February 2021
villagevibe News and views from the heart of Fernwood
Gift of Good Food exceeds goal The Gift of Good Food fundraiser raises over $150,000 for 2021. Over 300 families will benefit from this community support.
›› Melissa Faye Reid
F
or the first time, the Gift of Good Food annual fundraiser reached, and smashed, its long attempted goal of $100,000. This year we raised over $150,000! This money will support over 300 families in need to receive a Good Food Box full of fresh produce every two weeks throughout 2021. Individual donors and community businesses raised over $90,000 in total! The generosity from the community will be felt by over 300 families and 1,200 residents in the Great Victoria area. It was amazing to witness people’s capacity to selflessly give in a time of uncertainty. Many donors donate to the Gift of Good Food year after year because they know the funds are directly supporting families within their neighbourhoods. The ability to make change at the community level is so important now more than ever. COVID-19 has provided an opportunity for neighbours to come together and support one another. “We have food security and wish to share. In our neighborhood as we know, not all are so fortunate, especially now,” said one of our donors. Another donor, who was previously a recipient said, “[Last] year we lost 80 per cent of our income due to COVID-19 and we were the recipient of a Good Food Box, every two weeks we would look forward to fresh veggies. We’d like to pay it forward and bless more people to experience the awesomeness fresh food brings!” This year, 36 fundraising teams signed up to fundraise for the campaign, which is the highest number of teams to sign up, ever. In total, our teams raised over $40,000! Our 36 teams ranged from family members, friends, co-workers, businesses,
A few of the lovely volunteers and staff on our Good Food Box team. Thank you for making this program possible! Photos: Tonya Fitz-Gerald
neighbours, sports teams, and volunteers. Large and small, our teams each made a goal and did their best to meet it. Some teams thought of some creative ways to spread the word including Lingon N’ Bandit featuring two dogs, who had it “ruff” this year and wanted to support folks in need. One team, who has been fundraising for years said, “the Gift of Good Food has touched the hearts of many, and I am so pleased that together we have been able to make a difference.” Local musicians, Ollie Happyness and Mikey Viper Teeth, wrote a song for the Gift of Good Food in 2018 called “Root for the Veggies.” We asked them to share their talents with the community and they
hosted a livestream concert on Instagram. They shared the Gift of Good Food’s “anthem”, with the community in the spirit of giving and to promote the campaign. They performed online which created an opportunity to for community members to attend a virtual concert, which many of us have been missing. Though this year has been different from years past, we still needed the support of volunteers. During the fundraiser, we had a few extra hands distribute posters throughout neighbourhoods within the city. Although some businesses were still closed to the public, many were happy to put up a Gift of Good Food poster in their shop window. Another volunteer
Mark Your Calendar
Feature
Garden Gleanings
Have your say on planning for Fernwood page 3
Murals, music, and a new way of celebrating page 5
Get your seeds! page 7
supported with our first ever, virtual silent auction, by asking local businesses throughout Greater Victoria to support the Gift of Good Food. Many local businesses shared their support by providing silent auction donations, donating a portion of their sales to the campaign, and promoting through their social media platforms. We are so grateful for everyone who contributed to the Gift of Good Food Fundraiser and the difference you’ve made in the lives of local families. Thank you from the bottoms of our heart at Fernwood NRG and never underestimate the effect of community coming together for a common cause.
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editorial:
villagevibe Editorial Committee
Thank you for helping fill the gap
Mila Czemerys Chantille Viaud Melissa Faye Reid Brett Gaylor Founding Editor Lisa Helps
›› Chantille Viaud
Published by Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group
Contributors
Melissa Faye Reid City of Victoria Mila Czemerys Lauren Gaultier CaroleAnn Smedley
Chantille Viaud Kevin Yee-Chan Liam Ragan Sarah Murray Kayla Siefried
Art
Tonya Fitz-Gerald Axel Webmeister Bud Lauren Gaultier Aly Sibley
Jane Michiel Saman Rezapour Liam Ragan Kayla Siefried
Production Mila Czemerys Contact us
1240 Gladstone Avenue Victoria, BC V8T 1G6 T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509 info@fernwoodnrg.ca | 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.
declaration of principles & values ››
We are committed to creating a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable neighbourhood;
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We are committed to ensuring neighbourhood control or ownership of neighbourhood institutions and assets;
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We are committed to using our resources prudently and to becoming financially
We are committed to the creation and support of neighbourhood employment;
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We are committed to engaging the dreams, resources, and talents of our neighbours and to fostering new links between them;
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We are committed to taking action in response to neighbourhood issues, ideas, and initiatives;
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We are committed to governing our organization and serving our
as it is not the result of lack of food, but lack of income. Job losses during the pandemic has made this clearer than ever. But we also know that this support is needed now for families. We are proud that the free food boxes are delivered through the same program as purchased boxes so that there is no stigma associated with getting one. If you want to help, please consider donating to the Good Food Box. Or, buy one yourself, as this also supports our work. Go to thegoodfoodbox.ca to order a box and fernwoodnrg.ca/donate to give. Thanks to emergency funding from the Victoria Foundation, the United Way, Community Food Centres of Canada, City of Victoria Strategic Plan Grant, and individual donors.
faces of fernwood:
Meet Jane Michiel Jane Michiel was born in Vancouver, B.C., moved to the Island at a young age, and now lives in the heart of Fernwood. She has had a varied career working on ships— Princess Margurite, Sten Line, and Sea Link Catamarans—at London Drugs, and in the cosmetics industry as a makeup artist. She has always painted and now works as a full time artist from her home studio. Her work shifts between total abstraction and figurative paintings. She is a member at Gage Gallery in Victoria. Check out her work at janemichiel.blogspot.com. Tell us 3 things about yourself, one that is a lie.
self-reliant;
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As I write this, we’re at the one-year mark since the first COVID-19 case was reported in B.C. The pandemic has impacted so many parts of our lives. For some people, the impacts have been inconveniences and disappointments. For others, it has meant a struggle to afford food for their family. The number of Canadian households experiencing food insecurity has risen to one-in-seven during the pandemic. Households with children are at even higher risk at 19.2 per cent. Food bank usage has surged across the country. Victoria has been no different. As the impacts of the pandemic started to emerge here, Fernwood NRG decided
to put emergency resources into our Good Food Box program as a way to deliver free food boxes across the city. Working with our community-based partners, we have provided over 7,800 free boxes since the pandemic hit. This year, we will be able to support over 300 families thanks to a record-breaking fundraising year for The Gift of Good Food. The support of our community has been overwhelming. Veteran front-line staff had tears in their eyes when told how many of the families they work with would have the support of a Good Food Box this year. As wonderful as this achievement is, we know that this kind of program is just a band-aid, stop-gap solution. Food insecurity cannot be solved through charity
1. My favorite city to visit is Prague, in the Czech Republic. 2. I got engaged in New Orleans and married in Juneau, Alaska. 3. I have lived in Mexico City. (These are actually all true.) Why do you choose to live in Fernwood?
We used to live in Brentwood Bay which was beautiful and very quiet. We decide to move into town when two of our kids started at UVic. It was closer to the university, and I have always loved
Fernwood. It is close to everything and I love the old homes and community. I actually worked at a bakery on Fernwood Road years and years ago—it was where Fernwood Community Association is now. Fernwood has changed a lot since then! What has changed in Fernwood since you’ve been here?
Not much has changed, other than the proposals for change. Construction at Vic High, and the proposed new housing that will be going in on Gladstone Avenue behind Vic High. These are big changes that will impact the community a lot. What has most surprised you during the pandemic?
I am pleasantly surprised that people are still getting out to art galleries and supporting local artists. What have you missed most about preCovid times?
I have one son and three step kids that I adore. I wish I could see them all more often. But three of them live in other cities, so it’s been a while since we all got together. I miss that. What will you miss most in post-Covid
Meet Jane Michiel. Photo courtesy of Jane.
times?
Covid has forced my husband and I to spend lots of time at home. We have really enjoyed this and I may miss it when things get back to “normal”. What is your hope for Fernwood in 10 years?
I hope that as Fernwood develops, it doesn’t lose its charm. I hope it still has a village vibe, as it grows. Faces of Fernwood is a series in the Village Vibe where we meet some of the neighbours that make our community great. Have someone in mind? Drop us a line! Email villagevibe@ fernwoodnrg.ca.
neighbourhood democratically with a maximum of openness, inclusivity and kindness;
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We are committed to developing the skills, capacity, self-worth, and excellence of our neighbours and ourselves;
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We are committed to focusing on the future while preserving our neighbourhood’s heritage and diversity;
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We are committed to creating neighbourhood places that are vibrant, beautiful, healthy, and alive;
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and, most of all, We are committed to having fun!
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villagevibe
February 2021
News and views from the heart of Fernwood
mark your calendar:
Have your say on planning for Fernwood, North Park, and Hillside-Quadra Take the survey at engage.victoria.ca by February 28, 2021
›› City of Victoria Planning is underway to guide the future of three urban villages, the connections between them, and the neighbourhoods around them. Leading into spring of
2020, over 1,000 people shared ideas and concerns. Key ideas for Fernwood include a desire to refresh Fernwood Square while holding onto what makes it unique, with gradual expansions of pedestrian spaces, patios, and the variety of local-serving shops. Different ideas for housing came up, including a desire for a range of housing options for renters and owners, protections for existing rental housing, options for car-lite living, and attention to community
“It’s so important that Fernwood neighbours from diverse backgrounds come together to build an inclusive vision for our community. I hope to see an emerging neighbourhood plan that reflects all of our collective needs and values,” says Alieda Blandford, Fernwood resident and Local Area Planning Working Group member.
character. New concepts for moving, living, shopping, and spending time along Bay Street were explored. And there’s a desire to enhance Fernwood’s unique identity with green spaces, community amenities, urban food production, and arts and culture. Community feedback informed a new set of emerging ideas that the City now wants to further explore with you: • Ho w c a n w e m a k e r o o m f o r housing for diverse incomes, ages, household types, and lifestyles? • How can we create more welcoming public spaces? • How can we support safe and sustainable ways of getting around? • What can we do to support resilient urban villages? Surveys and videos for the Fernwood and North Park Village areas, including Ho u s i n g O p t i o n s a n d A m e n i t i e s are open until February 28, 2021 at engage.victoria.ca. Your feedback will contribute to further development of the Fernwood local area plan continuing into 2021.
buzz:
Change will do you good ›› Kevin Yee-Chan,
Fernwood Yoga Den
A wise friend reminded me the other day that, “God/dess is change.” Whether you believe in god/dess or not, identify them as binary/in-between/beyond, or call them by one name or many… it is certainly worthwhile to consider that this life exists through mechanisms of change. And, whoa, has this last year been a shining example of change.
making which we hope will provide the sense of routine and ritual for you to feel the innate sense of trust in yourself: A dedicated focus toward donation-based and sliding scale Community Offerings in collaboration with Fernwood Neighborhood Resource Group and Inter-Cultural Association fosters accessible options for folks of all spectrums, as well as a direct way to tend to your health while giving back to community.
“A healthy routine rocks us gently into a certain rhythm, one that brings us out of the thinking mind and into the knowing body. The paradox is that in order to fully benefit from change, our best vantage point is to create routine. A healthy routine rocks us gently into a certain rhythm, one that brings us out of the thinking mind and into the knowing body. It creates a ritual of familiarity in trust so that we are better able to greet inevitable change with intentional action rather than habitual reaction. Routine and ritual allow us to trust that change… will do us good. (Thanks, Sheryl.) At Fernwood Yoga Den and Maya Health Clinic, there are some changes we’re
www.fernwoodnrg.ca
In addition, a Monthly Series option will be added. These series are not only your best deal, but allow you to have a steady bubble of connection, while giving us all the routine needed to navigate change with goodness during these days. Maya Health continues to be your place for personal attention with Community Acupuncture every Wednesday from 4-8pm as well as Acupuncture and Massage for a Cause: two treatments that dedicate 35-65% of proceeds to family programs at the Fernwood Community Center. Here’s to change. May it do us good!
Photo: Saman Rezapour, Fernwood Yoga Den’s artist-in-residence
February 2021
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A Community for Everyone Village and Corridor Planning Do you live, spend time in or care about the future of Fernwood, North Park and Hillside-Quadra? The City is looking for your feedback to guide growth and change in our community over the next 20 years. It’s important we hear from people of diverse backgrounds, ages and incomes, including renters, youth, and families with young children.
You told us what’s important‌ Last spring we heard about opportunities, concerns and big ideas from you and your neighbours.
Now help us plan a future that includes everyone! We want to hear from you on how we can bring forward more housing choices, better transportation options, and improved public spaces for people of dierent incomes, household types, ages and lifestyles. Visit engage.victoria.ca to share your feedback!
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# 8 T Y B >
villagevibe
February 2021
g
News and views from the heart of Fernwood
feature:
Murals, music, and a new way of celebrating FernFest is adapting by hosting a mural festival and pop-up shows for 2021
›› Mila Czemerys
O
ver the past few years, FernFest has become well known as a Fernwood’s big neighbourhood celebration. It feels strange now to look back and remember how we all used to celebrate together… FernFest evenings with everyone shoulder-to-shoulder listening to musicians perform from the gazebo in Fernwood Square, gathering to eat pancakes together under the big tent in Fernwood Square on Saturday morning, so many kids crawling through the cardboard castle, or riding bikes side-by-side through the streets in our Kidical Mass Bike Parade. It is sad to not be able to have our community come together in the same way but, of course, this is what we need to do. The safety of our community is of the utmost importance.
We hope this is only a pause of the FernFest we remember and love! Looking forward into 2021—to continue FernFest’s spirit of creativity and community celebration—Fernwood NRG will be hosting a new type of FernFest. We’ll be showcasing art, music, and other treats that everyone in the neighbourhood will be able to enjoy while staying safe. New this year, we’ll be hosting a neighbourhood-wide mural festival featuring local artists. Do you have a wall in Fernwood—or nearby—at your business or home that you would like to have a mural painted on? Ideal locations would have good visibility for the public and easy access for an artist to be able to paint. Or, are you a local artist interested in applying to paint a mural? Get in touch at mila@fernwoodnrg.ca. We will also be hosting a variety of musical performances in secret locations around Fernwood. Locations may include parks, porches, public spaces—who knows! Stay tuned for more information later this year. Do you have a great location that would be perfect for a musical performance? Are you a Victoria-based band or musician
The FernFest of years past seems like a far away dream. FernFest 2021 won’t be hosting a party like the one in this picture but we will be spreading some magic in the neighbourhood this June. Photo: FernFest 2019 by Webmeister Bud
who would like to perform? Get in touch at mila@fernwoodnrg.ca. We have a few more things up our sleeves. Stay tuned from more info by following us on Instagram at @fernwoodnrg or signing-up for our mailing list at
fernwoodnrg.ca.
A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed in so many ways to FernFest over the years. A special thanks to the Belfry Theatre for collaborating with us on FernFest and sharing your space.
buzz:
Birds of Fernwood ›› Liam Ragan One of the silver linings of quarantine has been the chance to acquaint myself with the Fernwood neighbourhood. I just moved to Fernwood in February after graduating from a university in Montréal. Being a bird photographer means getting to know our avian neighbours. Abundant green space, countless trees, and the odd open field—I’ve been able to see 60 species of birds around Fernwood in 2020. I believe this highlights the abundant biodiversity at our doorstep and shows that you don’t need to go far to see some truly incredible species.
(Left to right) Red-tailed Hawk, Anna’s Hummingbird, and Lapland Longspur. Photos: Liam Ragan
To prove this, I’d like to introduce you to three species I photographed in Fernwood this year that you can look out for in 2021.
Despite being one of the most common birds in urban areas in B.C., Anna’s Hummingbird are a newcomer to the province,
and only started nesting here in the late ‘80s. Slightly less common but still by no means unusual, I found this young Redtailed Hawk at the nearby Cedar Hill Golf Course enjoying our all-too-familiar west coast winter weather. Last but not least, I was surprised in September to find this rare migrant Lapland Longspur taking advantage of the unusually vacant Victoria High field which resembled its flat tundra breeding grounds in the high arctic as it grabbed a quick bite on its way south to Texas for the winter. Liam is the Provincial Coordinator for Important Bird Areas in B.C. Check out his photos on Instagram at @liamragan.
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February 2021
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community eats:
Feast for Chinese New Year ›› Lauren Gaultier On February 12, 2021, we will say goodbye to the year of the Rat and welcome the year of the Ox for Chinese New Year. This important holiday is a time to gather with family and feast. Although you may not be able to physically gather with your family this year, you can still feast! There are some common dishes that many households prepare for this notable occasion include spring rolls or dumplings, long noodles, steamed meat—such as fish or chicken, rice cakes, and winter vegetables. Sun Wah, located on the corner of Cook and Pandora, has been a staple Chinese food restaurant serving up Cantonese, Szechuan, and Hong Kong style dishes to Fernwood and surrounding residents since 2007. If you want to celebrate without the hassle of cooking, consider ordering the following items from their restaurant for dine-in: • Spring Rolls • Shrimp dumpling and wonton noodle soup • Stir-fried seasonal Chinese greens
with garlic • Cod fillets with special house made sauce or steamed cod in black bean sauce Another option for dine-in to celebrate is Hot Pot. Bring your bubble and choose from various seafood, vegetarian, chicken, or lamb dishes to enjoy this more interactive style of cooking. If dining in is not an option, you can still order many items for take-out, or delivery. For a curated meal, I suggest the spring rolls, wonton soup, shrimp chow mein, and diced chicken & almond gai ding. You could also opt for one of their combination meals. This is perfect for individuals up to six people. Have a look at the photo to see what you will be in store for with Sun Wah’s Dinner For Two when you order take out. Sun Wah Chinese Restaurant is located at 1515 Cook Street. For a full view of their menu, visit sunwahrestaurant.ca. To make a reservation or place your order call 250-381-8966. (Photo to the right) Sun Wah’s combination Dinner For Two. Photo: Lauren Gaultier
north park:
buzz:
Markets, area planning, and shelter Calling all artists
Happy New Year,
Fernwood! Next door
in North Park, there is a lot on the go!
›› Sarah Murray Our monthly food market at Royal Athletic Park is getting more and more popular! We hope to see you at the next market on February 21. This small, Covid-friendly market always has a fantastic variety of local prepared food vendors. North Park—just like Fernwood and Hillside Quadra—are currently undergoing a Local Area Plan update. We are trying to
get the word out to as many folks as possible to participate in the online public open house. If you haven’t already, please watch the videos and take the neighbourhood surveys! Your feedback as a resident, volunteer, business owner, or community organizer is incredibly important to this process. In October, I shared the news with you about our “Community Values” survey. Thank you to everyone who took part! We’re going to be releasing the results on our website in the coming weeks. Over the past year, North Park has been in the centre of a lot of the sheltering in parks activity. In December, a huge rain storm caused terrible flooding in Central Park. The folks sheltering in Central Park were relocated to Royal Athletic Park parking
lot. The NPNA has been utilizing grant funding from the Red Cross to support this community where we can. However, much more support is needed, and we’re happy that BC Housing has announced that the Save on Foods Memorial Arena will be opening 45 beds starting March 1. We will also be keeping the community informed about how you can provide your input about a proposed shipping container tiny home community brought forth by Aryze in collaboration with the City, the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, and an on site operator. To learn more about what’s going on in North Park please visit our website, npna.ca, or find us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @wearenorthpark.
›› CarrolAnn Smedley The 2021 Fernwood Art Stroll will be held on June 12 & 13, 2021 in our Fernwood community. If you are interested in opening your yard, or studio for showing, or selling your work, or if you are a performance-based individual or group, we would love to hear from you. To join, visit fernwoodartstroll.ca/ membership . The deadline to sign-up is March 1, 2021. Find out more info at fernwoodartstroll.ca or email us at info@ fernwoodartstroll.ca.
Keeping Fernwood Community Healthy Physiotherapy /D^ ^ŚŽĐŬǁĂǀĞ Pelvic Floor Health ůŝŶŝĐĂů ŽƵŶƐĞůůŝŶŐ
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*Therapeutic one-on-one or small group sessions available
Ph: 250-381-7473
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1275 Bay Street
*referrals not required
*online booking available
(at Fernwood) *free parking
RISE TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH page 6
villagevibe
February 2021
News and views from the heart of Fernwood
garden gleanings:
Get your Seeds! ›› Kayla Siefried Never was there a more exciting time (and at times overwhelming) for local gardeners then the annual Victoria Seedy Saturday. A conference full of vendors, seed swaps, and gardening workshops; it’s the day that kicks off the growing season for Victorians. Alas, we are still living in a pandemic, so the regular in-person Seedy Saturday will not happen this year. Luckily, Farm Folk City Folk are hosting a virtual province wide Seedy Saturday, February 19 to 21, 2021. While details have yet to be released, you can look forward to informative speakers and opportunities to network and swap seeds across the province. Check the website at bcseeds.org for more info. If you’re wanting to get seed shopping as soon as possible (which I recommend, as demand for seeds due to the pandemic have ballooned as so many more people get growing), the Compost Education Centre has contactless sales available for both Full Circle Seeds and Metchosin Farm Seeds. You can check out the seed varieties we will be carrying on our website (compost. bc.ca) and come to purchase the seeds Wednesdays through Saturdays when we are open.
I highly recommend local seed growers, who are doing amazing work to preserve local seed diversity, and have very well adapted seed for our very unique climate. Besides Full Circle and Metchosin, other local seed vendors I recommend include Saanich Organics, Salt Spring Island Seeds, and the BC Eco Seed Coop. There are also neat initiatives that don’t even involve the money! The Lifecycles Project Society runs the Victoria Seed Library in partnership with the Greater Victoria Public Library. You get trained on how to save seeds, then take seeds out on loan from the library, grow and eat the produce, and save some of the seed from the plants for returning to the library. There’s also some incredible initiatives that have arisen out of the pandemic— like the Victoria Seed Share initiative run by volunteers who repack and distribute surplus seeds that are donated. So get thinking about what you’d like to grow and make a list of what seeds you would like to plant this year, and head down to the Compost Education Centre to see what’s available. (Photo to the right) Bean and pea seeds ready for planting in the garden. Get your seeds! Photo: Kayla Siefried
THE LOCAL GENERAL STORE An old-world 21st century general store carrying unique local artisan foods and organic produce, sustainably-sourced household goods and gifts.
1440 Haultain Street, Corner of Belmont and Haultain (778) 265-6225 Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30am-6pm, Sat 9:30am-5:30pm www.thelocalgeneralstore.ca
www.fernwoodnrg.ca
February 2021
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Scene in Fernwood : Looking up
Photos: Aly Sibley Photography