Renfrew-Collingwood Community News

News stories from the Renfrew-Collingwood community in East Vancouver

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August 2017 issue of RCC News is here

Renfrew-Collingwood Community News August 2017

This issue of the Renfrew-Collingwood Community News is full of the many wonderful people, events and programs happening in our neighbourhood!

Get your latest issue of the RCC News at your local coffee shop, grocery store, library and community centre.

Or click on the cover image to view the new issue.

In this issue:

  • Skytrain Rambler: Evergreen line connects history from Renfrew-Collingwood to Port Moody
  • Lots happening at Still Moon Arts Society
  • Photos of informal learning in Renfrew-Collingwood by John Mendoza
  • Homeless program raising funds in the neighbourhood
  • Shop local farmers markets
  • Gathering of canoes – Photo montage by Penny Lim
  • Read On! Many reasons to love Renfrew-Collingwood by Tony Wanless
  • Latin festival returns to new venues – Swangard Stadium and Rickshaw Theatre

Do you have a local story to tell or an event to share? We’d love to hear about it! Email rccnews-editorial@cnh.bc.ca.

The deadline for the September 2017 issue is August 10. We welcome story submissions from 300 to 400 words long. Accompanying photos must be high resolution in a jpg file at least 1 MB large and include a photo caption and the name of the photographer.


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Read On! page returns for ESL learners – Introducing Tony Wanless

BY TONY WANLESS

Have you been wondering why you have not seen the Read On! column in the Renfrew-Collingwood Community News recently?

That is because we have changed writers. The column has been written for some time by Cari Chan, but she had to stop last year because she was too busy with other work.

But now, a new writer – Tony Wanless – has agreed to replace her and write the column in future. This column is his introduction to regular readers.

Tony has been a journalist and writer for 30 years. He has worked for several Canadian newspapers across Canada, including the Province newspaper in Vancouver. At different times, he has been a crime reporter, an art writer, a photographer, an editor, and chief of a group of “re-writers” – journalists who refine other journalist’s articles.

He has also written many books for businesses. For several years, he was a “ghost-writer” – a secret writer-for-hire, for authors of articles and books. Most of those were about business. He has also worked as a consultant on marketing for many technology businesses.

Although Tony is now officially retired, he continues to write a column every month for the business section of the National Post.

Tony has lived in the Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood for almost 15 years. He has been involved in Collingwood Neighbourhood House’s senior’s Tai Chi program for several years.

He has some background with English as a second language and often replaces CNH’s usual teacher of English-as-a-second-language program when that person is away.

Last year, Tony offered a training session to help seniors who do not have English as their first language tell their stories about coming to Canada.

Although Tony is new to the RCC News column, there will be no changes for now. There could be in future, however, if readers suggest them.

In that sense, we are always willing to listen to suggestions about how we can make the column more helpful to newcomers to the area who are trying to better their English language skills.

If you have any ideas, then don’t be shy. We’d like to hear them so we can make the RCC News better serve the Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood. Please email rccnews-editorial@cnh.bc.ca.

Without the fertilization of new ideas, nothing can grow.


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Windermere students visit Ottawa with Don Davies, MP

Windermere-Create-Your-Canada-Winners

MP Don Davies with Windermere students Gaelan Emo (left) and June Lam in the House of Commons. Photo by Alicia Tiffin

Two Windermere students, June Lam and Gaelan Emo, were the lucky recipients of an all-expense paid trip to Ottawa from May 28 to 30, hosted by Don Davies, MP for Vancouver Kingsway. June and Gaelan won the opportunity to participate in Canada’s Parliament through the 2017 Create Your Canada contest.

Started by Don Davies in 2009, this annual contest is open to all Vancouver Kingsway students taking Grade 11 or 12 classes. Create Your Canada challenges students to propose ideas that they feel will make a better Canada, or a better world.

The winning idea is submitted by Davies to Parliament where it is drafted into federal legislation in the form of a Private Members Bill. Davies then flies the students to Ottawa to watch as he formally introduces their bill in the House of Commons.

June and Gaelan are both senior students in Windermere’s Leadership program and have been actively involved in their community. They were selected for their idea to create a tax incentive that will encourage food producers, suppliers and retailers to donate perishable food to charities.

“We both became interested in food security through Windermere’s Organic Garden, which produces food for our school cafeteria and the community,” said June.

“We discovered that 31 million pounds of food is wasted in Canada every year, but there are still many Canadians who don’t have enough to eat,” added Gaelan. “We wanted to find a way to solve both of those problems.”

The winners were treated to a jam-packed two-day tour of Parliament Hill where they visited the House of Commons, Senate, Peace Tower, Library of Parliament and Sir John A. MacDonald’s office, and attended Question Period. They also had time to tour the Supreme Court of Canada and the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec.

“I think this is an engaging and fun introduction to Parliament and a great way for youth to share their vision for our country,” said Davies. “I am proud to bring the voice of youth to our debates.”

Honourable mentions for the 2017 Create Your Canada Contest go to:

  • Nika Asgari and Ana Brinkerhoff from Sir Charles Tupper Secondary for their idea to amend the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act.
  • Karen Caslib and Natasha Fahbod from Windermere Secondary for their idea to ban the production and use of plastic bags.

Davies personally funds the Create Your Canada program, and no taxpayer dollars are involved.

Copyright (c) 2017 Renfrew-Collingwood Community News