On Sunday, June 14, we enjoyed another car-free day on Main Street.  The weather was perfect — not too hot.  This year there was a lot more food available and it extended from 12th Avenue up to King Edward (25th) Avenue.

My favourite table was Drawings by Quinn.  He told me that his dream was to draw for books.  I don’t know why I didn’t take a photo of his great drawing.  I did tell him that I think his dream is going to come true.  Next “Summer Spaces” Sunday, look for Quinn on Main.

The bike valet was a great feature as were the signs created for the event.

I spoke to some of the merchants on Main on Monday, some of whom were not happy with the event last year.  They were suprisingly pleased with the business they had and are looking forward to future car-free days.

photo of False Creek and Sweeney Cooperage mill (at left) in the early 1960s from City of Vancouver archives

I spent the day yesterday campaigning at two branches.  I started downtown at Pender and Hornby from 11:00 to 1:45.  Then I walked over to the Cambie Bridge to the 10th and Cambie branch.

As I walked over the Cambie Bridge I marvelled over the changes in the city in my lifetime.  At the 10th and Cambie branch I met a woman who teaches history and she asked me if I was related to the Sweeneys of Sweeney Cooperage.  The photo is how I remember False Creek when I was a child.  BC Place is now located on the former site of the cooperage.

I decided it was best for me to do my own campaigning and be available to talk with members.  I met some really interesting people at both branches and enjoyed my day.

I am a huge fan of Volunteer Vancouver .  The BC Aphasia Centre had a tiny little office next door to Volunteer Vancouver when they were in Heritage Hall.  They provided us with a lot of support — I took books out of the library and attended their AGMs and Open Houses.  I found myself in a community where I could learn new ideas and skills and meet new people.

Since they moved downtown, I don’t get to their office as often.  I get their newsletters, have maintained a personal membership, and the organizations I’m affiliated with get a gentle nudge to join and take advantage of the network, the learning and the general excitement that Volunteer Vancouver generates.  The courses they offer and the network of people they can draw in now makes it an incredibly wonderful place for me to visit.  Going downtown for a 7:30 meeting . . . always worth it because I meet the most incredible people.

This morning I went down to “Books for Breakfast” where the discussion was on Peter Block’s newest book, “Community:  the structure of belonging”, facilitated by Brian Fraser of Jazzthink and Kathleen Speakman, the Executive Director of The Centre for Sustainability .  Kathleen is a graduate of the Women’s Campaign School and she told me that the campaign school was the best professional development course she has taken.  I will get her to write it in her own words for our website.  And, coincidentally, Brian spoke to our board of directors this week to talk about leadership using a jazz metaphor.

We had a great discussion this morning — one of the biggest challenges in the work we all do is to create the spaces for conversation.  I’m looking forward to reading the book and increasing my comfort with the process of “co-creating” a future.

In 1970, I first went to Camp Latona , situated on the north side of Gambier Island in Howe Sound.   I was in a cabin named “Haida”, my counsellor was “Miss Kathy”, the camp director was “Sister Theresa”, and we had powdered milk on our cereal.  I kept going back every summer in session 1, the first two weeks of July.  Session 1 was always the wet session and the girls in Session 2 always got the sunshine.  At camp reunions we would identify with our session — those of us from Session 1 liked to talk about how we formed our friendships as we struggled to stay dry in our primitive lean-tos with those old sleeping bags that never dried after they got wet.  I grew up at Latona, as a camper until I became a counsellor-in-training, then a counsellor.  I also spent time as the “outtrip director” at boys camp in 1977.  I returned in the late 80s as a counsellor, then the next year as the Junior Counsellor director and Director of Senior Co-Ed Camp.

When the camp closed in the mid-90s and was sold, I never thought I would ever see it again.  Declan Lawlor, ”waterfront director” in the 80s, bought Latona and has re-opened a summer camp.  Declan and I have fond memories of pranks and being captains of the “Gumbys” where we painted ourselves green and made carboard heads in the shape of our favourite flexible character.  I am so glad that children in Vancouver have a chance to experience Latona again.  It was my home away from home.

In the summer of 2006, I came across a nice Italian man renovating a storefront on Main Street near Heritage Hall.  I dropped in regularly to see the progress and to chat with Mario about the texture of the walls and the floor and his plans for a neighbourhood coffee shop.  Since then, Caffe Rustico has become a favourite place to drop in and be greeted with an effusive “Ciao, bella!” along with friendly service.  There are Italian and Spanish conversation groups that meet there weekly, and several regular customers.  Mario has created a wonderful community space on Main Street.

Yesterday, I attended an event at City Hall to celebrate International Women’s Day.  Seeing this door makes me believe that we are making progress – past president of the Canadian Women Voters Congress, Andrea Reimer, Vancouver City Councillor.

The Canadian Women Voters Congress hosts the Women’s Campaign School . This year’s school is March 27-29 at SFU at Harbour Centre.

I’ve been working with a student from UBC who is in Women’s Studies to interview graduates of the school and to use new media to help promote the school.

I caught up with two graduates yesterday, Sarah Blyth and Constance Barnes.  Both of them were elected to the Vancouver Park Board in November, 2008.  I don’t think I can make a better pitch for the school than Constance Barnes does here.

For the murdered and missing women of Vancouver.

Every two weeks, a friend comes over for dinner, and we make our homemade pizza.  For the past few years, I’ve been known as the “Dough Queen” because I make great dough by hand.  My husband taught me how to make it but I make better dough than he does.

Our friend thought it might be a good time to bring out the name for the Vancity run.

When Daniel and I were looking for a house in the late 90s, I fell in love with solid wooden doors.  When we went to open houses, I would knock on them to check them out.  At that time, I didn’t know that Daniel was skilled enough to undertake most of the restoration projects.  And I never dreamt that he would be able to make new doors that are identical to the 97 year-old Douglas fir doors in our house.

My skill set is limited . . . I get to varnish.  This door will the door for my closet.