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!

Hastings Manor restoration unveiled

Hastings Manor restoration unveiled

From the desk of Jim Lanctot: I was out walking my kids to school one morning in mid-December when I stopped to look at the renovations just finishing up at Hastings Manor, across the street from Lynn Valley Elementary. Like many people in the neighbourhood, I had wondered what had ...
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A Christmas wish list for our community

A Christmas wish list for our community

CHRISTMAS TIDINGS FROM VALLEY FOLK: If you’re like many of us heading towards, or comfortably settled into, middle age, Christmas has ceased being a time at which we wonder anxiously what Santa will bring us. When it comes to more ‘stuff,’ most of us need nothing. Instead one’s thoughts turn ...
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North Shore News Winners

LVL thanks conscientious carriers

It takes a village to raise a child, they say, and we’ve found the very same philosophy applies to a new business. So we wanted to thank some of the young people in our village who have helped us spread the word about the launch of LynnValleyLife, our community website ...
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After-school art starts again in January

After-school art starts again in January

After-school art programs are once again coming to Lynn Valley schools in the new year! Have a look-see at this schedule and you’ll find everything from watercolours to digital storytelling. Then in January watch for our story about the new Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian art, and how some Lynn ...
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Girls offered free yoga

Girls offered free yoga

Who wants to get stretchy? Christina Kinch, the new youth ministry leader at Lynn Valley United, is also a certified Hatha yoga teacher. She's leading free, drop-in yoga classes for girls in Grades 5 through 12 on Tuesdays from 5 to 6:15pm. Last one before the Christmas break is Tuesday ...
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Buskers add a new element to village life

Buskers add a new element to village life

FROM THE DESK OF LYNN O'MALLEY: We've been treated to all sorts of musical offerings in our village square, from the summertime concert series to occasional performances by community groups such as the Lynn Valley Black Bear Band and the North Shore Celtic Ensemble. Now even more lovely, lilting, lyrical life ...
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Christmas Crawl happens on Dec. 18!

Christmas Crawl happens on Dec. 18!

Members of The North Shore Celtic Ensemble and guest musicians will perform in 3 different locations on the afternoon of Sunday Dec. 18th. The group will be raising money for North Shore Harvest, so it is hoped that the audience will enjoy the toe-tapping tunes and donate accordingly. The Christmas Crawl ...
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Moms get a boost from Spectrum founder

Moms get a boost from Spectrum founder

FROM THE DESK OF LYNN O'MALLEY: Here at LynnValleyLife, we are grateful to the North Shore News for running our editor's story about the amazing mission of Lynn Valley resident Sally Livingstone. When you meet someone like Sally, you tend to want to do everything you can to spread the ...
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Local author to speak Dec. 14

Local author to speak Dec. 14

We're delighted to hear that Lynn Valley author Andrea Winterbottom will be speaking Wednesday night at North Vancouver CITY Library (that's the one at 14th and Lonsdale) at 7 p.m. Andrea will be there with Ed Griffin; together they have led inmate writing groups at Matsqui prison. Learn more about ...
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Putting a stop to seasonal stress

Putting a stop to seasonal stress

Update, Winter 2012: This will be a grand holiday season here in Lynn Valley, starting with the Mollie Nye light-up and continuing over at the Christmas Tree Walk in the Village. That said, it’s not always easy to enjoy all the fun (and tasks!) of the season without becoming a ...
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Christmas kicks in this week in Lynn Valley

Christmas kicks in this week in Lynn Valley

By the end of November, we’ve usually endured weeks of cold, grey drizzle. I don’t know about you, but the wonderfully sunny fall we’ve had this year has meant that the impending Christmas season has sort of snuck up on me. So perhaps the upside to this rainy Grey Cup ...
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Gilmour new to campaigning, but not to community

Gilmour new to campaigning, but not to community

So what’s it like running for municipal council for the very first time? To find out, I cornered Lynn Valley’s John Gilmour in Delany’s and convinced him to take a break from pressing the flesh and handing out election brochures. We found a corner table and he told me what ...
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LV Legion invites public to Pioneer Park

LV Legion invites public to Pioneer Park

A change has happened since my childhood. Back then, Remembrance Day was usually marked by parents – the fathers, usually – taking their fathers to a cenotaph to honour fallen comrades while the rest of us stayed home. But today, parents are instead bringing their children to the November 11 ...
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Councillor Hicks gives us the village vitals

Councillor Hicks gives us the village vitals

In banners and newspaper ads, we Lynn Valley folk are being told to “Rediscover Village Life.” Why’s that? Well, those of you who follow these things know that it’s been a tough go for some of the initial merchants who set up shop when Lynn Valley Village was first unveiled ...
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Of leafy strolls and candy bowls...

Of leafy strolls and candy bowls…

I’ve always loved maples, and have long been somewhat envious of those New Englanders surrounded by their infamous fall colours. But it struck me today that autumn in Lynn Valley must surely be giving New Hampshire a run for its money. I’ve always looked forward to watching the maples turn ...
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"Yes sir, yes sir, two bags full...."

“Yes sir, yes sir, two bags full….”

But it wasn't wool I was bringing home from the market, it was two bags of books from the library book sale, which runs until Sunday afternoon. Oh, those orphaned tomes are hard to resist, aren't they? Even though I knew my shelves were already bursting, I couldn't help myself ...
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Full house at Browns for opening night

Full house at Browns for opening night

I was fortunate enough to be one of those at the Browns' "Thirsty Rehearsal" on Sunday night, happily acting as a guinea pig for the kitchen and serving staff. You'd think that would have satisfied my pent-up curiosity enough that I could have stayed home tonight and thrown a log ...
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A little bit about LynnValleyLife...

A little bit about LynnValleyLife…

There's no shortage of things to be thankful for here in Lynn Valley. But I can tell from the water cooler buzz around here that the LynnValleyLife team is definitely glad this 'interweb' site is up and running, and I hope you are, too. You may already have met the ...
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