OUR PLACE SOCIETY

Our Place Society will be hosting its next monthly neighborhood meeting on Thursday, June 5 from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. at 919 Pandora Avenue.

LET THE BANNERS FLY!

North Park's long awaited street pole banners are being hung this week along Cook Street between Pandora and Caledonia Streets. The chosen designs are by the talented Davin and Andrew from North Park's 1056 Shop. Join us this Saturday, April 12th for a celebration of this first step towards our North Park Village Project. Cake from Patisserie Daniel and coffee from the Fernwood Coffee Company will be served in the parking lot of the Cook and Pan Deli on Cook Street, from 2 to 4PM. North Park Neighbourhood Association Board members will be on hand to answer questions on the Village Project. Hope to see you in the Village!

HELP OUT THE NPNA

Are you looking for a way to help your North Park Neighbourhood Association, but don't want to make a big commitment? I've got just the project for you!

We are looking for someone to oversee a Neighbourhood Arts grant that St. Andrew's School would like to jointly apply with the NPNA to the City of Victoria for.

The project is for a mural along the fence separating Franklin Green from the St. Andrew's School yard.

The grant application is due May 1, 2008. It doesn't take a huge commitment to apply and follow up, but the current Board is already working at maximum drive. If you are interested, please let the NPNA know at hestonsmom@telus.net

OWNERS MEETING ON APRIL 24

Be sure to attend the all-owners Strata meeting on April 24. It will be just around the corner at the Downtown Victoria Police Station (see map below) starting at 5:30pm. See you there!


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HERNANDEZ

When it comes to real, homemade Mexican cuisine nothing comes close to Hernandez on Yates Street (across from the Odeon Theater). Simple and fresh ingredients allow you to enjoy all the component parts. Did I mention it was incredibly affordable as well? Muy bueno!

PIG

Feel the need to go all caveman and sink your teeth into a pig at lunch? Tucked beside the View Street Parkade is the aptly named PIG specializing in barbecue...you guessed it, PIG. Rave reviews from the local critics and magazines.

BUILDING SECURITY

For the second time in just over a month someone has illegally entered our building and camped out in the bottom of the stairwell. I had the pleasure of cleaning up old clothing, a condom and drug paraphernalia. To make matters worse, a tenant's vehicle window was smashed.

We live downtown and at the epicenter of drug culture. People are looking for any way to get into buildings and the only way we can curb this is:

-pay closer attention when entering & leaving the front
doors or parking garage

-stop and make sure the garage door has closed completely before taking off (this is a matter of a few extra seconds)

-do not let ANYONE in if they don't have a key and you don't recognize them as tenants

-report anything suspicious to the police (non-emergency line is 995-7654)

Please do your part to ensure the safety of the other tenants and the building. Take a few extra seconds out of your day and make sure our doors are secured.

UPCOMING NPNA EVENTS

Not sure if you realize it but we are part of the North Park Neighborhood, and the NPNA (North Park Neighborhood Association) does a whole lot of work to improve our area, including organizing the annual street fair (see pic of hot neighborhood belly dancing). Here is a list of their upcoming community events. Everyone is encouraged to attend, and especially those who normally just sit at home and bitch about the world without helping out:

Feb 7 @ 7pm
Community Crime Prevention Program
- At North Park Manor (875 North Park Street)
- The Community Crime Prevention Program is a pilot program going on in North Park.
- Several initiatives are taking place, including block watch sign ups, security audits, traffic safety, and theft prevention
- Learn more and get involved by attending the meeting

Feb 12 @ 7:30pm
NPNA Monthly Board Meeting
- In the Community Room at the Victoria Police Station
- Come learn more about the NPNA, get involved, and have your say!

Feb 16 @ 10am-4pm
Placemaking Workshop
- At St. Andrew's School on Pandora Street
- Come help us discover what makes North Park unique, what our opportunities as a community are, and how we can make our neighbourhood even better!

VANCOUVER ISLAND STRATA OWNERS AGM

The Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association AGM/Seminar is coming up on Sunday, February 17th. More information on the topics to be discussed is available on their website. Be sure to come and take part in the discussion. Every strata owner's view is very important and part of the process.

CLEAN UP TIME

The North Park Neighborhood Association has met with two organizations that have offered to come and clean up used needles in our neighbourhood. The agencies both respond on a call-by-call basis, so if you find a needle in your yard, parking lot, or on the street, you can call one of these numbers and someone will be sent to clean it up.

The organizations are:
VARCS Mobile X: Monday-Friday, 9am-2:45pm. Call 888-4487
SOLID: Wednesday- Sunday, 7:30am-9:30am and 5:30pm-7:30pm. Call 298-9497.