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 garbanzobob@yahoo.ca 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) 952-4214carole.james.mla@leg.bc.cawww.opposition.bc.ca

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.

Mom’s | fr om page 1

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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