villagevibe Photos: Sharon Tiffi n
Photo: Veronique da Silva
April 2007 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood
Fresh in Fernwood
Suzuki rides again >> by Susi Porter-Bopp
and what our politicians are saying. “I know that Canadians like to think of ourselves as good global hy are our collective actions so citizens. We need to tell our governments that this is different from our collective beliefs? what we want our role to be.” According to the World Wildlife Starting in Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Suzuki Fund’s 2006 Living Planet Report Canadians have visited more than 40 communities and thousands of the fourth largest ecological footprint in the world. Canadians in each province during the 30-day tour We are amongst the most unsustainable creatures before taking those concerns and ideas to Ottawa this planet has ever seen – and, with Australia and in early March. At every stop, supporters were the US, part of what environmentalists recently encouraged to make 20-second “If YOU were Prime labelled an ecological “axis of evil.” British author Minister…” videos and upload them to the tour’s and Guardian Weekly columnist George Monbiot youtube group through davidsuzuki.org. In Victoria, passes a damning judgement in the foreword to the the 71-year old biked the final few kilometres of Canadian edition of his most recent book, Heat: the tour from the Inner Harbour to Mile Zero with How to Stop the Planet From Burning: “You think about 20 other cyclists and an escort of bicycle police of yourselves as a liberal and enlightened people, before heading to the sold-out event. The event was and my experience seems to confirm that. But you jointly hosted by Fernwood NRG, the Sierra Club could scarcely do more to destroy the biosphere if of Canada (BC Chapter), and the BC Sustainable you tried.” Energy Association. Why do we suffer from this doublethink? “This IS the moment,” Suzuki repeated What can get us past it? throughout his talk. “We are the most numerous Canadian scientist, television personality, and mammal in the world. We have become a new kind environmental activist, David Suzuki, has wondered of force on the earth - what I call a superspecies. And the same thing. He put this question to Victorians for the first time in history, we have to ask ourselves: at the final stop on his “If YOU Were Prime ‘what is the collective impact of 6.5 billion of us?’” Minister what would you do for the environment?” Suzuki encouraged the audience to start by writing to cross-country marathon on February 28th. “What Prime Minister Harper and asking him to commit to people tell me they’re concerned with bears so little meeting the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. resemblance to what the politicians are talking While critics have pointed to Suzuki’s lack about,” he told a captivated audience of nearly 900 at of a truly systemic critique of the failure of the the First Metropolitan United Church in Fernwood. environmental movement, he is an inspiring and For Suzuki the answer is clear: there needs to be a “re- often empowering mobiliser. The tour marked a shift connection” between what Canadians are saying from the Suzuki Foundation’s focus on
W
– continued on page 4
>> by Joseph Avi Lambert Mom’s Market has just opened one block from the corner of Fernwood and Gladstone where so much has been happening. Mom’s takes over the space from Sam Kwan, who ran the store for 15 years. The building, which sits at the corner of Stanley and Gladstone, has consistently housed a family-run business since it was built in 1907. Tracey Maguire is Mom, and she comes by the title legitimately. She is the mother of six children ranging in age from almost five to 27. Two of her children will be helping her at the store – her daughter Corrine at the till, and her youngest son Cullen, will be the stock boy. Her other children are Carmel, Carolyn and Katie and you’re bound to see them helping out around the Market as well. Pop is Tony Maguire. He tells me lots of people call Tracey mom – from her children’s friends to people
– continued on page 7
in this issue Dogs in the Hood Page 3 Feature: Giving a hoot about endangered species Page 4 Real Estate: It’s smart to buy in Fernwood Page 6
Seeing is believing
On my way into the Student Union Building (SUB) at UVic today, a guy handed me a newspaper with a handbill attached. “Old growth forest protest,” he said, “tomorrow, noon at the leg.” Walking through the SUB I stopped to glance at the newspaper headlines at Subtext, “Sewage treatment,” jumped out from the front page of the Times Colonist. Logging old growth forests, water pollution, species extinction, and climate change ... another editorial about the environment? Not exactly … more of an editorial about ‘seeing is believing’, about the primacy that humans give to seeing as a way – as the only way – of knowing. Unless we can see the problem or its effects we are not inspired to action, often times until it is too late. Take climate change. Environmentalists have been warning about the detriment of carbon emissions for some time now. But no one really listened the way people seem to be now. Why? Because we couldn’t see the effects. This winter we could see the signs everywhere. Twelve degrees Celsius in Toronto in late November and snow on the ground in Victoria. Wind and snow storms that
declaration of principles and values We are committed to creating a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable neighbourhood; We are committed to ensuring neighbourhood control or ownership of neighbourhood institutions and assets; We are committed to using our resources prudently and to becoming financially self-reliant; We are committed to the creation and support of neighbourhood employment; We are committed to engaging the dreams, resources, and talents of our neighbours and to fostering new links between them; We are committed to taking action in response to neighbourhood issues, ideas, and initiatives; We are committed to governing our organization and serving our neighbourhood democratically with a maximum of openness, inclusivity and kindness; We are committed to developing the skills, capacity, self-worth, and excellence of our neighbours and ourselves; We are committed to focusing on the future while preserving our neighbourhood’s heritage and diversity; We are committed to creating neighbourhood places that are vibrant, beautiful, healthy, and alive; and, most of all, We are committed to having fun!
brought down old-growth trees in Stanley Park. Proof of climate change right before our very eyes. This hasn’t always been the case, this seeing is believing. Historian Robert Romanyshyn traces the beginning of modern consciousness to Renaissance Florence and the advent of linear perspective drawing, which prescribed the geometrical rules for representing the illusion of three-dimensional space on flat two-dimensional surfaces. This mode of representation, he says, “is a prescription for vision which invites the viewer to look upon the world as if he or she were fixed and immobile on this side of a window.” This window-effect creates a boundary between the onlooker and the world and is an “invitation not only to keep an eye upon the world, but to lose touch with it.” So while we’re addressing climate change because we can finally see the impact of our behaviours, what is sneaking up as the next global challenge? How can we (re)invigorate old ways of knowing – smell, touch, taste, gut feeling, connectedness to the world – and anticipate the next greatest calamity … before it happens?
Photo: Veronique da Silva
editorial :
Fernwood Strolls >> by Blanche Black Karen Skowron has been strolling in Fernwood for the past 15 years. At first the walks were her own personal experience of the here and now in nature. Over time the mental notes became data and a representation of her own personal journey. She found herself paying attention, slowing down, and feeling her senses alive in nature. Karen decided to write the book Fernwood Strolls to share her feelings of being a part of nature that is everywhere. Karen has a deep understanding of connectiveness in her life, a willingness to participate and being present in the moment. “There is so much out there,” she says, “all aspects of nature, human and otherwise. It’s a way of seeing, feeling, being. It builds on itself and you crave it more.” Her clothes are distinctive as she is also an artist who specializes in fibre. You will recognize her in the magnificent cloaks and hats she designs and sews or knits for herself. And she welcomes company. So she is inviting you to come and join her on a stroll through Fernwood April 26th. Meet at the Corner Stone Cafe at 2:00pm and enjoy a walk in nature with Karen in our own little berg.
Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | April 2007
follow up : Food >> by Jane Worton A Neighbourhood Food Action Planning Process In 2005, the Fernwood NRG board set an overarching focus of their work to address urban sustainability issues, including food security. Since then, they have been working on food security and connecting with other groups in the neighbourhood and the city with similar interests. How is food security an issue in Fernwood? First of all, many people in our community struggle with accessing healthy food. Let me run a few stats by you: Fernwood is a mixed income neighbourhood, with a higher incidence of part year or part time workers. The average resident’s income, at $23,746, is $3,500 less per year than the city wide average. Two in five (41%) residents earn less than $15,000 per year and about 29% of households live below the poverty line. About two thirds of the homes are rented, and about 42% of households are paying more than 30% for rent. Money for higher rent often comes out of household food budgets. Renters also have less access to garden space. Food security is about a lot more than access to healthy food, but for many social groups the entry point into talking about food is access. Fernwood NRG’s understanding of food security is that it is integral to basic needs and nutrition, as well as a means to strengthen the social fabric (community dinners and neighbour gardens), increase financial self reliance (slow food and gardening) supporting sustainability by reconnecting people back to the earth and the process of growing and making food. Fernwood NRG had this kind of information in mind when, in the spring of 2006, they sought funding from the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) to develop a Community Food Action Plan based on consultations with residents. Through the project: a survey was conducted of Fernwood residents about their access to food; a listing of around 30 food resources was compiled a vision of food security was agreed upon a community food action plan was developed. The survey found: 90% reported that it was often true that the food they bought just didn’t last, and they didn’t have the money to buy more; 95% reported that it was often true that they couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals in the past year (balanced meals being nutritious and usually including something from all 4 groups in Canada’s Food Guide). A common theme amongst those surveyed was the frustration with access to healthy fruits and vegetables Where to from here? The Community Food Action Plan developed three key strategies: 1. Increasing the supply of locally grown food. 2. Increasing the demand for locally grown food and 3. Strengthening the neighbourhood network processes and structures that make food accessible. Funding is currently being sought for specific project ideas within these three strategies, including: Making the Good Food Box sustainable; Documenting what anecdotal evidence shows, that purchasing power for people receiving income assistance or the Canada Pension Plan is limited given timing of grocery sales to be outside of the week government cheques are received; One on one coaching / mentorship for people looking to begin food gardening in backyards (building on intergenerational links); Increased uptake of the LifeCycles Sharing Backyards program; Workshops for preserving food inexpensively and with low sugar and preservatives including freezing, cold storage, making jam and canned fruit. Discussions on consolidating and expanding food security initiatives in Fernwood continue. Look for in-depth coverage of the March 31st Fernwood NRG luncheon gathering on Food Security in May’s Village Vibe.
VillageVibe
What for you is the first sign of spring in Fernwood? views from the street : Views photos: Veronique da Silva
(From people busy at the Fernwood NRG Recycling Depot in early March)
Sarah Thornton
Rodney Malham
Laura Skeith
“The birds! I love the birds. It seems like all of a sudden you hear all these different birdcalls. And watching the raccoons fighting outside my window last night! I just moved to Fernwood. This is great!”
“Certain bulbs that I know will be coming up – the snow drops first, then crocuses and then the daffs. And the trees all in flower! You can smell the perfume from the trees everywhere you go!”
Dogs in the Hood >> by Joseph Avi Lambert
Photo: Veronique da Silva
After four months of volunteer dog walking at the SPCA, my partner and I decided to adopt. Daisy is a sweet young pooch, an SPCA special mixed breed Rottie. Back at home exploring the parks around the neighborhood I realized Fernwood is a great place for a dog. Being a new dog owner has opened my eyes to a new way of looking at the lay of the land. I realized, for instance, that Alexander park, at the corner of Walnut and Oregon streets is our official off-leash dog park. Alexander Park has an inviting flat diagonal lawn devoted to off-leash use. The off-leash/on-leash zones are separated by a concrete path that cuts the park in half. A new playground sits near the south entrance. And I can attest to the fact that there is plenty of room for numerous dogs to socialize and tumble around. However, some issues have been raised by dog owners about Alexander Park. “It’s difficult arranging my schedule around the hours,” Kath Grahn, the owner of a ball-fixated pointer said. Several dog owners I talked with also mentioned that the off-leash hours could be better. Luckily, the hours are being expanded in the near future. Pam Grant, who is the Chairwoman of the Dogs in Parks Steering Committee which helped secure the
VillageVibe
“The flowering trees along Ridge Street! The gorgeous pink blossoms, the fragrance! I love it!”
bohemian buzz
legislation for the Paws in Parks program, said the “[hour changes] should happen within a few weeks.” Lisa Hitch, a local dog owner said, “It’s next to impossible to keep [dogs] out of the playground.” The park also does not have a complete perimeter fence, and as a result, dogs are able to run into the playground or clear across the street when they are in the mood. “If we receive feedback from neighbours that something needs to be done,” Grant said, “then we would be happy to try to get it fixed.” She told me most of the feedback the Dogs in Parks Committee receives is negative. In order for beneficial changes in dog parks to happen, the Committee and the City need to hear positive feedback. This will also send the message to the City that the pilot progam should get the green light to continue. Hitch said she walks her dog at least twice a day and she and her furry friend are going either to Alexander park or to Dallas road. If we’re going to do our part to reduce our ecological footprint, going to the local dog park is a good place to start. The issues are small compared to the benefits of the dog park, and many people I talked with said the same thing. It is a great place for dogs to socialize and for owners to meet their neighbors. The best avenue for contacting the city is via the feedback link on the victoria.ca/dogs page.
>> by Kasper In modern usage, the term ‘bohemian’ can describe any person who lives an unconventional artistic life, where self-expression is the highest value – that art (acting, poetry, writing, singing, dancing, painting etc) is a serious and main focus of their life. Buzz, a feeling of mild intoxication (usually happy). (from wikipedia.org)
How cool is the Fernwood neighbourhood? Let me pose this question to you ... How cool is the Ferwnood neighbourhood? In fact, the question is so wonderfully rhetorical and inherently understated that it warrants repetition ... How cool is the Fernwood neighbourhood? So, for this edition of the Village Vibe, instead of hitting you on the head with the fact that the Cornerstone Café hosts wonderful live entertainment every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening ... and the fact that the community centre at 1240 Gladstone Avenue hosts popular drop-in sports programs every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (and soon on Sunday) ... and instead of letting you know that Fernwood NRG is putting a call out to Fernwood musicians so that we can put together a third ... yes, third Fernwood CD … instead of telling you all this, I would like to simply request your answer to the following question:How cool is the Fernwood neighbourhood? Email your answers to: james@ fernwoodneighbourhood.ca and provide a short story or list of reasons, no more than a paragrah in length. The Top 10 answers will be printed in next month’s Bohemian Buzz, and the top 3 answers will earn you a Fernwood CD and a free beverage from Cornerstone Café. I look forward to your answers!
April 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3
Giving a hoot about endangered species habitat feature :
>> by Bobby Arbess
Astoundingly, the volume of timber extraction in the remnant old-growth habitat of the Spotted Owl has actually increased lately under the B.C.
Y
ou’d think nobody in the upper echelons of either the federal
Timber Sales Program, in which the provincial government, believe it or not,
or provincial governments was giving too much of a hoot
is now the largest logger of Spotted Owl habitat. This puts the Campbell
about the old-growth forest habitat of the majestic Northern
government in a serious conflict of interest position of directly profiting from
Spotted Owl. As of the last official count conducted last
the destruction of endangered species habitat it is entrusted to protect.
year, there were only six mating pairs left in the wild coastal temperate rainforest of the southwestern corner of the British Columbia mainland.
The provincial government is opting instead for a recovery plan that favors
As a result of decades of unsustainable logging, their population has
captive breeding of Spotted Owls over habitat protection, with no stand-
declined dramatically from 100 to 17 owls since 1990, giving them the
alone legislation to protect endangered species. The Federal Species at Risk
unfortunate distinction of being the most endangered bird species in Canada.
Fernwood resident Paloma Callo, age 8, asked me one day if the Spotted Owl was extinct yet.
Spotted Owls are classified as endangered throughout their range from California to British Columbia. They are
Act (SARA), many years in the waiting, only applies to lands under federal
vulnerable to the effects of logging because they require large tracts of
jurisdiction. These comprise only 1% of B.C. land base. Where SARA is
undisturbed, structurally diverse old-growth forests with varied aged and
applicable, critical decisions still remain as to which species are endangered
sized trees, where they find food and shelter. The owls nest in branch
enough to warrant protection, decisions which are made at the discretion of
cavities in large trees, require continuous shade and feed on flying
the Minister of the Environment.
squirrels which are part of a food chain beginning with underground mushrooms known as truffles that only spawn in old-growth forests.
So when Fernwood resident Paloma Callo, age 8, asked me one day “if the
Their exceptionally short wings are an evolutionary adaptation to enable
Spotted Owl was extinct yet?” it dawned on me that we can’t be the kind
them to navigate amidst the multiple layers of an old-growth forest
of parents that teach our kids that the world is a TV show we passively sit
canopy allowing them to escape predators and capture their prey.
around watching and doing nothing about. We must empower ourselves and our kids in the process of getting involved in the act of repairing our world.
Suzuki
| from page 1
individual actions to what should be the deeply political challenge of wrangling real action out of the institutions where collective change might occur. “Canada is a great democracy, but the process fails if we just complain about issues, without doing anything,” says Suzuki. “If Canadians really want environmental change, now is the time to demand it because with so much support, our leaders will have to listen. This tour is not an endpoint, it is only the beginning.” Ride on, Suzuki!
The Inconvenient Truth
The Rest of Victoria May Walk …
and the Opportunity
Fernwood Strolls by Karen Skowron
Thursday April 19th 7:30pm Fernwood Community Centre 1240 Gladstone Free Admission
Page 4 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | April 2007
Available at She Said Gallery Fernwood Square
VillageVibe
My answer to Paloma was that if she cared enough to ask, which indeed she
“Gordon Campbell do you really give a hoot/About the Spotted Owl/The
does, we couldn’t let that happen without a struggle. We must refuse to accept
Spotted Owl there aren’t very many/Keep cutting old-growth and there won’t
the terrible things that are happening to our world: homelessness, climate
be any...” After which Campbell muses to the same tune: “I’m Gordon Campbell
disasters, species extinction, war, as inevitable and normal expressions of human
and do I really give a hoot/ About anything else than corporate profit” to which
nature, which they are neither.
he mumbles under his breath: “I’d say, probably not.”
Children are literally the future of humanity and have a right to a meaningful
A group of twenty families, with bikes and strollers, gathered under the
voice in matters that affect their world. With the Spotted owls as canary in the
splendid giant Sequio across from the Petting Zoo in Beacon Hill park with
ecosystem coalmine, indicators of a world that is coming apart at its seams as
seventeen little owl masks representing the last Spotted Owls in the wild here
the industrial-capitalist paradigm shows itself to be totally unsustainable and morally bankrupt, kids, within the vitally important protective boundaries of their innocence, must be empowered. Hence, Parents and Children of the Earth (PACE) was born with the mandate of fostering our children’s innate zestful love of the natural world, which we see every time they have the opportunity to dig in the compost pile, run in the woods, collect sticks, hide in the bushes, explore tidal pools, or catch water bugs at the edge of the river. PACE aims to empower ourselves and our kids in making our love of nature something that is heard, celebratory of a life-affirming vision, public and influential. Enter Esther Callo, Paloma’s hard-working mom, and niece of the legendary burly old, old-growth forest activist and ex-logger Jim Gillespie who in the fifties parked his logging truck on the Legislature lawn to protest the large-scale corporate forest tenures which put control of the most biologically productive
in B.C., our puppet show, banners, animal costumes and MP3 recordings
public forests into the hands of a few emerging transnationals, to the inevitable
of the Spotted Owl and Raffi’s “Turn the World Around” and set off on our
demise of forests, salmon streams, wildlife and jobs. Jim took a stand for the
parade to the opening of the legislature.
ancient Douglas fir forests of Nahmint valley before passing away in his late eighties a couple of years ago. While Esther didn’t know her uncle well, the fire
When we got there we immediately converged with the military procession
for organizing and taking a stand for wild nature is in her blood and is being
of cadets with bayonets marching like a hundred tin soldiers to swear in
passed onto her kids who inspired us to action.
the Honourable Premier on his long red carpet. Beating our drums and chanting “Save the Spotted Owls, Save their ancient forests,” and “Owls
She and I quickly hatched a plan to take the kids down to the Legislature on
not Guns,” our kids had the opportunity to communicate our impassioned
a kid-friendly parade for endangered species legislation, Spotted Owls, the
concerns directly to the Premier. He stood so far away from the
dwindling ancient forests of Southern B.C. and other old-growth dependent
assembly of other citizens who were quarantined into a roped off section
wildlife at risk from habitat loss, the Marbled Murrelets and Mountain Caribou
half-way to the sidewalk at the front of the legislature lawns, that he
to name a couple.
too looked like a tin soldier, standing stiffly and remotely, as we pierced the silence between he and us with shouts and jeers, before the cannons
I made two large puppets, one of the Spotted Owl and the other Gordo the
sounded and some of our kids got scared and started crying and we gathered
Clown, Premier of British Columbia. We rehearsed a musical puppet show in
up our props and puppets and placards and people and went home.
which the owl, played by Paloma, challenges the premier to exert his political power to save the Spotted Owls from extinction. To the tune of Love is Like a
PACE is planning an upcoming theatrical school tour and letter-writing
Magic Penny, the owl and a chorus of other forest creatures sing:
campaign for the Spotted Owl and endangered species legislation. To be involved contact garbanzobob@yahoo.ca and don’t be afraid to give a hoot!
“I’m Gordon Campbell and do I really give a hoot / About anything else than corporate profit ... I’d say, probably not.”
Our Office is Open to Serve You Denise Savoie, MP A Voice for Victoria in Ottawa 970 Blanshard Street 363-3600 www.denisesavoie.ca
VillageVibe
Community Office 1084 Fort Street, Victoria P: (250) 952-4211 F: (250) 952-4214 carole.james.mla@leg.bc.ca www.opposition.bc.ca
Carole James, MLA Victoria - Beacon Hill
April 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5
real estate :
garden gleanings :
>> by Jerome Peacock In the past couple years, Greater Victoria real estate prices have risen so much that one wonders how far it can go. Is there a bubble? Didn’t prices drop in 2006? Should you buy now? Where are the best buys? Should you buy in Fernwood? In general, the seller’s market in 2005 shifted to a more balanced one in 2006, giving buyers more options and time to think. It’s been a ‘soft landing,’ unlike the bleak situation of the US housing market. The Victoria Real Estate Board (VREB) called 2005 “a banner year for Victoria area real estate,� with the average price of single family homes rising by over 20 percent. Then in 2006, the number of homes for sale rose about 45% above the 2005 monthly numbers, homes were taking longer to sell and about 40% didn’t. Many thought there was a bubble in the market. But sales in 2006 were strong – down only seven percent from 2005 – and the average price of single family homes rose in 2006 by 12.5% to $521,460, according to VREB. For 2007, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and VREB expect prices to continue to rise, albeit more modestly. Indeed, some pent-up demand after a very wet winter made February sales jump 60% over January. The March sales tally (not available at press time) looks to be just as busy. So, should you buy now or wait? Well, consider this: prices in Victoria have dropped significantly only once since the depression (in the mid-80s), and they recovered, as we know. Fernwood: is it the place to buy? Conventional wisdom on Fernwood is that the neighbourhood is a bit of a ‘diamond in the rough.’ That Fernwood is in transition is a realistic assessment (for some streets more than others). Like Esquimalt, Fernwood is sometimes viewed as being a little weedy. The average price of single family homes in Fernwood rose by about 24% in 2005 but by only about 4.5% in 2006 – below Greater Victoria as a whole. But conventional wisdom also says that Fernwood is on the verge of a rennaisance: Fernwood’s charm will flower as older character homes are renovated and the village centre comes into its own. Fernwood also competes price-wise with other ‘affordable’ areas, such as Langford and Colwood. But the commute to Victoria has become a serious issue. Add the Westshore’s big box stores and Fernwood looks charming by comparison. Fernwood has a lot going for it – affordability, character, a budding ‘downtown’ and proximity to the city core. Whether the area is about to ‘take off ’remains to be seen, but buyers who overlook Fernwood today may come regret their lack of foresight.
Photo: Veronique da Silva
Fernwood smart
>> by Margaret Hantiuk Pruning is perhaps the most complicated activity the home gardener undertakes. When a branch is cut, the structure is permanently altered. The more I prune, the more carefully, thoughtfully, and respectfully I do it. Pruning is both a science and an art. Each shrub or tree should be handled differently. I heartily recommend a simple pruning course at a local garden or horticultural centre. There are books available from gardening groups, the public library, and online. Learning to prune properly will reward you with a garden that looks better and has healthier plants that are full of more blossoms and fruit. St. Patrick’s Day as a rule of thumb is a good time to begin pruning. Doing it too early or too late can force tender new growth that is vulnerable to frosts. I use four trusty pruning tools: a good pair of seccateurs (hand-pruners), a folding Japanese pruning saw for larger branches, hedge shears, and a long-handled telescopic pruner. All should be kept clean and sharp; dull blades will tear the bark. A ladder may also be needed, although felling or topping large trees should be left to professionals. If you need more light but don’t want to remove a tree, consider hiring a pro to thin out
Pruning
some of the limbs. Also, mature trees should be assessed periodically for their health and your safety by an arborist. It is now illegal to remove some kinds of trees without a permit, so check the city website or call them to find out. While it is unwise to give general advice, there are some basic guidelines for pruning. The first is to remove all dead, diseased, and injured wood. The second is to remove all crossing or rubbing branches. The shaping of the tree should be balanced and gracefully open. For trees, the cuts are made to the point of origin and are close to the ‘collar’ where the branch you are cutting joins onto the bigger branch. Do not cut into the collar as it will eventually grow over the cut and seal it. It is not advisable to cut the main upright trunk of a tree. No more than one third of a tree’s branches should be removed in one year. With shrubs, cuts are made to an outward-facing node or bud. This opens up the inside of the shrub to air and sunlight. Some shrubs are cut back hard to promote new growth; do this after flowering so that the season’s buds are not cut off. Some people cut one or two old branches to the ground every year to encourage mature shrubs to flower and leaf more. If a tree is the right plant for the right spot, it shouldn’t have to be butchered – anticipate its ultimate size and make that part of your garden plan. If a tree is too large for the location, consider removing it and put a smaller specimen in its place. Other than rejuvenating shrubs and removing bad wood, pruning should be for minor shaping or perhaps removing lower branches to lift the canopy as the tree grows. The exception is hedges, which are sheared often and kept shapely. Roses, clematis, fruit trees, evergreens, and flowering shrubs also require special attention. Trees and shrubs that are well-pruned look well-cared-for, beautifully natural and happy.
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Jerome Peacock is a realtor with Pemberton Holmes. Our litigious society requires him to state the following: The information in this column is provided for informational purposes only; it should be independently verified before being relied upon by readers.
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Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | April 2007
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VillageVibe
Photo: Veronique da Silva
faces of fernwood : Szasz on stage
>> by Susan Salvati There’s a new act coming to Fernwood and this time it’s not at the Belfry. Well-known restauranteurs George and Linda Szasz of Paprika fame are soon to open a fine and funky restaurant bar in the Cornerstone building. George and Linda, who after eight years have built Paprika up very nicely, were interested in the Cornerstone from its inception. Linda volunteered with renovations of the upstairs suites and found herself considering the possibility of another restaurant. Finally, both Linda and George asked themselves “why not?” The idea for Stage, Small Plates Wine Bar, was born.
It’s an idea that works. Linda and George live within a block of the restaurant. Even before moving to Fernwood three years ago, they loved the area, particularly the community aspect. “We always heard, even before moving here what a great community it is,” says Linda. They heard this particularly from people in the industry as it seems Fernwood is home to many restaurant folk. George and Linda have a long and varied background in restaurant life dating from even their pre-Victoria life. George’s grandparents – Hungarian immigrants – moved to Vancouver in the 1960s. For 35 years they operated Szasz on South Granville, enticing patrons with their roast chicken, langos, and ‘Wooden Plate’ laden with hearty rye, cold cuts, and cheeses. George’s parents also had a hand in the family business. Segue to George who studied at the famed culinary institute Pierre du Brulle in Vancouver before working with his father. Later, George and Linda escaped the big city for Smithers where they owned The Little Onion for three years until coming to the happy medium of Victoria nine years ago. With Paprika, George and Linda have been able to develop their interest in Slow Food. They do their best to use local ingredients such as pasteur-raised duck from Cowichan Bay Farm and produce from Saanich Organics. Linda also tends to a garden at her home producing many of the greens used at Paprika. “I’m from the country so having lots of land to grow on has always
A love story from the ‘wood >> by David Macpherson “In the beginning God created light.” I found this place around the corner from the Belfry – as an actor it makes me feel attached to my work. Plus in the morning I can do my Yoga as the kids scramble, skate, and skip to school. Later I can sit smoking a cigar on the fire escape. Fernwood continues to attract artists, writers, and performers although it is drifting towards gentrification and rents are creeping towards unaffordable, it still draws us. My place is great if perhaps a bit of a struggle to maintain financially. It is here that I found my soulmate. Claire was working on a show that I was in, Deathtrap. What
Mom’s
caught my eye first were hers, her grey/blue eyes that burnt with life and hope. I connected with her through those eyes at that point and never really dreamed of any further implications. I was drawn to her. The lounge in the theatre was filled with people for the show’s ‘Meet and Greet’, but that was not what I was focused on. I was watching her, full of this potential and I had to get to know her better. So I wandered across the room to bring her a plate … a plate laden with fresh fruit, an offering. With her accepting laugh I found that I had committed my heart to what may come. From there life began to sparkle in my little suite in the Heart of Fernwood. I can’t remember a time when that story did not come to mind as easily as smiling. I tell it often … it is a good story.
Gardening Fitness >> by Blanche Black Stretches provided from Fernwood resident, gardener, and certified yoga instructor Blanche Black’s video Garden Fitness (available at She Said Gallery). Fernwood physiotherapist Ron Johnson suggests that stretching two to three times a gardening session prevents injuries. Happy gardening!
VillageVibe
been a priority for me.” This focus on local and seasonal ingredients will also be a consideration for Stage. So what is the overall concept of Stage? The restaurant will be a casual, intimate space with a total of fifty seats, including ten at the bar. George and Linda aim to support local wineries with eight or so white and red wines available by the glass so patrons “can experience a variety of wines (that) will be affordable.” Though there will be some international wines, there will also be an effort to highlight local products so that the “wine and food don’t have to travel too far” with the accompanying carbon footprint. And the stars of Stage? Small plates suitable for sharing such as a cheese plate featuring island cheeses and house made seed crackers, langos pizzas, a salad with greens and oat crusted goat cheese and yummy crème brulée. Vegan recipies are in the works. Again, keeping the environment in focus, George and Linda have made a big effort to use reclaimed materials in their renovation of the space. They plan to use a bowling lane from Mayfair Lanes as the bar top and reclaimed maple for the floors. Their hope is that old beams from the Cornerstone can be incorporated into tables. As an added bonus, George and Linda have pledged 1% of profits to the David Suzuki Foundation as well as planning a similar donation structure in support of Fernwood NRG. Stage will appeal to Fernwoodians and the Belfry crowd, opening from 4:30 pm to midnight, depending on the day. Foodies, get ready! The curtains are opening soon.
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in the community. Tracey says it’s the result of having so many. It also might have something to do with her 12 years at Scotia Bank getting to know members of the larger Victoria community. Mom’s will carry a variety of dairy products and fresh produce. While they will still sell more traditional comfort foods like Chef Boyardee and Kraft Dinner, Tracey tells me Mom’s Market is going to offer a variety of items reflecting a natural approach. Mom’s will be bringing in organic products and produce, different pastas and rice, Mount Royal bagels, Seed of Life Bread, and possibly Salt Spring Organic Coffee. Also, Tracey tells me she will try to cater to customer requests as much as possible. How did Tracey and Tony come to Mom’s? Well, fate has a sense of humour, it seems. Tracey went into Sam’s store one day last year and found all the rental DVD’s missing. She jokingly asked Sam’s wife Joan if they were selling the store. “Do you want to buy?” came the unexpected response. In fact, Tracey had already been looking into opening up a corner store closer to the heart of Fernwood. When she went home and told Tony he surprised her by saying “why not look into it.” And she did. Seven months later, after a business plan, several coats of blue paint and renovations that have changed the layout of the store, Mom’s Market is open for business. Tony and Tracey are longtime Fernwood residents. He grew up on Taunton street and went to the same store in his youth to get penny candy. Tracey grew up in Fairfield. Both of them are thrilled by the enthusiasm they’ve seen from residents who’ve peeked in during renovations. “Everybody that has come by has had a comment and it’s all been good,” Tracey says. I, for one, am looking forward to walking in my pajamas to get milk and bread. Mom’s will be open from 8:00am - 8:00pm every day of the week.
April 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7
what’s on in Fernwood April 2007
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Music, Art, Theatre, and Entertainment
programming. Mondays, 9:30am -
Fernwood Autumn Glow (55+)
11:30am. FNRG Gym, Free!
Gentle exercise, lunch & activities;
Live Entertainment at The
Parent & Tot Playgroup
Ongoing Fridays, FNRG, 11:00am, $5.50
Cornerstone Café
Ongoing Tuesdays & Thursdays. FNRG
for lunch.
Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
Gym, 9:30am - 11:30am, $1 per family,
evening, 8 to 11pm! Check in @ the café
snacks/crafts/circle time.
Special Events
for details.
Rhythm Circle Time
Green Drinks An inclusive gathering
Call for Submissions from Fernwood
Drop-in - 10 Weeks per session
of the sustainability minded for
musicians and poets to be featured on
Tuesdays 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the
refreshments conversation and
our third Fernwood CD! e-mail: james@
Multi-Purpose Room. Free!
inspiration. Queen Mother Waterside
fernwoodneighbourhood.ca
Mother Goose
Café, 407 Swift S. Tuesday, April 10.
Victoria Bluegrass Assoc. Jam:
Pre-register-10 weeks per session.
Youth event at 3:00pm, General event
Ongoing Tuesdays Orange Hall, 7:30 -
Tuesdays (Call 381-1552 Ext.22 to
5:00 - 7:00pm
10:30pm, $2 to play, free to listen.
register and for info) FNRG Multi-
Village Vibe
(Last Tuesday of month is open
Purpose Room, 1:00pm - 2:30pm,
Join us to brainstorm the May VIBE.
stage/feature night; cost varies).
Songs, rhymes & stories-Free! ($2 for
Thursday, April 19th FNRG, 7:00 - 8:30
Live Music at J.K. Do Forno Café
songbook)
Stroll Fernwood
In Fernwood Square. free! Mondays: Bill
with Karen Skowron, author of Fernwood
villagevibe Published by Fernwood NRG (Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group) 1240 Gladstone Street Victoria, BC V8T 1G6 T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509 villagevibe@fernwood neighbourhood.ca www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca Editor: Lisa Helps Photographer: Veronique da Silva Contributors: Bobby Arbess Blanche Black Susi Porter-Bopp Margaret Hantiuk Kaspar Joseph Avi Lambert David Macpherson Jerome Peacock Bruce Rutley Susan Salvati Jane Worton
Cino, 6:30 – 9pm. Seeking musicians
Youth, Adults & Seniors
Strolls a guide to walking in the
for other days. Call for info: 386-8446.
NEW! Youth Sports Drop-in
neighbourhood. Thursday, April 26, meet
Live Music at Logan’s
Ages 6 to 12, Sundays, Noon to 2pm,
at the Cornerstone at 2:00pm and stroll
For listings, go to www.loganspub.com.
$3 per child, Parent please accompany
from there.
child, no fee for parent.
Earth Walk
MESA by Canadian playwrite Doug
NEW! Indoor Soccer
Celebrating Peace, Earth & Justice.
Curtis. April 10 - May 6, 2007,
Drop-in Co-ed Adult (18+) - Ongoing
Saturday, April 21, 12:00 noon,
Belfry Box Office - 385-6815
Mondays, 8:45 -
Centennial Square. For info contact:
9:45pm, $2 per person.
Steve Filipovic 216- 5903
MediaNet presents: EDGES MEDIA
Free Internet and Computer Access
The Inconvenient Truth & the
FESTIVAL, Canadian independent film
Complete your one-time registration and
Opportunity Climate Change
and video showcase, Thursday -
then get online through the Community
Presentation
Stuck in rhythm
Sunday, April 5 - 8, 7pm nightly.
Access Program. FNRG Community
Brian Gordon; Al Gore Boot Camp &
By Bruce Rutley
Atomic Vaudeville presents: LEGOLAND
Room, 9:15am to 8:30pm, Monday to
Helena Mahoney, Dogwood Initiative
by Jacob Richmond, Runaway hit
Friday. Free!
Thursday, April 19, 7:30 pm, FNRG
of the 2006 Fringe Festival. Thursday
Drop-in Floorhockey
Gym, Free Admission. Sponsored by
- Sunday April 12 - 15, 8pm nightly.
Co-ed Adult (18+), all equipment
Fernwood NGR & Dogwood Initiative
RIYOKU BUTOH
provided. Ongoing Tuesdays and
Victoria: Vibrant City, Vibrant
Uvic dance theater. Thursday &
Thursdays, 7:00pm - 9:30pm, and
Neighbourhoods
Saturday, April 19 & 21, 7pm
NEW!: Saturdays, 2 - 4:30pm. $4, or
Neighbourhood Workshop Series 2007.
get a punchcard: $40/11 sessions. No
Heritage: A Downtown Walkabout:
wooden sticks.
Monday, April 16, 7:00pm, City Hall Ante
dance company, Friday & Saturday, April
FREE Yoga!
Chamber, #1 Centennial Square
20 & 21
Tuesdays, 10:30am - 12:00pm, in the
Walk through Victoria’s downtown core
MPR Room.
with John Adams, local historian.
Belfry Theatre
Metro Studio Theatre
THE MISSING LYNX Debut of Victoria’s newest contemporary
Ballet Victoria and the Esquimalt Singers & Dancers present THE RISING SUN PROJECT, Friday, April 27 Metro Phone Hotline: 412-0367
Kids & Families Community Family Day Fernwood NRG invites families to come and get involved in Community Day. Family-directed and facilitated
The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily reflect the views of the Fernwood NRG.
Shades of chocolate life renewed Stuck in rhythm what to do. Sensuous aroma java beans Cornerstone a Fernwood scene. Emerging vision life renewed Patience needed what to do.
Five Elements: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water,
Make Yer Neighbourhood Nicer
Shades of chocolate life renewed Stuck in rhythm what to do.
Wood, plus discussion of topics
Total Plastics Recycling Day
Sit and ponder
chosen by group. Ongoing Mondays,
(2nd Sat of every Month) Saturday,
Holistic Health & Healing Healing meditation based on Chinese
FNRG, 10:00-11:30am, Free!
April 14, 10am - Noon, Back of FNRG.
Falun Gong
Recycle plastics of all kinds (Styrofoam
Peaceful meditation practice. Ongoing
packing, soft plastics and bags, and ALL
Wednesdays, FNRG, 5:00pm - 7:00pm,
hard/rigid plastics) plus old electronics.
everyone welcome, Free!
By donation to cover transportation.
thoughtful action Live a life full of passion. Enjoy the moment stay engaged For life’s fulfillment turn the page.
TUESDAYS! Beer and Burger – 100% Ground prime rib burger or nutburger and a Pint $7.95 1302 Gladstone
Page 8 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | April 2007
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