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villagevibeApril 2007 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood
>> by Susi Porter-Bopp
Why are our collective actions so
diff erent from our collective beliefs?
According to the World Wildlife
Fund’s 2006 Living Planet Report Canadians have
the fourth largest ecological footprint in the world.
We are amongst the most unsustainable creatures
this planet has ever seen – and, with Australia and
the US, part of what environmentalists recently
labelled an ecological “axis of evil.” British author
and Guardian Weekly columnist George Monbiot
passes a damning judgement in the foreword to the
Canadian edition of his most recent book, Heat:
How to Stop the Planet From Burning: “You think
of yourselves as a liberal and enlightened people,
and my experience seems to confi rm that. But you
could scarcely do more to destroy the biosphere if
you tried.”
Why do we suff er from this doublethink?
What can get us past it?
Canadian scientist, television personality, and
environmental activist, David Suzuki, has wondered
the same thing. He put this question to Victorians
at the fi nal stop on his “If YOU Were Prime
Minister what would you do for the environment?”
cross-country marathon on February 28th. “What
people tell me they’re concerned with bears so little
resemblance to what the politicians are talking
about,” he told a captivated audience of nearly 900 at
the First Metropolitan United Church in Fernwood.
For Suzuki the answer is clear: there needs to be a “re-
connection” between what Canadians are saying
and what our politicians are saying. “I know that
Canadians like to think of ourselves as good global
citizens. We need to tell our governments that this is
what we want our role to be.”
Starting in Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Suzuki
visited more than 40 communities and thousands of
Canadians in each province during the 30-day tour
before taking those concerns and ideas to Ottawa
in early March. At every stop, supporters were
encouraged to make 20-second “If YOU were Prime
Minister…” videos and upload them to the tour’s
youtube group through davidsuzuki.org. In Victoria,
the 71-year old biked the fi nal few kilometres of
the tour from the Inner Harbour to Mile Zero with
about 20 other cyclists and an escort of bicycle police
before heading to the sold-out event. Th e event was
jointly hosted by Fernwood NRG, the Sierra Club
of Canada (BC Chapter), and the BC Sustainable
Energy Association.
“Th is IS the moment,” Suzuki repeated
throughout his talk. “We are the most numerous
mammal in the world. We have become a new kind
of force on the earth - what I call a superspecies. And
for the fi rst time in history, we have to ask ourselves:
‘what is the collective impact of 6.5 billion of us?’”
Suzuki encouraged the audience to start by writing to
Prime Minister Harper and asking him to commit to
meeting the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.
While critics have pointed to Suzuki’s lack
of a truly systemic critique of the failure of the
environmental movement, he is an inspiring and
oft en empowering mobiliser. Th e tour marked a shift
from the Suzuki Foundation’s focus on
Suzuki rides again
Fresh in Fernwood
>> by Joseph Avi Lambert
Mom’s Market has just opened one block
from the corner of Fernwood and Gladstone where so
much has been happening.
Mom’s takes over the space from Sam Kwan, who
ran the store for 15 years. Th e building, which sits at
the corner of Stanley and Gladstone, has consistently
housed a family-run business since it was built in 1907.
Tracey Maguire is Mom, and she comes by the title
legitimately. She is the mother of six children ranging
in age from almost fi ve to 27. Two of her children will
be helping her at the store – her daughter Corrine at
the till, and her youngest son Cullen, will be the stock
boy. Her other children are Carmel, Carolyn and Katie
and you’re bound to see them helping out around the
Market as well.
Pop is Tony Maguire. He tells me lots of people
call Tracey mom – from her children’s friends to people
in this issueDogs in the Hood Page 3
Feature: Giving a hoot about endangered species Page 4
Real Estate: It’s smart to buy in Fernwood Page 6
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Page 2 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | April 2007 VillageVibe
On my way into the Student Union
Building (SUB) at UVic today, a guy handed me a
newspaper with a handbill attached. “Old growth
forest protest,” he said, “tomorrow, noon at the
leg.” Walking through the SUB I stopped to glance
at the newspaper headlines at Subtext, “Sewage
treatment,” jumped out from the front page of the
Times Colonist. Logging old growth forests, water
pollution, species extinction, and climate change ...
another editorial about the environment?
Not exactly … more of an editorial about ‘seeing
is believing’, about the primacy that humans give
to seeing as a way – as the only way – of knowing.
Unless we can see the problem or its eff ects we are
not inspired to action, oft en times until it is too late.
Take climate change. Environmentalists have
been warning about the detriment of carbon
emissions for some time now. But no one really
listened the way people seem to be now. Why?
Because we couldn’t see the eff ects. Th is winter
we could see the signs everywhere. Twelve degrees
Celsius in Toronto in late November and snow on
the ground in Victoria. Wind and snow storms that
brought down old-growth trees in Stanley Park.
Proof of climate change right before our very eyes.
Th is hasn’t always been the case, this seeing is
believing. Historian Robert Romanyshyn traces the
beginning of modern consciousness to Renaissance
Florence and the advent of linear perspective
drawing, which prescribed the geometrical rules
for representing the illusion of three-dimensional
space on fl at two-dimensional surfaces. Th is mode
of representation, he says, “is a prescription for vision
which invites the viewer to look upon the world as
if he or she were fi xed and immobile on this side of
a window.” Th is window-eff ect creates a boundary
between the onlooker and the world and is an
“invitation not only to keep an eye upon the world,
but to lose touch with it.”
So while we’re addressing climate change
because we can fi nally see the impact of our
behaviours, what is sneaking up as the next global
challenge? How can we (re)invigorate old ways
of knowing – smell, touch, taste, gut feeling,
connectedness to the world – and anticipate the next
greatest calamity … before it happens?
editorial : Seeing is believing
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!
follow up : Food>> by Jane Worton
A Neighbourhood Food Action Planning ProcessIn 2005, the Fernwood NRG board set an overarching
focus of their work to address urban sustainability issues,
including food security. Since then, they have been working
on food security and connecting with other groups in
the neighbourhood and the city with similar interests.
How is food security an issue in Fernwood? First
of all, many people in our community struggle with
accessing healthy food. Let me run a few stats by you:
Fernwood is a mixed income neighbourhood, with a
higher incidence of part year or part time workers.
Th e average resident’s income, at $23,746, is $3,500
less per year than the city wide average.
Two in fi ve (41%) residents earn less than $15,000 per
year and about 29% of households live below the poverty
line. About two thirds of the homes are rented, and about
42% of households are paying more than 30% for rent.
Money for higher rent oft en comes out of household food
budgets. Renters also have less access to garden space.
Food security is about a lot more than access to
healthy food, but for many social groups the entry point
into talking about food is access. Fernwood NRG’s
understanding of food security is that it is integral to basic
needs and nutrition, as well as a means to strengthen the
social fabric (community dinners and neighbour gardens),
increase fi nancial self reliance (slow food and gardening)
supporting sustainability by reconnecting people back to
the earth and the process of growing and making food.
Fernwood NRG had this kind of information in mind when,
in the spring of 2006, they sought funding from the Vancouver
Island Health Authority (VIHA) to develop a Community
Food Action Plan based on consultations with residents.
Th rough the project: a survey was conducted of
Fernwood residents about their access to food; a listing of
around 30 food resources was compiled a vision of food
security was agreed upon a community food action plan
was developed.
Th e survey found: 90% reported that it was oft en true
that the food they bought just didn’t last, and they didn’t
have the money to buy more; 95% reported that it was
oft en true that they couldn’t aff ord to eat balanced meals in
the past year (balanced meals being nutritious and usually
including something from all 4 groups in Canada’s Food
Guide). A common theme amongst those surveyed was the
frustration with access to healthy fruits and vegetables
Where to from here? Th e Community Food Action Plan developed three
key strategies: 1. Increasing the supply of locally grown
food. 2. Increasing the demand for locally grown food
and 3. Strengthening the neighbourhood network
processes and structures that make food accessible.
Funding is currently being sought for specifi c
project ideas within these three strategies, including:
Making the Good Food Box sustainable; Documenting
what anecdotal evidence shows, that purchasing power
for people receiving income assistance or the Canada
Pension Plan is limited given timing of grocery sales to
be outside of the week government cheques are received;
One on one coaching / mentorship for people looking
to begin food gardening in backyards (building on
intergenerational links); Increased uptake of the LifeCycles
Sharing Backyards program; Workshops for preserving food
inexpensively and with low sugar and preservatives including
freezing, cold storage, making jam and canned fruit.
Discussions on consolidating and expanding food
security initiatives in Fernwood continue. Look for in-depth
coverage of the March 31st Fernwood NRG luncheon
gathering on Food Security in May’s Village Vibe.
>> by Blanche Black
Karen Skowron has been strolling in
Fernwood for the past 15 years. At fi rst the walks
were her own personal experience of the here and
now in nature. Over time the mental notes became
data and a representation of her own personal
journey. She found herself paying attention, slowing
down, and feeling her senses alive in nature. Karen
decided to write the book Fernwood Strolls to
share her feelings of being a part of nature that is
everywhere.
Karen has a deep understanding of
connectiveness in her life, a willingness to participate
and being present in the moment. “Th ere is so much
out there,” she says, “all aspects of nature, human and
otherwise. It’s a way of seeing, feeling, being. It builds
on itself and you crave it more.”
Her clothes are distinctive as she is also an artist
who specializes in fi bre. You will recognize her in
the magnifi cent cloaks and hats she designs and sews
or knits for herself. And she welcomes company. So
she is inviting you to come and join her on a stroll
through Fernwood April 26th. Meet at the Corner
Stone Cafe at 2:00pm and enjoy a walk in nature with
Karen in our own little berg.
declaration of principles and values
Fernwood Strolls
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VillageVibe April 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 3
views from the street : What for you is the fi rst sign of spring in Fernwood?
“Th e birds! I love the birds. It seems like all of a sudden
you hear all these diff erent birdcalls. And watching the
raccoons fi ghting outside my window last night! I just
moved to Fernwood. Th is is great!”
“Th e fl owering trees along Ridge Street! Th e gorgeous
pink blossoms, the fragrance! I love it!”
“Certain bulbs that I know will be coming up – the
snow drops fi rst, then crocuses and then the daff s. And
the trees all in fl ower! You can smell the perfume from
the trees everywhere you go!”
Dogs in the Hood
Sarah Th ornton Rodney Malham Laura Skeith
>> by Joseph Avi Lambert
After four months of volunteer dog walking
at the SPCA, my partner and I decided to adopt.
Daisy is a sweet young pooch, an SPCA special mixed
breed Rottie.
Back at home exploring the parks around the
neighborhood I realized Fernwood is a great place for
a dog. Being a new dog owner has opened my eyes to a
new way of looking at the lay of the land. I realized, for
instance, that Alexander park, at the corner of Walnut
and Oregon streets is our offi cial off -leash dog park.
Alexander Park has an inviting fl at diagonal lawn
devoted to off -leash use. Th e off -leash/on-leash zones are
separated by a concrete path that cuts the park in half. A
new playground sits near the south entrance. And I can
attest to the fact that there is plenty of room for numerous
dogs to socialize and tumble around.
However, some issues have been raised by dog owners
about Alexander Park.
“It’s diffi cult arranging my schedule around the
hours,” Kath Grahn, the owner of a ball-fi xated pointer
said. Several dog owners I talked with also mentioned that
the off -leash hours could be better.
Luckily, the hours are being expanded in the near
future. Pam Grant, who is the Chairwoman of the Dogs
in Parks Steering Committee which helped secure the
legislation for the Paws in Parks program, said the “[hour
changes] should happen within a few weeks.”
Lisa Hitch, a local dog owner said, “It’s next to
impossible to keep [dogs] out of the playground.” Th e
park also does not have a complete perimeter fence, and as
a result, dogs are able to run into the playground or clear
across the street when they are in the mood.
“If we receive feedback from neighbours that
something needs to be done,” Grant said, “then we would
be happy to try to get it fi xed.”
She told me most of the feedback the Dogs in Parks
Committee receives is negative. In order for benefi cial
changes in dog parks to happen, the Committee and the
City need to hear positive feedback. Th is will also send
the message to the City that the pilot progam should get
the green light to continue.
Hitch said she walks her dog at least twice a day and
she and her furry friend are going either to Alexander
park or to Dallas road. If we’re going to do our part to
reduce our ecological footprint, going to the local dog
park is a good place to start.
Th e issues are small compared to the benefi ts of the
dog park, and many people I talked with said the same
thing. It is a great place for dogs to socialize and for
owners to meet their neighbors.
Th e best avenue for contacting the city is via the
feedback link on the victoria.ca/dogs page.
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(From people busy at the Fernwood NRG Recycling Depot in early March)
>> by Kasper
In modern usage, the term ‘bohemian’ can
describe any person who lives an unconventional
artistic life, where self-expression is the highest value
– that art (acting, poetry, writing, singing, dancing,
painting etc) is a serious and main focus of their life.
Buzz, a feeling of mild intoxication (usually happy).
(from wikipedia.org)
Let me pose this question to you ... How cool
is the Ferwnood neighbourhood? In fact, the
question is so wonderfully rhetorical and inherently
understated that it warrants repetition ... How cool is
the Fernwood neighbourhood?
So, for this edition of the Village Vibe,
instead of hitting you on the head with the fact
that the Cornerstone Café hosts wonderful live
entertainment every Th ursday, Friday, and Saturday
evening ... and the fact that the community centre
at 1240 Gladstone Avenue hosts popular drop-in
sports programs every Monday, Tuesday, Th ursday,
and Saturday (and soon on Sunday) ... and instead
of letting you know that Fernwood NRG is putting
a call out to Fernwood musicians so that we can put
together a third ... yes, third Fernwood CD … instead
of telling you all this, I would like to simply request
your answer to the following question:How cool is
the Fernwood neighbourhood?
Email your answers to: james@
fernwoodneighbourhood.ca and provide a short
story or list of reasons, no more than a paragrah
in length.
Th e Top 10 answers will be printed in next
month’s Bohemian Buzz, and the top 3 answers
will earn you a Fernwood CD and a free beverage
from Cornerstone Café. I look forward to your
answers!
bohemian buzz
How cool is the Fernwood neighbourhood?
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The Inconvenient Truth
and the Opportunity
Thursday April 19th 7:30pmFernwood Community Centre
1240 Gladstone Free Admission
individual actions to what should be the deeply political
challenge of wrangling real action out of the institutions
where collective change might occur. “Canada is a great
democracy, but the process fails if we just complain
about issues, without doing anything,” says Suzuki.
“If Canadians really want environmental change, now
is the time to demand it because with so much support,
our leaders will have to listen. Th is tour is not an end-
point, it is only the beginning.”
Ride on, Suzuki!
Page 4 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | April 2007 VillageVibe
>> by Bobby Arbess
You’d think nobody in the upper echelons of either the federal
or provincial governments was giving too much of a hoot
about the old-growth forest habitat of the majestic Northern
Spotted Owl. As of the last offi cial count conducted last
year, there were only six mating pairs left in the wild coastal temperate
rainforest of the southwestern corner of the British Columbia mainland.
As a result of decades of unsustainable logging, their population has
declined dramatically from 100 to 17 owls since 1990, giving them the
unfortunate distinction of being the most
endangered bird species in Canada.
Spotted Owls are classifi ed as endangered
throughout their range from California to British Columbia. Th ey are
vulnerable to the eff ects of logging because they require large tracts of
undisturbed, structurally diverse old-growth forests with varied aged and
sized trees, where they fi nd food and shelter. Th e owls nest in branch
cavities in large trees, require continuous shade and feed on fl ying
squirrels which are part of a food chain beginning with underground
mushrooms known as truffl es that only spawn in old-growth forests.
Th eir exceptionally short wings are an evolutionary adaptation to enable
them to navigate amidst the multiple layers of an old-growth forest
canopy allowing them to escape predators and capture their prey.
Astoundingly, the volume of timber extraction in the remnant old-growth
habitat of the Spotted Owl has actually increased lately under the B.C.
Timber Sales Program, in which the provincial government, believe it or not,
is now the largest logger of Spotted Owl habitat. Th is puts the Campbell
government in a serious confl ict of interest position of directly profi ting from
the destruction of endangered species habitat it is entrusted to protect.
Th e provincial government is opting instead for a recovery plan that favors
captive breeding of Spotted Owls over habitat protection, with no stand-
alone legislation to protect endangered species. Th e Federal Species at Risk
Act (SARA), many years in the waiting, only applies to lands under federal
jurisdiction. Th ese comprise only 1% of B.C. land base. Where SARA is
applicable, critical decisions still remain as to which species are endangered
enough to warrant protection, decisions which are made at the discretion of
the Minister of the Environment.
So when Fernwood resident Paloma Callo, age 8, asked me one day “if the
Spotted Owl was extinct yet?” it dawned on me that we can’t be the kind
of parents that teach our kids that the world is a TV show we passively sit
around watching and doing nothing about. We must empower ourselves and
our kids in the process of getting involved in the act of repairing our world.
feature : Giving a hoot about endangered species habitat
Suzuki | fr om page 1
The Rest of Victoria May Walk …
Fernwood Strolls
by Karen Skowron
Available at She Said GalleryFernwood Square
Fernwood resident Paloma Callo, age 8, asked me one day if the Spotted Owl was extinct yet.
VillageVibe April 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 5
My answer to Paloma was that if she cared enough to ask, which indeed she
does, we couldn’t let that happen without a struggle. We must refuse to accept
the terrible things that are happening to our world: homelessness, climate
disasters, species extinction, war, as inevitable and normal expressions of human
nature, which they are neither.
Children are literally the future of humanity and have a right to a meaningful
voice in matters that aff ect their world. With the Spotted owls as canary in the
ecosystem coalmine, indicators of a world that is coming apart at its seams as
the industrial-capitalist paradigm shows itself to be totally unsustainable and
morally bankrupt, kids, within the vitally important protective boundaries of
their innocence, must be empowered.
Hence, Parents and Children of the Earth (PACE) was born with the mandate
of fostering our children’s innate zestful love of the natural world, which we
see every time they have the opportunity to dig in the compost pile, run in the
woods, collect sticks, hide in the bushes, explore tidal pools, or catch water
bugs at the edge of the river. PACE aims to empower ourselves and our kids in
making our love of nature something that is heard, celebratory of a life-affi rming
vision, public and infl uential.
Enter Esther Callo, Paloma’s hard-working mom, and niece of the legendary
burly old, old-growth forest activist and ex-logger Jim Gillespie who in the
fi ft ies parked his logging truck on the Legislature lawn to protest the large-scale
corporate forest tenures which put control of the most biologically productive
public forests into the hands of a few emerging transnationals, to the inevitable
demise of forests, salmon streams, wildlife and jobs. Jim took a stand for the
ancient Douglas fi r forests of Nahmint valley before passing away in his late
eighties a couple of years ago. While Esther didn’t know her uncle well, the fi re
for organizing and taking a stand for wild nature is in her blood and is being
passed onto her kids who inspired us to action.
She and I quickly hatched a plan to take the kids down to the Legislature on
a kid-friendly parade for endangered species legislation, Spotted Owls, the
dwindling ancient forests of Southern B.C. and other old-growth dependent
wildlife at risk from habitat loss, the Marbled Murrelets and Mountain Caribou
to name a couple.
I made two large puppets, one of the Spotted Owl and the other Gordo the
Clown, Premier of British Columbia. We rehearsed a musical puppet show in
which the owl, played by Paloma, challenges the premier to exert his political
power to save the Spotted Owls from extinction. To the tune of Love is Like a
Magic Penny, the owl and a chorus of other forest creatures sing:
“Gordon Campbell do you really give a hoot/About the Spotted Owl/Th e
Spotted Owl there aren’t very many/Keep cutting old-growth and there won’t
be any...” Aft er which Campbell muses to the same tune: “I’m Gordon Campbell
and do I really give a hoot/ About anything else than corporate profi t” to which
he mumbles under his breath: “I’d say, probably not.”
A group of twenty families, with bikes and strollers, gathered under the
splendid giant Sequio across from the Petting Zoo in Beacon Hill park with
seventeen little owl masks representing the last Spotted Owls in the wild here
in B.C., our puppet show, banners, animal costumes and MP3 recordings
of the Spotted Owl and Raffi ’s “Turn the World Around” and set off on our
parade to the opening of the legislature.
When we got there we immediately converged with the military procession
of cadets with bayonets marching like a hundred tin soldiers to swear in
the Honourable Premier on his long red carpet. Beating our drums and
chanting “Save the Spotted Owls, Save their ancient forests,” and “Owls
not Guns,” our kids had the opportunity to communicate our impassioned
concerns directly to the Premier. He stood so far away from the
assembly of other citizens who were quarantined into a roped off section
half-way to the sidewalk at the front of the legislature lawns, that he
too looked like a tin soldier, standing stiffl y and remotely, as we pierced
the silence between he and us with shouts and jeers, before the cannons
sounded and some of our kids got scared and started crying and we gathered
up our props and puppets and placards and people and went home.
PACE is planning an upcoming theatrical school tour and letter-writing
campaign for the Spotted Owl and endangered species legislation. To be
involved contact [email protected] and don’t be afraid to give a hoot!
Carole James, MLAVictoria - Beacon Hill
Our Office is Open to Serve YouCommunity Office1084 Fort Street, VictoriaP: (250) 952-4211F: (250) [email protected]
Denise Savoie, MP
A Voice for Victoriain Ottawa
970 Blanshard Street363-3600www.denisesavoie.ca
“I’m Gordon Campbell and do I really give a hoot / About anything else than corporate profi t ... I’d say, probably not.”
Page 6 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | April 2007 VillageVibe
>> by Margaret Hantiuk
Pruning is perhaps the most complicated
activity the home gardener undertakes. When a branch
is cut, the structure is permanently altered. Th e more I
prune, the more carefully, thoughtfully, and respectfully
I do it.
Pruning is both a science and an art. Each shrub or
tree should be handled diff erently. I heartily recommend
a simple pruning course at a local garden or horticultural
centre. Th ere are books available from gardening groups,
the public library, and online. Learning to prune
properly will reward you with a garden that looks better
and has healthier plants that are full of more blossoms
and fruit.
St. Patrick’s Day as a rule of thumb is a good time
to begin pruning. Doing it too early or too late can
force tender new growth that is vulnerable to frosts. I
use four trusty pruning tools: a good pair of seccateurs
(hand-pruners), a folding Japanese pruning saw for larger
branches, hedge shears, and a long-handled telescopic
pruner. All should be kept clean and sharp; dull
blades will tear the bark. A ladder may also be needed,
although felling or topping large trees should be left to
professionals. If you need more light but don’t want to
remove a tree, consider hiring a pro to thin out
some of the limbs. Also, mature trees should be assessed
periodically for their health and your safety by an
arborist. It is now illegal to remove some kinds of trees
without a permit, so check the city website or call them
to fi nd out.
While it is unwise to give general advice, there are
some basic guidelines for pruning. Th e fi rst is to remove
all dead, diseased, and injured wood. Th e second is to
remove all crossing or rubbing branches. Th e shaping
of the tree should be balanced and gracefully open. For
trees, the cuts are made to the point of origin and are
close to the ‘collar’ where the branch you are cutting
joins onto the bigger branch. Do not cut into the collar
as it will eventually grow over the cut and seal it. It is
not advisable to cut the main upright trunk of a tree.
No more than one third of a tree’s branches should be
removed in one year.
With shrubs, cuts are made to an outward-facing
node or bud. Th is opens up the inside of the shrub to air
and sunlight. Some shrubs are cut back hard to promote
new growth; do this aft er fl owering so that the season’s
buds are not cut off . Some people cut one or two old
branches to the ground every year to encourage mature
shrubs to fl ower and leaf more.
If a tree is the right plant for the right spot, it
shouldn’t have to be butchered – anticipate its ultimate
size and make that part of your garden plan. If a tree is
too large for the location, consider removing it and put
a smaller specimen in its place. Other than rejuvenating
shrubs and removing bad wood, pruning should be for
minor shaping or perhaps removing lower branches to
lift the canopy as the tree grows. Th e exception is hedges,
which are sheared oft en and kept shapely. Roses, clematis,
fruit trees, evergreens, and fl owering shrubs also require
special attention. Trees and shrubs that are well-pruned
look well-cared-for, beautifully natural and happy.
garden gleanings : Pruning
>> by Jerome Peacock
In the past couple years, Greater Victoria real
estate prices have risen so much that one wonders how far
it can go. Is there a bubble? Didn’t prices drop in 2006?
Should you buy now? Where are the best buys? Should you
buy in Fernwood?
In general, the seller’s market in 2005 shift ed to a more
balanced one in 2006, giving buyers more options and time
to think. It’s been a ‘soft landing,’ unlike the bleak situation
of the US housing market. Th e Victoria Real Estate Board
(VREB) called 2005 “a banner year for Victoria area real
estate,” with the average price of single family homes rising
by over 20 percent.
Th en in 2006, the number of homes for sale rose about
45% above the 2005 monthly numbers, homes were taking
longer to sell and about 40% didn’t.
Many thought there was a bubble in the market. But
sales in 2006 were strong – down only seven percent from
2005 – and the average price of single family homes rose in
2006 by 12.5% to $521,460, according to VREB.
For 2007, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (CMHC) and VREB expect prices to continue
to rise, albeit more modestly. Indeed, some pent-up demand
aft er a very wet winter made February sales jump 60% over
January. Th e March sales tally (not available at press time)
looks to be just as busy.
So, should you buy now or wait? Well, consider this:
prices in Victoria have dropped signifi cantly only once
since the depression (in the mid-80s), and they recovered,
as we know.
Fernwood: is it the place to buy? Conventional
wisdom on Fernwood is that the neighbourhood is a bit of
a ‘diamond in the rough.’ Th at Fernwood is in transition is
a realistic assessment (for some streets more than others).
Like Esquimalt, Fernwood is sometimes viewed as being
a little weedy. Th e average price of single family homes in
Fernwood rose by about 24% in 2005 but by only about
4.5% in 2006 – below Greater Victoria as a whole.
But conventional wisdom also says that Fernwood is on
the verge of a rennaisance: Fernwood’s charm will fl ower as
older character homes are renovated and the village centre
comes into its own.
Fernwood also competes price-wise with other
‘aff ordable’ areas, such as Langford and Colwood. But the
commute to Victoria has become a serious issue. Add the
Westshore’s big box stores and Fernwood looks charming
by comparison.
Fernwood has a lot going for it – aff ordability,
character, a budding ‘downtown’ and proximity to the city
core. Whether the area is about to ‘take off ’remains to be
seen, but buyers who overlook Fernwood today may come
regret their lack of foresight.
Jerome Peacock is a realtor with Pemberton Holmes. Our
litigious society requires him to state the following: Th e
information in this column is provided for informational
purposes only; it should be independently verifi ed before being
relied upon by readers.
real estate :Fernwood smart
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>> by Susan Salvati
There’s a new act coming to Fernwood and
this time it’s not at the Belfry. Well-known restauranteurs
George and Linda Szasz of Paprika fame are soon to
open a fi ne and funky restaurant bar in the Cornerstone
building. George and Linda, who aft er eight years have
built Paprika up very nicely, were interested in the
Cornerstone from its inception. Linda volunteered
with renovations of the upstairs suites and found herself
considering the possibility of another restaurant. Finally,
both Linda and George asked themselves “why not?” Th e
idea for Stage, Small Plates Wine Bar, was born.
It’s an idea that works. Linda and George live
within a block of the restaurant. Even before moving
to Fernwood three years ago, they loved the area,
particularly the community aspect. “We always heard,
even before moving here what a great community it is,”
says Linda. Th ey heard this particularly from people
in the industry as it seems Fernwood is home to many
restaurant folk.
George and Linda have a long and varied
background in restaurant life dating from even their
pre-Victoria life. George’s grandparents – Hungarian
immigrants – moved to Vancouver in the 1960s. For 35
years they operated Szasz on South Granville, enticing
patrons with their roast chicken, langos, and ‘Wooden
Plate’ laden with hearty rye, cold cuts, and cheeses.
George’s parents also had a hand in the family business.
Segue to George who studied at the famed culinary
institute Pierre du Brulle in Vancouver before working
with his father. Later, George and Linda escaped the big
city for Smithers where they owned Th e Little Onion for
three years until coming to the happy medium of Victoria
nine years ago.
With Paprika, George and Linda have been able
to develop their interest in Slow Food. Th ey do their
best to use local ingredients such as pasteur-raised duck
from Cowichan Bay Farm and produce from Saanich
Organics. Linda also tends to a garden at her home
producing many of the greens used at Paprika. “I’m from
the country so having lots of land to grow on has always
been a priority for me.” Th is focus on local and seasonal
ingredients will also be a consideration for Stage.
So what is the overall concept of Stage? Th e
restaurant will be a casual, intimate space with a total of
fi ft y seats, including ten at the bar. George and Linda aim
to support local wineries with eight or so white and red
wines available by the glass so patrons “can experience a
variety of wines (that) will be aff ordable.” Th ough there
will be some international wines, there will also be an
eff ort to highlight local products so that the “wine and
food don’t have to travel too far” with the accompanying
carbon footprint. And the stars of Stage? Small plates
suitable for sharing such as a cheese plate featuring island
cheeses and house made seed crackers, langos pizzas, a
salad with greens and oat crusted goat cheese and yummy
crème brulée. Vegan recipies are in the works.
Again, keeping the environment in focus, George
and Linda have made a big eff ort to use reclaimed
materials in their renovation of the space. Th ey plan to
use a bowling lane from Mayfair Lanes as the bar top
and reclaimed maple for the fl oors. Th eir hope is that
old beams from the Cornerstone can be incorporated
into tables. As an added bonus, George and Linda have
pledged 1% of profi ts to the David Suzuki Foundation
as well as planning a similar donation structure in
support of Fernwood NRG. Stage will appeal to
Fernwoodians and the Belfry crowd, opening from
4:30 pm to midnight, depending on the day. Foodies,
get ready! Th e curtains are opening soon.
VillageVibe April 2007 | www.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca | Page 7
faces of fernwood : Szasz on stage
A love story from the ‘wood>> by David Macpherson
“In the beginning God created light.” I found
this place around the corner from the Belfry – as an
actor it makes me feel attached to my work. Plus in the
morning I can do my Yoga as the kids scramble, skate,
and skip to school. Later I can sit smoking a cigar on the
fi re escape.
Fernwood continues to attract artists, writers, and
performers although it is drift ing towards gentrifi cation
and rents are creeping towards unaff ordable, it still
draws us. My place is great if perhaps a bit of a struggle
to maintain fi nancially.
It is here that I found my soulmate. Claire was
working on a show that I was in, Deathtrap. What
caught my eye fi rst were hers, her grey/blue eyes that
burnt with life and hope. I connected with her through
those eyes at that point and never really dreamed of any
further implications. I was drawn to her.
Th e lounge in the theatre was fi lled with people for
the show’s ‘Meet and Greet’, but that was not what I was
focused on. I was watching her, full of this potential and
I had to get to know her better. So I wandered across
the room to bring her a plate … a plate laden with fresh
fruit, an off ering. With her accepting laugh I found that
I had committed my heart to what may come. From
there life began to sparkle in my little suite in the Heart
of Fernwood. I can’t remember a time when that story
did not come to mind as easily as smiling. I tell it oft en
… it is a good story.
in the community. Tracey says it’s the result of having
so many. It also might have something to do with her
12 years at Scotia Bank getting to know members of the
larger Victoria community.
Mom’s will carry a variety of dairy products and fresh
produce. While they will still sell more traditional comfort
foods like Chef Boyardee and Kraft Dinner, Tracey tells
me Mom’s Market is going to off er a variety of items
refl ecting a natural approach. Mom’s will be bringing in
organic products and produce, diff erent pastas and rice,
Mount Royal bagels, Seed of Life Bread, and possibly Salt
Spring Organic Coff ee. Also, Tracey tells me she will try to
cater to customer requests as much as possible.
How did Tracey and Tony come to Mom’s? Well,
fate has a sense of humour, it seems. Tracey went into
Sam’s store one day last year and found all the rental
DVD’s missing. She jokingly asked Sam’s wife Joan if they
were selling the store. “Do you want to buy?” came the
unexpected response.
In fact, Tracey had already been looking into opening
up a corner store closer to the heart of Fernwood. When
she went home and told Tony he surprised her by saying
“why not look into it.” And she did. Seven months
later, aft er a business plan, several coats of blue paint and
renovations that have changed the layout of the store,
Mom’s Market is open for business.
Tony and Tracey are longtime Fernwood residents. He
grew up on Taunton street and went to the same store in
his youth to get penny candy. Tracey grew up in Fairfi eld.
Both of them are thrilled by the enthusiasm they’ve seen
from residents who’ve peeked in during renovations.
“Everybody that has come by has had a comment and it’s
all been good,” Tracey says.
I, for one, am looking forward to walking in my
pajamas to get milk and bread.
Mom’s will be open from 8:00am - 8:00pm every day
of the week.
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Gardening Fitness >> by Blanche Black
Stretches provided from Fernwood
resident, gardener, and certifi ed yoga
instructor Blanche Black’s video Garden
Fitness (available at She Said Gallery).
Fernwood physiotherapist Ron Johnson
suggests that stretching two to three
times a gardening session prevents
injuries. Happy gardening!
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Page 8 | News and views from the heart of Fernwood | April 2007 VillageVibe
Stuck in rhythmBy Bruce Rutley
Shades of chocolate life renewedStuck in rhythm what to do.
Sensuous aroma java beansCornerstone a Fernwood scene.
Emerging vision life renewedPatience needed what to do.
Shades of chocolate life renewedStuck in rhythm what to do.
Sit and ponder thoughtful actionLive a life full of passion.
Enjoy the moment stay engagedFor life’s fulfi llment turn the page.
what’s on in Fernwood
Music, Art, Theatre, and EntertainmentLive Entertainment at The
Cornerstone Café
Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
evening, 8 to 11pm! Check in @ the café
for details.
Call for Submissions from Fernwood
musicians and poets to be featured on
our third Fernwood CD! e-mail: james@
fernwoodneighbourhood.ca
Victoria Bluegrass Assoc. Jam:
Ongoing Tuesdays Orange Hall, 7:30 -
10:30pm, $2 to play, free to listen.
(Last Tuesday of month is open
stage/feature night; cost varies).
Live Music at J.K. Do Forno Café
In Fernwood Square. free! Mondays: Bill
Cino, 6:30 – 9pm. Seeking musicians
for other days. Call for info: 386-8446.
Live Music at Logan’s
For listings, go to www.loganspub.com.
Belfry Theatre
MESA by Canadian playwrite Doug
Curtis. April 10 - May 6, 2007,
Belfry Box Offi ce - 385-6815
Metro Studio Theatre
MediaNet presents: EDGES MEDIA
FESTIVAL, Canadian independent fi lm
and video showcase, Thursday -
Sunday, April 5 - 8, 7pm nightly.
Atomic Vaudeville presents: LEGOLAND
by Jacob Richmond, Runaway hit
of the 2006 Fringe Festival. Thursday
- Sunday April 12 - 15, 8pm nightly.
RIYOKU BUTOH
Uvic dance theater. Thursday &
Saturday, April 19 & 21, 7pm
THE MISSING LYNX
Debut of Victoria’s newest contemporary
dance company, Friday & Saturday, April
20 & 21
Ballet Victoria and the Esquimalt
Singers & Dancers present
THE RISING SUN PROJECT, Friday, April
27 Metro Phone Hotline: 412-0367
Kids & FamiliesCommunity Family Day
Fernwood NRG invites families to come
and get involved in Community Day.
Family-directed and facilitated
programming. Mondays, 9:30am -
11:30am. FNRG Gym, Free!
Parent & Tot Playgroup
Ongoing Tuesdays & Thursdays. FNRG
Gym, 9:30am - 11:30am, $1 per family,
snacks/crafts/circle time.
Rhythm Circle Time
Drop-in - 10 Weeks per session
Tuesdays 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm in the
Multi-Purpose Room. Free!
Mother Goose
Pre-register-10 weeks per session.
Tuesdays (Call 381-1552 Ext.22 to
register and for info) FNRG Multi-
Purpose Room, 1:00pm - 2:30pm,
Songs, rhymes & stories-Free! ($2 for
songbook)
Youth, Adults & SeniorsNEW! Youth Sports Drop-in
Ages 6 to 12, Sundays, Noon to 2pm,
$3 per child, Parent please accompany
child, no fee for parent.
NEW! Indoor Soccer
Drop-in Co-ed Adult (18+) - Ongoing
Mondays, 8:45 -
9:45pm, $2 per person.
Free Internet and Computer Access
Complete your one-time registration and
then get online through the Community
Access Program. FNRG Community
Room, 9:15am to 8:30pm, Monday to
Friday. Free!
Drop-in Floorhockey
Co-ed Adult (18+), all equipment
provided. Ongoing Tuesdays and
Thursdays, 7:00pm - 9:30pm, and
NEW!: Saturdays, 2 - 4:30pm. $4, or
get a punchcard: $40/11 sessions. No
wooden sticks.
FREE Yoga!
Tuesdays, 10:30am - 12:00pm, in the
MPR Room.
Holistic Health & Healing
Healing meditation based on Chinese
Five Elements: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water,
Wood, plus discussion of topics
chosen by group. Ongoing Mondays,
FNRG, 10:00-11:30am, Free!
Falun Gong
Peaceful meditation practice. Ongoing
Wednesdays, FNRG, 5:00pm - 7:00pm,
everyone welcome, Free!
Fernwood Autumn Glow (55+)
Gentle exercise, lunch & activities;
Ongoing Fridays, FNRG, 11:00am, $5.50
for lunch.
Special EventsGreen Drinks An inclusive gathering
of the sustainability minded for
refreshments conversation and
inspiration. Queen Mother Waterside
Café, 407 Swift S. Tuesday, April 10.
Youth event at 3:00pm, General event
5:00 - 7:00pm
Village Vibe
Join us to brainstorm the May VIBE.
Thursday, April 19th FNRG, 7:00 - 8:30
Stroll Fernwood
with Karen Skowron, author of Fernwood
Strolls a guide to walking in the
neighbourhood. Thursday, April 26, meet
at the Cornerstone at 2:00pm and stroll
from there.
Earth Walk
Celebrating Peace, Earth & Justice.
Saturday, April 21, 12:00 noon,
Centennial Square. For info contact:
Steve Filipovic 216- 5903
The Inconvenient Truth & the
Opportunity Climate Change
Presentation
Brian Gordon; Al Gore Boot Camp &
Helena Mahoney, Dogwood Initiative
Thursday, April 19, 7:30 pm, FNRG
Gym, Free Admission. Sponsored by
Fernwood NGR & Dogwood Initiative
Victoria: Vibrant City, Vibrant
Neighbourhoods
Neighbourhood Workshop Series 2007.
Heritage: A Downtown Walkabout:
Monday, April 16, 7:00pm, City Hall Ante
Chamber, #1 Centennial Square
Walk through Victoria’s downtown core
with John Adams, local historian.
Make Yer Neighbourhood NicerTotal Plastics Recycling Day
(2nd Sat of every Month) Saturday,
April 14, 10am - Noon, Back of FNRG.
Recycle plastics of all kinds (Styrofoam
packing, soft plastics and bags, and ALL
hard/rigid plastics) plus old electronics.
By donation to cover transportation.
S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S S M T W Th F S S M
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
April 2007
Published by Fernwood NRG (Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group)
1240 Gladstone StreetVictoria, BC V8T 1G6T 250.381.1552 F 250.381.1509villagevibe@fernwood neighbourhood.cawww.fernwoodneighbourhood.ca
Editor: Lisa HelpsPhotographer: Veronique da Silva
Contributors:Bobby ArbessBlanche BlackSusi Porter-BoppMargaret HantiukKasparJoseph Avi LambertDavid MacphersonJerome PeacockBruce RutleySusan SalvatiJane Worton
The views expressed in the Village Vibe do not necessarily refl ect the views of the Fernwood NRG.
villagevibe
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