October 2021
villagevibe News and views from the heart of Fernwood
Practising resilience Year in review
›› Kelsey Singbeil
R
esilience is a skill that can be practiced and learned. Studies show that people can encounter challenges in ways that build their capacity to weather change and recover quickly from difficult conditions. A person can become more resilient through techniques like focusing on the positive side of a challenging situation, explaining events from a impermanent versus permanent frame (“I can change the situation, rather than assuming it’s fixed”), and trying to re-frame from broad global events to local actions. This last year has proven challenging for even the most resilient people and organizations, including Fernwood NRG. Looking back, we can see how our staff, volunteers, and community members have worked together to make Fernwood more resilient and stronger. Efforts to keep ourselves, neighbours, and community members safe and healthy have changed the way Fernwood NRG operates. And while many of these changes have been challenging, some have opened up new opportunities to engage with our neighbours and connect with community partners. Fernwood NRG has made resiliency a daily practice. Our childcare programs have continued to be a core pillar of our organization and offered essential care to children over the last year. We closed our regular childcare programs for one week in April 2020, but then reopened for emergency childcare services. By September 2020, we had reopened all of our regular programs and were back up to 105 childcare spots. Looking ahead, Fernwood NRG will continue to expand our childcare spaces with the addition of out-of-school and 3 to 5 care at George Jay in 2022 and in years to come as part of the construction of the new CRHC Caledonia Development and Vic High Neighbourhood Learning Centre. We will continue to prioritize our care for families who need it the most to support broader resiliency—and equity—across our community.
Fernwood NRG continues to serve the community through child care, family programs, affordable housing, food security programs, and more! Photos by Aly Sibley Photography, Mila Czemerys, and Chantille Viaud.
Fernwood NRG has long seen food as a community connector and the importance of food security to building community and personal resiliency. Throughout the pandemic we have seen a dramatic increase in food insecurity due to loss of jobs and wages, and lack of accessibility due to health and safety concerns. In response, Fernwood NRG pivoted our food services and were able to offer take out community meals for seniors and families, support seedling distribution with the City of Victoria, operate our community gardens and orchard, and respond to daily requests for meals and food by community members. The Good Food Box became a go-to source of fresh produce for 600+ families during the pandemic thanks to volunteer support and community funders. It continues to offer weekly bags of produce at affordable prices—order at thegoodfoodbox.ca. What does community and family outreach look like in a pandemic? Virtual, phone, outdoor, and individual support. Our staff team has helped continue
programs and services during a time where many people have needed them the most. As we move into the fall, family programs will continue inside as an essential service, with limited participation and health protocols. How do you bring a socially-distanced community together? Through outdoor events like the summer Mural Festival, which brought colour, energy, and liveliness to building walls and street corners. Here’s to hoping we’ll see you at FernFest in years to come. We said a sad goodbye to 1310 Gladstone and the Yoga Den this past year, but eagerly await how the space will be reimagined. We also continue to operate our family programs from the ground floor of 1310 Gladstone; we have a growing need for office space as demand for our programs increases! The pandemic and events of the last year have strengthened our focus on delivering equitable programming that recognises the diversity of our staff and community. Our work is ever-more embedded with a deeper
Mark Your Calendar
Buzz
Indigenous Voices
The Gift of Good Food fundraiser returns page 2
Join the conversation of your draft Neighbourhood Plan page 4
Reflections on our lost children page 5
purpose to reconcile the ongoing impact of residential schools and colonization within our community. These themes are top of mind for the organization and board as we develop a new Strategic Plan to inform our programs and services for the coming years. Fernwood NRG is only as strong and resilient as our greatest assets—our staff. Thank you to all of who have worked on the frontlines and in service of our community. Your ideas, commitment and experience continue to strengthen our organization. Our board also continues to evolve to better engage our neighbourhood and this year we are welcoming new directors to our board and thank outgoing board chair, Michael Lancaster for his leadership since 2017. Kelsey Singbeil and Eric Swanson will co-chair the board for the coming year. Believing that we all have the ability to enact positive change is an essential trait of resiliency. The ability to make a positive difference in our own lives, in others, and our community has—and continues to— characterise the work of Fernwood NRG. Onwards!
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villagevibe
The Gift of Good Food returns
Published by Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group Editorial Committee
Chantille Viaud Brett Gaylor
Mila Czemerys Shonna Bell Founding Editor Lisa Helps Contributors
Kelsey Singbeil JJ Ford City of Victoria Kayla Siefried Marianne Unger
Mila Czemerys Michael Lancaster Lizz Brooks Lauren Gaultier Jan Firstbrook
Art
Aly Sibley Photography Axel Chantille Viaud Mila Czemerys Orca Book Publishers City of Victoria Shae Zamardi Alex Harned Lauren Gaultier Marianne Unger Jan Firstbrook Production Mila Czemerys Contact us
1240 Gladstone Ave, Victoria, BC V8T 1G6 T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509 info@fernwoodnrg.ca | villagevibe.ca To advertise, contact ads@fernwoodnrg.ca The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily reflect the views of Fernwood NRG.
We gratefully acknowledge that Fernwood, our community where we live, work and play resides on the territory of the Lekwungen peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.
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
›› Mila Czemerys The Gift of Good Food, Fernwood NRG’s annual fundraiser, kicks off again this year Monday, November 15th until midnight December 31st, 2021. The Gift of Good Food raises funds to support local families in need across the Capital Regional District with fresh produce every two weeks for an entire year. As we continue to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, your help is needed to support our neighbours who are facing food insecurity through these difficult times. The Good Food Box is Fernwood NRG’s food distribution program and supplies fresh bags of produce to Gift of Good Food recipients. The Gift of Good Food partners with over 15 community-based organizations across the Capital Regional District so we can directly support people in need at the neighbourhood level. You can get involved by donating online at thegiftofgoodfood.ca/donate through November 15th to December 31st, 2021. Start a Fundraising Team with friends, family, or co-workers and reach a goal that supports families in your neighbourhood. Register your team online at
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We are committed to using our resources prudently and to becoming financially self-reliant;
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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
fernwoodnrg. ca/fundraising-teamsggf-2021.
Do you own a business and want to choose a local fundraiser to support? Choose The Gift of Good Food as your charity of the month where a portion of your sales will directly support families in your community
to access fresh food for a year. If you would like to get involved, but are unsure how, email mila@fernwoodnrg.ca and we’ll work together to find a way for you to support. Stay tuned for more info and check out our social media channels for updates at @fernwoodnrg.
Want to plant a tree?
ownership of neighbourhood institutions and assets;
Food. Photo courtesy of Orca Book Publishers
buzz: ›› JJ Ford
neighbourhood control or
Orca Books Publishers was one of our amazing fundraising teams last year for the Gift of Good
“One simple yet powerful way of building more sustainable and resilient cities is planting trees. Strategically planted trees can cool the air by between 2°C and 8°C, thereby reducing air conditioning needs by 30 per cent. A single tree can absorb up to 150kg of CO2 per year and help mitigate climate change… Planting more trees in cities is a simple, inexpensive and yet deeply impactful way in which [cities] can lead the efforts in tackling climate change.” - from treesincities.unece.org. Fall is a great time to think about planting trees. In our climate, planting trees from September to November allows
them to settle into the soil while it’s moist and still relatively warm, before the dormant winter period begins. Luckily for Victoria residents, the City of Victoria has two great programs that provide funding and resources for people to plant trees in public and private spaces: 1. Trees in Cities Challenge (TICC) – The TICC is a global campaign launched by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to encourage climate action at the municipal level. As part of the City of Victoria’s response, they are providing grant funding for residents to plant trees on private property. Groups of residents, in partnership with a non-
profit partner, can apply for up to $1,000 in funding to support the cost of trees and planting materials. Application deadline is October 31st, 2021. 2. Urban Food Tree Stewardship Pilot Program – This program supports
residents to plant fruit and nut trees in public places. In partnership with a community organization, residents can apply for funding to purchase trees and planting materials. Stewards are then responsible for the ongoing care of the food trees– including harvest! Application deadline is also October 31st, 2021. Interested in learning more? Check out the City of Victoria website for more info or contact jj@fernwoodnrg.ca.
our organization and serving our 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
October 2021
News and views from the heart of Fernwood
guest editorial:
Thank you Fernwood I have felt both proud and humbled to have been allowed to lead the Board of Fernwood NRG for the past 5 years. I’m passing the torch of leadership to Kelsey Singbeil and Eric Swanson who will be Fernwood NRG’s new Co-Chairs of the Board.
›› Michael Lancaster Dear Fernwoodians, this last year has been both challenging and rewarding. The challenges may seem obvious—providing childcare, and community services to support our community during an unprecedented pandemic. The rewards, for Fernwood NRG, have been the growth of the strength of the organization. In April of 2020, we were forced to close the doors to our regular childcare programs for a week and then we reopened for emer-
gency childcare services. In September of 2020, we reopened all of our regular programs and were back up to 105 childcare spots. The strength and success of our programs has set us up well in the eyes of funders. So much so that in April 2021 we signed another year long contract with the provincial government to remain a prototype site. This is allowing us to provide childcare for $10 a day. This is truly a great resource for families when the overall cost of living, including rent, is getting so expensive. We view this as a way that we can make life in Fernwood more affordable for young families. We have further plans on the horizon to expand our daycare operations in the neighbourhood, so stay tuned! In our community we saw a dramatic increase in food insecurity due to loss of jobs and wages, and lack of accessibility during the pandemic. Fernwood NRG stepped up with the Good Food Box program. We consolidated the leadership of the program with full time employees of Fernwood NRG, streamlined processes, and were able to cut costs while increasing the number of boxes. With such strong infrastructure in place, and a well-known brand, emergency funding for this work was an easy ask and foundations came to the table with more funding to increase the
amount of food we pack and deliver. In the beginning of the pandemic, most family program outreach services went online or by phone and later opened up to programming outdoors. However, not surprisingly, the needs of families increased during the pandemic, our ability to meet those needs was challenged. Again, the organization met this challenge and we were able to secure additional funding to increase hours of front line staff to help with the immense workloads. As we move into the fall, family programs will continue online and also indoors as an essential service with limited participation and health protocols. Our Seniors programs are continuing with phone calls and we can provide take out meals and in time we will be providing in-person meals again. Also, Fernwood NRG has just hired a part time youth coordinator to develop a long overdue youth program. The year also showed us the need to connect with our tenants in a different way and so we created a new position for a tenant relations coordinator, who is someone that works with our family programs team as well. As much as we had some successes during the year, we also faced some financial challenges. It was with some regret that we
said goodbye to the 1310 Gladstone building and the Fernwood Yoga Den. Thankfully we were able to find a neighbourhood business interested in the property. The owners of the Fernwood Inn have purchased 1310 Gladstone and are eager to continue to provide Fernwood with services going forward. While we weren’t able to have our usual annual FernFest—also known as Victoria’s best party—we did bring some fun to the neighbourhood with the Fernwood Mural Festival. Partial proceeds from the mural festival silent auction went to the Victoria Native Friendship Centre. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that FernFest will go ahead in 2022. I think it’s really important for me to emphasize that when I say ‘we’, I really mean the dedicated staff and volunteers of the Fernwood NRG. I’m in awe when I think about how hard they have been working. Their hearts and souls are poured into making the lives of Fernwoodians better. I have felt both proud and humbled to have been allowed to lead the Board of this organization. I’m passing the torch of leadership because it’s important that an organization revitalize and change its leadership. I will still be a board member and of course an enthusiastic supporter of this great neighbourhood. Thank you Fernwood.
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www.fernwoodnrg.ca
October 2021
villagevibe
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buzz:
Join the conversation on your draft Neighbourhood Plan
How might Fernwood evolve over the next 10-20 years? Join a conversation about the future of our urban villages, housing choices, public spaces, and sustainable mobility. Image courtesy of the City of Victoria.
›› City of Victoria
T
his fall the City of Victoria is starting the next stage of planning for the future of Fernwood, as well as North Park and Hillside-Quadra neighbourhoods. Read the new draft Neighbourhoods Plans and have your say! We invite you to join this planning process about our urban villages, the housing around them, and the connections between them. Help refine how we can create more diverse housing choices, safe and sustainable mobility options, and joyful public spaces for everyone over the next
10-20 years. Early engagement occurred in spring 2020, followed by engagement on draft directions between December 2020 and March 2021. We’ve heard ideas and input from over 1,800 diverse community members so far! What we heard:
While each neighbourhood has its own distinct character and individual priorities, a common theme was the desire for a ‘15-minute community’ with much of what you need for everyday living close by. In addition, residents expressed desire for a wider range of housing choice, both
on and off transit corridors, with walkable urban villages and public spaces that bring people together, support local businesses and foster a sense of community. Feedback from the first two phases of engagement has been incorporated into Draft Neighbourhood Plans for each of these areas. Fernwood Highlights include:
• Ideas for a gradual expansion of Fernwood Village with more and refreshed public space, better pedestrian connections, opportunities for smaller shops and more housing choices • Ideas for transforming Bay Street into
a better place for people, with more trees, housing choices, shops and wider sidewalks, crossings and bus transit • New car-lite housing options that fit into the neighbourhood, for both renters and buyers, letting people live in the place they love Have Your Say
We want to know what ideas you like, what ideas you’d change, and what might be missing. This fall join an online ‘Ask a Planner’ session, complete a survey, or join us for an in-person walkshop and open house. Visit engage.victoria.ca to learn more.
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October 2021
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News and views from the heart of Fernwood
indigenous voices:
Reflections on our lost children [content awareness: this article discusses residential schools and the ongoing searches for unmarked graves across Turtle Island]
›› Lizz Brooks & Shae Zamardi
With Orange Shirt Day now passed for this year, there are many reflections accumulating from the school searches of the summer. With conversations of Canada’s Residential “Schools” slowing publicly, there have been numerous pushes for more searches and for the media to continue to share updates since the initial 215 children who were found buried on the Kamloops Indian Residential School site in June. Despite hearing stories from our Elders and survivors of these institutions and knowing of lost children buried on the grounds, there was still a collective shock each of us felt in different ways. This summer has been filled with much loss and needed time for mourning and honouring our Indigenous children who never made it home. Like with most things in life, there have been many dynamic layers to these searches. Many non-Indigenous individuals
have been wondering what their role is. I cannot speak for all Indigenous peoples, as we are not a monolith. Even while calls for searches are continuing, our Nations need the time to grieve or mentally prepare themselves as they plan for their own searches. Many teachings emphasize that our children are at the centre of our circles and communities. When we raise our children, gather around them, and honour their memory, we must not take the space for ourselves. We must look to our local Nations for guidance on what they need for support during these trying times. Allies shall continue to do good work and learning. We must ensure that we are directly supporting Indigenous individuals by uplifting their voices, creating space for them, and using this time to sit back and actively listen. For the children who never made it home, we see you and we will continue to raise our hands and drums to you. For individuals wishing to learn more about Canada’s Residential School history and how to be effective allies, Indigenous Perspectives Society’s next Cultural Perspectives Training is on Tuesday, November 9 th, 2021. Participants can register online at ipsociety.ca/training/ cultural-perspectives.
Shoes and toys sitting on the front steps of the Victoria, BC Legislative Buildings in honour of Residential School Survivors who never made it home. Photo: Shae Zamardi
A Community for Everyone
We heard your ideas and what matters most. We now invite you to join the conversation about the Draft Fernwood Neighbourhood Plan.
Housing Choices
Mobility
Public Spaces
# 8 T Y B >
g
Walkable Urban Villages
Join us online or in person to share your feedback and ideas! engage.victoria.ca
www.fernwoodnrg.ca
October 2021
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garden gleanings:
Autumn is for trees! ›› Kayla Siefried The fall months mark the time where people all over our region are harvesting fruit from trees. If you’ve been longing for a fruit tree of your own, now is the time to plant one (or prepare your soil for a spring planting). Because the soil is still warm, and the rain is returning, this time of year is perfect for young, vulnerable trees that need support in their first years of growth; and you won’t have to be as diligent with watering, as the winter rains will keep them moist! When you are planning your space to accommodate your new fruit tree, one idea
Brontë at the Fernwood Community Orchard mulching the fruit trees. Photo: Alex Harned
is to focus on mimicking natural forest ecosystems in the way that forests have layers and are self-sustaining. That could look
like a yard, garden, or boulevard featuring a dwarf apple tree with two varieties grafted on it to support pollination and offer food for humans; a small goumi bush that fixes nitrogen to feed other plants and provides delicious food for humans and birds; bunches of comfrey to offer an abundance of fast growing plant matter that can be used as mulch; yarrow, calendula, and lavender to attract pollinators and provide beauty. If you are thinking of planting a fruit tree, autumn (and early spring too) is a great time to do that. The City of Victoria has a neat initiative called the “Trees in Cities Challenge” as JJ mentioned on page
2. Check out the City’s website for info on to plant and maintain trees. They even have a grant for purchasing trees you can plant on private and public lands. If you’re looking for a good source of fruit trees, try Fruit Trees and More—they sell high quality fruit trees. If autumn feels too soon for your grand garden plans, you can order a tree now for spring planting (also a fine time to plant), while you get your soil ready over the winter by sheet mulching. Check out the Compost Education Centre’s website, compost.bc.ca, for free workshops on how to sheet mulch to build soil! In no time, your tree’s harvest will abound.
community eats:
Stadacona Spotlight Series: The Tartan Toque ›› Lauren Gaultier Many Fernwood residents are surprised to learn that our community borders extend as far east as Fort Street. Enter Stadacona Centre located between Fort, Pandora, Belmont, and Stadacona. With a multitude of businesses, over the next several articles we will be showcasing the restaurants that are tucked away in this pocket of our humble ‘hood. Located on the Pandora side of Stadacona Centre, you may have very well walked past The Tartan Toque and never noticed it. This unassuming spot is a proverbial hidden gem. Open for nearly a decade, you may be surprised to find out that The Tartan Toque is neither Scottish, nor a place where you can buy a warm winter hat. It is however, one of the undisputed best places in town to get chicken wings. They have been honoured
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with people’s choice awards for best wings more than a handful of times over the last decade. If you don’t know where to start when deciding which of their 20 plus flavours to choose from, we suggest the classic favourite Buffalo Blue and the more unique Creamy Dill to get you started. Like many businesses, over the last 18 months, The Tartan Toque was not immune to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the strain of this has led to the business being put up for sale. This tight knit crew of energetic staff are trying to ensure The Tartan Toque lives on as they work towards the purchase of the business to keep it in the family. They are so grateful to their regulars who have kept them afloat during this time so if you have yet to visit, make haste and maybe you too, will become a regular. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 12pm to 9pm for dine-in and take-out. Follow them at @tartantoque.
October 2021
The Tartan Toque is famous for their amazing variety of flavours of wings. You can visit them at 1507 Pandora Avenue. Photo: Lauren Gaultier
News and views from the heart of Fernwood
buzz:
The Backyard Project Farm Stand: So much more than food ›› Marianne Unger October 15th will mark one year since I opened my Farm Stand on Camosun Street. We intend to celebrate with good food and friendship, as is fitting. The farm stand was inspired by so many things— my Omas, Wendell Berry’s writings on the household economy, my love of all things food, kitchen, and garden, my desire to let my life spill out into the street. Mostly, it’s my way of creating a new world—one that values neighbourliness, the small and local, respect and sharing. One that puts colonial capitalism on its head. It’s become a lovely little gathering place, and it’s about so much more than the food. People drop off their surplus walnuts or bay leaves to share. Sammie packages up her seeds and the proceeds go to RAVEN. Glenna donated her knitting magazines, Carmen her french pastry. Judith knitted hats for Fernwood NRG’s Gift of Good Food fundraiser. Neighbours bring their extra produce, their cookies to sell. And it’s growing. We’ve now established a Farm Stand Foundation that supports one
Fernwood family with ongoing farm stand food with funds contributed by our very own Aubergine, Zero Waste Emporium, and fabulous neighbours. And more! I love how the kids take over the street at our block parties—running in and out of backyards, no need to worry about cars and safety. There’s just play. A neighbour told me about Play Streets—a movement of neighbour-led short road closures so kids have a safe space to play freely together—and now, on the second Saturday of every month (spring to fall) we close the 1600 block of Camosun for Play Streets. There’s music-making, knitting, face-painting. Once Yarrow Collective held a seed bomb making workshop. And always there are kids running around. Get your Play Streets permit for your own block! The City is onboard, and has made it easy to get a permit. The Farm Stand is located at 1619 Camosun Street and has backyard, Island, or organic ingredients, with a few exceptions. There is accessibility pricing for those struggling to meet their basic needs. 10% of proceeds go to RAVEN because food justice requires land justice.
The Farm Stand is located on Camosun Street in Fernwood. Photo by Marianne Unger
trees of fernwood:
Sequoias Giant sentinels and the climate crisis
›› Jan Firstbrook What is the fastest growing tree in the world and the best at carbon capture? These trees live among us in Fernwood. Though not native to Canada, they thrive in our city due to the Mediterranean climate. These amazing trees, Sequoias, are native to California but were planted here 100 to 150 years ago. They are huge—a Giant Sequoia on Pandora near Fernwood measures approximately 5.4m around and 1.7m in diameter and is around 100 years old. Other majestic Sequoias are hidden in our neighbourhood—on Balmoral near Chambers, on Yates across from the Shell, at Stadacona Park and further afield at the Art Gallery, Moss and Rockland and Richardson, at Beacon Hill park, and at Government House. Sequoias are the fastest growing tree and can grow up to 300 feet tall, 36 feet wide and live for 3,500 years. They never stop growing and that is why they are the best at carbon capture. A group in the UK, One Life, One Tree is planting Sequoias to capture the average life time carbon footprint of a person living in the UK which is 530 tonnes. These trees are planted in wide open spaces along with native trees to provide bio-
www.fernwoodnrg.ca
Big trees help keep our city cool. Photo: Jan Firstbrook
diversity. Sequoias in Victoria were planted when there was space and now are needing protection due to development pressures. The benefits of these giants are many, especially during the hot dry spell this June. The intense heat was reduced by the cooling impact of trees as they released moisture from their leaves and provided wonderful shade. The City of Vancouver noted a 20°C difference between tree shaded and unshaded parts of the city during the heat dome. These magnificent trees help mitigate the impacts of climate change, improve our mental and physical well being, and increase the livability of our neighbourhood.
October 2021
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Scene in Fernwood : Fernwood NRG moments
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