŽƌ ^ Zs/ ZĞĂů ƐƚĂƚĞ LJŶĂŵŝĐƐ͘ĐĂ ĨŽƌ Z ^h>d^

www.fernwoodnrg.ca

December 2012

villagevibe

page 3

feature:

Fernwood: Food Neighbourhood This is the speech given

people at the Fernwood

in the next five years is to scale up that production. We want to see food growing everywhere, and to celebrate what can be grown and produced in the city. We want Fernwood to become known as “the food neighbourhood,” where there is an emphasis on producing our own food and joyously consuming it.

Community Centre on

What we have already done

November 21st, 2012

Here are some steps we have already taken toward this goal: ∙ With funding from the federal government, we have been providing a nutritional program for mothers for over 15 years, including producing two lunches per week for the moms and moms-to-be, ∙ We also provide a lunch to our seniors program on Fridays (and, again, we have been doing so for over 15 years), ∙ We have increased our lunch program in our child care programs to once per week, and provide 2 snacks per day in both programs, ∙ In total, we produce approximately 700 portions per week in our downstairs kitchen, using a mix of purchased and donated food, ∙ We opened the Cornerstone Café in 2006, and have been increasing our menu over the past few years, with plans to increase it further in the near future, ∙ We work with neighbourhood restaurants and other food and beverage providers across the region to produce Fernwood Bites, our annual fundraiser which was started in July of 2010, ∙ In October of 2010, we took administrative responsibility for Spring Ridge Common, our neighbourhood food forest, and have invested in the site and support the work of the Friends of Spring Ridge Common, ∙ In the past year, in conjunction with Permaculture BC, we have hosted a number of food production workshops including a 3 month Permaculture Design Certificate course that gave participants over 100 hours of instruction and challenged them to work as teams to design permaculture systems for the grounds around the Fernwood Community Centre; and last but not least,

by Kelsey Singbeil, a member of the Board of Directors of Fernwood NRG, to 80

›› Kelsey Singbeil Where we came from

F

rom the birth of our organization through 2004, Fernwood NRG worked primarily out of the Fernwood Community Centre to provide services to the neighbourhood, including childcare, drop-in programs, pre-natal nutrition, and recreation.

In 2005, we articulated our Principles & Values which place the creation of a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable neighbourhood as our highest commitment.

Also in 2005, through our purchase and restoration of the Cornerstone Building, we played an important role in the revitalization of Fernwood, moving our activities beyond the confines of the community centre and out into the neighbourhood proper.

And from that point, until 2010, we pursued the development of affordable housing in response to the acute need for affordable family housing across the region. In all, we built 10 three bedroom units that house nearly 40 people today.

We still wish to develop more housing in Fernwood, and we have heard from the neighbourhood that affordable housing is a critical priority. However, the combination of record high property prices, record low interest rates, and fewer grants available from both government and foundations makes this a risky time to pursue property development.

In the spring of 2011, we held our

page 4

villagevibe

Children from the Fernwood Community Centre Infant and Toddler Childcare planting an apple tree at Springridge Common with help from Mayor Dean Fortin. Photo: Mila Czemerys

second Neighbourhood Visioning Forum which was attended by 140 people from the neighbourhood including a number of groups active in the neighbourhood. We spent the day in dialogue to determine our collective priorities for the future. Although affordable housing rose as a key priority, there was also a desire for an increased focus on greater food security.

Where we are going

What is food security? Ultimately, real food security means that we have the capacity to sustain ourselves indefinitely with food we have grown, stored and cooked ourselves— not each of us as individuals, but at a larger regional scale.

December 2012

Today, we rely on imports from around the world to bridge the gap between what we produce and what we consume. There is nothing wrong with this per se, but it is a reliance that exposes us to all kinds of possible interruptions in our food supply, from a natural disaster to rising energy prices. And, many of us either don’t have enough to eat, or don’t have access to quality food because it is unaffordable.

We are blessed to live in a region that has tremendous capacity to support life—and there are folks around who are pioneering new approaches to food production that are suited to the city, and can transform an urban lot into a food oasis.

Part of our vision for the neighbourhood

News and views from the heart of Fernwood

Zamian Sells Fernwood ∙ In October this year, we took over the day to day administration and management of the Good Food Box program, which brings economical local and organic food to close to 300 families every two weeks, the majority of whom live in or very close to Fernwood. Over the next year, we hope to significantly expand this program, including moving to weekly delivery.

But, we’re just getting started.

What we plan to do

Here are some of the things we will be working on in 2013, with generous support from the City of Victoria and the Real Estate

∙ In partnership with the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre, we will be hosting a number of presentations focused on techniques and ideas for urban food production, ∙ In partnership with Permaculture BC we will be hosting another Permaculture Design Certificate as well as other workshops through the year, and ∙ Just announced [November 20th], in partnership with the City of Victoria we will be turning the grounds around the Community Centre into productive gardens and an orchard (see cover story).

We see ourselves maintaining these gardens

For more information on buying and selling real estate in Fernwood please visit ZamianSellsFernwood.com

250.514.1533 (direct) FERNWOOD’S REAL ESTATE EXPERT

Receive 30% off when you prepay for 6 ads

by January 20th, 2013 ads@fernwoodnrg.ca | 778.410.2497

Community Centre. (Right) Making pancakes in 3 to 5 Childcare. Photos: Mila Czemerys

Foundation of BC, and the United Way (via the Coalition of Neighbourhood Houses): ∙ We will be increasing our food storage capacity at the Fernwood Community Centre to ensure we can handle larger food donations and can store bulk fruits and vegetables purchased for distribution in the Good Food Box, ∙ We will be surveying and finding creative ways to engage with the neighbourhood to better understand our shared needs and interests in terms of advancing our food security, ∙ We will be creating an inventory of land in the neighbourhood that could be turned to food production and working with the landowners to facilitate this transition,

with help from the neighbourhood, but also integrating them into the day to day activities of the children at our centre.

And that’s not all—those activities are already planned and on the drawing board, but we’ve got more ideas too such as having seed swap Saturdays in the Cornerstone Café, hosting a neighbourhood seed library, organizing a neighbourhood wide fruit tree planting day, installing neighbourhood herb gardens at intersections throughout the neighbourhood, and…what are your ideas?

What do you want to see? Be sure to watch the Village Vibe, www.fernwoodnrg.ca and the Cornerstone Cafe notice boards to keep track of everything that will be happening in 2013 and beyond!

Everyone says, “We’ve got to do something.”

Now you can.

Take a stroll to the top of Fernwood Road and help support The Fernwood NRG — identify yourself as a Fernwood resident and we will donate 10% in cash of your purchase back to the Fernwood NRG. Now you’ve done something. leaner store Rc E N

Your G RE E

(Left) Judy, Fernwood NRG's chef, preparing some of the 700 weekly snacks for programs at the

Proud member of the Fernwood community for 14 years.

household cleaning and personal pampering products.

Many dye-free and unscented options.

1393A Hillside Avenue 250.475.0033 www.victoriasoapexchange.com

www.fernwoodnrg.ca

December 2012

villagevibe

page 5

garden gleanings:

New Plants ›› Margaret Hantiuk

Vegetables

At the last Victoria Horticulural Society— vichortsociety.org —monthly meeting, Vancouver’s Brian Minter was the guest speaker. He left us with some recommendations of the latest plants that breeders are coming up with in response to recent trends in gardening: smaller yards, more container gardening, lower maintenance and drought tolerant plants and more interest in food production.

Here are some of his picks:

resistant Italian heirloom

Beet: ‘Chioggia Gauardsman’- bolt Beans: Gold n’ Green Mix’ and ‘Inspiration’ both tender and delicious French style

Broccoli: ‘Green Magic’, ‘Emerald Jewel’, ‘Bay Meadows’- main season, high yield

Brussel Sprouts: ‘Gustus’- European high quality sprouts

Cabbage: ‘Chinese Mini Tender Gold’early, sweet and uniform, ‘Gold Mark’- early

Carrots: ‘Crofton’- high quality, sweet, ‘Tendersnax’- bunching for raw munchies

Cauliflower: ‘Hermon’- new and excellent self-wrap

Fruits

Cuke: ‘Diomede’- sweet slicer with good

Blueberry: ‘Pink Lemonade’- pink berries,

disease tolerance

very sweet, hardy

Leeks: ‘Belton’, ‘Vitation’, ’Matisse’- all

Honeyberry*: Haskap lonicera caeruleahardy, fast growing, high yields, excel-

main season, easy peel

Growing in containers is a recent trend in gardening. Photo: Fernwood NRG

Lettuce: ‘Simply Salad Alfresco Mix’, ‘City

lent favour, high anti-oxidants *(pollenizer required, ‘Cinderella’ or ‘Berry Blue’ can

Garden Mix’, ‘Global Gourmet Mix’, ‘Bis-

Ornamentals

tro Salad Blend’- all beautiful and tasty

work)

Gardenia: ‘Crown Jewel’- first hardy

Ligustrum: ‘Sunshine’- good for

Dwarf Cherry: ‘Carmine Jewel’- high

hybrid, compact 3’, fragrant double

hedges, full sun, evergreen, bright yellow

Onion: ‘Trekker’- early and keeps well, ‘Kelsae’- old fave

mesclun type mixes

yields, good sized fruit

white

green foliage

Strawberries for containers: ‘Berri Bas-

Cercis: ‘The Rising Sun’- wonderful fall

Clematis: ‘Bijou’- no trellis, good for pots,

foliage, small variety. 12’X 8’

C. alpina ‘Stolwijk Gold’- gold foliage

Physocarpus: ‘Amber Jubilee’- colorful

All-American Rose Selections 2012 winner:

compact, early, ideal for salsa

foliage, ‘Little Devil’- burgundy leaves,

grandiflora ‘Sunshine Daydream’

Potatoes: ‘Mr. Potato F1’ (Zolushka)- good

compact

Hosta: ‘Liberty’

yield, good keeper

Weigela: ‘My Monet Sunset’, ‘Rainbow

Perennial: Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack

Sensation’, ‘Shining Sensation’

Frost’

Spinach: ‘Imperial Green’- Asian leaf type Squash: ‘Celebration Orange Acorn’-

ket’- big berries, hot pink blooms, ‘Berries Galore F’- large fruit, ‘Temptation’- runnerless and compact, sweet, large fruit

Tomatoes for containers: ‘Megabite’, ‘Ramblin Gold’, ‘Ramblin’ Red’

Tomatoes for the garden: ‘Defiant’- blight resistant, large fruit, ‘Supersteak Hybrid’

Peppers for containers: ‘Basket of Fire’spicy, high yield, ‘Cute Stuff Red’- sweet, ‘Habanero Red’- very hot, ‘Sweet Heat’-

sweeter

FERNWOOD NRG WINTER PROGRAMS JANUARY - APRIL 2013 (Reg) Registration Required

(DI) Drop In

MONDAY Parent and Baby Play Group (DI) Victoria Street Soccer (DI) LifeRing Secular Recovery (DI) Karate (Reg)

Ongoing Jan 7 - Apr 29 Ongoing Mar 4 - Apr 29

9:30am - 11:30am 6:00pm - 7:00pm 6:45pm - 8:00pm 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Jan 8 - Apr 23 Ongoing Jan 8 - Apr 30 Jan 8 - Apr 30 Jan 15 - Apr 23 Jan 8 - Apr 23 Mar 19 - Apr 9

5:45am - 6:45am 9:30am - 11:30am 4:00pm - 5:00pm 4:00pm - 5:30pm 5:30pm - 6:30pm 7:00pm - 8:30pm 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Ongoing Every other week Jan 9 - Apr 24 Ongoing Jan 9 - Apr 24

12:00pm - 3:00pm 1:00pm - 5:30pm 5:45pm - 7:15pm 7:00pm - 10:00pm 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Jan 3 - Apr 25 Ongoing Ongoing Jan 17 - Apr 25 Jan 3 - Apr 25 Jan 10 - Apr 25 Jan 10 - Apr 11 Jan 17 - Apr 25 Mar 7 - Apr 25

5:45am - 6:45am 9:30am - 11:30am 12:00pm - 3:00pm 5:30pm - 6:30pm 5:30pm - 6:30pm 7:00pm - 8:00pm 7:00pm - 8:30pm 7:00pm - 9:30pm 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Ongoing Ongoing Every other week

12:00pm - 2:30pm 6:30pm - 9:00pm 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Feb 23 - May 18

9:00am - 5:00pm

Feb 24 - May 19 Jan 6 - Apr 28 Jan 6 - Apr 28

9:00am - 5:00pm 11:00am - 12:00pm 6:00pm - 8:00pm

TUESDAY Crave Fitness Bootcamp (Closed) Parent and Tot Play Group (DI) Kids Capoeira (Reg) Blue Sky Meditation (DI/Reg) Iyengar Yoga (DI/Reg) Dancing Lotus Hatha Yoga (DI/Reg) What You May Become Workshop (Reg)

WEDNESDAY Best Babies (Reg) Good Food Box Pick Up Dancing Lotus Hatha Yoga (DI/Reg) Nuu Chah Nulth Drumming (Closed) Homospun (Closed)

THURSDAY Crave Fitness Bootcamp (Closed) Parent & Tot Play Group (DI) Best Babies (Reg) Iyengar Yoga (DI/Reg) Spring Forest Qigong (DI/Reg) Laughter Yoga (DI/Reg) Yin Yoga (Reg/DI) Victoria Sport & Social Club (Reg) Karate (Reg)

FRIDAY Autumn Glow Senior’s Lunch (DI) Frizilla Friday Youth Group (DI) Victoria Meet-up Group (Closed)

SATURDAY Part-Time Permaculture Design Course (Reg)

SUNDAY Part-Time Permaculture Design Course (Reg) Volleyball (Closed) Muttley Crew Freestyle Club (Closed)

Holiday closures February 11 and March 29 to April 1.

page 6

villagevibe

December 2012

WORKSHOPS / SPECIAL EVENTS

For more information contact:

Fox Fair - Feb 9 Creative Contemplation Workshop (Reg) - Feb 12 Vintageous Fair - March 1 & March 2

Fernwood Community Centre 1240 Gladstone Avenue, Victoria, BC, V8T 1G6 T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509 info@fernwoodnrg.ca | fernwoodnrg.ca

News and views from the heart of Fernwood

artist’s aside:

mark your calendar:

A Christmas Carol

Holiday Ride

›› Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition

Fezziwig Dance Sequence featuring (Left to Right): Amanda Lisman (Belle), Daniel Fong (Spirit), Brian Linds (Mr. Fezziwig - facing upstage), Tom McBeath (Ebenezer Scrooge), Celine Stubel (Flora), Kevin Kruchkywich (Young Ebenezer Scrooge - facing upstage), Adam Lolacher (Dick Wilkins), Jessica Hickman (Spirit), Amisha Parikh-Friese in A Christmas Carol. Photo: David Cooper

›› Mark Dusseault In 1824 Charles Dickens’ father was sent to debtors’ prison. To help his family, Charles, then 12 years old, was forced to leave school and work in a blacking (boot polish) factory in London. The experience had a profound impact on Dickens and later influenced many of his essays and novels, including A Christmas Carol.

A Christmas Carol, written in 1843, was Dickens’ attempt to illuminate the horrific working conditions of the poor throughout England. As the novella came together, he shaped it using long forgotten Christmas traditions and the then very popular ghost story, creating one of the greatest stories ever told.

As popular and fresh today as ever,

A Christmas Carol offers a reminder of things past, as well as a message for the future.

Late month, the Belfry opened its new production of this classic Christmas story of redemption. Th e cast of 14 features ten local actors; a couple of them were born and raised here in Fernwood. A couple of them are still in elementary school!

If you’d like to learn more about the show, please visit our website— belfry. bc.ca —where you can listen to interviews with the actors and director, and watch videos on how the show was put together.

We hope you and your family can join us for this very warm and very special holiday treat.

Nearly everyone has driven around to look at Christmas lights. How often have you jumped on your bike and ridden around to look at other people’s holiday handiwork?

Members of the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition (GVCC) are going to do that with their 15th Annual Terry van Fleet Memorial Christmas Lights Bike Ride on Saturday, December 15th, starting at 6:00pm at the Fernwood Community Centre.

The two-hour, roughly 15 km route includes stops at award-winning streets in the Fernwood, Oak Bay and Cook Street neighbourhoods. Last year, over 90 riders attended. With a large turnout, the ride becomes an attraction in itself. Past rides have seen some participants go all out to decorate their bikes with lights or Christmas garlands to get into the spirit of the event and the season. “When we get that many riders in a group, we find traffic can be really polite to us and residents often cheer us on as we ride by,” said Sam Macey, one of the ride organizers. “As well, when we’re in a group it’s a real social thing,

there’s a real positive atmosphere.”

“There is a two-fold message behind the ride,” Sam notes. “We want to reinforce the need for drivers to respect cyclists at night and for riders to always be visible and take responsibility for their own safety.” The ride was set up to honour the memory of Terry van Fleet, who was struck and killed by a drunk driver as he rode along Blanshard Street in December 1998.

The ride is suitable for riders of all ages and ability levels and GVCC committee members will be marshaling the ride to make sure the riders all stay together and nobody gets left behind. Of course, riders need to wear helmets and bikes must be in good condition with front and rear lights.

The ride begins and ends at the Fernwood Community Centre at 1240 Gladstone Avenue. Riders are asked to meet there at 6:00pm; departure is at 6:30pm sharp. The ride is by donation (suggested $5) and includes hot chocolate and treats at the end.

For more information, check the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition website www. gvcc.bc.ca or call Sam Macey at 250 3828619.

reaching beyond representational fine art

Tamara Hernandez BA MA, Director 778-430-5569 | www.littlefernwoodschoolofthearts.com

ACUPUNCTURE PRIVATE PILATES MASSAGE THERAPY PHYSIOTHERA R PY

ONLINE BOOKING AVAILABLE! 1358 GLADSTONE AVE / 250 590 6612 / SOMAVICTORIA.CA

Wishing you a joyous holiday season, and a Happy New Year!

Please join us at our

Holiday Open House Monday, December 10, 4–6pm at our Community Office Everyone welcome. Light refreshments.

Carole James

MLA Victoria – Beacon Hill

Here to serve you at my Community Office 1084 Fort St., Victoria BC V8V 3K4 Phone: 250-952-4211 Fax: 250-952-4586 carole.james.mla@leg.bc.ca www.carolejamesmla.ca

www.fernwoodnrg.ca

December 2012

villagevibe

page 7

Scene in Fernwood : VW Neighbourhood