&- Friday, August li AMBLESIDE BEGINNINGS | and endings were recently cele- brated at the North Shore Volunteers for Seniors (NVSV) drop-i in centre party for executive dircetor Wendy Hanna. For over 15 years Wendy has helped” the Organization become a major provider of volun- teer services to the elderly, About 70 ‘vere on hand to wish her well as she left for a year of travelling, © Peggy Large takes over the job at the helm of NVSV. DUNDARAVE HILLSIDE grads of the vintage 1986 variety have a 10-year reunion coming up. The gathering is set for Friday Sept.. 13. and Saturday Sept. 14. The. event features a one-time only reunion of North Shore bands The Fourth Floor and On The Go, Contact reunion. com- mittee member. David Jones at 926-9908. LONSDALE’ '- THE Central Lower Lonsdale neighbor-: hocd welcomes Dave Huber, a community out- reach youth, worker work- ing through North Shore Neighbourhood House. Dave is there to help youn people age 12 to 19 with support for problems -«r issues they are faced with. .The graduate of the Dougias College Child and You and Care. Counselling Saturday, from early after- foo to late in the evening. For more on outreach youth ‘workers serving the North Shere call the North Shore wee | House at 987-8138. Q00 We'd like to share infor- mation about the folks who are making a difference in your neighbathood. ”. Forward all’ informa: tion, including your name, ‘address ~ an ‘number, : : Nei hborhoods ‘ c/o. « Michael Becker.” E-mail :to ' editor@nsnews.com Fax to 985-2104, Mail to North. Shore. “News, 1139 “Lonsdale. Avenue, : Narth Vancouver, WMHS 2H4.. telephone | | Program wotks Tuesday to 2, 1996 — North Shore News NEWS photo Brad Ledwitige EVERGREEN House resident Herbie Hohiweg initiated the cleanup of the care faciilty’s patio garden four years ago when it was a tangle of weeds. Today the garden is a source of pride for residents who enjoy it daliy. Evergreen House ‘patio transformed with love and care By La Layne Christenson” _ Community Reporter’ Doug Duncan “of ‘Evergreen "House wears a' T-shirt that reads . “90 isn’t. old for 4 gardencr.” The only. activity that will pull fim "away from the. residence’s greenhouse is morning games of eribbage on the patio, A gardener for 72 of his 90 years, ~ Duncan can no longer germinate prize _chrysanthemumy like he did when he lived on Raindance Crescent, — he's legally _ blind. He can nurture marigolds from cut- tings, tend to the zucchini and share his knowledge of fertilizers and soils with the long-term care facility’s activity worker Marilyn Stewart and the half: dozen or so residents who tend to the patios of the 2 North ward. They're kept busy with nightly barbe- cues, daily card games and socials, an af fresco breakfast for 28 and for Father's Day a belly dancer. “We have no time to crochet,” says Stewart, who can recall when things were different, ‘Back in 1992, the garden was a lonely plice tarelv used by residents or staff. The patio’s tour meagre flower boxes were a tangle of weeds, New resident Herbert Hohlweg'told Stewart the area was a dis- grace and “I was horrified he thoughe that of his home,” she says, A cleanup was initiated and soon other residents joined in. Stewart purchased plants baseit on residents’ recommenda- tions, Families donated funds to purchase hanging baskets and clematis vines. New residents brought with. them clippings frony the gardens they ieft behind, A core group of six residents formed a garden club to tend to the daily watering and dead- heading with assistance from Stewart. Families and friends regularly pitch in. “You just see what you can do when there's life on a patio,” says Stewart. Today the window boxes brim with lace-like “blue tapien, yellow snapdragons and Jewel Box: celosia. Sapphire lobelia and pink New Guinea impatiens brighten baxes planted with dogwood. Wild daisies and fuchsia spill our of a large hanging bas- ket. The garden has. made all the Sitter. ence for many residents.” _ “It's just a haven,” says Sybil Taylor, ‘ whose husband Ivan receives care at 2 North. The couple have a favorite spot in the shade. The patio has become a source of pride for the residents, who this year envered it in the North. Shore Gardens Contest. They're hoping to win but more than that they are excited about last month's judg- ing, “that someone thought what we did was realy, really valuable,” says Stewart, 1 took four years to name the garden. They call it the Garden For Life. inventive pioneer passes By Michze! Becker - "News Editor large light was square. For train crossings his notion was to have a yellow sign with flashing tights announc- ROBERT Gordon Patterson lobbled for iinproved't trat- fle signals to assist the coler blind. LOCAL pioneer Robert Gordon Patterson passed away May 31, one day after his 91st birthday, His business card identified him as R. Gordon Patterson, RJ. (B.C.), improver. The North Vancouver man nearly lost his life in 1983 when he coilided with a-train north of Duncan on Vancouver Istand. His motor home was a near writc-off. His scalp took 28 stitches. The “improver” went to work. He was color blind and so took up the challenge of improv- ing traffic signals and warning light signals at train crossings. He came ‘up with the bright. idea of a “shaped traffic signal.” The. red light was round, amber becasne a triangle and the green ing “Prepare to Stop — Train is Crossing.” In 1995 correspondence with then high- ways minister Jackie Pemeat, the minister indi- cated that shape-coded traffic signals to assist color-blind drivers were being field tested. Patterson was an. active member of the Vancouver Pioneers, the Canadian Legion and vol- unteered at the West Vancouver Senior Centre. He served as president of the Vancouver Real Estate of Notaries. Patterson was born in 1905 in Listowel, Ontario. He served with the Canadian Air Force and worked for B.C. Electric on the street cars serving Lonsdale Avenue. —. He was supported for 57 years by his wife - and life's partner Melvina M. Patterson. - Board and the B.C, Society FIVE ways to have fun on the North Shore this long weekend: THE Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) performs at Park Royal this evening. Th performance is the VSO's only North Shore stop during its series of free sum- mertime concerts. The music’ starts at 7:30 p.m..in the atri- - um of Park Royal’s south: mall. ; O00 IF outdoor entertainment is what you’re looking for head on down to Ambleside Park for some great (and free) basebail action. we The Hongkong Bank of Canada Baseball Tournament will be hosted by the North Shore Twins, a premiere divi- sion boys’ tean: of 16- to 18- - year-olds. ” The four-day tournament tusis today through Monday ° and features six teams com- prised of the best under-19. aseball players from B.C. and. 7 Washington State. og:Q° TEENS who have a passion - for punk music can hear | |.’ Sparkmarker in concert at Seylynn Hall tomorrow nighi The show is organized teens age 13 to 18. They're working through the Lynn Valley Youth ces in. Partnership ‘pr. The fun raiser cr for the YouthCo, AIDS Society i is; being sponsored in part by ’ North Shore Health; North Shore Neighbourhood’: House, North Vancouver. District. and the North Vancouver Recreation ° Commission. The show starts at7 P ta! Tickets are $5 at the door.’ Seylynn Hall is located at the” corner of Fern and Mountairi Highway in Lynn Valley. O00. ‘Twenty-four of the provinces: * best cricket, layers will take. part in the first-ever two-day - cricket test match to be” played at Hugo Ray Park: in’ West Vancouver (1230° ‘Third a St). 7 Proceeds from a beer gar: den and other food and refreshment stands during the. Aug. 3-4 event will go to the Gregory Hobson Memorial” Cricket ‘Trust Fund. Hobson = was killed during a cricket ° match at Hugo Ray Park last year. He was 21. Action begins on Sunday at 11 a.m, and continues to 7 p.m., then starts up again at - 11 am. on Monday. QO Head for hi; Vancouver for prime viewing of the Benson & Hedges Symphony of Fire show on |: .. Saturday at 10:15 p.m.. Concept Fiatlux, rebresenting “Canada, will be blasting off: _the bombs and. mortars. . ground in West a