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villagevibeJune 2008 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood
It’s the time again. Renew your Fernwood NRG
membership in time for our Annual General
Meeting in late September. Membership forms can
be picked up at the Fernwood Community Centre
at 1240 Gladstone Ave between 9am and 5pm and
dropped off at the same place.
When the shoe fi ts>> by Trish Richards
The Vic High Rugby Team recently won a
trophy of a diff erent sort: a glittery, golden high heel shoe,
replete with decorative fl owers! And it’s a trophy that they
are justifi ably proud of.
On Saturday, April 26th most of the Rugby guys of
Vic High, along with their coaches, Clayton Daum and
Matt Staples, slipped on some pretty snazzy high heel shoes
and walked down Government Street in the second annual
‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ event.
Th e walk is sponsored by the Victoria Women’s Sexual
Assault Center (VWSAC). It is an invitation to men to
experience the joy of teetering along in high heels in an
eff ort both to draw attention to sexualized violence and the
attitudes that underlie it and to shift perspective through
experience. It’s that old adage at work: “Look at it through
my eyes. It looks a lot diff erent from here.”
Joining in the walk is not something you might expect
of a group of teenage guys whose fi rst love is rugby. So why
did they do it? Coach Daum explains that the idea came
from students in his Leadership class, some of whom are
involved with Project Respect, another VWSAC initiative.
in this issueLive from Cornerstone Café Page 3
Feature: Your guide to Fern Fest 2008 Page 4
Space to place charrette Page 7
– continued on page 6
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>> by Angela Moran
The Fifth Annual Organic Plant sale at
the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre
was a huge success! On May 10th, almost 900 people
visited the Centre to purchase perennial and annual
plants from local organic growers, including rare and
heirloom varieties. Th is market-style event was a great
opportunity to raise awareness about the importance
of locally grown, pesticide-free plant propagation
and production. It also provides the Centre with a
valuable fundraising opportunity and increases our
exposure.
Visitors to the Centre enjoyed free site tours
and took in the music of Last Train, a local bluegrass
band. Th ey performed throughout the plant sale, and
they were a hit!
Th e overwhelming media interest this year
could account for the dramatic increase in numbers.
It was our biggest turnout ever. Th e CRD’s pesticide
ban might also be starting to have an impact in
encouraging residents to fi nd ecological and ethical
solutions for their own backyards. Overall, as
awareness grows around the current global food crisis,
so does the movement toward sustainable home-scale
food production.
We would like to send a special thank you to all
of the vendors that participated in this year’s event. It
is your tireless dedication to local food security that
makes this event possible. Off ering people the means
to provide food for themselves is brings us one step
closer to a local, participatory, ecological food system
in Victoria. Th ank also to Victoria High School,
Island Displays, Last Train, our volunteers, and our
neighbours for their support and assistance with the
plant sale.
Th e Compost Ed Centre will be selling more organic
veggie starts at the Centre. Call 386-9676 for more
information.
Plant sale a success
Membership renewal
Ph
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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
Oil prices are hitting record highs. Food
costs are following. And what are we doing in here in
Fernwood? Turning boulevards into veggie-bearing
patches, that is, we are preparing for the future.
But the idea dates from the past.
In February 1932, at the height of the Great
Depression, the Lands Committee of Victoria City
Council recommended that the Committee “remit the
registration fee of $2.50 where deemed advisable in
order to assist needy persons to avail themselves of the
opportunity of raising garden produce from home
consumption on city owned property.”
Translated from 1930s-speak, the Lands Committee
was advocating that the City foot the bill for people to
garden on City-owned property.
But it gets better than this. By 1935 the gardening on
City-owned land enterprise had turned into a full-fl edged
City Council-sponsored yearly gardening contest for
families on relief. And, the City awarded cash prizes for
the best gardens. In August of 1936, the Parks and
Boulevards Committee reported that “competition this
year has been very much keener and great credit is due to
the prize winner, one of two having won prizes despite
the fact that their lots were covered with grass and weeds
last year.”
Th e folks who created the Haultain Common at
Haultain and Asquith are far ahead of their time. But
they’re drawing on age-old practices. It is hoped that
the City Parks Department and others look to their
predecessors in the past for inspiration for the future.
editorial : Gardens of the future
Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2008 VillageVibe
>> by Deryk Houston
After mounting many one man shows in Canada
and as far away as Iraq over the past dozens of years, I had a
great desire to show my work closer to home. I thought it
would be fun to bring together a group of artists within my
neighbourhood. Th e result is the Fernwood Artist’s Studio
Tour (FAST).
It didn’t take long before we had enough artists to
set June 21st and 22nd, 2008, as the dates. Th e beautiful
thing was that it brought together many artists who never
knew they lived just around the corner from each other.
New friendships developed and ideas and knowledge were
generously shared, soon developing an excitement about the
talent in our own community.
I also had some calls from artists who were unsure about
their work or their work space. Some wondered if their
work could be called art or perhaps a craft . Others worried
that they didn’t have a ‘real’ studio space because they only
worked at their kitchen table.
Our group took a broad approach to the defi nition
of art. We wanted to include and encourage a wide range
of expression including everything from sculpture to
photographs, fi bre art, dance, storytelling, painting, pottery,
and so on.
Artists are by nature oft en shy to show their work and
oft en lack of confi dence in what they do. Sometimes we love
our work, and sometimes we want to destroy it.
I have watched the confi dence levels of various artists
grow as the energy of the group carried us all along. It has
been very satisfying to see this happen.
Please join us on the 1st annual FAST, June 21st and
22nd. On Saturday, start our walk from Fern Fest in the
Life, Growth, Evolution, and Celebration
– words perfectly suited for Fernwood and well represented
in the symbolism of a spiral. And so, aft er several months of
open dialogue, roughly 50 excited neighbours gathered at the
May 12th Cornerstone Café Mandala Party to express their
intentions to make Fernwood an even greater place to be.
Eric Norton’s Rainbow Spiral was voted as the number one
mandala amongst 36 and will be the transformative symbol
for Fernwood’s fi rst intersection repair project at Fernwood
Rd. and Gladstone Ave. crossing.
While many questions about the logistics and politics of
the paint-in process keep some twisting and turning, dozens
of successful intersection projects in Portland, Oregon have
fi red up the collaborative problem-solving imaginations of
Fernwoodians. Everyone is encouraged to attend upcoming
placemaking meetings to share their insights and to
embrace the opportunity to create positive change through
collaboration.
We’ll soon be able to celebrate our very own rainbow
spiral as a representation of Fernwood’s inspirational
transition and continued intentions. Let’s allow our
creativity to spiral up and out from the core of each of us and
our community. Many thanks to all of you, our artists, voters
and the Mandala Committee for making this a possibility!
Get ready for an everyone-welcome Mandala Paint-in
Party Saturday June 21st at Fern Fest!
the Fernwood buzz
>> by Mark Powell
Tuesday May 6th Sol Kinnis, Resource and
Communications Coordinator for the BC Institute for
Co-operative Studies (BCICS), a director of Roofs and
Roots Housing Co-operative, and a local Fernwoodian, met
with those who had turned out for the inaugural Fernwood
Business Network (FBN) sponsored speaker series held
at the Fernwood Inn. Th e FBN is beginning the series, to
engage the public in dialogue about economics, and to
challenge the old model where business is considered
as separate from community.
Did you know that eight hundred million people
worldwide are members of co-ops? Or that co-operatives
are incorporated? Or what the diff erences are between a co-
operative structure and a group formed under the Societies
Act? Sol explained the advantages and disadvantages of
forming each kind of group. For instance, did you know
monies raised by foundations can’t be donated to co-ops
but can be given to non-profi t societies? Sol explained that
co-ops are businesses based around needs of their members,
and that although there is always one vote per member,
dividend structures can vary. For a quick lesson on the
various types of co-ops, from consumer co-ops to worker
co-ops, head to the BCICS website at www.bcics.org.
Sol Kinnis speaks at FBN
FAST in Fernwood
– continued on page 6– continued on page 3
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Turning boulevards into veggie-bearing patches
Square. Bring your children and your grandparents.
Take the time to explore and have fun.
You will be rewarded by a wide range of
interesting work and personalities. Each artist has a
story to share.
Brochures with maps locating each artist’s studio can
be picked up at the Collective Works Gallery, She
Said Gallery, the Cornerstone Café, the Fernwood
Inn, the Fernwood Community Centre, and the
Fernwood Community Association.
VillageVibe June 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3
views from the street : What do you most like about Fernwood and what would you change?
I love the eccentricities this neighborhood has to off er.
Th ere is a strong sense of a diverse community coming
together with common goals. I would like to see traffi c
slow down on Fernwood Road, making Fernwood into a
people-friendly place, and take the emphasis off cars.
I like the fact that I have lived here (in Fernwood) for
about a year, and that I feel more part of a community
than I did where I was for the last 20 years! I would
really like to see more breakfast joints right in the heart
of Fernwood!
Although it is somewhat changing, I like the fact that
Fernwood has always been somewhat tucked away, off
the map, a secret garden of sorts! I would like to see less
cars and more skateparks!
Live from the Café
Don Howie Kayliah
Vie
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>> by Lisa Helps
On Friday May 9th at a jam-packed
Cornerstone Café, Fernwood musicians and friends from
around the city recorded a CD entitled “Live from the
Cornerstone Café”. A sign on the front door directed
music lovers to “enter through the back door”, as the
Café had been transformed into a music studio of the live
variety. Recording engineer, Jude Pelley, who worked for
next to nothing, coordinated with barista extraordinaire
James MacIntyre to ensure that there would be no steamy
whistle from the espresso machine clouding up this CD.
It was all about the music, an intimate musical evening in
Fernwood history.
And like so many other Fernwood initiatives, this
one came from the ground up. While some folks signed
up in advance, there were still spots available when the
doors opened at 6:00pm the night of the recording.
Th at’s right – an open-mic, of sorts, turned professional
recording. Each artist performed one or two songs. Th e
best song from each set will make it onto the record.
Additionally, there will be no cost to the artists for
production, as this is Cornerstone Collective Records’
offi cial debut release. How about that for giving young
and aspiring artists a break!
Th e evening featured regular Cornerstone Café
performers and members of Cornerstone Collective
Records. Th e crowd also got a sneak preview of two
of the Fern Fest 2008 headliners, Boxcar and Dead
Reckoning.
According to event organizer, Fernwood NRG’s
James Kasper, “It was a thing of beauty. In some cases,
artists played only one song, knowing that this would be
a permanent record of their performance in front of
a live audience. Th ey really rose to the occasion under
that pressure.”
Did you miss the event and want to get your hands
on the CD? Or were you there and can’t wait for its
release? Either way, “Live from the Cornerstone Café”
will be released at Fern Fest 2008 in Fernwood Square
(Fernwood and Gladstone) on Saturday June 21st.
>> by Allison Power
Despite the snow on April 19th, 84
participants joined Victoria Best Babies to
celebrate Earth Day in the FCC gym and built
‘Gardens To Go’. Arriving with nothing but a
keen interest in learning, participants decorated
their ‘green bin’ and fi lled it full of soil. Th en they
planted starters like tomatoes and lettuce in the
bin surrounded by marigolds and herbs. Each
gardener was given an information package full of
tips on benefi cial garden companions, common
problems in container gardening, recipes and
other inspiring outdoor activities. Our goal was
to bridge the relationship between plant and plate
and encourage families to learn more about the
environment and where our food comes from.
It is essential for our health and that of our
planet to be responsible and take ownership for
our impact on the earth. Everyone was excited to
go away with both a nurturing experience and a
project that will grow all summer. Resources such
as LEAP BC, L.I.F.E packages and community
green maps were on hand to get families motivated
and involved. Gardens To Go also inspired
parents to plant, play, and be active with their
children. Since the project, families have returned
to programs with updates on the success of their
gardens and stories of what they are doing now to
adopt a more positive lifestyle. .
Gardens to go Coupe II
FAST | fr om page 2
May’s Coupe de Ville II was an Introduction
to Urban Chickens. Regine Klein shared her wealth
of experience with keeping chickens and led the dozen
participants on a coop tour through Fernwood. Coupe
de Ville III will likely take place in the fall.
I am saddened to
say goodbye to the Vibe
and its many wonderful
collaborators. I will
be moving to a new
community and become
a Fernwood visitor! Th is
truly has been a lovely
year of picture-taking for me! Kuddos to all the movers
and shakers in this community – our world needs more
of you! Lisa, Trish, Marianne, Susan, Roberta, Susy (and
all the ones I am forgetting to mention...) – I will miss
working with you! Véronique da Silva
Ph
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Page 4 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2008 VillageVibe
There’s plenty for kids of all ages to enjoy at this year’s Fern Fest. Check out these highlights and see the
two-day schedule for complete details.
Aft er charming audiences last
year, Shoshana the Storyteller
returns to Fern Fest for two
appearances. Shoshana’s
storytelling inspires listeners
of all ages to awaken to the
deeper joys of life. (Sat. 10:30
am and 4:30 pm)
Victoria Firefi ghters, bring
their Junior Combat Challenge
to Fern Fest this year. Th ese
professional fi refi ghters with
the City of Victoria volunteer
their time to teach kids about
fi re safety while putting them
through their combat paces
with tunnels, pylons, drop and
roll and holding back a real fi re
hose. (Sat. 10:30 am-2:30 pm)
Be the fi rst to view Fernwood’s latest aff ordable housing success story and
tour Park Place on Yukon Street. Near completion it will soon be home to six
more families. (Sat 11:00am and 2:30 pm: meet at the main stage)
Strolling makeup artist Tasha Winters will be on hand with face-painting
of the sun and the famous Fernwood fern. A proud Fernwoodian, Tasha is a
Blanche Macdonald graduate who does makeup for fi lm, photography, and
Langham Court Th eatre.
Th e Vic High Dancers “Platform 61” who recently added to their
collection of awards earning both a Creative Costume Design Award and the
Nancy Ferguson Shield bring their high energy move to the sports fi eld lawn.
(Sat. 5:00 pm)
Th e extremely popular Bouncy Castle is back! Shoes off and start laughing.
Need we say more? (Sat. 5:30-8:30 pm)
Steve Hignett is the master magician behind Rockabilly Magic. Fantastic
magic and classic illusions combined with humour and audience participation
makes Rockabilly Magic classic family entertainment. (Sat. at noon)
Take the Fern Fest Zero Waste Challenge!Th anks to the diligence of volunteers and festival goers, in 2007 aft er three
days of Fern Fest, just one measly, not-even-full, bag of garbage went to the
landfi ll. Everything else met the Zero Waste Challenge. In 2008, we aim to do
even better, and this is what you can do to help:
> Sort your garbage into the plastics, compost, paper, cardboard, and very
popular “not so sure” bins you’ll fi nd around the site
> Pack your own snacks and drinks in reusable containers that go home
with you at the end of the day
> Pick up any stray garbage you fi nd on the site and get it into the right bin
> Volunteer to help as a “waste interpreter” for a couple of hours during the
weekend
What’s a Festival without Food?Th e ongoing revitalization of our community can be seen in the fi ve great
places you’ll fi nd to eat within metres of the Fern Fest Main Stage: the
Cornerstone Café, the neighbourhood’s living room, the newly opened Green
Goddess (there are fl owers in the salads!), Stir it Up for amazing Roti and
other Caribbean specialties, the Chinese restaurant, as well as two recognized
in the Times Colonist’s ‘Best of 2007’: Stage and the Fernwood Inn. Enjoy the
fare they have to off er as well as these special Fern Fest Food Finds:
> Fernwood NRG BBQ: Enjoy veggie dogs, hot dogs, corn on the cob (if
the crops co-operate), and Alison Power’s famous yam enchiladas, all at
Fernwood-friendly prices. (Sat. noon-10:00 pm)
> Fernwood Inn Community Pancake Breakfast on the Fernwood Inn
Patio. Sat 10:00-noon: Free!
> Fernwood Senior’s Tea at the Cornerstone Café. (Sat 2:00-3:30: Free!)
> Or bring your own picnic and spread out on the lawn of the Vic High
Sports Field (Remember Zero Waste and pack out whatever you pack in.)
feature : Your guide to Fern Fest 2008: Th e annual celebration of all things Fernwood
Dean FortinVictoria City Councillor
Working for strong, healthy and sustainable
communities.
>> by Wendy Magahay
On Friday June 20th and Saturday June 21st,
Fernwood Square will become the heart of Fern
Fest 2008, the celebration where all Victorians are
invited to become honourary Fernwoodians.
“Fern Fest is great because there are really
activities for everyone from the bouncy castle to
the seniors’ tea. And sometimes it’s surprising who
is drawn to what, “shares Fernwood NRG Chair
Lisa Helps. “Last year,” says Helps, “it was the
adults in the beer garden as well as the children
sitting in front of her who were captivated by
Shoshana’s stories.” Th is year Saturday is family day
at Fern Fest with non-stop activities for little kids
and big kids both on the main stage and in the Vic
High sports fi eld.
And what’s Fern Fest without music?
Fernwood’s own music impresario, James Kasper
– recently awarded an M award for being “the
hardest working person in local music” – has lived
up to that title by booking an extraordinary lineup
of musical talent. Not only are the artists playing
Fern Fest some of Fernwood’s fi nest musicians,
it is also a collection that does the entire Island
proud.
Th is year Fern Fest coincides with the summer
solstice and National Aboriginal Day. Both the
Fernwood Artist’s Studio Tour and the Mandala
Paint-in will be held concurrently with Fern Fest.
Th ere’s still time to volunteer and be part of the
excitement. Come celebrate community and
celebrate the sun!
Ph
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Sab
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Firefi ghter Scott Mitchell assists participant through tunnel to learn about crawling under smoke.
constituency office:970 Blanshard StreetVictoria, BC V8W 2H3
telephone: 363-3600e-mail: [email protected] the web: www.denisesavoie.ca
Denise SavoieMember of Parliament for Victoria
Your voice in OttawaYour voice in Ottawa
VillageVibe June 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5
Fern Fest headliners all heart Interviews by James Kasper
Niska Napoleon Friday June 20 8:00pm
In a Nutshell: 22-year-old Cree singer-songwriter
making her Fern Fest debut.
VV: What are your future goals?
Niska: “Singing is my life. Nothing can compare to the
high of it. I’m not trying to be a star. I just enjoy music.
I’m in no rush to sign to a label or be on TV. I know
what’s important, so I just try to take in each day as much
as I can. I would rather sing hard than sing pretty. I’m
just waiting to bust out and spread the Niska love all over
the world. I do what I can. I love. I fear. I try. What else is
there, really?”
John Gogo Saturday June 21 5:30pm
In a Nutshell: Modest music man and 10-year
Fernwood resident making his Fern Fest debut. John
has an album in the works which is 90% complete.
VV: What do you enjoy about Fernwood?
John: “Th ere are lots of artists in the neighbourhood, and
I certainly like being around artists. It’s been a great place
to raise my family.”
VV: Speaking of family, what has it been like, as a Gogo,
being a part of such a big musical family?
John: “It’s always been a real blessing to be a part of this
family. Music is a big part of what we do. Two of my
daughters are in the Vic High R & B Band.”
Boxcar Saturday June 21 8:00pm
In a Nutshell: Bluegrass/roots trio, its members with
a combined total of 25 years of Fernwood residency,
returns to Fern Fest for a second consecutive year.
Boxcar’s debut album is scheduled for release this July.
VV: What is special about being in this band?
Michelle: “We’re in love with each other’s songs. We enjoy
each other as people and we’ve become an extension of
each other’s families.”
VV: How do you feel about returning to Fern Fest as a
headliner?
Chris: “Awesome. It’s a great festival for bringing the
community together.”
Fern Fest at a glance
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Sat Fern Fest Vic High The Inn & Artists’ TheJune 21 Main Stage Field The Cafe Studio Square
10:00 am
10:30 am
11:00 am
11:30 am
Noon
1:00 pm
2:00 pm
2:30 pm
3:30 pm
4:30
5:00 pm
5:30 pm
6:30 pm
7:00 pm
8:00 pm
9:00 pm
10:00 pm Fern Fest Closes
10:00 am til Noon:
Free Family Pancake
Breakfast on the
Fernwood Inn Patio
2:00 pm til 3:30 pm:
Free Seniors’ Tea at
Cornerstone Café
10:30 am til 2:30 pm:
Victoria Fire Dept
Junior Combat
Challenge and
11:00 am til 4:00 pm:
Family Activities,
Games and Sports
5:30 pm til 8:30 pm:
Bouncy Castle
Art Studio Strolls
Meet at the
Gallery
11:00 am
til 4:00 pm:
Mandala
Paint-in
Shoshana the Story Teller
Meet for Park Place Tour #1
DJ Spins
Rockabilly Magic Show
Open Mic #2
Palomitas de Maiz
Los Gingos Locos & Park Place Tour #2
Left at the Junction
Shoshana the Story Teller
Platform 61 Vic High Dance Troup
John Gogo
The Flying Barista Brothers
CCR Showcase #2
Boxcar
Dead Reckoning
Friday Fern FestJune 20 Main Stage
5:00 pm DJ Spins
6:00 pm Open Mic #1
7:00 pm CCR Showcase #1
8:00 pm Niska Napoleon’s
9:00 pm Dead Reckoning
10:00 pm Fern Fest Closes
Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2008 VillageVibe
>> by Margaret Hantiuk
May 1st is the start of the CRD water
restrictions for Victoria (usually until September 30th).
Because of the ample water this spring, we are just in
Stage One, which means that established shrubs, trees,
vegetable, and fl ower gardens may be watered by hand
(i.e. by hose with a hand-held nozzle with a shut-off valve,
by watering container, or with a micro-drip system) at any
time of the day. Otherwise, a sprinkler or an irrigation
system that is not micro-drip can only be used at certain
times of the day and certain days of the week. See www.
crd.bc.ca/water to fi nd your day and times, and for hints
on wise watering and for gardening tips that save water.
Hand watering is a great way to water – it is much
more eff ective, if done properly. Water deeply and you
will have to water less oft en. Early morning and early
evenings are the best times of day to water, as mid-
day wastes water due to evaporation, and late evening
watering promotes plant moulds and fungi. For trees and
shrubs, their feeder roots are at the dripline (where the
canopy, or outer branches leaves would drip the rainfall)
and so this is the place to water – not the trunks!
Th e best way to conserve water (and money) in the
garden is to use mulches. Th is one practice also suppresses
weeds, builds up the soil and moderates ground
temperatures. Your plants will love it. Th e best time of
year to apply an overall mulch is late winter when you are
putting your garden to sleep, or in early spring, before
everything starts popping up. You can mulch at any time,
just be careful to not cover the crowns of plants and
to leave a four inch gap around the trunks of trees and
shrubs, thereby preventing rot.
What can be used as mulch? Just about any organic
material. Th e best? Compost, as it’s full of nutrients,
live microorganisms and worms, and plenty of fi ber that
builds the soil. What else? Grass clippings, leaf mold
(that you have piled up in the corner since last fall), aged
sawdust and aged manure (fresh manure can burn plants),
straw, mushroom manure, coff ee grounds (free from the
local barista), thick pads of newspapers, and cardboard,
just to name a few.
How much to add? At least two to three inches to be
eff ective. Th e whole idea is to create the kind of porous,
well-draining soil that is also moisture retentive and
nutritious – just like in a forest. Th ere nature renews itself
with the decay of falling leaves and rotting limbs and
without the aid of fertilizers. Because there are no toxic
chemicals, there are millions of micro-organisms in each
handful of healthy soil, all helping to turn it into food for
plants in the marvelous way that has evolved over eons as
our soil’s natural eco-system. Some moisture is needed to
promote this soil activity and to keep plants healthy, but
you will need much less if you mulch than if your bare
soil is exposed to the sun and wind all day.
‘Lasagna gardening’ is a new term for layered
mulching which can be used as a natural alternative to
kill lawns and weeds when starting a new bed or veggie
garden. First, mow the lawn, leaving the clippings on the
surface and hand weed as much as possible. Th en layer
thick pads of newspapers or cardboard over top, leaving
no gaps. Water well. Next is a deep layer of mulch –
preferably compost, but it could also be leaf mold, peat
moss, coir (coconut fi ber), aged sawdust, and manure or
any mix of the above. Th e top layer can be garden soil,
seasoil or wood chips. Keep the whole area moist through
warm weather.
You may plant into the mix within two or three
weeks by cutting a hole through it and popping in your
shrubs, perennials, or veggies. Add a micro-drip watering
system to make it really easy. Th is is smart and easy
gardening, nature’s way!
gleanings : Conserving water by mulching
>> by R ainey Hopewell
Common: belonging equally to two or more; shared
by all alike; pertaining to the community as a whole:
the common good.
Imagine: lush tomatoes, exuberant zucchinis and
sprawling pumpkins soaking up the summer sun; sweet
lettuces and spinach nestled shyly in dappled shade; tidy
rows of potatoes marching from curb to sidewalk’s edge.
Imagine children coming to write their names on
a pumpkin, watching their pumpkin grow all summer,
and harvesting it in time for Halloween. Imagine a
place in your own neighbourhood where you can harvest
fresh veggies and herbs grown within walking distance
of your home.
You’ve just imagined the Haultain Common, on the
corner of Haultain and Asquith, on the edge of Fernwood
and Oaklands. Common: a garden belonging equally
to two or more, shared by all alike. Following a sheet-
composting workshop in May attended by 12 real keeners,
Haultain Common is ready for veggie starts! Two rows of
potatoes have already been planted and early tomatoes are
ready to go in when the weather is reliably warmer.
To be part of this new garden based on an old idea, you
can:
> Bring us your organic compost, to help make soil
> Bring us veggie seeds and seedlings for plants that will
be less than three feet high at maturity (a safety concern,
since we’re planting on a boulevard)
> Confer with us before planting something on your own
(as we are the Common Co-ordinators this year)
> Be willing to share anything you’ve planted with anyone
else who wants to harvest from the Common
We are Rainey and Margot, and you can contact us
anytime at 380-5055 for more information about
Haultain Common. Yea for food not lawns! Yea for the
Common Good!
Utterly Common
He took it to the team “to promote a sense of social
responsibility.” As he sees it, “Along with the privilege
of playing comes responsibility.” His logic is that the
rugby team should be using the high profi le it has in the
school to lead by example. Coach Daum also feels that
the players are in a good place to take the kind of risk that
making a public statement by donning high heels entails.
“Th rough their sports, the guys have gained a confi dence
that is not usual for their age. With the team behind
them, they could do it.” So they did!
By all accounts, they had a great time: they felt they
were contributing to the greater good, they learned a
lot, and they laughed a lot. Th e team intends not only to
walk again next year, but also to challenge Victoria’s other
high school rugby teams to show up and shoe up.
Th ese guys are playing great rugby too! Th e Vic
High team, whose proud lineage goes back to the 1940s,
was only reconstituted four years ago. Th ey made it to
the Provincial Finals this year and will be playing for that
trophy as we go to press.
All we can say is: Well done, guys! Th at was a gutsy
move. Shows the kind of attitude that should serve you
well in the scrum. Fernwood will be out cheering you on
next season.
Shoes | fr om page 1
When she was asked about why co-ops fail, Sol
listed the following off the top of her head:
1. No understanding of what is involved or
willingness to run/own
2. No fi nancial plan
3. No business model (reliance on grants)
4. Undercapitalization
5. No realistic feasibility study (pilot project)
6. Ideologically driven (instead of practicality)
7. Over inclusiveness (afraid to say no)
8. No reasonable expectations (not knowing when it
won’t work)
9. Can’t sustain the number of people who want in
10. One person vision (everyone else just wants a
job)
Th e Fernwood Business Network wishes to thank
Sol for coming out and starting the series off so well.
Come to the next FBN speaker series discussion
– events scheduled for the fi rst Tuesday of each
month at 10am at the Fernwood Inn.
For more info see Co-op by Design, edited by
Sol Kinnis, Lyn Cayo, Kathleen Gabelmann;
Eff ective Practices in Starting Co-ops, edited by
Joy Emmanuel and Lyn Cayo. Available fr om New
Rochdale Press online at, www.bcics.org
Co-op | fr om page 2
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>> by Tara Wells
You know those places that you walk right by and
don’t even notice? Such are the two vacant lots on the
1500 block of Pembroke Street. I like to think they
are like remnants of what Victoria was like before
colonization: rocky, strewn with Garry Oak and
Camas, covered in that wild grass that goes yellow and
scratchy in summer.
Beside one of the vacant lots is the Church of
Miracles, which off ers a free dinner every Th ursday.
An average of 120 community members arrive every
week, in summer upwards of 200 people come. Some
diners don’t have a place to sleep, and the wild-looking
stretch of land next to the church parking lot is an
appealing place to bunk down. It’s not the sleepers who
are a problem; it’s what they leave behind. Neighbours
note an increase in garbage, human and pet feces, drug
paraphernalia and stolen property on the lot.
Just a few blocks away, another vacant space has
recently been transformed. For the last fi ve years
Ludo Bertsch and other community members have
been creating a greenway up the Ryan Street hill near
Oaklands School. Recent funding, including a grant
from the City of Victoria, has seen the culmination of
Bertsch’s work. He notes that “land without a defi ned
purpose gets used by whoever needs it. Before the
berms, mulch and native plants were in place, this was
a gravel lot used for parking. Th e space had no purpose,
so cars took over.”
Th e vacant lots on Pembroke have no defi ned
purpose, so they are being used by a group in need: the
homeless. Unlike the city-owned greenway area, the
lots on Pembroke are privately owned. When asked
about plans for development, the up-Island owner
replied that he’d “build a house, I guess,” but that he
had no specifi c plans or date in mind.
Most Fernwoodians value the green space in
our community. We also understand the pressing
need for housing in our rapidly growing city. Th e
big question is: Can we fi nd a solution that refl ects
the needs of our neighbourhood through creative
community action?
VillageVibe June 2008 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7
Vacant lots Space to place charrette
>> by Trish Richards
Fernwood Place Makers are at it again!
On Monday, April 28th, the Cornerstone was once
again brimming over with neighbours gathered to work
on revitalizing Fernwood’s Village Centre. Leading the
evenings’ dialogue was Victoria architect, Ayrie Cunliff e,
who had integrated Fernwood’s Placemaking work to date
into his broader vision of green way connectors between
village centres around the city and presented a series
of maps and watercolour impressions of what could be
created along these corridors.
Ayrie’s vision addresses the question “What’s it like to
create an infrastructure that supports us for a sustainable
future?” His proposed food forest/green ways between
village centres are intensely local pedestrian zones, which
also support local food production.
Ayrie placed Fernwood within a corridor that runs
from Capital Iron north along the length of Caledonia
Rd. to Chambers St. where it jogs to meet Gladstone and
continues onward through Fernwood Square
eventually through Jubilee and then to Oak Bay. Taking
his cue from the Placemaking group’s delineation of
Fernwood Square and surrounds, Ayrie guided the group
through a series of beautiful renditions of our
collective vision for Fernwood Village.
In Ayrie’s conceptual work, Fernwood’s Village
Centre is layered. Th e square itself – the inner sanctum
– is accessed through gateways at Spring Ridge
Commons/the Caledonia and Chambers intersection
on the east, Stanley and Gladstone on the west, Gower
Park at Pembroke and Fernwood on the north, and the
intersection of Vining and Fernwood to the south. At
each of these gateways columns and green space are used
to clearly delineate the entrance to Fernwood Village.
Ayrie’s work also poses some exciting possibilities for
the corridors leading into the Square. His ideas include
integrating the Community Centre into the Gladstone
greenway through plantings along the roadway and
extension of greenspace from the Gladstone curb over to
the Vic High fi elds, expanding the use of Gower Park by
creating gardening space and a tea house, and relocating
the aging tennis courts to create an urban park centre that
would include the current problematic corridor behind
the Belfry.
Ayrie’s concepts for Fernwood Square are similarly
exciting. To really acknowledge the Square as the Village
Centre and to integrate it fully with the Fernwood-
Gladstone intersection, he proposed changing the
pavement surface in Fernwood Road, lift ing the surface
gradually from the gates. He also suggested greater
integration of the Belfry with the Square, and changing
the transition from the Vic High playing fi eld into the
Square to a long set of broad stairs that could also be used
as either seating or performance platforms. Th e Square
needs to be de-cluttered, greened, and to have welcoming
seating arrangements. Ideas abound for innovations like
increased bike parking using interesting metal sculpture
racks, ‘rain catcher’ art features and vertical ‘green walls.
Ayrie’s vision as articulated in his enthralling artwork
is currently on display at the Cornerstone Café. Take
a look and please send comments to placemaking@
fernwoodneighbourhood.ca. Or join Fernwood’s
placemakers at our regular Space to Place meetings
on the third Monday of the month at 7:00pm at the
Cornerstone Café.
North Park Village update>> By Alex Kerr Chair Unity Committee, NPNA
Welcome to North Park Village!
Many of you may have noticed the banners along
Cook St. between Pandora and Caledonia and wondered
exactly what is going on. Here goes: North Park
Neighbourhood Association with the blessing of the FCA,
Fernwood NRG and the cooperation of the businesses
in the Cook St. area, has started to work towards setting
up a village concept for Cook St. between Pandora and
Caledonia.
Th e idea of the village is to promote the area as a
destination for shopping and as a gathering place that the
neighbourhood can be proud of.
To this end we applied for and received a neighbour-
hood enhancement grant for banners, benches and bike
racks. We held a banner design competition and chose two
designs. We also applied for and received a special projects
grant to hold a placemaking workshop. We held the
workshop February 16th, 2008 and there were many good
ideas brought forth. Th e report it is posted on our website
at www.npna.ca.
To date we have had meetings with the Parks
Department and we have started to rebuild Franklin
Green Park located behind Wellburn’s Market. Th ere is a
new playground, there will be a new path, lighting, pickle
ball and bocce courts. Completion date is June 2008.
Th e banners were hung in early April. Th e next step is
to have the three bike racks and two benches installed as
per the recommendations of the placemaking workshop.
We are also creating www.northparkvillage.ca for the
use and promotion of the area.
Our plan is to have a bulletin board installed in the
village this coming year as well as establishing a merchant’s
association. Generally we will be working with the
merchants and residents on a tidy-up program. We are
working towards having more activities in the Franklin
Green Park when it is fi nished.
Th is is an ongoing project and will take several years
to complete. We’ll keep you updated on the progress.
Remember that this is your village too and it needs your
support to fl ourish.
North Park Neighbourhood Festival will be held
August 16th, in Franklin Green Park from noon until
4:00pm. Come on out and enjoy the food, entertainment,
demonstrations and games.
Roselyn Caiden, B.A.R.Ac.
Acupuncture & SpiritualCounselling
~The Inner Body Meditation~6 week class June 10, 7-10
Fernwood Studio ~ 250-889-8717www.sacredpath.ca
Ph
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Mac
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Page 8 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | June 2008 VillageVibe
what’s on in FernwoodArts, Theatre, and EntertainmentBelfry Theatre.
The return of MOM’S THE WORD 2:
UNHINGED. by Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin
Nichol, Barbara Pollard and Deborah Williams.
June 4-22. 1291 Gladstone Ave. For info
contact Belfry Box Offi ce at 385-6815 or www.
belfry.bc.ca
Bluegrass Wednesdays.
Fernwood NRG and the Fernwood Bluegrass
Association present Wednesday night
bluegrass jams at the Cornerstone Café. 7:30-
10pm. FREE!
Bohemian Open Mic at 8pm hosted by
James Kasper.
Saturdays. Cornerstone Café. 1301 Gladstone
Ave. For concert booking info contact: 381-
1552 ext.25. FREE!
Collective Works Gallery.
“The Medium and the Machine” (works by
Arlene Nesbitt). May 30-June 19. “Towards the
Sun” (group show). June 20-July 10. Gallery
hours>11am-6pm Tues-Thurs; 11am-8pm
Fri+Sat; 11am-6pm Sun. 1311 Gladstone Ave.
www.collectiveworks.ca
Cornerstone Collective Records Drop In.
Cornerstone Collective Records (Fernwood’s
own non-profi t community-driven record
label) - Welcomes new members Sun, June
15. 2:30pm. Drop-in to “talk shop” with us and
launch your music career! For info call James:
381-1552 ext.25.
Erynn Marshall and Dave Clarke.
New duo debuts: Fiddler Erynn Marshall &
Guitarist Dave Clarke – Building On Tradition.
Fri, June 6. 8pm. Orange Hall. 1620 Fernwood
Rd. Tix $10, available at Old Town Strings.
www.hickoryjack.com and www.daveclarke.ca
Live Music at Fernwood Inn.
Open Mic Thursdays. 8:30-11:30pm. 1302
Gladstone Ave. FREE!
Live Music at Logan’s Pub.
1821 Cook St. www.loganspub.com
The Vic High Neighbourhood Choir.
Presents its 3rd annual spring concert “With
One Voice”, featuring guest soloist COLLEEN
ECCLESTON (lead singer of Victoria’s
favourite Celtic trio “The Ecclestons”), in an
evening celebrating all things a capella! Fri,
June 6. 8pm; Victoria High School Auditorium.
Suggested Donation: $7/$5, Children Under
12 FREE. Info: 382-7048
Victoria Bluegrass Association Jam.
Tuesdays 7:30-10pm. Orange Hall. 1620
Fernwood Rd. $2 to play. FREE to listen. www.
victoriabluegrass.ca
Victoria Folk Music Society.
Sundays. 7:30pm Open Stage. 9pm
Feature Performer. (June 1>THE FLYING
ACCUSATIONS, June 8>TARKIN, June
15>EARLE PEACH, June 22>PHIL
O’FLAHERTY AND ANNIE BROWN, June
29>TOM LEWIS). Norway House. 1110 Hillside
Ave. $5 feature performer nights/$3 all open
stage night. www.victoriafolkmusic.ca
Vic High Photography Students Exhibit.
May 30-June 30. Cornerstone Café.
Kids and Families at the Fernwood Community Centre (FCC)Family Community Day.
Family Fun directed and facilitated by the
participants. Snacks, crafts, play equipment
and varied themes. Mondays 9:30-11:30am.
FCC Gym. FREE!
Parent and Tot Playgroup.
Snacks/Crafts/Circle Time. Tuesdays and
Thursdays 9:30-11:30am. FCC Gym. $1 per
family.
Youth, Adults and SeniorsEar Acupuncture at the FCC.
Treatments 15-20 min. Thursdays 2:30-
4:30pm. FCC MPR. By donation.
Falun Gong.
Peaceful meditation practise. All welcome!
Wednesdays 5-7pm. FCC MPR. FREE!
Family Floor Hockey.
Sundays 3:30-5pm, FCC Gym. $5 per family.**
Fernwood Autumn Glow.
55+. Gentle exercise, lunch and activities.
Monthly special guest speaker. Fridays 11am.
FCC MPR. $5.50 for lunch.
Floor Hockey.
Drop-in Co-ed. Adult (18+). Tuesdays and
Thursdays 7-9:30pm. Saturdays 2:30-5pm.
FCC Gym. $4, or get a punchcard: $40/11
sessions.**
Hatha Yoga.
With certifi ed instructor Elke. Focus on gentle
poses, breathing practice, deep relaxation and
meditation. Tuesdays 3-4:30pm. FCC Gym.
Suggested donation $5.
Indoor Soccer.
Drop-in Co-ed. Adult (18+). Mondays 7-9pm.
FCC Gym. $3.**
Internet and Computer Access.
Register and get online through the
Community Access Program. Monday to
Friday 9:30am-5pm. FCC Community Room.
FREE!
Junior Youth Empowerment Program.
Sundays 2-5pm. FCC MPR. For info call
381-1552 ext.25
Nintendo Wii Fridays.
Drop-in Co-ed. Ages 13-16. Fridays 7-9:30pm.
FCC Gym. $2 per youth. Concession open.
Scrabble Saturdays.
Ages 13-adult. Saturdays 2-5pm. FCC. Drop in
and meet fellow Scrabbleheads. FREE!
Tot Soccer.
Ages 3 to 5. Instructor Bobby Kenny. Sundays
11am-noon. Rain or shine. Learn the basics
and have fun. Whether you call it soccer or
football, this game is great for one and all.
Please bring a kickable ball. In the fi eld behind
FCC. By donation.
**We accept Sports Trader Bucks and
Canadian Tire Money at face value!
Special EventsBlueprint for a New Earth: Inner Body
Meditation.
Six week evening class, starts Tues, June 10.
7-10pm. Studying Eckhart Tolle? This class is
for you. For info contact Roselyn at 889-8717
Fernwood Business Network.
Everyone welcome. Tues, June 10. 10am.
(second Tuesday monthly!) Fernwood Inn.
For info contact Ryan Rutley at ryan@
rutleyventures.ca
Fernwood’s Outrageous Recycling Day.
Bring your CLEAN plastics, styrofoam packing
and food trays, electronics and foil-lined
coffee bags. Sat, June 14. 10am-1pm. Back of
FCC. By donation.
Green Drinks.
An inclusive gathering of the sustainability-
minded for refreshments and conversation.
Tues, June 10. 5-7pm. Canoe Brewpub, Marina
and Restaurant, 450 Swift St. For info see
www.greendrinksvictoria.ca
Fernwood Placemaking Troupe.
All Welcome! Bring your ideas for the square
and the neighbourhood. Mon, June 16. 7pm.
Cornerstone Café.
Fernwood NRG Food Security Collective –
Monthly Meeting.
All welcome! Tues, June 17. 7-9pm. FCC MPR.
Fernwood Community Kitchen.
Cook nutritious, creative meals with your
neighbours! For info contact Tracey at
Come one, Come all!! Fern Fest ‘08.
June 20 and 21. Fernwood Square. Music,
Arts, Food and Games! Come out and
celebrate our wonderfully eclectic and ever-
evolving neighbourhood! FREE! VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED! To get involved call 381-1552 ext.25,
sign up at the Cornerstone Café or online:
www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca.
Fernwood Pocket Market.
Local organic produce and baked goods.
Tuesdays 2-6pm. Fernwood Square.
Fernwood Sharing Gardens.
Have a garden but no time? Time but no
garden? Contact Rainey at 380-5055 or
Our Place – Grand Opening!!
Tues, June 24. Come out and help celebrate
the grand opening of Our Place’s new facility,
providing healthy community building services
for Victoria’s homeless and those in need.
Tues, June 24. 9am-5pm. Speeches between
2-4pm. For info contact Emily: emily@
ourplacesociety.com
Spring Ridge Commons Workparties!
Come and get your hands dirty in Fernwood’s
only public food garden. Thursdays from
5-7pm. Please bring tools if you’ve got ‘em.
The Fernwood Commons: A Fernwood
Community Communication Forum.
For info on Fernwood comings and goings
and neighbourhood news and views, check
out The Fernwood Commons on line: http://
thevillagevibe.ning.com/
Published by Fernwood NRG (Fernwood
Neighbourhood Resource Group)
1240 Gladstone Street
Victoria, BC V8T 1G6
T 250.381.1552
F 250.381.1509
villagevibe@fernwood neighbourhood.ca
www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca
Editor: Lisa Helps
Assistant Editors: Aaron Ellingsen,
Trish Richards
Photographers: Pete Rockwell,
Veronique da Silva
Contributors:
Margaret Hantiuk
Rainey Hopewell
Deryk Houston
James Kasper
Alex Kerr
Wendy Magahay
Angela Moran
Allison Power
Mark Powell
Greg Smthye
Tara Wells
The views expressed in the Village Vibe
do not necessarily refl ect the views of
Fernwood NRG.
villagevibe
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If you have a workshop or special event idea for
the FCC or the Cornerstone Café email james@
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If you have a Fernwood event you would like
listed in the Village Vibe calendar please send
an email with the subject line “vibe calendar” to