By Sue Ronson, Contributing Writer
There are big plans for the multitude of entrances and exits at the north end of the Iron Workers Memorial/Second Narrows Bridge. And let’s just say up front that it’s not going to be easy getting through all this construction, but in the end we think Lynn Valleyites will agree that it’s all been worth it.
This is a $150 million project. And it’s going to take five years. It’s also going to happen in stages:
Valentine’s Day isn’t just red roses and romance – it’s a chance to celebrate wonderful relationships of all sorts, whether it’s with friends, neighbours, or even co-workers (you know, the ones who bring in pink Rice Krispie squares or Purdy’s for all on February 14… we love them!)
So in honour of St. Valentine’s Day on Sunday, February 14, we’re going to send a Daddy and Daughter, or a Mother and Son, to Browns Socialhouse for a sit-down dinner and some quality time together.
It’s no secret that social isolation is a huge problem in Metro Vancouver, especially since the Vancouver Foundation published its June 2012 “Connections and Engagement” report quantifying the extent of the issue. And although Vancouver has a reputation for being a place in which it can be difficult to make new friends, the problem isn’t just local. British coppers made headlines last year for having a cup of tea with a senior who had been driven by loneliness to make a call to the 999 emergency line.
After weeks of waiting and planning, a group of North Vancouver residents celebrated the arrival of their sponsored refugee family at Vancouver International Airport on Friday, January 15.
The Syrian family of five was met by representatives of their large sponsorship group. REST (the Regional Ecumenical Sponsorship Team) is composed of people from North Vancouver Anglican and Lutheran Churches (including St. Clement’s Anglican and Mt. Olivet Lutheran in Lynn Valley) and from the Sutherland Secondary School community.
As you can see from the faces in the photo, the first meeting was a joyous one despite the hardships the family has endured in recent months. “They are lovely people who are extremely grateful to be here,” said Shannon Muir, one of REST’s coordinators. “They even asked to talk to the media today so they could say how grateful they are to Canada.”
Arrangements have been made for the family to live in the Blueridge area, at a rent generously reduced by the homeowner. Under the terms of the blended sponsorship agreement, REST will pay the family’s living expenses for one year, with the federal government contributing six months’ of social assistance-level funding.
REST is also awaiting the arrival of a vision-impaired young adult from Somalia, who will live with one of the team members in the Grand Boulevard area, and a 20-year-old Iraqui man who will be rejoining his family here. Anyone wishing to donate to the REST refugee efforts is invited to make a donation to the refugee fund of any of the sponsoring churches: St. Clement’s, St. Agnes, St. Catherine’s, St. Martin’s, or St. John’s Anglican Churches, or Mt. Olivet and Gloria Dei Lutheran Churches.
If you’ve been around these parts for a while, you’ll know that we at LynnValleyLife love collecting stories of the good citizens in our midst, and drawing from amongst them to name the recipient of our annual Good Neighbour Award. (Have a look in the Notable Neighbours section of our Front Porch blog for past winners and nominees, and pop by our office for a look at the Good Neighbour award plaque!)
We’re delighted to announce that this year’s representative of all of Lynn Valley’s good neighbours is Cath Bates Dimmock of Hoskins Road. Cath was nominated by her daughter, Carly, for whom she is obviously a huge inspiration. Thanks, Cath, for all you do for the young ladies and lads in the Argyle gymnastics program, and thanks, Carly for letting us know about it! Your mom will receive her own Good Neighbour Award plaque and a $50 gift certificate, courtesy of the Black Bear Neighbourhood Pub!
Whatever “the Christmas spirit” is, it is decidedly not embodied by the horrible task of spending time and money searching out gifts you’re pretty sure the recipient doesn’t need and may not even want.
It’s a wonderful feeling to find something you know is just right for a friend or loved one. But when you’re stuck trying to find something for the “person who has everything,” why not consider gifting someone else in their name instead?
You’ve heard of buying goats, chickens, or school books for families in developing countries. But one close-to-home opportunity that warms the heart of giver and givee alike is offered by the seasonal Homeless Partners website.
The organization has collected stories and gift requests from residents of shelters in North Vancouver and other areas around metro Vancouver. Here’s a typical story, from Morris:
Morris is in his sixties. He was born in Courtenay, B.C., but has been in the Vancouver area since 1972 for work. Morris worked in sheet metal. His biggest challenge right now is maintaining personal security. It is his family that helps him feel most encouraged.
Morris’s request is for running shoes or jeans. A donor can pledge one or both of these gifts, and drop them off at the housing shelter with a card for Morris (drop-off instructions are provided). There are dozens of other stories on the site, with more added as the month progresses.
So, rather than struggling to find gifts for the “have it all” people in your lives, bring some peace and cheer to your shopping by pledging a gift that you know will be well-used, and much appreciated.
Here’s what one shelter resident said about the experience of receiving a gift through this initiative:
The most encouraging thing is knowing that people care. I find it really encouraging that total strangers could care so much about someone they don’t even know.
If that sounds like the kind of Christmas spirit you’d like to share, visit the Homeless Partners website soon!
The Christmas season is officially arriving at Lynn Valley in the days ahead, and we can’t wait! (And remember, a great way to celebrate the season is to let us know about the people who have made our community a better place in the last 12 months, in ways large or small. Nominate them for the LynnValleyLife Good Neighbour Award now!)
Do you have a Christmas event you’d like us to promote? Drop us a line at [email protected] and we’ll make sure it gets on our Events Calendar and/or Facebook page.
On Tuesday, Dec. 1, Mollie Nye House hosts its traditional Bright Christmas from 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the community’s heritage home at 940 Lynn Valley Rd. A lantern parade will gather at Karen Magnussen Rec Centre at 6:30 p.m. and process to Mollie Nye House, where everything from gingerbread and ornament making to science experiments to carol singing will accompany your hot chocolate and cider. Santa will count down to the grand light-up at 7 p.m. sharp! Sponsored by the Lynn Valley Services Society.
Lynn Valley Village will come alive with the lights of dozens of Christmas trees, with a special “Lynn Valley Christmas” light-up ceremony happening on Sunday, December 6 at 4:30 p.m. You can look forward to crafts, carols, face painting and balloons and a visit from a very special guest! This great community forest of twinkling trees is sponsored by the LV Community Association, the LV Lions (who provide the trees), the LV Legion and NV District. Attendees to the light-up event are encouraged to bring a gift for the LV Legion’s Toy Drive (speaking of which, read on….)
The Lynn Valley Legion members hold a Christmas gift drive to support the work of the Salvation Army every year, but this year they’re inviting everyone to join the fun!
Wednesday, December 9 is “Drive up ‘n Drop off” day from 7:30 – 11;30 am. You can “drive thru” with your gift and receive a complimentary muffin and coffee in return, or you’re warmly invited to park your car and come on in for a pancake breakfast!
This is great way to involve your kids in some Christmas giving – they probably know better than you do what gifts would be most appreciated under the tree! Gifts for newborns through young adults are very welcome. If you don’t have a resident expert to advise you, the Legion has published the following wish list:
Put your Christmas spending dollars to work in your community by supporting the Lynn Valley Lions’ annual Christmas Tree Sale.
The Lions will open their tree lot on Saturday, December 5, in Karen Magnusson Rec Centre’s upper parking lot. The lot is open every day until all the trees are gone – and no one knows exactly when that will be, so make sure you get yours early!
(Psst – Looking for boughs to decorate your home or office? Why not make a donation and haul off some of the branches that pile up over the course of a day at the tree lot?)
We love to help spread the word about special services and carol events – let us know, so people can go!
One wonderful concert is happening on Saturday, December 5 at 7 p.m. – it’s the annual One Voice concert at St. Clement’s Church. Under leadership of music director Lynley Lewis, youth as well as adult Ismaeli choirs will be performing alongside choirs from St. Clement’s Anglican and Lynn Valley United Church’s community choir, Bring Your Own Voice.
Part proceeds raised by ticket sales will go to support the Regional Ecumenical Sponsorship of Refugees (REST), a group representing North Vancouver Anglican and Lutheran churches who are awaiting two soon-to-arrive refugee groups.
St. Clement’s is located at 3400 Institute Road (the church with the anchor in the front yard). Tickets are $12 in advance; $15 at the door. Children under 3 are free. Ticket sales: [email protected]/778-882-5858.
From the desk of Peggy Trendell-Jensen, LVLife editor
It’s no accident that Lynn Valley has become one of the North Shore’s most family-friendly places to live – the fact is due in large part to the efforts of our neighbourhood groups, schools and other volunteer organizations who put community building at the top of their agenda.
So it was with great anticipation that LynnValleyLife helped convene a gathering of community representatives at a wine, cheese and visioning event that took place last Wednesday in the cosy wood-cabin lodge within the Laura Lynn townhouse development. The aim of the event’s steering committee (which also included Alecia Greenfield from St. Clement’s Anglican Church, and Shauna Grinke, Blair Odney and Sophia Ducey from Lynn Valley United) was to get in one room a cross-section of Lynn Valley people whose vocation – whether paid or voluntary – is to make this neighbourhood happier and healthier.
There’s some great Lynn Valley talent to be enjoyed in this holiday must-see for the whole family, coming to Presentation House from December 2 through 20. Lovers of Friday Night Live theatre improv will be delighted to know that Alan Marriott is one of the show’s creators and cast members, and musical director is FNL’s amazing Matt Grinke. Just a few other Lynn Valleyites taking part are sound director Tim Knight and Monica Sumulong, playing bass in the 10-piece North Pole Orchestra! Learn more about the show below, and get your tickets before they’re gone!
GTI Theatrical Productions Society, with the generous support of Famous Artists Limited, is proud to present the return engagement of Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen, a fresh holiday musical for the whole family.
Originally directed and choreographed by Jeff Hyslop, this year, the show enjoys additional direction and dramaturgy by Max Reimer. Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen was written by Bill Allman, Alan Marriott and Kevin O’Brien and this charming production wowed audiences with its Christmas spirit in December 2013. This year, Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen returns with even more elves, more songs and more family magic, and now features the fabulous 10-piece North Pole Orchestra led by Music Director Matt Grinke.
Mrs. Claus bakes Christmas spirit and it is the magic of her kitchen that binds the entire North Pole operation together. But after years of toiling in Santa’s generous shadow, she feels under-appreciated at the North Pole. Wanting some free time to reconnect with her famous hubby, Mrs. Claus enlists the aid of her trusted elves, the daffy Robin, and the prankster Ruprecht, and, convinced by Jonathan Brooks, the workaholic CEO of New York City’s Megabake Inc., she embarks on a quest to spread her baked goods worldwide.
Assuming the woman in his office is a kind-hearted delusional with a great recipe, Brooks ignores his own family when he sees an opportunity for gargantuan profits with the Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen brand and a revolutionary production practice set to a thumping disco song. With family traditions and holiday togetherness at the core of this heartwarming tale, Mrs. Claus discovers the “magical” recipe for drawing families together and helps to heal the Brooks family along the way.
Set on the cusp of the 1960s, when modern Christmas really came of age, the show takes the audience on a tuneful ride – with a lively variety of original songs – filled with charm and laughter, and provides a fresh look at the hustle, bustle and real worth of a family holiday. A delight for all ages, Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen gives the audience a chance to “taste the magic” by getting “hands-on” in the kitchen of the world’s most famous workshop!
Suitable for families with children aged 5 and up.
Don’t miss this new holiday classic! Tickets are on sale now!
Tickets can be purchased online at www.phtheatre.org, by phone at 604-990-3474 or in person at Presentation House Theatre.
Sylvie Michaud is a neighbourhood mom, craft artist, writer and, most recently, nursing student. Somehow, in the past two years, she found the time to team up with her mother, Monique Michaud, to produce three books for young ones, all featuring the Ringtail raccoon family. She sold them at Christmas craft markets, where the Ringtail clan received much fond feedback. The books are now available for free from Noisetrade publishers, and can be downloaded straight to your digital tablet for bedtime reading!
We caught up with Sylvie this week to ask her about the story behind the stories.
What inspired the Ringtail books?
Before my son was born my husband and I had very little experience with children and babies, so when my son came into this world shouting at the top of his lungs and refusing to be out of our arms, we were a bit panicked, to put it mildly. My pre-birth visions had been of a peacefully sleeping baby rocking in a bassinet, while I blissfully looked on. And while I felt more love for this little being than for anything in my life, I definitely needed to readjust my expectations of what motherhood was going to be like.The idea for the books came to me, seemingly, out of the blue about the time my son was six years old. I had not been actively thinking about writing a series of children’s books, but what had been percolating in the back of my mind for many years was the desire to create something that helped parents feel more connected to what it means to be a parent.
I headed to the library to scour books about what to do and got the overwhelming sense that I was “spoiling” Luke by picking him up when he cried and having a “family bed”, but after a couple “sleep therapy” sessions of letting him cry it out alone, I knew I had to do it my own way.
My son is an empathetic, kind, active, and social. He looks to his parents, not his peers, for support and guidance. He is not spoiled, dependent or a “mama’s boy” like the books warned.
It made me wonder how many other parents had listened to advice that didn’t feel right and not listened to their gut instincts. I wanted to help them by returning to some basics.
Tell us about collaborating on the books with your mother….
My mother is an amazing woman. She’s never been one to never let a little fact like she’s never done something before get in her way. She has also been an artist her whole life. When I had the idea for writing the stories I asked her if she would like to illustrate them and she jumped right on it. She was great to work with and kept me focused on getting it finished when I was distracted by other projects on the go. Which I have a habit of doing.
What kind of feedback have you received on the Ringtail books?
My mother and I originally were selling the books at Christmas craft fairs and I think that really gave me the sense that I was touching people deeply with the stories. I had several people cry at our booth after reading one of the stories because they felt so moved.
I couldn’t ask for better feedback than that because my purpose in writing the stories was to help parents and children connect on a deeper level about what I felt were the important aspects of parenting. I also had many grandparents buy the books for their own children to read to their children. I also remember one time I was reading to a group of preschoolers and they just kept wanting me to read them over and over. That was so sweet.
What has been the most satisfying aspect of the project? How about the most challenging?
The most satisfying aspect has been the feedback I’ve received from parents and grandparents about the books. It feels so good to know that I’ve perhaps helped a parent and child to connect at a deeper level. As well, when I look at the books, I remember how my mother and I worked together so it brings back good memories. It’s just such a neat thing to share.
The most challenging is getting the word out. While I love to write, that doesn’t necessarily make me comfortable with promoting myself. I definitely am not a self-promoter!
What other writing or artsy projects have you been working on?
I’m currently in nursing school, so my artistic endeavours have taken a back seat, but that being said, I always seem to find a way to sneak some creative stuff into my school projects. For example, I wrote a short screenplay acting out a medical procedure for a group presentation and I wrote an informational brochure about stroke during another presentation.
Where can people find your work?
To read the three Ringtail stories, people can take advantage of an instant download at Noisetrade, or visit my publisher, Crafty Canuck and use the promo code LVLRINGTAIL at the check out for free downloads. I also sell some random zines and activity books on Etsy.
Any future projects you can tell us about?
My life is pretty much taken up trying to get through nursing school at the moment, but I’m sure that I will be back at writing projects when I have more time.
Tell us about your life in Lynn Valley!
I love Lynn Valley. My family moved here about five years ago and we felt welcomed and settled from the beginning. I was involved in starting up a hot lunch recycling program at Lynn Valley Elementary, but now that my son just started high school, I’ll have to find new areas to help in around the neighbourhood. One project that is always in the back of my mind is organizing an invasive weed pulling day in Pierard Park. Snacks included!