Renfrew-Collingwood Community News

News stories from the Renfrew-Collingwood community in East Vancouver

Tag Archives: Arts PowWow


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Fond farewell from the online editor of the RCC News

BY JULIE CHENG

Image of Julie Cheng, former editor of RCC News, and her family and friends at the Italian Cultural Centre
Julie Cheng enjoys a Friday evening dinner and dance with family and friends at the Italian Cultural Centre. She’s looking forward to spending time in her garden and raising mason bees.

It’s truly time for me to step away for good from the RCC News. I left my post as editor in October 2023 and am no longer its online editor as of September 1, 2024.

It’s been an amazing journey in this neighbourhood where my family has grown up, and Collingwood Neighbourhood House and the Renfrew-Collingwood Community News has been an important part of this journey for some 30 years.

Before kids, I started volunteering on CNH’s communications committee. While my kids were growing up, CNH hired me to work on several community projects, including developing a local literacy plan, bringing local talent into community organizations during Multiculturalism Week and coordinating a community-wide arts and culture project, which created the Multicultural Gateway in front of CNH, the Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival, the Indigenous youth-led Canoe Club and, with Paul Reid’s vision, the RCC News. We were guided by the principle, “everyone has a gift to share.”

Looking back, I’m most proud to have worked with residents to bring people together and to uplift one another. In doing this work, I made so many friends and found a sense of belonging in this neighbourhood.

Favourite memories

During Multiculturalism Week in 1999, an acupuncturist agreed to do a presentation at a seniors drop-in. There was silence when he asked for a volunteer. Finally, the maintenance guy who happened to pass by put up his hand. He pulled off his shirt, showing off the tattoos on his arms and chest, to whoops from the audience. He didn’t flinch as the needles went in.

Also during Multiculturalism Week, a resident showed us her Mayan backstrap loom technique to local elementary school students. I still remember her skill and the wonder in the students’ eyes.

As part of Building Community through Cultural Expression, we asked a group of Chinese seniors what they wanted to see in the community. They were kind and welcoming as they listened to my broken Cantonese. The only thing they asked for was a covered area at Slocan Park to exercise under during winter. A few years later, several seniors met with a city planner. They didn’t speak English but the smiles on their weathered faces were beautiful as they offered her tea and a cocktail bun. “Oh my,” she said, completely charmed. The seniors got their covered area.

Replacing invasive Himalayan blackberry with native plants in the Renfrew Ravine. Photo by Julie Cheng

All the community building encouraged me to gather my own neighbours together to replace invasive plants in the Renfrew Ravine with native plants and beautify our boulevard. A pile of compost became gold, drawing out the neighbours, some who lived on the same street for years and were learning each other’s name for the first time.

Paul Reid at the first annual Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival with family.
RCC News founder Paul Reid with family, enjoying the first Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival, 2002. Photo courtesy of Julie Cheng

You’ll still find me out and about in the community. That may be me weeding the forest, playing tennis, parading at the Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival, enjoying a meal at a local restaurant or tending to mason bees. Stop and say hi. I’d love to hear your story.

In the meantime, keep sending your stories to Paul Reid at rccnews-editorial@cnh.bc.ca. I’ll be watching for them.

To Julie:

“When I walked into my first communications committee meeting at Collingwood Neighbourhood House in the early 1990s at the Kingsway location, I wouldn’t have believed I’d still be friends with a fellow committee member, Julie. It’s also hard to imagine we were cutting and pasting the newsletter on paper back then. During her time with RCC News, Julie has covered so many aspects of the Renfrew-Collingwood area from restaurants to bees. Her connection to the neighbourhood has been long-lasting and invaluable.” – Jeff Mazo, high school teacher

“Julie has been a big-hearted longtime community builder. When I moved into the community Julie was already a part of the transformative Arts Pow Wow that helped build so many important arts and Indigenous programs in the community that are still thriving. When I started Still Moon Arts Society, Julie was part of creating our name, Still Moon, and she was our founding treasurer for several years. Julie has been tirelessly telling the stories of us to us for many decades, reminding us how important we all are to this community. Thank you, Julie, for supporting so much good work and for making my life here a richer experience.” – Carmen Rosen, artistic director of Still Moon Arts Society

“I have many fond memories of the contributions Julie has made in the Renfrew-Collingwood community. I still remember our first meeting (at our office on Kingsway). It was in my first year at Collingwood Neighbourhood House and we were discovering the assets and needs of the community. I remember, from the beginning, Julie’s interest in communications and reaching the community. She would often be in the office late at night, working the Gestetner, using ink rollers and stencils, to get our newsletter out to the people we knew in the community. She continued to build on this dream and was foundational in writing, editing and developing the Renfrew-Collingwood Community News to the amazing paper it is today. She has been skilled in finding local writers, encouraging youth to write and contribute, engaging our local institutions and businesses and helping to build capacity and pride in their work throughout the years.

“The RCC News was one of many ways Julie contributed to community development. Julie was a thoughtful and insightful CNH board member, coordinated the Arts Pow Wow that left many lasting legacies in the community, led education in asset-based community development and encouraged her husband, children and neighbours to volunteer and contribute their valuable skills. I still remember the Vancouver Foundation being blown away with the Arts Pow Wow report delivered in a handmade book by local residents – a refreshing approach where we walked the talk and explored different ways of doing things.

“Julie, I hope you feel pride in all that you have contributed and accomplished as you walk around the neighbourhood. It is visually more appealing with all the public art, is connected through cherished and long-lasting relationships, has welcomed so many newcomers with an open heart and has a lasting neighbourhood-based newspaper that brings forward stories of past, present and future.” – Paula Carr, former executive director of CNH

“Thank you for your years of dedication to the neighbourhood, including many years dedicated to the RCC News. Your work has helped to bring connection and kindness to our community.

“Thank you for all the things you taught me (like the importance of simple writing) and your friendship through the years of raising our children with no family nearby. I have so many fun memories of the kids playing together and all the inspiring conversations we had about how to build a better safer and more creative and connected neighbourhood while eating yummy food! Looking back, I can’t believe all the things we did together to build a community we wanted live and raise our children in.

“There are so many small moments about you that come to mind. Like the day I dropped by your house and you were so lovingly wiping your bee cocoons and putting them into their cubbies ahead of the spring pollen season. It spoke louder than words about your caring kindness for your community and environment.

“I remember drawing a giant chalk map of the park design and serving hot dogs to neighbours. I recall trying to connect with the tai chi seniors and you making an introduction and the way those relationships blossomed from there. I recently found the document Slocan Park, Our Park – how much energy it took to get to that park plan!

“One recent memory: walking though the ravine and finding you in the bushes pulling out invasives and planting some native plants. Somehow it was unexpected but not surprising to see you there with your shovel!

“I am ever so grateful for the day Paula introduced us and we embarked on our community-building journey together.” – January Wolodarsky, former director of community development at CNH

Copyright Renfrew-Collingwood Community News


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Honouring Emanuela Sheena

COMPILED BY JENNIFER GRAY-GRANT

Emanuela Sheena on a Pulling Together journey with the local Canoe Club.
Emanuela Sheena nurtured and supported an Indigenous-youth-led Canoe Club at Collingwood Neighbourhood House for many years. She is pictured here on a Pulling Together journey leading the canoe on the right, next to her son Matthew. Photos courtesy of CNH
Emanuela Sheena developed partnerships with groups like Pulling Together, where youth, adults and police took canoe journeys to many First Nations communities across B.C.

Local resident Emanuela Sheena passed away early December 2023, following a long illness.

A beloved community developer, Emanuela first became involved with Collingwood Neighbourhood House around 2000, when CNH partnered with the local Synala Housing Co-op. Synala led a project to engage an Indigenous carver (Emanuela’s husband Gerry Sheena), to mentor and teach carving to local youth, who then raised a pole at Synala.

Together with their children, Matthew and Erick, the family became actively involved in many community-building initiatives. With the success of the initial carving project, youth approached CNH to do more carving projects and Emanuela subsequently supported the CNH Multicultural Gateway (in front of the CNH Joyce entrance), Eagle Totem Pole at Slocan Park and a Welcome Post at the Renfrew Park Community Centre.

After Sandra Gray initiated an Indigenous-youth-led Canoe Club (now called C.R.E.W.) at CNH, Emanuela nurtured and supported the club for many years and had a profound impact on youth leadership and cross-cultural understanding. She developed partnerships with groups like Pulling Together, which resulted in youth, along with supportive adults and police, taking canoe journeys to many nations across B.C.

Emanuela Sheena had a profound impact on youth leadership and cross-cultural understanding. Emanuela’s dedication and unconditional acceptance gave youth a sense of belonging and family.

Emanuela also provided coordination support to the Arts PowWow (a group of local, intercultural, multi-disciplined artists), who worked on bringing arts and culture into the community. She worked on community events such as Collingwood Days and sat on local boards like the Renfrew Park Community Association.

The revitalization of Renfrew-Collingwood spaces such as Slocan Park were important interests of hers, particularly as they related to safety and inclusion. Emanuela worked in many capacities at CNH including fundraising, coordinating initiatives created by local residents, youth initiatives, arts and culture, events planning, administration office work and community intercultural relationship building.

“She was one of those rare individuals who embraced everyone with an open heart, always saw the gifts in people and was committed to making the community that she lived and worked in a great place for everyone,” said former CNH executive director Paula Carr, who provided the above information about Emanuela’s path both in CNH and in the neighbourhood. “The impact she had on all she touched is immeasurable. She dedicated so much of her personal time to her family and community, particularly helping Indigenous youth find their strength, paths in life and leadership skills. She shared her pride in all of them openly and often.”

From Matthew Sheena, Emanuela’s son: “Emanuela was not quick to announce her condition. She was a very proud woman, who has touched the lives of many. Never did she do this because she felt the need for something in return; she did this because in her heart of hearts, she knew it was the right thing to do. So when her condition worsened, she didn’t want those around her to feel obligated to return the favour in any way. She was selfless to the very end.”

From Eileen Tann and Kate Smith, C.R.E.W. coordinators: “It’s with great sadness that we, the canoe club family, announce the passing of a legend and amazing mentor, Emanuela Sheena who made her journey home to the ancestors this afternoon surrounded by her sons Matthew and Erick and partner Gerry Sheena. Emanuela was a private person about her final time with us on earth but we have the permission to share that Emanuela was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease) and that even through the journey with this disease she was there in mind and spirit, right till the end.

“Emanuela started the Canoe Club 20 years ago at Collingwood Neighbourhood House, and through her hard work and dedication, the program we now know as C.R.E.W. continues to flourish. Emanuela mentored many Indigenous youth over the years who are now becoming well-known artists, doctors, red-seal trade workers and many youth workers. Many of her past youth, when first meeting her, were young, lost and without family and Emanuela’s dedication and unconditional acceptance gave them a sense of belonging and family. Over the past week, these youth have gathered to say goodbye and share their love for Emanuela.

“Our teachings tell us that over the next four days we are to be still and gentle with each other as Emanuela makes her journey to her ancestors. We ask that everyone eats a meal in her name and places a cup of water outside to feed Emanuela as she passes; light a candle to help light her journey home. Thank you and keep our youth in your hearts and minds.”

From Yoko Tomita, CNH arts and culture coordinator: “I remember asking the Canoe Club to be part of the craft fair, to have tables and a recognition of the land and First Nation culture sharing. Emanuela really cared about each C.R.E.W. member with a warm heart. I joined their gathering sometimes to share arts-and-crafts making and she always had nice refreshments and talked to each member. I really respect how she established the Canoe Club and sustained their vision to keep going. Writing grants and overseeing all the activities to happen on schedule is not easy. I take my hat off to her dedication and love to the First Nations community, which really made a big difference for each participant. I hope her sprit may lifted by all the goodness what she shared in the past.”

From Carmen Correal, recreation manager: “Emanuela was my office colleague for several years. She was a valuable woman whom I respected and admired. I remember a Saturday when we went to IKEA together to buy office furniture, assembled it, and high-fived each other when we finished the work. I also remember seeing her walking to the corner of the Joyce-Collingwood SkyTrain Station where Tim Horton’s was; she told me there was no better coffee than this, the best in the city. She always asked me if I wanted coffee. She worked passionately with the Aboriginal youth team, especially in the summer, when journeys lasted more than a week, and she returned with great joy and new stories. I still miss her presence.”

From Kulwant Kaur, operations director: “We had some great memories of working together in the office and then later in the Community Development department. I want to thank her for all of her contributions, hard work and dedication to CNH and the community. She was an amazing staff who worked so well with the office team and all staff.”

Jennifer Gray-Grant is the executive director of Collingwood Neighbourhood House.

Copyright Renfrew-Collingwood Community News


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July 2022 issue of RCC News is here

Check out all the great things happening in our neighbourhood this month, including the return of Collingwood Days. Let’s keep connected to your neighbours and community through the Renfrew-Collingwood Community News. Please continue to stay safe while you’re out and about.

Renfrew-Collingwood Community News July 2022

View the new issue.

In this issue:

  • Collingwood Days are back! July 15 to 23
  • Collingwood Corner: Collingwood Theatre on Joyce Street
  • Paddling season for local Indigenous youth
  • Letters to the editor: Liquor store input needed by July 15 and Carleton School catchment changes
  • Arts PowWow reunion
  • Royal Canadian Legion Branch 179 update
  • Eating out in RC: Yummy Slice Pizza
  • Stay refreshed with bubble tea
  • ReClaim Your Name project

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 August 2022 issue is July 14.

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.