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May 2021
RENFREW COLLINGWOOD COMMUNITY NEWS
Eco-art sculptures: Beaver Pond(er)ing Lodging COMMUNITY NEWS The mission of this non-profit publication is to provide the residents, businesses and organizations of Renfrew/Collingwood with a medium for community communication. Paul Reid: staff writer and layout coordinator Lisa Symons: sales and distribution coordinator Julie Cheng: editorial coordinator
Contributors: Bill Steffenson, Bryden Fergusson, Carmen Rosen, Jessie Yeung, Julie Cheng, Karen Vanon, Lindy Johnston, Loretta Houben, Paul Reid, Penny Lim, Sophia Han
We want to hear from you! Yes, You! Send comments, community events, press releases by regular post, fax or e-mail. Suggestions for improving the paper are welcome. We welcome appropriate, unsolicited editorial submissions if accompanied by the author’s real name, address and telephone number. The author should retain the original as we cannot return submissions without prior agreement nor does submission guarantee publication. We reserve the right to make editorial changes. The Renfrew/Collingwood Community News does not necessarily support the views of its contributors.
Next submission deadline: May 10 The Renfrew-Collingwood Community News is an initiative of the Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH).
Yo u C a n F i n d t h e RC Community News @ Libraries, Collingwood Neighbourhood House, Renfrew Park Community Centre, The Italian Cultural Centre, Collingwood Policing Office, other organizations, religious institutions, schools, laundromats, Starbucks, Rona, Superstore, Canadian Tire, Walmart, London Drugs and Safeway coffee shops, restaurants, markets, corner stores, other businesses, and coffee tables all over Renfrew-Collingwood.
Contact the RCCNews Phone: 604-435-0323 extension 261 Fax: 604-451-1191 Editorial: rccnews-editorial@cnh.bc.ca Advertising: Phone Lisa Symons at 604.435.0323 email: rccnews-sales@cnh.bc.ca Renfrew/Collingwood Community News Collingwood Neighbourhood House 5288 Joyce Street Vancouver, BC V5R 6C9
by Lindy Johnston, Carmen Rosen and Jessie Yeung Still Moon Arts Society has an exciting year ahead of them. With a new eco-arts program manager and a number of grants approved, the organization is getting ready to put into action several projects, including Beaver Pond(er)ing Lodging. Beaver Pond(er)ing Lodging interweaves the ancient tradition of willow basketry, communityled riparian (stream bank) stewardship and innovative mycelial (mushroom) sculpture techniques. This eco-art project aims to connect stories of human displacement and habitat loss through the creation of a beaver and recreational vehicle (RV) woven from living willow plant material filled with myco-remediative Turkey Tail mushroom mycelium (as shown in the photo). Why a beaver and RV? Local seniors and Indigenous knowledge keepers tell us stories of a time when the area held natural bogs and many streams flowed throughout the watershed. Beavers had engineered ponds all along
A beaver climbs up the stream bank, curiously noticing an RV that is parked on the lawn. Photo by Carmen Rosen lower Still Creek, creating abundant wetlands that slowed and stored rainwater and nurtured a diverse ecosystem. In the Coast Salish worldview, the beaver symbolizes social respon-
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sibility and diligent collaboration. The beaver has also become a national symbol for Canada. This came through the exploitation and trading of beavers for their pelts that were used to make hats for the aristocrats of Europe, where beavers had already been trapped to near-extinction. By honouring and encouraging beavers as ecosystem builders, the artists strive to embody the traditional values of Beaver, while working towards ecosystem health. The RV respectfully acknowledges the residents who find refuge in the outskirts of our unaffordable city. Still Moon hopes the collaborative process can inspire a sense of belonging and a culture of stewardship in the human community of the watershed. Eco-restoration This project coincides with Still Moon’s larger stewardship initiative Shedding Light on Still Creek, aimed towards long-term ecosystem-based restoration: replacing invasive species with native species, improving water quality of local creeks and increasing biodiversity through community participation. The exact location of this project is currently pending permit approval. Carmen Rosen, founding director of Still Moon, and mycologist/artist Wil-
