Local News – Front Porch Blog
Our Neighbourhood News: From the Front Porch of LynnValleyLife
Hi there neighbours, and a very warm welcome to our blog, From the Front Porch of LynnValleyLife.
Why do we call it ‘From the Front Porch’? Because that’s where the real news of a community is shared – on front porches and sidewalks, and in coffee shops and playgrounds. So sit down and stay awhile…. and check back regularly, so we can keep you in the Lynn Valley loop.
Visit here for musings on local life from our neighbourhood observer, Lynn O’Malley, and stories from our editor Peggy Trendell-Jensen. Publisher Jim Lanctot weighs in with news from the world of Lynn Valley real estate, and we look forward to bringing you a range of guest voices from your valley neighbours.
If you have any tidbits of interest, please send them along to our neighbourhood news-gatherer, Robin, at [email protected]. We can’t guarantee we’ll be able to post them all, but we’ll do our best to spread the word on this blog page or on our Facebook site!
Local landscaper gives top tips for lush lawns and great gardens
These spring landscape tips are provided by Lynn Valley local, Matt Boyd of Endless Summer Landscaping. Are you looking forward to a beautiful, lush, green lawn this year, surrounded by attractive gardens and dotted with healthy trees? These top five spring landscaping tasks will ensure your lawn looks great. Review ...
Fixed vs. variable rates: how to choose
This advice is provided to LynnValleyLife readers courtesy of Mortgage Dave, a local mortgage expert and busy volunteer in our community. One of the most important decisions when choosing a mortgage is whether to lock in a fixed interest rate or select a variable (floating) rate. With interest rates at ...
Mark Sager given mandate to gather public planning views
Last fall, Canada Safeway and Bosa Development sent North Vancouver District some preliminary applications for a newly imagined Lynn Valley Mall area. Their plans called for high-rise towers that got the 'thumbs-up' from some residents, but also resulted in an immediate outcry from many people who were concerned about traffic, ...
Project Sunflower set to launch!
This is the week that many of our LynnValleyLife Network members are receiving their Project Sunflower seed packets in the mail or on their doorstep (let's hope those late-season snow flurries won't be visiting the Upper Lynn area any more!) ...
Cousteau name graces LV French school
Last month, the The French International School of Vancouver (located in Lynn Valley's former Fromme Elementary building) honoured the legacy of visionary Jacques-Yves Cousteau — the most celebrated French defender of marine ecology— by renaming itself The French International School Cousteau. The school has pledged to make environmental awareness a ...
Writing fest comes to Lynn Valley Library
Readers of all stripes will find something to look forward to at the 2013 North Shore Writers Festival, which is being hosted this year at Lynn Valley Library on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20. Included in the line-up of visiting authors are Helen Humphreys, award-winning Canadian author of ...
Coach Janet’s Top 5 Procrastination-Busters
Procrastination eats away at our ability to achieve the success we want in our business and personal lives. It steals hours, days, months and years, and delays the benefits associated with completing our actions. Practice these five tips to start taking action today! 1. Find Your Motivation Think about the ...
LV Optometry employee plans Mexican aid trip
April showers bring May flowers, and for Krista Phillips at Lynn Valley Optometry, May is the month her dreamed-about non-profit endeavour will finally blossom. Krista is part of a team of young people who are travelling to an impoverished area of Mexico to work with small communities and help meet ...
Advent of spring means LV Day coming soon!
Happy Spring, everyone! Snowdrops and crocuses are currently doing their annual warm-up act for the daffs and tulips that will soon be putting on a show. But they aren't the only ones busy doing their thing. The organizers of the annual Lynn Valley Days community celebration have already been at ...
Almost-spring days give cause for celebration
From Lynn O'Malley's typewriter: These first sunny days of almost-spring make me realize how cabin-fevered I had become! There are still a few weeks 'til spring officially kicks in, and an even longer haul 'til we get some reliable, lasting warm weather, but in the meantime it feels like some ...
Leave space in the garden for Project Sunflower
Last fall, those of us at LynnValleyLife HQ had a great time reading the nominations for our first-annual Good Neighbour Award, which wrapped up at the end of December. In fact, we had such a good time, we realized we'd need another fun community initiative to keep us busy until ...
John Gilmour enjoys the present while planning for the future
John Gilmour’s name and face are familiar to anyone who has followed Lynn Valley issues and politics over the past few years – because if there’s one thing John likes, it’s meeting the people in the neighbourhood. His self-confessed passion for networking started early. He never confined himself to one ...
Coach Janet’s Top Five Ways to Accomplish More
The most successful people place high value on their time and constantly strive to use it more efficiently and effectively. As Brian Tracy says, “The starting point of developing good time management skills is for you to realize that time management is really life management. It is the way you take ...
School registration deadline approaches
It's time to think about September school entry, Moms and Dads! The North Vancouver School District Registration deadlines are here. You have until March 8 to ensure your child has priority for placement in their school of choice for September 2013. Look sharp - not long til the school bell rings! (P.S ...
Wintry weather perfect for library book sale
Don't let the rain and cold get you down - that's perfect weather for book-browsing! The Friends of the Library are having their semi-annual book sale this weekend, from Feb. 22 to 24 (see our Events Calendar for times). Each sale nets thousands of dollars of funds for library purchases ...
Lynn Valley tops Readers’ Choice Awards!
Breaking news! Consider this: if Vancouver is ranked amongst the Top 3 livable cities in the world, and Lynn Valley has just been picked as the North Shore's best neighbourhood, does that mean we just might live in what may be the best community on earth?!? We think so! Lots ...
LynnValleyLife welcomes 1,000th Facebook friend!
This past couple of weeks, our Facebook friends seemed to be multiplying by the minute - we were starting to wonder if there was something in the water! We're now delighted to announce our 1000th Facebook friend: Mary-Ann Yazedji, who pushed our 'like' button on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at about ...
LV man promoting mountain film fest
Lynn Valley resident Steven Threndyle is PR director for the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival. He'd like to invite the community to come out to the festival, which runs from Feb. 8 to 17. Steven, tell us about your role in the festival. I’m the PR director and social media ...
Coach Janet’s Top Five Leadership Qualities
While there are several qualities inherent to good leadership, a handful stand out as being more impactful than others. The good news is that each of these qualities can be learned by practice and repetition. Be Future-Oriented “You become what you think about most of the time.” – Brian Tracy ...
What does future hold for the Black Bear Pub?
Ever since the Lynn Valley town planning process first got under way, queries and rumours have been floating around regarding the neighbourhood's favourite 'local.' What, people wonder anxiously, will become of the Black Bear Neighbourhood Pub if redevelopment proposals for Lynn Valley mall and its parking lot are eventually approved? It ...
Adopt a Lynn Valley street today!
There's a great new North Vancouver District program that can improve your life - and your community - all at the same time. Whether you want to teach your kids responsibility, lose a few pounds, get your partner out walking with you more, meet your neighbours or help the environment, ...
New group supports those in pain
Heather Divine, founder and CEO of the non-profit People in Pain Network (PIPN), invites local residents to attend a new group that will meet in Lynn Valley on the fourth Wednesday of each month. The goal of the organization is to connect people who live with persistent pain and (and ...
Public hearing held for 27th and Mountain Hwy
Polygon, the developer behind The Branches residence across from Safeway on 27th Street, has proposed another multi-family complex on the corner of Mountain Highway and 27th Street. An open house to discuss the four and five-storey buildings was held on June 21, 2012, at Kiwanis Lynn Manor. The next step ...
Your views: citizens weigh in on town planning
We recently reported on North Vancouver District Council's January 7 vote to extend the community consultation period regarding Lynn Valley town planning proposals. LynnValleyLife invited readers to familiarize themselves with the relevant issues and background information and then to fill out a feedback questionnaire for possible publication. We appreciate the ...
Hear about LV runner’s Indian adventure
We recently reported that Lynn Valley's Hilary Ewart had successfully completed a 100-mile, five-day run through India's Himalayan range, in the company of other North Shore running friends. Now you can come hear Hilary and three other runners talk about their Himalayan adventure, along with the Mount Everest Challenge Marathon, ...
Kevin McKay creates Outhere designs
LynnValleyLife loves to profile local artists from all walks of life. If you're a Lynn Valley musician, writer, artist, or other performer, let us know and we'll send you our questionnaire! Here's our latest interview, with visual artist Kevin McKay: How long have you lived in Lynn Valley? My wife and I ...
Council votes to extend LV town planning consultation
North Vancouver District Council members sat in front of a packed house at their first regular council meeting since the Christmas break. Most people in attendance at the Jan. 7th meeting were there to demonstrate their interest in the future of Lynn Valley as envisioned in the Lynn Valley Town ...
Wanted: your thoughtful views on LV development plan
For a number of years, North Vancouver District planners worked on an Official Community Plan for the municipality, which was formally approved by council in June 2011. That OCP then became the foundation for the further planning of 'town centre' areas of the District, including Lynn Valley. During both processes, ...
Good Neighbour announced at LV Christmas finale
Wow! Lynn Valley, you've got what it takes! Last night's grand finale of the 12 Days of Christmas in Lynn Valley Village was a labour of love by so many, most particularly the hard-working valley folk in the Lynn Valley Community Association, the Lynn Valley Lions and the fine musicians ...
Anxious nighttime search something to remember
It was a wet, slushy night and our band gig down at the Lynn Valley Village Christmas Tree Walk had been cancelled. I was looking forward to a night in front of the fire, but life, of course, had other plans and at 4:30 p.m. I was instead trudging exasperatedly ...
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