>> by Alanna Mayne

Stressed out!

Someone please help small family.

Looking for hand up – not hand out.

Please help.

These are a few of the requests from families

looking for aff ordable two- or three-

bedroom apartments in Victoria posted

on a rental website. With the current vacancy

rate in Victoria at 0.5%, apartment demand is

high while supply is low; owners have their pick

of renters. And oft en a working-class family with

children is not the ideal looking tenant. Many

people emphasize they are quiet and do not

drink or do drugs; they are responsible, working

people who are just looking for a home. But a

place to call home does not come for cheap.

A quick internet search shows that family-

sized apartments are in great demand. On July

18, UsedVictoria.com had approximately fi ft een

advertisements from families looking for three-

bedroom apartments in the range of $900 and $1200.

On the same day, Craigslist Victoria advertised only

fi ve three-bedroom apartments for under $1000,

none of which were in Victoria proper. Additionally,

the average cost of the three bedrooms available

on Craigslist was an astounding $1784 per month,

requiring a family to have an annual income of

$64,000. Th e amount may not refl ect the actual

average rent of three bedroom apartments in Victoria,

but does give a snapshot of the options available to

people who were looking for one at that time.

Families Searching for a Home

Tammy is one such person looking for an apartment

with her common law partner and two children. “I’ve

never in my life found it so hard to fi nd housing,”

she says. Like many other families, they are forced

to take apartments with fewer bedrooms than they

need due to the cost. “Our price range will only allow

us to get a two-bedroom, a lot of people won’t rent a

two-bedroom to a four-person family,” she explains.

Her landlord sold the home Tammy and her family

were living in, giving them no choice but to move and

a deadline that is quickly approaching. “I’m scared we

will end up homeless. Th is is how bad it is.”

Many landlords are either unwilling to rent

to a family or don’t have apartments that would

accommodate them. At least this is what potential

tenants are being told. “Everywhere I call, everyone

seems to say that their place is not child friendly,”

states Beverley, a mother of two, ages three and six.

“One landlord told me because there was a parking lot

nearby that it wasn’t suitable. Do I not walk in parking

lots with my children nearly everyday? Do you not see

kids in a parking lot at a mall?” In a city with an almost

endless supply of university and college students to

rent to, a single parent or young couple with children

in their arms may not be the most welcoming sight to

some landlords.

“Our income went up with job changes … but

we have never paid less than 40% of our income for

rent and utilities,” says Melissa, a mother of three and

also foster parent to her 13 year old brother. When

Melissa separated from her husband, she was also

unfairly stereotyped. “Landlords were concerned kids

would ‘run wild and be harder to handle and louder’

since I would now be the sole caregiver.” Trying to fi nd

aff ordable housing is not a new thing for her family,

who have had diffi culty ever since moving to Victoria

in 2002, “it’s incredibly demoralizing, to say the least.”

Th e lack of family housing in Victoria leaves

families with hardly any options. Some choose

apartments with fewer bedrooms than they need,

parents sleeping on the couch to give their children

the privacy of their own bedroom. Others move into

hotels with the hope that it is only temporary.

Where have all the rentals gone?

In British Columbia, in order to qualify for subsidized

housing a family must have a gross household income

below $28,000. And because of a subsidized housing

shortage, even when families qualify for rental

assistance, they may have a long wait for an apartment.

However, according to BC Housing, renting an

average three-bedroom apartment in Victoria requires

a gross household annual income of $44,000. Any

family in Victoria living between these two income

levels falls between the cracks.

Affordable housing crisis continues

villagevibeAugust 2007 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood

Fernfest2007Fernwood NRG presents FernfestLabour Day Weekend

August 31, September 1st and 2nd

Stevenson Park (behind Fernwood Community

Centre at 1240 Gladstone)

Friday August 31st6:00pm – 11:00pm

> Opening Ceremony (6pm)

> Beer Garden

> Food Vendors

> Live Music and Outdoor Neighbourhood Boogie

Featuring: The Boogie Chillins, The Southern Urge,

and Beatles Revolution

Saturday September 1st10:00am – 11:00pm

> Live Music all day (highlights include The Drop

Tones, Emily Spiller, The Jeremy Walsh Band)

> Beer garden

> Food vendors

> Kids activities: obstacle course with Victoria

fi remen, face painting, bouncy castle, bike rodeo,

kids activity station

> Seniors tea (2pm)

Sunday September 2nd10:00am – 2:00pm

> Pancake Breakfast

> Family Sports and Activity Day– continued on page 3

Elevations

1222 Yukon St.

Victoria, BC

June 27, 07 A3.01

0723

upper floor

main floor

lower floor

South elevationScale: 1:50

1

A3.01

Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | August 2007 VillageVibe

We are committed to creating a socially,

environmentally, and economically

sustainable neighbourhood;

We are committed to ensuring

neighbourhood control or ownership of

neighbourhood institutions and assets;

We are committed to using our

resources prudently and to becoming

fi nancially self-reliant;

We are committed to the creation and

support of neighbourhood employment;

We are committed to engaging the

dreams, resources, and talents of our

neighbours and to fostering new links

between them;

We are committed to taking action in

response to neighbourhood issues,

ideas, and initiatives;

We are committed to governing

our organization and serving our

neighbourhood democratically with a

maximum of openness, inclusivity and

kindness;

We are committed to developing

the skills, capacity, self-worth, and

excellence of our neighbours and

ourselves;

We are committed to focusing on

the future while preserving our

neighbourhood’s heritage and diversity;

We are committed to creating

neighbourhood places that are vibrant,

beautiful, healthy, and alive;

and, most of all,

We are committed to having fun!

declaration of principles and values

A few months ago some of us

from Fernwood NRG went to a City Hall

meeting on neighbourhood planning.

Th e City had hired a few new planners

and was ready to tackle the now out of

date City Neighbourhood Plans. “We

want to listen to you,” said the planners

to the neighbourhood attendees, “We’re

at the beginning of a process; we want

your input. We want to update the City’s

neighbourhood planning process.” At one

point one I swear I heard one of them say

(and I’m pretty sure ‘cause it’s in my notes

in quotation marks), “Neighbourhood

planning is executed through neighbour-

hood plans.”

But it’s actually not, not in Fernwood

anyway.

Th is month the Cornerstone building

turns two years old. In the months leading

up to its purchase you can bet that we

weren’t sitting down poring over the

Fernwood Neighbourhood Plan (adopted

by Council in October 1994). No, we spent

our time negotiating with a fi nicky seller,

getting funding in place to fi x the old thing

up, and asking ourselves repeatedly if we

were crazy as a small non-profi t to buy a 1.3

million dollar building. And, even if we had

consulted the plan we wouldn’t have seen

the Cornerstone building marked on the

map that depicts the village core.

On August 2nd when the building

came into our hands we didn’t sit down

to read the plan then either. No, we set

to work with the energy and enthusiasm

of our neighbours, hammers swinging,

crowbars prying, and we lovingly fi lled and

hauled away dumpsters of the building’s

recent dark past.

When the building opened in

November 2006 and families moved

into the aff ordable housing units upstairs

we didn’t consult the plan to see if we’d

gotten it right. No, we celebrated with our

supporters, refl ected on the hard work of

our neighbours, and reveled in the fact that

we were all still friends.

Since we’ve pumped life back into

the centre of the neighbourhood with

the Cornerstone building, we haven’t

had time to stop and read the Fernwood

Neighbourhood Plan. Th e Cornerstone

is the catalyst that we hoped it would

be. It brings people to the centre of their

neighbourhood, provides a public space of

encounter and connection, and has fostered

the growth of other such spaces.

Neighbourhood planning is surely not

executed through neighbourhood plans.

No. A place comes alive by harnessing the

energy of the people who live there, and

running with it.

editorial : Neighbourhood planning

>> by Christina Chan

My first passion is needles. Sewing needles,

knitting needles, tattoo and piercing needles, but, especially

acupuncture needles and their use in Traditional Chinese

Medicine (TCM) and holistic healing. Currently a third

year student at the Canadian College of Acupuncture and

Oriental Medicine, I hope to extend the realm of TCM in

Fernwood through community outreach.

My goal is to educate and increase awareness about

this modality of healing by off ering a series of specifi c ear

acupuncture treatments called the “NADA protocol” at the

Fernwood Community Center. Th is will allow members of

the community to experience acupuncture fi rst hand and an

opportunity for a future acupuncturist like me to practice

my skills. I am no stranger to promoting health in the

community, as I am also a fi rst aid instructor at the Victoria

Branch of St. John Ambulance. It is no surprise, then, that my

second passion is teaching and working with people from all

walks of life.

So what is acupuncture and how does it work?

Acupuncture is the insertion of fi ne needles into the body

at specifi c points, which have proven to be eff ective in the

treatment of numerous health conditions. Within the rich

history of Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture points

have been mapped and refi ned over a period of 2000 years.

Although modern conventional medicine cannot fully

explain its functions, the belief in Traditional Chinese

acupuncture is based on the ancient theories of Qi (energy)

and Xue (blood) fl ow through distinct channels or meridians

within the body. Th ese meridians oft en correspond to the

pathways of nerves and blood vessels.

What conditions may be treated by acupuncture?

A recognized therapy by the World Health Oragnization

(WHO), countless conditions both physical and psycho-

emotional can be addressed using acupuncture. Th e

treatment is dependent on a practitioner’s training and

intention as well as the condition and constitution. Th e

number of treatments and effi cacy of acupuncture oft en vary

according to the duration, severity and nature of a patient’s

condition.

What is ear acupuncture and the NADA protocol?

Auricular, or ear acupuncture, has been used throughout

history in both Eastern and Western civilizations for

the relief of certain medical disorders. Th e most recent

discoveries were made in the 1950s by Dr. Paul Nogier

of Lyon, France. Its current practice consists of complete

organization of ear refl ex points that can be used to relieve

many health problems. Th e theory of ear acupuncture

is based on the representation of the ear as a “micro-

acupuncture system” and that other micro-systems have been

reported in foot and hand refl exology, and facial and scalp

acupuncture.

Since the 1970s, auricular acupuncture has been utilized

in the treatment of acute drug withdrawal. And in 1985,

the National Acupuncture Detox Association (NADA) was

established as a nonprofi t association promoting the use of

acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment for addictions and

mental disorders. Over 1500 clinical sites in the US, Europe,

Australia and the Caribbean currently use these protocols,

including various sites in Vancouver, BC.

Adapted to Western mentalities and conditions,

the NADA approach is rooted in Chinese medicine.

Th e protocol consisting of fi ve ear acupuncture points

(parasympathetic, Shenmen, kidney, liver, lung) aids the

process of natural healing during chemical detoxifi cation

while managing symptoms of withdrawal. Th is particular

5-needle protocol supports the body’s ability to detoxify

while nurturing the nervous and endocrine systems during

this process. It also has a profound ability to calm and

rejunvenate, which is why it has been incorporated into many

health care models including critical stress management

programs and mental health. Th e NADA protocol has wide

applications and anyone can benefi t simply by having an open

mind to receive the treatment.

Ear Acupuncture sessions are every Tuesday fr om 2:30 to 4:30

at very low rates until the end of August at the Fernwood

Community Centre (1240 Gladstone Ave), in the Multi-

Purpose room.

For more information about studies in TCM, the NADA

protocol or Acupuncture Without Borders Canada, another

acupuncture outreach project that Christina is a member of,

please check:

http://www.ccaom.com/

http://www.acudetox.com/

http://awbcanada.com/

So I like needles ...

Acupuncture points have been mapped and refi ned over a period of 2000 years.

VillageVibe August 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3

>> by Trish Richards

Anyone who has wandered by North Park and

Chambers recently will have noticed the rather large

boat perched incongruously on the corner lot. “Is it really

the Fernwood Ark?” you ask. Not really, but the story

remains as intriguing.

Th e fascinating craft is a 40-foot Nova Scotia lobster

boat, built in Vancouver in 1991 for use in salmon

farming operations. She is named ‘West Caper’ in honour

of the ‘east capers’; the boats that fi sh for lobster off the

east coast. West Caper arrived in Fernwood courtesy

of long-time Victoria resident Bill McKechnie, who

recently bought the ‘heritage’ apartment building at 1802

Chambers.

Bill says he’s simply fi xing up the West Caper so

that he can “do some serious sports fi shing up the West

Coast and into Alaska” and take his grandchildren out

on some adventures. Initially, he’s pretty casual about the

whole thing. He tells me that the boat is very seaworthy

and just needs a little hull work and some cockpit and

deck redesign to make it comfortable. As he warms to his

subject, his passion for West Caper and his vision for her

begin to shine through.

West Caper has some special characteristics that

make her well suited to the travel that Bill has in mind.

She’s light, fuel effi cient, and fast. Her hull is built of

long strips of fi rst growth fi r with epoxy cloth over the

wood. Th is design is analogous to airplane construction

and makes the hull very strong and rigid. As a result, he

tells me, “a small and fuel miserly Isuzu diesel will get the

West Caper planning and cruising at about 16 knots.”

Given that fi shing boats average 8 knots, she is a bit of a

sportster. Bill says West Caper could easily be converted

to bio-diesel and he intends to do just that once marine

stations start to supply it. Also, she has the high bow that

enables lobster boats to head into the ocean swells to set

their traps. West Caper will be right at home in the wild

seas off our west coast.

Bill’s enthusiasm is contagious. Th e two Vic High

students working on the boat with him, Coby Stubel and

Jesse Blaine, are honing their wood working skills and in

Bill’s words, “learning the art of creative building.” Th e

work has proven a great experience for both parties. Bill

has high praise for both Coby and Jesse and says, “It feels

good to be passing on my knowledge.” Coby tells me that

at fi rst the work was “just a job but the more time that

went on the more I became attached to the project. Now

I really feel as if I am part of the project.”

Th e neighbourhood has been welcoming to both Bill

and West Caper. Bill says he was surprised by the reaction.

No one has called the City to complain about this

unusual project next door. Rather, people have been really

curious about and excited by his work. And Fernwood

has already claimed Bill as its own. He is known in some

circles as the Boatman of the Hood! Although that may

be a bit much for Bill, he has really taken to Fernwood as

well. He says that “Fernwood has been a pleasant surprise.

It has a great mix of people and a great feel to it. I am

really enjoying living here.” As for West Caper, she won’t

be enjoying Fernwood for much longer. Bill intends to

have her back in the water later this month. Happy sea

faring to you both!

views from the street : So what about this neighbourhood picnic? ( from the 2nd annual Harris Green picnic)

I came because I am a member of the Christian Science

Church and we co-sponsor the picnic with the Harris

Green neighbours. It’s fun and it is nice to have more of

an opening between the church and the neighbourhood.

I am really enjoying meeting the neighbours, all these

nice new people.

I live right across the street from the Green and am fairly

new to the neighbourhood. So I wanted to see who my

neighbours are and to connect with them. In most city

neighbourhoods you never know who lives nearby. But

this is great! I have met a lot of people, including Dave

(Kesson) who I am playing this interesting throwing game

with right now. Anyone know what this game is called?

We live just down the street from the Green and are very

happy to live in the neighbourhood. We like any excuse to

get together with our neighbours. Th e growing connection

with the Christian Science Church is great. Th ey are very

open and accepting and it was really great for Suzanne to

be able to share some of our traditional spiritual stories

today and be so well received.

Loni Bowers Todd and Suzanne Litman Mark Hamelin

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Th e Boatman of the hood Th is is where market-based aff ordable housing

comes in. Th is type of housing is based on tenants

paying rent using their own fi nancial resources; they

are not subsidized by the government or any other

organization. BC Housing defi nes market rent as “the

amount a unit could be rented for on a monthly basis

in the private market, based on an appraisal … the

economic, or breakeven rent for operating a unit may

exceed the market rent.”

To make the lives of those like Melissa, Beverly,

and Tammy a little easier, Fernwood NRG has

plans to build a six-unit complex containing three-

bedroom apartments on Yukon Street. Th e Society

currently owns and operates similar market-based

aff ordable housing units with four three-bedroom

apartments in the Cornerstone building. Th ese

apartments are rented for $979 plus the cost of

utilities. Th e new units will be rented at the same

rate. Th is means that Fernwood NRG will be able to

rent to families with household incomes of around

$36,000 without creating housing aff ordability

stress. In other words, people will not have to spend

more than about 30% of their income on housing.

Th e economic law of supply and demand suggests

that more rental apartments would be built in Victoria.

Th is is not the case. In fact, Jane Worton, a community-

based researcher and Fernwood resident notes, that

“each year a little bit more rental space is converted to

ownership properties and almost no new rental spaces

are being built. People cannot aff ord to build rental

housing because they barely break even, let alone turn a

profi t … It is hard for anyone to fi nd apartments to rent

in Victoria, particularly families.”

As families continue the tiring search for rental

accommodations, the housing market will soon

be fl ooded again with students beginning another

academic year, making competition even fi ercer. Families

can only hope that tomorrow’s newspaper or website

update might have a rental ad from a landlord who

recognizes their needs. As Beverley refl ectively noted,

“I’m sure if landlords and neighbours were in my shoes

they would want and need a little bit of compassion”.

Housing crisis | fr om page 1

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Page 4 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | August 2007 VillageVibe

Fernwood Village

Night Market(Fernwood @ Gladstone)

Tuesday Evenings 5:30-9:30

Local Organic Produce, Baked Goods,

Artisans, and Entertainment

May 29 – September 18

Kinsale, Ireland

One place where community responsibility has begun

to reshape the structure of the city is Kinsale, Ireland,

a seaside town of 7,000 in rural Cork. In early 2005,

students at the Iocal college initiated a three-year

‘community think-tank’ planning process that involved

nearly every resident and sought to create a community

action plan for dealing with peak oil. Called the

‘Kinsale Energy Descent Action Plan’ the outcome

is the fi rst timetabled strategy for weaning a town

completely off fossil fuels. Th e plan combines the need

for localization, by looking at what is essential to life

(food, warmth, shelter, water) and rebuilding the local

economy in such a way that it is actually able to supply

these. Th e Town Council recently adopted the plan and

Kinsale will be entirely fossil fuel free by 2021. While

Kinsale is not the fi rst town to go for a localized, post-

oil world (Willits, California started fi rst), the goal is to

fi nd creative and collaborative methods to sustain the

local community while moving away from imported

resources – in essence, to ‘localize’ the community.

Community Mapping: ‘The Saltwater

People’s Map’

In Western culture, mapping is primarily a professional

exercise, carried out by planners, geographers, and

surveyors. In recent years, however, a global grassroots

movement has sprouted that is using maps and the

map-making process to refl ect community values and

support socially and ecologically sustainable planning.

As a participatory and creative educational tool,

community mapping is as much about process as it is

about ‘getting the map done.’ By inviting citizens and

residents to think fi rst about what their community

already has, rather than what it needs, community

mapping focuses on what people value and what they

vision for the future.

feature : What’s in a neighbourhood?

Community activismat home and around

the world>> by Susi Porter-Bopp

Our Common(unity) Future

In many ways, our crisis of planetary sustainability is at

root a crisis of losing place. Th ese places are habitats,

cultures, forests and fi sheries, rural communities, and

neighbourhoods; these individual losses add up to a threat

of losing our collective place: the planet.

One of the ways we can sustain our planet is by

building stronger, more creative, more democratic

communities that have better connectivity and higher

density. It’s the integration of land use, transportation,

economic, and cultural planning that generates wealth.

We normally think about these things – our investments

in culture and our built environment – in terms of dollars

and cents. We build them into our budgets. But what

we fail to account for are the revenues, the new jobs, the

investment, the property value and the cost-eff ectiveness

of not having to build new things because we’ve invested

in existing neighbourhoods and the people living in them.

Reinvigorating these local places may just be the key to

sustaining our global future.

Neighbourhoods as urban catalysts

If neighbourhoods are the fabric of our cities, then

local organizational networks are the threads that

hold it all together. A network structure that connects

neighbourhoods can translate local experience into new

levels of collective conversation and, in so doing, can

create new and richer forms of social intelligence.

By developing a neighbourhood movement that can

then draw the global back to the local, global diversity

enhances local sustainability. And then back again.

Getting people involved in neighbourhood activism

is a matter of connecting someone’s particular concern

– confusion about their rent being raised, concern about

aff ordable housing, frustration in dealing with the City,

anger about a lack of community gardening space – with

an organization’s overall issue. Th ere are a number of ways

to do this. In Fernwood, our neighbourhood activism

has tended to reframe a political act – frustration with a

decayed neighbourhood core – as a dynamic and creative

way of expressing that frustration – the revitalization of

the Cornerstone building.

“Th e point of cities is multiplicity of choice,” urban

activist and author Jane Jacobs once wrote. Yet modern

urban planning oft en involves hierarchical processes

that encourage, indeed prescribe, intentionally limited

(and limiting) outcomes through bylaws and zoning

regulations. Reducing the impact of the rigid regulatory

environment that controls such planning allows us to

pursue more organic, democratic forms of community

and neighbourhood development and growth. As the

stories that follow demonstrate, many neighbourhoods

and communities are already pursuing collaborative

planning processes that allow those aff ected by planning

decisions to learn about, and participate in, the creation

of outcomes with much higher common denominators.

Cornerstone Building Update

Last month we asked what would bring you down

to Fernwood Square more often. Thanks for your

responses. With Freedom Kilts now moved out

(and just around the corner) we’ve got space.

One thought is for Fernwood NRG to run an eco-

friendly Laundromat. Send thoughts/comments

on this to info@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca.

We’ll still have space for lease. Drop by the

building (at Fernwood and Gladstone) and check

out the specs. Proposals welcome.

VillageVibe August 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5

Carole James, MLAVictoria - Beacon Hill

Our Office is Open to Serve YouCommunity Office1084 Fort Street, VictoriaP: (250) 952-4211F: (250) 952-4214carole.james.mla@leg.bc.cawww.opposition.bc.ca

Denise Savoie, MP

A Voice for Victoria inOttawa

970 Blanshard Street363-3600www.denisesavoie.ca

Nearly two decades ago, the Tsartlip Saanich

(Wsanec) First Nation created its own map of the Coast

Salish territory, which includes Greater Victoria. Called

the ‘Saltwater People’s Map,’ it includes the original

indigenous place names with a guide describing the

stories behind land and water forms. Th e late Tsartlip

elder Dave Elliott Sr., who developed the map, was one of

the last elders to fl uently speak the local language. In the

accompanying guide, Mr. Elliott refl ects on the great loss

of land and culture his people have suff ered in the territory.

“I think our people have to realize that they’ve become

lost somewhere … Many of the young people don’t know

where they’re coming from and where they are going. It’s

their future. We need to give them their past by telling

them their history and we need to give them a future.”

Th e Saltwater People’s Map went on to inspire

Common Ground, a Victoria-based mapping and

planning project that provides mapping and learning

resources for schools, neighbourhoods and communities

wishing to undertake sustainable community development

and planning projects. (Watch out for community

mapping in Fernwood this fall!)

Guerilla Activism

“Guerrilla gardening is wholesome mischief. It breaks the

law but improves public property,” writes Charles Dobson

of the Vancouver Citizen’s Committee in Th e Citizen’s

Handbook: A Guide to Building Community. Because its

wholesomeness is clearly apparent, some cities have started

to institutionalize guerrilla gardening, with programs that

invite local residents to ‘adopt’ and plant traffi c circles,

boulevards, and other pieces of public property.

Inspired by the guerilla gardening spirit, last summer

the neighbourhood group Streets Are For People turned

a parking spot in Toronto’s Kensington Market into a

garden. Squatting in a street parking spot, residents fi lled

an old car with two tonnes of dirt and planted herbs,

fl owers, grass, and a shrub in this Community Vehicular

Transformation Project. Th e chef at a neighbouring

restaurant continues to make good use of this

unconventional garden.

One example of guerilla activism that has been

undertaken on a community level is the Other Urban

Repair Squad (OURS). Th is past June, the vigilante

community cyclist group spray-painted an illegal bike

lane along a stretch of Bloor Street, one of the busiest and

cyclist-unfriendly streets in downtown Toronto. To make

the paths appear legitimate, the painters stenciled the city’s

bike logo – a bicycle and large diamond – along the road

as well. Th e eff ort was meant to protest how long it has

taken the City to expand its bike lane program. Toronto

is years behind other cities in becoming bicycle friendly.

While money has been allocated to the Toronto Bike

Plan for years, it has simply not been spent. Aft er years of

inaction, cyclists have not been left with many choices but

to do the work for the City; the Urban Repair squad is just

showing the City how easy it can be. “If you want progress,

you gotta go guerilla!” writes one blogger in Spacing Wire,

a Toronto bike blog.

A Path Less Taken

Why do we care what people in Toronto and Kinsale are

doing? We care because we can learn from their stories,

just as other communities can learn from ours. From

community planning to reinvigorating local histories

to showing the City ‘how it’s done,’ there is strength in

the diversity of approaches to sustainable municipal and

community practices. Hundreds – if not thousands – of

neighbourhoods and communities around the globe are

working towards critical but constructive approaches to

social change through strategies that transform common

obstacles into collective opportunities.

In September, Fernwood NRG will continue on its

creative path as ‘positive deviants’ to defi ne, determine,

discover, design, discern, and disseminate neighbourhood-

scale solutions to globally imperative issues. Following the

renovation of the Cornerstone, the success of the Café

and the approval for our Yukon Street aff ordable housing

project, we need to celebrate the fruition of Fernwood’s

‘resident powered neighbourhood evolution,’ to regroup,

refocus, and move ahead. To that end, this fall we are

hosting our second Fernwood Forum and coordinating

a Fernwood Placemaking workshop, facilitated by Heike

Schmidt and with Frank D’Ambrosio as the guest speaker.

We have also planned a Fernwood Harvest Project to

follow up on the wildly successful Fernwood Fruit tree

mapping project.

Margaret Mead once wrote: “Never doubt that a small

group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change

the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever does.”

Localization and neighbourhood action takes advantage

of our ingenuity, and helps build thriving communities. By

strengthening responsible citizenship, and coming up with

fresh approaches to entrenched social problems through

creative local engagement, we just may be able to restore

planetary health, one neighbourhood at a time.

Community mapping focusses on what people value and what they vision for the future.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever does.

Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | August 2007 VillageVibe

Like a shoe on a wire

>> by Caitlin Croteau

Look up, look waaay, waaay up, and you might

catch a glimpse of a curiously out-of-place item dangling

above your head. Th e “Shoes of Fernwood,” have been a

regular fi xture for the nine years I’ve lived here, and I’m

sure they’ve been around since some of the lifers were

wee. Th e Shoes have managed to successfully integrate

themselves into our local environment to such an

extent that most Fernwoodians don’t even notice them

anymore. Th at is, until a new pair pops up on the power

line across from Haegart Park, or down the block from

Fernwood Square.

Apparently this Shoe invasion has become an issue

all over the world. From Oslo to Melbourne, Savannah

to Chilliwack, children play soccer (or hockey) in the

streets, unaware of the ogling objects suspended above.

In North America, the act of hoisting the shoes up that

high has been christened shoe fl inging or shoefi ti, though

whether or not the Shoes get up there with assistance, or

on their own initiative is debatable.

Where did they come from? Who or what put

them up there? Will the Shoes eventually overrun the

indigenous species, leaving us all barefoot except for an

occasional sandal sighting?

Th eories abound: the most common answer in the

urban landscape is that the shoes are hung up to mark out

the territory of local gangs or to indicate the whereabouts

of a drug house. I have some trouble believing that the

pair of immaculate pink runners decorating the wire

adjacent to my home are an indication that my elderly

neighbour has a grow op in her basement. Th is also

doesn’t apply to the numbers of Shoes found on power

lines in rural areas.

An extremely popular hypothesis among the more

creative in our society is that the Shoes are related to alien

activity. People have claimed to see new Shoes on wires in

areas where there have been recent UFO sightings. Th e

explanation? Th e Shoes are the only things left behind

from an alien abductee. Either the Shoes get tangled in

the wires on the way up, or aliens are rather wasteful and

throw away what they feel they don’t need.

So, are Fernwoodians in danger of being taken

over? I’d say not. As mysteriously as the Shoes appear

they also disappear, leaving the total number hanging

on neighbourhood power lines at any given time pretty

much stable. Make sure you’ve tucked your own shoes

away at night though, and keep your eyes open for any

nocturnal activity coming from your closet. We don’t

want our own shoes getting any ideas.

The explanation? The Shoes are the only things left behind from an alien abductee.

gleanings : Live earth gardeningWhile watching the Live Earth concerts recently I got

to thinking of ways to become as ‘green’ as possible in the

garden. I am beginning to incorporate these into my life

as I deepen my commitment to being as environmentally

responsible as I possibly can.

one | Don’t use herbicides and pesticides, and use

chemical fertilizers as little as possible. It all adds up so we

must keep every little bit of this earth as safe as possible

for all of us to co-exist: birds, insects, micro-bugs, reptiles,

and us mammals. We can have a beautiful, healthy yard

and garden without these poisons; for centuries people

used ‘natural’ ways as a means to deter pests and encourage

plants to grow. Compost and natural soil amendments

(bonemeal, dolomitic lime, organic fertilizers) are much

better for the soil. ‘Seasoil’ is an excellent local organic

fertilizer. To make your own compost, buy cones from

the Victoria Compost Center for kitchen scraps; all

lawn, leaves, plant trimmings, and culled plants can be

composted in a pile, bag, or box. Th e Compost Education

Center (on Chambers) has good info on composting.

two | Buy in bulk and avoid excess packaging.

You can order loads of compost, seasoil, gravel, soil

amendments, or you can pick them up in your own

pails or bags. I recycle plastic plant pots and trays (many

garden centers take them, as does Glendale Gardens up

on Quayle Rd). Otherwise put them in the bluebox or

the plastic recycling depot at the Fernwood Community

Center (second Saturday of each month). Twigs and

branches from pruning can be used for staking. Clay pots

can be used as mulch if broken up.

three | Use gravel instead of cement for paths

and drives. Rain can get to the ground water and feed

surrounding trees. (Pea gravel creates a lovely, natural

look as well.)

four | Buy as locally as possible. Victoria is such a

hotbed of gardeners that there are now many plant sales

in the spring in malls, driveways, front yards, and at local

public gardens where the proceeds benefi t the garden:

Government House, Abkhazi and UVic Finnerty gardens

in the spring, ongoing at Glendale gardens and Victoria

Horticultural Society monthly meetings. Th e plants are

cheaper, truly local, and you get to meet other gardeners.

Try seeds and clippings!

five | Grow food crops: veggies, berries, and fruits.

It’s easier than you think, but do a little research fi rst. If

you have little space, grow in containers on decks and

balconies or intersperse with your fl owers! You can sell

your extra organic veggies, fruits, berries, and fl owers at

the Tuesday Market in the Fernwood Square or on the

street where you live, or do trades. Or better yet, donate

your extra fruit and veggies to the Fruit Tree Project and

the Good Food Box at Fernwood NRG or Mustard Seed

food bank.

six | Mulch your beds and around trees with

compost to conserve water. Water wisely: early morning

and evenings – by hand or drip hoses is best, using timers.

Pay attention to your soil and rainfall and put the right

plant in the right spot.

seven | Plant a tree – they clean the air and are

‘home’ for wildlife. I have a birdfeeder that I keep stocked

in the winter, and a birdbath I keep clean and full in the

summer. I have planted fl owers and shrubs that attract and

feed butterfl ies and bees. (We need bees to pollinate our

food crops.) Your garden feeds and shelters wildlife of all

types – we can encourage this with our plant choices and

by not using poisons. A natural eco-system will develop,

with ‘helpers’.

eight | Avoid plants and shrubs that need moist

soil. Look for hardy native plants, old standards and

drought tolerant varieties.

Ph

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: R

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Hu

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VillageVibe August 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7

@

A night at the Fernwood Market >> by Anne Cookson

The Fernwood Market is thriving this year.

Th is is the result of organization and the selection of

vendors. Th e location in Fernwood Square is perfect and

the market serves the community as new and experienced

vendors display their creative talents. Th e vendors sell a

variety of products from baked goods to photography,

artwork, and plants.

Market coordinator Jayne Silvester Smith wants to

be sure everyone is having a good time. “Our market is

in a growth period and word is getting out by way of

advertising and word of mouth with a small steady of

increase of customers each week,” she says. “Th is is my

neighbourhood and I am proud of it and want to share it.”

One of the attractions this year is FoodRoots, an

organization that sells local organic fresh produce from

island farmers. People look through the assortment of

apples, tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, potatoes and

patiently wait in line as each item is weighed and gently

placed in a bag. “I love coming here every Tuesday,”

comments Fernwood resident Rob Hughes, “It’s a great

place to buy my fresh fruits and vegetables.”

People enjoy strolling by, talking to the vendors,

sampling juicy strawberries, and listening to the lively

Wilf Davies music band. Children are entertained as they

run to catch the large soap bubbles made by Terry Wilson,

known as the bubble man.

Samantha Robins, a plant biologist, has her own

gardening business Robins Nest Horticultural Services,

which opened in 2006. She sells fresh salads, fruits, plants,

and herbs. Robins has a passion for gardening. “I spend

countless hours of time in the garden,” remarks Robins.

“I need to fi nd my niche in the local community.”

Jen Preston makes paperback cardboard journals

with line drawings on the front cover. Th is is her fourth

week at the market. “I am a visual artist,” explains Preston,

“so it’s nice to see people can support us [artists] and the

local farmers. Th e market is a nice community support

network.”

Vivian Rich and Jack Kelly’s paperback children’s

storybooks of nursery rhymes, quaint magnets, and

small gift boxes are a popular attraction. “I wanted to

publish my own books says Rich. “We started reprinting

gardening books, then in 2000 we started doing children’s

books.” Rich says she loves being creative. “We have

something new every week,” remarks Kelly, “and it’s our

third time being at the market.”

Vera has been coming to the market for three years. “I

enjoy the people and vendors; there is always something

new every Tuesday,” she says, “I enjoy the neighbourhood

it’s got a good feel about it everyone is friendly.”

John Grazley has just come for the fi rst time. “I just

enjoy looking around seeing the variety and community

developing in Fernwood. I am happy to see there’s a sense

of neighbourhood.”

Binetou Toure, originally from South Africa who

now resides in Gordon Head, is impressed with the

market. “I heard about the market from my friend this

is her fi rst time,” remarks Toure “I will be selling African

food next week.”

Th e Fernwood market runs Tuesday evenings fr om 5.30

– 9.00pm in Fernwood Square at Gladstone and Fernwood.

faces of Fernwood : Celtic roots>> by Susan Salvati

I had a chance to hear Jeremy Walsh a few

weeks ago at the Fernwood Inn. Th at evening, jamming

with somebody he’d never met before, he had the room

grooving with his powerful, soulful blues. Th ere was

electricity in the air; the audience was fully engaged.

It was diffi cult not to be, Walsh’s strong voice pulled

everybody along for the ride.

Th ough not presently a resident of Fernwood, Jeremy

is nonetheless a bit of a fi xture in the neighbourhood. He

grew up in Vic West. When I ask if he was born into a

musical family he describes how his parents listened to a

lot of what he calls ‘Newfoundland Country,’ a blend of

country and Celtic music from the 70s and 80s. In grade

four, he got to try his hand at the ukulele, complete with

home-made blue velvet case made by his dad, and there

was no going back. Jeremy played in the band from grade

six onward, including time with the Esquimalt High Jazz

Band. It wasn’t until he was in grade eleven that he fi nally

picked up the guitar and he explains that he didn’t know

he could sing until he was in grade twelve. “I just started

doing it,” he says.

Jeremy graduated in 1991 and as a young communist

went to Russia in 1992 for six months. It was there that

he describes having a strong premonition that he needed

to be true to his cultural roots, the deep, rich roots of

Newfoundland Celtic music. He set out to learn as much

as he could about his Celtic heritage. He studied carefully

the likes of the Chieft ains, the Clancy Brothers and the

Dubliners, singing to himself in the mirror “for hours and

hours [and] months and months on end,” but felt he was

unable to learn enough. He decided “there was more than

this” and took off for Ireland in 1995. He went to Ireland

to drink in the music at its source. For a year, Jeremy

played music three to four nights a week, developing his

pub repertoire.

His dedication paid off . Aft er returning to Victoria

he got a call in 1997 to go to Winnipeg to join the

band Scruj MacDuhk, whose music can be described as

Celtic old-time folk-fusion. With this group he “became

indoctrinated into diff erent folk styles,” and in 2000 the

band won two awards at the Prairie Music Awards. Jeremy

returned to Victoria in 2000 and released his fi rst solo

CD in 2002. He then brought together Th e Jeremy Walsh

Band which played high energy Celtic/Folk-Fusion music

with a World Beat infl uence. In 2004, Jeremy’s son Noah

was born and for a time Jeremy put away the guitar to take

up carpentry. Now it’s time for the music again. In May,

Jeremy put out his second CD, a high-energy folk rock

off ering. Presently his band is touring in Canada.

Seems like Jeremy’s onto something. In April of this

year, he won the award for Best Songwriter of the Year at

the Vancouver Island Music Awards. He’s in a good place.

When I ask him what is his defi nition of success is he says,

“I feel like it’s to be happy with what you’re doing in your

life.” Guitar and cassette recorder at the ready to catch the

inspiration when it hits, Jeremy is doing just that.

Catch The Jeremy Walsh Band on August 3rd and 4th

at the Fernwood Inn from 8:30 -11:00 for a fabulous

show. Opening for the band will be Palomitas de Maiz, a

Middle Eastern Belly Dancer and Percussion Duo. If you

miss them, you get a second chance. The Jeremy Walsh

Band is headlining at Fernfest on Labour Day Weekend.

See you there.

When I ask him what is his defi nition of success is he says, “I feel like it’s to be happy with what you’re doing in your life.”

Ph

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: B

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Gro

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Page 8 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | August 2007 VillageVibe

what’s on in Fernwood

Art, Theatre, and EntertainmentLive Entertainment at Cornerstone Café, 1301 Gladstone Ave.Every Friday: local/touring performers, 8:00 – 10:00pm. Live Music at J.K. Do Forno Cafe Fernwood Square. Free! Mondays: Bill Cino, 6:30 - 9:00pm. Seeking musicians for other days. Call for info: 386-8446.Live Music at Fernwood Inn5 nights per week, including an open mike on Thursdays, 8:30 - 11:30pm. 1302 Gladstone Ave.Live Music at Logan’s Pub1821 Cook St. For listings, check out www.loganspub.com.Call for Fernwood ArtistsSeeking Artists with studios in Fernwood for the fi rst Fernwood Art Studio Tour. Planning for Spring 2008. Also, discussing Fernwood Artists’ Directory. Contact: Ritha Mason ritha@uvic.ca or Deryk Houston dhouston@coastnet.comCall for Submissions from Fernwood musicians and poets to be featured on our third Fernwood CD! james@fernwoodneighbourhood.caVictoria Bluegrass Assoc. JamOngoing Tuesdays, 7:30 - 10:30pm. Orange Hall, Fernwood Road. $2 to play, free to listen. (Last Tuesday of month is open stage/feature night; cost varies).Belfry Theatre2007-08 Season Announced! For info: http://www.belfry.bc.ca or call Belfry Box Offi ce - 385-6815Intrepid TheatreThe Fringe: 21st Annual Victoria Fringe Theater Festival, August 23rd to September 2nd, For info: www.intrepidtheatre.com or call 383-2663.

Kids & FamiliesFree kids soccer camp in FernwoodDo you want to attend a free summer soccer camp? If so, then Opportunitas Aequa has a Soccer Camp for you: soccer skills training, games, fun activities, a tournament, and a barbeque. Ages 6-14. Monday thru Saturday, August 13th thru 18th, 9:00am - 1:00pm, Vic High School fi eld. (Local soccer coaches & volunteers also needed.) To register, email: james@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca. The camp is run by Opportunitas Aequa, a local charitable society, with

support from the Fernwood NRG. For more information about OA, please visit www.equal-opportunity.caCommunity Family DayFernwood NRG invites families to come and get involved in Community Day family-directed and facilitated programming. Mondays, 9:30 - 11:30am. Fernwood Community Center Gym, Free!Parent & Tot PlaygroupSnacks/Crafts/Circle Time. Ongoing Tuesdays & Thursdays. 9:30 - 11:30am, Fernwood Community Center Gym, $1 per family,.Rhythm Circle TimeDrop-in: 10 Weeks per session. Tuesdays 3:00 - 4:00 pm, Fernwood Community Center Multi-Purpose Room. Free!Mother GooseSongs, rhymes & stories. Tuesdays. 1:00 - 2:30pm, Fernwood Community Center Multi-Purpose Room. Pre-register - 10 weeks per session. Free! ($2 for songbook) Call 381-1552 Ext.22 to register and for info.

Youth, Adults & SeniorsIndoor SoccerDrop-in Co-ed Adult (18+); Ongoing Mondays, 8:45 -10:45pm, Fernwood Community Center Gym. $3 per person. Drop-in FloorhockeyDrop-in Co-ed Adult (18+);Ongoing Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:00 - 9:30pm, and Saturdays, 2 - 4:30pm. Fernwood Community Center Gym. $4, or get a punchcard; $40/11 sessions. We accept Sports Trader Bucks & Canadian Tire Money at face value!Free Internet and Computer AccessComplete your one-time registration and then get online through the Community Access Program. 9:30am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Fernwood Community Center Community Room. Free!Free YogaTues, 10:30am - 12:00pm. Fernwood Community Center MPR Room.AcupunctureNADA Protocol, Tuesdays, 2:30 – 4:30pm. Fernwood Community Center MPR Room. Falun GongPeaceful meditation practice. Wed, 5:00 - 7:00pm. Fernwood Community Center MPR Room. Everyone welcome, FREE!

Fernwood Autumn Glow (55+)Gentle exercise, lunch & activities.Fridays, 11:00am. Fernwood Community Center MPR Room. $5.50 for lunch

Special EventsFern Fest 2007! Labour Day Weekend Outdoor Concert of the Year! Aug 31, Sept 1 & 2. Stephenson Park. We are looking for volunteers and children’s entertainers! Email: james@fernwoodneighbourhood.caFernwood NRG Food Security CollectiveFNRG Food Security Collective will not meet in August. Monthly meetings will resume in September. Check the September VIBE calendar for details.The Fernwood Fruit Tree Project! Come see us at our table at the Fernwood Tuesday Night Market. Check out our interactive Fruit Tree Map in Cornerstone Cafe! For info, email foodsecurity@fernwoodneighbourhood.ca Cock-a-doodle-doo! Interested in giving and/or attending a raising urban chickens workshop in Fernwood? For info.: foodsecurity@fernwoodneighbourhood.caCob WorkshopsLearn how to mix, build & sculpt cob! To register: call Stephanie 595-3047 or write terracobba@hobbithomes.caCob Workshop at Cornerstone CafeAugust 17th, 18th & 19th (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) $30/one day; $50/two days; $65/three days. Build community & create interior cob seats with Terracobba Designs. Register by August 15thOne-day Earthen Plaster Workshop Saturday, August 25th. $30 + bring potluck lunch. Learn how to use natural materials to plaster an artistically sculpted cob oven.Fernwood’s Monthly Outrageous Recycling Day(2nd Saturday of every Month). New Hours beginning Saturday, August 11! 10am - 1pm. Back of Fernwood Community Center. You won’t believe what you can recycle: plastics of all kinds (from the bread bag clips to the slip and slide), Styrofoam packing, Styrofoam food trays, even electronics and foil-lined coffee bags. But PLEASE make sure it’s all clean. By donation.

August 2007

Published by Fernwood NRG (Fernwood

Neighbourhood Resource Group)

1240 Gladstone Street

Victoria, BC V8T 1G6

T 250.381.1552

F 250.381.1509

villagevibe@fernwood neighbourhood.ca

www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca

Editor: Lisa Helps

Assistant Editor: Trish Richards

Photographer: Veronique da Silva

Contributors:

Christina Chan

Anne Cookson

Caitlin Croteau

Bonnie Groening

Margaret Hantiuk

Rob Hughes

Alanna Mayne

Susi Porter-Bopp

Susan Salvati

The views expressed in the Village Vibe

do not necessarily refl ect the views of

Fernwood NRG.

villagevibe

TUESDAYS!

Beer and Burger – 100% Ground

prime rib burger or nutburger and a

Pint $7.95

1302 Gladstone 412-2001

Fernwood Village Night MarketLocal Organic Produce, Baked Goods, Artisans and Entertainment. Tuesday Evenings, 5:30 - 9:30pm, May 29 thru September 18, Fernwood Square (Fernwood @ Gladstone).

Green Drinks & Green LunchNeither Green Drinks nor Green Lunch will be held in August. Green Drinks resumes Tuesday, September 11th at a new downtown location. Green Lunch resumes Wednesday, September 22 at the Fernwood Inn. Check the September VIBE calendar for details.

Fernwood Business NetworkLaunch of mutual support network for Fernwood businesses, Monday, October 1, 10:00a.m. – Noon, Fernwood Inn, 1302 Gladstone Ave. For additional information please call or write to Roger Colwill, at 598-0077 or r.colwill@shaw.ca

Under new ownership!

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