It wasn’t easy, but LynnValleyLife finally caught up with Lynn Valley Day organizer Eric Miura on Friday – a rare chance to spend some time with this uber-busy volunteer who juggles his day job with executive roles in the Lynn Valley Lions and Lynn Valley Community Association.
At this time of year, that means Eric and the rest of the Lynn Valley Day team are living and breathing plans for the huge community event, which in 2016 has grown from two days into three.
Mark your calendars! After decades in its last-weekend-of-May slot, Lynn Valley Days is moving to the weekend of June 17 to 19, 2016. And along with the move comes a great new event – a Father’s Day breakfast on the Sunday morning!
Guests at the Friday night Gala will enjoy catering by Louis Gervais and dancing to the tunes of Angela Kelman. Tickets are $150, which includes two drinks.
We bet there are a ton of great Lynn Valley Day photos floating around out there, but here are some from the editor’s iPhone, taken in between shifts running the egg-and-spoon races! Thanks to everyone who pitched in, paraded, participated and celebrated our wonderful community at this fun annual event!
From Lynn O’Malley, Voice of the Valley
She may have accomplished many things in her life since, but chief among Jane Jessop’s memories is being crowned May Queen at the 1962 Lynn Valley Day. And it wasn’t just any Lynn Valley Day – they really put on the Ritz as it was the 50th anniversary of the first Lynn Valley Day that took place in 1912 in Lynn Canyon Park.
It wasn’t Jane’s first Lynn Valley Day, though. Then Jane Hambleton, she had been one of the May Queen’s flower girls when she was just in Grade 1. But that was nothing compared to being chosen by popular vote from amongst four or five other Lynn Valley Elementary School girls to be the May Queen in Grade 6.
By contributing writer Len Corben
My mother’s Achilles heel was actually her most valuable asset. At least it was on the afternoon she entered the Lynn Valley Day walking race from 15th Street and Lonsdale Avenue to Lynn Valley Park on June 1, 1957, coming up 58 years ago now.
With this year’s Lynn Valley Day scheduled for Saturday, May 30, this is the perfect opportunity to tell the tale of my mom’s victory using a rather unorthodox finishing kick.
Thanks to our internet-connected world, a little piece of Lynn Valley history recently came to light.
Kim Wertenberger of Wapato, Washington, sent LynnValleyLife a photo of a much-cherished trophy that once belonged to her grandfather, Brian J. Ingoldsby. “I love it dearly and wanted to share it with you,” wrote Kim, who had unsuccessfully tried to make contact with someone in Lynn Valley years ago. This time, her internet search found an appreciative audience in the LVLife editorial office.
The trophy was given to Mr. Ingoldsby for winning the “Mile Flat Race” in 1921, 22, and 23. The race was run at the first-ever Lynn Valley Day in 1912, and again in 1913, but there is a significant gap in the dates while World War One interrupted such idyllic pastimes. (For a first-hand account of another Lynn Valley man’s experience of this period, see Walter Draycott’s online chronicle of The Great War.) It must have been celebratory indeed when Mr. Ingoldsby won the race when it made its reappearance in 1921.
Says Kim: “I was told that [my grandfather] qualified for the Olympics as a runner, but was spiked by another runner’s shoe so couldn’t participate. I’m not sure about the truth in that or even if I am remembering the story correctly…but he won this trophy three years in a row so he must have had some skill!”
A year or two ago, Lynn Valley Day was voted the North Shore’s best festival in the North Shore News’ Readers’ Choice Awards. That same year, Lynn Valley was voted the best neighbourhood in which to live. Coincidence? We think not.
The same things that make a great festival make a great hometown. That’s friendly people, an engaged citizenry, a commitment to our shared environment, and lots of volunteer help when it’s needed.
Love ’em or hate ’em, adopt them or not, thoughts of new year’s resolutions are on most people’s minds each year when the calendar reaches its final days.
As we know, most well-intended resolutions die a quick death in the first few weeks following January 1. But surely it is still worth taking the time to look ahead at the year to come and ask yourself what you’d like to bring to it, and get from it.
Wow! What a great Lynn Valley Day weekend! The LynnValleyLife crew was busy running the games pitch and the new SuperKids Obstacle Course, but were able to capture some of the park and parade festivities on camera. Here is a re-cap on the day from organizer Gillian Konst, director of the Lynn Valley Community Association:
Thank you to everyone for the biggest and best Lynn Valley Days so far.
With the weather firmly on our side, this was truly the best attended and most succesful Lynn Valley Days ever. We don’t have hard numbers yet, but it’s estimated that up to 15,000 people visited the park on Saturday!
Hundreds of volunteers, along with the exhibitors and parade participants, made it a day to remember for the thousands who came out to enjoy the rides, games, Cookshack, activities and entertainment.
The warm weather also meant that our inaugural evening concert and BBQ dinner on Saturday evening were a big hit. What a great way to end the weekend!
Lynn Valley Days is organized by the community for the community. It is all about building and strengthening the community in which we live. Thanks to our generous sponsors and donors we have two beneficiaries from our weekend: The Tim Jones Legacy Fund and The North Shore Disability Resource Centre.
We were surprised but thrilled to discover that the night of our gala would also have been Tim Jones’ birthday; we were able to raise a glass and toast this remarkable man and the legacy he has left us.
Thank you from The Lynn Valley Community Association, Lynn Valley Legion and Lynn Valley Lions to everyone who pitched in, donated, participated and came to support the 102nd Lynn Valley Days. Together we make a difference in the community and you are all part of continuing the tradition.
There was a full house (well, tent) out to enjoy The Boom Booms Saturday evening.
The Boom Booms kept toes tapping from 5 to 8 p.m.
The Boom Booms
The LVLife SuperKids Obstacle Course Leaderboard showed top times by age group at day’s end!
LVLife sponsoring realtor Kelly Gardiner took a (sadly unsuccessful) run at top time for the SuperKids Obstacle Course Masters category. He was doing well until it was time to “skip his age”!
This Black Bear Band niece is getting an early intro to the art of the trombone from Uncle Jeff Seddon, a member of the band’s ‘Impalers’ t-bone section.
Harry skips his age to finish up the obstacle course, and is named winner of the Masters category!
Harry knocks the blocks off and prepares his return through the slalom run.
A ballerina gets instructions and encouragement from a LVLifer as she starts out on the SuperKids Obstacle Course.
We had a great time running the games pitch. The old-fashioned relay races are always popular, as was this year’s new SuperKids Obstacle course.
Bodies were flying everywhere at this cool challenge, in which players had to take to the air in order to avoid being knocked off their pedestals by the randomly twirling bonker thing (there is probably a more technical term for it, but whatever it’s called, it’s fast!)
Great salmon car from the North Van Outdoor School alumni.
A small ensemble from the LV Black Bear Band entertained passersby. This could be you next year! Join up at www.blackbearband.ca.
LVLIfe sponsoring realtor Jim Lanctot, looking dashing in a sombrero, coaches a Masters category runner through the obstacle course.
This was one of our best tower-builders of the day! It cost him some valuable seconds, but we confidently predict this detail-oriented young chap will go far.
Gunnysackers gave it their all.
Neighbourhood seniors are well represented by the LV Seniors’ Association.
The sword play looks pretty authentic!
A Tin Man from LV United looked the part.
LV United had a great float in the parade, with Wizard of Oz characters following behind.
They may be relaxing now, but things got pretty hectic at the LVLife Games pitch once the parade was over!
Marching bands had the perfect weather to strut their stuff.
Lynn Valley Elementary Band’s rendition of Louie, Louie was enjoyed by all.
Tucker the Turtle presses some flesh.
It was all peace and love with the Zazou ’70s singers.
Fairy tale princesses and other book characters marched along with the NVD Library parade entry.
Mmmmm…. Purdy’s Hedgehog.
The Lynn Valley Lion reminds everyone to get their Christmas trees from the Lions, and see your money do some good in the community!
Our first two contestants in the SuperKids Obstacle course.
LVLife threw its annual pre-Gala shindig at the home of Jim and Cindy Lanctot.
This LV Lion has some tough comptetition in the gunny sack race. He was wishing he was mascot for the Lynn Valley Kangaroos.
There won’t be any “post-Lynn Valley Day” let-down this year, thanks to a new event sponsored by Bosa Development.
Lynn Valley Day won’t wind down with the last spin of the carnival merry-go-round on the afternoon of May 31. Instead, it will be capped off by a high-energy evening finale delivered by The Boom Booms, a soul/funk band that’s based in Vancouver but tours internationally.
Mark Sager, who has assisted with the community consultation for the Lynn Valley Mall redevelopment, organized the evening to give families a night out and to raise funds for the North Shore Disability Resource Centre (NSDRC).
The Boom Booms were voted Vancouver’s Favourite Band by Georgia Strait readers in February 2014, and have just returned from a tour in Hawaii (click here to learn more about them). With a new album coming out on July 5th and gigs all over the Lower Mainland and province this summer, the band is busy – but not too busy to make an appearance at Lynn Valley Day. Admission to this event by donation with 100% of the proceeds going straight to NSDRC. Organizers promise that it will be a wonderful community event, and a wonderful opportunity to support a great organization.
The event will take place under the big white tent on Lynn Valley field, and run from 5 to 8 p.m. on the evening of Saturday, May 31. Concert-goers are invited to bring some friends and a blanket to sit on, and to enjoy dinner or snacks from the Lions Cook Shack to make a real community night of it!
For a schedule of other Lynn Valley Day events, click here.