If you live near Argyle Secondary you may have noticed a bit of buzz around the school this summer. More than 20,000 new neighbours have moved onto the campus – and they are bringing a sweet educational opportunity for students.
Pollinator power
A new bee hive was established at Argyle Secondary in mid-July. The project – initiated by new science teacher Magali Chemali – was fully funded by the University of British Columbia with support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Speeding in and out of a small circular hole on the second floor of the school, honey bees are hard at work establishing a colony that Chemali hopes will grow to 50,000 bees. The glass-sided hive stands, bolted to the floor, about the size of a door where students can pass by and check out their new schoolmates.
“My goal is to develop curiosity,” said Chemali. “I believe we need to show students connection to build bonds and grow curiosity. As humans, we need to feel connected to care.”
Experiential learning
The hive is small by honey standards and will serve as an educational tool, rather than an agriculture producer.
“There are so many ways to tie the bees to the curriculum – all the way from K [kindergarten] to 12,” said Chemali. “Students won’t do a ‘bee unit’ but it can be tied into learning about ecosystems, life cycles, reproduction, math – the hexagon shape, symmetry, philosophy, social systems like hierarchy, literature – there is so much written about bees in literature.”
While not native to BC, honey bees offer opportunities to engage in Indigenous ways of learning as well.
“The bees offer an opportunity to observe and learn from the bees – it’s a way to use nature as a teacher that has been done here for centuries,” she said. “Students may have heard the example of observing a bear as a teacher – if a bear eats a berry, it is likely safe for a person. If it doesn’t, definitely don’t eat it.
“Bees are a chance to try that look and learning. They are connected to the seasons, the weather. By watching the bees you can learn about what is coming.”
Full circle
The arrival of the hive was a full-circle moment for Chemali who fell in love with bees at school.
“I was living in California and volunteering at my child’s school,” she said. “They knew I had a biology background and started me on a bee-keeping project – I knew nothing about bees!”
The experience sparked a passion within Chemali that led to a lot of learning and eventually the creation of a company that builds and helps maintain hives. To date there are seven in West Vancouver schools and another is planned for installation at Windsor Secondary in North Vancouver as part of the same funding project as the Argyle hive.
Bees face challenges
Another goal of the hive is to simply create an opportunity for more pollinators to help local ecosystems. Globally honey bees are under threat from a parasitic mite.
“The hive is one step. A group of dedicated teachers here at Argyle are working together on a garden project which will include more pollinator-friendly plants, together with various indigenous plants,” she said. “I am feeding the bees [nectar] because I am not sure they will have enough honey to survive the winter. There are not enough bee-friendly flowers in the area to support the bees. 
Bees don’t like plants like roses – those are for us.”
The observational nature of the hive, with windows, can also be a challenge for the bees that require a warm temperature to thrive. To support them, the hive has warming wires and when not in use, covers to keep the bees warm.
Previous installations of the hives have proven safe for students.
“Bees have a job to do – to fly and go to a flower and get to work,” said Chemali. “Bees are not interested in us – they aren’t interested in what we eat [unlike wasps].”
She expects the hive to more than double in size over the next year and will have about 50,000 bees when it reaches capacity.
“My goal is to have students become bee stewards,” she said. “To feel connected to nature, to realize they have an impact and to appreciate they are sharing this space with another species.”
Looking for more?
There’s always something fun and exciting happening in Lynn Valley. Check out our Community Events Calendar or learn more about Local Activities, Mountain Biking or Hiking and Walking Trails.
and community groups for what it hopes in a new annual event this Saturday. 
“For some people, it is a more affordable way of having some support. A group replicates relationships that play out in larger life. The idea is that people come together and share – at their own pace.”
“To complete this work, vegetation and trees next to each dam will be removed,” she said. “This will support effective regular inspections and monitoring of the dams and prevent roots from causing damage that would require increased maintenance.”
“In order to meet the BC Dam Safety regulations, trees and vegetation must be removed from within approximately five metres of the dam perimeters,” said Reitmayer. “The spaces near the dams will need to remain clear and open in order to facilitate effective maintenance and regular inspections of the dams. No changes are planned along the Rice Lake shoreline, except in the immediate areas of the dams.”
“The new open spaces then provided an opportunity to work with the public, First Nations, and technical experts to create accessible, enjoyable, educational, and environmentally-conscious concepts to enhance the dam areas.”
August 10: The vintage fabulous trio Beauty Shop Dolls will fill the plaza with harmonies while kids can take advantage of the craft table. . Performing classics from the roaring 1920s Great Gatsby era, the swinging 1940s dance halls, and boppin’ 1950s radio hits, these dolls know how to woo any crowd into an old fashioned love affair. The perfect blend of lush vocals, gorgeous retro costumes, and classic dance choreography, Beauty Shop Dolls leave anyone with a sweet tooth for musical delight well satisfied. 
August 24: It’s another night of Bollywood dancing with Rohan D’Silva and a chance to learn Mediterranean dancing with Pooneah Alizadeh. Alizadeh is the award-winning artistic director of the Academy of Middle Eastern Dance. The artistic direction of her academy is based on a fusion of Middle Eastern dance, folkloric dances and ballet influences — including belly dance. With more than 18 years of teaching experience in Canada, she is bound to get you moving. And, of course, crafts! 
August 7: Filipinx-Canadian multi-instrumentalist and loop artist, Alex Meher’s performances showcase his musical instincts. The solo artist builds songs layer by layer as he performs percussion, electric guitar, soulful vocals, keys, synth, SPDS drum pad and alto sax. With lush layers, complex harmonies, and a driving rhythm, his music will make the crowd move. 
Well-versed over the past two years in Zoom paint parties, Liggett is pumped to pick up and share her techniques with the public again. 
July 16, 11 am-1 pm 
“
Doing a little digging, it appears North Vancouver Rec is adding additional programming on Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings in the plaza with Family Big Games starting June 28 but the organization would not confirm any specific information at this time. Check out their page sometime in the future. 
“We are excited,” said Tania Newman, LV Lions secretary and co-producer of Lynn Valley Days. “We are seeing a lot of interest in the parade and exhibitors – it seems like people are keen to come back.”
With the planning process given the green light, LV Days will be much the same as previous years with special care given to covid-safety. 
“We have some new ideas for food service,” said Newman. “And for the first time, we will have Lynn Valley wood carver [Ben Hemara] creating a piece on site.”
“What I am most proud of is the Lions’ ability to react,” said Newman. “Just days before 2018 Lynn Valley Days we had the tragic Mountain Village Garden Apartment fire where two people died. We saw the community come together and we were able to act as a collection place for donations. Ever since then, the [Lynn Valley] Lions have had a community emergency fund and the Lynn Valley community donates throughout the year.
“We do have a lot of fun but we are a humanitarian organization,” said Newman. “The international Lions’ slogan fits: ‘Where there is a need, there is a lion.’”