villagevibe Photo: Clayton Daum
June 2008 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood
Photos: Shoshana Scott
When the shoe fits >> by Trish Richards
Plant sale a success >> by Angela Moran The Fifth Annual Organic Plant sale at the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre was a huge success! On May 10th, almost 900 people visited the Centre to purchase perennial and annual plants from local organic growers, including rare and heirloom varieties. This market-style event was a great opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of locally grown, pesticide-free plant propagation and production. It also provides the Centre with a valuable fundraising opportunity and increases our exposure. Visitors to the Centre enjoyed free site tours and took in the music of Last Train, a local bluegrass band. They performed throughout the plant sale, and they were a hit! The overwhelming media interest this year could account for the dramatic increase in numbers. It was our biggest turnout ever. The CRD’s pesticide
ban might also be starting to have an impact in encouraging residents to find ecological and ethical solutions for their own backyards. Overall, as awareness grows around the current global food crisis, so does the movement toward sustainable home-scale food production. We would like to send a special thank you to all of the vendors that participated in this year’s event. It is your tireless dedication to local food security that makes this event possible. Offering people the means to provide food for themselves is brings us one step closer to a local, participatory, ecological food system in Victoria. Thank also to Victoria High School, Island Displays, Last Train, our volunteers, and our neighbours for their support and assistance with the plant sale.
The Vic High Rugby Team recently won a trophy of a different sort: a glittery, golden high heel shoe, replete with decorative flowers! And it’s a trophy that they are justifiably proud of. On Saturday, April 26th most of the Rugby guys of Vic High, along with their coaches, Clayton Daum and Matt Staples, slipped on some pretty snazzy high heel shoes and walked down Government Street in the second annual ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ event. The walk is sponsored by the Victoria Women’s Sexual Assault Center (VWSAC). It is an invitation to men to experience the joy of teetering along in high heels in an effort both to draw attention to sexualized violence and the attitudes that underlie it and to shift perspective through experience. It’s that old adage at work: “Look at it through my eyes. It looks a lot different from here.” Joining in the walk is not something you might expect of a group of teenage guys whose first love is rugby. So why did they do it? Coach Daum explains that the idea came from students in his Leadership class, some of whom are involved with Project Respect, another VWSAC initiative.
– continued on page 6 The Compost Ed Centre will be selling more organic veggie starts at the Centre. Call 386-9676 for more information.
Membership renewal
in this issue Live from Cornerstone Café Page 3 Feature: Your guide to Fern Fest 2008 Page 4
It’s the time again. Renew your Fernwood NRG membership in time for our Annual General Meeting in late September. Membership forms can
be picked up at the Fernwood Community Centre at 1240 Gladstone Ave between 9am and 5pm and dropped off at the same place.
Space to place charrette Page 7
editorial :
Gardens of the future
Oil prices are hitting record highs. Food costs are following. And what are we doing in here in Fernwood? Turning boulevards into veggie-bearing patches, that is, we are preparing for the future. But the idea dates from the past. In February 1932, at the height of the Great Depression, the Lands Committee of Victoria City Council recommended that the Committee “remit the registration fee of $2.50 where deemed advisable in order to assist needy persons to avail themselves of the opportunity of raising garden produce from home consumption on city owned property.” Translated from 1930s-speak, the Lands Committee was advocating that the City foot the bill for people to garden on City-owned property.
But it gets better than this. By 1935 the gardening on City-owned land enterprise had turned into a full-fledged City Council-sponsored yearly gardening contest for families on relief. And, the City awarded cash prizes for the best gardens. In August of 1936, the Parks and Boulevards Committee reported that “competition this year has been very much keener and great credit is due to the prize winner, one of two having won prizes despite the fact that their lots were covered with grass and weeds last year.” The folks who created the Haultain Common at Haultain and Asquith are far ahead of their time. But they’re drawing on age-old practices. It is hoped that the City Parks Department and others look to their predecessors in the past for inspiration for the future.
Turning boulevards into veggie-bearing patches
declaration of principles and values We are committed to creating a socially,
the Fernwood buzz Life, Growth, Evolution, and Celebration – words perfectly suited for Fernwood and well represented in the symbolism of a spiral. And so, after several months of open dialogue, roughly 50 excited neighbours gathered at the May 12th Cornerstone Café Mandala Party to express their intentions to make Fernwood an even greater place to be. Eric Norton’s Rainbow Spiral was voted as the number one mandala amongst 36 and will be the transformative symbol for Fernwood’s first intersection repair project at Fernwood Rd. and Gladstone Ave. crossing. While many questions about the logistics and politics of the paint-in process keep some twisting and turning, dozens of successful intersection projects in Portland, Oregon have fired up the collaborative problem-solving imaginations of Fernwoodians. Everyone is encouraged to attend upcoming placemaking meetings to share their insights and to embrace the opportunity to create positive change through collaboration. We’ll soon be able to celebrate our very own rainbow spiral as a representation of Fernwood’s inspirational transition and continued intentions. Let’s allow our creativity to spiral up and out from the core of each of us and our community. Many thanks to all of you, our artists, voters and the Mandala Committee for making this a possibility! Get ready for an everyone-welcome Mandala Paint-in Party Saturday June 21st at Fern Fest!
environmentally, and economically sustainable neighbourhood; We are committed to ensuring neighbourhood control or ownership of
We are committed to the creation and
FAST in Fernwood
support of neighbourhood employment;
>> by Deryk Houston
We are committed to engaging the
After mounting many one man shows in Canada and as far away as Iraq over the past dozens of years, I had a great desire to show my work closer to home. I thought it would be fun to bring together a group of artists within my neighbourhood. The result is the Fernwood Artist’s Studio Tour (FAST). It didn’t take long before we had enough artists to set June 21st and 22nd, 2008, as the dates. The beautiful thing was that it brought together many artists who never knew they lived just around the corner from each other. New friendships developed and ideas and knowledge were generously shared, soon developing an excitement about the talent in our own community. I also had some calls from artists who were unsure about their work or their work space. Some wondered if their work could be called art or perhaps a craft. Others worried that they didn’t have a ‘real’ studio space because they only worked at their kitchen table. Our group took a broad approach to the definition of art. We wanted to include and encourage a wide range of expression including everything from sculpture to photographs, fibre art, dance, storytelling, painting, pottery, and so on. Artists are by nature often shy to show their work and often lack of confidence in what they do. Sometimes we love our work, and sometimes we want to destroy it. I have watched the confidence levels of various artists grow as the energy of the group carried us all along. It has been very satisfying to see this happen. Please join us on the 1st annual FAST, June 21st and 22nd. On Saturday, start our walk from Fern Fest in the
We are committed to using our resources prudently and to becoming financially self-reliant;
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!
– continued on page 3 Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2008
Photo: Mark Powell
neighbourhood institutions and assets;
Sol Kinnis speaks at FBN >> by Mark Powell Tuesday May 6th Sol Kinnis, Resource and Communications Coordinator for the BC Institute for Co-operative Studies (BCICS), a director of Roofs and Roots Housing Co-operative, and a local Fernwoodian, met with those who had turned out for the inaugural Fernwood Business Network (FBN) sponsored speaker series held at the Fernwood Inn. The FBN is beginning the series, to engage the public in dialogue about economics, and to challenge the old model where business is considered as separate from community. Did you know that eight hundred million people worldwide are members of co-ops? Or that co-operatives are incorporated? Or what the differences are between a cooperative structure and a group formed under the Societies Act? Sol explained the advantages and disadvantages of forming each kind of group. For instance, did you know monies raised by foundations can’t be donated to co-ops but can be given to non-profit societies? Sol explained that co-ops are businesses based around needs of their members, and that although there is always one vote per member, dividend structures can vary. For a quick lesson on the various types of co-ops, from consumer co-ops to worker co-ops, head to the BCICS website at www.bcics.org.
– continued on page 6
VillageVibe
What do you most like about Fernwood and what would you change? Views photos: Véronique da Silva
views from the street :
Don I love the eccentricities this neighborhood has to offer. There is a strong sense of a diverse community coming together with common goals. I would like to see traffic slow down on Fernwood Road, making Fernwood into a people-friendly place, and take the emphasis off cars.
Live from the Café
Howie
Kayliah
Although it is somewhat changing, I like the fact that Fernwood has always been somewhat tucked away, off the map, a secret garden of sorts! I would like to see less cars and more skateparks!
I like the fact that I have lived here (in Fernwood) for about a year, and that I feel more part of a community than I did where I was for the last 20 years! I would really like to see more breakfast joints right in the heart of Fernwood!
Gardens to go
Coupe II
On Friday May 9th at a jam-packed Cornerstone Café, Fernwood musicians and friends from around the city recorded a CD entitled “Live from the Cornerstone Café”. A sign on the front door directed music lovers to “enter through the back door”, as the Café had been transformed into a music studio of the live variety. Recording engineer, Jude Pelley, who worked for next to nothing, coordinated with barista extraordinaire James MacIntyre to ensure that there would be no steamy whistle from the espresso machine clouding up this CD. It was all about the music, an intimate musical evening in Fernwood history. And like so many other Fernwood initiatives, this one came from the ground up. While some folks signed up in advance, there were still spots available when the doors opened at 6:00pm the night of the recording. That’s right – an open-mic, of sorts, turned professional recording. Each artist performed one or two songs. The best song from each set will make it onto the record. Additionally, there will be no cost to the artists for production, as this is Cornerstone Collective Records’ official debut release. How about that for giving young and aspiring artists a break! The evening featured regular Cornerstone Café performers and members of Cornerstone Collective Records. The crowd also got a sneak preview of two of the Fern Fest 2008 headliners, Boxcar and Dead Reckoning. According to event organizer, Fernwood NRG’s James Kasper, “It was a thing of beauty. In some cases, artists played only one song, knowing that this would be a permanent record of their performance in front of a live audience. They really rose to the occasion under that pressure.” Did you miss the event and want to get your hands on the CD? Or were you there and can’t wait for its release? Either way, “Live from the Cornerstone Café” will be released at Fern Fest 2008 in Fernwood Square (Fernwood and Gladstone) on Saturday June 21st.
VillageVibe
Photo: Jeff Schering
>> by Lisa Helps
>> by Allison Power Despite the snow on April 19th, 84 participants joined Victoria Best Babies to celebrate Earth Day in the FCC gym and built ‘Gardens To Go’. Arriving with nothing but a keen interest in learning, participants decorated their ‘green bin’ and filled it full of soil. Then they planted starters like tomatoes and lettuce in the bin surrounded by marigolds and herbs. Each gardener was given an information package full of tips on beneficial garden companions, common problems in container gardening, recipes and other inspiring outdoor activities. Our goal was to bridge the relationship between plant and plate and encourage families to learn more about the environment and where our food comes from. It is essential for our health and that of our planet to be responsible and take ownership for our impact on the earth. Everyone was excited to go away with both a nurturing experience and a project that will grow all summer. Resources such as LEAP BC, L.I.F.E packages and community green maps were on hand to get families motivated and involved. Gardens To Go also inspired parents to plant, play, and be active with their children. Since the project, families have returned to programs with updates on the success of their gardens and stories of what they are doing now to adopt a more positive lifestyle. .
May’s Coupe de Ville II was an Introduction to Urban Chickens. Regine Klein shared her wealth of experience with keeping chickens and led the dozen participants on a coop tour through Fernwood. Coupe de Ville III will likely take place in the fall. I am saddened to say goodbye to the Vibe and its many wonderful collaborators. I will be moving to a new community and become a Fernwood visitor! This truly has been a lovely year of picture-taking for me! Kuddos to all the movers and shakers in this community – our world needs more of you! Lisa, Trish, Marianne, Susan, Roberta, Susy (and all the ones I am forgetting to mention...) – I will miss working with you! Véronique da Silva
FAST
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Square. Bring your children and your grandparents. Take the time to explore and have fun. You will be rewarded by a wide range of interesting work and personalities. Each artist has a story to share. Brochures with maps locating each artist’s studio can be picked up at the Collective Works Gallery, She Said Gallery, the Cornerstone Café, the Fernwood Inn, the Fernwood Community Centre, and the Fernwood Community Association.
June 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3
Your guide to Fern Fest 2008: The annual celebration of all things Fernwood feature :
>> by Wendy Magahay
Photo: Megan Sabell
On Friday June 20th and Saturday June 21st, Fernwood Square will become the heart of Fern Fest 2008, the celebration where all Victorians are invited to become honourary Fernwoodians. “Fern Fest is great because there are really activities for everyone from the bouncy castle to the seniors’ tea. And sometimes it’s surprising who is drawn to what, “shares Fernwood NRG Chair Lisa Helps. “Last year,” says Helps, “it was the
adults in the beer garden as well as the children sitting in front of her who were captivated by Shoshana’s stories.” This year Saturday is family day at Fern Fest with non-stop activities for little kids and big kids both on the main stage and in the Vic High sports field. And what’s Fern Fest without music? Fernwood’s own music impresario, James Kasper – recently awarded an M award for being “the hardest working person in local music” – has lived up to that title by booking an extraordinary lineup
There’s plenty for kids of all ages to enjoy at this year’s Fern Fest. Check out these highlights and see the two-day schedule for complete details. After charming audiences last year, Shoshana the Storyteller returns to Fern Fest for two appearances. Shoshana’s storytelling inspires listeners of all ages to awaken to the deeper joys of life. (Sat. 10:30 am and 4:30 pm) Victoria Firefighters, bring their Junior Combat Challenge to Fern Fest this year. These professional firefighters with the City of Victoria volunteer their time to teach kids about fire safety while putting them through their combat paces with tunnels, pylons, drop and Firefi ghter Scott Mitchell assists participant through tunnel to learn about crawling under roll and holding back a real fire smoke. hose. (Sat. 10:30 am-2:30 pm) Be the first to view Fernwood’s latest affordable housing success story and tour Park Place on Yukon Street. Near completion it will soon be home to six more families. (Sat 11:00am and 2:30 pm: meet at the main stage) Strolling makeup artist Tasha Winters will be on hand with face-painting of the sun and the famous Fernwood fern. A proud Fernwoodian, Tasha is a Blanche Macdonald graduate who does makeup for film, photography, and Langham Court Theatre. The Vic High Dancers “Platform 61” who recently added to their collection of awards earning both a Creative Costume Design Award and the Nancy Ferguson Shield bring their high energy move to the sports field lawn. (Sat. 5:00 pm)
of musical talent. Not only are the artists playing Fern Fest some of Fernwood’s finest musicians, it is also a collection that does the entire Island proud. This year Fern Fest coincides with the summer solstice and National Aboriginal Day. Both the Fernwood Artist’s Studio Tour and the Mandala Paint-in will be held concurrently with Fern Fest. There’s still time to volunteer and be part of the excitement. Come celebrate community and celebrate the sun!
The extremely popular Bouncy Castle is back! Shoes off and start laughing. Need we say more? (Sat. 5:30-8:30 pm) Steve Hignett is the master magician behind Rockabilly Magic. Fantastic magic and classic illusions combined with humour and audience participation makes Rockabilly Magic classic family entertainment. (Sat. at noon) Take the Fern Fest Zero Waste Challenge! Thanks to the diligence of volunteers and festival goers, in 2007 after three days of Fern Fest, just one measly, not-even-full, bag of garbage went to the landfill. Everything else met the Zero Waste Challenge. In 2008, we aim to do even better, and this is what you can do to help: > Sort your garbage into the plastics, compost, paper, cardboard, and very popular “not so sure” bins you’ll find around the site > Pack your own snacks and drinks in reusable containers that go home with you at the end of the day > Pick up any stray garbage you find on the site and get it into the right bin > Volunteer to help as a “waste interpreter” for a couple of hours during the weekend What’s a Festival without Food? The ongoing revitalization of our community can be seen in the five great places you’ll find to eat within metres of the Fern Fest Main Stage: the Cornerstone Café, the neighbourhood’s living room, the newly opened Green Goddess (there are flowers in the salads!), Stir it Up for amazing Roti and other Caribbean specialties, the Chinese restaurant, as well as two recognized in the Times Colonist’s ‘Best of 2007’: Stage and the Fernwood Inn. Enjoy the fare they have to offer as well as these special Fern Fest Food Finds: > Fernwood NRG BBQ: Enjoy veggie dogs, hot dogs, corn on the cob (if the crops co-operate), and Alison Power’s famous yam enchiladas, all at Fernwood-friendly prices. (Sat. noon-10:00 pm) > Fernwood Inn Community Pancake Breakfast on the Fernwood Inn Patio. Sat 10:00-noon: Free! > Fernwood Senior’s Tea at the Cornerstone Café. (Sat 2:00-3:30: Free!) > Or bring your own picnic and spread out on the lawn of the Vic High Sports Field (Remember Zero Waste and pack out whatever you pack in.)
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 | June 2008
VillageVibe
Fern Fest headliners all heart
Photo: Madina Thorsteinson
Interviews by James Kasper
Niska Napoleon Friday June 20 8:00pm
John Gogo Saturday June 21 5:30pm
Boxcar Saturday June 21 8:00pm
In a Nutshell: 22-year-old Cree singer-songwriter making her Fern Fest debut.
In a Nutshell: Modest music man and 10-year Fernwood resident making his Fern Fest debut. John has an album in the works which is 90% complete.
In a Nutshell: Bluegrass/roots trio, its members with a combined total of 25 years of Fernwood residency, returns to Fern Fest for a second consecutive year. Boxcar’s debut album is scheduled for release this July.
VV: What are your future goals? VV: What do you enjoy about Fernwood? Niska: “Singing is my life. Nothing can compare to the high of it. I’m not trying to be a star. I just enjoy music. I’m in no rush to sign to a label or be on TV. I know what’s important, so I just try to take in each day as much as I can. I would rather sing hard than sing pretty. I’m just waiting to bust out and spread the Niska love all over the world. I do what I can. I love. I fear. I try. What else is there, really?�
VV: What is special about being in this band? John: “There are lots of artists in the neighbourhood, and I certainly like being around artists. It’s been a great place to raise my family.� VV: Speaking of family, what has it been like, as a Gogo, being a part of such a big musical family? John: “It’s always been a real blessing to be a part of this family. Music is a big part of what we do. Two of my daughters are in the Vic High R & B Band.�
Michelle: “We’re in love with each other’s songs. We enjoy each other as people and we’ve become an extension of each other’s families.� VV: How do you feel about returning to Fern Fest as a headliner? Chris: “Awesome. It’s a great festival for bringing the community together.�
Fern Fest at a glance Friday June 20
Fern Fest Main Stage
Sat June 21
Fern Fest Main Stage
Vic High Field
5:00 pm
DJ Spins
10:00 am
6:00 pm
Open Mic #1
7:00 pm 8:00 pm
The Inn & The Cafe
Artists’ Studio
10:30 am
Shoshana the Story Teller
10:30 am til 2:30 pm:
Free Family Pancake
CCR Showcase #1
11:00 am
Meet for Park Place Tour #1
Victoria Fire Dept
Breakfast on the
Niska Napoleon’s
11:30 am
DJ Spins
Junior Combat
Fernwood Inn Patio
Art Studio Strolls
9:00 pm
Dead Reckoning
Noon
Rockabilly Magic Show
Challenge and
10:00 pm
Fern Fest Closes
1:00 pm
Open Mic #2
11:00 am til 4:00 pm:
2:00 pm til 3:30 pm:
Meet at the
2:00 pm
Palomitas de Maiz
Family Activities,
Free Seniors’ Tea at
Gallery
2:30 pm
Los Gingos Locos & Park Place Tour #2
Games and Sports
Cornerstone CafĂŠ
3:30 pm
Left at the Junction
4:30
Shoshana the Story Teller
5:00 pm
Platform 61 Vic High Dance Troup
5:30 pm
John Gogo
5:30 pm til 8:30 pm:
6:30 pm
The Flying Barista Brothers
Bouncy Castle
7:00 pm
CCR Showcase #2
8:00 pm
Boxcar
9:00 pm
Dead Reckoning
10:00 pm
Fern Fest Closes
The Square
10:00 am til Noon:
11:00 am til 4:00 pm: Mandala Paint-in
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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
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VillageVibe
June 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5
Conserving water by mulching
>> by Margaret Hantiuk
May 1st is the start of the CRD water restrictions for Victoria (usually until September 30th). Because of the ample water this spring, we are just in Stage One, which means that established shrubs, trees, vegetable, and flower gardens may be watered by hand (i.e. by hose with a hand-held nozzle with a shut-off valve, by watering container, or with a micro-drip system) at any time of the day. Otherwise, a sprinkler or an irrigation system that is not micro-drip can only be used at certain times of the day and certain days of the week. See www. crd.bc.ca/water to find your day and times, and for hints on wise watering and for gardening tips that save water. Hand watering is a great way to water – it is much more effective, if done properly. Water deeply and you
will have to water less often. Early morning and early evenings are the best times of day to water, as midday wastes water due to evaporation, and late evening watering promotes plant moulds and fungi. For trees and shrubs, their feeder roots are at the dripline (where the canopy, or outer branches leaves would drip the rainfall) and so this is the place to water – not the trunks! The best way to conserve water (and money) in the garden is to use mulches. This one practice also suppresses weeds, builds up the soil and moderates ground temperatures. Your plants will love it. The best time of year to apply an overall mulch is late winter when you are putting your garden to sleep, or in early spring, before everything starts popping up. You can mulch at any time, just be careful to not cover the crowns of plants and to leave a four inch gap around the trunks of trees and shrubs, thereby preventing rot. What can be used as mulch? Just about any organic material. The best? Compost, as it’s full of nutrients, live microorganisms and worms, and plenty of fiber that builds the soil. What else? Grass clippings, leaf mold (that you have piled up in the corner since last fall), aged sawdust and aged manure (fresh manure can burn plants), straw, mushroom manure, coffee grounds (free from the local barista), thick pads of newspapers, and cardboard, just to name a few. How much to add? At least two to three inches to be effective. The whole idea is to create the kind of porous,
Utterly Common >> by R ainey Hopewell Common: belonging equally to two or more; shared by all alike; pertaining to the community as a whole: the common good. Imagine: lush tomatoes, exuberant zucchinis and sprawling pumpkins soaking up the summer sun; sweet lettuces and spinach nestled shyly in dappled shade; tidy rows of potatoes marching from curb to sidewalk’s edge. Imagine children coming to write their names on a pumpkin, watching their pumpkin grow all summer, and harvesting it in time for Halloween. Imagine a place in your own neighbourhood where you can harvest fresh veggies and herbs grown within walking distance of your home. You’ve just imagined the Haultain Common, on the corner of Haultain and Asquith, on the edge of Fernwood and Oaklands. Common: a garden belonging equally to two or more, shared by all alike. Following a sheet-
Shoes
Co-op
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composting workshop in May attended by 12 real keeners, Haultain Common is ready for veggie starts! Two rows of potatoes have already been planted and early tomatoes are ready to go in when the weather is reliably warmer. To be part of this new garden based on an old idea, you can: > Bring us your organic compost, to help make soil > Bring us veggie seeds and seedlings for plants that will be less than three feet high at maturity (a safety concern, since we’re planting on a boulevard) > Confer with us before planting something on your own (as we are the Common Co-ordinators this year) > Be willing to share anything you’ve planted with anyone else who wants to harvest from the Common We are Rainey and Margot, and you can contact us anytime at 380-5055 for more information about Haultain Common. Yea for food not lawns! Yea for the Common Good!
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He took it to the team “to promote a sense of social responsibility.” As he sees it, “Along with the privilege of playing comes responsibility.” His logic is that the rugby team should be using the high profile it has in the school to lead by example. Coach Daum also feels that the players are in a good place to take the kind of risk that making a public statement by donning high heels entails. “Through their sports, the guys have gained a confidence that is not usual for their age. With the team behind them, they could do it.” So they did! By all accounts, they had a great time: they felt they were contributing to the greater good, they learned a
well-draining soil that is also moisture retentive and nutritious – just like in a forest. There nature renews itself with the decay of falling leaves and rotting limbs and without the aid of fertilizers. Because there are no toxic chemicals, there are millions of micro-organisms in each handful of healthy soil, all helping to turn it into food for plants in the marvelous way that has evolved over eons as our soil’s natural eco-system. Some moisture is needed to promote this soil activity and to keep plants healthy, but you will need much less if you mulch than if your bare soil is exposed to the sun and wind all day. ‘Lasagna gardening’ is a new term for layered mulching which can be used as a natural alternative to kill lawns and weeds when starting a new bed or veggie garden. First, mow the lawn, leaving the clippings on the surface and hand weed as much as possible. Then layer thick pads of newspapers or cardboard over top, leaving no gaps. Water well. Next is a deep layer of mulch – preferably compost, but it could also be leaf mold, peat moss, coir (coconut fiber), aged sawdust, and manure or any mix of the above. The top layer can be garden soil, seasoil or wood chips. Keep the whole area moist through warm weather. You may plant into the mix within two or three weeks by cutting a hole through it and popping in your shrubs, perennials, or veggies. Add a micro-drip watering system to make it really easy. This is smart and easy gardening, nature’s way!
lot, and they laughed a lot. The team intends not only to walk again next year, but also to challenge Victoria’s other high school rugby teams to show up and shoe up. These guys are playing great rugby too! The Vic High team, whose proud lineage goes back to the 1940s, was only reconstituted four years ago. They made it to the Provincial Finals this year and will be playing for that trophy as we go to press. All we can say is: Well done, guys! That was a gutsy move. Shows the kind of attitude that should serve you well in the scrum. Fernwood will be out cheering you on next season.
Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2008
Photo: Mark Powell
gleanings :
When she was asked about why co-ops fail, Sol listed the following off the top of her head: 1. No understanding of what is involved or willingness to run/own 2. No financial plan 3. No business model (reliance on grants) 4. Undercapitalization 5. No realistic feasibility study (pilot project) 6. Ideologically driven (instead of practicality) 7. Over inclusiveness (afraid to say no) 8. No reasonable expectations (not knowing when it won’t work) 9. Can’t sustain the number of people who want in 10. One person vision (everyone else just wants a job) The Fernwood Business Network wishes to thank Sol for coming out and starting the series off so well. Come to the next FBN speaker series discussion – events scheduled for the first Tuesday of each month at 10am at the Fernwood Inn. For more info see Co-op by Design, edited by Sol Kinnis, Lyn Cayo, Kathleen Gabelmann; Effective Practices in Starting Co-ops, edited by Joy Emmanuel and Lyn Cayo. Available from New Rochdale Press online at, www.bcics.org
VillageVibe
Vacant lots
Space to place charrette
You know those places that you walk right by and don’t even notice? Such are the two vacant lots on the 1500 block of Pembroke Street. I like to think they are like remnants of what Victoria was like before colonization: rocky, strewn with Garry Oak and Camas, covered in that wild grass that goes yellow and scratchy in summer. Beside one of the vacant lots is the Church of Miracles, which offers a free dinner every Thursday. An average of 120 community members arrive every week, in summer upwards of 200 people come. Some diners don’t have a place to sleep, and the wild-looking stretch of land next to the church parking lot is an appealing place to bunk down. It’s not the sleepers who are a problem; it’s what they leave behind. Neighbours note an increase in garbage, human and pet feces, drug paraphernalia and stolen property on the lot. Just a few blocks away, another vacant space has recently been transformed. For the last five years Ludo Bertsch and other community members have been creating a greenway up the Ryan Street hill near Oaklands School. Recent funding, including a grant from the City of Victoria, has seen the culmination of Bertsch’s work. He notes that “land without a defined purpose gets used by whoever needs it. Before the berms, mulch and native plants were in place, this was a gravel lot used for parking. The space had no purpose, so cars took over.” The vacant lots on Pembroke have no defined purpose, so they are being used by a group in need: the homeless. Unlike the city-owned greenway area, the lots on Pembroke are privately owned. When asked about plans for development, the up-Island owner replied that he’d “build a house, I guess,” but that he had no specific plans or date in mind. Most Fernwoodians value the green space in our community. We also understand the pressing need for housing in our rapidly growing city. The big question is: Can we find a solution that reflects the needs of our neighbourhood through creative community action?
Roselyn Caiden, B.A. R.Ac.
Acupuncture & Spiritual Counselling ~The Inner Body Meditation~ 6 week class June 10, 7-10 Fernwood Studio ~ 250-889-8717 www.sacredpath.ca
VillageVibe
Photo: Christy Mack
>> by Tara Wells
>> by Trish Richards Fernwood Place Makers are at it again! On Monday, April 28th, the Cornerstone was once again brimming over with neighbours gathered to work on revitalizing Fernwood’s Village Centre. Leading the evenings’ dialogue was Victoria architect, Ayrie Cunliffe, who had integrated Fernwood’s Placemaking work to date into his broader vision of green way connectors between village centres around the city and presented a series of maps and watercolour impressions of what could be created along these corridors. Ayrie’s vision addresses the question “What’s it like to create an infrastructure that supports us for a sustainable future?” His proposed food forest/green ways between village centres are intensely local pedestrian zones, which also support local food production. Ayrie placed Fernwood within a corridor that runs from Capital Iron north along the length of Caledonia Rd. to Chambers St. where it jogs to meet Gladstone and continues onward through Fernwood Square eventually through Jubilee and then to Oak Bay. Taking his cue from the Placemaking group’s delineation of Fernwood Square and surrounds, Ayrie guided the group through a series of beautiful renditions of our collective vision for Fernwood Village.
In Ayrie’s conceptual work, Fernwood’s Village Centre is layered. The square itself – the inner sanctum – is accessed through gateways at Spring Ridge Commons/the Caledonia and Chambers intersection on the east, Stanley and Gladstone on the west, Gower Park at Pembroke and Fernwood on the north, and the intersection of Vining and Fernwood to the south. At each of these gateways columns and green space are used to clearly delineate the entrance to Fernwood Village. Ayrie’s work also poses some exciting possibilities for the corridors leading into the Square. His ideas include integrating the Community Centre into the Gladstone greenway through plantings along the roadway and extension of greenspace from the Gladstone curb over to the Vic High fields, expanding the use of Gower Park by creating gardening space and a tea house, and relocating the aging tennis courts to create an urban park centre that would include the current problematic corridor behind the Belfry. Ayrie’s concepts for Fernwood Square are similarly exciting. To really acknowledge the Square as the Village Centre and to integrate it fully with the FernwoodGladstone intersection, he proposed changing the pavement surface in Fernwood Road, lifting the surface gradually from the gates. He also suggested greater integration of the Belfry with the Square, and changing the transition from the Vic High playing field into the Square to a long set of broad stairs that could also be used as either seating or performance platforms. The Square needs to be de-cluttered, greened, and to have welcoming seating arrangements. Ideas abound for innovations like increased bike parking using interesting metal sculpture racks, ‘rain catcher’ art features and vertical ‘green walls. Ayrie’s vision as articulated in his enthralling artwork is currently on display at the Cornerstone Café. Take a look and please send comments to placemaking@ fernwoodneighbourhood.ca. Or join Fernwood’s placemakers at our regular Space to Place meetings on the third Monday of the month at 7:00pm at the Cornerstone Café.
North Park Village update >> By Alex Kerr Chair Unity Committee, NPNA Welcome to North Park Village! Many of you may have noticed the banners along Cook St. between Pandora and Caledonia and wondered exactly what is going on. Here goes: North Park Neighbourhood Association with the blessing of the FCA, Fernwood NRG and the cooperation of the businesses in the Cook St. area, has started to work towards setting up a village concept for Cook St. between Pandora and Caledonia. The idea of the village is to promote the area as a destination for shopping and as a gathering place that the neighbourhood can be proud of. To this end we applied for and received a neighbourhood enhancement grant for banners, benches and bike racks. We held a banner design competition and chose two designs. We also applied for and received a special projects grant to hold a placemaking workshop. We held the workshop February 16th, 2008 and there were many good ideas brought forth. The report it is posted on our website at www.npna.ca.
To date we have had meetings with the Parks Department and we have started to rebuild Franklin Green Park located behind Wellburn’s Market. There is a new playground, there will be a new path, lighting, pickle ball and bocce courts. Completion date is June 2008. The banners were hung in early April. The next step is to have the three bike racks and two benches installed as per the recommendations of the placemaking workshop. We are also creating www.northparkvillage.ca for the use and promotion of the area. Our plan is to have a bulletin board installed in the village this coming year as well as establishing a merchant’s association. Generally we will be working with the merchants and residents on a tidy-up program. We are working towards having more activities in the Franklin Green Park when it is finished. This is an ongoing project and will take several years to complete. We’ll keep you updated on the progress. Remember that this is your village too and it needs your support to flourish. North Park Neighbourhood Festival will be held August 16th, in Franklin Green Park from noon until 4:00pm. Come on out and enjoy the food, entertainment, demonstrations and games.
June 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7
what’s on in Fernwood Arts, Theatre, and Entertainment Belfry Theatre. The return of MOM’S THE WORD 2: UNHINGED. by Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard and Deborah Williams. June 4-22. 1291 Gladstone Ave. For info contact Belfry Box Office at 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! Bohemian Open Mic at 8pm hosted by James Kasper. Saturdays. Cornerstone Café. 1301 Gladstone Ave. For concert booking info contact: 3811552 ext.25. FREE! Collective Works Gallery. “The Medium and the Machine” (works by Arlene Nesbitt). May 30-June 19. “Towards the Sun” (group show). June 20-July 10. Gallery hours>11am-6pm Tues-Thurs; 11am-8pm Fri+Sat; 11am-6pm Sun. 1311 Gladstone Ave. www.collectiveworks.ca Cornerstone Collective Records Drop In. Cornerstone Collective Records (Fernwood’s own non-profit community-driven record label) - Welcomes new members Sun, June 15. 2:30pm. Drop-in to “talk shop” with us and launch your music career! For info call James: 381-1552 ext.25. Erynn Marshall and Dave Clarke. New duo debuts: Fiddler Erynn Marshall & Guitarist Dave Clarke – Building On Tradition. Fri, June 6. 8pm. Orange Hall. 1620 Fernwood Rd. Tix $10, available at Old Town Strings. www.hickoryjack.com and www.daveclarke.ca 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 The Vic High Neighbourhood Choir. Presents its 3rd annual spring concert “With One Voice”, featuring guest soloist COLLEEN ECCLESTON (lead singer of Victoria’s favourite Celtic trio “The Ecclestons”), in an evening celebrating all things a capella! Fri, June 6. 8pm; Victoria High School Auditorium. Suggested Donation: $7/$5, Children Under 12 FREE. Info: 382-7048 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. (June 1>THE FLYING ACCUSATIONS, June 8>TARKIN, June 15>EARLE PEACH, June 22>PHIL O’FLAHERTY AND ANNIE BROWN, June 29>TOM LEWIS). Norway House. 1110 Hillside Ave. $5 feature performer nights/$3 all open stage night. www.victoriafolkmusic.ca Vic High Photography Students Exhibit. May 30-June 30. Cornerstone Café.
Kids and Families at the Fernwood Community Centre (FCC) Family Community Day. Family Fun directed and facilitated by the participants. Snacks, crafts, play equipment and varied themes. Mondays 9:30-11:30am. FCC Gym. FREE! Parent and Tot Playgroup. Snacks/Crafts/Circle Time. Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30-11:30am. FCC Gym. $1 per family.
Youth, Adults and Seniors Ear Acupuncture at the FCC. Treatments 15-20 min. Thursdays 2:304:30pm. FCC MPR. By donation. Falun Gong. Peaceful meditation practise. All welcome! Wednesdays 5-7pm. FCC MPR. FREE! Family Floor Hockey. Sundays 3:30-5pm, FCC Gym. $5 per family.** Fernwood Autumn Glow. 55+. Gentle exercise, lunch and activities. Monthly special guest speaker. Fridays 11am. FCC MPR. $5.50 for lunch. Floor Hockey. Drop-in Co-ed. Adult (18+). Tuesdays and Thursdays 7-9:30pm. Saturdays 2:30-5pm. FCC Gym. $4, or get a punchcard: $40/11 sessions.** Hatha Yoga. With certified instructor Elke. Focus on gentle poses, breathing practice, deep relaxation and meditation. Tuesdays 3-4:30pm. FCC Gym. Suggested donation $5. Indoor Soccer. Drop-in Co-ed. Adult (18+). Mondays 7-9pm. FCC Gym. $3.** Internet and Computer Access. Register and get online through the Community Access Program. Monday to Friday 9:30am-5pm. FCC Community Room. FREE! Junior Youth Empowerment Program. Sundays 2-5pm. FCC MPR. For info call 381-1552 ext.25 Nintendo Wii Fridays. Drop-in Co-ed. Ages 13-16. Fridays 7-9:30pm. FCC Gym. $2 per youth. Concession open. Scrabble Saturdays. Ages 13-adult. Saturdays 2-5pm. FCC. 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 FCC. By donation. **We accept Sports Trader Bucks and Canadian Tire Money at face value!
Special Events Blueprint for a New Earth: Inner Body Meditation. Six week evening class, starts Tues, June 10. 7-10pm. Studying Eckhart Tolle? This class is for you. For info contact Roselyn at 889-8717 or transform@sacredpath.ca Fernwood Business Network. Everyone welcome. Tues, June 10. 10am. (second Tuesday monthly!) Fernwood Inn. For info contact Ryan Rutley at ryan@ rutleyventures.ca Fernwood’s Outrageous Recycling Day. Bring your CLEAN plastics, styrofoam packing and food trays, electronics and foil-lined coffee bags. Sat, June 14. 10am-1pm. Back of FCC. By donation. Green Drinks. An inclusive gathering of the sustainabilityminded for refreshments and conversation. Tues, June 10. 5-7pm. Canoe Brewpub, Marina and Restaurant, 450 Swift St. For info see www.greendrinksvictoria.ca Fernwood Placemaking Troupe. All Welcome! Bring your ideas for the square and the neighbourhood. Mon, June 16. 7pm. Cornerstone Café. Fernwood NRG Food Security Collective – Monthly Meeting. All welcome! Tues, June 17. 7-9pm. FCC MPR. foodsecurity@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca Fernwood Community Kitchen. Cook nutritious, creative meals with your neighbours! For info contact Tracey at tveldhuis@gmail.com Come one, Come all!! Fern Fest ‘08. June 20 and 21. Fernwood Square. Music, Arts, Food and Games! Come out and celebrate our wonderfully eclectic and everevolving neighbourhood! FREE! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! To get involved call 381-1552 ext.25, sign up at the Cornerstone Café or online: www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca. Fernwood Pocket Market. Local organic produce and baked goods. Tuesdays 2-6pm. Fernwood Square. Fernwood Sharing Gardens. Have a garden but no time? Time but no garden? Contact Rainey at 380-5055 or sharinggardens@gmail.com. Our Place – Grand Opening!! Tues, June 24. Come out and help celebrate the grand opening of Our Place’s new facility, providing healthy community building services for Victoria’s homeless and those in need. Tues, June 24. 9am-5pm. Speeches between 2-4pm. For info contact Emily: emily@ ourplacesociety.com Spring Ridge Commons Workparties! Come and get your hands dirty in Fernwood’s only public food garden. Thursdays from 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/
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 Assistant Editors: Aaron Ellingsen, Trish Richards Photographers: Pete Rockwell, Veronique da Silva Contributors: Margaret Hantiuk Rainey Hopewell Deryk Houston James Kasper Alex Kerr Wendy Magahay Angela Moran Allison Power Mark Powell Greg Smthye Tara Wells The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily reflect the views of Fernwood NRG.
If you have a workshop or special event idea for the FCC 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
Open For Lunch! From 11:30 Daily Check out our new Lunch Specials Under new ownership! Page 8 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2008
1302 Gladstone
412-2001
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