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Benefit concerts coming to Lynn Valley

There are two musical fundraisers coming to our neighbourhood to promote two excellent causes!

On Saturday, March 11, acoustic guitarist Stephen King will be hosting an evening of good music and good company to raise funds for those affected by the recent Upper Lonsdale apartment fire. Non-perishable food donations to the Harvest Project are also welcome at the door, as the Harvest Project has been helping those rendered homeless with some immediate needs.

The concert will take place at St. Clement’s Anglican Church, 3400 Institute Road, starting at 7 p.m. Details are here.

And over at Lynn Valley United, a great evening of world music is being planned for Sunday, April 2 at 3 p.m. According to their post:

This concert is a fundraiser for North Shore United Refugee Response, a cooperative effort by the seven United Churches on the North Shore to sponsor two Syrian families fleeing their homeland and currently waiting in a refugee camp for entry into Canada. More than sponsorship, this endeavour will re-unify the refugees with families that have already settled in the Lower Mainland.

In celebration of diversity, fascination with all cultures, and building harmony through the language of music, you are invited to join us at Lynn Valley United Church on Sunday, April 2 at 3:00pm for an auditory and visual feast of music and song.   From Indian tanbur to a children’s choir and Syrian guitar, from didgeridoo to string quartet, come hear the many colors of instruments in our world.

So if you’re looking for a way to get out and enjoy a new musical experience without having to travel out of your neighbourhood – and like to know that you’re supporting a good cause at the same time – these concerts might be what the doctor ordered!

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March 8, 2017 in Blog, Community Events, Current News

Lynn Valley United invites all to grand opening of new church

For decades, Lynn Valley United’s red-brick church was a community landmark at the corner of Mountain Hwy and Harold Road, just across from Lynn Valley Elementary School. Even non-churchgoers enjoyed its annual fall fairs and encouraging notes on its message board near the street.

Now its members are ready to welcome the public again, this time into a brand-new building on the same location. For well over a year, the church has been using temporary locations in the neighbourhood for worship, administration and its Friday Night Live gigs while its property was redeveloped into residential units that curl around a bright new church.

Labyrinth on marbleMembers have been getting the feel of their new worship space since just before Christmas, and are looking forward to throwing open the doors to all on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. Everyone is invited for church tours, refreshments, a ribbon-cutting and more.

One feature of the new sanctuary is the incorporation of a labyrinth on the floor. “Walking the labyrinth” is an ancient Christian meditative practice that has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity over the past number of years. Those interested in learning more are invited to a free mini-workshop taking place on Sunday, Feb. 26 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Learn more about both events, and about its revamped Friday Night Live offerings, here.

 

February 24, 2017 in Blog, Community Events, Current News

Keep your finger on the pulse of development in Lynn Valley

Mairi Welman, North Van District’s communications manager, recently let us know about two new online tools you can use to keep abreast of issues affecting your neighbourhood.

If you’d like to receive email notifications of new development applications in Lynn Valley, or across the entire District, just sign up here.

And if you go to this link, up will come a map of the District with icons representing the major development applications that have been submitted but not yet approved by council. This info is updated once a week. Once projects have been approved, they are moved over into “Traffic Impacts” (a separate tab on the map), which shows road improvements that are under way as well as how each development under construction is handling traffic and any re-routing or disruptions are scheduled.

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February 17, 2017 in Blog, Current News, Development and Town Planning, Governance and Services

Lynn Valley right to prepare for floods

By guest writer

No one in Lynn Valley needs to be reminded that their neighbourhood sees more rain than anywhere else in the Greater Vancouver region. The area gets about 2,500 mm of precipitation every year while the airport receives about 1,400 mm.

This brings up the question of heavy rains that can lead to flooding, and what to do about it. In November 2014 a heavy rainfall in Lynn Valley caused creeks to overflow their banks and turned quiet streets into rivers. Up to 17 homes were evacuated and at least 20 homes suffered water damage. Mud and water from Hastings Creek also washed into Argyle Secondary, damaging about eight classrooms and shutting the school down.

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February 11, 2017 in Blog, Current News, Eco-Awareness & The Great Outdoors

Open Houses held to demo highway improvements

With the recent announcement about increased funding that will allow for a smoother flow of  traffic up to and around the Ironworkers Memorial bridge, two meetings have been scheduled to update the public and answer questions. Please see this Lynn Valley Community Association press release for details:

News on the recently announced east-west local connection
and improved highway interchange in Lower Lynn

The Ministry of Transportation will be hosting two Open Houses to present in more detail the plans for the enhanced highway interchange project in Lower Lynn, along with the new east-west connection for local traffic.

The new interchange will give Lynn Valley residents direct south-bound access to Highway #1 and on to Second Narrows Bridge. Local traffic travelling east or west over Lynn Creek will have a new, direct and entirely local connection.

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February 4, 2017 in Blog, Community Events, Current News, Development and Town Planning, Governance and Services

Clean out your closets and support local charities

You have no doubt seen charity drop-off boxes all over the North Shore on your walks or drives around town.

P1360483You can drop books, shoes and used clothing in them in for re-use by someone who needs them. Not all these boxes are for charities, however; some are for commercial for-profit companies and the difference is not always as clear as it should be, so a careful reading of the information on the box is important.

The donation boxes found outside Winners at Lynn Valley Mall are all for reputable, non-profit charities, operated by commercial firms. There are three of them in a row, so take your pick. The orange box is maintained by the BC Children’s Hospital Auxiliary. On the front of the box there is a sign clearly stating their charity is 100 per cent non-profit.

The green box in the middle states it is maintained by Green Inspiration BC, and a portion of the proceeds go to the Boys and Girls Clubs of BC. You can phone Green Inspiration (778-927-2073) to learn more. Its website states the following: Clothing which is in good condition is sold and delivered to some developing countries where locals are given access to more affordable garments. Only a small portion of the donations, which are not in usable condition, are going through the process of recycling that gives old clothes a brand new life and reduces the amount of waste going into landfills. Learn more here.

The blue box on the end of the row is a fundraiser for Canuck Place Hospice. A disclaimer on the box states that the service is owned and operated by Trans-Continental Textile Recycling Limited, which donates a portion of proceeds to the hospice. If you have any questions, you can phone the company at 604-592-3008. A letter on the Canuck Place website attests to the fact that over $300,000 has been donated to the charity through this method

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January 21, 2017 in Blog, Current News

Lynn Valley donors warm hands and hearts

‘Twas the week before Christmas (or maybe a bit more)
When we asked you to keep your eyes peeled at the store
For gloves and hats, and protection from sleet
To help Cpl. Wong bring some warmth to the street.
You opened your hearts, and pulled out your purse
And here’s where we switch to narrative from verse…

It’s hard to switch into prose, however, because there was much that was poetic about our visit with Cpl. Randy Wong and his wife, Sahar Manochehri. The couple visited the LynnValleyLife editor’s home to pick up several large bags of items donated by readers to help stock the ziplocked care kits that Randy and Sahar assemble and distribute for the homeless in our local communities.

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January 4, 2017 in Blog, Current News, Getting Involved, Governance and Services, Notable Neighbours

Lynn Valley’s Good Neighbours for 2016 welcome the world

For those of us at LVLife HQ, a favourite holiday highlight is letting one of our local citizens know that they have been singled out for LynnValleyLife’s Good Neighbour Award. This year, we got double the pleasure, as this 2016’s Good Neighbours are a husband and wife. Wilna and Dave Parry were both surprised and delighted to receive the news, which was delivered along with a fresh Christmas wreath, donated Black Bear Pub gift certificate, and the promise of their engraved plaque in the new year.

Dave and Wilna have called Kirkstone Road their home for 26 years now, but these amazing Lynn Valley citizens took the scenic route to get here. Wilna was born in South Africa, and met Dave there as a young adult. Dave was an English speaker; at that time, Wilna only spoke Afrikaans. But a romance developed, and married life brought them to Canada.

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December 24, 2016 in Blog, Current News, Getting Involved, Notable Neighbours

Hastings Creek kept clean by dedicated crew

By staff writer

If you saw a team of people strolling through the woods wearing muddy boots and toting hockey sticks on a rainy Saturday afternoon in the fall, you might think: “Yes, it’s hockey night in Canada, but these folks have gone too far.” The North Shore Streamkeepers (NSSK) are true Canadians, but they aren’t playing street hockey on the pond. They are cleaning the creek and looking for signs of coho salmon, all the way up to the pond. Donovan’s Pond, that is.

Hastings Creek is one of the six tributaries of Lynn Creek. Considered one of the most important small fish-bearing streams in North Vancouver, Hastings originates on the east slope of Grouse Mountain and flows through Princess Park, Hunter Park, the Lynn Valley commercial area, and various residential areas until it joins Lynn Creek in the Arbour Lynn area.

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December 22, 2016 in Blog, Current News, Eco-Awareness & The Great Outdoors, Notable Neighbours

Westlynn Meats serves local “foodies”

By staff writer

The Dos Santos family has been selling meats and seafood at Lynn Valley Mall for 15 years now. There’s a reason for their popularity. “It’s all about the customers,” says Mike dos Santos, wrapping a bag of pork chops for a customer and handing it over. “We always listen to what the customers have to say and are attentive to their questions and requests. If somebody wants a special item, we get it for them.”

The other key element to their longevity comes as a bit of a surprise. Evidently there are a lot of “foodies” in Lynn Valley, who are very particular about what they order, and when. Fresh and local are two other key pieces to the puzzle. Seasonal might be another.

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December 16, 2016 in Blog, Current News, Merchant Mentions