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 love this holiday season
There has never been a better time to support a local business. With flood tragedies, international shipping delays and fuel shortages, it's the perfect time to stay close to home and find unique gifts from service providers and entrepreneurs in our own neighbourhood this holiday season. Art and Fashion Glass ...
Celebrating the growing season
As the grey and the rain threaten to wash us away, we are so pleased to shine some light on the summer and fall we had by announcing the winners of our Fall Fair contest. It was a challenging year with the heat dome raging on in late June. While ...
Rocking in a covid world
Artists often say art isn’t what they do, it’s who they are. When the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020 there were no more gigs for musicians like Paul Gemino. A passion to play began on a rainy front porch one night at 7pm, soon a neighbourhood was coming together ...
Local student’s art to help LGHF
When he couldn’t quite put his thoughts into words, turning to art helped Bjorn Thor be heard. The Lynn Valley Elementary Grade 7 student is the winner of the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation’s annual greeting card contest. Colourful creation A piece from a young local artist is doing double the ...
Looking for our Good Neighbour 2021
Some would say 2021 was another year of crisis. Lynn Valley has seen some horror, some change, some upheaval, and most definitely some hope. We want to celebrate the community members that share their time and skills to make our neighbourhood better. We are once again looking for nominations for ...
Managing North Shore emergencies
The North Shore Emergency Management office has just released a plan to get residents thinking about how they will take care of their families if disaster strikes. This is part three in our series about environmental risks, wildfires, and the impacts on the North Shore. Regional approach A new director ...
Stepping up for sick kids
Just weeks after leaving BC Children’s Hospital Beatrix Reilly spent her summer summiting 10 mountains. The nine-year-old is bagging peaks to bring IV medical treatments to sick kids. A day's play turned life upside down Much of Reilly’s free time is spent outdoors. A typical North Shore tween she spends ...
Virtual Fall Fair
With torrential rain in September and heat domes in June, Lynn Valley's gardeners needed to adapt and innovate to make a garden worth celebrating! So many of you have. Short walks around the neighbourhood have discovered 10ft tall sunflowers - favourites of ours! - dazzling dahlias and whimsical wildflowers. The ...
Pick-A-Pumpkin
Without the community pumpkin patches turning up in local schoolyards, we are opening our office doors for you to come Pick-A-Pumpkin for FREE! Happy Halloween With so many closures and loss of community gatherings, we are missing the annual pumpkin patches that take place across the street from our offices ...
Local writer tackles youth mental health
Suddenly managing schooling and health care during a pandemic, on top of working and parenting, Lynn Valley’s Lisa Bournelis turned to writing for respite. Her first novella hit the shelves at the local library and online stores in July, and she hopes it will help kids with their mental health ...
Ecology anniversary
Five decades ago a very special flower blossomed above Lynn Canyon. Next month the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre will be celebrating its 50th anniversary of education and outreach for local kids, families, and visitors to our community. Join the festivities starting October 2. Early vision As British Columbia looked to ...
Living in a looper landscape
Mid-July if you took a walk through the forest, you likely ran into hundreds of tiny hanging caterpillars. The larvae were lunching on hemlocks and other conifers, in the matter of weeks turning the hillsides from green to brown. Unfortunate timing also brought a heat dome to Lynn Valley and ...
Election 2021
Last month, LynnValleyLife reached out to all of the candidates with a list of questions about the election and how Lynn Valley factors into their vision of the future. Unfortunately, only one candidate took the time to respond. Election 2021 The early election called by the Trudeau government will take ...
From local bike shop to Olympic elite
With years of international experience, Adam Trotter landed in Japan last month as part of Canada’s Olympic delegation. It was his second Olympics as head mechanic of the mountain bike team. Climbing to the top Following his bike from Ontario to Lynn Valley, Trotter has been on the road with ...
Stop thrifting, start swapping
Eco-fashion is booming and the clothing resale market is the fastest-growing segment. As Lynn Valley’s Geraldine Durant noticed the climbing prices at local thrift shops, she created a more community-oriented swap. Think globally, act locally Inspired by the eco-focus of her former employer, Lynn Valley’s Cousteau School, Durant has been ...
Bears at risk in Lynn Valley
This past weekend, the plan was to kill Lynn Valley bears. Two traps were set up Friday night. It’s becoming an all too common problem. The last weekend in July a Lynn Valley bear spent its day as high as it could go in a tree, trying to evade the ...
Fire ready North Van
(Originally published 2021) As fire destroyed Lytton just days ago, it might be a good idea to refresh what Lynn Valley residents can do to make themselves FireSmart and take preventative measures to help support the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Service’s efforts to protect the community. Well ...
Stitched with love
A local artist experienced in healing is leading the Lynn Valley Love sewing project. Quilter, artist, and instructor Berene Campbell is hoping the works will help reclaim the Lynn Valley Library and Village after the March 27th attack. Lots of love As an artist and creator Campbell has felt a ...
Creative clubs for summer fun
As the community opens up there are a number of ‘clubs,’ some sprouting for the first time to keep people of all ages busy this summer. Lynn Valley Ecology Centre The Ecology Centre usually offers some cool respite from the summer heat. Nestled in the forest it typically a ...
Graduating in a year of Covid
The grads of 2021 have had a roller coaster of a year. There were times it looked like there might not be a school year at all and by the end, the chance to celebrate was so close - but not quite there. We chatted with Argyle Secondary School graduates ...
Forging in the forest, not foraging
It took three years and countless hours to go from clicking an intriguing YouTube link to becoming a master bladesmith in his own right. Lynn Valley Forge’s Casey Vilensky now ships his creatively crafted knives all over the world. Forging patience With a background as a luxury car mechanic and ...
Celebrating June with Mountain Market
For more than 15 years Mary and Steve Choi have been doing business on Mountain Hwy - Mountain Market is an institution in Lynn Valley. Looking to brighten up your spring Mary is joining us with a flower giveaway. A community needs corner stores Whether it is spending your ...
Camping meal solutions
As travel and leisure activities shut down last year it sparked an idea for Kim Saunders. The local mom is leveraging her work experience to create a side hustle that gets her family and others outside for easy camping adventures. Camper Hampers was launched earlier this spring and she has ...
The noise of childhood
It is often said new moms should embrace the mess or chaos of motherhood, for two local moms the pandemic has been all about embracing the noise. Lynsey MacDonald and Caroline Garstin are reveling in being “boy moms” and launched a clothing line that embraces their lifestyle. Noisy Boys When ...
School board trustee by-election May 29
There is a by-election for residents of the District of North Vancouver May 29th to elect a school board trustee for the remainder of the term (approximately one year). There are five people stepping up to the plate with two representing Lynn Valley. Linda Munro A life-long North Vancouver resident, ...
Looking forward and planning for the future
The District of North Vancouver is reaching out to residents to think about the future of the district. It is in the middle of a “targeted Official Community Plan (OCP) review.” It has assembled background documents in four topic areas and is asking for feedback from residents. It’s a lot ...
A space for digital storytellers
The goal of enhancing the community's digital literacy has led to an innovative maker space at the Lynn Valley Branch of the North Vancouver District Public Library. The StoryLab’s covid-delayed public debut allowed the library to seamlessly pivot to its pandemic programming, and now it is open for creating. Evolution ...
Community grief and trauma
The tragic events of March 27 at Lynn Valley Village have devastated our community. From the victims to the helpers to the neighbourhood at large, we have experienced trauma. As a community we need to keep moving. Community broken apart The attack will have impacts in the community far beyond ...
Easter Surprises!
It is with heavy - but wise - hearts we are not hosting our annual Easter Egg Hunt. It is not the time to bring together scores of families for an afternoon. Instead, we are having a contest that will win you a (physically-distant) visit from the Easter Bunny on ...
Project Sunflower
It seems like 2021 is a great year to get Lynn Valley blooming again! With gardening booming we want you to save a little bit of space for Project Sunflower. We want to see the gardens, balconies, and patios bursting with sunflowers this fall! Sowing community spirit We have got ...
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