Vibe_Aug2008 v3

Page 1

villagevibe Photo: Joy Roberts

Photo: Shelley McGrath

August 2008 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood

Soccer camp bridges global gap >> by James Kasper

M

any would argue that the most professional approach to newspaper writing involves the writer hiding himself (or herself ) behind a fence of seamless anonymity, stoic neutrality, and emotionless omniscience. Some might say that the news should have the same dry delivery as an obituary written by an ostracized relative, because then the reader is left to make up his or her own mind. This writer doesn’t care about being neutral, because he cares too much about the story. And he won’t apologize for this biased approach. I want to tell you about the free youth soccer camp that took place in the Vic High School field in July, and I want to describe it from the perspective of a recreation programmer at a community centre. At Fernwood NRG, part of our mandate is to offer affordable programs, services, and events to the Fernwood community. When planning and implementing these services, my list of criteria includes affordability to the neighbourhood and to the organization, convenience of the location, demand for the service, age demographic for the activity, proper safety and eco-friendly measures, marketability, and most of all, community focus of the individuals involved. It is rare when a program meets every criteria in such a big way. The youth soccer camp was one such exceptional program. I cannot say enough positive things about the fine folks at Opportunitas Aequa (Latin for “Equal Opportunity”) who put on this camp for the second consecutive year in Fernwood. Volunteer coaches Chris Newcombe,

Andrew Brownlee, Peter Lonergan, Brenden Smith, Sarah Walker, and Robert Prieto are all to be commended for their contribution to the Fernwood community and for providing a safe, positive, and fun environment for twenty kids over the course of six days. But what really matters is what the kids have to say about the camp: “It was awesome,” says 13-year-old Justine. “The coaches were really fun to be around, and there was a lot of skill development.” Skills the coaches instructed on included passing, volleying, headers, shooting, and defense. Each of the six days ended with a big game, which all the kids looked forward to. Ron, father of nine-year-old camp participant Alex, reported, “Alex had a lot of fun last year and this year.” “And,” he added, “he made new friends.” “I liked that the coaches taught me how to kick properly,” says 12-year-old John, who is also signed up for the NRG road hockey camp in August, “and the people were friendly.” John’s mother Renee adds, “The camp was so close to my home, and it was something he enjoyed doing, and they looked after him so well.” Fernwood NRG was more than happy to pitch in with advertising, registration, and a bit of equipment. Mostly, though, we were just proud to be involved. Opportunitas Aequa is an organization which aims to bring about positive change through soccer – one of the most universal of sports. Their first project was carried out in Ecuador, where the group made two soccer fields and presented children with over 1,000 soccer balls, 900 pairs of soccer boots, uniforms, and other equipment.

– continued on page 3

Daycare graduation >> by Lisa Helps with Joy Roberts

O

n Friday, June 30, ten children graduated from Fernwood NRG’s Three to Five Daycare and will be moving on to Kindergarten in the fall. Parents watched proudly as their children marched to Pomp and Circumstance and were presented with certificates by daycare supervisor Joy Roberts. The children sang “We’re Off to Kindergarten”, for their captivated audience. For some parents the day was a mixture of happiness and sadness, as some of their children have been in Fernwood NRG’s Three to Five Daycare since they were two-anda-half years old. The proud graduates are Julian Bird, Hailey Fischer, Emma Leavey, Ayla McDonald, Richard Morgan-Tom, Samer Rashead, Jade Ritchie, Aristeo Vargas, Nikowa Williams, and Angelica Wood.

in this issue Otesha Project: Theatre on two wheels Page 2 Feature: Dreamers of the day: Ten years Fernwood Page 4 Tom’s sock hop to rock Hood’s hot spot Page 6

Victoria City Council recently made a hard but necessary decision. After a public hearing that went into the wee hours, Council voted, essentially, to replace a park in the Burnside Gorge neighbourhood with a homeless shelter. Arguably, the process wasn’t great. As many folks at the hearing stated, the City did break trust with the Burnside Gorge community, alerting the Community Association to the shelter plan only the day before B.C. Housing announced the funding. But the Ellice Street Shelter, comprised of shortterm shelter rooms, emergency housing for families, and transitional housing is a necessary first step in housing Victoria’s homeless and marginally housed citizens. As more than one hearing attendee asked, however, transition to what? Given the dearth of affordable and supportive housing in Victoria what is the second step?

Like the work of Fernwood NRG? Go to CanadaHelps.org and donate to Fernwood NRG.

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,

Here in Fernwood we have one answer. On August 1st five families moved into Fernwood NRG’s Park Place building on Yukon Street, bordering Haegart Park. (The accessible suite is still available.) Built with the foresight of the board and staff of the Society and with funding from all levels of government, Park Place provides supportive, market-based affordable housing for families. The city needs more of this. The city also needs housing for elderly folks, for single men and women, and for couples too. City Hall is contributing time, money, staff hours, and property tax breaks to the Ellice Street Shelter project. It would be good if the City supported the next step – an increase in Victoria’s supportive and affordable housing stock – with the same resources. Because only then will people who spend nights or weeks at the Ellice Street Shelter have somewhere to go next.

For the love of Fernwood >> by Anne Cookson I have lived in Fernwood for eight years and have seen a vibrant transformation in this community. As a new resident, I discovered the Fernwood neighbourhood was a beautiful place to live. I had visions of Fernwood becoming a thriving successful community and recognized there was potential for indispensable change. Over the last three-to-four years, this has become a reality. The residents revolutionized the neighbourhood, they took action against buildings abandoned by property owners, and they formed communal businesses. I love to witness Fernwood becoming a thriving, productive community. They preserved the buildings’ heritage and utilized them for business opportunities without compromising authenticity. They are managed by residents to seek practical ways in implementing changes that collectively and individually meet indispensable goals without following the industrialized corporate system. You will not find a modernization or renovation of the heritage buildings into something that doesn’t merge well with Fernwood’s history. There are no franchise restaurants or coffee houses here. What is distinctive about Fernwood is the community’s awareness for their environment and creativity. They established the Cornerstone Café with other restaurants and two distinguished art galleries. Fernwood is a friendly ambient neighbourhood because it encourages a diversity of people within the community. The neighbourhood is enjoying Fernwood’s expanding and varied community. Recently while I was participating in the Fernwood Tuesday market, I noticed an eclectic group of people enjoying the pleasures of homemade jams, bread, and fresh strawberries. I observed people sauntering their way through the village and enjoying the pleasures of choosing restaurants in a range of casual or fine dining. After a meal, people stroll and appreciate a couple of the art galleries or the She Said bead store. I feel encouraged that Fernwood is emerging to becoming a vibrant and empathetic community, caring for the continued needs of the neighbourhood. This is what strengthens a community: its commitment to the people. Fernwood is meeting that goal.

We are committed to having fun!

Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | August 2008

the Fernwood buzz

Photo: Elisha Barker

editorial : More affordable housing

As many of you were all too aware, the Cornerstone Café was closed for a few weeks after Fern Fest for a makeover. The neighbourhood living room is back and better than ever. The most apparent change is the seating. No longer will clients be forced to sit on something that more closely resembled a cheese grater than anything that would ever be designed for comfort. We now have cushy, built in benches which will not only be a treat to linger on but will also encourage chats with your neighbours. There’s new paint, fresh floors, and new counter tops as well. Many thanks to all who helped design (Lenore), build (all the trades folks), and clean (Megan, Sarah and Howie). But most importantly, thanks to all the loyal clients who have made the Cornerstone a success and who have been made to suffer through the pain of two-and-a-half weeks without coffee. Your courage is inspirational. To enquire about booking the café space for your evening event e-mail cornerstone@fernwoodnrg.ca OR for musical events james@fernwoodnrg.ca

Otesha Project

>> by Darrell Harvey Young cyclists from across Canada ride into Victoria this month carrying an inspiring message of sustainability. Members of the Otesha Project will perform “Reason to Dream” at the Fernwood Community Centre, August 24th at 7:30 p.m. The traveling theatre troupe is pedaling 1,500 kms across B.C.’s Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island, delivering performances along the way. On the road, the actors live as a mobile sustainable community, cycling from performance to performance, connecting with communities en route, and exploring the challenges of addressing environmental and social justice issues through their every day actions. The Otesha Project is a youth-run charitable organization that uses theatre to mobilize young people to create local and global change through daily consumer choices. Otesha troupes have performed to more than 72,000 people and won international awards for innovative and effective youth-engagement programs. Six performing tours are criss-crossing Canada in 2008. Check out www.otesha.ca for more information. See you at the show!

VillageVibe

views from the street :

How is it, to run a

business in Fernwood?

Tracey, Mom’s Market

Sherri & Turiya, Green Goddess Restaurant

Good. Fantastic. I wouldn’t want to do it in any other neighbourhood. My kids say to me, “Mom, do you know everyone now?

I (Sherri) grew up in Fernwood so it’s nice to be back. This is such a diverse place. We’ve been open for a month and hope people will come find us here at the Green Goddess.

Danielle, Black Raven Records Most of the people who come in are from outside of Fernwood and trek down here. People actually come from all over the world. It’s definitely a destination.

Let’s get growing!

being one of the gatekeeper areas, it made perfect sense to retain the area as our festival venue. As the Village concept spans both North Park and Fernwood, we would like to welcome everyone to come out and enjoy the festival! Please join us for this fun event!

>> by amy crook

When Saturday August 16, noon until 4pm Where The Newly Rejuvenated Franklin Green

Start now for a winter full of homegrown vegetables. Do you ever look in envy at your neighbours’ bountiful salad greens? Do you wish you could feed your family more organic fresh produce? Do you have a small space in your yard or on your balcony that gets good sun? Well hey neighbor, let’s get growing. We all know eating locally is the right thing to do. In Victoria we can grow an amazing amount of food all year around. We’re all busy, but everyone can grow some of their own food. Come learn about how easy it is to grow a vegetable garden in the winter. We’ll start you out with lots of information and reference material. There will be organic vegetable starts for sale including brussels sprouts, chards, kales, leeks, spinach, arugula, oriental greens, cabbages, kohlrabi, broccoli, corn salad, radicchio and lettuces. This Winter Veggie Workshop will cover: > What vegetables grow best > How to solve the biggest problems with winter gardening > Planning your winter garden > When to plant > Soil building techniques to increase your yield When Saturday, September 6th, 10am - noon Where Fernwood Community Centre (1240

Gladstone Avenue) Cost $20 - includes reference material. Veggie starts will be for sale. The workshop will be given by Amy Crook, Certified Master Gardener. Proceeds from this workshop go to LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project. For more info and to register please email trailhead@telus.net

VillageVibe

– Cook and Mason Street – behind Wellburns What Food, fun for all ages, entertainment, instruction on how to play pickle ball, information, and a chance to meet some neighbours

North Park Neighbourhood Festival >> by Cameron Speedie For the past three years the North Park Neighbourhood Association (NPNA) has hosted a Neighbourhood Festival. This event is an open celebration of neighbourhood diversity and focuses on the positive elements in the area. Participants include businesses, organizations, and neighbours in an informal festival atmosphere. The concept evolved from the idea that we needed a positive element to counter some of the less-thanpleasant issues in the area. To that end the location was chosen with the intent of bringing some community spirit to some of the challenged areas. This concept was furthered by moving the event to its current venue, Franklin Green. Franklin Green had become marginalized over the years, and an NPNA action plan was put in place in cooperation with the City to renovate and rejuvenate the park, claiming it back for the people of the area. Residents have been very happy with results that include a children’s play area, pickle ball courts, a bocce ball area and general improvements. Now that NPNA and Fernwood have embarked on the North Park Village concept with Franklin Green

Soccer

| from page 1

Gavin Hollett founded O.A. after being deeply affected by Romeo Dallaire’s book Shake Hands with the Devil. The book, which details Dallaire’s time in Rwanda, describes a scene wherein children in the midst of the horrors of civil war find solace with a soccer ball made of twigs. Although somewhat removed geographically from its original venue and politically from its initial circumstances, the common thread here is a sense of community through the sport of soccer … And let’s not forget the most important part of all: “It was fun,” says 10-year-old Fatima. We here at Fernwood NRG got a ‘kick’ out of it too. Two camp participants were children of NRG staffers. And I even joined them in many of the dayend games. Now who said journalists hide behind the fence? For more information on O.A., visit them at http:// oaprojects.org.

Uni 101 Free University Course September 2008 Info Session: Fernwood

Community Centre (1240 Gladstone)

5pm August 5th

August 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3

Dreamers of the day: Ten years into the Fernwood revolution feature :

>> by Lee Herrin

Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that all was vanity; but the dreamers

of the day are dangerous, for they may act their dream with open eyes,

and make it possible. –T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom

T

en years is a long time, but it can pass in a seeming instant when you are fully engaged in life. In the summer of 1998, the Fernwood Community Centre Society was a moribund institution, governed by a Board of Directors who did not live in the neighbourhood and who were taking instructions from City Hall on how to best run the organization. Its capital assets were $13,113 – mostly superannuated furniture, computers and software. From the outside, the building was ill-kempt, unfriendly, and uninviting. On the inside, the space was configured in such a way as to hide staff from the public and to discourage anyone from lingering. The most public-facing and high volume program, Victoria Best Babies, housed four staff and made dozens of daily client contacts in a 150 square foot office in the basement with no windows and no natural light. A final telling statistic: the Society’s annual report to the Corporate Registry in 1998 indicated the Society had zero members. Zero. The Fernwood Revolution is the story of how, in the summer of 1998, a group of neighbourhood people took back control of one neighbourhood institution, and then transformed it over five years (1999 to 2004) into an organization capable of consciously rebuilding the neighbourhood. It is the story of how a group of neighbourhood people risked everything they had already accomplished – including the acquisition, renovation and heritage designation of Fernwood House at 1423 Fernwood Road – in order to confront head-on the most pressing challenge facing the neighbourhood: the deterioration of the heart of the neigbourhood, the village centre at Fernwood and Gladstone. There are many possible lenses through which the story of the Fernwood Revolution could be told, but none is more compelling to me than the lens of neighbourhood. My first letter to the membership in the 2000 Annual Report as Chair of the Board of the Fernwood Community Centre Society was entitled “Building our Community.” My second letter, in 2001, was entitled “Building a Healthy Neighbourhood.” Leading up to that point and beyond, I became very conscious of my language, always preferring the word “neighbourhood” when I meant the physical place of “Fernwood.” A community is not a place it is a group of people. A group of

people living in a particular place has the potential to become a neighbourhood. A community chooses its members. Neighbours choose each other when they choose where they want to live, for better or for worse. Leaving a community isn’t easy, but it doesn’t necessarily mean boxing up your belongings and physically relocating to another setting. Leaving a neighbourhood to me has always meant leaving a piece of myself behind. This shift in language and thinking manifested first in changes to the Society’s bylaws in 1999. The Society restricted membership to residents of the geographic area of Fernwood and removed the right of the City of Victoria to appoint directors to its board, thereby ensuring the neighbourhood would govern its own Community Centre. The shift culminated in 2005 when the membership voted to rename as the Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group Society or, simply, Fernwood NRG. For the first four years after the Revolution began, we watched somewhat helplessly as Fernwood descended from a vital neighbourhood core into “Funky, junkie Fernwood.” The neighbourhood died, for a time, and was reborn. Or perhaps rather, it was re-birthed. August 2008 is a great moment in the history of Fernwood. August 2nd marks three years since Fernwood NRG purchased the Cornerstone building. And, this month, the mortgage on the neighbourhood-owned building will transfer from the hands of the former owner to Coastal Community Credit Union. Three years ago, when Fernwood NRG purchased the property, no lending institution would agree to finance the project. The building was derelict and dilapidated and hadn’t been commercially tenanted for two years. It had no income and was close to being condemned by the City. Only the owner and one neighbourhood resident were willing to take a risk on the small neighbourhood non-profit society. At the time, there were many who predicted that the building would be back in the former owner’s hands before long. They believed the Society would not be able to manage and finance the project, and that the former owner would foreclose, repossess the building and leave the neighbourhood with nothing.

Dean Fortin

Victoria City Councillor Working for strong, healthy and sustainable communities.

dfortin@victoria.ca

Page 4 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | August 2008

VillageVibe

History has been unkind to the sceptics. Fernwood NRG has fundraised and renovated the building with the help of countless hours of neighbourhood volunteer labour. The building is fully tenanted and producing income, which Fernwood NRG is reinvesting in the neighbourhood, most notably in the recently completed Park Place affordable housing building at 1222 Yukon Street.

The Society’s Declaration of Principles and Values graces page 2 of every issue of this newspaper, and was drafted by the Fernwood Community Centre Society’s (FCCS) Board of Directors in the Spring of 2005 after the collapse of the merger between the FCCS and the Fernwood Community Association (FCA). At the time, four directors from the FCA (Lisa Helps, Tania Wegwitz, Dave Kesson, and Lenore Rankin) who had been part of the transition team working to merge the two

When the Society first made the decision to purchase the Cornerstone building, the Board of Directors and senior staff tested the idea against the Declaration of Principles and Values (see page two). We found that it checked against every single principle but number seven, which spoke to governance.

societies resigned from the board of the FCA and joined the board of the FCCS (Paula Debeck, Jim Starck, Vida Waltz, Margaret Hantiuk, and myself), in a sense unifying two neighbourhood organizations, although not exactly as we had intended. Have a look and see how the values and principles compare to the index cards which I drafted roughly a year earlier in a conversation with Roberta Martell, the FCCS’s then newly hired Executive Director, and Lenore Rankin, now Fernwood NRG’s

The Society took the building project upon itself and found a way to make it work. We walked with confidence where most (including government and the banks) feared to tread, and we didn’t wait for anyone to tell us how to do it or what to do. Ten years into the Fernwood Revolution, the Fernwood NRG has capital assets of over $3 million, and over $1.5 million in equity. It has better quality programs than it had ten years ago and employs more than twice as many people, most of who live in Fernwood. It owns two buildings in the core of the neighbourhood and runs a vibrant business in the Cornerstone CafÊ. It is more independent and responsive to needs of the neighbourhood, and less reliant on government grants. It is a shining example to other neighbourhoods of what a small group of thoughtful, committed people can do when they decide to change the world.

Development Coordinator. The conversation took place with liquid refreshments one evening in a booth in the empty George & Dragon. Since the three of us were born in the first 20 days of November, we called our meeting the Secret Order of the Scorpions, which shortened to SOS – at that time, a cry for help in a drowning neighbourhood.

In the early days, we dreamt that the greatest export of the neighbourhood would be revolution – that we would eventually be able to articulate a set of principles and values that would enable us to transform the neighbourhood we had into the neighbourhood we envisioned, and that we would later communicate and share those principles and values with other neighbourhoods. Looking back, we have succeeded in everything we set out to accomplish, although there is much more that can yet be done to further manifest our vision. And so I say unto you, my brothers and sisters: Turn off your TV. Go for a walk. Talk to your neighbours. Go to a meeting. Speak out. Take a stand. Volunteer. Be bold. Be fearless. Attempt something no-one believes can be done. Dare to become dangerous. Open your eyes, and dream!

Long live Fernwood! Long live the Revolution! &%2.7//$ 2%!, %34!4%

72?<:2 =2.0<08 ˜`Ă•ĂƒĂŒĂ€Ăž°ĂŠ Â˜ĂŒi}Ă€ÂˆĂŒĂž°ĂŠ Â˜ĂŒiÂ?Â?ˆ}i˜Vi°

6ÂˆĂƒÂˆĂŒĂŠ iĂ€ÂœÂ“i*i>VÂœVÂŽ°Vœ“ ĂŒÂœĂŠĂ€i>`ĂŠÂ“ĂžĂŠÂŤĂ€ÂœÂ“ÂˆĂƒiĂŠĂŒÂœĂŠĂžÂœĂ•°

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 ĂŠĂŠĂŠĂŠÂŁxä‡näxĂŠ Â?ÂœĂ›iĂ€`>Â?iĂŠUĂŠ* \ĂŠĂ“xä‡În{‡nÂŁĂ“{ Ă“{

VillageVibe

August 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5

gleanings : Weeds: The good, the bad and the ugly >> by Margaret Hantiuk

veggies without realizing it. There are various plants in my yard that self-seed or ‘creep,’ and every year I pull out some to keep them in check. Beware of plants you receive as gifts; ensure that they are weed-free and not invasive. When purchasing new plants check if they are invasive (“spreads well�) varieties, which should be contained when planted. Some invasive plants are easy to grow and lovely, but they must be kept in check, as they can

designed hand tools for weeding. There are short- and long-handled types that cultivate or hoe the weeds. Be careful to not be so vigorous that you remove your precious, desired plants, and be aware that the root zone of plants should not be disturbed. Most plants have a delicate root system near the surface with feeder roots farthest away to catch rain off the canopy of their leaves above. The larger the canopy, the wider the root zone

The best way to weed is by hand – it is selective, accurate, and not too disruptive.

Fruit Tree Project in Fernwood

>> by Tracy James Warmer weather is here! That means the picking season for the LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project is about to begin and volunteer pickers are needed! The LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project harvests fruit all over the city every summer. This amazing and innovative project connects people who have surplus produce in their yards with people who have the willingness and ability to harvest it and with people and community groups that do not have access to fresh produce. Tens of thousands of pounds of fresh cherries, plums, apples, pears and other fruit (or nuts and vegetables) are then distributed through community centres and food

Fernwood Village Night Market (Fernwood @ Gladstone)

Tuesday Evenings 5:30-8:30

Local Organic Produce, Baked Goods,

Artisans, and Entertainment

banks. Last year, LifeCycles established a special liaison to create a Fernwood branch of the Fruit Tree Project that benefited individuals and families living in the neighbourhood. LifeCycles needs volunteer pickers and team leaders for shifts weekdays, evenings, and weekends. A pick usually lasts two hours depending on the amount of fruit to harvest. A portion of the fruit from every pick is shared among the volunteers. There is always one team leader and usually two to four volunteers at every pick. If you’d like be a team leader, you should be able to volunteer once a week. Fruit tree volunteering is a great way to meet people, get to know the fabulous bounty of fruit trees in Fernwood and beyond, and really give back to the community. Last year, volunteers picked 35,000 pounds of fruit between July and October! In addition to increasing food security in Victoria, the Project also partners with local businesses to turn a portion of the harvest into a line of delicious products the sale of which help sustain the project year over year. To volunteer or for more information, visit www. lifecyclesproject.ca, email fruittree@lifecyclesproject.ca, or call 250.893.7848.

Lawrence de la Haye A.R.C.M. (London) Accepting students in September on Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone, and Recorder. Studio in Fernwood 2226 Oregon St. 250-592-9792

Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | August 2008

(trees and shrubs especially), so hand weeding is best in these areas. Try to stay on top of your weeding, so that weeds don’t establish themselves. The use of groundcovers (desired plants chosen for their propensity to spread slowly) will help to prevent weeds. Every time you turn the soil over, weed seeds are exposed to light and air and will then germinate, so gardening with less cultivation is better. This is achieved by applying thick mulches every fall or spring. Mulching feeds the soil, keeps in moisture, and suppresses weeds all at once. The soil below the mulch will not need to be cultivated,as worms and soil bacteria will do it for you. In the end, you’ll have a garden with fewer weeds, naturally!

Tom’s sock hop to rock ‘hood’s hot spot Photo: Fairen Berchard

Weeds are really just plants in the wrong place. While some people consider a plant a weed, the next gardener values it, so it is difficult to declare which plants are weeds. I consider plants that are invasive and/ or plants that are unwanted and not useful in my garden to be weeds. Basically every gardener must decide what they do and don’t want in their garden. Here are tips for removing the unwanted without hauling out the big guns (herbicides and toxic chemical sprays that will destroy the garden’s ecology). First, get to know your garden: learn to identify the plants. I have pulled out plants that I forgot I had put there (the marker had been removed in fall raking?) and I have unfortunately removed self-seeding flowers and

become nasty thugs in the garden. Topsoil, compost, manure and mulches should be purchased only where they can be guaranteed to be weed-free. There are some weeds that are truly scourges, and it’s best that they are not introduced at all. The best way to weed is by hand – it is selective, accurate, and not too disruptive. First, invest in a good set of gardening gloves to save your hands and get a good grip. Weeding is easiest when the soil is damp and the plants are young. When you’re pressed for time, at least remove the seed heads and flowers of weeds by giving them a yank or clip, thereby preventing their spread. Have a pail handy for your culls. In some areas and instances it is helpful to use a hand tool, and there are now many good ergonomically

>> by James Kasper The rumour is that there is going to be a sock hop in Fernwood on August 16. And the Canadian still-building-his-legend icon Tom Glenne is apparently the man responsible for this dose of nostalgia‌ I caught up with him during one of his seasonal month-long lost weekends in Victoria. I needed to get to the bottom of this

– continued next page

VillageVibe

Photo: Angela Bailey

Photo: Aaron Ellingsen

faces : Anne Hoban in black and white

>> by Aaron Ellingsen Fernwood collage/multimedia artist Anne Hoban has been named co-winner of “Best in Show” at the prestigious Sooke Fine Arts Show for her collage sculpture Anatomy is Destiny. “I wasn’t sure whether the piece would be problematic,” she tells me. “It’s a life-size papier mache dress on a black hanger. The body of the dress is collaged with black and white anatomical drawings fitted together to look like a floral pattern, and has a beautiful scalloped bottom. Some of the pattern is composed of large vulva flowers spread across the dress, and the back of the dress consists in part of black ribbon–laced sections of vertebrae.” For several years friends have encouraged Anne to enter work into the Sooke show. She’s found a number of reasons to delay. At one time her collages were physically too large to enter, and even getting works out to Sooke has often been a snag, as Anne doesn’t own a car. There have also been periods when she wasn’t interested in entering juried shows. It might have been a friendly reminder and the offer of a lift, or of having just the right pieces to submit. Whatever made it happen this time, Anne is pleased about the result. “It was a last-minute decision,” she says. “I wasn’t sure how

sock hop rumour and find out once and for all: Who is this mysterious Tom Glenne character who parades his hard-tonail-down (alt-R&B-rock?) band across Canada year after year… and just how many members are there in his band, “The 5.5”? VV: Tom, why is the August 16 show called a “sock hop”? TG: Playing in a gym. Got to love playing in a gym, for the high school dance memories. Hey, I saw nomeansno open for DOA at this same gym! I wasn’t wearing socks. VV: What can we expect from the August 16 show?

they would be received, but I thought the work might get a bit of attention, if only for the flowers. It worked well. Now everything seems to have fallen into place for this. Apparently they liked my piece.” Part of the dilemma Anne faced in deciding whether or not to venture out to Sooke was her intention to include these two pieces in her upcoming solo show at Collective Works. While she has exhibited a number of individual pieces at the gallery on Gladstone, the Fernwood Inn and the Cornerstone Café – where she also curates monthly showings – her show, running October 24 to November 13, will be her first solo show in Victoria. As at Sooke, black and white collage will provide the theme for her Collective Works show. Over the last decade, Anne has regularly participated in the Eastside Culture Crawl at Paneficio Studios in Vancouver, had a solo 2005 show at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, and has shown works internationally in Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Milan, Italy; and at Sergines and Paris in France, where her Mater Atomica won the Prix du Publique at the Salon International du Collage Contemporain in 2002. Anne’s work is inward-looking and intensely psychological in nature. As she says, it’s her voice, but it took her some time to find it, and it took more time to identify collage as the medium she is most at home with.

these discrete images. Anne characterizes her own use of collage as “more along the lines of painting with paper, using the colour and texture of the paper as a palette.” She enlists these fragments in the project of creating a whole image. If a jarring note is present in her work, it represents the conflict as an integral part of the whole piece. National Geographic and other magazines are the sources of the materials Anne uses, and she thrives on “working with what [she’s] given.” Unfortunately, her choice of palettes also creates complications. “Permanence is an issue,” she tells me. “The colours in magazines are often fugitive,” and as a result her palette is inherently and unavoidably unstable. She describes the effects of light and time on one of her sculptures – situated in a friend’s bright, sunlit room – as antiquing, and says she likes the verdigris effect in that case. Yet she is protective of her light- and humiditysensitive body of work. Much of it is filed away in her living room, blinds drawn. Her preferred format for distribution is in limited edition high quality Giclée on watercolour paper, which should maintain their integrity for decades or centuries – which is to say we should have the opportunity to enjoy Anne’s work for generations. It’s also to say that you should seize upcoming opportunities to see Anne’s work in its pristine state and original form. Even gallery showing can prove wearing

Her work is driven by an aesthetic sensibility that demands beauty and conflict Her work is driven by an aesthetic sensibility that demands beauty and conflict – bite – a foundational contrast borne out of life experience. Her art is autobiographical and reflexive in nature. While collage has a strong lineage, Anne’s approach is self-taught. Many collage artists combine images in a manner intended to juxtapose the individual components within a piece, creating a jarring effect through contrasting

TG: We’ll set up in the middle of the room and let people circle us, view the rock from all angles! And DJ Cassette will sock hop you with ‘Bust a Move,’ ‘Let’s Go Crazy,’ and ‘Tainted Love.’ VV: You’ve been at this cross-country music marathon for a long time – 15 years or so. What drives you to keep doing it? TG: Settled down life doesn’t really appeal to me. I like going place to place and having my fingers in as many pies as possible. Then again, Junior Gone Wild had a record called ‘too dumb to quit.’ VV: The Tom Glenne 5.5 is known for its live performances; why do you think this is? TG: I grew up going to nomeansno shows in the ‘80s. That’s my standard for what the band should deliver in terms of excitement. We actually still believe in the power of rock and roll. VV: Why is your band called “The 5.5”? TG: We used to let the differing number of musicians in the band from gig to gig determine the number, so sometimes it was The Tom Glenne 4, or whatever. Then we had a gig with a new guitarist who was really tall, so we called it 5.5. Everyone asked about it then, so that’s what it’s stayed.

on the large coloured works, so it’s unlikely originals will appear frequently. Anne’s work is on display until August 4 at the Sooke Fine Arts Show (see www.sookefinearts.com/ art-show.html for details) and will be at Collective Works in October. (See www.collectiveworks.ca for info.)

surprising contrast to the raw and angsty, blue collar sound of the music. Do you think there is something about your upbringing or the music you grew up with that might account for this unique hybrid? TG: Well, I like lyrics with interesting implications and music everyone wants to dance to. I want it all, is what I’m saying. Your heart, your mind, your ass. VV: What is the highlight of your music career so far? TG: I sang a newborn into her first sleep. VV: Both the Toronto version of your band and the Victoria version will be represented at the August 16 Sock Hop. What is the biggest difference between the two bands? TG: Victoria band holds the groove while wearing striped pants; Toronto band throws the groove away and tries to get it back again in flashy shirts. Both will make you hop, socks or not. What sock hop featuring The Tom Glenne 5.5, with

DJ Cassette. When Saturday, August 16, 2008. 7pm Doors. Where Fernwood Community Centre Gym, 1240 Gladstone Ave. Admission $6 per person. Info 381-1552 Ext.25 or www.myspace.com/ thetomglenne55 or www.yap.com

VV: Your lyrics have a kind of Dennis Miller-esque academic obscurity to them at times, which is a bit of a

VillageVibe

August 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7

what’s on in Fernwood Arts, Theatre and Entertainment Belfry Theatre. ANYTHING THAT MOVES. by Ann-Marie MacDonald with Alisa Palmer. Music by Allen Cole. July 29-Aug 16. 1291 Gladstone Ave. For info contact Belfry Box Office at 250-385-6815 or www.belfry.bc.ca Bluegrass Wednesdays. Fernwood NRG and the Fernwood Bluegrass Association present Wednesday night bluegrass jams at the Cornerstone Café. 7:3010pm. FREE! Collective Works Gallery. Isa Severain (solo show). Aug 1 to Aug 22. Opening reception Fri, Aug 1, 7-9pm. Harumi Ota (solo show) Aug 22 to Sept 11. Opening reception Fri, Aug 22, 7-9pm. Gallery hours>11am-6pm Tues-Thurs; 11am-8pm Fri+Sat; 11am-6pm Sun; closed Mon. 1311 Gladstone Ave. www.collectiveworks.ca Cornerstone Collective Records. Cornerstone Collective Records (Fernwood’s own non-profit community-driven record label) welcomes new members Sat, Aug 9. 2:30pm. Drop-in to “talk shop” with us and launch your music career! For info call James: 250-3811552 ext.25. Live Music at Fernwood Inn. Open Mic Thursdays. 8:30-11:30pm. 1302 Gladstone Ave. FREE! Live Music at Logan’s Pub. 1821 Cook St. www.loganspub.com Sock Hop in the Fernwood Community Centre Gym. Featuring the alt-R&B sounds of The Tom Glenne 5.5, with DJ Cassette. Sat, Aug 16. Doors 7pm. Tix $6. 1240 Gladstone Ave. All ages/everyone welcome. Preview at www.yap. com. Theatre on Two Wheels. The Otesha Project presents Reason to Dream. Fernwood Community Centre. Sun, Aug 24, 7:30pm. www.otesha.ca. Victoria Bluegrass Association Jam. Tuesdays 7:30-10pm. Orange Hall. 1620 Fernwood Rd. $2 to play. FREE to listen. www. victoriabluegrass.ca Victoria Folk Music Society. Sundays. 7:30pm Open Stage. 9pm Feature Performer. (Aug 3>closed. Aug 10>CHRIS CHANDLER and PAUL BENOIT. Aug 17>JESSICA FICHOT and band. Aug 24>JANE EAMON and GORD. Aug 31>VARIETY FEATURES). Norway House. 1110 Hillside Ave. $5 feature performer nights/$3 all open stage night. www.victoriafolkmusic.ca

Kids and Families at the Fernwood Community Centre Family Community Day. Family Fun directed and facilitated by the participants. Snacks, crafts, play equipment and varied themes. Mondays 9:30-11:30am. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. FREE!! Parent and Tot Playgroup. Snacks/Crafts/Circle Time. Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30-11:30am. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $1 per family.

Youth, Adults and Seniors New! One-Week Free Youth Soccer Camp. Boys and girls ages 8 to 14. Mon, Aug 18 to Sat, Aug 23. 1-4pm, Basketball Court behind the Fernwood Community Centre Gym, 1240 Gladstone. To register, call James at 250-3811552 Ext.25. New! Women’s Soccer. Drop-in. Sundays 5-6:30pm, Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $3.** Ear Acupuncture at the Fernwood Community Centre. Treatments 15-20 min. Thursdays 2:304:30pm. Fernwood Community Centre MPR. By donation. Everyone welcome. Falun Gong. Peaceful meditation practice. All welcome! Wednesdays 5-7pm. Fernwood Community Centre MPR. FREE!! Family Floor Hockey. Sundays 3:30-5pm, Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $5 per family.** Fernwood Autumn Glow. 55+. Gentle exercise, lunch and activities. Monthly special guest speaker. Fridays 11am Fernwood Community Centre MPR. $5.50 for lunch. Floor Hockey. Drop-in Co-ed. Adult (18+). Tuesdays and Thursdays 7-9:30pm. Saturdays 2:30-5pm. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. $4, or get a punchcard: $40/11 sessions.** Hatha Yoga. (off for summer – will resume in September) With certified instructor Elke. Focus on gentle poses, breathing practice, deep relaxation and meditation. Tuesdays 3-4:30pm. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. Suggested donation $5. Internet and Computer Access. Register and get online through the Community Access Program. Monday to Friday 9:30am-5pm. Fernwood Community Centre Community Room. FREE! Nintendo Wii Fridays. Drop-in Co-ed. Ages 10-14. Fridays 7-9pm. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. FREE!!. Concession open.

Power Flow Yoga with Jenny Hyslop. This more intense yoga session will leave you invigorated and rejuvenated! Adults>Fridays 5:30-7pm. $5. Children ages 3-6>Saturdays 1-2pm. ages 7-12>Sundays 2-3pm. $3. Fernwood Community Centre Gym. Scrabble Saturdays. Ages 13-adult. Saturdays 2-5pm. Fernwood Community Centre. Drop in and meet fellow Scrabbleheads. FREE! Tot Soccer. Ages 3 to 5. Instructor Bobby Kenny. Sundays 11am-noon. Rain or shine. Learn the basics and have fun. Whether you call it soccer or football, this game is great for one and all. Please bring a kickable ball. In the field behind Fernwood Community Centre. By donation. **We accept Sports Trader Bucks and Canadian Tire Money at face value!

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@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca www.villagevibe.ca Editor: Lisa Helps Assistant Editors: Aaron Ellingsen, Trish Richards Contributors:

Special Events

Elisha Barker

Fernwood’s Outrageous Recycling Day. Bring your CLEAN plastics, styrofoam packing and food trays, electronics and foil-lined coffee bags. Sat, Aug 9. 10am-1pm. Across from Fernwood Community Centre. By donation. Fernwood’s Outrageous Recycling Day seeks volunteers! Come out for an hour or two and help us make it all happen! For info or to volunteer contact villagevibe@ fernwoodneighbourhood.ca Fernwood Business Network. Everyone welcome. Tues, Aug 5. 10am. (first Tuesday monthly!) Fernwood Inn. For info contact Ryan Rutley at ryan@rutleyventures.ca Victoria Green Drinks. An inclusive gathering of the sustainabilityminded for refreshments and conversation. Tues, Aug 12 at Canoe Brew Pub, Marina and Restaurant 405 Swift Street. For info see www.greendrinksvictoria.ca Fernwood Place Making Troupe. All Welcome! Bring your ideas for the square and the neighbourhood. Mon, Aug 18. 7pm. Cornerstone Café. Fernwood NRG Food Security Collective – Monthly Meeting. All welcome! Tues, Aug 19. 7-9pm. Fernwood Community Centre MPR. foodsecurity@ fernwoodneighbourhood.ca Fernwood Village Night Market. Local organic produce, baked goods, artists, artisans and entertainment. Bring your family and friends for a fresh, funky experience. Every Tuesday until Sept 16, 5:30-8:30pm. Corner of Fernwood and Gladstone. Fernwood Community Kitchen. Cook nutritious, creative meals with your neighbours! For info contact Tracey at tveldhuis@gmail.com Fernwood Sharing Gardens. Have a garden but no time? Time but no garden? Contact Rainey at 380-5055 or sharinggardens@gmail.com.

Fairen Berchard Anne Cookson Amy Crook Tracy James Margaret Hantiuk Darrell Harvey Lee Herrin James Kasper Shelley McGrath Joy Roberts Cameron Speedie The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily reflect the views of Fernwood NRG.

Spring Ridge Commons Workparties! Come and get your hands dirty in Fernwood’s only public food garden. Thursdays, 5-7pm. Please bring tools if you’ve got ‘em. The Fernwood Commons: A Fernwood Community Communication Forum. For info on Fernwood comings and goings and neighbourhood news and views, check out The Fernwood Commons on line: http:// thevillagevibe.ning.com/ If you have a workshop or special event idea for the Fernwood Community Centre or the Cornerstone Café email james@ fernwoodneighbourhood.ca If you have a Fernwood event you would like listed in the Village Vibe calendar please send an email with the subject line “vibe calendar” to villagevibe@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca

Have a cold one … On our hot new patio! Open daily from 11:30 Under new ownership! Page 8 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | August 2008

1302 Gladstone

412-2001

VillageVibe

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.