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NEWS: Athletes bettered by BC Games /A3 SPORTS: Quest for soccer supremacy /A7 ARTS: Galleries welcome spring shows /A12 www.oakbaynews.com
Friday, March 11, 2016
Council to consider Hampshire house for Syrian families Group expected to seek twoyear commitment to temporary transitional housing Christine van Reeuwyk Oak Bay News
Jennifer Blyth/Oak Bay News
Oak Bay’s Ann Redford-Nolte finishes her work for the Victoria Sketch Club exhibit opening March 15.
Artist brings whimsy to Sketch Club show Jennifer Blyth Oak Bay News
Growing up in the Victoria area, painting local landscapes as a child before turning to portraits in her teens, “I’ve always wanted to be an artist,” says Oak Bay’s Ann RedfordNolte. Her artistic passions took her to the Vancouver School of Art and
Queen’s University, before working for Group of Seven’s Arthur Lismer at the Montreal Museum of Fine Art. Working as a portrait painter, Redford-Nolte’s subjects included such luminaries as Zubin Mehta, members of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, poet Irving Layton and designer Jean Andre. “It was fabulous – I was areally a part of the art world,” she says from
her bright home studio, a corner suite flooded with natural light. Returning to Victoria, work and family life kept Redford-Nolte busy for many years, but retirement has allowed more time to focus once again on her art. PlEASE SEE: Sketch club marks 107 years, Page A2
Cairine Green calls it a “catalyst” for conversation, kicking off a plan to renovate a municipally owned home on Hampshire for potential use as Syrian refugee housing. “This is such a no-brainer if we get the facelift,” said Green, who expects they can round up in-kind donations enough to create a revenue-neutral renovation. “We’re talking about doing it as a community-building project,” said Jan Mears, who took the lead after Green proposed the idea. “Something like HeroWork or Habitat for Humanity, where people come together and donate time, resources and skill,” added Green. They are attempting to sort out how municipal work could be done outside of the union because: “We don’t want to be in a labour dispute,” Mears said. “It’s really about lining all these things up.” The Community Association of Oak Bay sponsored a meeting late last month to offer information about the proposal, and the expected Syrian refugee influx in general. “The meeting was very positive,” said Mears. “Out of it came a number of volunteers offering a variety of skills.” One donation of a building inspection already provided some information she’ll officially share with the district during the council meeting Monday night. The chimney needs immediate work due to water infiltration; the roof should be replaced and the furnace could use some work. “We’ve had an electrical firm volunteer to remove the knob and tube,” Mears said. PlEASE SEE: Hampshire home, Page A3
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