Hillside-Quadra Community News Fall 2015

Fall 2015 www.quadravillagecc.com

Plant neighbours at Wark Street Commons

Story on Pg. 12

Volunteer Spotlight: Kathy & Blair

Page 9

Inside This Edition...

QVCC Youth Programs on the Rise

Page 4

Meet Your Creative Neighbours

Pages 6 & 7

By Kelly Greenwell options for all forms of sheltering before council unpred ictable and at times int imidat ing considers any proposal for a tent city in any behaviour from a percentage of highly troubled

oncerned residents in the Topaz Park park." homeless people.area rallied on July 25 after hearing via People at the meeting and eventually all Victoria The homeless people in this city and elsewhere Cthe media on July 23 that Topaz Park was residents were invited to a September 16 are often survivors of abuse and trauma and are

the preferred location for a tent city for the Sheltering Solutions Workshop, to which about frequently contending with mental health and/or homeless. This was jarring for many, as there 400 homeless and housed residents alike turned problematic substance use issues. In a city with a had no public consultation about the option at out to take part in round table discussions led by competitive rental housing and employment that point. Much confusion ensued after Mayor City staff and community partners. These market, there are few options available for Lisa Helps first said that the tent city would discussions were intended to focus on a list of 10 homeless people. It is heartening that cities such happen in Topaz Park. This announcement and temporary solutions. Some local residents made as Medicine Hat have implemented an effective the subsequent rally sparked a great deal of a point of visiting all the tables and noted that blend of shelter and support. Hopefully the City debate over short and long term solutions to indoor solutions were the most popular ideas, of Victoria, with meaningful public input, can homelessness. Mayor Helps later apologised for including using City-owned (or other vacant come up with positive interim solutions to this her premature announcement of the siting of the buildings) to provide rooms or open sleeping challenge that are better than outdoor sheltering. tent city in Topaz Park. quarters. Results from the workshop will be Whatever the City of Victoria and the rest of the A July 30 walkabout in Topaz Park intended to shared by the City of Victoria some time in CRD decide on, over the longer term there is a support discussion about the potential temporary October. critical need for increased federal and provincial tent city, and get feedback from neighbourhood Prior to the Sheltering Solutions Workshop, funding for housing and support for the mental residents, became an event that the whole city Councillors Isitt and Loveday, as well as Mayor health system. was invited to by the time it actually happened. Helps, put forward a resolution for the CRD to The realities and needs of the homeless are The turnout was strong from within the Hillside- invest $50 million in long-term solutions critical and real. However, when other viable Quadra neighbourhood and the subsequent through a regional levy. This is detailed in Ben options exist, city parks are the last places we media headline of “Mayor Faces Furious Topaz Isitt’s report in this issue. Time will tell whether should sacrifice. Parks and greenspace mitigate Park Crowd” spoke to a high level of frustration, or not this is approved across the entire region or the urban challenges that we live with and but exaggerated the type of response that the whether a “Plan B” will need to be developed. contribute to the health of a neighbourhood. Mayor and Councillor Ben Isitt were faced with. Regardless, a short-term solution is desperately Currently there are no real protections for city Certainly there were strong opinions expressed needed, as camping in parks and other spaces has parks. The Hillside-Quadra Neighbourhood at the meeting; however, the clear majority of a profound impact on parts of Hillside-Quadra Action Group has advocated for years that there speakers had a message that opposed a tent city and other neighbourhoods. As of September 23 should be a covenant for local parks that restricts in Topaz (or any other park) but supported the there is no definitive approach that will be any non-park developments. Places where finding of more effective solutions for the adopted that addresses safety concerns both for children and adults can roam, run and play such homeless. The meeting resulted in a motion that the homeless and for folks that are concerned would, “Direct staff to consult the public on with exposure to needles, public toileting, and

Topaz Park Response Shows Depth of Concern for Neighbourhood, Homeless and Parks

(Continued on page 2)

Residents gather at Topaz Park to discuss homelessness (photo by Colin McCann)

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Comments on articles or H - Q Community News? Concerned about something in our area?

Send a letter to the Editor: 901 Kings Rd. Victoria B.C. V8T 1W5

or email: [email protected].

Letters

BCC Volunteer Profile - Dave TurnerBy Penelope Hagen-Braun (Helen Cowley)




“This program gives the kids a new place to go and the opportunity to make new

friends.”

Jodi Sturge

The Hillside-Quadra Community Newsletter needs distribution volunteers. Participation involves 30-45 minutes once every three months delivering newsletters door to door in

your local neighbourhood. Please email Grant at [email protected]

Meet people and support your community!

Blanshard Community Centre

Hours of Operation Monday – Friday 9:00am – 4:00pm

Clothing Exchange is open Mon, Tues, Thurs, Friday

11:00am – 3:30pm Wednesday

9:00am-3:30pm

Teen Centre Monday -Friday

3:00pm – 5:00pm & 7:00pm –

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The Hillside-Quadra Community Newsletter needs distribution volunteers. Participation involves 30-45 minutes once every three months delivering newsletters door to door in your

local neighbourhood. Please email Grant at [email protected]



DISCOUNT FURNITURE STOREiwww.maximumfurniture.ca

250-590-7133 Customer Service:

Store address:2745 Bridge St,

Victoria BC

3000 copies of the H - Q Community News are distributed throughout Hillside - Quadra as well as parts of the Quadra Cedar Hill and North Park areas.

Newsletter box locations:! Fairway Market (at Quadra and Kings) ! Thrifty’s (at Cloverdale & Quadra)! Italian Bakery! Blanshard Community Centre! Crystal Pool (inside facility)

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The BlanshardCommunity

Centre

Find Blanshard Community Centre on Facebook!

facebook.com/pages/Blanshard-Community-Centre

Blanshard Community CentrePhone: (250) 388-7696

Website: www.blanshardcc.com

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www.blanshardcc.comWe’re on Facebook!

Meet people and support your community!Meet people and support your community!The Hillside-Quadra Community News

needs distribution volunteers. Participation involves 30-45 minutes once every three months delivering

newsletters door to door in your local neighbourhood.

Please email Kelly at [email protected]

In the next issue of H-Q News: A possible name change for Blanshard Community

CentreWeigh in at www.blanshardcc.com

STAY

TUNED!

The Hillside-Quadra Community Newsletter needs distribution volunteers. Participation involves 30-45 minutes once every

three months delivering newsletters door to door in your local neighbourhood. Please email Kelly at

[email protected]

Meet people and support your community!Meet people and support your community!

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Meet people and support your community!Meet people and support your community!The Hillside-Quadra Community News needs distribution

volunteers. Participation involves 30-45 minutes once every three months delivering newsletters door to door in your

local neighbourhood.



Centre

Blanshard Community Centre is on Twitter!

@BCCHQFind Blanshard Community Centre on Facebook too!



Downtown Blanshard Advisory Committee (Blanshard

Community Centre) Board of Directors Meetings Get in on all of the latest discussion related to the role, focus and initiatives of the Board of Directors and listen in on the latest Blanshard Community Centre report. Bring your questions and lend your ideas as your community organization helps shape its future and strategizes about how to best reach out to community and address community needs.

For more information contact Kelly at 250-388-7696 (ext.221) or [email protected]



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Find us on issuu!

If you missed an issue of Hillside-Quadra Community News or just want to have an extra copy, you can now find us online at:

ttp://issuu.com/hillsidequadranewsih

ROOM RENTALS @The Blanshard Community Centre

Planning a special event? Require a meeting space? Just want a comfortable place to gather with a group? We’ve got the room for you, with 6 different rental spaces to suit almost any need. Bright, spacious rooms for private meetings or public presentations. Comfortable couches and chairs for more informal gatherings. Even an awesome Teen Centre to host that perfect birthday party.

Washrooms, which are wheelchair accessible, are located on both floors in close proximity to all rooms. Affordable rates, easy access and plenty of options to choose from:

Call Shawna at 250-388-7696, or email [email protected] for room sizes, on-hand equipment and availability.

Victoria READSociety

www.readsociety.bc.ca

Donate to the

Affordable Room Rentals @ Quadra Village Community CentrePlanning a special event? Require a meeting space? Just want a comfortable place to gather with a group? We’ve got the room for you, with 6 different rental spaces to suit almost any need. Bright, spacious rooms for private meetings or public presentations. Comfortable couches and chairs for more informal gatherings. Even an awesome Teen Centre to host that perfect birthday party. Call Shawna at 250-388-7696, or email: [email protected] for room sizes, on-hand equipment and availability.


your local neighbourhood. Please email Kelly at [email protected]


Hillside Urban Farmer For Sustainability (HUFFS)HUFFS is a community of people, interested in food gardening, who live in or near the Hillside-Quadra, NorthPark, Fernwood area. We come together to learn about urban food production by sharing information, success and challenges, seeds, seedlings and tasty food. One of our goals is to foster community through food production (learn more on the about page). We try to organize a monthly event on varying topics such as soil fertility, backyard chickens, beekeeping, winter gardening, etc. For more info check out http://huffs.ca

Send a kid to summer day camp

Are you able to help children whose families cannot afford summer activities?

! Donations of any amount will help! $25.00 involves 3 children in a special event! $80.00 sponsors 1 child for 1 week at camp! $225 sponsors 1 child for a full 3-week camp

Camp Blanshard offers exciting experiences: games, crafts, visits to parks and beaches. It encourages children to be active & engaged, to make new friends & treasured memories.

Want more information? Call Kelly at 250-388-7696 or email [email protected]

Interested in writing for

us?

Perhaps you would write one article or maybe you are interested in contributing more regularly. We publish 4X per year and general guidelines are 500-800 words with a tie in to the neighbourhood.

C o n t a c t T r a c y a n d R o w e n a a t : [email protected].

Do you have any comments on articles or H - Q Community News? Concerned about something in our neighbourhood? Share your

thoughts with us in a letter to the Editor: 901 Kings Rd. Victoria B.C. V8T 1W5 or email: [email protected] We’d love to hear from you!

Quadra Village Community Centre

I realize this image involves euros but due to counterfeiting deterrents it ’s not possible to get the right image which I

used to fill this space. This was the best I could do for now unless there is

something else that can fill the space.

Do you have any comments on articles or H - Q Community News? Concerned about something in our neighbourhood? Share your thoughts with us in a letter to the Editor: 901 Kings Rd. Victoria B.C. V8T

1W5 or email: [email protected] We’d love to hear from you!

If you would like to help, please email Kelly at [email protected]

Possible plug for the I <3 Quadra

Village FB page???

Send a Child to

Summer Day CampAre you able to help children whose families cannot afford summer activities?Donations of any amount will help$25.00 involves 3 children in a special event$80.00 sponsors 1 child for 1 week at camp$225 sponsors 1 child for a full 3-week camp


For more info, call Kelly at 250-388-7696 or email [email protected]


The Hillside-Quadra Community News needs distribution volunteers. Participation involves 30-45 minutes once every three months delivering newsletters door to door in

your local neighbourhood. Please email [email protected]

*Send out email to group of volunteers when paper is ready

*track which volunteers are still active and update the volunteer list when there

are changes

Approximate time commitment: 2 hours 4 times year

Email Kelly at [email protected]


HQ News Locations:! Fairway Market (at Quadra and Kings) ! Italian Bakery! Quadra Village Community Centre! Crystal Pool (inside facility)! Ecole Quadra School! Rob Fleming MLA Constituency Office! McGavin’s Bread Basket! Caffé Fantastico! Camas Books! Caribbean Village CaféFind us online: http://www.slideshare.net/ HillsideQuadraCommunityNews

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as Topaz Park should be off the table. * C h e c k o u t t h e C o a l i t i o n t o E n d H o m e l e s s n e s s a t http://victoriahomelessness.ca/ , Victoria Citizens opposed to a Tent City (facebook), @TopazTentCity, www.medicinehat.ca and www.victoria.ca for information and updates about these issues. Sign up for neighbourhood updates by contacting [email protected]

Topaz Park Response Shows Depth of Concern for Neighbourhood,

Homeless and Parks(Continued from cover)

Fall 2015 Hillside - Quadra Community News

Meet the news teamCo-Editors: Tracy Byrne, Rowena Locklin

Helen Cowley

TCommittee Members: Kelly Greenwell,

Assistant Editor: Advertising: Shannon Shylene Schlackl

Design & Layout: eresa CowleyShannon Shylene Schlackl

The Hillside-Quadra Community News is a forum and information source about projects, issues, meetings, events, history and people in Hillside-Quadra and surrounding neighbourhoods.

WHY ADVERTISE? Advertising in the Hillside-Quadra Community News is a great way to

target thousands of potential clients within walking distance, people who value all things local and want you to succeed. Remind your neighbours what you have to offer them. Let them know your latest promotion, why you are unique, why they should visit you again. You can place a small reminder ad for the whole year for just $105; or for the same price as a small ad in other publications, you can get a prominent full page ad outlining your services in detail. Don't miss this opportunity to shine for your most important patrons -- your neighbours.

Email to discuss: Kelly Greenwell at [email protected] or call 250 388 7696 ext.221

HQ News online: http://issuu.com/hillsidequadranews

Website:

Twitter:

www.quadravillagecc.com

www.facebook.com/QuadraVillage

@QuadraVillage

I

Fall 2015 Hillside - Quadra Community NewsPage 3

The deadline for articles and ads in the Winter 2015 edition of the Hillside - Quadra Community

News is Monday, November . 9th

INTERESTED IN GETTING PUBLISHED IN H - Q NEWS?We are looking for story ideas, articles, photos, poems, etc. If you

have something you would like to see in an upcoming issue, please e-mail Kelly at [email protected].

LETTERS TO THE EDITORDo you have any comments on articles or H - Q community news? Are

you concerned about something in our area? We’d love to hear from you! Send a letter to the Editor: 901 Kings Rd. Victoria B.C. V8T 1W5 or e-mail Kelly at [email protected].

We work together to nurture community well-being by providing services and programs to meet social, educational, health, employment, environmental and recreational needs of the people in our neighbourhood in a safe and welcoming environment.

3000 copies of the Hillside-Quadra Community News are published quarterly through Quadra Village Community Centre

Full colour $150 per issuePublication dates: Spring/Summer//fall/winter

New Neighbourhood Small Grants Available Now in Hillside-QuadraBy Sasha Gronsdahl

magine walking down your streI

696.

funded: bike maintenance workshops, parks in traffic circles, movie nights, free yoga classes

et and and canning sessions. It’s not just residents of greeting your neighbours, who are working single-family homes that can participate in in the yard, by name after meeting them at a community-building activities, either – a

block party the previous weekend. Imagine Neighbourhood Small Grant in Vancouver passing the park on the corner and seeing a free funded a rooftop garden in an apartment painting class being held under the trees for building, demonstrating that much can be done those who live nearby. Imagine entering the to create “vertical community” as well. Projects local community centre and learning new must be free, accessible and welcoming to all, cooking skills from a newcomer sharing a recipe and only individuals – not businesses or from her home country, laughing and covered in re gi st er ed orga ni za ti on s – ma y ap pl y. flour as you connect across cultures. Applications may be submitted online (paper

Imagining these kinds of community- copies are also available upon request) and are the Quadra Village Community Centre. building projects is the first step, but a new intended to be simple and accessible. Projects must meet one of the goals of the grassroots granting program now offers funding “Hillside Quadra is a vibrant and diverse Neighbourhood Small Grants program, which to neighbours to make these projects a reality. area, and Neighbourhood Small Grants provide are to connect and engage neighbourhood Residents of Hillside-Quadra can now apply for an opportunity for neighbours to participate in residents, share residents’ skills and knowledge grant of up to $500 to fund projects that bring the community,” says Kel ly Greenwell , within the community, build a sense of people together and build community through Executive Director of the Quadra Village ownership and pride, and respect and celebrate the Neighbourhood Small Grants program. Community Centre. “Anyone living in the diversity. The grassroots granting program is Created in 1999 by the Vancouver neighbourhood is encouraged to apply for a based on a simple but powerful idea: when Foundation, Neighbourhood Small Grants help grant.”people feel a sense of connection and belonging connect and engage residents in their Individuals who wish to apply for a to their neighbourhood, they are more likely to community by encouraging them to come up Neighbourhood Small Grant must reside in the be engaged in activities that make it a better with their own ideas about how to strengthen Hillside-Quadra neighbourhood. Applications place to live. And when people are active in the their community. Local residents can apply with are open now until the deadline, Thursday, life of their neighbourhood, our communities are project ideas, and a resident advisory committee Oc tobe r 15 , 2015 . Vis it th is webs it e: strengthened from the ground up.made up of volunteers from the neighbourhood www.neighbourhoodsmallgrants.ca for more Examples of typical projects include block reviews proposals and makes funding decisions. detai ls , or contact Rowena Locklin, parties, cooking or skills-sharing workshops, After much success in Vancouver, the Neighbourhood Small Grants Coordinator, at book exchange libraries, and community program is being piloted in Hillside-Quadra this [email protected] or 250-388-gardens. Since the program’s inception in fall. It’s co-funded by the Vancouver Foundation 7Vancouver, a huge variety of projects have been and the Victoria Foundation, and facilitated by

Keep Up with All the Happenings in the ‘Hood!Check out the I Love Quadra Village page on

Facebook for all things Quadra Village including posts from the Hillside-Quadra Community News team.

https://www.facebook.com/ILoveQV?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Will Neighbourhood Residents Get Meaningful Input into Summit at Quadra Village?

n September 9, the Capital Regional Hospital District (CRHD) approved the award of consulting contracts establishing the project Odesign and construction management team for The Summit at

Quadra Village residential and dementia care project (955 Hillside Avenue). As you may know the new facility will replace Oak Bay Lodge and Mt. Tolmie Hospital. Residents of The Summit will be frail elderly and persons who are unable to live in their own home without 24/7 care. Many will have dementia.

The architect’s award went to the same firm that designed the Quadra Village Community Centre in 1996 (deHoog & Kierulf Architects). According to The Summit Project lead Maurice Rachwalski, the firm will facilitate opportunities for the neighbourhood “to provide their comments and feedback to the CRHD at a series of open houses throughout the schematic and design development phases of the project.” CRHD Chair David Howe has reinforced this message saying, “The CRHD is committed to ensuring the design and construction of the Summit project considers concerns of local neighbours and is tastefully integrated into the community.” He goes on to say that The Summit “will meet the needs of residents and caregivers […] while enriching the local neighbourhood experience.”

Consultation with the neighbourhood is set to start before the end of November. According to CRD Director and Neighbourhood Liaison, Ben Isitt, it is crucial that the consultants engage in “early, meaningful and ongoing consultation.” With any luck, the CRHD’s current reputation for poor consultation with stakeholders will be transcended in this project. Significant work has gone into developing a positive neighbourhood in and around Quadra Village and it would be a great shame if a project with a large budget (over $1.9 million for the architecture award alone) did nothing to contribute to the broader vibrancy, health and wellness of the neighbourhood. Hopefully, the site will include features that take into account neighbourhood needs and legacy components will be designed to ensure that all generations will be able to share and enjoy the former Blanshard Elementary site. Features such as park-like and recreational green space would benefit residents of The Summit and Hillside-Quadra neighbours alike.

Aerial View of 955 Hillside Ave. (Image via CDR)

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Letters






friends.”

Jodi Sturge








9:00am-3:30pm


3:00pm – 5:00pm & 7:00pm –

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[email protected]


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Send a Child to









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as Topaz Park should be off the table. * C h e c k o u t t h e C o a l i t i o n t o E n d H o m e l e s s n e s s a t http://victoriahomelessness.ca/ , Victoria Citizens opposed to a Tent City (facebook), @TopazTentCity, www.medicinehat.ca and www.victoria.ca for information and updates about these issues. Sign up for neighbourhood updates by contacting [email protected]

Topaz Park Response Shows Depth of Concern for Neighbourhood,

Homeless and Parks(Continued from cover)

Fall 2015 Hillside - Quadra Community NewsPage 2

Meet the news teamCo-Editors: Tracy Byrne, Rowena Locklin

Helen Cowley

TCommittee Members: Kelly Greenwell,

Assistant Editor: Advertising: Shannon Shylene Schlackl

Design & Layout: eresa CowleyShannon Shylene Schlackl

The Hillside-Quadra Community News is a forum and information source about projects, issues, meetings, events, history and people in Hillside-Quadra and surrounding neighbourhoods.

WHY ADVERTISE? Advertising in the Hillside-Quadra Community News is a great way to

target thousands of potential clients within walking distance, people who value all things local and want you to succeed. Remind your neighbours what you have to offer them. Let them know your latest promotion, why you are unique, why they should visit you again. You can place a small reminder ad for the whole year for just $105; or for the same price as a small ad in other publications, you can get a prominent full page ad outlining your services in detail. Don't miss this opportunity to shine for your most important patrons -- your neighbours.

Email to discuss: Kelly Greenwell at [email protected] or call 250 388 7696 ext.221

HQ News online: http://issuu.com/hillsidequadranews

Website:

Twitter:

www.quadravillagecc.com

www.facebook.com/QuadraVillage

@QuadraVillage

I


The deadline for articles and ads in the Winter 2015 edition of the Hillside - Quadra Community

News is Monday, November . 9th

INTERESTED IN GETTING PUBLISHED IN H - Q NEWS?We are looking for story ideas, articles, photos, poems, etc. If you

have something you would like to see in an upcoming issue, please e-mail Kelly at [email protected].

LETTERS TO THE EDITORDo you have any comments on articles or H - Q community news? Are

you concerned about something in our area? We’d love to hear from you! Send a letter to the Editor: 901 Kings Rd. Victoria B.C. V8T 1W5 or e-mail Kelly at [email protected].

We work together to nurture community well-being by providing services and programs to meet social, educational, health, employment, environmental and recreational needs of the people in our neighbourhood in a safe and welcoming environment.

3000 copies of the Hillside-Quadra Community News are published quarterly through Quadra Village Community Centre

Full colour $150 per issuePublication dates: Spring/Summer//fall/winter

New Neighbourhood Small Grants Available Now in Hillside-QuadraBy Sasha Gronsdahl

magine walking down your streI

696.

funded: bike maintenance workshops, parks in traffic circles, movie nights, free yoga classes

et and and canning sessions. It’s not just residents of greeting your neighbours, who are working single-family homes that can participate in in the yard, by name after meeting them at a community-building activities, either – a

block party the previous weekend. Imagine Neighbourhood Small Grant in Vancouver passing the park on the corner and seeing a free funded a rooftop garden in an apartment painting class being held under the trees for building, demonstrating that much can be done those who live nearby. Imagine entering the to create “vertical community” as well. Projects local community centre and learning new must be free, accessible and welcoming to all, cooking skills from a newcomer sharing a recipe and only individuals – not businesses or from her home country, laughing and covered in re gi st er ed orga ni za ti on s – ma y ap pl y. flour as you connect across cultures. Applications may be submitted online (paper

Imagining these kinds of community- copies are also available upon request) and are the Quadra Village Community Centre. building projects is the first step, but a new intended to be simple and accessible. Projects must meet one of the goals of the grassroots granting program now offers funding “Hillside Quadra is a vibrant and diverse Neighbourhood Small Grants program, which to neighbours to make these projects a reality. area, and Neighbourhood Small Grants provide are to connect and engage neighbourhood Residents of Hillside-Quadra can now apply for an opportunity for neighbours to participate in residents, share residents’ skills and knowledge grant of up to $500 to fund projects that bring the community,” says Kel ly Greenwell , within the community, build a sense of people together and build community through Executive Director of the Quadra Village ownership and pride, and respect and celebrate the Neighbourhood Small Grants program. Community Centre. “Anyone living in the diversity. The grassroots granting program is Created in 1999 by the Vancouver neighbourhood is encouraged to apply for a based on a simple but powerful idea: when Foundation, Neighbourhood Small Grants help grant.”people feel a sense of connection and belonging connect and engage residents in their Individuals who wish to apply for a to their neighbourhood, they are more likely to community by encouraging them to come up Neighbourhood Small Grant must reside in the be engaged in activities that make it a better with their own ideas about how to strengthen Hillside-Quadra neighbourhood. Applications place to live. And when people are active in the their community. Local residents can apply with are open now until the deadline, Thursday, life of their neighbourhood, our communities are project ideas, and a resident advisory committee Oc tobe r 15 , 2015 . Vis it th is webs it e: strengthened from the ground up.made up of volunteers from the neighbourhood www.neighbourhoodsmallgrants.ca for more Examples of typical projects include block reviews proposals and makes funding decisions. detai ls , or contact Rowena Locklin, parties, cooking or skills-sharing workshops, After much success in Vancouver, the Neighbourhood Small Grants Coordinator, at book exchange libraries, and community program is being piloted in Hillside-Quadra this [email protected] or 250-388-gardens. Since the program’s inception in fall. It’s co-funded by the Vancouver Foundation 7Vancouver, a huge variety of projects have been and the Victoria Foundation, and facilitated by

Keep Up with All the Happenings in the ‘Hood!Check out the I Love Quadra Village page on

Facebook for all things Quadra Village including posts from the Hillside-Quadra Community News team.

https://www.facebook.com/ILoveQV?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Will Neighbourhood Residents Get Meaningful Input into Summit at Quadra Village?

n September 9, the Capital Regional Hospital District (CRHD) approved the award of consulting contracts establishing the project Odesign and construction management team for The Summit at

Quadra Village residential and dementia care project (955 Hillside Avenue). As you may know the new facility will replace Oak Bay Lodge and Mt. Tolmie Hospital. Residents of The Summit will be frail elderly and persons who are unable to live in their own home without 24/7 care. Many will have dementia.

The architect’s award went to the same firm that designed the Quadra Village Community Centre in 1996 (deHoog & Kierulf Architects). According to The Summit Project lead Maurice Rachwalski, the firm will facilitate opportunities for the neighbourhood “to provide their comments and feedback to the CRHD at a series of open houses throughout the schematic and design development phases of the project.” CRHD Chair David Howe has reinforced this message saying, “The CRHD is committed to ensuring the design and construction of the Summit project considers concerns of local neighbours and is tastefully integrated into the community.” He goes on to say that The Summit “will meet the needs of residents and caregivers […] while enriching the local neighbourhood experience.”

Consultation with the neighbourhood is set to start before the end of November. According to CRD Director and Neighbourhood Liaison, Ben Isitt, it is crucial that the consultants engage in “early, meaningful and ongoing consultation.” With any luck, the CRHD’s current reputation for poor consultation with stakeholders will be transcended in this project. Significant work has gone into developing a positive neighbourhood in and around Quadra Village and it would be a great shame if a project with a large budget (over $1.9 million for the architecture award alone) did nothing to contribute to the broader vibrancy, health and wellness of the neighbourhood. Hopefully, the site will include features that take into account neighbourhood needs and legacy components will be designed to ensure that all generations will be able to share and enjoy the former Blanshard Elementary site. Features such as park-like and recreational green space would benefit residents of The Summit and Hillside-Quadra neighbours alike.

Aerial View of 955 Hillside Ave. (Image via CDR)

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388-

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Letters






friends.”

Jodi Sturge








9:00am-3:30pm


3:00pm – 5:00pm & 7:00pm –

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Victoria BC



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Distribution

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Centre





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We’d

love y

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feedback!









STAY

TUNED!



[email protected]


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Centre










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Find us on issuu!









Donate to the












us?













Village FB page???

Send a Child to









are changes





PANDORA AVE

CO

OK

ST

QU

AD

RA

ST

BLA

NS

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DO

UG

LAS ST

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FINLAYSON ST

CLOVERDALE AVE

Distribution

Area






are changes





By Grant Bolton across the terrain like a wheel or a hula-hoop. Ranger about where we could set up camp, the The snakes were known to travel in packs of fifty three girls came running up to us. They

t was the summer of 1984. It was the fourth or more. Sometimes the snakes could be spotted immediately began pummeling the Ranger with “Work Crew” trip to California and our first by the cloud of dust they kicked up as they rolled questions about the Travelling Hoop Snakes. Imixed boys and girls group. We were down the trail. We warned the girls that the Where was the safest camping spot? Where were

travel ling between Sacramento and San snakes’ venom was extremely deadly and that, if good trees to climb? Did he have an antidote to Francisco and hoping to get a campsite just south they saw the snakes coming, they would never the snake venom?of San Francisco. I was at the wheel of our be able to outrun them because the snakes had Before the confused Ranger could begin to fifteen-passenger van and Ed McClanagahn was been clocked at a rolling speed of more than answer all the questions, Ed and I started up front in the co-pilot seat reading the map. forty miles per hour. Seeing that the girls were laughing and, to the chagrin of the girls, Three of our young women were in the front getting alarmed, we assured them that they could explained to the Ranger that we were just passenger seat chatting enthusiastically about easily protect themselves from the snakes by playing a joke on them. The Ranger had a good our soon-to-be camping spot. climbing a tree. The girls seemed to be satisfied laugh too and assured the girls that there was no

Out of nowhere I heard Ed telling the girls that they would be safe and settled down while such thing as Travelling Hoop Snakes and that that they would have to watch out for the Ed and I re-focused our attention on getting us to they were quite safe at the campsite. Travelling Hoop Snakes. I quickly picked up on our destination. As we settled into camp, and as the girls were Ed’s ruse and joined in. We explained By the time we reached our camp site Ed and busy setting up their tent, I was reminded several (fabricated) that the snakes were known for their I had forgotten all about the Travelling Hoop times that it is a good thing that looks can’t kill. ability to grab their tails in their mouths and role Snakes and while we were talking to a Camp

Fall 2015 Hillside - Quadra Community News Fall 2015 Hillside - Quadra Community NewsPage 5

By Tara Skobel with notes from Deirdre Ryan- horseback riding and swimming, as well as a skills. The CREW runs every Monday in our Morrissete and Corie Potter-Lowden number of personal and emotional activities Youth Centre from 4-6pm. We are currently

such as learning about values and triggers, looking for more youth participants, so please started my journey with Quadra Village personal wellness and art journaling. feel free to pop by and check us out! Community Centre (QVCC) in May 2015. I The younger girls group has maintained a An upcoming program that we are looking Ihave been thrilled to be working with such regular attendance of 8-12 girls this year, with forward to running is the Food Skills for Youth

an amazing team and have felt welcomed and girls highly regarding the recreational activities and Boys Group. With partial funding from the acknowledged working here. I thought I knew that we have done, including swimming, United Way of Victoria and the City of Victoria, about the barriers and challenges of the youth horseback riding, and rock climbing. Each we are able to buy a food cart that we will use to and families living in our community but really I session, girls have had the opportunity to share sell the food we make at local events and only had a surface understanding. Since working personal experiences and stories from their lives. festivals. The food cart enterprise will be a skill-with the youth and families in the We have also explored topics such as friendship building opportunity for youth in our neighbourhood I have come to a better and relationship building, healthy eating, nature community who are connected to the Food Skills understanding of what is happening in the and meditation, anti-bullying, confidence and for Youth Program and the CREW. We are neighbourhood. So far it has been an amazing self-esteem. During our learning and exploration looking forward to this new adventure and will experience connecting with the youth and sessions, girls have had the opportunity to reflect keep you posted as thing progress. As well we learning about the neighbourhood and I am on new information and relate it to their own are hoping to receive funding for a boys group looking forward to continuing my work here at lives, through journaling. All girls who come program that will allow male youth in our QVCC! regularly and consistently feel comfortable community to build social connections, engage

I wanted to share with you some key aspects sharing with one another and I have witnessed in recreational activities and learn about self-of what we offer through our youth programs, the relationships between the girls flourish over worth. Fingers-crossed that we receive funding!and some of our ways of working with youth. I time. Through the Teen Centre Enhancement hope the following paragraphs will give you a Family Night has a consistent group of Project (partially funded by the United Way of better sense of what QVCC Youth Programs are families and is a program where children and Victoria) we have also been able to make some about. parents are very comfortable with one another. improvements to the equipment in our youth

Using tools from the Virtues Project we have Parent to parent dialogue is very nurturing and I centre. We have been able to get a new 55” smart been able to start building a sense of ownership have witnessed families supporting one another TV, a PlayStation 3, video games, movies and and belonging with our youth. The youth are with life challenges that come up. The space 3D glasses. Best Buy at Uptown also helped to engaging in the centre in a meaningful way. They provides opportunity for role modelling and make this possible by giving us some really good clean up after themselves and they take part in education, as families have the chance to see deals. Thank you Best Buy for your support to nightly Youth Team Meetings where the youth how other families work together and are able to make our youth centre rocking! We would also and staff facilitate the activities for the night and discuss the developmental needs and stages of like to thank FGL Sports Ltd. for their donation upcoming week. At each of these meetings we go their children (e.g. effective toilet training). Our of footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls and over our youth centre guidelines, which include monthly community dinners and craft nights are basketballs, and Victoria Sport and Social Club respect, integrity, peacefulness, responsibility, a huge success, with opportunities for all for donating a number of dodgeballs. We are still friendliness, helpfulness, cooperation and families to contribute to the activities that we do. in the process of looking for more donations to cleanliness. Through this process there has been Some parents really enjoy the creativity that improve the youth centre. Our wish list includes: less bias, racism and bullying amongst the youth comes from putting together a meal with limited Aboriginal art, new couches, a new pool table and more respectful behaviour towards staff. resources and each family contributes to the and, of course, a new kitchen for the centre.Things aren’t perfect but they are improving all success of this program. A huge thank you goes out to our staff the time! The CREW is a program for youth between (Patrick Boyd, Katarina Mauro, Corie Potter-

Through the Youth Program Quali ty the ages of 13-19 who are looking for Lowden, Deirdre Ryan-Morrissette & Nakita Initiative (YPQI) staff members have had a employment and/or looking to gain skills for Sekhon) and our volunteers (Harley, Anthony & number of professional development employment (such as resume and cover letter Desiree), who help make our youth programs so opportunities that help us build leadership skills, building, job site visits, and interview skills). awesome. And we must not forget to thank eliminate bias and ensure a safe and supportive Our aim is to empower youth with job readiness Tracey Campbell and Shawna Olsen for their environment for the youth that use our centre and skills and resources, supporting them with great administrative support and our Executive attend our programs. We are happy to announce looking for, maintaining, and being excellent in Director, Kelly Greenwell, for supporting and that we have been accepted for another year of the job of their choosing. Youth build being part of the youth centre improvements and the YPQI and are looking forward to more leadership, employment, and fundraising skills programming. I am truly grateful to be part of learning and higher quality programming for our through hands-on works experience, interactive such an amazing team!youth. youth-driven workshops, and one to one For more information on our youth programs

Both of our Girls Groups have been very support. This summer we have hosted both a please contact Tara Skobel at 250 388 7696 orsuccessful over the past year. The older girls bottle drive and a car wash as fundraising efforts have engaged in a number of recreational for our year-end celebration, and as part of activities in the community such as rowing, exercising our working and event planning

by email at [email protected]


QVCC Youth Team in Picture (L to R) Randi Gammack, Katarina Mauro, Tara Skobel, Corie Potter-Lowden and Patrick Boyd(Photo by Kelly Greenwell)

The Travelling Hoop Snakes

Hanging out at the campground hoping to avoid the deadly Travelling Hoop Snakes (Photo and drawing)

Hillside Quadra Neighbourhood Action GroupBy Janis La Couvée, on behalf of the Hillside- Our group has been designated by the City as How You Can Get InvolvedQuadra Neighbourhood Action Group the contact for developers proposing changes One of the best ways to be involved is to

that require the City to change the zoning for the attend one of the monthly NAG meetings. If you mail List: NAG maintains an e-mail list property involved. We host meetings to which are unable to attend a meeting and would like to and sends out regular updates. If you the neighbours and any other interested persons know more or be involved in any neighbourhood Ewould like to subscribe to this list, please are invited to hear about the proposal and land use or transportation matters, please contact

with provide their comments. After that the project NAG at the email shown below. NAG is SUBSCRIBE TO LIST in the subject heading. goes through a formal review process at City currently recruiting volunteers to help with

Hall. Ultimately, City Council holds a public community meetings held as part of the rezoning Cascadia Liquor Store—application to hearing before any approvals are given or process. If you’re interested in land use issues, increase opening hours denied. and can help out on an occasional basis, we’d Cascadia Liquor Store signed a Good love to hear from you.Neighbour Agreement with the Hillside-Quadra 2560 Quadra (beside the Wooden Shoe) Neighbourhood Action Group when they The newest proposal for this property (4- Contact:opened the store in Quadra Village. They meet storeys with 15 units and bike parking) falls annually with HQ-NAG to review the year and within the current Quadra Village zoning and respond to questions. Provisions of the Good was recently referred to the Planning and Land Neighbour Agreement include the possibility of Use Committee. The owners are seeking a opening to match the hours at Fairway Market. development permit with variances (parking The Hillside Quadra Neighbourhood Action Fairway is now open until 11pm, and Cascadia spots and set-backs). Staff is recommending that Group (NAG) is a sub-committee of the recently made an application to the City of after giving notice and allowing an opportunity Downtown Blanshard Advisory Committee Victoria to extend their hours to 11pm. Staff is for public comment, Council considers (DBAC) (the not-for-profit that is our recommending that Council consider approving authorizing the issuance of the Development neighbourhood’s Community Association the application. Permit Application. A public hearing will be and runs the Quadra Village Community

scheduled later in October. Centre) and is comprised of a group of Summit Park Invasive Species Clean Upvolunteers that works on issues related to The Friends of Summit Park (FOSP) and 2740 Fifth Streetland use, transportation, and parks in our NAG volunteers have completed four clean-ups Currently the site of a single family home, neighbourhood. Anyone with a connection to in Summit Park since the fall of 2014. Thanks to there is a preliminary proposal for a 12-unit ASH our neighbourhood is welcome to come to everyone who attended. (affordable sustainable housing) development. meetings or join our email list. We meet at the Next clean up is Saturday November 7th A well-attended community meeting under the Quadra Village Community Centre at 7:00 10am CALUC process was held in May and the HQ-PM the first Monday of each month from NAG sent a letter to the City. There has been no September to June, except we meet on the further news of this development. A rezoning High-Profile Development Proposals in second Monday when the first Monday is a would be required. holiday.Hillside-Quadra Neighbourhood

email nag@quadravil lagecc.com

Email: [email protected]: http://www.quadravillagecc.com/hillside-quadra-neighbourhood-action-group

-noon. If you can help, please contact us at [email protected]

Bla

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388-

7696




Letters






friends.”

Jodi Sturge








9:00am-3:30pm


3:00pm – 5:00pm & 7:00pm –

Lett

ers

to t

he E

dit

or

901

Kin

gs R

d. V

icto

ria B

.C.

V8T

1W5

or e

mai

l: kg

reen

wel

l@bl

ansh

ardc

c.co

m








Victoria BC



PANDORA AVE

CO

OK

ST

QU

AD

RA

ST

BLA

NS

HA

RD

ST

DO

UG

LAS ST

BAY ST

KINGS RD

HILLSIDE AVE

FINLAYSON ST

CLOVERDALE AVE

Distribution

Area


Centre





Lett

ers

to t

he E

dit

or

901

Kin

gs

Rd

. Vic

tori

a B

.C. V

8T 1

W5

or

emai

l: k

gre

enw

ell@

bla

nsh

ard

cc.c

om

We’d

love y

our

feedback!









STAY

TUNED!



[email protected]


Lett

ers

to t

he E

dit

or

901

Kin

gs

Rd

. Vic

tori

a B

.C. V

8T 1

W5

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ell@

bla

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ard

cc.c

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We’d

love y

our

feedback!








Centre










Lett

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901

Kin

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d. V

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.C.

V8T

1W5

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mai

l: kg

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wel

l@bl

ansh

ardc

c.co

m

Find us on issuu!









Donate to the












us?













Village FB page???

Send a Child to









are changes





PANDORA AVE

CO

OK

ST

QU

AD

RA

ST

BLA

NS

HA

RD

ST

DO

UG

LAS ST

BAY ST

KINGS RD

HILLSIDE AVE

FINLAYSON ST

CLOVERDALE AVE

Distribution

Area






are changes





By Grant Bolton across the terrain like a wheel or a hula-hoop. Ranger about where we could set up camp, the The snakes were known to travel in packs of fifty three girls came running up to us. They

t was the summer of 1984. It was the fourth or more. Sometimes the snakes could be spotted immediately began pummeling the Ranger with “Work Crew” trip to California and our first by the cloud of dust they kicked up as they rolled questions about the Travelling Hoop Snakes. Imixed boys and girls group. We were down the trail. We warned the girls that the Where was the safest camping spot? Where were

travel ling between Sacramento and San snakes’ venom was extremely deadly and that, if good trees to climb? Did he have an antidote to Francisco and hoping to get a campsite just south they saw the snakes coming, they would never the snake venom?of San Francisco. I was at the wheel of our be able to outrun them because the snakes had Before the confused Ranger could begin to fifteen-passenger van and Ed McClanagahn was been clocked at a rolling speed of more than answer all the questions, Ed and I started up front in the co-pilot seat reading the map. forty miles per hour. Seeing that the girls were laughing and, to the chagrin of the girls, Three of our young women were in the front getting alarmed, we assured them that they could explained to the Ranger that we were just passenger seat chatting enthusiastically about easily protect themselves from the snakes by playing a joke on them. The Ranger had a good our soon-to-be camping spot. climbing a tree. The girls seemed to be satisfied laugh too and assured the girls that there was no

Out of nowhere I heard Ed telling the girls that they would be safe and settled down while such thing as Travelling Hoop Snakes and that that they would have to watch out for the Ed and I re-focused our attention on getting us to they were quite safe at the campsite. Travelling Hoop Snakes. I quickly picked up on our destination. As we settled into camp, and as the girls were Ed’s ruse and joined in. We explained By the time we reached our camp site Ed and busy setting up their tent, I was reminded several (fabricated) that the snakes were known for their I had forgotten all about the Travelling Hoop times that it is a good thing that looks can’t kill. ability to grab their tails in their mouths and role Snakes and while we were talking to a Camp

Fall 2015 Hillside - Quadra Community NewsPage 4 Fall 2015 Hillside - Quadra Community News

By Tara Skobel with notes from Deirdre Ryan- horseback riding and swimming, as well as a skills. The CREW runs every Monday in our Morrissete and Corie Potter-Lowden number of personal and emotional activities Youth Centre from 4-6pm. We are currently

such as learning about values and triggers, looking for more youth participants, so please started my journey with Quadra Village personal wellness and art journaling. feel free to pop by and check us out! Community Centre (QVCC) in May 2015. I The younger girls group has maintained a An upcoming program that we are looking Ihave been thrilled to be working with such regular attendance of 8-12 girls this year, with forward to running is the Food Skills for Youth

an amazing team and have felt welcomed and girls highly regarding the recreational activities and Boys Group. With partial funding from the acknowledged working here. I thought I knew that we have done, including swimming, United Way of Victoria and the City of Victoria, about the barriers and challenges of the youth horseback riding, and rock climbing. Each we are able to buy a food cart that we will use to and families living in our community but really I session, girls have had the opportunity to share sell the food we make at local events and only had a surface understanding. Since working personal experiences and stories from their lives. festivals. The food cart enterprise will be a skill-with the youth and families in the We have also explored topics such as friendship building opportunity for youth in our neighbourhood I have come to a better and relationship building, healthy eating, nature community who are connected to the Food Skills understanding of what is happening in the and meditation, anti-bullying, confidence and for Youth Program and the CREW. We are neighbourhood. So far it has been an amazing self-esteem. During our learning and exploration looking forward to this new adventure and will experience connecting with the youth and sessions, girls have had the opportunity to reflect keep you posted as thing progress. As well we learning about the neighbourhood and I am on new information and relate it to their own are hoping to receive funding for a boys group looking forward to continuing my work here at lives, through journaling. All girls who come program that will allow male youth in our QVCC! regularly and consistently feel comfortable community to build social connections, engage

I wanted to share with you some key aspects sharing with one another and I have witnessed in recreational activities and learn about self-of what we offer through our youth programs, the relationships between the girls flourish over worth. Fingers-crossed that we receive funding!and some of our ways of working with youth. I time. Through the Teen Centre Enhancement hope the following paragraphs will give you a Family Night has a consistent group of Project (partially funded by the United Way of better sense of what QVCC Youth Programs are families and is a program where children and Victoria) we have also been able to make some about. parents are very comfortable with one another. improvements to the equipment in our youth

Using tools from the Virtues Project we have Parent to parent dialogue is very nurturing and I centre. We have been able to get a new 55” smart been able to start building a sense of ownership have witnessed families supporting one another TV, a PlayStation 3, video games, movies and and belonging with our youth. The youth are with life challenges that come up. The space 3D glasses. Best Buy at Uptown also helped to engaging in the centre in a meaningful way. They provides opportunity for role modelling and make this possible by giving us some really good clean up after themselves and they take part in education, as families have the chance to see deals. Thank you Best Buy for your support to nightly Youth Team Meetings where the youth how other families work together and are able to make our youth centre rocking! We would also and staff facilitate the activities for the night and discuss the developmental needs and stages of like to thank FGL Sports Ltd. for their donation upcoming week. At each of these meetings we go their children (e.g. effective toilet training). Our of footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls and over our youth centre guidelines, which include monthly community dinners and craft nights are basketballs, and Victoria Sport and Social Club respect, integrity, peacefulness, responsibility, a huge success, with opportunities for all for donating a number of dodgeballs. We are still friendliness, helpfulness, cooperation and families to contribute to the activities that we do. in the process of looking for more donations to cleanliness. Through this process there has been Some parents really enjoy the creativity that improve the youth centre. Our wish list includes: less bias, racism and bullying amongst the youth comes from putting together a meal with limited Aboriginal art, new couches, a new pool table and more respectful behaviour towards staff. resources and each family contributes to the and, of course, a new kitchen for the centre.Things aren’t perfect but they are improving all success of this program. A huge thank you goes out to our staff the time! The CREW is a program for youth between (Patrick Boyd, Katarina Mauro, Corie Potter-

Through the Youth Program Quali ty the ages of 13-19 who are looking for Lowden, Deirdre Ryan-Morrissette & Nakita Initiative (YPQI) staff members have had a employment and/or looking to gain skills for Sekhon) and our volunteers (Harley, Anthony & number of professional development employment (such as resume and cover letter Desiree), who help make our youth programs so opportunities that help us build leadership skills, building, job site visits, and interview skills). awesome. And we must not forget to thank eliminate bias and ensure a safe and supportive Our aim is to empower youth with job readiness Tracey Campbell and Shawna Olsen for their environment for the youth that use our centre and skills and resources, supporting them with great administrative support and our Executive attend our programs. We are happy to announce looking for, maintaining, and being excellent in Director, Kelly Greenwell, for supporting and that we have been accepted for another year of the job of their choosing. Youth build being part of the youth centre improvements and the YPQI and are looking forward to more leadership, employment, and fundraising skills programming. I am truly grateful to be part of learning and higher quality programming for our through hands-on works experience, interactive such an amazing team!youth. youth-driven workshops, and one to one For more information on our youth programs

Both of our Girls Groups have been very support. This summer we have hosted both a please contact Tara Skobel at 250 388 7696 orsuccessful over the past year. The older girls bottle drive and a car wash as fundraising efforts have engaged in a number of recreational for our year-end celebration, and as part of activities in the community such as rowing, exercising our working and event planning

by email at [email protected]


QVCC Youth Team in Picture (L to R) Randi Gammack, Katarina Mauro, Tara Skobel, Corie Potter-Lowden and Patrick Boyd(Photo by Kelly Greenwell)

The Travelling Hoop Snakes

Hanging out at the campground hoping to avoid the deadly Travelling Hoop Snakes (Photo and drawing)

Hillside Quadra Neighbourhood Action GroupBy Janis La Couvée, on behalf of the Hillside- Our group has been designated by the City as How You Can Get InvolvedQuadra Neighbourhood Action Group the contact for developers proposing changes One of the best ways to be involved is to

that require the City to change the zoning for the attend one of the monthly NAG meetings. If you mail List: NAG maintains an e-mail list property involved. We host meetings to which are unable to attend a meeting and would like to and sends out regular updates. If you the neighbours and any other interested persons know more or be involved in any neighbourhood Ewould like to subscribe to this list, please are invited to hear about the proposal and land use or transportation matters, please contact

with provide their comments. After that the project NAG at the email shown below. NAG is SUBSCRIBE TO LIST in the subject heading. goes through a formal review process at City currently recruiting volunteers to help with

Hall. Ultimately, City Council holds a public community meetings held as part of the rezoning Cascadia Liquor Store—application to hearing before any approvals are given or process. If you’re interested in land use issues, increase opening hours denied. and can help out on an occasional basis, we’d Cascadia Liquor Store signed a Good love to hear from you.Neighbour Agreement with the Hillside-Quadra 2560 Quadra (beside the Wooden Shoe) Neighbourhood Action Group when they The newest proposal for this property (4- Contact:opened the store in Quadra Village. They meet storeys with 15 units and bike parking) falls annually with HQ-NAG to review the year and within the current Quadra Village zoning and respond to questions. Provisions of the Good was recently referred to the Planning and Land Neighbour Agreement include the possibility of Use Committee. The owners are seeking a opening to match the hours at Fairway Market. development permit with variances (parking The Hillside Quadra Neighbourhood Action Fairway is now open until 11pm, and Cascadia spots and set-backs). Staff is recommending that Group (NAG) is a sub-committee of the recently made an application to the City of after giving notice and allowing an opportunity Downtown Blanshard Advisory Committee Victoria to extend their hours to 11pm. Staff is for public comment, Council considers (DBAC) (the not-for-profit that is our recommending that Council consider approving authorizing the issuance of the Development neighbourhood’s Community Association the application. Permit Application. A public hearing will be and runs the Quadra Village Community

scheduled later in October. Centre) and is comprised of a group of Summit Park Invasive Species Clean Upvolunteers that works on issues related to The Friends of Summit Park (FOSP) and 2740 Fifth Streetland use, transportation, and parks in our NAG volunteers have completed four clean-ups Currently the site of a single family home, neighbourhood. Anyone with a connection to in Summit Park since the fall of 2014. Thanks to there is a preliminary proposal for a 12-unit ASH our neighbourhood is welcome to come to everyone who attended. (affordable sustainable housing) development. meetings or join our email list. We meet at the Next clean up is Saturday November 7th A well-attended community meeting under the Quadra Village Community Centre at 7:00 10am CALUC process was held in May and the HQ-PM the first Monday of each month from NAG sent a letter to the City. There has been no September to June, except we meet on the further news of this development. A rezoning High-Profile Development Proposals in second Monday when the first Monday is a would be required. holiday.Hillside-Quadra Neighbourhood

email nag@quadravil lagecc.com

Email: [email protected]: http://www.quadravillagecc.com/hillside-quadra-neighbourhood-action-group

-noon. If you can help, please contact us at [email protected]

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Jodi Sturge








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Celebrating Words & Pictures with Our Creative NeighboursCatherine Chapman - Photographer

am originally from the south of England, of Scottish heritage, and have been interested in photography from an early age. My first camera, at the Iage of 7, was a Brownie box camera, which took only black and white

pictures. But to my delight someone gave me a photography colouring kit for Christmas and I was able to colour-tint some of my black and white photos as I went along. Only when I immigrated to Canada in 1970 did I get a more sophisticated camera, a Cannon (the model I cannot remember), that I could adjust somewhat to the light, and focus, AND start using colour films. This opened up a whole new world and a quite different way of looking at subjects.

My life proceeded to be one of sporadic but picturesque travel. I have been told I have a very good eye for composition and subject matter. I have never taken any formal training but have been recognized by professionals as having a visual judgement as good as or better than a lot of career photographers.

Up to the era of digital cameras I took all my pictures on a Canon Snappy and then a Canon Sure Shot. The latter is the camera I still use with black and white film. The digital world has changed photography. The ability to take endless pictures and see the results instantly without having to develop them in order to find out if they are what you wanted makes one a bit less careful about setting up each frame.

Over the years I have developed a keen eye for architectural subjects. This has been helped by the travels my partner (who has a deep interest and knowledge of architecture and its history) and I have taken to many cities in Europe and North America. I particularly enjoy the times I can take a shot with at least three, and maybe four, different eras of architecture in it. Sometimes one will be reflected in the glass of another. San Francisco, New York and Venice have to be my favourite subjects when it comes to buildings. In Venice I also love what the water reflections do to the light and the colours of the buildings. In black and white Venice is a subject of shapes and, yes again, water reflections.

I was particularly proud when I had a small show at a café in Cook St village in the 90s and I sold a whole collection of photos of Venice and its surrounding islands. For one reason or another I have never tried to show my photography again, probably due to the pressures of work. Maybe now I am retired I will think about putting on another show in one of our many local cafés.

I am currently working on a collection of architectural photographs of Victoria, both colour and black and white. Also the flora and fauna of Victoria, especially in my own neighbourhood, are a constant inspiration and would be my second choice of subject for a collection.

My partner and I decided to live in this neighbourhood seven years ago but only were able to buy a house six years ago. We love its proximity to downtown Victoria on foot and all the amenities that are within walking distance such as, cafés and restaurants, the grocery shop and the pharmacy, the liquor store and the theatre. The Crystal Pool being within walking distance was another asset that drew us to this neighbourhood. BUT the real pull was the number of restored Victorian and Arts and Crafts houses.

Next year an extensive trip to Australasia will open up a whole new set of vistas to feast the eyes. This is very exciting to look forward to.

Collage of South Island buildings, Manhattan, New York Interior of Bank of Montreal, Vancouver, BC

Fisgard and Douglas Street corner, Victoria, BC

Jennifer Ferris - Storytellermove to a neighbourhood where the school honoured storytelling. Now that my children have grown up and gone, I appreciate the Hillside-Quadra neighbourhood because of its history, diversity and its future as a place that is welcoming to families.

While I was working at Ecole Quadra Elementary, I organized a Storytelling Group for students. The young tellers learned traditional stories and told them in Grade 1 and 2 classrooms, at a community event and at Victoria Storytellers’ Guild. I am presently working with one of those students, Kathryn McAllister, who still lives in our neighbourhood and is now a student at UVic. She is also a volunteer at Ross Bay Villa and we are cooperating to create an evening of the stories and poetry that would have been enjoyed by the Roscoe Family in 1865. I also published a children’s book based on a family story and illustrated by a former student, Gen Chandler, and we are working on another book set in Malta.

I love everything about storytelling or spoken word. I love listening to stories, reading stories, researching, and the wakeful dreaming about a story that I am learning to tell. I have even learned to love the terrible butterflies in my stomach before I stand up to perform in front of everal years ago I was invited to visit my context for truth. It helps with memory, an audience. I love to carry the audience with a son, Stephen's, Grade 3 class at Ecole prediction, implication and comprehension, and story and to be carried alone by the audience’s SQuadra Elementary. They were doing a develops listening skills and oral skills. It is a reaction to what they are hearing and unit on Pioneers of Victoria and wanted to hear great equalizer in the classroom because participating in, and afterwards to hear what they stories of my family’s experiences when they everyone can enjoy a story at her/his own level. I got out of the tale. I enjoy coaching new tellers arrived in Victoria in 1858. My Grandmother could go on and on but, perhaps most and working with experienced tellers to reach passed on these reminiscences to me, and now, importantly, storytelling creates community by deeper into a story. enhanced by research I had done in the BC revealing shared experience, feelings and even

www.jenniferferris.caArchives, they became fully-fledged stories. fears, and shows that , I was invited back to the school several times whoever we are, we have

and, after five weeks, one of the students put up much in common.his hand and said, “You have been telling us But stories are not just stories about your family all these weeks, now I for children. Adults need want you to tell me the stories about my family!” stories as well. We are never That led to a discussion about where stories too old to be held in the come from, whom to ask, and where to look. rocking chair of story. That interaction confirmed my belief that we Remembering and telling need to hear stories and we need to tell our own stories helps adults deal stories. How can we create the story of our future with life’s challenges. Isak if we do not know who we are and where we D i n e s e n w r o t e , “ A l l came from? sorrows can be borne if you

I have listened to stories all my life and I have put them into a story or tell a told stories to people other than my family and story about them.” friends for over 25 years. I had the privilege of Besides helping us deal working as an Education Assistant in Victoria wi th li fe ’s ch al le ng es , schools and was able to share stories in all grades stories guide us through the from Kindergarten to Grade 12, sometimes as stages and thresholds we part of the curriculum and sometimes just for face through life. In an fun. My professional life as a storyteller and abstract way, we can relate workshop facilitator has taken me to community to the heroes and heroines of events, nature sanctuaries, retirement facilities, th e ol d st or ie s, wh il e colleges and universities, and festivals across personal stories also help us Canada. I have told stories in tents, on tree with those same changes branches, on big stages and in tight corners, and and passages. Storytelling to on radio and television. I am active in the adults encourages them to Victoria Storytellers’ Guild and was president of loosen up, remember, and Storytellers of Canada-Conteurs du Canada. then tell their stories. And,

The sharing of stories is an ancient art that is inevitably, one story leads to important for children because it stimulates another as we are reminded reading (it is the first step into literacy), inspires of our own experiences.imagination, and introduces metaphor and a My family was lucky to

Jennifer Ferris and her telling stylings (Photo provided)

dramatic story

Do you have any comments on articles or H - Q Community News? Concerned about something in our neighbourhood? Share your thoughts with us in a letter to the Editor: 901 Kings Rd. Victoria B.C. V8T 1W5 or email: [email protected]

We’d love to hear from you!

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Jodi Sturge








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[email protected]


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By Corie Potter-Lowden and gardening. (Not that I'm any good at gardening.)

or the past three years, QVCC: What chore do you Quadra Village Community absolutely dislike doing?FCentre has been extremely

privileged to have the culinary Kathy: I definitely dislike cleaning expertise of Kathy and Blair as part out the drain in the bathroom sink of our repertoire. Kathy and Blair’s when it is clogged with hair. Yuck!meals have brought many smiles to Blair: The dishes.people of all ages through our Best

QVCC: When you have 30 Babies and Hot Lunch programs. As minutes of free time, how do you well, Kathy and Blair have pitched choose to spend it?in multiple ways and at multiple

events to help us bring food to the Kathy: Make a cup of tea and read or people. Every week they come with knit. That 30 minutes often stretches an arsenal of healthy recipes, their into a longer session, though. “Just brilliant personalities, and Blair's one more chapter” or “One more wonderful singing voice. These two row.”make cooking for 40 people look Blair: Doing puzzles, Sudoku easy! mainly. I also do the daily

We want to thank Kathy and crossword. Kathy does the cryptic Blair for their loyalty to our Centre crossword, which is beyond me, but and for the amazing service they I can solve the 5-star Sudoku, which give to our community. We also want is beyond her, or so she claimsto thank them for giving us a glimpse

QVCC: When was the last time into their world through the you had an amazing meal? What following Q&A responses:was it and who prepared it?

QVCC: Given the choice of Blair: Pretty much every time anyone in the world, whom would Kathy gets creative it’s amazing.you want as a dinner guest?

QVCC: What story does your Blair: Stephen Fry. Because I like family always tell about you?his sense of humour.Blair: I don't know about me, but I

QVCC: What would constitute a have two stories about Kathy. First, perfect day for you? her family often said the cat sat Blair: Any day this side of the grass underneath her chair at the table with Kathy. because they could count on getting Kathy: I like a lot of different styles of music, but

some spillage. She always told me that she and I don't listen to much recorded music these days. QVCC: What do you consider to be your her sister practised their sneering across the Our younger son is in a Nanaimo-based band greatest accomplishment? dining room table while they were doing their called No Operator, and we go to live shows Kathy: We raised two nice young men. They are homework and so their sneers are mirror images when they are playing in Victoria, and both in their 30s now. Our older son and his wife of each other’s. When Kathy and I were first sometimes Nanaimo. They're a great band - live in Waterloo, Ontario. Our younger son lives dating some 45 years ago, I had her over for check them out on YouTube.in Vancouver. I am very proud of the men they dinner and made what my Mom said was good Blair: I was raised on old-time country music have become. meatloaf. A couple of days afterwards, she gave (which I grew to detest) and Broadway, which I Blair: Ditto me a card that said, “I don't know why I love you, love. I now listen to nearly everything except

but it sure ain't your meatloaf!”country of any kind and rap/hip-hop. My QVCC: Who is your favorite writer or favourite bands right now are the female-fronted producer? QVCC: Why do you volunteer at QVCC?metal groups Nightwish, Within Temptation,

Kathy: I don't have one favourite writer. Right Kathy: I love cooking, and have several years' Antonamasia and Amaranthe. I also like now, I'm enjoying Alexander McCall Smith's experience cooking for 40 people. When I was Swedish and Finnish metal of all sorts, which my books set in Botswana. The first book in the about to retire (from a non-cooking job), I looked son refers to as goblin metal. On the lighter side, series "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" got at the Volunteer Victoria website and saw that I like Simon and Garfunkel, early Bob Dylan, me hooked. The language and pace of the stories Blanshard Community Centre was looking for Joni Mitchel and Joan Armatrading. While are beautiful. kitchen help. I knew about the Centre because working, I often sing old show tunes from My

one of my clients used to get food and clothing Blair: I read a lot, especially evolutionary Fair Lady, South Pacific and Camelot. I've been there, and I would drive him. It was a friendly science, philosophy, computer science, science driving Kathy nuts the past month by morphing place. I started volunteering with the Best Babies fiction, fantasy, mystery and, lately, vampire all sorts of songs into the theme song of Hawaii program just after I retired, almost three years romances. My favourite authors right now are Five-0.ago. The following year I started cooking for the Margaret Atwood, Neal Shubin, Garth Nix and Community Hot Lunch program too. I love the Sara Paretsky. QVCC: Do you have a favorite quote you are people I meet doing this job, especially the willing to share?

QVCC: If you were to create a piece of art, mums and babies.Kathy: "Each of us has to believe that we can what would the subject be? Blair: Helping out Kathy do what she likes to do. make a difference."Kathy: It would be something to do with nature, And also I love doing something helpful for the Blair: “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a with lots of colours and textures. I don't have a moms and babies.banana.”specific image in mind, though.Blair: I've always admired Ansel Adams' QVCC: What’s your favorite indoor or In teres ted in Volunteer ing in the photographs of the mountains and trees of outdoor activity? Neighbourhood? The possibilities are Yellowstone Park. endless. Please contact Corie Potter-Kathy: Indoors, I love to read, knit and crochet.

Lowden, Volunteer COutdoors, I like walking. We have two dogs, so QVCC: What’s the #1 most played song on it's a good thing I like to walk!your stereo/iPod/phone? Or Blair, what’s

Blair: Indoors: reading, listening to music and your favourite song to sing? working on my photography. Outdoors: walking

oordinator for QVCC at [email protected] or 250 388 7696


By Cheryl Rolston, Vice-Principal École Quadra School

s school gets started we welcome many new faces of students, their parents and Afamily members, as well as some staff,

of which I am one. I would like to introduce myself. I am Mme Cheryl Rolston, the new vice-principal here at École Quadra School. I am moving to Quadra from École Marigold School where I was acting vice-principal. I will be teaching at the primary level in our French Immersion program. I am passionate about teaching students to read, learning in nature, French Immersion, and promoting mental health awareness. I hope you will stop in and introduce yourself to me!

The students of École Quadra School have many opportunities to participate in some school. What was once bare ground, then unique programs. We are a dual track K-5 seedlings lovingly planted by little hands, has elementary school with about 400 students. We bloomed into a gorgeous garden for all to enjoy. offer K-5 classes in French Immersion and This is largely thanks to our fabulous PAC English. Our educators are committed to volunteers, who have stopped by with their providing the highest level of education to our children to water and tend to the garden over the students, and are continuously developing summer. At the north end of the gardens resides themselves professionally to be current with the the completed totem pole by artist Tony Hunt Jr.,

thmost proven learning methods. which was unveiled at our 100 Anniversary This fall, we are proud to host our annual all who pass through its doors, our loving care Celebration in June.

thTerry Fox Run on September 25 , honouring all for another century. Can you believe Quadra is 100 years old? At whose lives and families have been touched by We can’t wait to be back together with all our our celebration in June, we were privileged to cancer. We are also joining together as a staff to students and staff members! We look forward to see the return of many former students and staff participate in the Kick ALS walk on Sunday, interacting with our Hillside-Quadra members, and to hear their memories of their S e p t e m b e r 1 3 . Community throughout the year ahead!time here. We continue to offer this building, and So much growth has occurred in front of our

Update from Ecole Quadra Elementary

Quadra School and Artist Tony Hunt Jr. with totem (photo provided)

By Terri Smith Another exciting project completed during the summer was the creation of our

And now we welcome the new year. Full of natural playscape. Chris Stansfield, of Garden things that have never been. City Tree and Landscape, in collaboration

- Rainer Maria Rilke with Mrs. Leslie Lee, envisioned, designed and constructed an outdoor play space where he beginning of our school year is children can reconnect with nature and upon us, and on September 8th, interact with their environment by climbing TGeorge Jay students and staff were rocks and logs and exploring local plant treated to a building full of new things! Our growth. Initially imagined by George Jay seismic upgrade is complete and thanks to a Kindergarten teachers as an outdoor collaborative of talented and hardworking classroom where young children could people, our school is safer and more beautiful. continue their physical, cognitive, and Staff, including head custodian, Amory emotional development in a stress free, Hagblom, along with many School District natural environment, our playscape was facilities personnel, worked tirelessly through financed by Coast Capital Savings (through all of August to move thousands of boxes, their Adopt-a-School Initiative) and by furniture and supplies from our temporary Harbourside Rotary. We are deeply thankful Richmond home back to Princess Street. Once for the contributions of these organizations, there, painting, assembling, mounting and trust that our students, and all the children cleaning, unpacking, organizing and making in our community, will find joy in George sure that George Jay was ready to welcome Jay’s natural playscape. the children occupied District staff for the Finally, while George Jay was bared to the remainder of the summer. We are both grateful studs for seismic remediation, we upgraded for and excited about our remediated and technology in six classrooms - we are, as they refreshed building. say, wired for sound! Installed in each Thanks to financial support from classroom, is a short throw projector Breakfast to Beethoven (in affiliation with the (mounted high so sightlines for instruction are Victoria Conservatory of Music) and Coast unimpeded), stereo speakers, a screen and a Capital, and donations from Matt and Wendy wireless mouse. Already a technology-rich MacNeil, we had the opportunity to build a elementary school, these ‘tech’ packages are community kitchen during the construction designed to help students connect and engage period. In addition, we purchased portable with other learners and experts outside our tables and chairs, which along with the classroom walls. We are thrilled to broaden improved kitchen facility will enhance our our learning boundaries and grateful for the breakfast program. We appreciate the support of Coast Capital Savings who helped generosity of our benefactors and look fund this project.forward to sharing good food, good music,

and good company with our George Jay The results of philanthropy are always community. beyond calculation. - Mary Ritter Beard

George Jay Returns Home



Volunteer Spotlight on Kathy and Blair Holtby

Blair (left) and Kathy in the kitchen at QVCC

The Hillside-Quadra Community Newsletter needs distribution volunteers. Participation involves 30-45 minutes once every three months delivering newsletters door to door in your local neighbourhood. Please email Kelly at [email protected]

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Letters






friends.”

Jodi Sturge








9:00am-3:30pm


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STAY

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[email protected]


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Parent & Tot Drop-In Creative play for children 0-6 yrs. and their parents/caregivers. Mon, Wed and Thurs 9-11:30 a.m. Tues 9:30-11 a.m. for children 0-3 yrs. Call for more information.

Best BabiesA pre-and post-natal health program. One-to-one support, dietician, public health nurse and dental hygienist services. Tues 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Call Helene for info (registration required).

All Quadra Village Community Centre Programs listed are free of charge except for the Hot Lunch Program (exceptional value) and Out of School Care (free to families eligible for full subsidy). Unless otherwise noted call 250.388.7696 or check out www.quadravillagecc.com for details.

Youth Drop-In (Ages 10-18)A safe, fun place for boys and girls to hang out. Activities include: pool, Ping-Pong, board games, air hockey, hoops and Internet. Call and ask for the Youth Programs Coordinator.

The CREWThe CREW aims to empower youth with job readiness skills and resources, supporting them with the search, maintenance, and excellence for the job of their choosing. Our staff support youth through group facilitation, and one to one support. Mondays from 4-6pm in the Youth Centre. If you are interested or have any questions please contact us at 250 388 7696 ext. 224.

Music with JoieCreative drop-in music program for children 0-5 yrs. with parents/caregivers. Fri 10:30-11:30am. Call for more information.

Child, Youth and Family WorkerAssists children and families in areas such as support, mediation, advocacy, mentoring, goal setting, life skills, coping, safety planning, parenting strategies, healthy relationships and referrals. Call Helene.


Youth and Family CounsellorsSchool-based Youth and Family Counsellors provide support, counselling and advocacy for youth and their families at S.J. Willis, Vic High, Quadra, Cloverdale, Oaklands, Reynolds and Cedar Hill Schools.

Family Night Fun activities and snacks at the Centre, Tues 6:00 - 7:30pm. For children of all ages and their parents/caregivers. Ask for Deirdre.

The Hot Lunch Program A tasty hot lunch (entrée, salad, dessert and coffee/tea) in a welcoming environment. Thurs 12:00 -12:30 pm. Stay and socialize until 1:00 pm. Adults $3.00, Volunteers and Children $1.00. Runs October to June.

Licenced Out-of-School Care (Ages 6-12)A fun, safe environment for your children. After-school and full-time during Pro D days and school breaks. Activities include: in/outdoor games, music, arts, crafts, baking, and day trips. Pick up available for children from Quadra and George Jay Elementary Schools. Contact Deirdre for availability and information.

Youth and Family WorkerOffers support, mediation, advocacy, mentoring, goal setting, life skills, safety planning and referrals for youth 13-19 and their families. Parenting consultations also available. Residents of Hillside-Quadra and nearby neighbourhoods, call and ask to leave a message for Laurie

Step by Step ParentingSupportive discussion group for parents/caregivers based on effective parenting strategies. Childcare provided. 6 Monday night sessions starting September 28th, from 6-7:30p.m. Contact Helene for more information.

Hillside Quadra Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG)The Hillside Quadra Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) is a group of volunteers that works on issues related to land use, transportation and parks in our neighbourhood. We meet at Quadra Village Community Centre at 7 pm the first Monday each month from September to June, except when the first Monday is a holiday. For more information, contact us at [email protected].

Internet AccessComputer and Internet access. Printing, copying and faxing service also available. Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (closed Tuesday from 1:30-3p.m.)

Seniors Entitlement Services (SES) Serving seniors who believe that some essential services are denied them. Open for consultations Monday and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Find out what’s happening in Hillside-Quadra! If you have any upcoming community events, shows, courses or meetings you can promote them FREE of charge on the Community Program and Event Listings! Email Kelly at [email protected]

Community Programs and Events

VicPD Block Watch ProgramA good neighbour is one of the most effective crime prevention tools ever invented. Want to learn more about how you, or your street, can join the VicPD Block Watch program? Contact VicPD Block Watch Coordinator at 250-995-7409 or visit https://vicpd.ca/block-watch


Neighbourhood Small GrantsA unique program through the Victoria Foundation that helps build community and strengthen connections right where we live. Have a great idea for our neighbourhood? Apply for a grant of up to $500 to bring people together and make Hillside-Quadra an even better place to l i v e . O n l i n e a p p l i c a t i o n s a c c e p t e d a t www.neighbourhoodsmallgrants.ca until October 15th. Contact us at [email protected], visit our website, or give us a call for more information.

Quadra Village Community Centre would like to thank our many supporters. The help of generous funders, sponsors, donors and volunteers means we can accomplish so much more!Major Program FundersCity of Victoria, Government of Canada, Greater Victoria School District, Province of British Columbia, United WayProgram FundersBC Housing, Coast Capital Savings, Farmer Construction, Get Youth Working, Kidsport, Gordon Head Lions, Participaction, The Most Worshipful Free Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of BC & Yukon, Telus, Victoria Foundation, Victoria Harbourside RotarySponsorsAnawim House, Blanshard Square Liquor Store, Caffe Fantastico, Cascadia Liqour Store, CDI, Cold Star Freight, Esquimalt Kiwanis, Fairfield Gonzales Community Association, Farmer Construction, Horner Foundation, Il Terrazzo, Island Savings, Media Net, Thrifty Foods, T.L.C. Fund for Kids, 7-Eleven, StampersDonorsACD Systems, Akai Hair Design, Art Box, Bootlegger, Carribean Village, Cleo’s, Clothesline Clothing Company, COBS Bread, Collins and Company, Esquimalt Kiwanis, Fairway Market, Jennifer Roberts Florist, Kaboodles, Living Edge, Market on Yates, Mustard Seed, Ricki’s, Sysco, Wal-Mart and our generous individual community donors

Reach for the StarsFree theatre, dance and visual art classes, for youth in grades 3-5 and 6-8. Hosted by artsREACH and held at QVCC. Fall sessions start Sept 22nd for Theatre, Nov 3rd for Dance and Jan 16th for Visual Arts. Call 250 388 7696 to register, or visit www.quadravillagecc.com for more information

Plan to Increase Safety of Summit Park-Smith’s Hill Reservoir Access

By Nancy Gnaedinger, Spencer Castle Friends of Summit Park and the Hillside- representatives of Spencer Castle, Friends of Quadra Neighbourhood Action Group joined Summit Park, Hillside-Quadra Neighbourhood

he Spencer Castle condo complex is and endorsed the initiative. The request was Action Group and Oaklands Community adjacent to the reservoir, at the top of simple and consistent: (1) Build at least one Association. A notice of the location, date and TSmith’s Hill. In the summer of 2014, a stairway, with handrails, from the reservoir level time of the information session will be delivered

Spencer Castle homeowner approached City to the park level. (2) Improve the safety and in advance. Assuming there are no obstacles Council about the appalling condition of the attractiveness of the uneven and eroding encountered at the information session, a pathways around the reservoir and lack of safe pathways around the reservoir. detailed structural design of stairs, signage, and access from the reservoir level to Summit Park. As of early September 2015, a basic design decommissioning of informal trails is planned The park is basically inaccessible to any of the for the first request is complete and has been for completion by October 15/2015. Spencer Castle community of ~150 -- mostly approved by the CRD’s Regional Water Service Construction is to begin November 1, 2015. The seniors -- unless they want to risk serious injury Commission. CRD has met with the City of plan is to have stairways, fencing and using one of the existing, and deteriorating, Victoria to confirm that its plan agrees with the decommissioning of informal pathways “goat trails”. City’s master plan, and to gather information on complete this year. Next year, the pathways

Both Ben Isitt and Dean Fortin were very stakeholder expectations. The City supports around the reservoir will be upgraded. responsive and supportive of the improvements CRD’s proposed approach and will assist with The main contact person for this project is proposed. What followed was a great deal of communication efforts. Ian Sander, Manager, Capital Projects, CRD.lobbying and communication with both the City A local CRD/City information session is and the CRD. While part of Summit Park is City planned for sometime in September or early of Victoria land, the CRD is responsible for the October. It is intended for residents of adjacent reservoir land. areas, as well as specific stakeholder groups:

City Council Report: For a Regional Housing First Strategy

By Ben Isitt of government from necessary supports for Helps, Capital Regional Hospital District Chair people in need (including health, housing and Dave Howe and other colleagues for a Regional

ontroversy over the possibility of a income supports); deinstitutionalization in Housing First Strategy.designated temporary tenting area in mental health; and substance use issues in the “Housing First” is the idea that housing is the CTopaz Park or elsewhere in the City of absence of harm reduction and treatment first essential form of support for people to

Victoria has prompted a healthy dialogue in our services. achieve stability in their lives and address other neighbourhood and community over how best to The City of Victoria faces the impact of these challenges. Organizations such as the Victoria respond to the homelessness emergency. forces and since 2009 has been mandated by the Cool Aid Society and Pacifica Housing operate

Issues relating to people seeking shelter in BC Court of Appeal to permit overnight hundreds of supportive housing units in our parks are not new, and reflect changes on the sheltering in city parks for people who lack co mm un it y, pr ov id in g sa fe , af fo rd ab le provincial, national and international scale, adequate alternative shelter. This has resulted in apartments with support staff for people who in a inc luding: changes within the Canadian growing numbers of people seeking shelter in previous era may have been relegated to top-economy and labour force; a retreat by all levels parks, including small neighbourhood parks that down institutionalized care.

lack sanitation, security, Studies show that investing in “housing and support services, and first” is the most cost-effective response to require people who are homelessness, with considerable cost savings in homeless to break camp the areas of policing, hospitalization, criminal each morning and relocate justice, prisons, and municipal parks and street with their belongings. maintenance. This model has been successfully

Victoria City Council implemented by local government jurisdictions h a s r e s p o n d e d b y such as the City of Medicine Hat, Alberta.r e c o m m i t t i n g t o a Mayor Helps, Councillor Loveday, Chair “Housing First” strategy Howe and I are proposing that the Capital and quadrupling the Regional Hospital District serve as the lead annual contribut ion to agency to develop and implement a plan for the affordable housing, while construction of 360 units of supportive housing also directing staff to to eliminate visible homelessness by 2018. If explore options for interim addressed regionally, the construction cost sheltering to improve the would total $11 per household per year, with the s i tuat ion for people province requested to provide operating funds sleeping in parks as well as for this necessary health service, estimated at to reduce impacts on the $5.7-million per year.broader community. Two This seems to be a reasonable and modest pilot projects are being expenditure to improve the health outcomes and explored: (1) a designated wellbeing of our most marginalized citizens, temporary tenting area or while reducing the impacts of homelessness on areas; (2) a micro-housing the wider community. I invite you to help vi l lage model led on advance these objectives by advocating for a examples in the Pacific Regional Housing First Strategy.Northwest.

City Council has heard Ben Isitt is a Victoria City Councillor and loud and clear that many Council Liaison to the Hillside-Quadra members of the public neighbourhood. He also serves on the Capital believe that investment in Regional District Board and the Capital long-term supportive Regional Hospital District Board. Ben can be housing is preferable to reached at < > interim measures such as or 250-882-9302.temporary tenting areas. As a result , I have developed a proposal with C o u n c i l l o r J e r e m y Loveday, Mayor Lisa

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Reach for the Stars!By Kelly Greenwell and Erica Ulrich

f you are, or if you know, a young person in grades 3 to 7 who is curious about theatre, dance or visual arts, then you need to know Ithat artsREACH and Quadra Village Community Centre have

teamed up to provide an amazing opportunity! Explore the world of art and storytelling in FREE Theatre, Dance,

and Art programs facilitated by artsREACH after-school. Working alongside professional artists/teachers, students will be introduced to a variety of arts basics in a fun 6-week intensive. Pulling inspiration from stories new and old, the groups will create their own new work in each artistic discipline. Whether you want to tell a story through a new play, a hip-hop dance, or maybe clay sculpture or painting, come explore your artistic potential and reach for the stars - all close to home and for FREE at the Quadra Village Community Centre. Registration is limited, so contact the Community Centre today at 250 388 7696 or [email protected] to sign up or find out more. Classes started in September and will be offered throughout the 2015-16 school year, including Dance (starting November 3) and Visual Arts (beginning in January 2016).

Neighbourhood Association General Meeting to Highlight

Eventful Year

he Downtown Blanshard Advisory Committee is your local neighbourhood association, community centre and community Tsocial service provider. We are hosting our Annual General

Meeting in the Teen Centre at 901 Kings Rd on Wednesday October 21 at 5:30 pm. Our annual report and budget will be available at the meeting and our key activities throughout the year will be highlighted.

It has been a very eventful year with lots of hard work and many causes to celebrate. Increases in youth programming, additional program funding (thanks to City of Victoria, United Way, Telus, Coast Capital, Victoria Foundation and others), the establishment of a Volunteer Coordinator, and the award of funds for a Teen Centre Engagement and Enhancement Project (thanks to United Way) have been timely supports to enhance our work in the Neighbourhood. The engagement of local residents in issues such as the Topaz Park Tent City proposal and The Summit at Quadra Village development, plus events such as Quadra Village Day, have all demonstrated that there are active champions for our neighbourhood amongst us. As always, the work of so many Community Centre and neighbourhood volunteers has been critical to all that we have done.

As well as reviewing and celebrating the year, the AGM is a great chance to learn more about how to be involved in your neighbourhood, the Centre and local events. It is also a good time to get your free membership, consider running for the Board of Directors (or vote for your preferred candidates), and even make motions or suggestions to help shape

organization we can be!

the Neighbour Association/Community Centre. We will be proudly recognizing our volunteers and sharing simple

food with all who attend. Childminding will be available on request (email or call [email protected] or 250 388 7696). The Directors of the Downtown Blanshard Advisory, the staff of the Quadra Village Community Centre and I look forward to seeing you there. Since their inception, the organization and Community Centre have been built out of the ideas of neighbourhood residents and today’s neighbourhood ideas are as important to our work as ever. Come help us be the best

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Hillside-Quadra Community News Fall 2015

News & Politics

Transcript of Hillside-Quadra Community News Fall 2015