www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca Spring is here! What

Village Vibe

Sustainability Issue

news and views from the heart of Fernwood

www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca

may 2006

The Doc to Talk: David Suzuki in Fernwood

have uncanny similarities.

“In both I worked with residents to build housing, develop alternate energy systems, create employment through social ventures and are build local capacity," Martell said. "It seems that no matter where you live, in urban or very rural neighbourhoods, the triple bottom line of economic, environmental and social sustainability is at the forefront of people’s minds.”

Please join us for a night to remember, and for a great cause.

All proceeds to the Cornerstone alternate energy system. Tickets are going fast, but are still available at the Community Centre, 1240 Gladstone, or call 381-1552 ext. 22.

Spring is here! What better to do for the earth than gather the kids, put down the gardening tools and come inside. Well… just for one evening that is! Fernwood NRG is honoured to be hosting the formidable eco-icon Dr. David Suzuki at Vic High on Tuesday, May 16th at 7 p.m. He’ll be in the ‘hood to talk Urban Sustainability, and is graciously donating his time for this Cornerstone fundraiser.

“Having David and Tara coming to Fernwood is pretty special,” said NRG Executive Director Roberta Martell who worked in Nemiah for the David Suzuki Foundation.

Although Fernwood seems a polar opposite to the remote First Nations village of Nemiah, the two community development projects

Introducing Fernwood NRG

Fernwood Neigbourhood Resource Group: Resident Powered Urban Evolution.

Beginning with our name change (from the Fernwood Community Centre Society) passed unanimously by members at the November 24th 2005 AGM, Fernwood NRG has been involved in an extensive rebranding process.

We chose the name Fernwood Neigbourhood Resource Group because it fits with what we do. We provide childcare – this is a resource. We are doing community economic development – this is a resource. We have a public space that is open 9am – 9pm five days a week, free internet access, wash-

rooms for those without them, programs ranging from prenatal health and nutrition to Friday's seniors lunches and exercise classes.

These are all resources.

We also chose the name because we like the acronym it makes – Fernwood NRG. This captures the amazing energy right here in this neighbourhood. Energy to get things done. Energy to make a difference in our own lives and the lives of our neighbours.

To help us in the rebranding process, we hired local (read Fernwood!) graphic designer Marianne Unger of Mud Studios and worked with her to come up with a logo and tag line that cap-

tured our vision, mission, and principles. This process was by no means an entirely smooth ride and Marianne guided us expertly through hours of negotiations about logo colours and tag lines.

Our tag line "Resident Powered Urban Evolution" took the longest to develop. At one point we had a list of over thirty options including, "Place Making People," "Neigbours Building Neighbourhood," and "People Passion Place." We chose Resident Powered Urban Evolution because it captures our hopes and dreams for the neighbourhood: change begins right here where we live, it is resident driven, this is the (r)evolution.

Village Vibe

Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group (FernwoodNRG) Declaration of Principles and Values 1. WE are committed to creating a socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable neighbourhood; 2. WE are committed to ensuring neighbourhood control or ownership of neighbourhood institutions and assets; 3. WE are committed to using our resources prudently and to selfbecoming financially reliant; 4. WE are committed to the creation and support of neighbourhood employment; 5. WE are committed to engaging the dreams, resources, and talents of our neighbours and to fostering new links between them; 6. WE are committed to taking action in response to neighbourhood issues, ideas, and initiatives; 7. WE are committed to governing our organization and serving our neighbourhood democratically with a maximum of openness, inclusivity, and kindness; 8. WE are committed to developing the skills, capacity, selfworth, and excellence of our neighbours and ourselves; 9. WE are committed to focusing on the future while preserving our neighbourhood's heritage and diversity; 10. WE are committed to creating neighbourhood places that are vibrant, beautiful, healthy, and alive; 11. AND, most of all, WE are committed to having fun!

To subscribe, contact, submit to or advertise in the Vibe, head to www.villagevibe.ca

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Jane Jacobs 1916 - 2006

Jane Jacobs once said, "Never, never underestimate the power of high hearts when they're combined with principled, unyielding wills."

Although she lived and died far afield from our small corner of the earth here in Fernwood, her words ring true.

Jacobs has sometimes been called an "anti-planner" writing The

Death and Life of Great American Cities in 1961 without any formal training in city planning or architecture.

For Jacobs what makes cities great does not come from grand theories or master plans but from looking around us, noticing what is broken and what needs fixing.

Everything we need to build a city, or a neighbourhood for that matter, exists right here in front of us, within reach. Her message is that we simply need to pay attention.

As she also once said, "There is a quality even meaner than outright ugliness or disorder, and this meaner quality is the dishonest mask of pretended order, achieved by ignoring or suppressing the real order that is struggling to exist and to be served."

Fernwood NRG's project of building sustainable neighbourhoods together, of struggling to serve the real order, of paying attention and working on neighbourhood issues is inspired by Jacob's work. We are saddened by her passing.

Sustainability Vibe

David Suzuki is coming to Fernwood to talk about neighbourhood sustainability and so we thought we'd greet him with a special theme issue of the Village Vibe.

Recently rebranded as the Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group (Fernwood NRG), the Society has begun to tackle neighbourhood sustainability here in Fernwood head on. At a retreat in January 2006, the Board of Directors and senior staff developed a five point strategic plan for Fernwood NRG which includes increasing family support services, food security, sustainable transportation, and alternative energy

initiatives, and community economic development (CED).

This issue of the Vibe is intended to highlight some of our thoughts and plans on these issues. In a time when, as environmentalist Alan Durning has written, “the world is so big a place it may as well be no place at all,� we believe the place-making (r)evolution starts right here at home. We hope this special issue of the Village Vibe articulates this. We also hope it serves as an invitation to join in.

For updates and information head to www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca

Village Vibe

CED Fernwood Style

by Lenore Rankin So what is community economic development (CED) anyway? CED is when local people create economic opportunities and enhance social conditions in their communities on a sustainable and inclusive basis. CED is a community based and community directed process that fosters the economic, social, ecological, and cultural well being of communities through a wholistic approach.

CED has emerged as a grassroots alternative to conventional approaches to economic development. It is founded on the belief that problems facing communities – unemployment, poverty, environmental degradation and loss of community control – need to be addressed in a wholistic and participatory way with a bottom up rather than top down model. CED focuses on creating lasting solutions through neighbourhood capacity building and strengthening the communications, governance and physical infrastructures

ects including the Café/Resource Centre scheduled to open in the Cornerstone building at Fernwood and Gladstone later this summer, a food security initiative, and an alternate energy project.

The Café/Resource Centre project highlights many of the elements of sustainable CED. The construction and ongoing operations will utilize green technologies, materials and practices. The

profit generating Café will create employment, training opportunities and provide revenues for neighbourhood-based programming.

The Resource Centre will provide access to community information and serve as an organizing base for neighbourhood projects.

Broader goals of this project include stimulating commercial activity in heart of our neighbourhood, creating a healthy environment for new business start up and augmenting existing businesses with increased consumer traffic.

As you can imagine the project can always use donations, whether of money, materials or skills. From cups to cappuccino machines, we need it all. Please consider investing in this worthwhile neighbourhood project. To donate or volunteer, please call 381-1552 ext. 25, visit our website www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca, mail your donation to 1240 Gladstone, V8T 1G6 or visit us in person.

domestic hot water needs during the summer months, and approximately 60% through the rest of the year. The system comes at a higher cost than more traditional technologies, however, and it has been a real education to learn enough to balance environmental and financial responsibility.

Because conservation is the cheapest way to ‘make’ energy, we will be installing double-glazed windows and maxing out the insulation in the ceiling. We have also designed the system with an eye to future expansion as funds become available. It is our hope that this system will leave a legacy

of conservation for the future.

Fernwood NRG would like to thank Vancity and the Real Estate Foundation of B.C. for their $50,000 support of this project.

Special thanks go out to Joe Leroy of Houle Electric, Wilf Scheuer of Prostar Mechanical, Bernie Gaudet of B.C. Building Corporation and Garde Collins for their volunteer work on heatload calculations and various scenarios for the integrated system plan.

They helped us to answer the question “Are we or are we not prepared to buy the future for our Grandchildren,” by helping us figure out how!

that support sustainable development.

Fernwood NRG is committed to a CED approach to neighbourhood revitalization. Using the triple-bottom line philosophy to neighbourhood sustainability, we are embarking on some exciting proj-

CED has emerged as a grassroots alternative to conventional approaches to economic development.

Alt Energy Hits the Cornerstone

by Roberta Martell We are currently putting the finishing touches on the design and planning of the alternate energy system for the Cornerstone. After a great discussion and work by volunteers, including mechanical and electrical engineers, we have decided to install a hybrid geothermal and solar powered system.

This means that approximately 65% of our space heating needs will come from the heat in the earth, which involves drilling two deep holes and installing closed loops of fluid to collect the heat.

This will be supplemented by 10 solar water-heating panels on the roof which will provide all our

news and views from the heart of Fernwood

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Sustainable Transportation Fernwood Style

by Tania Wegwitz

It’s a hard truth, but I’m going to say it: filling a bluebox might give you the warm fuzzies, but if you really want to help your urban environment, drive less.

Not only will spending less time clutching a steering wheel help your neighbourhood and your planet, it will also add years to your life and loonies to your bank account. And you’ll look like a babe! Below are some made-inFernwood assets and resources to help you integrate more sustainable transportation into your life.

The biggest asset is the neighbourhood itself, which grew up around the Spring Ridge Streetcar Terminus that was located in what is now the village square.

Because it developed around a transit hub instead of cars, Fernwood wound up with a village of mixed commercial and residential buildings surrounded by a great collection of pedestrian and bike-friendly streets.

For those who supplement their two feet with two wheels, there are a number of local bicycle resources. Bicycleitis (1623 Bay Street) has been serving Fernwood’s bike needs for over 16 years. Jeremy Kumbruch, son of shop owner Hans Kumbruch, explains that the shop has an extra take on urban sustainability.

“Until recently, we were the only bike shop in Victoria that dealt solely in used bikes, so I guess you could say that we take 'reuse, recycle' to a whole new level.”

Bicycleitis sells refurbished parts to people wanting to reduce waste and maintain their bikes on a budget. Cost of a tune up is $35 while refurbished used bikes start in the $100-$200 range, with some more basic models starting at $75.

At 1725 Quadra is the North Park Bicycle Shop owned by Joe

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Warde. The shop has been in business for four years and sells a mixture of new and used bikes, as well as parts, accessories, and has a service shop. Cost for a tune up here is $40-$45 with new bikes starting in the $150-$250 range.

Jeremy and Dave of Bicycletis

Once you’ve got your bike, Fernwood resident Anke Van Leeuwen can help you ride it. A board member for the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition, Anke is also a certified cycling instructor.

She teaches a one-day traffic skills course for cyclists that will give you more confidence on the road.

She also teaches cycling classes for older adults.

“Some of the participants had never ridden before in their life.

They liked the idea of riding but were scared to try it. By the end of the fourth class, we were riding on

the road.” Give her a call at 3859785 to hear more about the oneday course or to schedule a private lesson to get you tuned up for Bike to Work Week (www.biketoworkvictoria.ca) May 29th to June 4th.

Life on a bike is further complimented by Tony’s Trailers (www.tonystrailers.com).

Tony Hoar lives in Mill Bay but is easily an honourary Fernwoodian by virtue of his lifelong efforts to match practical ingenuity with twowheeled social justice. His company makes life easier for everyone creating bike carts from grocery getters, to trailers for towing kayaks, to transportation for people using wheelchairs, and specialized trailers to assist the homeless.

If biking's not your thing there's also the Victoria Car Share Co-op (www.victoriacarshare.ca). And if you want to learn more about sustainable transportation instead of just practicing it, Fernwood is also home to the Victoria Transport Policy Institute (www.vtpi.org).

Given all that we have in our neighbourhood, making the switch to a car-free or car-light lifestyle has never been easier. Your legs, lungs, and wallet will love you for it – and so will generations of neighbours to come.

Calling all Fernwood Transit Riders Fernwood NRG is interested in promoting our neighbourhood’s sustainability by making it easier and cheaper to take the bus. We are considering becoming a sponsor for the Victoria Regional Transit System’s ProPass Program. Normally offered only through large employers, this program offers a perpetual Photo ID bus pass paid for through automatic deduction and saves adult users about $110 per year.

If you are a transit user interested in participating in a program like this or if you want to brainstorm other transit-related ideas, please contact Tania at treasurer@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca or 995-016.

Village Vibe

Securing Food in Fernwood

by Susan Salvati I ran out of eggs the other day and informally. Last year, Vining St. instead of making a Thrifty’s run, I resident Lisa Helps grew food at a called my neighbour. Luckily for neighbour’s.

“It was so satisfying to walk me, she was able to send her son over with a carton, courtesy of the down the street to pick tomatoes . . ten family hens. Which got me . rather than going to the grocery thinking about the whole issue of store and buying them. It was my first time having a garden and stuff food security. actually grew.” Lisa was also in It's a hot topic.

To be sure, with land extractions charge of her neighbour’s compost from the Agricultural Land Reserve for the gardening season, walking becoming more commonplace and down with her own bucket of comincreasing fuel costs, food security postables. This was another enviis gaining attention and forcing us ronmental bonus, as she wouldn’t have been able to ask what Fernwood is home to to compost othwould happen should our food some amazing urban erwise.

Along with routes ever be homesteaders who bend jeopardized. In the limits of what it beginner gardeners with M a r c h , Fernwood NRG means to live in the city. small plots of land, Fernwood sponsored a forum on Food Security. The dis- is home to some amazing urban cussion focussed on solutions.

What can we do in Fernwood to address food security issues?

Quite a lot, it seems ...

One idea is to build on the resources that already exist in the non-profit organization Lifecycles.

Lifecycles oversees the Fruit Tree Project, whereby those who have fruit trees and those who would like to harvest fruit are matched. Both parties as well as Lifecycles itself benefit from the produce. The hope is that Fernwood NRG can do outreach and promote the project in our neighbourhood. Perhaps we Jute Wilson-Box with his duck can take it a step further and have Clara on their urban homestead canning parties – matching expert on Cedar Hill Rd canners with novices – to preserve homesteaders who bend the limits the fruit that is gathered.

Another idea is to link those who of what it means to live in the city. have property and those who Shannon Wilson and Lee Herrin on would like to garden but are unable Cedar Hill have transformed their to do so. Again, Lifecycles soon long front yard. Straw lines paths hopes to have a system in place around beds of medicinal herbs, that residents could use to find a strawberries, peas. Two ducks match. This is already taking place peck curiously at your shoes.

news and views from the heart of Fernwood

Bobby Arbess and Jenelle Goudge on Camosun have created a prolific, vibrant food garden in a matter of months after removing the back lawn. They actively encourage beneficial insects in their garden. Some people may also be familiar with Up From the Ashes City Farm on Balmoral. This amazing urban oasis has been cultivated over the last three years by Rev and more recently by Angela Moran. (Check out the July Village Vibe for more on the Up From the Ashes City Farm.)

To capitalize on the wealth of knowledge and experience that exists in our community, Fernwood NRG is presently looking to link neighbourhood gardeners with those who want to develop a green thumb. If you can raise radishes and are willing to mentor someone else, drop us a line at foodnotlawns@fernwoodneighbourhood.c a or 381-1552 ext. 2. Call us to if you are interested in finding a mentor to guide you along.

All of this, and still more.

Fernwood is home to two allotment gardens and the Compost As well, Education Centre.

Fernwood has the ultimate model of permaculture in Springridge Commons. Angela Moran tells me that she has been eating from the Commons for months already.

These projects are invaluable assets of the neighbourhood that help ensure our access to good food.

All of which brings me back to eggs. It's nice to know the people who raise the chickens that lay the eggs that my family eats. It's close to home. It's simple. Maybe it's the way food should be. And then we wouldn’t even have to be talking about food security.

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Garth Homer Society: Sustainable Volunteering

by Anne Murphy One underlying assumption about "sustainability" is that is will have some sort of "green" impact. What about the social impacts of sustainability? Imagine the possibilities of health impacts. Consider the idea of individual pride and success within a community as contributing to sustaining the planet. Fernwood NRG has a long history with a very important community service that should be highlighted in this sustainabilityfocused issue of the Village Vibe.

Fernwood NRG's involvement with volunteers in the Community Social Services sector highlights the importance of having fully integrated work and play spaces for individuals who experience disabilities in order to enable them to reach goals and experience independence and choice in their community, that is, to live sustainably.

Kevin Steeple is the coordinator

for the Community Access Team.

Kevin and his team swoop in twice a week to the Community Centre.

A branch of the Garth Homer Society that volunteers at various organizations, the Community Access Team is now a vital arm to our small non-profit organization as

they help us tremendously with our daycare cleaning and recycling.

Yet what do the volunteers get out of it?

Kevin's coordination and support give Suzy, Edward, Edmond, Dave, Earl, and Ken experience, appreciation and welcome in our daily operations, purposeful interaction with our program staff, parents, children, and other volunteers. At the same time they participate helping to reach one of the key goals of our organization – creating spaces of meaningful interaction for Fernwood families.

Their involvement and contribution is individualized so that satisfaction and success are visible outcomes that are praised and appreciated. We value the work they do, and hope other non-profit organizations reach out and invite Garth Homer to be visible is their neighbourhoods. Contact Kevin at GHS or check out the website www.garthhomersociety.org

Have Your Way With Compost

by Trish Richards Located on the corner of North Park & Chambers, The Victoria Compost Education Center brings another important facet of urban sustainability to our neighbourhood. The Center is a non-profit organization whose mandate is to encourage composting & conservation.

Funded by grants from local government agencies and by private donations, and drawing heavily on the support of committed volunteers, the Center is the place to go if you want to find out about composting. Center staff can advise you on the type of compost system appropriate to your household, show you how to build your own leaf composter out of chicken wire & scrap wood, set you up with a

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worm composter for kitchen scraps, or guide you through the fine art of layering, watering, and aerating to create lush compost with which to enrich your garden and flower beds.

You can visit the Center, check out the variety of compost systems and the nifty straw bale building on site, and even pick up some free thru literature, Wednesday Saturday, from 10:00 to 4:00.

Alternatively, you can attend one of the Center’s numerous workshops or presentations on aspects of composting and organic gardening. Or, if you are in need of immediate assistance with a composting dilemma, call the Compost Hotline! ( 3 8 6 - W O R M o r info@compost.bc.ca).

The Center helps to educate neighbourhood children about composting as well. Its latest exciting initiative, undertaken with the assistance of the Victoria Foundation, is to provide 250 worm composting bins to elementary school classrooms in Greater Victoria. Students will learn handson about both composting and the delights of worm raising by using their own worm bins to recycle their lunch scraps.

Stop by and check out what the Victoria Compost Education Center has to offer you. Come any time and especially come for the Center’s annual Organic Plant Sale, Saturday, May 13th, 10:00 to 2:00! See you there!

Village Vibe

The Commons: A Place for All

by Trish Richards Did you know that in the center of Fernwood there is a unique urban food garden there for the use and enjoyment of us all?

On the corner of Gladstone and Chambers, former site of one of Victoria’s original schools and subsequently an unsightly gravel lot, sits Spring Ridge Commons. The Commons is a diverse, multilayered garden of trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and groundcovers, most of which can be harvested for food or medicinal purposes.

The garden contains multitudi-

nous varieties of herbs, carpets of nettles, figs trees, sundry berry bushes, and promising young fruit trees. Its varied greenery attracts birds, bees and butterflies in abundance. Traversed by a wandering path and offering a spot to sit in the shade, the Commons is enjoyed by everyone from passersby, to herbalists, to local gourmet cooks, to neighbours seeking to supplement their diets.

The Commons land is leased from the School Board under the auspices of the Fernwood Neighbourhood Association. The

garden as it is today owes much to the inspiration and dedication of Geoff Johnson, long-time volunteer coordinator. Over the past few years Geoff’s group of committed volunteers have during their Saturday work parties created a sustainable urban garden from the soil on up!

The last official Commons work party was held Saturday April 29th.

To become a friend of the Commons head to www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca/commons.

Trish interviewed of the Commons and asked for their impressions:

“I watched the Commons grow from a patch of weeds to a Community garden space and I for one gather herbs all year long with gratitude.”

– Blanche Black “A common green space where we can promote urban agriculture and people can work together is too rare and great to have in the neighbourhood.”

– Erin Prescott & Darrin Charmley

I enjoy sitting on the bench at night to gaze at the moon and the stars. I appreciate the variety in ages, races and economic levels of the people who use the park for fun, to rest or to gather food.

– Ruth Miller

Commons volunteers led by Geoff Johnson hard at work Saturday April 29th

CALL FOR FERNWOOD MUSICIANS! The 11th Annual Fern Fest needs Fernwood musicians to fill out this year’s entertainment roster. If you are interested, drop off a CD & bio for James at the Centre (1240 Gladstone Avenue).

SPORTY TYPE? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN …

Adult Dodgeball? Youth Floor Hockey? Adult Basketball? Adult or Youth Softball?

If any of these interest you, or if you have ideas of your own, call James at 381-1552, Ext.22 or e-mail James@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca

news and views from the heart of Fernwood

“I look out every morning and I see this beautiful, natural garden and I just love it!”

– Florence Best

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO NEIGHBOURS!

Road Block One block of Gladstone Avenue – at Fernwood & Gladstone on the Cornerstone side – will be blocked off for the 11th Annual Fern Fest on Sunday, June 11th between 8:00am and 7:00pm. The festivities will slow down traffic along Fernwood Road between Pembroke Street and Vining Street. Traffic along Fernwood Road will not be blocked.

Music There will be live music coming from this block on June 11th from 1:00pm to 7:00pm.

If you have any concerns or suggestions regarding either of these announcements, do not hesitate to call us at 381-1552, Ext.22.

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Fernwood What’s On: May 2006

A monthly roundup of neighbourhood shindigs.

Head to www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca/events for more listings or to submit your event.

Make Yer Neighbourho od Nicer

Total Plastics Recycling Day: Sat, May 13th, Back of FCC 10am - Noon. (Every 2nd Sat of Month) Recycle plastics of all kinds (Styrofoam packing, soft plastics and bags, and ALL hard/rigid plastics) plus old electronics. By donation to cover transportatio n.

Cornerstone Work Parties: Held on select Saturdays.

Lunch provided, sense of accomplishment free.

Sign up to be notified of dates/times at www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca/cornerstone.html or call 381-1552.

Spring Ridge Commons Work Parties : Held on select Saturdays. Sign up to be notified at www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca/commons.html Fernwood Zap Team: Munch a cooki e or two, m eet you r neighbours, and help plan upcoming projects to help make our neighbourhood more beautiful, sustainable, and vibrant. (See inset) Thu, May th 18 , 7:30pm, FCC multipurpose room. Free!

Special Events

Dr. David Suzuki in Fernwood: Tues, May16th at Vic High. David Suzuki is on his farewell book tour and will be stopping in Fernwood in May to support the Cornerstone. Join us for an evening with Dr. Suzuki as he speaks on Urban Sustainability: Building Livable Neighbourhoods Together as wel l as signs his recently released autobiography. All eve nt proceeds to the renovation of the Cor nerstone Building and the installation of a geothermal/solar heating and hot water system.

Doors open at 6:00pm, event starts at 7:00pm.

Tickets $15 or $10/students. Tickets on sale at the Fer nwood Community Centre, 1240 Gladstone Ave., or call 381-1552, ext 22 to purchase by phone or for more info.

Fernwood Swap n’ Shop: Sat, May 6th, FCC Gym, 7:30am – 3:00pm (Vendors se t up at 7:00am). Free to browse! Vendors: $5 for space, $10/1 table, $15/2 tables, no reservations r equired. [Now hel d regularly on every 1st Sat of Month] Pro-D Day: Fernwood kids sleep in May 19 Victoria Day: Fernwood Community Centre closed May 22

Green Thumbs

Composting Basics Workshop: Sat, May 6, Compost Ed. Centre, 11:00am – 1:00pm, Free!

Compost Club Lecture: Brewing and Using Compost Tea, Sat, May 20, Compost Ed. Centre, 2:00pm – 4:00pm, members free, non-members $15.

3rd Annual Compost Ed Centre Plant Sale: A large selection of organic plants, including annuals and perennial veggies, ornamentals, and medicinal an d herbal plants. Sat, May 13, 10:00am – 2:00pm, Compost Ed. Centre, Free to browse. Call 386WORM to re gister as a vendor.

Village Vibe

The Fernwood Community Centre is located at 1240 Gladstone Ave. Office hours and public space open: 9am - 9pm Monday to Friday.

Kids & Families

Parent & Tot Playgroup: Ongoing Tuesdays & Thursdays. FCC Gym, 9:30am - 11:30am, $1 per family, snacks provided.

Mot her Goose Circle Time: Songs, rhymes & stories; Select Saturdays (Call 381-1552 to register and for info) FCC Infant & Toddler Centre, 11:30am 12:30pm, Free! ($2 for songbook) Community Day Parent-Run Family Group: Family directed and facilitated program!

Ongoing Mondays, 9:30 – 11:30am, FCC Gym, Free!

Youth, Adults & Seniors

Drop-in Youth Baske tball: Co-ed Ages 13-18, Ongoing Sundays, FCC Gym, 7:00pm – 9:00pm, Dro p-in Free!

Free Internet and Computer Access: Complete your one-time registration and then get online through the Community Access Program. FCC Community Room, 9:15am to 8:30pm, Monday to Friday, except for 11:00am to 3:00pm on Wednesdays.

Free!

Drop-in Floorhockey: Co-ed Adult (14+), all equipment provided. Ongoing Tuesdays and Thursdays, FCC Gym, 7:00pm – 9:30pm, $4, or get a punchcard: $40/11 sessi ons.

Holistic Health & Healing: Qi Gong exercises and meditation; Ongoing Mondays, FCC, 10:00–11:30 am, Free!

Falun Gong: Peaceful meditation practice. Ongoing Wednesday s, FCC, 5:00pm – 7:00pm, everyone wel come, Free!

Fernwood Autumn Glow (55+): Gentle e xercise, lunch & activities; Ongoing Fridays, FCC, 11:00am, $5 .50 for lunch.

Music, Art, Theatre, and Entertainment

Lee Hamer: Canadian fo lksinger performs ongoing Wednesdays at J.K. Do Forno Café in Fernwood Square. 6:30pm – 8:30pm, free!

Victoria Bluegrass Assoc. Jam: Ongo ing Tue sdays Orange Hall, 7:30 – 10:30pm, $2 to play, free to listen. (Last Tuesday of month is open stage/feature night; cost varies).

Live Music a t Logan’s: For listings, check out www.loganspub.com.

Fernwood Swap n’ Shop and Salmon BBQ

Did spring cleaning this year reveal any “junk” that might be someone else’s treasure? Purge, purge, purge!

Saturday June 3, 7:30am-3:30, 1240 Gladstone behind the community centre.

Tables $10. Salmon BBQ at noon – $5.00 per plate. news and views from the heart of Fernwood