Summer 2010
villagevibe News and views from the heart of Fernwood
First Annual Fernwood Bites Fundraiser a Huge Success Sell-out crowd of 300 raises over $5,100 for new Community Chest
›› Lee Herrin
S
hortly after lunch on June 20th, volunteers and staff from Fernwood NRG gathered to begin taking down th the 15 annual FernFest and setting the stage for the first ever Fernwood Bites—a fundraiser to establish a new Community Chest. This fund will allow Fernwood NRG to respond to urgent community need as well as to support neighbourhood improvement projects. The event, which was held in Fernwood Square, began to take shape as the beautiful wooden fences (prepared especially for the event by Landeca) enclosed the east and west sides of the square, while the tables for the participant food and drink suppliers enclosed the north side. Of course, the majestic Belfry completed the enclosure of the south side of the site. At four o’clock, the first participants began to show up to lay out their tables and prepare for the guests. With the afternoon sun shining, participants needed ice to keep ingredients and beverages cool. Participants in the square, like Lucy’s and Stir it Up, were able to use their kitchen facilities to produce hot items for the event, while others who travelled brought cold items. Perhaps the boldest of all was George Szasz, from Stage, who brought a deep fryer to prepare his famous langos hot on site. By six o’clock, the guests, all 300 of them (tickets had sold out a week in advance!), were arriving in a steady stream and were lining up to get in. The volunteers at the gate could hardly keep up with the flow. The participants were ready, the music started, and bites and libations were sampled. The wind came up, but no one was daunted. Jeff Keenleyside of Lucy’s in the Square had the greens blown clean off the pizza he was carrying out of his kitchen—no matter, there were more inside.
Staff from Pig BBQ serve up sliders to the hungry Fernwood Bites guests. Photo: Lisa Matthaus.
By eight o’clock, most participants were out of food, the samples gone to the appreciative crowd. People were heading for the exit, a little cooled by the wind but warmed by the good food, drink, music and company of the event. Luckily, the event was held the day prior to the solstice, so there was enough light in the late evening for participants and volunteers to pack down the weekend and return the square to normal. In the twilight, the participants and volunteers agreed that the event had been a huge success and that it would be back again in 2011. Editor’s note: all told, through the event, and the auction, Fernwood NRG raised over
A big Fernwood thank you to all of the participants and supporters for Fernwood Bites 2010. Bites
Stage Small Plates & Wine Bar Lucy’s in the Square Fernwood Inn The Little Piggy Cornerstone Cafe
Devour Paprika Pig BBQ Wildfire Bakery
Pacific Breeze Silk Road Aromatherapy Averill Creek (Peacock & Martin) Gehringer (International Cellars) Stag’s Hollow
Cedar Creek Quail’s Gate Winery Alderlea Vineyards (Peacock & Martin) Vertical Wine (JoieFarm, Kettle Valley, Orofino and Pentâge)
Pedersen’s Rentals
All of our wonderful volunteers
Libations
Phillips Brewery Sea Cider Renaissance Wine Merchants Tinhorn Creek Twisted Tree Summerhill
$5,100 for the Community Chest. And we’ve
Supporters
also already made the first contribution: $150
Landeca Apex Tents
to Emily Grav of the Paint Box toward paints
Stir It Up Fernwood Coffee The Parsonage Zambri’s Aubergine Specialty Foods
for the Welcome Mural (see page 3).
in this issue Buzz
Feature
Mark your calendar
Mural project becomes reality page 3
“Co-housing” planned for Fernwood page 4
Vining Street block party page 7
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editorial:
villagevibe
A quiet anniversary
Published by Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group Editorial Committee
Lee Herrin
Stacey Curtis
›› Lee Herrin
Matt Takach Founding Editor Lisa Helps Contributors
Lee Herrin Margaret Hantiuk Emily Grav Sol Kinnis
Kelsey Singbeil Steve Parr Laurie Rubin Sammie Gough
Art
Matt Takach Lisa Matthaus Fernwood Urban Village
Margaret Hantiuk Laurie Rubin Miriam Mulhall Pamela Bethel
Production
Ellen Rooney Contact us
1240 Gladstone Street Victoria, BC V8T 1G6 T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509 vibe@fernwoodnrg.ca www.villagevibe.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 using our resources prudently and to becoming financially self-reliant; 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 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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Fernwood
Dead Wood
courage visioning our future welcoming farming in the city community initiative
fearfulness living in the past vandalized insecure fossil-fuel food system central planning
neighbourhood control or institutions and assets;
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Separating the fertile from the flammable in 10 words or less —
We are committed to ensuring ownership of neighbourhood
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I’d like to mark a quiet anniversary that just passed: August 1st, 2010 marked five years since Fernwood NRG (the Fernwood Community Centre Society at that time) purchased the property at 1301 Gladstone Avenue, the building we all now know as the Cornerstone. Since that time, the neighbourhood has changed in myriad ways, but there is a central theme tying it all together—investment. It was the Belfry that led the way in the early part of the last decade, investing in both the interior and exterior of the historic building at a time when the neighbourhood was descending. The City of Victoria then made a significant investment in improving Stevenson Park. A new playground, field and irrigation system in 2004 made the neighbourhood a much safer place and greener place for children to play. But at that time, momentum stalled, and things seemed to be getting worse. So much potential lay waiting, but crumbling day by day. And then, in August 2005, we took possession of the Cornerstone Building. This solidified the change and gave new confidence to others. The George & Dragon soon after became the Fernwood Inn. Mike Sharpe (now of Roxy fame) purchased the Rennie & Taylor Apartments at 2008 Fernwood Road and invested heavily in them. Ron Spence has been continually improving
new technical building on the north side of Vic High. And everyone is eagerly awaiting the day Aubergine opens its doors to become the first real grocery in Fernwood in many years. So hats off to my colleagues Margaret Hantiuk, Jim Starck, Paula DeBeck, Vida Waltz, Dave Kesson, Tania Wegwitz, Lisa Helps, Lenore Rankin and, of course, Roberta Martell who, in addition to myself, formed the Board of Directors and senior staff of the Fernwood Community Centre Society in the spring of 2005. Together, we made a bold decision about the future of our organization and the neighbourhood. In retrospect, it seems like the decision was an easy one, but those who were there at the time know what a giant risk we were taking and the courage required to take it.
the Rennie & Taylor Building on Gladstone Avenue, with just the cornice left to complete the facade. These and countless small acts by caring property owners and tenants to replace a rotten fence or apply some fresh paint have lifted the neighbourhood up. And just today, walking down to the square, there are signs of re-investment everywhere. The City of Victoria has repaired the roof of the community centre, replaced the lighting inside, and is installing a new floor in the gymnasium later this summer. Additionally, the City is investing in the streetscape, improving the crosswalk at Fernwood and Gladstone, and working with the Community Association to create a theatre space in the building at 1921-23 Fernwood Road. The School District has commenced construction of the
and, most of all, We are committed to having fun!
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villagevibe
buzz:
Mapping the ’hood ›› Dorothy Field The Fernwood Community Mapping Project is tracking our neighbourhood’s history as well as visioning our future. We want to find out what places are special to Fernwoodians and what would make Fernwood even better. We plan to produce a large paper map for residents and visitors, as well as an online interactive map. The online map will allow a viewer to click on various layers in order to see: • Fernwood’s basic geographical features and First Nations presence; • early pioneer years with farms, orchards, and settlement patterns; • further urbanization and our wonderful history of multiculturalism; • Fernwood as we know it today. We plan to record oral histories which can be heard by clicking on certain icons. We need as many voices as possible to fill in and round out Fernwood’s ongoing story. We need to hear from people of all ages from kids to elders. Large maps are posted at the Cornerstone Café and the Fernwood Community Association for your participation. To contribute, please fill out one of our questionnaires and add your special places to the map.
Summer 2010
Fernwood Community Mapping Project Questionnaire We need your Fernwood stories. What do you treasure in our neighbourhood? What places do you love and why? What places hold memories? Family stories? Do you have a special tree, nook, bench, or view? Where do you go to picnic, for inspiration, to meet people, to work-out, play music, dance, draw or paint, sing, do Tai Chi, etc? Please fill out the questionnaire. You can share your story on the reverse side of this paper. Instructions are posted beside the map. What are your favourite walking routes and/or biking routes? _________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ What places in Fernwood are kid friendly? Animal friendly? _________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ Do you know a Fernwood old-timer who would like to share his/ her Fernwood story with the mapping project? Can we get in touch with them? _________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ What would make Fernwood even better? _________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ We are planning another walk along Fernwood’s hidden stream this fall. Would you like to join us? ___________________________________________ Would you like to be on our mailing list? ______
Participate in the mapping project? ______
Name ___________________________________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________________________________ Phone and/or email ______________________________________________________________________ Yes, you can share my story on-line ______
anonymously? ______
first name only? ______
Thanks to Fernwood NRG, the Fernwood Community Association and the Office of CommunityBased Research for their support. Any questions about the Community Mapping Project? Email: dotter@seaside.net
News and views from the heart of Fernwood
buzz:
Welcome mural becomes a reality ›› Emily Grav Two years ago I opened my Art Studio in Fernwood Square. The arts focus of this community and the support of my neighbouring business inspired me to transform one aspect of the square that had us all feeling frustrated. The retaining wall that holds in the grounds of Victoria High School has, for as long as most can remember, been vandalized, tagged, and glued with posters. Since I’m an artist, I saw this wall as a blank canvas just waiting to be painted with a vibrant mural. As you may know, getting
permission to paint a city or school owned wall, is not an easy task. I spent more than a few months making phone calls, writing emails and preparing a detailed proposal of my idea and design. It seemed that everyone thought the wall was theirs: the schooled owned it, but the city was paying to maintain it. Finally, I was given the go ahead to start the mural. I collected donations from neighbours and businesses in the community and got to work (thinking it would take a week at most complete). I knew when designing the mural that I wanted
it to incorporate text, because its low and long structure was just asking for a phrase! Being that it is in Fernwood Square it seemed appropriate to write, “Welcome to Fernwood Square!” The design for the letters in the word FERNWOOD was based on common things we all love about this neighbourhood: F – flowers, E – espresso (or Earl Gray) R – rainbows, N – neighbours, W – well and water, O – owls, O – orcas and D – dogs! Now, three weeks later, the mural is evolving beautifully, with ideas and inspiration from passersby, and constant
support from strangers that have become my new friends. This project has brought me closer to my neighbours in more ways that I could have expected, and I know this mural will remain a part of community for many years to come! Editor’s Note: Fernwood NRG has donated $150 from the new Community Chest to help pay for paints for the mural. To make a donation to support this act of neighbourhood beautification, please visit Emily Grav at The Paint Box School of Art.
buzz:
Transitioning to local, a farming venture ›› Sol Kinnis If you haven’t been by the new Friday farm stand at the Cornerstone Café then you might be missing out on the chance to buy the “localist” produce on the market. Grown within a 4 km radius, the vegetables sold by the farmers of City Harvest Cooperative are grown in backyards around Victoria through a sharing arrangement with homeowners who prefer their space be used for vegetables not lawns. City Harvest is part of a growing movement in cities around the world to make urban spaces productive spaces. Community gardens, home gardens, rooftop gardens and market gardens, both in and near the city, are all part of an urban agricultural system that allows us to move from an insecure fossil fuel intensive food system to a more secure local food system. In 1999, I had the opportunity to work within the Cuban urban agricultural system in Havana, a city of 2 million people that now depends on urban lands to supply 65% of its produce consumption. It wasn’t always
www.fernwoodnrg.ca
with little infrastructure and resources in the city (i.e. seeds, fertile soil, farming expertise) it took nearly a decade to reach the current level of production. Here in Victoria, we have the opportunity to make that transition now, while we still have an abundance of resources to create a highly productive urban agricultural system. This task, along with a desire to grow food and build community, is what motivated me and other members of City Harvest to form a farming co-op and turn lawns into lettuce beds and backyards into functioning market gardens. By growing quality food using organic methods and selling that produce to our neighbours, we aim to make farming in the city a sustainable form of livelihood as well as a labour of love.
City Harvest Co-operative market stand in July at the Cornerstone Café.
like that. Prior to the collapse of the USSR, Havana, and in fact the entire island country of Cuba, depended on Soviet fuel to grow cash crops for export and foreign imports of produce to feed the population. With its main trading partner in disarray, and with a US embargo still in place, Cuba faced its own
“end of oil” reality and had to start growing all its own produce locally. With little fuel for machinery, agro-chemicals or transporting food, that transition also meant moving from industrial agricultural to smaller scale organic agriculture and in particular, urban agriculture. That transition was not easy and
Sol Kinnis is a farmer-member of the City Harvest Co-operative and has lived in Fernwood for nearly 15 years. City Harvest has a farm stand in front of the Cornerstone Café (Fernwood & Gladstone) every Friday from 4–7 p.m. For more information, visit www.cityharvestcoop.com.
Summer 2010
villagevibe
page 3
feature:
Substantial “co-housing” development Plan for Fernwood Urban Village requires re-zoning to permit increased density
›› Steve Parr
O
n Chambers Street, between Grant Street and North Park Street, a quiet transformation is underway. Today, a burned out and boarded up two-story blight looms adjacent to a small office trailer. A marooned fishing boat sails in from time to time. However, as early as next year, this strange collection of found-objects and infrastructure may be replaced by an innovative 32 unit co-housing project called the Fernwood Urban Village. The plan is to restore the fire-damaged building on Chambers Street and tear down the two adjacent homes at 1162 and 1164 North Park to make way for the development. The office trailer has begun to leak word of the housing project, and now sports a freshly designed mural of the vision ahead. Recently, I had an opportunity sit down with Fernwood Urban Village developer Bill McKechnie to discuss his plans. The Fernwood Urban Village is a cohousing project. Co-housing is a simple concept that will not be unfamiliar to other apartment dwellers. Owners and tenants in co-housing projects have private units— with full kitchens, bathrooms, etc.—and also share public spaces and facilities. What distinguishes co-housing is the amount and quality of public space that is shared. While a typical Victoria cereal-box apartment will boast shared laundry, entrance, parking and landscaping, co-housing projects may also feature large kitchens suitable for preparing substantial feasts, equipment for children, guest rooms and studio spaces for fitness, music, and art. Co-housing projects are also marked by shared values and aspirations, however loosely defined. Finally, decision-making in co-housing is often more democratic than a typical strata council and may make use of consensus models. Co-housing exists throughout North America, including several projects in Vancouver, Nanaimo and Courtenay. Their considerable diversity is apparent
Artist’s conception of the Fernwood Urban Village looking east over the development toward Haegert Park. Courtesy of Fernwood Urban Village.
Site of the proposed Fernwood Urban Village as it looks today. The house was damaged in a fire in 2008.
Celebrate the sunshine with us! Join us daily from 11:30 1302 Gladstone
page 4
villagevibe
Summer 2010
412-2001
News and views from the heart of Fernwood
planned for Fernwood on the Canadian Co-Housing Network website (www.cohousing.ca). The Fernwood Urban Village as planned will consist of around 32 units geared towards singles and couples who are not raising children. The units will be a mix of studios, 1 bedroom and 1 bedroom plus office spaces, ranging from 400 to 1,000 sq. ft. Units will be strata-titled just like in an apartment or condo, with a portion of the units available as rentals. McKechnie’s primary intention is to create a community that he would like to live in, stating that “this is not a big money making venture.” While no prices have been released, McKechnie states that he is aiming for a moderate to low cost. McKechnie describes the village as an “intentional, collaborative community” that will facilitate “social networking, sustainability and security.” The build plan of the Fernwood Urban Village has been designed by Mark Lakeman, one of the founders of Portland’s City Repair Project and the annual Village Building Convergences. Unlike a typical condo, management responsibilities will fall upon the residents themselves in accordance with their interests and talents. The Fernwood Urban Village will have a variety of common features, including a large kitchen and dining room, laundry, meeting rooms, workshop space, two guest rooms, a greenhouse, tool sheds, a car-sharing program, and bicycle and kayak storage. A major emphasis will be placed on productive gardens to feed the project’s inhabitants, and the covered parking stalls will have rooftop gardens. The 10 parking spaces will accommodate only very small cars and will feature outlets for electric vehicles. Other environmental features include solar panels, heat pumps, extra insulation, passive solar heating and rainwater collection. While McKechnie says that feedback has been generally positive, neighbouring residents have expressed some concerns, including fears of a “commune” atmosphere replete with interminable drum circles, naked yoga and compost experiments gone horribly wrong. McKechnie insists that these fears are overwrought, and that the village is about sharing values rather than sharing everything. Also troubling some residents is that the Fernwood Urban Village represents a significant increase in density; in fact, the village’s development is contingent upon receiving special zoning permission from
the City to accommodate the increased density. McKechnie points out that apartment buildings are not unknown in Fernwood. Further, McKechnie explains that the bulk of the village’s units will face North Park Street, which is substantially wider than Grant Street and theoretically should be able to accommodate the increased traffic. However, the village intends to accommodate only 10 vehicles on-site for its 32 units. McKechnie, however, believes that many of village’s members will choose not to own vehicles, and also plans to create five on-street public residential parking spots on Grant St. The Fernwood Community Association held an Official Community Meeting on July 20th to provide residents with an opportunity to learn more about the Fernwood Urban Village proposal and raise concerns. Some 35 residents attended, with roughly 20% of attendees expressing concerns about the village’s density. Comments from that meeting are being forwarded to the City of Victoria’s Planning Department for their consideration in the zoning-approval process. Another meeting is planned for August 23rd to provide more consultation for interested persons, and residents are encouraged to visit the Fernwood Urban Village website below for details. The painted trailer will serve as the Fernwood Urban Village site office with a recently installed
To learn more: www.fernwoodurbanvillage.ca
garden in the foreground. All photos: Matt Takach.
and www.cohousing.ca.
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&DOO =DPLDQ WRGD\ DQG VWDUW SDFNLQJ For assistance turning life's challenges into truimphs
Zoë Eakle, RPC
ZZZ =DPLDQ6HOOV)HUQZRRG FRP
Registered Professional Counsellor
Fernwood, B.C.
250 370 0980 www.openskycounselling.com
www.fernwoodnrg.ca
Summer 2010
villagevibe
page 5
garden gleanings:
August in the Garden ›› Margaret Hantiuk Until mid-August is the last time we have to prune in the garden for most plants. This is because plants need to heal after pruning, and new growth that may sprout needs to harden off before fall frost. (An exception is dead and diseased wood, which may be cut off any time.) Hedges can have their last shearing of the year. Raspberry canes that have finished fruiting should be cut to the ground, leaving the new green ones for next year’s crop. Unless you are saving seed, keep deadheading perennials and annuals, so that they will keep blooming. In the veggie garden, keep picking beans, zucchini, squash, tomatoes and cucumbers as they ripen. Greens should be trimmed and eaten. When onion tops turn yellow, stop watering them and bend the stems over to the ground. When they are all yellow, pull the onions out, shake off the dirt, and without washing them, lay them out in a
warm, dry, airy spot on a tray for 7 to 10 days, bringing them in at night. Then cut the stems to 1" and store them in a cool, dry, dark cupboard. Herbs may be cut on warm days, just before flowering and laid out to dry in a warm, airy spot out of the sun. They should be stored in tightly capped and dry containers, out of direct light. Keep watering deeply and spreading mulch as needed. As nights start to lengthen and cool down, try to water in the earlier part of the day to give plants a chance to dry off and so avoid foliar diseases that thrive on wet leaves. Spring flowering bulbs that have gone dormant shouldn’t be watered, as they need to harden up for the fall weather. Keep an eye on fruit trees, thinning the crop as needed. This will even out the bearing from season to season, as some fruit trees bear heavier one year, and grow more green growth the following one. Discard diseased fruit and trim off diseased wood. These prunings should be burned and your
Fall-blooming plants Shrubs: aurelia, calluna (Scottish
heather), caryopteris (bluebird), ceratostigma (hardy plumbago), clethra, cotinus (smokebush), late hebes, hardy hibiscus (H. syriacus), hydrangeas, itea (sweetspire), leycesteria (Himalayan honeysuckle)
cutting tools should be disinfected with a spray of isopropyl alcohol afterwards. If your lawn is turning yellow, don’t worry about it—as long as you minimally water it will be dormant until the fall rains. This is a good time to dig out weeds, before they become entrenched, as it is now against the law to use herbicides on domestic lawns. When cutting your lawn, leave the mower high and let the trimmings fall onto the lawn so that they become mulch. If you have planned your garden to include fall blooming plants, this can be a lovely time of year.
Perennials: actea (bugbane), Japanese anemone, astilbe, Bolton’s aster, calamint, ceratostigma (blue leadwort), chelone, eupatorium (Joe Pye weed), rudbeckia Bulbs: crocosmia, fall cyclamen,
gladiola, late Oriental lilies, tiger lilies, dahlia, fall crocus Vines: trumpet vine (campsis), clem-
atis terniflora, Ornamental grasses: the miscan-
thus and pennisetum families
neighbourhood non-profit:
Collective Potential ›› Kelsey Singbeil Collective Works is a professional gallery. It’s also a collectively run one. Seventeen artists are members and each has an equal voice in gallery matters. No top down curatorial decisions. No administrative staff. Nobody but the artists. Which is just fine with Al Williams, one of the founding members of the gallery. Just two and a half years ago, the space at 1311 Gladstone was home to the local kilt shop. Now the space hosts over 15 art openings a year and is drawing gallery goers from across Victoria. Each day there’s a different face behind the front desk, as a gallery member fulfills their monthly volunteer requirement. You can also see each artist’s work in the back portion of the gallery, while the front is dedicated to showcasing an individual or group show. Floor to ceiling windows provide ample natural light, and the chance to take a quick look inside while you’re waiting for a table at nearby Stage or Fernwood Inn. But, the gallery is more than just a place to exhibit. The collective’s reliance on communication and honesty pushes the mem-
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villagevibe
A well-attended opening night for Miriam Mulhall’s Back to the Future at Collective Works Gallery in the Cornerstone Building. Photo: Miriam Mulhall.
bers to stay in contact with each other, sharing ideas and offering feedback. And, the ongoing rotation of shows and requirement of having a new piece in the gallery each month keeps the artists on their toes. Collective Works’ members range from
Summer 2010
sculptors to photographers, printmakers and painters. But while the group may make decisions collectively, the gallery’s mission “to create a contemporary, professional venue dedicated to promoting art and culture in our community” can always be seen
in the quality of the collective’s work. The group’s commitment to professionalism sets it a part from community-based galleries. While these spaces may focus on showcasing a wide range of community art pieces, Collective Works is dedicated to giving practicing, professional artists a place to show their work. Collective professional galleries are common throughout the world, especially in Italy and Spain, but are few and far between in North America. But the rising cost associated with running a traditional gallery (high rents, high commission fees and a gallery manager salary) may make it a thing of the past. Collective works is facing the new economic reality of art-making straight-on by getting a group of artists together to show their art themselves. Decision-making in such a large group isn’t easy, but as Al says, “when you sit down with a group of people and be honest with each other and say how you’re feeling about the gallery, the potential is exponential.” Al loves the freedom that the collective allows for—it doesn’t rely on government grants, and each member has an equal voice in decision-making. However, working collectively is also a necessity. The rising costs of living, and limited access to galleries has pushed many artists to take on more and more of the business side of making and selling art. Members of the collective’s custodial committee clean up after each opening, and the publicity crew spreads the word about upcoming shows (stay tuned for more information on a group show of Japanese artists this summer). Working in a collective offers artists like Al the chance to showcase their work in a professional gallery, and also share the responsibility of making this opportunity continue. Check out www.collectiveworks.ca for upcoming shows.
News and views from the heart of Fernwood
mark your calendar:
Fringe rolls into Fernwood Fringe Festival show in Fernwood’s King’s Park tells story of a small community versus a big corporation
›› Sammie Gough In keeping with the tradition of live theatre in unconventional (and sometimes bizarre) spaces, this year’s Victoria Fringe Festival will feature a musical staged on the back of a pickup truck in a Fernwood Park. The Fringe Festival, which kicks off in late August, brings 65 international theatre shows to Victoria, including three shows in new Fernwood venues. One of these is Smalltown: A Pickup Musical by local independent company Theatre SKAM, which specializes in sitespecific shows. The show, written by Amiel Gladstone and Lucas Myers, is about a BC town whose inhabitants are attracted by an offer from a rich corporation. Theatre SKAM chose Fernwood’s King’s Park (the small green space at 1150 Caledonia Street) as the setting for their musical production because the outdoor space was a natural fit for a site-specific production, the company’s Artistic Director Matthew Payne says. “We kind of keep our eyes out for what appear to be natural performance spaces, and often those spaces are underused. Park space like King’s Park is especially great for Smalltown because it is in Fernwood and one of the themes of the show is small com-
Rielle Braid and Izad Etemadi photographed at Kings Park (1150 Caledonia Avenue) site of Theatre SKAM’s Smalltown: A Pickup Musical. Photo: Pamela Bethel.
munity versus big corporation. Fernwood seems ideal to play that role,” comments Payne. In addition to King’s Park, the 2010 Victoria Fringe Festival is growing to include another new venue—Little Fernwood Hall (1923 Fernwood Road). The Victoria Fringe is Vancouver Island’s big-
gest theatre event and following a massive 30% increase in attendance last year (a total of 23,000 people came to the Fringe in 2009), the festival is expanding to include four completely new venues and accommodate extra shows. There will be more than 400 performances staged at 17 venues scattered across Victoria (including art gal-
leries, cafes, school halls and churches) over the 11-day festival. Fringe Producer Janet Munsil is delighted to be bringing the Fringe’s DIYstyle theatre to Fernwood. “Fernwood is such a vibrant, artistically diverse neighborhood with strong community roots. It is very much reflective of the values of the Fringe Festival.” Little Fernwood Hall will host two internationally renowned Toronto performers—comedienne Christel Bartelse with her heart-warming comedy ONEymoon, and Victoria Fringe favourite, standup comic Nile Seguin with his hit one-man show, Fear of a Brown Planet. Seguin has appeared at Just for Laughs and is a regular contributor for CBC radio and This Hour Has 22 Minutes. The Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival runs August 26th–September 5th. Tickets are $9/11 plus $5 for a visa button. Visit www.victoriafringe.com for full program info or grab a festival program guide from select stores and cafes. Sammie Gough works for Intrepid Theatre, producers of the Victoria Fringe Festival, Uno Fest: Canada’s Singular Live Theatre Event, and yearround presenters of contemporary live theatre at the Intrepid Theatre Club and Metro Studio.
mark your calendar:
Vining Street block party Vining Street is hosting its third annual block party and you’re invited! Come join us on Sunday September 12th for a full day of activities: Garage Sale: 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
(Pembroke, Gladstone, Vining, Grant, Balmoral, Fernwood, Stanley, Belmont and Begbie residences) Block Party: 1:30–8 p.m.
(live music, face painting, contests, food, beverages, silent auction, children’s activities, exhibits…) We’re closing down traffic on Vining, Stanley and Belmont Streets between Gladstone and Grant from noon to 8:30 p.m. so that the whole neighbourhood can come
and enjoy our free entertainment! Have a burger, dance with your neighbour, watch a puppet show and celebrate our vibrant community! This year the Vining Street Block Party begins a community initiative. Funds raised at our block party will support improvements to the tennis courts adjacent to Victoria High School. So come on out and help us make our community grow! We need volunteers to flip burgers and pitch in to make our event the best yet. For information or how you can help please contact VSB Party Coordinator Laurie Rubin at 250-995-2696 or email lrubin@shaw.ca. See you there!
Like the work of Fernwood NRG? Go to CanadaHelps.org and make a donation.
Denise Savoie Member of Parliament for Victoria
constituency office: 970 Blanshard Street Victoria, BC V8W 2H3 telephone: 363-3600 e-mail: Savoie.d@parl.gc.ca on the web: www.denisesavoie.ca
Your voice in Ottawa www.fernwoodnrg.ca
Summer 2010
villagevibe
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Scene in Fernwood : Festivals