villagevibe Photo: Caitlin Croteau
Photos: Trish Richards
May 2008 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood
Pick and shovel gallery >> by Trish Richards
O
n the evening of Tuesday, April 1st 2001Fernwood Rd was overflowing with an excited crowd of some 130 people who had come to celebrate the opening of Strongback’s Pick and Shovel Gallery. Long a dream of Strongback partners Adam Warrington and Rick Thomas, the gallery will provide an outlet for what Adam terms their “undermarketed friends who are such great artists.” As Adam says, “I’ve been encouraging anyone with skills and talent to build for outside. The work Strongback does is too nice to be decorated with plastic resins and lawn gnomes.” The Gallery’s opening exhibit featured works by Strongback regulars Ben Nolin, Robert Ives, Cecil Planedin, Delayne Corbet, and Jason Balaam and by Strongback friends Mike Butler, Birgit Piskor, and Kyla Hubbard. The eclectic exhibit ranged from a series of etched oil canvases, to recycled metal sculptures, to funky stained glass, to concrete birdbaths and exquisitely carved black slate tabletops.
As Adam tells it: “We are focusing on but not limited to stone/metal/wood and concrete. Robert is displaying his paintings in the Pick and Shovel gallery at this time – we also will be showing and stocking hand-cut wood block prints on shirts or anything else, all work by Cecil Planedin.” Much of the art is of recycled material. “All our black slate pieces, by Cecil, are taken from unwanted pool tables. The metal figures are the way Mike Butler relaxes on the weekend (he works as a welder full time).” Personally, what caught my eye was an exquisite heron, imaginatively crafted from recycled metal pieces that perched in the corner quietly observing the festivities. I admit I was sorely tempted to hijack it from the lucky Fernwoodian who I met on his way home to hang it from his rafters a few days after the opening. Okay, if I can’t have it, maybe we can arrange for something similar to grace Fernwood Square as part of the square revitalization initiative. Strongback’s final words on the opening: “We’d like to thank everyone who came out to show support. Special thanks to Gerald Hogrefe who
– continued on page 6
Fernwood’s own gets M award
F
ernwood NRG’s long-time staff member, Cornerstone Collective Records founder, and Cornerstone Café music coordinator, James Kasper, was recently awarded Monday Magazine’s prestigious M Award for the “Hardest Working Person in Local Music.” Congratulations James! To see more and hear his music head to www.geocities.com/ kasper1970.
Bike lab gets wheels >> by Caitlin Croteau
F
irst thing in the morning at Vic High and most students are hunched over their books. Not the kids in Technology 10, Bike Mechanics. They’ve taken over the tennis courts and are out playing a rousing game of bike polo. It’s similar to the sport enjoyed by Prince Charles, except one rides a two-wheeled contraption rather than rides a four-legged one! Cheering on the students is their teacher, Mike Drew, as well as members of Victoria’s Bike Lab Society. The Bike Lab Society is the non-profit sector of Recyclistas Used Bike Collective. Their goal is to promote bike culture in young people by teaching them how to build, fix, and have fun with bikes. Students in Technology 10 strip bikes down and rebuild them again, learning all the names and functions of parts as they go. They also take part in fun activities like scavenger races and obstacle courses, as well as learning how to make bike art. As a bonus, they get to keep the bikes they’ve been working on once the class is finished. Kori Doty, one of the Bike Lab members, points out a student-built bike: tiny and coloured bright pink, its
– continued on page 6
in this issue Banners rise in the neighbourhood Page 3 Feature: Fernwood: A Place to Be Page 4 Intrepid at the fringe of Fernwood Page 7
editorial :
Logos bioethikos
I’ve recently been reading French theorist Michel Foucault. And I’ve been thinking about Foucault in the context of Mark Lakeman’s talk in Fernwood last month (see pgs 4-5). Foucault says there are four techniques that humans use to organize life: techniques of production (to make things); techniques of signs and symbols (to make words); techniques of domination/ power (to influence conduct); and techniques of the self (to make ourselves into subjects, into selves). Foucault spent most of his life writing about techniques of domination, which are used, for example in the prison, the school, the asylum. Here power is at work and is meant to shape the conduct of people. In prison a bread and water diet produces a prisoner’s docile body. How is this related to Mark Lakeman and to neighbours coming together to do things that matter to them? Later in life, Foucault grappled with what he calls the other side of the techniques of domination, that is,
declaration of principles and values
the techniques of the self. Here he asks how we can make ourselves into ethical beings. And he doesn’t mean ethical as in moral or as in conforming to some pre-determined or imposed-from-outside law or government. Rather he means, how do we use what we learn from living as beings in relation, to create rules for ourselves to live better more ethical lives. He calls this a “logos bioethikos” – an equipment of helpful discourses that one can use in action in every day life. While Lakeman was talking I thought about the imposition of the western grid as a technique of domination/power that shapes our conduct: straight lines that produce missed opportunities for connection, streets that produce drivers. But then there’s the other side of that, a logos bioethikos, a collective logos bioethikos crafted in relation. As Lakeman said, “deep connections transcend the need for government.”
the Fernwood buzz
Fern Fest is coming!
The market is coming. The market is coming. Fernwood Square’s own market returns for its fourth year. The market opens Tuesday May 27th from 5:30pm – 8:30pm and will run until September 16th. The organizers are actively seeking vendors. Application forms are available at the She Said Gallery on the corner of Fernwood and Gladstone. All are welcome to apply. There is a ‘Strongback Blend’ coffee being sold out of the Parsonage. Through to the end of May the Parsonage is donating $1.00 from each pound of coffee sold to support Vic High’s electric truck project. (See page 1 of April’s Village Vibe.) Strongback will be matching anything raised by the coffee sales. Wishing a happy, happy one year in Fernwood to the folks at the Fernwood Inn and Tracy’s clan at Mom’s Market. We hope your first year here has been as good for you as it has for many Fernwood residents. I’m sure many of us have enjoyed stopping in to chat with “mom” over a quart of milk, a jar of salsa, or the Sunday paper, or downing a beer and burger on Tuesdays, enjoying the sunny afternoon patio, or catching some great live music at the Inn.
Photos: Véronique da Silva
June 20 and 21, 2008 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
>> by Wendy Magahay What’s a Fern Fest? Think Fern: Natural, green plant magically repeating the same fractal patterns forever. Now think FEST: fair, festive, festival. Put these together in Fernwood and you have a unique community celebration of music, community, fun, and creative possibilities repeating again and again through the weekend. Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group (Fernwood NRG) is excited to present the 13th Annual Fern Fest. In 2008, Fern Fest is bigger than ever. It is moving to the heart of the neighbourhood and is in Fernwood Square and the Vic High sports field. Fern Fest 2008 offers something for everyone. For kids, there’s face-painting, Painting the Sun, the ever popular bouncy castle, and a Fernwood favourite, Terry the Bubble Artist. For bigger kids, appreciate the work of local artists by taking in the 1st annual Fernwood Art Stroll and the Vic High Student Art Show at the Cornerstone Café, enjoy the best music Fernwood has to offer, and sit with friends for a cold beer. For everyone, enjoy the food (BBQ dogs and a Saturday morning pancake breakfast), laugh under the sun (there will be sun!), join in the Mandala project, and come out to meet your neighbours. Special this year are sneak preview tours of the Fernwood NRG’s newest community housing initiative, Park Place on Yukon Street. Fern Fest is free and open to everyone! This year, Fern Fest coincides with both the summer solstice and National Aboriginal Day. Watch for the complete two-day Fern Fest schedule in the next issue of the Village Vibe.
Top: Fernwood Inn (left to right): Michael Colwill (owner), “Danny”, Sarah Colwill (part owner), James Wolfe (head chef) Bottom: Mom’s Market (from left to right): Colleen, Carolyn, Tony (dad), Mom, Corrine, Carmel, Katie, Cullen (6 years old), Hailey (grandaughter - 3 years old)
Fern Fest needs your energy and your ideas. To be a Fern Fest volunteer and be part of the excitement, call 381-1552, ext 25, email fernfest@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca, sign up online at www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca/fernfest. htm or fill out the volunteer form and drop it off at the Cornerstone Café. Fern Fest is a Fernwood NRG project. fernwoodneighbourhood.ca
excellence of our neighbours and ourselves;
Be a Fern Fest Volunteer
We are committed to focusing on the future while preserving our
Help make Fern Fest 2008 fabulous!
neighbourhood’s heritage and diversity; We are committed to creating
How would you like to help participate at Fern Fest?
Your name Help with event set up or take down
neighbourhood places that are vibrant, beautiful, healthy, and alive;
Do you have some time to help volunteer to make this year’s Fern Fest a success? Let us know using the form below.
Your email addredss
Be a part of the food / beverage team
and, most of all, We are committed to having fun!
Your phone number
Help supervise / organize the children’s events
Help supervise / organize the main stage events
Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | May 2008
VillageVibe
What are you looking forward to the most at this year’s Fern Fest? Views photos: Véronique da Silva
views from the street :
Azul Salvaje
Garry McLaughlin
Sue Gentry
I am looking forward to a mix of individuals and experiences. It’s great – you get to come out and meet individuals you wouldn’t normally see!
(Fern Fest organizer): I’d like nice sunny weather on Friday and Saturday (in keeping with our theme of the sun) so that people can enjoy the festival to the fullest! I would also like to see total community participation in the festival.
I am looking forward to painting the Mandala!
Neighbourhood initiatives
Look waaay up!
neighbours in conversation and libations to select the Fernwood Mandala on Monday, May 12th, 7pm at the Hosted by Fernwood NRG’s Food Security Group Cornerstone Café. >> by R ae Abbott When he was in Fernwood on April 5th, Mark Lakeman of Portland’s City Repair Project (see pgs. 4-5), Showings The premier event is on Tuesday, May talked about what gave meaning – a sense of cohesion and 13th, 7pm. Upcoming shows will take place on occasional Tuesdays thereafter. See Village Vibe calendar belonging – to a community. Painting a symbol that tells the story of our community at the main intersection of our for dates. neighbourhood is an opportunity for Fernwood to inspire Where In our own living room, at the Cornerstone. The Café will be open for 30 minutes prior to the start of itself and to join in the intersection reclamation movement that is becoming a worldwide phenomenon. the film. All films begin at 7pm. Bring your own pillow We would love your participation in defining the and blanket. Mandala’s features. What is the heart of the story about What Movies, documentaries, film series, Fernwood that resonates with you? What Mandala design autobiographies … of food industries, revolutionaries, activists, communities, and inspirationists. Visions to get best represents it? Please join us at the Cornerstone Café on May 12th to share your story and your visions. the community excited and aware of food issues which affect us all and to create awareness out of Earth Awake a basic necessity. Who Fernwood residents, the Cornerstone staff, The first annual Earth Awake event, a celebration of and Fernwood NRG’s Food Security Group. communities and the emergence of community leaders – Why Food Security and the rising awareness around complete with music, art, games, poetry and raw chocolate where our food comes from, how it is transported to – is happening on Friday May 9th, in the gymnasium of the this island, and how the future of our oil-dependent Fernwood Community Centre. culture could potentially be affecting our food supply Funds raised through this event will help cover some are important issues that we as a community have an of the costs for people going to the Village Building opportunity to embrace. By showing various docuConvergence in Portland, Oregon – a ten day series mentaries and movies on this subject, we are creating of hands-on workshops in permaculture design and an opportunity for dialogue around this issue. construction, ecological building using recycled and natural materials, and creating shared places through public art. Fernwood’s Mandala Party “What I want to help do through Earth Awake,” says >> by Sue Gentry event coordinator, Jeremy Kirouac, “is to raise funds for the training of community leaders who will then have the skills The creative minds of Fernwood have come forward to bring people together for the creation of sustainable, with their visions. They have captured an image that healthy and joyful communities.” will symbolize what is at the heart of our community. Essentially, I’m hoping that people will come back This image will be made manifest at the intersection of Fernwood and Gladstone during Fern Fest on June 21st. from the Village Building Convergence with inspiration Now it is your opportunity to support the Mandala that and skills which can then be funneled into community revitalization projects, such as Fernwood’s placemaking you feel represents our story. initiatives.” The Mandala Group of Fernwood NRG’s PlacePeople who are interested in coming to Earth Awake making Troupe has been collecting Mandala images over can purchase advance tickets by contacting earthawake@ the past month and will be hanging them for display gmail.com, or at the door for $10. The event starts at at the Cornerstone Café beginning May 1st. You are 7:00pm sharp and ends at 11:00pm. invited to come view the Mandalas and then join your
Banners Rise in Neighbourhood
VillageVibe
On Saturday, April 12th neighbours gathered to celebrate the raising of banners along the Cook St business corridor. This is the beginning of initiatives by the North Park Neighbourhood Association to revitalize Cook St and surrounds as North Park Village. Well done NPNA!
Photos: Alex Kerr
The Occasional Movie Series
Beautiful banners are now flying high along Fernwood and Gladstone Rds courtesy of neighbourhood artists involved in the 1st annual Fernwood Art Stroll which will be held in conjunction with Fernfest, June 21 and 22nd. Our thanks for the amazing ‘local colour’!
Above: Two of the Fernwood Road Banners. Artists Deryk Houston (multi media, left) and Anne Hoban (collage, right).
May 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3
Fernwood: A Place to Be with a Spectrum of Possibilities
>> by Gregory Smythe (www.earthlyambitions.com)
O
n Saturday April 5th, the Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group (Fernwood NRG) hosted Mark Lakeman, a visionary storyteller, community activist, co-founder of Portland’s City Repair Project and Principal of Communitecture in Portland. The Fernwood Community Centre gymnasium was filled to capacity to hear the sincere and inspirational words of a true commune-ity orator. When Mark Lakeman takes the stage, the room goes quiet in a cozy village kind of way. He doesn’t take the microphone immediately – he’s not there to speak to an audience but to share stories of possibility and vision for community. His calm quiet voice draws those listening nearer, hearts yearning to hear with the same humble intent with which he speaks. There is, ultimately, only One Story and One Vision being shared throughout Mark’s presentation and worldview: the Human story of our collective history and co-creative possibility, a story about our ways of relating to One-An-Other. He presents several examples to remind us that we have a relationship with those around us as co-architects/co-authors of this common space, and if we choose, we can transform our spaces into people loving places. Mark reminds us that we’ve a choice to make daily about our world, and that choice is simple: “To be or not to be. To have place or no place?” There are plenty of problems we could dwell on, but Mark encourages us to spend more time reflecting on the positive ways that things could be different. He emphasizes that there is an “infinite spectrum of possibility” and it’s the “moments spent reflecting on the positive that will compel us to move towards it.” He urges us to aim for the impossible, trusting that the means to make it happen will arrive as we proceed.
Photo: Gregory Smythe
Photo: Pete Rockwell
Photo: Gregory Smythe
feature :
So how do we want to begin? How do we want to be? How would we like to write our world here in Fernwood? There’s nothing stopping us. Nothing. Our inherent villager nature offers us the motivation and authority we need in order to proceed. And proceed we have in many ways. But before we keep moving forward here in Fernwood, let’s look back. Let’s review a little history. In 1996, Mark and several friends decided they wanted to change the world. Following an extended stay in a remote Mayan village, Mark returned to Portland and experienced intense culture shock. The people he lived with in the Yucatan possessed a profound connection to one another that was nurtured through the organically organized places in which they lived. But this was missing in Portland and Mark quickly realized that the urban communities of North America have been historically designed in a top down fashion, to protect profits and to secure land by creating neighbourhoods that used grids (blocks) as a simplified urban planning technique. This is a technique we inherited from the Romans, who used it to dominate conquered villages. The problem with “The Grid” is that it’s super-imposed in a cookie-cutter style, and serves only to create dominated spaces rather than to encourage community meeting places, which support socializing, collaborative enterprise, and creativity. The Grid literally divides and conquers, by imposing an unsustainable, pre-fabricated pattern upon the communities which it’s supposed to support. This pattern attempts to contain the ways in which people live their lives, the relationships they develop, and even their perceptions and beliefs of what is possible. As a result of this cookie cutter style urban planning, intersections – those spaces most common to us all, where all possibilities, and all directions can been seen and from which all possible actions emanate – have become places of collision rather than creativity. Just like Portland, Fernwood has way too much creativity to be stuck in a box! Enter Intersection Repair.
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 | May 2008
VillageVibe
that they couldn’t use “public space.� Regardless, feedback from a survey illustrated incredible village transformation including greater socializing amongst neighbours, fewer traffic problems, and overall reduction of crime. Recognizing these goals as their own, the City announced a Portland wide Intersection Repair Ordinance to support future projects! Portland is now known as a sustainability mecca for community officials and activists around the world. All of this because people came together to create a common place to story board a shared vision of their own creative volition. Last year alone, over 25 separate community initiatives (community gardens, intersection repairs, giant murals, cob benches, community kiosks, tea houses etc.) erupted throughout Portland during City Repairs seventh annual Village Builder’s Convergence (VBC).
and so, they asked themselves a fundamentally simple but essential question: “Where are all the circles?� Within every perceived problem lies an opportunity for empowerment. Mark and friends knew this back in 1996. They also knew that westernized big-boxy grid-like society is headed for the brick wall of unsustainability, and so, they asked themselves a fundamentally simple but essential question: “Where are all the circles?� If traditional villages are designed organically by those living in them, how can we create a more flowing, community-orientated, and naturally organized neighbourhood when all these lines are constraining our creative empowerment and limiting the ways we relate to one another? What if we replace some of the boxy gridy-ness with smooth, flowing designs that nurture more open and friendly places for people? What if ? There were no more “What Ifs� for the Sellwood Neighbourhood in Portland. According to Lakeman, they knew that “if they pushed the boundary and conceptual barrier in peoples minds then the entire city would shift to fill the void they created.� So, at the corner of 9th and Sherrett, as Portland’s first Intersection Repair, they created a canvas out of concrete and painted their own community story. Through the co-creative collaboration of planning and painting, in their own image, the neighbours of Sellwood removed the
Oh VBC! What a wonderful, wonderful thing. Imagine the hands-on opportunity to learn practical skills in permaculture design, natural building (cob), intersection repair, and creative community development, while working to strengthen a neighbourhood. Imagine all the wonderful knowledge you could bring back to our village by visiting Portland this May for VBC8! Check out the VBC website at: www.cityrepair.org. But wait! Before we all leave town, let’s return to Fernwood and our own intersections. Through our Place Making discussions that have been going on between neighbours this past winter, we’re well on our way to creatively defining more people places. By the time you read this, Fernwood NRG will have hosted our Charrette intended to capture a neighbourhood inspired vision for Fernwood village that we can share with the City. (Watch the Village Vibe for more information as this dialogue unfolds.) Fernwood’s Mandala project will also be well in hand. We are collecting submissions for our Mandala intersection design process and will choose, as a community, a design that most vividly represents our shared story. Come Fern Fest ( June 21st) we’ll be ready and organized to host an open community paint-in party! (See “Mandala Party� on pg. 3). So, let’s do it! As Fernwoodians, as our own authorities, let’s step into the centre of our own community being. Let’s meet together in the middle of our own intersections as the source of transformation, to paint a picture with a “spectrum of possibilities.� Let’s write our chapter in the grand Human Story,
Just like Portland, Fernwood has way too much creativity to be stuck in a box! Enter Intersection Repair. physical and psychological barriers that divided them to create a beautiful, friendly, open and inviting place for community. In fact, it’s now such a popular place that more than one wedding has occurred on those very streets, known locally as the Share-It Square. The city of Portland didn’t go for the idea at first. The Sellwood neighbours proceeded illegally with the paint-in party after they were told by city officials
sharing our square, sharing our streets, sharing our dreams, sharing space to make place while we create community and, therefore, create Fernwood as an even more amazing Place to Be. After all, our space is intimately bound to the perceptions we hold of ourselves on the inside. If we transform our spaces to places, we transform ourselves and the relationships we have with one another. Thank you for allowing me the place to write with you.
&%2.7//$ 2%!, %34!4%
72?<:2 =2.0<08 Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17E;°Ă&#x160; Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;i}Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x17E;°Ă&#x160; Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;iÂ?Â?Â&#x2C6;}iÂ&#x2DC;Vi°
6Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160; iĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;i*i>VÂ&#x153;VÂ&#x17D;°VÂ&#x153;Â&#x201C; Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;i>`Ă&#x160;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192;iĂ&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x17E;Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;°
Denise Savoie Member of Parliament for Victoria Please come for coffee with me and Rob Fleming, MLA (Victoria Hillside) at the Black Stilt Coffee House, 103, 1633 Hillside Avenue (across from Hillside Mall) Wednesday, May 21, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. We want to hear from you.
Your voice in Ottawa
Serving Our Community 1020 Hillside Avenue
250 360.2023 rob.fleming.mla@leg.bc.ca
Rob Fleming, MLA Victoria - Hillside
Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x160;ÂŁxäÂ&#x2021;näxĂ&#x160; Â?Â&#x153;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x20AC;`>Â?iĂ&#x160;UĂ&#x160;* \Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201C;xäÂ&#x2021;Ă&#x17D;n{Â&#x2021;nÂŁĂ&#x201C;{ Ă&#x201C;{
VillageVibe
May 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5
gleanings :
Growing your own
>> by Margaret Hantiuk
It’s that time of year again when we all want to get outside – everywhere everything is coming alive again. It’s time to play outdoors! Whether you have a yard, patio or balcony, as long as there’s a little bit of bare earth, the miracle of growing your own food is yours to enjoy. There’s nothing like getting down and dirty at this time of year. To be a successful food grower, you need a spot with at least six hours of preferably midday sunshine. Your soil will make a difference too. To grow the best veggies, a well draining deep loam can’t be beat. If your soil is too sandy (drains too quickly, needs constant watering in the summer, and doesn’t have much loft) or if it has too much clay (doesn’t drain well at all, is heavy and slow to warm up in the spring), adding a good thick layer of compost every spring or fall is the remedy. (Sea soil,
which is organic, can be substituted if you don’t have any compost.) Some people like to work in a little dolomitic lime before planting, as our soils here tend to be on the acidic side. This has been a cool, wet spring. Wet soil compacts when walked on, and so it pays to avoid getting out too early in your veggie patch. If your soil is heavy clay, or you like to get out in the early spring and plant the cool weather veggies (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, and green onions) consider building raised beds. They drain the early spring rains faster and the soil will be warm sooner. These should be built so that there is access from paths between the beds, the gardener reaching into them from both sides without standing on the beds. Raised beds are easier to take care of: they require less digging, watering, and even less space, as the paths are not included in the growing area. This is a kind of ‘intensive’ gardening that many prefer. If you decide to make permanent raised beds, use non-toxic lumber or bricks/pavers. The compost or any amendments and soil for your food garden should be chemical free also. This year, try successive crops of your favorites. Planting part of a bed or a row every two weeks for a while should yield fresh veggies throughout the summer. Generally, the ‘warm weather veggies’ (beans, potatoes, cukes, squashes, corn) cannot be planted until the soil really warms up and the nights too (mid-May). ‘Hot weather’ veggies (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) need a warm, protected spot, a little ‘cloche’ (French for hat), or even a cold frame to do well here with our cool summers.
They should be seeded indoors or bought as wee plants, and not put out until June. (Cold frames are easily made from old windows. They should be propped open in the day to catch rain and for adequate air movement, to prevent moulds and fungus from developing.) When buying seed, I recommend buying from local garden stores that carry varieties that thrive in our cool coastal climate (such as West Coast Seeds, formerly Territorial, which has a wonderful growing guide available as well). There are many places to buy veggie plants that have already been started (see below). After planting, visit your veggie patch often. Weed it carefully and eat the thinnings, which are the weaker culls. Water with a gentle spray when the beds are dry. I usually put a light cover of chicken wire over my beds at first to prevent cats from digging in them. Inspect your new little plants, picking off any bugs that seem to be eating them. Sing to them. There is lots of information on organic gardening and how to avoid using pesticides. Our own Compost Education Centre at North Park and Chambers offers free afternoon workshops on all aspects of organic gardening for a $20.00 yearly membership fee. (386-9676, www.compost.bc.ca) Their spring plant sale is Saturday, May 10th from 10:00 to 1:00. Some other helpful websites are: City Green (www.citygreen.ca), LifeCycles Project Society (www.lifecyclesproject.ca), Canadians Against Pesticides (http://caps.20m.com), City Farmer-Urban Agriculture Notes (http://cityfarmer.org)
Photos: George Sranko
Fernwood Wisdom Council Team Turn-Up
United – committed to action, discovering common On March 28th and 29th, Victoria’s third wisdom council was held in Fernwood. Fernwood residents issues, universally applicable, inclusive. Reweave – community, connection, communication, selected to participate generated the following statement: liberating action, connecting existing resources. (e.g., We resolve to reduce our footprint and strengthen our directory of what’s available in the community) handshake. Nurture – education, compassion, ecology, boulevard/ As members of our community, we acknowledge community gardens, health, take time, feed your soul/spirit. the good work already being done and call for stronger (e.g., peace, reflection, rest, time-out, holiday, quiet time) connections within our community. Inspire – empowerment, courage, hand-up versus Thoughtfully United to Reweave, Nurture and Inspire hand-out, celebration through art, music, dance and People to Sustainability. (TURNIPS) spoken word. Thoughtfully – mindfulness, free expression, comfort, acceptance, safety, respect for one another.
Gallery
| from page 1
helped out before the opening and then had to split. Thanks to those who didn’t leave us with any extra beer, wine, or food!” The Pick and Shovel Gallery is a welcome addition to Fernwood’s village. Congratulations on making your dream a reality that we all can enjoy.
Bike lab
People – accountability, personal responsibility, inclusivity, reaching out. Sustainability – ecology, empowerment, education, preparation, protection, support, accountability, bridging the generations with knowledge-transfer, food security, lifelong engagement. Why the turnip? We used to eat fresh food grown close to home. Now we can eat food from across the world. But at what cost? Back to the future – turnips in winter! We discussed the concept of preparedness and remembered the blizzard of ‘96. What happened? People slowed down, began to interact, neighbours helped neighbours. We could hear the sounds of nature. Strong communities help us to be prepared both in emergencies and every day. Having shared our thoughts, concerns and insights, we asked ourselves, “How do we proceed on a personal basis?” Some of us have committed to replacing our lawns with gardens, giving up our cars, restoring relationships, greeting people on the street, reaching out in other ways, etc. We invite you to join us. How else do we work together to strengthen and enrich our community? For more information, contact Philip Symons, philmar@ islandnet.com or 592-6484
| from page 1
owner was so enthusiastic she painted her nails to match! The program, which started at Vic High in January and runs through to the end of the school year, is going so well they hope to expand it to a full year course starting next September. “The kids are so great and receptive,” says Bike Lab’s Triane Tambay. Not only are they learning a valuable skill, they’re also having a blast! “It’s unlike any
Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | May 2008
other class,” says grade-nine student Ashley Lutz. The Bike Lab Society is a group of committed volunteers, some of whom spend every weekday morning at Vic High. They only receive a small amount of funding for their tools and get all the bikes and parts by donation. Got an old bike in the garage? Old parts lying around? To donate them, contact bikelabsociety@gmail.com. For more information go to www.recyclistas.ca
VillageVibe
>> by Aaron Ellingsen
Meeting Celine Stubel over a drink at Stage was slightly strange. I’d seen her act at the Belfry in Unless and My Chernobyl. I wondered if those roles – world-weary and heartsick daughter; cooky Belarusian wannabe bride – would bear much resemblance to the person. Celine grew up in Victoria, fourth of five children. Both her parents were teachers who encouraged their children’s involvement in the arts. Ballet and music figured large in the home, activities Celine says were “designed to keep the kids out of trouble – not that we were ever in trouble.” She says she’s never been a drama queen. Theatre wasn’t so much an early passion as something she’s grown into, more of a vocation. She was never involved in theatre while at Lambrick Park Secondary. So perhaps surprisingly, when it came time to go to university, she followed her two sisters’ path to theatre at UVic. In 2002, UVic instructor Sandra Guerreiro pointed out a job posting for box office staff at the Belfry. Celine wasn’t thrilled to apply for an off-stage job, but practicality won out. It was a good move. “I worked there through
fernwood marketplace Apartment needed Quiet, newly-retired woman looking for a long-term rental in Fernwood, effective May 15th or June 1st. My maximum is
the summer and got my first acting job in the fall in a play called Garage Sale directed by Nicola Cavendish – a great first experience.” Since then she’s appeared at the Belfry in Unless, The Qualities of Zero and My Chernobyl. Outside the Belfry, three years ago Celine began work with friends and collaborators at Atomic Vaudeville on a play for Victoria’s Fringe Festival. Legoland, by Victoria playwright Jacob Richmond, directed/produced by Britt Small, quickly picked up momentum that continues to this day. They’ve taken the show from Victoria to Saltspring Island, Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Bellingham. After an initial foray to Toronto’s juried SummerWorks Festival, the group took the play back for the Toronto Fringe the following year. Celine describes their voyage: “Our SummerWorks venue was an old building called ‘The Icebox.’ It was so cold you could see your breath. Barely any people came out to see our show, which was a
She’s considered a career-driven move away from Victoria, but it’s not something she’s rushing headlong towards. Friends and classmates in theatre made the move to larger centres, and she’s not sure it worked to their advantage. Many have ended up disillusioned with theatre and drifting into other fields out of necessity. Celine’s loved her work at the Belfry; she’s proud of the successes she’s enjoyed. She’s excited about her June foray over to the HIVE festival in Vancouver with Theatre SKAM, she can’t wait to stage Chekhov’s Three Sisters at the Metro this October – her first chance to work on a project with her two sisters – and the opportunity to take Legoland to UVic Phoenix Theatre’s Spotlight on alumni in October or November. There’s bound to be some travel in her future – she’s rapidly making a ton of connections abroad. She’s keeping her eye out for an agent, and would like to give TV or film acting a try. She’s not opposed to going away, but arriving
She can’t wait to stage Chekhov’s Three Sisters at the Metro this October bit hard, but we were lucky because we got good press, and the people that did see it liked it. Word of mouth was so positive that we decided to take it back to the Fringe the next year, which went much better – we were much more a part of the festival hubbub.” The story has a happy postscript. Celine and company return to Toronto with Legoland this fall, where they’re booked for a three-week run at Theatre Passe Muraille. “It’s kind of a dream come true,” she says, “for a Fringe show to get a theatre run.” Celine talks a lot about luck. From picking up her first professional role at the Belfry to the creative collaborations she enjoys with Atomic Vaudeville and Theatre SKAM, to the support she’s felt from outgoing Belfry artistic director Roy Surette and her interactions with more established actors like Nicola Cavendish and Allan Morgan, her experiences have been positive; her praise for colleagues’ support and mentorship is effusive.
Photos: Trish Richards
Photo : Aaron Ellingsen
Photo by Sherry Elasoff / Gateway Theatre
faces : Centre stage in Fernwood
back in Fernwood is always coming home. “I think it’s safe to say I’m deeply, deeply rooted in Victoria,” she says. Outside the theatre – literally – Celine loves Fernwood. She loves Stage, the Fernwood Inn and the Cornerstone. She loves that she can’t go a block without running into someone she knows, and that there are great places to stop and chat with the folks she runs into. She loves watching Vic High’s senior rugby team beat Oak Bay, and the roundabout sort of connection she feels to the players. Luck or no, success in the theatre depends on being the kind of person people want to work with. Success seems to be seeking her out. It’s a bit early to describe Celine as a fixture or mainstay on the Victoria stage, but at the rate she’s picking up projects, she may have some trouble avoiding that fate. > http://atomicvaudeville.com > www.skam.ca > www.belfry.ca
Intrepid at the fringe of Fernwood >> by Trish Richards
$750, including utilities. I am community-minded, friendly and reliable, and have excellent references. Please contact me, Karen, at 472-1273, or by email, karen.mcivor@gmail.com
Committed to Supporting Community Associations
Community Office 1084 Fort Street,Victoria P: (250) 952-4211 F: (250) 952-4214 carole.james.mla@leg.bc.ca www.opposition.bc.ca
Carole James, MLA Victoria - Beacon Hill
VillageVibe
Intrepid Theatre is now perched on the fringe of Fernwood! Intrepid’s new space at 1609 Blanshard includes a new 50-seat theatre, the Intrepid Theatre Club. Intrepid Theatre has successfully championed alternative theatre in Victoria for over 25 years. Intrepid brings us the annual Fringe and Uno Festivals, sponsors singular shows and runs the Metro Theatre. The Metro, transformed from the old gymnasium of the Metropolitan United Church (now home to the Victoria Conservatory of Music) opened in 2006. The 150 + seat Metro provides a much needed venue for productions that are not large enough for the Alix Goolden. Intrepid Producer Janet Munsil says that the Metro met a major need. “It surprised us. Our idea was to provide space to facilitate the growth of the arts community. We thought it would take about five years for it to become established.” In fact, the Metro is already solidly booked. The arts community was waiting in the wings for a mid-sized venue. Janet
expects things to move more slowly with the Theatre Club. It will provide what Janet terms “flexible space”: everything from conventional riser seating to Theatre in the Round. The new venue is “ideal for more intimate acts that would be dwarfed in the Metro.” Because of the Theatre Club, Intrepid has expanded the upcoming Uno Fest to 20 shows. They’ve also added more local performers to the festival line-up. Uno Fest is a festival of solo performances, many of which are ideal for the smaller, more intimate space. Like the Fringe, Uno Fest is a delicious smorgasbord for fans of alternative theatre. Uno Fest runs from May 21st to June 1st at four venues. See http://www. intrepidtheatre.com. Both Janet and Intrepid General Manager Ian Case agree that the new Theatre Club “will help expand Victoria’s theatre horizons both by widening the breath of Intrepid’s imports and by enabling local theatre companies to grow into their potential. That is what we have always aimed to do and will just keep working away at.” As any theatre fan will agree, Intrepid does it like none other! Congratulations on your new space and welcome to the fringe of Fernwood.
May 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7
what’s on in Fernwood Arts, Theatre, and Entertainment
Youth, Adults and Seniors
Belfry Theatre. THE VIOLET HOUR by Richard Greenberg. Apr 15-May 18. Tues-Sat 8pm; Sat 4pm; Sun 2pm. 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 – Cornerstone Concerts at 10pm. Saturdays. (May 3>Athena Holmes of The Southern Chakras). Cornerstone Café. 1301 Gladstone Ave. For concert booking info contact: 381-1552 ext.25. FREE! Collective Works Gallery. “Illuminations” (group show). Apr 18-May 8. “Fernwood & Around” (Al Williams). May 9May 29. Gallery hours>11am-6pm Tues-Thurs; 11am-8pm Fri+Sat; 11am-6pm Sun. 1311 Gladstone Ave. www.collectiveworks.ca Intrepid Theatre Presents – Uno Fest A 100% Canadian lineup of the country’s finest shows and brightest solo stars! May 21-June 1 at four venues near you. www. intrepidtheatre.com Live Music at Fernwood Inn. Open Mic Thursdays. 8:30-11:30pm. 1302 Gladstone Ave. FREE! Live Taping of New Fernwood Compilation CD. “Live from the Cornerstone Café.” Immortalize yourself on tape and cheer on your local artists! Fri, May 9. 7-11pm. FREE! Live Music at Logan’s Pub. 1821 Cook St. www.loganspub.com Victoria Bluegrass Association Jam. Tuesdays 7:30-10:30pm. 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. (May 4>THE HUMAN STATUES, May 11>MAMA’S KITCHEN, May 25>NORAH RENDELL AND BRIAN MILLER). Norway House. 1110 Hillside Ave. $5 feature performer nights/$3 all open stage night. www. victoriafolkmusic.ca
Ear Acupuncture. Treatments 15-20 min. Thursdays 2:304:30pm. FCC MPR. By donation. Falun Gong. Peaceful meditation practice. 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 8:4510:45pm. 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 3811552 ext.25 Nintendo Wii Fridays. Drop-in Co-ed. Ages 13-16. Fridays 7-9:30pm. FCC Gym. By donation. Concession open. NEW!! Scrabble Saturdays. Ages 13-adult. Saturdays 2-5pm. FCC. Drop in and meet fellow Scrabbleheads. FREE! NEW!! 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.
Kids and Families at the Fernwood Community Centre (FCC) Community Family Day. Family-directed and facilitated programming. 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.
**We accept Sports Trader Bucks and Canadian Tire Money at face value!
Special Events Cock-A-Doodle-Doo! Urban Chicken Workshop and Fernwood Coop Tour. Back by popular demand. Sat, May 3. 10am-1pm. FCC. $10. To register contact foodsecurity@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca Earth Awake. Fri, May 9. 7-11pm. FCC Gym. $10. For info: earthawake@gmail.com Fifth Annual Compost Education Centre Spring Plant Sale Sat, May 10. 10am-1pm. North Park and Chambers. www.compost.bc.ca
Inspire-A-Book. Making your book idea come to life, with Julie Salisbury. Sat, May 3 and 10. 1-5pm. $149 plus $95 for workbook. Fernwood Business Network. Everyone welcome. Tues, May 6. 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, May 10. 10am-1pm. Back of FCC. By donation. Fernwood Square Mandala Selection Soirée. Come out and contribute your voice! Help choose the Mandala that most speaks of Fernwood, the design that will be painted in the Fernwood/Gladstone intersection. Mon, May 12, 7pm Cornerstone Café. All welcome! Info at: http://thevillagevibe.ning.com/group/ mandelagroup NEW!! Food Film Discussion Series. “The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil.” Tues, May 13. 7-9pm, Cornerstone Café. Hosted by the Fernwood NRG Food Security Collective. FREE! Watch for future dates. Green Drinks. An inclusive gathering of the sustainabilityminded for refreshments and conversation. Tues, May 13. 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, May 19. 7pm. Cornerstone Café. Fernwood NRG Food Security Collective – Monthly Meeting. All welcome! Tues, May 20. 7-9pm. FCC MPR. foodsecurity@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca Introduction to the Music Business. Presented by Cornerstone Collective Records. Ages 16+. Sat, May 24. 2-5pm. $20 or 2 for $35. Email james@fernwoodneighbourhood. ca for more info. Fernwood Community Kitchen. Cook nutritious, creative meals with your neighbours! For info contact Tracey at tveldhuis@gmail.com Fernwood Pocket Market. Local organic produce and baked goods. Tuesdays 2-6pm. Cornerstone Café. Fernwood Sharing Gardens. Have a garden but no time? Time but no garden? Contact Rainey at 380-5055 or sharinggardens@gmail.com. Spring Ridge Commons Workparties! Come and get your hands dirty in Fernwood’s only public food garden. Every Thursday from 5-7PM. Please bring tools if you’ve got ‘em.
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: Rae Abbott Caitlin Croteau Sue Gentry Margaret Hantiuk Wendy Magahay Gregory Smythe The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily reflect the views of Fernwood NRG.
Coming Events 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. Tix: $5 at the door. Info: 382-7048 Fern Fest ‘08. June 20 and 21. Fernwood Square. Music, Arts, Food and Games! Come out and celebrate our wonderfully eclectic and ever-evolving neighbourhood! FREE! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! To get involved call 381-1552 ext.25 or sign up at: www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca. 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 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 | May 2008
1302 Gladstone
412-2001
VillageVibe