December 2014 Village Vibe

December 2014

villagevibe News and views from the heart of Fernwood

Give the Gift of Good Food You can help make a difference in the life of a family in need

›› Mila Czemerys

T

he holiday season and the winter months can be a tough time for families struggling to make ends meet. That’s why I got really excited when I first heard about the Give the Gift of Good Food fundraiser. Fernwood NRG is creatively responding to their community’s call for support by focusing on a yearround campaign to provide fresh produce to families who need it.

Give the Gift of Good Food is back for its fourth year and needs your help.

The goal is to raise $4,500 to support ten families with one large Good Food Box every two weeks for one year. This is double the amount of giving from last year. The fundraiser focuses on supporting families who are in transition, have low incomes, single parents, or families who need support in meeting their nutritional needs.

All funds go directly towards providing a yearly supply of fruits and vegetables to families who may not otherwise have access to fresh, local produce.

Why is this fundraiser different than other holiday food drives?:

Hilary Mark is one of the long-time volunteers with the Good Food Box. A team of incredible volunteers works together every other week to pack

1. It provides fresh vegetable and fruits that are not accessible at most food banks.

Families accessing food banks generally receive non-perishable items. Our goal is to add nutritious produce to the equation.

2. Instead of a one-time food hamper, it provides food every 2 weeks for all of 2015.

This gift keeps giving the whole year.

3. Families who receive Good Food Boxes will pick-up their food with all other Good Food Box customers. They will not feel singled out or face stigma when collecting their gift.

We are hoping businesses, individuals, and community groups will join the campaign and take on the challenge of helping to raise $450 to provide one family with Good Food Boxes for all of 2015.

Every donation, big or small, helps make a difference. For example, an $18 donation

with every donation received. Photo: Britt Swoveland

Good Food Boxes and keep costs low for the program. Because of volunteers like Hilary, Fernwood NRG is able to provide more food for families

provides one family with one large Good Food Box. According to Victoria Vital Signs 2014, poverty is on the rise and the cost of food is increasing at double the rate of inflation. Further, 14% of households in Greater Victoria reported they were food insecure over the past 12 months. In the face of these statistics, it is empowering to know that as a community we do have the power to effect meaningful change. Until December 19th, you can donate to the Give the Gift of Good Food and ensure families have access to healthy, fresh produce.

The Good Food box was started 17 years ago by single moms and lower income families who wanted to bring local and organic produce to their community at

reduced cost by bulk purchasing. The program grew from 12 boxes a month to 250 boxes a month and is now accessed in the Greater Victoria area from Sooke to Sidney.

Fernwood NRG assumed responsibility for the operations of the Good Food Box program in 2012 and continues to provide affordable access to local and regional fruits and veggies.

If you want to get involved, there are 4 ways to donate: 1. Online with a simple click you can

contribute directly.

2. In-person at the Fernwood Community Centre.

3. By phone 250-381-1552 ext. 100.

4. Through our fundraising partners in Fernwood and beyond.

Throughout Fernwood Village there are donation boxes in participating small business. Be sure to visit Aubergine, Ca Va Bistro Moderne, The Local General Store, The Paint Box School of Art, Soma Active Health, STS RX Pharmacy, Studio 1313 Hair Design, Vegas Convenience Store, and Who Dyd Your Hair to donate.

Donations of $20 and over will receive a tax-deductible charitable donation receipt.

Fernwood NRG is raising funds until December 19th and the families receiving the Gift of Good Food will be notified on December 22nd.

For more info visit thegoodfoodbox.ca/ give-the-gift-of-good-food, email abby@ fernwoodnrg.ca, or call 250-381-1552.

Thank you for your contributions!

in this issue Buzz

Feature

Music Scene

Vic High Field Revitalization page 2

Victoria’s New Mayor page 4

cAthedrAls, Fernwood hip-hop page 6

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

editorial:

villagevibe

A sense of new possibility

Published by Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group Editorial Committee

Lee Herrin Hayley Evans

Matt Takach David Segal Founding Editor Lisa Helps

In the recent municipal election, turnout in

Contributors

Mila Czemerys Shannon K. Auringer Emmy-Lou McMillan Ben Clark Toni Hiatt

Lee Herrin Mark C. Dickerson Kate Wallace Jillian Player Margaret Hantiuk

Victoria grew 42% to 24,447. In total, 39% of eligible Victorians voted.

Art

Britt Swoveland Sam Gardener Jillian Player Margaret Hantiuk

Axel Bill Weaver Dani Proteau Breeze Photography

Production Mila Czemerys Contact us

1310 Gladstone Avenue Victoria, BC V8R 1S1 T 778.410.2497 F 250.381.1509 vibe@fernwoodnrg.ca www.villagevibe.ca To enquire about advertising in the Village Vibe, please contact ads@fernwoodnrg.ca The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily reflect the views of Fernwood NRG.

declaration of principles & values ››

We are committed to creating

neighbourhood;

neighbourhood control or

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

››

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

››

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

››

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

››

buzz:

Vic High Field Revitalization town meeting

›› Shannon K. Auringer

We are committed to ensuring

ownership of neighbourhood

››

Fernwood was no exception. If we allocate the advanced polls back to each neighbourhood on a pro rata basis, Fernwood’s turnout grew 46% to 2,231 ballots cast.

Higher turnout is a harbinger of electoral change. Rarely do people turn out in droves to support the status quo.

Although the vast majority (63%) of voters in Victoria did not support the incumbent Mayor, because of Victoria’s predilection for multi-contestant mayoral

publicly grateful for renewed investment in the Fernwood Community Centre.

There have been other improvements too. In the past three years it has been easier (but still not easy) to work with City Hall to try new things (a neighbourhood orchard) or to get help on important issues (opening our new out of school care program in the community centre).

This is a change I would like to see go a whole lot further, and I am optimistic it might: in my interview with Lisa Helps (see Feature: An Interview with Victoria’s New Mayor), she spoke about building stronger relationships with neighbourhoods and enabling real participation from neighbourhoods in setting civic priorities. To me, this sounds like Fernwood talk—which is not surprising since, to put it in the new Mayor’s words, “It’s a sense of new possibility that the Mayor is from Fernwood.”

Notes from the second

a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable

››

›› Lee Herrin

elections, it was an extremely close race.

Lisa Helps defeated Dean Fortin by 89 votes, or less than half of one percent of all ballots cast.

The race was close at most of the city polling stations. Lisa won the election handily in Fairfield, and nearly lost it again in Burnside-Gorge and Oaklands. Lisa beat Dean by only 50 votes in Fernwood (though Fernwood was least likely to vote for Ida Chong or any of the other candidates).

Just as mayors are different, each of a mayor’s administrations is different. Dean was first elected in 2008, one month after the collapse of the global economy. I took the job as Fernwood NRG’s Executive Director a year later, and my immediate sense was that there was little room to discuss civic investment in neighbourhoods. However, in the past three years (Dean’s second term), there was a significant shift and I have been

We are committed to governing our organization and serving our

As the second turnout of the Victoria High Field Revitalization town meeting began, there was a decent turn out of about twenty five residents. The three major issues left from the first meeting were addressed as follows: • The existing trees that are being removed will be replaced at a 2:1 ratio in areas unaffected by the field.

• Parking continues to be on the table as there is no land available solely for parking.

There are other options still being looked into and this will be discussed again at the next meeting.

• Lighting was discussed in depth in regards to how it will affect surrounding houses. Once the project is in the phase of lighting there will be a mock up made by

Site of future Vic High Multi-Purpose Sports Facility being discussed. Photo: Mila Czemerys

the lighting engineer and available to the public.

• Shared use will be addressed in the new year.

The Vic High alumni has already raised approximately $180,000 of the $250,000 committed amount. They are still actively applying for grants and expect that total

to be met. The City of Victoria will match the raised amount with an additional $250,000.

The committee invites anyone who would like to be involved in the process to attend the next meeting on December 2, 2014, between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., in the Vic High Auditorium.

neighbourhood democratically with a maximum of openness, inclusivity and kindness;

››

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

››

MARGARET HANTIUK GARDEN SERVICE SUSTAINABLE GARDENING

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

Pruning. Bedwork. Designs. Consults.

Senior-friendly

diversity;

››

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

››

and, most of all,

Email: mmhantiuk@shaw.ca Phone: 250.595.1684 Cell: 250.882.1929

We are committed to having fun!

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villagevibe

December 2014

News and views from the heart of Fernwood

buzz:

mark your calendar:

The Giving Tree

Owl Designer Fair

›› Mark C. Dickerson GardenWorks is always looking for ways to improve our relationship with the environment; one such way is the Giving Tree.

In 2010, I had heard about a program a

Giving Trees from past years of the program planted by Saanich Environmental Services.

Photo: Sam Gardener

tree farm in Portland was offering. They only sold live Christmas trees that they delivered to people’s homes. After Christmas, they picked up the trees and donated them to local organizations. I thought it was brilliant and wanted to offer something similar to the people of Victoria. My manager and I discussed the idea, and on that day the Giving Tree program was born.

I think the environmental aspect of the Giving Tree is the most important, and for that reason we offer a native Douglas fir.

The success of this program in the past has been in part due to the people that live in neighbourhoods like Fernwood, Farifield, and Vic West. The program is the perfect fit for people who are environmentally conscience and have small lots. This year, GardenWorks Saanich has 65 trees for the program, and I expect (again) the majority will go to people that are environmentally conscience with no place to plant a live tree.

We are happy to be able to offer the trees this year to Saanich & Esquimalt’s Urban Forestry strategies.

For more info about the Giving Tree, call 250-721-2140, email mdickerson@ gardenworks.ca, or stop by GardenWorks Saanich at 4290 Blenkinsop Road.

george jay:

Holiday Emporium taking donations George Jay Elementary School’s annual Holiday Emporium is back

›› Kate Wallace The holidays can be an expensive time for all families in every neighbourhood.

The Holiday Emporium is a way kids feel like they can contribute by purchasing good items for a very low cost. It builds confidence and community.

We are asking community members to donate new or lightly used good quality items to George Jay Elementary School.

Parents will organize it all in the gym so that on Emporium Day all kids come down to the gym and go shopping for their family and friends. All items are $1, and all kids can buy up to four presents. If there are any items that clearly should be sold at a higher price, we open our doors at the end of the school day to the adults of the school, to come and shop for their families. They can get the $1 stuff or the more expensive items.

Due to seismic upgrades at George Jay Elementary school, donations of lightly used or new goods can be brought to Richmond School at 2780 Richmond Road. We will be accepting donations from December 1 until December 17.

www.fernwoodnrg.ca

We always need dad stuff; you know how hard it is to buy stuff for dad! We also need baby things, as well as household items, bath and beauty, books, music, DVDs—you name it, we’ll take it.

We stress that although items are sold cheap, the items themselves should be clean and not broken. And please, no Christmasstyle decorations. We will also take wrapping paper, tape, tissue paper, and small to medium boxes. Part of the service is that we wrap presents for the kids so the parents and siblings really do get a surprise!

Proceeds from this event go directly back to the school for field trips and cultural events like Multicultural Day!

The Owl Designer Fair draws crowds from all over the City of Victoria. Lucky you, it’s happening just around the corner at the Fernwood Community Centre. Photo: Mila Czemerys

›› Emmy-Lou McMillan The Owl Designer Fair is back on December 5 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and December 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Fernwood Community Centre, 1240 Gladstone Avenue.

Over 40 of the city’s best artists and designers are bringing handmade gifts for all ages. Many of the yearly favourites will be there, along with a batch of newcomers with fresh new designs including fine woodworking, home decor, fashions for all ages, Waldorf-inspired toys, home decor, cozy knits, original art, jewelry, leatherwork, upcycled handbags, soaps and lotions, and so much more!

Partake in one of the free craft work-

shops hosted by The Make House, Craft School of Art, and Mirabeans. Workshops are free and first come, first serve by a signup sheet. Enjoy live tunes from some of Victoria’s most talented, with Mark Ednie, My Friend West, Marvin Thiele, Shauna Janz, Brett Wildeman, and Auto Jansz. Have warm drinks and tasty eats from Red Wagon Espresso and Deadbeetz food truck. Enter to win the famous Owl sampler gift basket filled with creative goodies from the vendors.

Support your friends and neighbours by shopping locally and give gifts of handmade goodness this holiday season. Admission is $3 per adult at the door. Partial proceeds go to Fernwood NRG. For more information, check out www. facebook.com/owldesignerfair.

oaklands news:

Focusing our energy Oaklands seeks to leverage neighbourhood action with a new plan

›› Ben Clark Over the last two years the Oaklands Community Association has been developing a new strategic plan for our organization. With so much growth and new enthusiastic staff at the centre, we wanted to harness all of the positive energy and focus on some key priorities.

We approached the process using the lens of a triple bottom line that incorporates the environmental, social, and economic good in Oaklands.

Now, if the idea of a planning document does not excite you, you are definitely not alone. The reason that many of us become and stay engaged in our community is not to

develop rules and policies, but to see positive change on our streets and throughout our neighbourhood.

This is exactly why we are excited to adopt this five-year strategic plan and turn the page to the next chapter of action. Our neighbourhood has seen some tangible projects recently, with the refresh of Oswald Park, installation of outdoor exercise equipment along the new Shakespeare Greenway path, and traffic calming on Haultain Street. We hope to continue this momentum into 2015 with a number of new initiatives.

It is an exciting time in our community, and there are opportunities to be a part of the action on our board of directors and by volunteering for special events. If you are looking for a great way to get involved, drop by the Oaklands Community Centre, or check out www.oaklandscommunitycentre.com for more information.

December 2014

villagevibe

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feature:

An Interview with Victoria’s New Mayor On November 26, the Village Vibe caught up with Victoria’s new Mayor, Lisa Helps, to hear her views on neighbourhoods, villages and the significance of being from Fernwood

›› Lee Herrin VV: What do you love most about living in Fernwood?

LH: The feeling of connectedness. I go to get my groceries at Aubergine and I know Leon and I have a long conversation—I know the people who own the pub, who run the coffee shop...it’s where I get my hair cut. I guess what I love most is the real village feel.

VV: You served on Fernwood NRG’s Board of Directors from just before we purchased the Cornerstone Building up to when we opened Park Place on Yukon Street. What role did your time on the Board play in terms of your determination to run for Council and then Mayor?

LH: Being Mayor is like being on the Board of Directors, but on a larger scale.

It’s the same principles: it’s bringing people together, forming a common vision and taking action. One of the things that was solidified for me in the neighbourhood was the importance of our village centre, in particular, what can happen if a small group of people come together to work on revitalization. Now, as the Mayor, I’ve got a large group of people and many village centres to be responsible for. So it laid the groundwork for my understanding of the importance of connectedness and community and taking collective action. Everyone

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villagevibe

Lisa Helps in her campaign office on election night, November 15, 2014, waiting for the election results. Photo: Bill Weaver

talks about building community, but we actually built community in Fernwood.

a real leader in urban sustainability and urban planning.

connectedness and belonging—everyone wants to belong.

VV: What do you think the people of Victoria will be most surprised to learn about you through your time as Mayor?

VV: Some people call Victoria “the city of gardens.” I prefer to think of Victoria as “the city of villages.” In your vision for the City of Victoria, how important are neighbourhoods and villages?

VV: What policy changes do you think are needed in order that Victoria’s villages will thrive into the future?

LH: That I’m more than a chicken farmer. Part of the reason for the tight vote is that people have a hard time categorizing me—the mayor can be an urban farmer and a CEO at the same time. That’s something people aren’t used to, so I think that’s something that will surprise people: the ability that I have to lead the city.

VV: Four years from now, how will Victoria be different?

LH: I think there will be a feeling that we are all “us”—City Hall will be everybody’s City Hall, there won’t be an “inside” and an “outside,” an “us” and a “them.” We will see fewer vacancies downtown, more local businesses, and village centres where there is economic activity and redevelopment.

I would also like to see the City become

December 2014

LH: Critically, critically important.

We are a city of villages. And, villages are challenging. The Official Community Plan was organized around the concept of strong village centres, but strong village centres have greater density and more commercial activity, and there can be opposition to that.

That will be the biggest challenge in implementing the Official Community Plan—it sounds nice to say “I want a village,” but what does that mean in the 21st century?

It means more density, it means thinking about creative ways that redevelopment can happen with less parking. I think villages are critical not just to the economies of neighbourhoods, but to the sense of

LH: I don’t think it is so much policy changes that are needed as it is an attitude change. We need to empower neighbourhood organizations and others to be more proactive, to give them the resources they need to do transportation planning, or redevelopment…we need to better resource the organizations that are leading in the villages. When a neighbourhood organization comes to City Hall and says “we want to plant a neighbourhood orchard,” or “we want to plant a community garden,” or, “we want to redevelop our building,” or, “we want to start a new child care program,” we say “Awesome! How can we help you do that?”

It’s really more of an attitude change than a policy change.

News and views from the heart of Fernwood

VV: What investments are needed to ensure a bright future for our villages?

LH: Today, we do a poor job of this. I’d like to know from neighbourhoods what types of investments they need—this is where we move toward more participatory democracy and participatory budgeting. If we can build a better relationship with the neighbourhoods, we will have a strong foundation when we move into participatory budgeting to say “What do you need in your neighbourhood?

Sidewalks? Crosswalks? Playgrounds?” I think that is the exciting opportunity to establish a participatory budgeting process where each neighbourhood says “This is how we would like money spent in our neighbourhood over the next several years.”

build a prosperous city. We need to treat you as partners and we need to organize our resources at City Hall so that they are not just easy for neighbourhood serving organizations to access, but so there is a program to help you achieve your aims.

VV: On election night, you said to me: “The Mayor is from Fernwood.” What is the significance of that statement to you?

LH: I think that Fernwood is seen as “grassroots” or “alternative.” You say “Fernwood” and people get a particular image in their mind. You say “Fairfield” and they get a different image, or “James Bay” and they get a different image still.

This is the strength of our city—each village has its own character. It says a lot to me

Victoria’s new Mayor, Lisa Helps, is no stranger to hard work. She is seen here giving direction to volunteers during the renovation of the Cornerstone Building in 2005. Photo: Fernwood NRG

VV: What role can the City play to strengthen neighbourhoods and neighbourhood serving organizations?

LH: We need to see neighbourhoods and neighbourhood serving organizations as partners: partners in helping us build strong villages; partners in helping us

about the direction the city is going. It says a lot about a new energy that is bubbling up around creativity and innovation. It’s a symbol of change—the mayor is a lot of things the mayor hasn’t been before. It’s a sense of new possibility that the Mayor is from Fernwood.

Looking for space

for an upcoming event?

Check out The Fernwood Community Center Great for private functions; events; anniversaries; birthdays; holiday celebrations; fundraisers; workshops; group meetings; sports; craft and other fairs; exercise, music, or art classes Gym: 167 person capacity Studio: 25 person capacity Multi-purpose Room: 30 person capacity Contact us for availability and pricing! ph: 381-1552 // email: info@fernwoodnrg.ca

www.fernwoodnrg.ca

Tom Burton

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tomburtoncounselling.com 1921 Fernwood Road, near the Cornerstone Cafe

250-889-5638

December 2014

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artist’s aside:

Deirdre Kelly, artist and activist ›› Jillian Player Deirdre Kelly is a long-time resident, artist, and social activist in Fernwood. She was one of the original members of the Mitraniketan Housing Co-op; eventually, she and her family settled into their current home on Pembroke Street.

Among her many social interests, Deirdre has been a longstanding member of the Fernwood-based Central America Support Committee. Recently, she coordinated an art show at the Community Arts Council, exhibiting solidarity posters, with the proceeds going to help a cause in Central America.

She has a small studio in her backyard, overlooking a pond and garden. From that studio, Deirdre’s paintings flow out and into her home, filling the walls with beautiful colours and images.

Deirdre’s history in art-making goes back over twenty years, starting in the form

Deirdre Kelly in her studio in Fernwood. Photo: Jillian Player

of silent retreats during which she would only draw. Her first foray into structured art education was through extension classes in photography at the Victoria College of Art. That led to a diploma in fine arts.

Deirdre’s paintings are complex and dream-

like. She tackles big issues but keeps her interpretations buoyant, with images of children playing and women dancing in whimsical settings. The colours are vivid and compelling, and very reminiscent of Chagall.

Recently, Deidre journeyed to Japan, where she felt safe to be alone at night to explore cities by herself, which led to a new freedom of artistic expression. This inspiration led her to a workshop focusing on how to create a business plan. What she came away with was a new direction and intention—she realized that her purpose was to make art, travel internationally, and help others. This summer she helped produce a photography exhibit for visiting Japanese artist Toshiyasu Sajita.

Inspiration is always present at the heart of Deirdre’s life, whether in art, activism, or community engagement. Deirdre’s work can be seen at the Gage Gallery. She is a member of the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria (CAC) and a longstanding participant of the Fernwood Art Stroll. Deirdre’s artwork can be found on Facebook at Deirdre Kelly Fine Arts or she can be contacted at deirdrekelly@shaw.ca to arrange a studio visit.

music scene:

cAthedrAls Fernwood hip-hop group inspired by our neighbourhood’s spooky side

›› Toni Hiatt On the Halloween evening of 2013, the three members of the future hip-hop project cAthedrAls joined other neighbourhood folk around the warm glow of the annual Fernwood Community Bonfire. Exactly one year to the day, the trio, made up of Harold Hejazi (MC Magicus Carpetus), Toni Hiatt, and Dan Godlovitch (OKPK), have released their debut 6-song self-titled EP. The majority of the EP was recorded and mastered in the home-studio of OKPK, a few blocks from Fernwood Square. All having inhabited Fernwood at various

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villagevibe

CAthedrAls, including (left to right) Dan Godlovitch, Harold Hejazi, and Toni Hiatt on Halloween night 2013 in front of Vic High. Photo: Dani Proteau

points during the album’s creation, they share a strong kinship to the neighborhood, which fosters the growth, artistic and otherwise, of its community members.

Through textured beats, carefully crafted

December 2014

lyrics, and ethereal vocals, the album guides listeners through spectrums of light and dark, exploring the roles of these dualities in the human experience.

Everything found on the EP can be

traced back to that memorable night, when after the bonfire they set off into the misty night with photographer-friend Dani Proteau, to snap some Halloween-inspired group photos. There is something very inspiring about living in Canada’s most haunted and supernatural city. Anyone who has taken a walk through Victoria at night will be able to hear that haunting experience in cAthedrAls’ sounds. Crossreference the historic buildings and spooky history, with modern day musings on magic, spirituality, and consciousness, and you end up with this album.

CAthedrAls would like to acknowledge Fernwood for being part of their process.

From vibrant community members, to spooky bonfires, and ever-flowing Cornerstone coffee, they could not have done it without you.

You can hear the EP at soundcloud. com/cathedralssound and contact them at cathedralssound@gmail.com.

News and views from the heart of Fernwood

garden gleanings:

Rainwater collection and storage ›› Margaret Hantiuk With our rainy winters, local gardeners soon find out that there is not really a water shortage here; but with our dry summers, we do need lots of water, and the issue is a storage problem. The ideal solution is a large cistern (100 gallon minimum) hooked up to your roof downspouts. It is astonishing how much water is shed off a roof in our winter rains. If a large cistern is not an option, then several rain barrels hooked up to your downspouts or a series hooked up together to a main downspout can store a surprising amount of rainwater.

When setting up a larger collection system (over 100 gallons), it is worth checking out the NPC (national plumbing code) and the municipal bylaws. These are presently being reviewed and updated in Victoria. There is a credit on the table for homeowners who collect rainwater instead of letting it run into the storm water system. Storm water runoff can overwhelm the city infrastructure and is full of contaminants, but allowing rainwater to seep down through the soil structure filters it while increasing the groundwater for tree roots (www.victoria.ca/stormwater).

A small pump—there are solar-powered ones—can be set up to run an irrigation system or hoses and sprinklers off your rain barrels. Pumps are more efficient than a gravity-fed system, which works for short distances only. The barrels must be enclosed so that mosquitos do not have entry, and so it is safe for children and pets. An overflow valve or a proper downspout connection kit is necessary so that the excess can be siphoned off, preventing backflow. If you have a large system, the bylaws may require you to hook it up to the storm sewer for your overflow. Large cisterns might require a permit and extra insurance. Be careful to not allow drainage near basement windows, doors, or your neighbours! In the fall, before the winter rains appear, clean out the system.

Stability is vital; usually barrels are elevated on a concrete pad or 6” of compacted road base gravel. Brace them if necessary. One litre of water requires about

Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’. Photo: Margaret Hantiuk

one kg of support, so they are best left on the ground.

If collecting off of a roof, ensure that there are no lead gutter strips, moss killers, treated wood, or new asphalt shingles if you are planning to irrigate a food garden (these things are otherwise okay for lawns and ornamentals). Filters, which work for bio-toxins but not for heavy metals, are available, and screens are needed to keep out debris.

Another option for collecting rainwater is to avoid impermeable paving materials such as concrete and asphalt. Rather, use ½” screened gravel or wood chips for garden paths and pavers or gravel for driveways and walkways.

Building a swale or rain garden is another option for collecting rainwater.

Different than lined ponds, a rain garden is simply a shallow depression lined with permeable materials such as rock, plants, and compost. Rainwater collects naturally and is filtered as it seeps back into the soil. They can be planted attractively with bog plants.

There are many retail outlets that now sell everything you need to set up a good rainwater collection system, and there are professionals that can help you set it up. Check out Canarm’s professional association at www.canarm.org.

Hey Fernwood Artists & Artisans, If you are interested in opening your studio to the public, to show and sell your work, please contact: Margaret Hantiuk, 250-595-1684, mmhantiuk@shaw.ca.

We will be meeting soon to organize the 2015 Fernwood Art Stroll (usually the third week of June). www.fernwoodartstroll.ca

www.fernwoodnrg.ca

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Scene in Fernwood : Autumn in the air

Photos: Breeze Photography