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Good Neighbour 2021: Bob McCormack

It is our greatest pleasure each year to recognize a person in our community for the work they quietly do to make Lynn Valley and the North Shore the best place to live. While the world saw him take the Olympic torch over the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge in 2010, it’s likely that in his more than 60 years of community work Bob McCormack has tried to make your life a little bit better. 

Good Neighbours

This year LynnValleyLife.com has been inundated with nominations for our Good Neighbour Award – from people like Jabeen Boga who leveraged the virtual neighbourhood to raise the spirits of local health care workers to Paul Gemino for covid community building through music. Most names we are going to tuck away for your future files because we know that the volunteers in our community don’t just show up once or lend their time to a single organization. They are people who show up week after week and year after year and make our neighbourhood better.

Lynn Valley legacies

A chat with Bob McCormack is peppered with references that slowly form of web centred on Lynn Valley. His cousin was born at homestead on the other side of the suspension bridge. His dad (a fireman) and his uncle helped establish Little League and softball in the community. His family ran the concession in Lynn Canyon in the 1940s. 

At 17 years old, McCormack’s own life changed where the Black Bear Neighbourhood Pub sits today.  At the time it was a services station and McCormack was involved in a car accident that resulted in the loss of his leg.

“My accident created me,” he said. “I saw the community coming to help. The community cared for me and my family. I was determined not to let my life stop because I lost a leg. That community spirit drove me in my heart to give.”

In addition to his long career in purchasing and logistics, with Vancouver General Hospital and Vancouver Coastal Health region (he brought the first MRI into BC) as well as other private companies, McCormack has a volunteer resume spanning decades. At 80 he is still sitting on the board of the North Shore Disability Resource Centre and working with Friends of the North Friends of the North Vancouver Museum and Archives Society. His involvement spans several recreation clubs and oversight commissions, countless community service organizations within Lynn Valley and the greater North Shore area, as well as significant time and heart invested in supporting community members with special needs. 

Community reflections

Lynn Valley has benefited from McCormack’s dedication for decades. 

“Bob was one of the original members of the group that set up Lynn Valley Services Society to operate the Mollie Nye House on behalf of the District of North Vancouver,” said Margaret Fraser, past president of the Lynn Valley Services Society board of directors. “Bob works tirelessly to ensure inclusion of all in the community and served on the very first LVSS Board of Directors until 2016. Bob has continued his support and interest of LVSS – supporting Christmas events, the Heritage Fair in 2017 as a committee volunteer and organizer – one of 76 volunteers hosting over 400 residents in and around Mollie Nye House. He is passionate about all things Lynn Valley and is always ‘in touch’ with what is happening in our community.”

Taking risks and saying “Yes!”

If there is just about anything community event going on, at some point in the past 40-60 years, McCormack has hand in making it happen.

“It’s about seizing opportunity,” he said. “I didn’t always know what I was getting myself into. I was talking to someone recently who didn’t think their voice would be listened to, I said ‘I as long as I am on the board – everyone gets to be heard. If you want to spend your time volunteering, we have a space for you.’ They didn’t feel they were good enough – you just need time and a good heart.”

The reward is in making things better and making people happy, he said.

“At 80 years old, people wonder why I don’t stop – I love to do it.” Laughing McCormack adds, “It keeps my brain going.” 

Looking for more?

There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.

December 2, 2021 in Blog, Notable Neighbours Comments (0)

Lighting up Lynn Valley

For eight years the lights have been twinkling behind Ruth Crescent. The almost hidden path behind Froggy Pad Daycare has been bringing neighbourhood smiles, raising money and shedding much-needed attention on underserved community issues. You are invited to visit the magical walk this December.  

Community built

In the cold and rain of late November, the Lee/Bassett family is carefully running last-minute checks of their community light display. With the first phase of the display lit up on December 1st, they still have music to add and a light show to program. Each year there is a little more to do on the community display in hopes of accomplishing two simple goals: delight the neighbourhood and support a valuable community cause: Team Finn. 

“There are about 80,000 lights,” estimated Jamie Bassett. “There are three trees with 2,000 each, so that is 6,000 right there.” 

Bassett and his sons Christopher and Nicholas are the primary executioners of wife/mom Catherine Lee’s vision. She is the owner of Froggy Pad and is deeply passionate about raising awareness of important community issues.  The back property and fence have a rotating showcase drawing attention to important causes. 

“Catherine received a grant to help create them. There is a teacher who does all the drawings and stencils and I help make the boxes. There are about eight different themes throughout the year,” said Bassett offering the examples of Black Lives Matter, Every Child Matters Indigenous support and Terry Fox. 

All year, along the forest path behind Ruth Crescent (accessed via the driveway of 4375 Ruth Cres.) there are a variety of displays to encounter. Larger spectacles for Halloween and Christmas raise money for the Burn Fund and Team Finn. 

“This is really a community effort,” said Bassett. “We have a neighbour help us set up and provide the electricity and another neighbour stores the lights and display items in their crawl space. We don’t have any storage with the daycare, so we simply couldn’t do it without our neighbours.”

Ever evolving, previous versions of the light display have used other properties and both sides of the path. This year the focus is on the Froggy Pad property after the District of North Vancouver ask them at Halloween to remove lights from the Districts’ side of the path.

Community causes

“People asked if they could help pay for the display and we thought we can do that but let’s support a good cause. Finn was planning to attend our daycare with his brother, so it was natural that we support their cancer research,” said Bassett. “Last year we raised about $1500. People just do it.”

Donations can be made at the front door of Froggy Pad Daycare at 4367 Ruth Cres. The entrance to the light path can be found just to the right via the neighbouring driveway. 

“Come by and enjoy this Upper Lynn community project,” he said. 

Photos courtesy of Christopher Lee. 

Looking for more?

There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.

December 2, 2021 in Artistic Endeavours, Blog, Community Events Comments (0)

Local love this holiday season

There has never been a better time to support a local business. With flood tragedies, international shipping delays and fuel shortages, it’s the perfect time to stay close to home and find unique gifts from service providers and entrepreneurs in our own neighbourhood this holiday season.

Art and Fashion

Glass artist Debbie Hungle works out of her home creating has gorgeous fused works and stained glass. From ornaments to candle holders to jewelry and decorative panes – her work captures the season. If you are lucky you might be able to book a workshop and create your own works of art under her careful guidance. She also offers gift certificates – perfect for custom work or for a future workshop. You can learn more at www.debbiehungle.com. Our picks are her curvy scenes – perfect for putting a candle behind. 

 

The handcrafted creations from Plunger Cove Studios are more art than toys with the perfect amount of whimsy. Inspired by the reclaimed materials themselves, each boat or ‘bot is one of a kind. The playful creations will be the perfect addition to a mantel or nursery shelf. It really is hard to choose one, the robots will inspire future creators but our pick is the classic Westcoast Tug.

 

The perfect kids’ Tee can be found at Wren Wood & Co. local mom’s Sherry and Natalie have put together the cutest Westcoast Friends Collection. With bears, beavers, wolves and otters embracing modern Canadiana, your tot will bring a smile to all who sees them. You can find them online or on Lonsdale at Monika’s Art Boutique. Our pick – it’s hard to choose, the Adventurer is great but the Gamer takes it.

 

For the quick pick head over to Bella Gia. Pam and Gianna have done the work of sorting through trends to capture a sophisticated vision of home and fashion. This season their fashion picks highlight cozy knits while their home decor focuses on creating a warm ambiance with beautiful candles and elegant linens. Our picks – with the editing done, their offerings all look like winners but the Holly Berry Embroidered Table Runner looks timeless enough to be a beautiful family tradition. 

 

Stepping into the world of Instagram collections Popcycle Kids curates a collection of vintage, retro and pre-loved kids clothes. Sisters Brittany and Alix founded Popcycle as they looked for the bold patterns and over-sized styles of the 80s and 90s for their own kids. They added to their collection each Sunday. Our pick – follow them on Instagram to snag their latest release. They offer free local pick up. 

 

Local writer and artist Jenn Ashton is a captivating creator. From felted hats to wood ornaments and a range of paintings and drawings. Her bold colours are joyously whimsical and her portraits dynamic. Also a writer, Jenn has her first book People Like Frank available now. Our pick is her book – this is a time to cozy up and immerse yourself in her collection of stories. 

Unique gifts

We just discovered Lynn Valley’s own Fiona’s Handcrafted Soaps. They are lovingly made from 100% natural, plant-based oils, and over 30 essential oils, and fragrance oils. These are little works of art in a functional daily-use product. Fiona began working with soap to find a gentle alternative to mass-produced products for her mother as she battled cancer. The results are handmade, hand-cut pieces. Our pick: either the Hot Chocolate & Marshmallows or Nanaimo Bar because they are the perfect stocking stuffer for a tween or teen who needs to wash.

 

If you aren’t quite sure what to pick, the Ecology Centre has in the past year or so stepped up its gift game. If you want to share a piece of North Vancouver there are beautiful gift selections from First Nations businesses supporting Indigenous artists. If you are new to the area there are guides and children’s books to learn all about our local habitat. Our pick is for the history buff: the centre is offering the recently republished Early Days in Lynn Valley by Walter Draycott. We have a second pick, the perfect gift offering less stuff and more family time: an Ecology Centre Membership which offers discounts on camps, the gift shop and birthday parties.   

 

Another gift of time is to support local family business Pasta Padella. Their pasta and risottos are made in Italy and quick frozen. You can give yourself or a loved one the gift of time by picking up these dishes and having a meal ready in just 10-15 minutes. You can find Pasta Padella online (free local delivery with a $29 purchase) or at Lynn Valley Meats. Our pick: the risotto with butternut squash. 

 

As we celebrate our second year in a pandemic, we have all learned to lean in and value those close to us. Local counselling psychologists Jordana, Shannon, and Christina have created an interactive card game to explore core values. Players examine and challenge their values by choosing between Val-You cards until they are left holding the three cards that represent what is most important to them in life. it can be played among friends and family or used as a tool by a variety of professionals in diverse settings, including counsellors, teachers, occupational therapists, managers, and within human resources departments. Check out the Val-You game. 

Looking for more?

There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.

December 1, 2021 in Blog, Merchant Mentions, Neighbourhood News Comments (0)

Celebrating the growing season

As the grey and the rain threaten to wash us away, we are so pleased to shine some light on the summer and fall we had by announcing the winners of our Fall Fair contest. It was a challenging year with the heat dome raging on in late June. While everyone’s grass turned brown there was still a lot of life left to be found in gardens throughout Lynn Valley.

Congratulations!

We love that more kids are getting involved in the garden – whether it was sunflowers or veggies – there were great examples of kids doing what kids do best: Getting their hands dirty. Congratulations to Eileif T. for his colour squashes.  

It was a polarizing year for gardens, we heard of bumper crops and disastrous drought depending on gardener experience. Congratulations to Megan A. for her colourful and bountiful harvest. 

The mild fall has allowed some flowers to still provide pops of colour to burst through the grey. Every year Lynn Valley has stunning ornamental gardens. Congratulations to Alexia S. we love the array she produces out of her small raised beds.

Looking for more?

There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.

November 29, 2021 in Blog, Contests, Eco-Awareness & The Great Outdoors Comments (0)

Rocking in a covid world

Artists often say art isn’t what they do, it’s who they are. When the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020 there were no more gigs for musicians like Paul Gemino. A passion to play began on a rainy front porch one night at 7pm, soon a neighbourhood was coming together through music and the Allan Road Band was born.

The day the music died

The shocking shutdown of life in March 2020 had local musician Paul Gemino lost. 

“Suddenly there was nothing,” he said. “Psychologically it was like there was a black cloud all around me. I couldn’t be all of me. It was like I was lonely or lost.”

The sounds of pots and pans brought Gemino out of his house one night. As a musician and composer with more than 35 years of professional experience – and encouraged by wife Faye Slevage – Gemino thought he could lend his guitar to the ragtag orchestra acknowledging front-line workers and healthcare personnel. 

“I played three songs that first night in the pouring rain on my covered porch,” said Gemino. “One guy came by. The second night there were three. Then a few more and more. But that first night, in the pouring rain, that first guy began [to clap], and it might as well have been a crowd of 10,000.”

Gemino’s thoughts echo countless other live performers who also lost not only their livelihoods but also the outlet for their passions. 

“I have been playing music since forever,” he said. “It’s in my DNA to be a musician.”

After the solo success of the first few nights, Gemino gave a call to a fellow musician and then two. Gaining momentum, another friend joined and another until the six-piece Allan Road Band was formed. 

“Eventually we did 40 days in a row – never repeating a song,” he said. “It was an organic sort of growing. We started to get people noticing, not just here but all over the world. My wife would put her cellphone up on a stand and record it and we would share it. Then I got a message from London, England asking me to play Jimi Hendrix’s Fire at an upcoming show. It’s a bit of a crazy song – but I thought ‘Yes.’ This whole thing has been about saying ‘yes’ to what could be.”

The current Allan Road Band has a lot of others saying yes too. Gemino is joined by Bill Schatz, Brian Carballo, Peter Lepine, Les Toth and Ron Froehlich. His wife Faye Savage picks up the other jobs like sound technician, PR and photographer.

Normalize the neighbourhood

What the Allan Road Band didn’t know was that their passion was also becoming a weekly beacon of light and hope in Lynn Valley. 

“We were living in strange times,” said Colleen Eschner, who lives in Gemino’s neighbourhood. “It was one hour to look forward to each week – and I really looked forward to it. It was a chance to see people you care about, to see neighbours, to experience something as a community and to do something that was safe – and normal.” 

As the weeks went on word of mouth spread and the sounds of music drew people to the unadvertised events. It was a chance for people to be outside and together but also socially distant, said Gemino.

“It was invigorating to see people talking and connecting – checking in, shuffling over to give space,” he said. “I didn’t know we had two paramedics on the street. Here I was thanking essential workers and they were out doing the work.” 

The weekly concerts were time to put aside the challenging time and escape for a little while.

“I had covid – getting quite sick,” said Eschner. “It was almost a shock to sit quietly and listen to the music again. It was hope. It was respite. It was so normal but everything was different. We were looking at the world through a different lens.”

One of Gemino’s joys was getting requests from patients in hospital. 

“I had one rule – no downers. Someone fighting for their health needs to hear energy or happy.”

Come together

As the summer and year went on the audience grew and was always appreciative. 

“I had a family move in next door and two days later I am pulling out gear and the ‘dad’ is dumbfounded. It’s not every day you move next door to a rock band,” laughed Gemino. “The ‘mom’ was about eight months pregnant and they came out with their 18-month-old that day and have been great supporters.”

There were other stand out memories like the connection the band fostered with DNV Firefighters during the Arglye grad parade, the 88-year-old neighbour from down the block who called her kids and grandkids and had a family picnic, and little three-year-old Nora who brings her ukelele and joins the band. That little maestro led to an entire kids concert with more than 15 ukeleles.

“Mabye three could play – and it was noise but it was fun noise,” said Gemino

The passion and joy of the band is palpable on show days, said Eschner. It draws the community out of their homes.

“When you go and sing along for an hour or just sit with a friend, it was so healing,” she said. “It holds on to you and echoes around in your head and body and stays with you.”

The path forward

As the regulations change the band moves forward – not onward. Gemino has been able to return to his other job, a taekwondo instructor but live music gigs are limited and not the same as before with restrictions like no dancing. As rough as that is for the Allan Road Band members’ other musical pursuits, it does mean they will be returning to the driveway as weather allows. 

“There is no question we will keep doing it. It’s all passion – and so much fun,” said Gemino. 

There is little doubt Eschner will be listening. 

“I so look forward to it and I so appreciate the time and effort of the entire band.” 

To learn more about the Allan Road Band check out their Facebook page. They hope to have concert number 75 soon. More on Paul Gemino can be found on Facebook and this page. 

Looking for more?

There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.

November 5, 2021 in Artistic Endeavours, Blog, Notable Neighbours Comments (0)

Local student’s art to help LGHF

When he couldn’t quite put his thoughts into words, turning to art helped Bjorn Thor be heard. The Lynn Valley Elementary Grade 7 student is the winner of the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation’s annual greeting card contest.

Colourful creation

A piece from a young local artist is doing double the good on the North Shore. Thor’s piece of original art had a first life as a line drawing design for a colouring contest for Lynn Valley Elementary students. Now, full of colour, the piece is gracing fundraising greeting cards and will soon be on tables and mantels across Canada and beyond. 

“It’s warm, it’s whimsical and it makes you smile,” said Yolanda Brooks, communications manager. “Not only did Bjorn choose bright and bold colours, his illustration is full of small, subtle details that show that he is talented beyond his years. Everybody at the foundation loves the design and we’re sure the community will too.”

“It’s amazing,” said Thor. “Nothing has ever happened to me like this. I am really happy.”

The bold design chosen by the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation features a sunset, snowman and gingerbread house. Those details were noticed by the selection committee at LGHF.

The joyful image was designed to inspire other kids to get creative, said Thor.

“Since it was originally going to be for a colouring contest I wanted it to be really fun and make them want to draw,” he said.

Art as a way of life

Thor says art has been a part of his life since he could hold a pencil.

“I wasn’t very good at saying stuff when I was little, so I would draw it out,” he said. “So basically I have been drawing my whole life.”

Thor’s art opened an important communication avenue that gave him an early voice, said mom Ainsley. 

“He was a bit hard to understand, and I would say ‘Draw it for me.’ and I would get it right away,” she said. “Bjorn could draw better at two than I can at 40-something.”

Today, Thor is falling in the artistic footsteps of his father and grandfather who both attended Emily Carr University of Art and Design. 

“It makes me really happy while I am doing it. It’s something that I can always get better at,” said Thor. “I am not really a sports person, so for me art is the best.”

There are benefits for the family too.

“I don’t have to stand in the rain on Saturday afternoons,” laughed Ainsley. “But I do have to buy some expensive pens – which we are happy to do – and visit some sketchy places to check out the latest graffiti.”

Inspiration IRL and on Instagram

Inspiration from other artists’ social media accounts, like Germany’s Smoe Nova and Toronto’s Uber5000, motivated Thor to practice his skills enough to start his own Instagram. In a push to be like the artists he admired, Thor began to focus on his art improving and evolving his style. On his feed, you can see the transition from an early ink-and-paper style to digital art.

“My goal is to paint large pieces of graffiti on legal walls,” he said. “An Ipad or paper is pretty small. I wish I can do murals someday.”

The family is supportive of Thor’s passion, embarking on local graffiti walks and visiting prominent skateparks and graffiti alleys during a cross-country road trip last summer. A highlight was being able to see some of Uber5000’s work in person.

“If a kid loved science, the family would visit science centres,” said Ainsley. “For him, it’s graffiti. We are so proud and I love that he is doing what he loves.”

The LGHF greeting cards (12 for $15) are available at their foundation’s office, 231 East 15th Street, and will soon be on the shelves of local Save-On-Foods. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go towards the purchase of a second MRI machine at LGH. To check out Bjorn Thor’s art follow him on Instagram or check out his website. 

Looking for more?

There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.

November 4, 2021 in Artistic Endeavours, Blog, Notable Neighbours Comments (0)

Looking for our Good Neighbour 2021

Some would say 2021 was another year of crisis. Lynn Valley has seen some horror, some change, some upheaval, and most definitely some hope. We want to celebrate the community members that share their time and skills to make our neighbourhood better. We are once again looking for nominations for our Good Neighbour for 2021. 

Notable neighbours

Day-to-day we try to gather interesting and innovative stories about Lynn Valley but one thing that can be missed is the quietest of stories. The good that goes on in our neighborhood every day – often unnoticed beyond the person or the organization helped.  Perhaps it’s an essential worker pushing hard or a volunteer that adapted and pivoted to keep supporting the cause they are passionate about. 

We have people step up in times of tragedy, we have those that day in and day out give of their time, money, and energy. We have those that invest in our schools, our community groups, our churches. We have those that are staples on our streets who step up and help neighbours and friends whenever it’s needed. From helping refugees to outstanding coaches to people who are practically community institutions.

Outstanding contributions year after year

The Good Neighbour Award has been going strong since 2012. We receive heartfelt nominations – some short, some long. Check out some previous winners and read their stories – we have an exceptional community! Last year we recognized walkstar Donna Moore. We were able to celebrate Matina Spiropoulos in 2019.  The year before, we had Linda Munro, a local who puts her hands in so many local groups. In the past, we have had Tim Green, a tireless supporter of the Lynn Valley Services Society and Molly Nye House. Dave and Wilna Parry are passionate advocates for refugees and immigrants. In 2015 we were proud to recognize Cath Bates Dimmock a volunteer with Argyle Secondary for more than 10 years! We have shared the astounding work of Lizz Lindsay and her charity Sharing Abundance that brings people together through food and programs that address food insecurity and social isolation. We love hearing about who makes a difference in your life and our community.

How to nominate your good neighbour

Who might our Good Neighbour be for 2021? Please send us a note telling us why you think your nominee makes Lynn Valley a better place to be. It doesn’t have to be long and fancy – just from the heart! Please send your suggestions to [email protected] before November 26, 2021. Lynn Valley’s Good Neighbour will receive a plaque, a restaurant gift certificate, and some well-deserved recognition!

Looking for more?

There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.

November 3, 2021 in Blog, Neighbourhood News, Notable Neighbours Comments (0)

Managing North Shore emergencies

The North Shore Emergency Management office has just released a plan to get residents thinking about how they will take care of their families if disaster strikes. This is part three in our series about environmental risks, wildfires, and the impacts on the North Shore.

Regional approach

A new director took the reins of the North Shore Emergency Management this past January. As Emily Dicken dove into the new role, she was pleased with the foundation built by the Districts of North and West Vancouver and the City of North Vancouver. As the risks around the province rose this summer with increased wildfire risk, it was an opportunity to see our regional plans in action. 

Emily Dicken

“The depth of capacity found on the North Shore supersedes a lot of municipal spaces,” said Dicken. “When municipalities work in silos, there isn’t the depth of capacity to manage large-scale events. On the North Shore because we have that tri-municipal program, we have been able to build incredible program capacity. We also have a huge depth of volunteer support we can draw on. We have people ready to drop everything in a time of crisis to help their community.”

As the province looked beyond the Interior to support evacuating communities, the North Shore was able to not only send firefighting resources to help, it was able to open its doors to evacuees. Residents of an Interior community came to the North Shore and NSEM supported with lodging, clothing, meals, Indigenous culture wellness – and even some fun activities, said Dicken.

  “People were coming to the North Shore because we had the capacity to support that,” she said. “It was an opportunity to test our functions and approaches without going through our own incident. We never really know what a response will look like until we’re in it. It was a chance to learn more without direct impact on our community.” 

Household approach

An early goal from Dicken was to build on the procedures in place at the municipal level and engage residents at the household level. The wildfire season was a fitting time to release the new North Shore Evacuation Guide.

“We know when people are prepared to evacuate is less traumatic and we know – even if you are prepared – evacuating is very traumatic,” said Dicken. 

“Given we had a potential for a devastating fire season and the impact on the forest from the looper moths I felt it was a great place to start with our evacuation strategy. We have a lot of work to do to communicate our expectations at the household level in an emergency. There is an incredibly rich and resilient evacuation plan and process in place for the various response agencies, but citizens don’t have access to that. What we tried to do is take the information we want people to know and break it down into action they can take in a tool that is easy to understand.”

The new guide covers the steps households should take prior to and during an evacuation. Most residents are not ready, said Dicken. People tend not to engage in preparedness unless they have gone through one before, she added. 

“It comes down to the household level to be prepared for an evacuation,” said Dicken. 

The guide begins by walking residents through the steps of their own personal evacuation plan. It covers what to pack in a ‘grab and go’ bag, as well as setting up a family and friends communication strategy. 

“We know there are some people in our community who will struggle with evacuations – people with mobility challenges, seniors who no longer drive and others who are in isolation,” she said. “There are gaps we need to close. This is ‘evacuation plan 1.0’ and it will evolve.”

The other key takeaway from the evacuation guide is to download the app Alertable. 

“Alertable will ensure people get information. The important part is not just the notifications that an evacuation is happening, there will be enough context provided that it will tell you where you can go safely.”

Dicken notes that Alertable is an additional tool with increased efficiency and comprehensive information but will not replace the neighbourhood or door-to-door notification will still take place by the fire department, police and volunteers in an emergency situation.

Neighbourhood engagment

Like many agencies, there have been challenges in the last 20 months for NSEM to continue its public education campaigns.

“With covid, it has been a lot harder. In normal years we would be in the schools doing presentations, we would be out at community gatherings and events,” she said. “There are these limiting factors that reduce the dialogue on what preparedness looks like.” 

NSEM has stepped up in important ways during this time. After the March stabbing at Lynn Valley Village, it moved out of its usual emergency support to leverage its provincial connections and resources to establish the Crisis Wellness Centre at Karen Magnussen providing mental health support for community members. 

When planning a response to a region or neighbourhood wide crisis, Dicken assures robust plans are well established. 

“There are almost no scenarios where we would need to evacuate the entire North Shore,” she said. “If you think of a seismic event, we won’t be using our bridges right away. We would look at other interoperable methods of transport like the Seabus until we know our infrastructure is stable.”

For a scenario like wildfire, the response will be measured. 

“There won’t be a mass exodus of the North Shore,” said Dicken. “What it will be is a very staged and focused evacuation where what we’ll do is move certain neighbourhoods out of the North Shore or into other areas.” 

If you take the time to plan, prepare your family, and download Alertable, you will be in a better position during a crisis, she said. 

“Intuitively, we know the best way out of our neighbourhoods. It can become paralysing if [government/support agencies] prescribe routes. It’s about creating a plan for your household, your neighbours and, if you work off the North Shore and have children, that you have a plan in place for them.”

Looking for more?

There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.

October 6, 2021 in Blog, Development and Town Planning, Eco-Awareness & The Great Outdoors Comments (0)

Stepping up for sick kids

Just weeks after leaving BC Children’s Hospital Beatrix Reilly spent her summer summiting 10 mountains. The nine-year-old is bagging peaks to bring IV medical treatments to sick kids.

A day’s play turned life upside down

Much of Reilly’s free time is spent outdoors. A typical North Shore tween she spends a lot of time in the forest. More than average kid, she thrives outside: tackling road and mountain biking, participates in a weekly forest school program and follows in the footsteps of her trail running mom. This is a lifestyle for the Lynn Valley family – her dad Ryan even runs  a business renting emergency locator beacons to weekend adventurers. It all stopped last April when a normal day of normal play resulted in a cut on Reilly’s knee and within 24 hours she was a long-term resident at BC Children’s Hospital. 

“Many people with this type of infection do not make a full recovery,” said mom Caroline. Severe necrotizing fasciitis kept Reilly in and out of Children’s and Lion’s Gate hospitals for two months. As her health improved she was offered a relatively new program that got her home and active again.

 “Towards the end of her stay she only needed to be there to get IV antibiotics,” said Ryan. “We were able to be a part of the Home IV program. It was a portable pump that went around her waist. She was able to go back to school, get back riding her bike. It gave her freedom again.”

The family was one of the first handful to take advantage of the new technology. 

“I was excited to give it a try because I wanted to see my friends,” said Reilly. 

As Ryan points out, for anyone juggling family, jobs and a sick child is difficult but a long hospital stay for a child is even harder during the covid pandemic. Visitors were very limited to only one family member. The addition of this new program frees up hospital resources and gets kids home and back to normal quicker, he said. 

From adversity to adventure

In March, before her injury, Reilly was getting excited about ‘peak bagging’ – that is the hobby of hiking to summit as many peaks as possible. The south coast has a number of informal groups and challenges encouraging people to get outside and active. In the early season with snow still on the ground, she reached three summits. The idea of continuing the challenge as part of her recovery led Reilly to launch her “Peak bags for IV Bags” fundraising challenge – on until Oct 31. The medical program is so new, Reilly’s fundraising will help with training and education materials for the Home IV program for staff at Children’s Hospital.  

“Peak bagging feels like an accomplishment more than a hike,” she said. “It’s an adventure. My favourite was Goat Mountain because it had lots of ropes and was really fun.”

Even with 13 peaks under her belt since March, like most kids, Reilly doesn’t always love hiking, said dad Ryan.

“There can be resistance, but getting to the top was her goal,” he said. “She like that we were tracking her peaks and that there was a leaderboard. She also liked seeing what [her mom] and I do for fun.”

Most of the hikes were done with family and progressed slowly to match Reilly’s improving health. When asked if the hikes were easier now, Reilly gave a clear ‘No!’

“I think you have gotten so much stronger, but you are choosing hikes that are also growing in difficulty,” chuckled Ryan, with a  look to Reilly. “The last week of September Beatrix reached Tim Jones and Seymour peaks for her ninth and 10th post-injury peaks.”

Big goals, big rewards

With the drive of helping more kids access the IV technology that made a difference to her quality of life, Reilly learned the power of setting goals. 

“I liked that I was raising lots of money,” she said. “And Slurpees at the end!”

For Reilly, the key motivation was her fundraiser but she also has other advice to get kids out, active, and bagging their first peaks:

  1. Good company – “Go with someone you want to spend time with, like a friend.” She noted little brothers don’t always make the best peak-bagging partners.
  2. Good Food – “Bring good snacks – like chocolate.” A rare treat for Reilly, who also finds gummies a good “but not as good as chocolate” choice.
  3. Good rewards – “Something like hot chocolate or a Slurpee at the end is the best.”
  4. Good timing – “I really liked sliding down when there was still snow.” A clear day also helps to enjoy the view and fully appreciate the summit, adds mom Caroline. 

To start bagging peaks all you need are some good hiking shoes, said Reilly, adding her mom carries a pack with an emergency blanket, safety gear, water, extra food and clothing, and a phone. For routes, fellow peak bagger and North Shore teen Harry Crerar has written a family hiking book. 

To donate to Beatrix Reilly’s Peak Bags for IV Bags challenge visit this page. 

Looking for more?

There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.

October 5, 2021 in Blog, Eco-Awareness & The Great Outdoors, Notable Neighbours Comments (0)

Virtual Fall Fair

With torrential rain in September and heat domes in June, Lynn Valley’s gardeners needed to adapt and innovate to make a garden worth celebrating! So many of you have. Short walks around the neighbourhood have discovered 10ft tall sunflowers – favourites of ours! – dazzling dahlias and whimsical wildflowers. The pandemic shift to gardening has stayed strong. 

Produce proud and sunflower successes

We want to share the gardening glory and hard work being invested in yards and patios. More than anything we would love to gather and look at your summer projects – woodwork, quilts and art. While we would really love to taste your jams, jellies, pickles, and pies, it doesn’t seem like the most covid-responsible idea.

Instead, we are putting together a digital Fall Fair – we want to share your hard work with our readers and Facebook followers. We are running a contest from now until Oct. 30 for residents of North Vancouver. We especially want to see the results of Project Sunflower!

We have four $25 gift cards to Maple Leaf Garden up for grabs!

Send us your photos in one of these categories.

  1. Best flowers/ornamental garden
  2. Best Veggies – garden or harvest
  3. Best basket or container of any kind
  4. Best under 13 years old – I grew it myself!

Here is how you do it:

Pick ONE entry per category.

Put the category in the subject of the email.

Email the photo to [email protected] – please send a SEPARATE email for each entry. For adults, there is a maximum of three entries, one per category and for children, a maximum of 4.

Include your name, postal code, phone number, age (if entering the child category), and any details you want to add about the photo.

Deadline Oct. 30, 2021.

By entering the contest you consent to receiving future editions of our newsletter, sent once a month. We will not distribute or sell your private information to others.

Looking for more?

There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.

October 5, 2021 in Blog, Contests, Eco-Awareness & The Great Outdoors Comments (0)