Laneway draws a different kind of attention

Why this lane? was the question we started with on March 16th when the South End Community Association hosted a meeting of property owners, managers, and residents, as well as City of Nanaimo and law enforcement officials, to talk about problems in the laneway bordered by Haliburton, Milton, Nicol, and Farquhar.

With the help of city staff and RCMP, we identified places where gaps in fencing allow people to easily evade police, niches and ledges that encourage loitering, areas where high fences block sight lines, and weeds and refuse that send a clear message that “no one cares.”

That message changed on April 25th.  With the cooperation of many owners, tenants, and surrounding neighbours:

• We cleaned and hauled.  We weeded.  We dug and planted.
• We painted.
• We created the image that this is not a neglected laneway.
• Then we took back the lane, and held a lunch party, complete with DJ music and Gord Fuller’s famous BBQ hot dogs.

Over 50 people came out to turn the lane into a thing of beauty..ok, ok…better than it was…WAY better….!

For photos of the clean up event,  click HERE

Or click here for Daily News article!

Tree of Life

What’s Next?

Residents asked for more painting in the lane, so we’re planning a second painting day in July.

Some are even dreaming about a community garden. which we’re likely too late for this year, but we can keep working on it.

But for now, we believe we’re getting the new message across loud and clear: that this is a strong community that is staking its claim on the laneway.

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Miner’s Heritage Day Picnic June 20th

petting zoo buddies 2008

Hey, it’s the South End shin-dig of the year!  And this year promises to be the BIGGEST one yet!  We’ve got some amazing entertainment booked, PLUS, in celebration of SECA’s 20th Anniversary…what could be better than a GREAT BIG cake…???

Here are a few highlights of the day

• A free pancake breakfast from 8:30 to 10:00 AM
• Free rides and entertainment for the kids from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
• Gala ceremony at 10:30 AM to admire the new park and celebrate SECA’s 20th Anniversary.  Cake for breakfast…yay!
• the Historic Heritage Walk at 11:00 AM
• the now-famous Strawberry Social tea for seniors at 2:00 PM

Shane Philip headlines at 12:00 noon

Musician, Shane Philip has a unique ability to bring people together, then build and drive a powerful, positive vibe J with his music. When you hear the thunderous beat of the electronic kick, the rhythms of jembe and other percussion instruments, a pulsating didgeridoo, guitars, electric and acoustic, you could be in a dance club anywhere. Everyone is on their feet, everyone is dancing. Yes, I said didgeridoo. But the didge is only one of the tasty features, a big one for sure, but not the whole enchilada. Shane is a multi-instrumentalist, who plays these things at the same time and sings, but he is also multi-dimensional in his music.

Click here to check out his website and listen to some of his unique music.

helping budding artists

Lots of your favourite activities are returning, including the uber-popular Kid’s Art tent, the pet parade, the silent auction, and entertainment by Trinitude, the Nanaimo Fiddle Orchestra, and lots of other great acts!

And of course, Gord Fuller’s world-famous BBQ hot dogs!

And most of it is FREE, thanks to the generous support of our local businesses!

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People who volunteer to help out at the Picnic often say that they had even more fun than attending.  If you’d like to help out, here are some of the shoes we need filled:

1.  Set up/ pull down pancake breakfast

2. Fetch and Carry   Folks

to set up tables and chairs, move and carry around.  All day, starting at 7AM, any help throughout the day would be great.  Clean-up at 4:30.

Change it to “for further information contact Gord Fuller at 250 754 6389 or via e-mail at gorfathome [at] yahoo.ca “.

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4.  Hot Dog Sale  (2 – 3 Volunteers)

Hours: 10:00 – 4:00

To volunteer, Talk to Gord the day of the event

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5.  Stage:  need 3 strong guys

Includes: assemble stage and equipment  and take down

Hours: setup 7:00 AM  setdown 4:30 PM

To volunteer, call Mike at 250-753-1394 or e-mail  javawook [at] shaw.ca

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6.  Tea Party   (need 4. preferably younger folks)

Includes: serving tea to seniors, setting up and setting down tables, helping serve cake, we have costumes

Hours: 1:30 to 3:00 PM

To volunteer, call  Laura Ramsay at 753-1917

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7.  Silent Auction:  (1 volunteer)

Includes: Setting up the silent auction table

Hours:10:00 for 1-2 hours

To volunteer, call Moni at 250-753-1188

8.  Kid’s Art Tent (3 volunteers)

Folks who can help for the full day or at least ½ the day, otherwise it’s too much work. Also, if anyone is interested in helping organize & pack & set up that would be helpful as well.  Call Yvonne @ 250-754-0677.

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rides and...more rides! 2008

And to put you in the spirit of the South End……

Number One Mine Remembered.

Number One Mine located at the foot of Milton Street, was once central to the lives of South Enders. For an interesting history of the mine, plus the story of SECA’s involvement in the preservation of its memory, click here.

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What’s Up in the neighbourhood?

What’s Happening with the condo development sites?

1.  Robin’s Gardens Development

The plan for the former Robin’s gardens site includes 5 condo buildings, to be built in steps….one finished before the next one started.  Included in the development agreement includes pavement upgrades on all sides of the property  (think curb, gutter & sidewalk).  The Edmonton-based developers made a presentation to council on Monday May 25, asking for a relaxation in the original plan – to exclude the south side of the property (closest to the rail line) from the upgrade process, saying that this will save them $250,000 in costs, thereby allowing them to begin the development sooner.

2.  119 Haliburton (across from the Balmoral)

The lot almost across from the Balmoral is slated for a 5-story condominium, to be developed by the folks who have just completed ViVo!  in the Old City Quarter.

According to the developer. Lucio Sacchetti, of Alterra Property Group Ltd. in Burnaby, plans to start two similar projects, though smaller, on Haliburton Street in the next year. Presales for the first building could be available as early as next month.

3.  Other Potential Sites

The city has had a lot of calls about 2 other properties with multi-family zoning, both on Haliburton, both near  the Balmoral.  Gary’s comment:  “we’ve had lots of interest, but no bites yet from a proposal standpoint.”

Click here for an article on the condo market in Nanaimo, from the May 12 Nanaimo Daily News.

Thanks to Gary Noble from the Planning Department and Derek Spalding from the Nanaimo Daily News for your input.

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HMS Deverill Has Sailed into Deverill Square Park

Parks Staff are working to complete the installation of a new spray park and tricycle trail at Deverill Square Park.  This work was identified for phase 2 of the park improvement plan.  The spray park is based on a nautical theme and will be open for play by mid June.

New picnic tables and benches will also be installed in time for the Miner’s Picnic. The completed playground and spray park will be universally accessible and will attract families to the park from all over Nanaimo.

–Thanks to Kirsty MacDonald. Parks and Rec

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Peaceful Week Ends – At Last!

Rumour has it that south Haliburton residents have been able, over the past month, to sleep in on Saturday mornings, or to hear the birds chirping in the the trees outside their windows.  No word yet on whether you can hear the snip-snip of Sandra’s shears as she dolls up her clients.  The idyllic peace is the result of IPI now adhering to their working hours by-law (7AM to 5:30, 5 days per week.)  If this all  continues, you might even get an invite to a summer evening BBQ if you have friends in that neighbourhood (hint, hint.)

The city is following up with IPI on other issues to be dealt with i.e.  fencing, traffic and parking.  More on that as it unfolds.

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Neighbourhood Plan Back on Track

At its 2009-May-25 meeting council approved unanimously to, once again, initiate the neighbourhood planning processes for the Newcastle Planning Area and the South End Planning Area.

The first step will be to formalize the composition of the steering committee and then review and set a detailed time frame for the plan process.  The steering committee is the vehicle through which the neighbourhood plan process is coordinated and will be a 8-10 person committee composed of members of SECA, the local business community, and other residents of the neighbourhood including senior and youth representatives.

The neighbourhood planning process is anticipated to take approximately one year to complete and will consist of five phases.  The phased process moves from commencement through neighbourhood context and visioning, to concepts and options selection, and then from a draft to a final neighbourhood plan document, which is presented to Council for consideration of adoption.  Throughout the processes there will be numerous opportunities for public consultation and participation, including open houses, workshops and surveys.  Administrative support will be provided by Chris Sholberg, Community Planner, City of Nanaimo, with additional support from John Horn, the City’s Social Planner.  We are shooting to complete the plan by June, 2010.

Thanks to Chris Sholberg and Gord Fuller for the information.

Click here for an article from the Nanaimo Daily News.

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Krog, Routley relected in newly defined Ridings

Despite riding restructuring, both MLA Leonard Krog and MLA Doug Routley managed to be the hands-down winners in the provincial election on May 12.  We won’t go into details here, but asked both for a comment for South End residents.

MLA Leonard Krog cleans up in lane April 25, cleans up in riding May 12.

“I would very much like to appreciate the support of the people who came out to vote, and especially the South End for your tremendous support.

I wish every success to the members of the South End Community Association and the residents they serve.

I look forward to working with at least some of you in my next term as  your MLA.”

Sincerely,

Leonard Krog, MLA

“I would like to thank the people of the South End for the support we saw at the polls.
I am inspired by the energy and determination of the South End Community Association. Your commitment to community and nieghbourhood is an example for everyone to follow.

I am very eager to continue, over these four years, to work with all of you toward an improved and better community. The tools of democracy are hand tools. Its up to us to pick them up and use them to shape our own future.”

In the spirit of
Nuts’a’maat Shqualuwun
Working together as one

Doug Routley
MLA Cowichan-Ladysmith

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What’s Coming Up?

SECA Challenges Rest of Nanaimo’s Neighbourhood Associations

Plant-Out in Maffeo-Sutton Park  Wednesday June 3  5:00  – 9:00 PM

The City received a Trees For Tomorrow grant from the Provincial Government for Maffeo-Sutton Park.  Part of the grant’s parameters included community/volunteer help, and they have invited Neighbourhood Groups and Associations to come out to help.  Basically what we will be doing is showing up wearing shoes (not sandals) to plant 1200 shrubs and place topsoil.

Noooowwww…..it’s not REALLY a competition….BUT…we ALL know that NO-ONE – NO-ONE is better at work parties than we South Enders!! So we’ve issued a challenge to the rest of the community associations in Nanaimo…the neighbourhood that plants the MOST shrubs (and does it well) wins a coveted SECA Art Bin…!

The city really deserves our help…they’ve bent over backward for us.

So if you are up for the challenge, want an up-close look at the changes, say “thanks” to the city, and — most importantly — prove that –as Pam James says — “for a bad ‘hood, we’re pretty good!” send us an e-mail:  southendcommunityassociation [at] gmail.com

No need to turn up for the whole thing, just a 90 minute shift would be great.   Just let us know when you can make it and we’ll get it organized.

Our ONE complication is the SECA Monthly meeting that begins @ 7 PM.   But we’ll work with that and around that as best we can.

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Next SECA Meeting  Wed June 3 @ 7 PM

Princess Royal Centre

Corner of Irwin and Farquhar

Planting volunteers are excused from getting dressed up for the meeting and the round at the pub after  (not that anyone dresses up anyway…ha ha!)

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Food Skills for Families on a Smart Budget

Fridays May 22 – June 26  11:00am – 2:00 pm

REGISTER: Call Nanaimo Foodshare  (250)753-9393

**A call to all who enjoy food and want to eat and cook healthily**

Stretching your food budget is not always easy. Come and learn how to cook simple meals common to Canada while learning healthy cooking/eating skills that can also assist in meeting your budget. You’ll meet new friends and see others you already know while having fun cooking together!

Food Skills for Families on a Smart Budget provides you with a unique opportunity to:

·        gain hands-on cooking experience, each week you’ll learn while cooking

·        try out and adapt simple recipes to take home

·        learn about nutrition, making healthy food choices, safe food handling and storage, meal planning, healthy snacks, shopping and much more

·        have fun and share in the enjoyment of the food and making new friends

·        learn how to find and prepare healthy foods that meet your cultural, social and financial needs.

FREE: six sessions, 3 hours each

#1 – Introduction to Healthy Eating

#2 – Eating For Good Health

#3 – Meat Alternatives, Milk Alternatives and Healthy Fats

#4 – Planning Healthy Meals, Snacks and Beverages

#5 – Supermarket Tour

#6 – Celebrating Canadian Classics

WHERE:   NANAIMO FOODSHARE  271 Pine Street Nanaimo

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Friday June 5 is HUNGER AWARENESS DAY IN NANAIMO

The threat of hunger is all too real for hundreds of men, women and children in Nanaimo.  You can show that you care, that you can make a difference.  Here’s how:

1.  Attend the Info Picnic

11:00 Am to 1:00 PM  Friday June 5

Bowen Park (picnic shelter near the volleyball courts)

Join Us for lunch – 11-1pm at Bowen Park, near the volley ball courts- Bring your lunch and something to share with others.

Come and meet the many organizations providing services to people in distress or working directly to keep hunger at bay, including:

• The Salvation Army (will be providing coffee)
• The 7-10 Club
• Nanaimo Women’s Resource Centre
• Nanaimo Disability Resource Centre

• Nanaimo Family Life Association

2.  Buy a Hunger Awareness Day Lunch Bag

Loaves & Fishes Food Bank will also be distributing Hunger Awareness Day Lunch Bags before the event.  For a suggested donation of $5, a Hunger Awareness Day lunch bag will show your support for those in need.

Then on Friday June 5^th use that bag to pack your lunch to work or better still join Loaves & Fishes Food Bank and friends in Bowen Park for a lunch time celebration of caring and sharing.

Bags available from Loaves & Fishes Food Bank -250-754-8347 order a bunch and take them to your workplace, your church, wherever there are people who care.

For more information call JoAnne Dundas at Loaves & Fishes -754-8347

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More Trees on Haliburton?  Maybe!

From Chris Sholberg at the City of Nanaimo:

A Trees for Tomorrow grant application has been submitted to the Province for the Haliburton Street tree planting project, and we are currently waiting on whether the application is successful or not.  If successful, we will be in touch to coordinate timing and other details – likely this would be a Fall, 2009 project.

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