The Hillside-Quadra News highlights several community initiatives, including the opening of the Quadra Village Neighbourhood Gym, which aims to offer affordable recreational opportunities and community engagement programs. Additionally, a local couple has started a beekeeping initiative to bring awareness to urban agriculture, and the upcoming Quadra Village Day aims to celebrate community spirit with free activities for all attendees. The newsletter also encourages community involvement in writing submissions and event participation.

1. HILLSIDE-QUADRA
NEWS
ALL ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
Scan for
our website.
Beekeeping right in our
neighbourhood! Page 2
Another exciting Quadra Village
Day is coming up! Page 4
A new, safe place for all kinds of
wheeled fun? Page 8
Spring 2017 www.hillsidequadranews.com
Quadra Village Neighbourhood Gym Now Open!
By Alex Heimburger
O
n February 1st the gymnasium
at the former Blanshard
Elementary School opened its
doors to the community as “The
Quadra Village Neighbourhood Gym”.
Under new management, through the
Quadra Village Community Centre
(QVCC), the gymnasium is now widely
available for community use.
Since the closure of Blanshard
Elementary in 2003, the property at
950 Kings Road has been occupied by
private educational institutions, and
the gym was never a primary focus of
interest. The QVCC is committed to
using this space to provide residents
with affordable opportunities for
recreation, in a way that meets the
neighbourhood’s unique cultural
demographics and needs. Due to the
efforts of an active and engaged
community in the Hillside-Quadra
area this is now becoming a reality.
Over the next four years, the QVCC
is determined to energize the gym
with an expanded mix of activities,
including cultural clubs and events,
fitness classes, kindergym sessions,
subsidized child and youth programs,
special events, and many other
programs. Our main goals are
inclusion, community engagement,
and the increased wellbeing of people
in the neighbourhood. The Quadra
Village Neighbourhood Gym belongs
to the neighbourhood. QVCC aspires
to provide something for everyone
with the gym-based programming.
T h e Q u a d r a V i l l a g e
Neighbourhood Gym is a multi-use
venue with approximately 6,300 sq.
feet of floor and stage space to work
with.
A number of groups are already
regularly providing programming in
the gym. Maybe you’d be interested in
being involved in one of these:
i Zumba classes – Studio VZF
i Kung Fu classes – Sheung Wong
Kung Fu Club
i Jazzercise classes – Vicki Waters
Jazzercise
i Chinese cultural dance – Chinese
Dance Victoria
i Sunday community dinners –
Living Edge Church
i Youth recreation nights – Quadra
Village Community Centre
Do you have an existing group or
program – or an idea for one – that fits
our vision? The gym is available for
Kids enjoy floor hockey at the neighbourhood gym (Photo by provided by Kelly Greenwell)
(Continued on page 2)

2. Spring 2017 Hillside - Quadra NewsPage 2
By Jessica Goerzen
M
y partner, Corbin and
I h a v e b e e n
i n t e r e s t e d i n
agriculture and the local food
system ever since we worked
on organic farms in California
a n d I t a l y. F r o m t h e s e
experiences, we saw how local
food can build community in
many ways. Corbin started
beekeeping five years ago in
the Okanagan and I had been
i n v o l v e d i n c o m m u n i t y
development work for over 10
years, so it seemed like a
natural fit to combine our
s h a r e d h o b b i e s i n t o
beekeeping with a community
focus.
We turned to the Hillside-
Quadra community for hive
hosting and to share the
experience of beekeeping with
other locals. We are inspired
by other urban beekeeping
models, such as Hives for
H u m a n i t y i n V a n c o u v e r
(www.hivesforhumanity.com) and
Beekeeping Like a Girl in San Diego,
CA (www.beekeepinglikeagirl.com).
As beekeepers with a local focus, we
plan on having hives located within
walking or biking distance in the
Hillside-Quadra neighbourhood. We
also plan to expand next year and will
eventually start selling honey and
pollen, and other bee products locally
as well.
There has been an amazing
response from the community with
the result that we are now at capacity
for hosts this year and have started a
wait list for next year. If you would like
to host a hive or are interested in
learning more, please email Jess and
Corbin at priorstreetbees@gmail.com
Did you know?
The City of Victoria’s Animal
Control Bylaw permits an unspecified
number of backyard beehives, with
f e w r e s t r i c t i o n s . ( w e b s i t e :
www.victoria.ca/EN/main/residents/p
arks-rec-culture/parks/growing-in-
the-city.html)
You can also learn more about local
beekeeping and how to get started by
connecting with Capital Region
B e e k e e p e r s o n F a c e b o o k
(www.facebook.com/CapitalRegionBe
ekeepers/).
Beekeeping in the City
Meet the news team
Co-Editors:
Tracy Byrne
Rowena Locklin
Assistant Editor:
Helen Cowley
Design & Layout:
eresa CowleyT
Committee Members:
Kelly Greenwell
The Hillside-Quadra News is a
forum and information source
about projects, issues, meetings,
events, history and people in the
Hillside-Quadra and surrounding
areas.
Hillside-Quadra News
is produced through
Q u a d r a V i l l a g e
Community Centre.
Our Website
hillsidequadranews.com
Contact Us
hillsidequadranews@quadravillag
ecc.com
Follow Us on Facebook
facebook.com/ILoveQV
Scan for
our website.
HILLSIDE-QUADRA
NEWS
ALL ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
The deadline for
submissions is Monday
May 1, 2017.
Interested in writing
for us?
Perhaps you would write
one article or maybe you
a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n
c o n t r i b u t i n g m o r e
regularly. We publish 4X
per year and general
guidelines are 500-800
words with a tie in to the
neighbourhood.
The theme for our summer
issue is: “Summer in the
Neighbourhood.”
Contact Tracy and Rowena
to contribute at:
hillsidequadranews@quad
ravillagecc.com
Quadra Village
Neighbourhood Gym Now Open!
both one-time and recurring rentals.
Tables and chairs are available to all
those renting the space for an event,
and, for long-term rentals, there is a
secure storage space. The gym is also
equipped with speakers and stage
lighting.
Let us know if you feel strongly
about a neighbourhood need for
programming. QVCC would love to
work with you on your idea in support
of our community.
For more information on how to
rent the gym and the current rental
rates or to find out more about the
programs already running, contact
Alex Heimburger, Recreation
Coordinator at the Quadra Village
Community Centre.
Call 250-388-7696 or email:
recreation@quadravillagecc.com
(Continued from cover)
HILLSIDE-QUADRA
NEWS
ALL ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
Check out our website for more
content that’s all about your
neighbourhood!
www.hillsidequadranews.com

3. Spring 2017Hillside - Quadra News Page 3
Welcoming your Rental,
Event and Program
Inquiries.
Contact Alex at
250 388 7696
or email
recreation@quadravillagecc.com
Affordable opportunities
for recreation.
By Marilyn Campbell, Principal
É
cole Quadra Elementary is a busy
place with 430 students involved in
many activities. The months of
December, January and now February
have been fabulous, as we have
celebrated everything from Hanukkah to
Christmas to Kwanzaa and Chinese New
Year!
In December we had great concerts.
Students sang, danced and played violins
as families enjoyed the celebration of
learning through music. In January our
school started off the New Year with a
bottle drive. This was organized by our
Parent Group and was very successful,
supporting our community to recycle
with a purpose.
During the winter, we also held our
Ready, Set, Learn event – an afternoon of
activities for preschoolers and their
parents. We are already looking forward
to next September, as many new
kindergarten students have registered
for our English and French Immersion
programs for the 2017-18 school year.
Our current students have been busy,
during the lunch recesses, playing soccer,
basketball and floor hockey, working on
their learning, and singing in our choir.
We have also had opportunities for some
exciting outdoor learning in the magical
snow, thanks to the (unusually cold) local
weather.
February sees us focusing on the
school-wide theme of Kindness as we
celebrate Valentine’s Day and Pink Shirt
Day (the latter in recognition of Anti-
Bullying Day). In February, we also
hosted our Aboriginal Dinner at which we
celebrate the achievements of our
Aboriginal students.
Students in our Music Program are
currently preparing for a grand Canada
150 Music Concert that will celebrate our
diversity, both nationally and here locally
at Quadra. Our diversity strengthens our
school in so many ways. We are proud to
have welcomed so many students to
Quadra from all over the world. Together,
a l l o u r s t u d e n t s d e v e l o p t h e i r
u n d e r s t a n d i n g , p a t i e n c e , a n d
acceptance. These are valuable life-long
qualities that prepare them to be global
citizens. Conveying these qualities
through music will be spectacular!We are
all looking forward to our spring break,
and we hope that sunshine and warm
weather are just around the corner!
Update from École Quadra Elementary
Hearts in February snow near École Quadra (photo provided by M. Campbell)
Finding Phoenix – a poem
by Patrick Hamilton
We are pleased to help fulfill one of Patrick Hamilton’s
goals by publishing his poem, Finding Phoenix, in the
Hillside-Quadra News. Patrick has had two of his poems
published in the Poetry Institute of Canada’s Traceries of
Trees Anthology 2017.
Patrick says of “Finding Phoenix”, “It is about relieving
oneself of the stigma that brings one down through self-
reinforcement. It demonstrates mirroring, i.e. viewing
one’s self head-on as in a mirror, then removing the
negative connotations and embracing one’s self again. I
hope you enjoy this poem.”
Finding Phoenix
Moving toward one’s goal piercing the veil
approaching one’s self’s darkened shade
mirrored then receding away
Embracing one’s true self holding tight
The vision reflected as waking from sleep
Sights sounds colour the light of day
Casting away the darkened shade
The joyous spirit within rising just like a phoenix out of
the ashes
Into the wonderment of the world filled with loved ones

4. Spring 2017 Hillside - Quadra NewsPage 4
By Kelly Greenwell
he buzz is real! Quadra Village
TDay 2017 is coming to you on
Saturday, May 13 from 9:30 am
to 1pm.
Everyone is invited to experience
the fun, celebration and community
spirit embodied by Quadra Village
Day. Hundreds of organizations from
the neighbourhood and around 4,000
people come to the event to
participate in a broad range of
activities, including: a pancake
breakfast; children’s activities and
games; and over four hours of music
and arts entertainment on two stages.
Whether you come every year or
have never been before, consider
checking out Quadra Village Day this
May, and soak in all the smiles.
Quadra Village Day is a 100% free
event where (refreshingly) it is
impossible to make a purchase. Our
Planning Committee generates
thousands in cash sponsorship and
approximately $50,000 worth of in-
kind donations and discounts to
ensure that all the fun happens at no
cost to participants. The success of
the fundraising owes much to the
a m a z i n g g e n e r o s i t y o f l o c a l
businesses and individual sponsors. In
addition, the time given so freely by
the Planning Committee and other
event volunteers is a key ingredient in
ensuring the event is free.
It is so heartening to know that a
child can attend an event and
participate in all aspects of it without
their parent or guardian feeling
stressed about money or affordability.
Confirmed elements of this year’s
e v e n t s o f a r i n c l u d e :
pancake/continental breakfast; ice
cream; Caffè Fantastico coffee; live
dance performances; live music; kids
haircuts and braiding; community
booths; photo booth; inflatable slides;
button making; face painting; art
making; and bumper ball soccer. A lot
more is in the planning stages.
Many community groups will be in
attendance and you’ll have a chance
to connect with a variety of local
p r o g r a m s . T h e r e w i l l b e a n
opportunity to check out the Topaz
Park Improvement Plan.
As always, volunteers will be the
heart and soul of this year’s event.
Jennifer Regular is this year’s
Volunteer Coordinator and can be
r e a c h e d a t
volunteer@quadravillagecc.com if
you’re interested in helping out.
Volunteer roles include: event setup;
serving food; recycling station
attendant; barricade attendants; area
coordinators; and more. If you would
like to join the Quadra Village Day
Planning Committee for this year (or
future years), please e-mail:
quadravillageday@gmail.com.
Last year, 87% of participants at
Quadra Village Day surveyed stated
that they would visit an area business
during the event. This means that the
D a y r e p r e s e n t s a n e x c e l l e n t
opportunity for local businesses to
launch a sidewalk sale or other kind of
promotion on event day and in the
week leading up to May 13. Our hope
is that Quadra Village business
owners will take advantage of the
chance to connect with the 4,000
people who will attend the event.
There will be an appreciative
acknowledgement of all businesses
that support Quadra Village Day in the
summer edition of the Hillside Quadra
News.
On behalf of the Quadra Village
Day Planning Committee, we look
forward to seeing you at this year’s
Quadra Village Day!
Quadra Village Day 2017
Dressed up and bee framed ready for Quadra Village Day 2017 (photo by August Miles)

5. Spring 2017Hillside - Quadra News Page 5
Highlights from Quadra Village Day 2016
Just some of the many highlights of Quadra Village Day 2016. Imagine the fun we’ll have this year!
(photos by Helen and Teresa Cowley)

6. Spring 2017 Hillside - Quadra NewsPage 6
By Kayla Siefried (Education
C o o r d i n a t o r a t t h e C o m p o s t
Education Centre)
he New Year is well under way!
TThough it’s hard to believe, the
cold windy days are getting
longer, and soon the gardener – both
the novice and the well-seasoned –
will begin dreamily looking at the
hundreds of different seed packets at
garden centres, leafing through seed
catalogues, and cruising Seedy
Saturday booths. Some will take their
time wondering what to plant or how
to plant, while others will be so eager
about their garden plans they’ll
happily be risking nettle stings as they
dive into their garden patches.
I’ve been thinking a lot about seeds
ever since I saw the film SEED: The
U n t o l d S t o r y .
(http://www.seedthemovie.com). It’s
an extremely beautiful film that uses
various forms of art to interweave
stories from a diverse array of people
and cultures. The central theme is the
relationship between people and
seeds and the importance of seeds to
all of humanity.
While the film raises alarms about
the loss of seed diversity and the
privatization of seeds by huge
companies, it also tells inspiring
stories of ordinary folks making a
significant difference. The film
inspired me to look very differently at
the sunflower seeds that I have sitting
on my desk in a bowl and which I
diligently harvested from a giant
sunflower. When, the day after I saw
the film, I held a seed in my hand, a
wealth of inspiring knowledge sprung
forth. I was holding generations and
generations of a plant – an endless
cycle of seed, leaf, flower, seed… food
for generations.
So while it’s likely we’ll get caught
up on figuring out which cucumber is
easiest for a newbie to grow, or which
carrot may grow the straightest, let’s
also remember the importance of the
life force we hold in our hands when
we cradle a seed.
To q u e n c h y o u r t h i r s t f o r
gardening know-how, here are
definitions of some common terms
you’ll see in seed catalogues and on
the backs of seed packets. (All
definitions have been sourced from
the West Coast Seed Company,
www.westcoastseeds.com/garden-
resources/glossary).
Open pollinated: Plants produced
by crossing two parents of the same
variety, which in turn produce
offspring just like the parent plants,
are referred to as open pollinated.
Many growers prefer open pollinated
v a r i e t i e s b e c a u s e t h e i r
characteristics are extremely reliable
from year to year. Gardeners who like
to save seeds should select open
pollinated varieties.
Hybrid: When pollen from one
plant variety is used to fertilize the
flowers of a different variety, the
resulting seed will produce a hybrid
variety. The resulting plant (known as
F1 hybrid) will have characteristics
from both of its “parent” varieties.
Hybrid plant varieties will not
produce seeds of a predictable or
reliable quality. Hybridization is
altogether different from genetic
modification, as genetically modified /
engineered organisms have been
modified via human actions with the
gene of a separate species.
Organic: Organic is a broad term
given to food that has been grown
w i t h o u t t h e u s e o f s y n t h e t i c
c h e m i c a l s , f e r t i l i z e r s , s e e d
treatments, pesticides, herbicides,
etc. Vegetables (and other plants)
grown in this way produce “organic”
seeds. Certified Organic growers,
seed handlers, and packers must
adhere to strict rules regarding the
methods they use, and they are
subject to audits by regulatory bodies
i n o r d e r t o m a i n t a i n t h e i r
certification. Germination rate: The
germination rate for any given variety
of seed is calculated by taking
samples from specific lots and
germinating them in a controlled
environment. The “rate” refers to the
number of seeds out of 100 (or more)
that germinate successfully within an
acceptable period of time.
Heirloom: This describes any
vegetable variety grown consistently
for over 50 years that is not under
patent, and has particular qualities
that make it desirable. For example,
an heirloom tomato variety grown
today should produce fruits with all
the characteristics of flavour, texture,
and aroma as the same variety grown
50 or even 150 years ago.
Heritage: This term is used to
describe Heirloom seed varieties that
boast a particular ethnic or cultural
lineage. Some people use the two
terms interchangeably; however,
“heritage” implies nationality, as in
“Italian heritage tomato” or “French
heritage squash.”
Seeds for Thought

7. Spring 2017Hillside - Quadra News Page 7
s it prepares to launch its ninth
Aseason of professional classic
summer theatre, Blue Bridge
Theatre Society recently announced
that the unsecured creditors of Blue
B r i d g e T h e a t r e S o c i e t y h a v e
generously and overwhelmingly voted
to accept a proposal to reduce the
theatre society’s debt load over a
three year time period.
“Arts and entertainment are vitally
important to our community,” said
board President Christopher Mackie.
“Blue Bridge is taking steps to ensure
that its award winning productions
will be available to the audiences of
Victoria for the long term by working
to improve our financial health.”
In the meantime, plans for the
2017 summer season are well
underway. Included in the upcoming
four-play season are productions of
Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker (April
25-May 7), Garson Kanin’s Born
Yesterday (May 30 - June 11),
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town (July 4-
16), and a new musical revue of the
songs of Cole Porter entitled Red, Hot
Blue! (August 2-13).
“I am very excited by the wide
range of talent of the directors,
designers and actors who have agreed
to bring these four great plays from
the past to the audiences of Victoria,”
s a i d A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r, B r i a n
Richmond. “I truly believe we are
poised to have one of our most
entertaining and thought-provoking
seasons to date.”
S i n g l e t i c k e t s f o r a l l f o u r
productions are available for
p u r c h a s e o n l i n e a t
bluebridgetheatre.ca. Season tickets
and single tickets can be purchased
over the phone at 250-382-3370, or in
person at the Roxy Theatre (2657
Quadra Street, Victoria), Tuesday to
Saturday, between 12 am to 4 pm.
Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre Takes
Steps to Ensure Ongoing Entertainment
By Carol Pickup, Coordinator SES
L
yne England, a long time
a d v o c a t e w i t h S e n i o r s
Entitlement Service (SES) at
Quadra Village Community Centre,
passed on December 27, 2016.
Lyne was born in England and
came to Canada at an early age. She
trained as a nurse and taught and
mentored nursing students at
Camosun College.
Lyne was an active volunteer in our
community for many worthwhile
organizations. These included:
S a a n i c h P e n i n s u l a H e a l t h
Association; South Island Health
Coalition; Greater Victoria Seniors
OAP Branch 191; the Lions Service
Club; Vancouver Island Association of
Family Councils; and Marches for
Cancer.
Lyne was awarded the UVIC
Centre for Aging’s Valued Elder
Recognition Award (VERA). SES and
the Greater Victoria Seniors OAP
Branch 191 has established a bursary
in her name with the Camosun
College Foundation to assist a nursing
student with tuition expenses.
Lyne England made a positive
difference in our community and in
the world, and she will be sorely
missed.
Remembering Lyne England
This house on Vista Heights is Qualicum-bound. First Nickel Bros. take the house to their yard near the airport, from
where it gets transferred to a barge for the sea journey to Qualicum. Bon voyage, house!
Vista Heights house on the move to Qualicum

8. Spring 2017 Hillside - Quadra NewsPage 8
A letter from the Coordinator of Youth
P r o g r a m s a t Q u a d r a V i l l a g e
Community Centre
Hello, Hillside-Quadra Community!
T
his is Tara, Coordinator of Youth
Programs at the Quadra Village
Community Centre. I interact
w i t h y o u t h e v e r y d a y i n o u r
neighbourhood. I am also a member of
t h e V i c t o r i a S k a t e b o a r d i n g
Committee. I am writing to all
community members because I am
hoping that you will consider
supporting the creation of an All-
Wheels Park in Topaz Park. An All-
Wheels Park would provide suitable
terrain for skateboarders, BMX riders
and scooters of all ability levels.
As some of you may know, young
people living close to the Community
Centre use Kings Road on a daily basis
a s t h e i r s k a t e b o a r d p a r k .
Unfortunately, this is unsafe – both for
the youth and for drivers. Drivers
have told us that they feel anxious
driving by the young skateboarders
for fear they may hit them. While Vic
West Skate Park is easy to get to by
car, it’s a challenge for youth from our
neighbourhood to get there under
their own steam.
The population of youth in our
community, and across the City of
Victoria, is increasing and is expected
to continue to grow over the next
several decades. Young people from
all parts of the Hillside-Quadra
neighbourhood ride BMX bikes,
scooters and skateboards. It’s
important that youth have a safe All-
Wheels Park to go to for fun and
exercise. This is especially so for
youth who can’t afford to participate
in formal team sports and those who
may be drawn more strongly to sports
such as scooting, skateboarding and
BMXing. (Did you know that BMX
riding became an Olympic sport in
2008 and that skateboarding is being
r e c o m m e n d e d f o r t h e 2 0 2 0
Olympics?)
One young person from the
Community Centre has joined the
Victoria Skateboarding Committee
with me, and we’ve begun talking
about what we can do to generate
support for an All-Wheels Park in
Topaz Park. There are a number of
reasons why Topaz Park is a good fit
for this type of facility. First of all, it’s
close to where our neighbourhood
youth live, so they can easily walk
there. Our community hosts the
l a r g e s t l o w - i n c o m e h o u s i n g
development in Victoria; Topaz Park is
within walking distance of this
development, making it accessible for
people who have multiple barriers.
Topaz Park already has washroom
facilities that skateboarders, riders
and scooters can use. Finally, there
are fewer park amenities in north
Victoria than there are in the southern
part of the city.
It’s our hope that, with a new City
Parks Master Plan in the works and
your support, this idea will gain
momentum, and the community will
join together in the creation of an All-
Wheels Park that will provide people
of all ages and abilities with an
additional reason to use and enjoy
Topaz Park.
The Victoria Skateboarding
C o m m i t t e e w i l l b e m a k i n g a
presentation at the Neighbourhood
Action Committee meeting on April 3
and at the City of Victoria Council
meeting on April 27. As well, we are
hoping that you, as community
members, will show your support for
an All-Wheels Park by signing a
petition at Quadra Village Day on May
13.
If you’re interested in learning
more about our ideas, or would like to
join the Victoria Skateboarding
Committee, please contact Tara
S k o b e l b y e m a i l i n g
tara@quadravllagecc.com or by
calling 250 388 7696 ext. 224.
In kindness,
Tara Skobel (in support of the youth in
our community)
Time for an All-Wheels Park in Topaz Park?
Soon there could be a new place for kids
to skateboard in the neighbourhood
(photo by Tara Skobel)
“If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” asks the narrator of Shelley’s poem Ode to the West Wind. While the
snows of February have long melted, spring this year in Victoria seems reluctant to make its grand entrance. These
photos capture some first signs of a late spring in Quadra-Village and offer a reminder of the beauty of all that white
stuff! (photos by Tracy Byrne, Rowena Locklin and Teresa Cowley)
Farewell snow, greetings spring?