Community Events

Starbucks celebrates 20 years!

It’s hard to believe, but our local Starbucks coffee shop has been in business for 20 years, and LynnValleyLife was fortunate enough to be there to celebrate the occasion.

Friday, September 13 was anything but unlucky for people who were in the shop just after 11 a.m. They were treated to a cake-cutting, a mini coffee ‘tasting’ tutorial, and a generally festive atmosphere.

More than that, however, it was lovely to hear a Lynn Valley Lions member, Mayor Richard Walton, and building owner Trudy Duller speak so warmly about the staff’s commitment to community service and the important role Starbucks has played in the neighbourhood.

That commitment was underscored by Dionne Richmond, who has been manager of the Lynn Valley Starbucks for the past six months. She encouraged groups and individuals to approach with community requests, saying she loves to get on board. “If you want us, we’re here,” she emphasized.

Local residents may not know that the Starbucks building has been owned by Trudy and Karl Duller, former owners of the Family Gourmet Deli in the mall, for more than two decades. In her short talk, Trudy laughed at herself for being a little tearful at the happy occasion, but said how satisfying it was for her to have such community-minded tenants.

She and the mayor later shared a laugh, too, recollecting that Richard Walton had originally wanted to lease the space for a business venture in his pre-mayoral days. Now, he told the guests, he is just glad to have Starbucks shops on hand to send people happy on their way to work in the morning, and complimented them on their high standard of customer service.

Trudy, who recalls early Starbucks founder Howard Schultz being present at the Lynn Valley grand opening  two decades ago, says another celebration will happen next year, when Pizza Hut will be marking its own 20-year anniversary in our small town. Like we said at the beginning – time flies!

 

 

September 13, 2013 in Blog, Community Events, Current News, Merchant Mentions

Celebrate Mollie Nye House centennial with traditional fall fair!

Before Mollie Nye bequeathed her home to the District of North Vancouver, the Lynn Valley schoolteacher could often be found canning the harvest from her vast garden or baking pies in her small kitchen. That pioneering creativity will be brought back to life as Mollie Nye House celebrates its centennial with a Saturday, September 21 event that will include an old-fashioned fall fair.

The craftsman-style house, built for Mollie’s parents Jack and Olive in 1913, will be the belle of the ball from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., surrounded by people in vintage costume, a model train display, community booths and family activities. Featured will be a traditional fall fair competition in which local residents are invited to become friendly rivals for baking and crafts honours.

Prizes will also be awarded on that day to the winners of the neighbourhood’s Project Sunflower campaign, for people who have grown the tallest or most sunflowers.

Mollie Nye House is operated by the Lynn Valley Services Society, and is home to the Lynn Valley Community Association and Lynn Valley Seniors Association. It houses a variety of programs for all ages.

The creation of Lynn Valley Services Society (LVSS) in 2012 was the evolution of a 10-year partnership between Lynn Valley Seniors Association and  Lynn Valley Community Association with the District of North Vancouver.

In 2003, both associations undertook to manage the day-to-day operations of the Nye House on behalf of the District. This was done through the provision of seniors’ programs during the weekdays, with other community use and rentals on evenings and weekends.  These same associations now work together to bring the community in to Mollie Nye’s house.

Says operations manager Helen Wait: “In the future,  LVSS will continue to provide a well-managed centre that welcomes the whole community every day.  As a registered charity and community services society, LVSS looks forward to working with the District of North Vancouver as well as other groups and facilities in Lynn Valley.”

For more information on the house, its programs, and the upcoming centennial event, visit the Mollie Nye House website.

 

 

September 9, 2013 in Blog, Community Events, Contests, Current News

Experience Polish life at LV festival

Updated September 25, 2013: Please scroll down for a post-event thank-you letter from the organizer!

Did you know that composer Frederic Chopin, two-time Nobel prizewinner Marie Skłodowska-Curie, and the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus were all Polish-born?

Well, they were. And if you’d like to experience the sights and sounds of their birthplace, you can visit a fun-filled Polish Cultural Festival being held at Lynn Valley Village on Sunday, September 8 from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The event is a first-of-its-kind for the North Shore, and will feature an extensive Polish food menu, the Polonez Polish Folk Arts Ensemble from Edmonton, a puppet show and a variety of soloists and musical groups.

We’re fortunate to be getting a unique event like this in Lynn Valley, and it’s largely thanks to the recent move of the North Shore Polish Association president from West Vancouver to our neighbourhood. For the past 10 years, Urszula Sulinska and other volunteers have promoted Polish culture and fellowship through concerts at Kay Meek and Centennial Theatre, art exhibitions, participation in the West Vancouver Community Day and Dundarave Christmas tree display, high school essay contests, and a variety of other activities. But the upcoming festival is something new.

“We noticed that there are a lot of different festivals in Vancouver: Italian, Greek, and – here on the North Shore – Caribbean, Filipino, and Iranian. This encouraged us to organize our own,” said Urszula. There is an exciting slate of performances planned, and food that includes sausages, pierogies and more.

The festival is happening just after the back-to-school rush, so mark it on your calendars now so you don’t forget it’s happening! You can learn more about the North Shore Polish Association on their website, here.

 

 

UPDATE: September 25, 2013

A thank you from the organizer…

On the sunny afternoon of September 8,  our community gathered at Lynn Valley Village to celebrate the First Polish Cultural Festival – a day of Polish music, dance and food.

This event, organized under the patronage and sponsorship of the Polish Consulate General in Vancouver, would not have been possible without the generosity of our sponsors, the help of many volunteers, and the performances of talented artists.

First of all, I would like to thank the Consul General of Poland Mr. Krzysztof Czapla, who has supported us from the moment we decided to organize this festival.

Coordination of an event like this was not an easy task, and it required a lot of effort and commitment. That is why I would like to thank a few people with whom I cooperated closely, and who made it a memorable and pleasant experience.

Among them were Lenia Calico, the real estate coordinator, North Vancouver District, who went out of her way to accommodate our every need, Dave Alexander, the store manager of Save-on-Foods in Lynn Valley Centre, and  Rory Barlow, the owner of Booster Juice-Lynn Valley & SFU.

A big thank you also goes to our most generous sponsors and lottery donors:

Sponsors:

  • DISTRICT OF WEST VANCOUVER
  • NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT
  • MERCEDES-BENZ SURREY
  • DOMINION LENDING CENTRES
  • POLISH CANADIAN CONGRESS

Lottery donors:

  • SAVE ON FOODS – Lynn Valley Centre
  • MAPLE LEAF GARDEN CENTRE – LYNN VALLEY ROAD
  • POLISH CANADIAN WOMEN’S FEDERATION – branch # 4
  • ANTONS’ PASTA BAR, BURNABY, B.C.
  • HEIKE’S HAIRLEGUIN,HAIR STUDIO – 3016 Mountain Hwy, Lynn Valley

I would like to thank all volunteers and especially the youth: Kyla Drzazgowski, Angelica Drzazgowski, Alexandra Wesolowski, Vanessa Hercun, Karol Romanowski, Robin Borawski, Krzysztof Izdebski, Kevin Saffarzadegan, Maciej Nowakowski and all the members of the North Shore Polish Association Belweder.

We are looking forward to hosting future events like ours that bring community together and enrich our summer days.

Sincerely,

Urszula Sulinska,
President
North Shore Polish
Association Belweder
[email protected]

August 24, 2013 in Blog, Community Events, Current News

Have you got talent, Lynn Valley??

Well, of course Lynn Valley’s got talent – lots of it! So we’re thrilled that Lynn Valley Village is putting together a Lynn Valley’s Got Talent event. And we’re confident it will rival anything you’ve seen on TV to date, if only because you might just know the people on stage!

There will be three age categories: Kids (12 and under), Youth (13-18), and Adults (19+).  Get creative with your entry, your ‘talent’ might be anything from bands, singing, magicians, mimes, or something that’s a unique passion of your own. Participants will be asked to submit a video between Sept. 1 and 15; these will be posted on the Lynn Valley Village facebook page and the vote-counting will begin.

The Top Three in each category will perform live in front of judges at the Lynn Valley Village on Saturday, October 5 between 1 and 3 p.m. So start tuning your fiddle, warming up your yodeller, or polishing your dance shoes – we’re looking forward to cheering you on! Details are on the poster below, and in more detail, along with an entry form, at this LV Village facebook page; entries are to be sent to [email protected].

 

August 23, 2013 in Blog, Community Events, Contests, Current News, Getting Involved

Project Sunflower to honour best blooms

The stems are staggering, the leaves are lion-sized, and the blooms are bursting open. Congratulations to all you Project Sunflower growers who managed to nurse your seedlings through to flowering!

We’ve seen the results as we’ve been cruising the neighbourhood streets, and some of the sunflower patches are a sight to be seen. Unfortunately, a fair number of people (and we thank them for their efforts!) planted seeds that rotted in this spring’s ongoing rainy weather. Alternately, some of the seedlings that did manage to poke their heads up were promptly decapitated by irksome slugs. But we figure that’s all the more reason to celebrate the ones that survived!

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August 16, 2013 in Blog, Community Events, Contests, Current News, Eco-Awareness & The Great Outdoors, Project Sunflower

LV town centre planning: a range of perspectives

UPDATED: June 28, 2013

You’ve seen the signs around the neighbourhood, the pamphlets in your mailbox, and the emails in your inbox. As public consultation regarding the implementation plan for Lynn Valley’s town centre intensifies, a range of views are being expressed from North Vancouver District, informal citizens’ groups as well as individuals, and Mark Sager on behalf of Bosa Devlopments.

Exchanges amongst fellow citizens range from enlightening to heated. Well-presented opinions have the undecided amongst us swinging from one perspective to another and back again. Less helpful are those people who are taking up a post at the entrance to the NVD open houses and encouraging attendees to sign their anti-high rise petition even before they’ve had a chance to go inside and research the information for themselves. (This was the subject of one recent presentation to council by LV resident Dan Ellis.)

At LynnValleyLife our position in this whole process has been to encourage two things: first, that people get engaged in learning about the options and expressing their views; apathy isn’t the path to a healthy neighbourhood. Second, that people engage in debate that is constructive, not inflammatory. Anger is rarely the path to a creative solution.

To that end, we asked our readers to give us their response to the earlier implementation plans that included mixed housing, including high-rise towers, and a variety of public amenities. We published all the responses we received; they were well thought out and make for good reading.

Now that a new consultation round is under way, there are a range of individuals expressing their considered views. Two very different perspectives  are expressed by longtime Lynn Valley community volunteer John Gilmour, whose recent email describes why he sees the proposals as a great chance to create a “multi-use lifestyle centre,”  and by the anonymous author of this tract,  which is being distributed online and around the neighbourhood and calls the proposals a form of gentrification.

The “StopHiRises” citizen activist group is decided in its views and its eagerness to get more signatories to their petition, which demands a cap of five storeys on future building in the valley. Recently, a supporter of the tower-inclusive development proposal published his views on a “Lynn Valley Revival” website of his own; it includes a page of letters from other residents supportive of building up, not out.

Fortunately, amongst the divergent voices there are some resources available that will help you make up your own mind. The North Vancouver District “Identity” website has been made easier to navigate in the past view days, and includes a “Frequently Asked Questions” document that gives an excellent background to the debate (and explains why more homes need to be built in the first place).

The Identity website has links to the display boards and models from the open houses, and to an online feedback form that is available until July 5. Under Step #4, they have also linked relevant documents, such as the aforementioned FAQ as well as the recently released Lynn Valley traffic study that will show the impact of density on traffic flow in the neighbourhood.

At time of writing, there is one more DNV open house at which to see the models in person and to ask questions of the District planning staff. We’ve been to two of the four open houses, and are pleased to see that they seem to have been well attended by a mix of people. The last one is at Argyle Secondary on Wednesday, June 12 from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

 

June 8, 2013 in Blog, Community Events, Current News, Development and Town Planning, Getting Involved, Governance and Services

LVL-sponsoring realtor to speak at RBC retirement planning event

Ever wondered what your Lynn Valley home is worth, and what choices you might make for downsizing in this neighbourhood? And how to best use your freed-up capital to create an ongoing income stream?

LynnValleyLife-sponsoring realtor Jim Lanctôt and Jeffrey Smithson, RBC financial planner, will address these questions and more at an upcoming seminar hosted by RBC Financial Services. As you’ll see below, the food is good and the seating is limited, so scroll down for details on how to RSVP asap!

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June 4, 2013 in Blog, Community Events, Current News, Real Estate News

Interesting online option for sharing town centre views

We’ve been promoting the two most recent opportunities presented for Lynn Valley residents to get involved in shaping Lynn Valley’s future – those are the NVD June Open Houses, and Mark Sager’s Bosa-sponsored storefront in Lynn Valley Centre.

It’s our hope that everyone made or will make the effort to attend one of these forums – especially given the importance of the issues, and as we know there are a variety of strong views out there in the neighbourhood!

But regardless of how you learn about some of the options for future development, there are different ways to share your feedback. One of them is a great online tool that asks you about your priorities and preferred “looks” for the village area, and gives visual examples  you can choose from to best illustrate your likes and dislikes.

Please click here for instructions on filling out the online or paper-based feedback form – this stage of input ends on July 5. That’s a month away, but it will be a busy month, so don’t put it off!

June 4, 2013 in Blog, Community Events, Current News, Development and Town Planning, Governance and Services

Lynn Valley Day 2013 was a blast!

– photo courtesy Sonia McDiarmid

Well, we had a great time at Lynn Valley Day, and we hope you did, too! To judge by the smiles in the crowd and the happy participants in the LVL games and races, Lynn Valleyites know better than to let a little rain dampen their spirits.

From the Friday night gala, to the pancake breakfast, parade, displays, crafts, races, carnival rides, concerts and more, Lynn Valley Days 2013 was a wonderful celebration of community. Thank you so much to the host organizations (Lynn Valley Lions and the Lynn Valley Community Association), the extra volunteers who stepped up, the incredible merchant sponsors who make the event possible, and everyone else who went the extra mile to make this day something to be proud of.

Take a minute to check out our online photo album, and submit some of your own shots to us if you have a favourite you’d like to share!

May 25, 2013 in Blog, Community Events, Current News, Lynn Valley Day

Celebrate the Long Weekend with great dance band!

Lynn Valleyites are invited to get their groove on  – the Lynn Valley Legion is bringing back a great crowd-pleaser on Saturday, May 18!

Says organizer Brenda Williams: “Once again we have convinced one of Vancouver’s best R ‘n B, blues,  and funky dance bands to come to the North Shore for a night of super fun, dancing and socializing! This event always sells out, but we’d like the neighbourhood to know that there is some fine entertainment in the Valley!”

 Doors open at 7 p.m., and the band starts at 8 and goes until about midnight. Tickets are $20 and available at the Legion during business hours (they are open 7 days a week). Ticket info is at 604-987-2050.

May 14, 2013 in Blog, Community Events, Current News