Serafina Garden Services

Business Operating in Lynn Valley since: 2010

What do customers like about your business?
They know we all love the work we do – bringing beauty and order to North Shore gardens. Our enthusiasm shows in our work!

What do you love about your customers?
Their appreciation of what we do. Plus, a commitment to beautification.

Can you give us a garden tip?
If you have Japanese maples, try to remove all the dead leaves from between the branches and all the dead twigs too, to reveal the sculptural beauty of the tree in winter. Otherwise, leave all pruning of this tree to summer. Snapping dead twigs off is as satisfying as popping bubble wrap!

What are some of your other accomplishments?
I’m also self-employed as an English tutor, specializing in grammar, literature, and enrichment.

Hobbies?
Classical piano, running, reading, and gardening (of course!).

How about community involvement?
I’m a member of the Lynn Valley Garden Club (and a former Member At Large)

What don’t we know about you?
I’ve lived on the North Shore most of my life, and in Lynn Valley since 1994.

What’s the business taught you?
Gardening is the best job in the world…at least for me.

Do you have any future plans?
A rare plant nursery? Otherwise, I’ll garden till I keel over in my Hunter boots

How about a favourite quotation?
“The purpose of life is to be happy”–the Dalai Lama

Email: cari@serafinagardens.ca

We hope that people will share their views and bring their ideas to the table. You can visit the North Vancouver District booth at Lynn Valley Day, and attend one of the four open house events that are taking place in our neighbourhood from between June 1 and 12. Online feedback will also be collected. All details for engaging in the process are here.

Once options are explored over the spring and summer months, the vision will be narrowed down in the fall to preferred option(s) that will be put before NVD council for their consideration.

We’ve already reported on Mark Sager’s invitation to give your thoughts about the Bosa redevelopment of the mall area, and this will be ongoing up to and including Lynn Valley Day. Read this post for information about Mark’s storefront in the mall.

There have never been so many opportunities to share your thoughts, Lynn Valley, so we encourage you to get out there and have your opinions registered!

 Here’s some information from the NVD Identity website:

Lynn Valleyites are invited to get their groove on  - the Lynn Valley Legion is bringing back a great crowd-pleaser on Saturday, May 18!

Says organizer Brenda Williams: “Once again we have convinced one of Vancouver’s best R ‘n B, blues,  and funky dance bands to come to the North Shore for a night of super fun, dancing and socializing! This event always sells out, but we’d like the neighbourhood to know that there is some fine entertainment in the Valley!”

 Doors open at 7 p.m., and the band starts at 8 and goes until about midnight. Tickets are $20 and available at the Legion during business hours (they are open 7 days a week). Ticket info is at 604-987-2050.

]]> http://www.lynnvalleylife.com/blog/celebrate-the-long-weekend-with-great-dance-band/feed/ 0 http://www.lynnvalleylife.com/blog/2-oh-hail-here-comes-the-rain/ http://www.lynnvalleylife.com/blog/2-oh-hail-here-comes-the-rain/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 14:51:26 +0000 Peggy http://www.lynnvalleylife.com/?p=6489

From the garden of Lynn O’Malley…

This was going to be a celebratory post about the fact that my sunflower seeds poked their heads above the soil last Saturday, a scant week after I detailed their planting in this post.

While I would like to take credit for this feat (the packet said 15 days was more typical), I begrudgingly have to acknowledge that the week of wonderful sunshine probably counted for a lot more than the loving care with which I plunged the seeds the requisite half-inch into the soil.

But then came the rain! Just as these seedlings started to muscle upwards, stretching their leaves out to shed the split black shell they had outgrown, the heavens opened. Would it batter them into the ground? Would the sodden soil attract an army of slugs?

I couldn’t stop the rain – and certainly couldn’t do anything about yesterday’s fierce hail storm – but I could give at least some of my sunflower charges a protective home.

I have been urging my children to drink increasing quantities of milk so that I can cut the bottom out of the empty milk jugs and use them as mini greenhouses (and hopefully, slug gates) to protect the seedlings. They aren’t the most attractive element in my garden at the moment, but perhaps the most useful.

On the good news front, the seedlings have been largely left alone by the birds (I have been forever distrustful of them since a Stellar’s Jay ate my whole crop of sweet peas 25 years ago. I admit I’ve had trouble moving on.)

More good news came from staffing a Project Sunflower table at last weekend’s Lynn Valley Garden Club sale. It was fun talking to so many avid gardeners, to hear how their sunflowers are doing (a number of people got a jump on me by starting them indoors), and to sign up more participants in the Project Sunflower campaign. Below are the Radcliffe family, who will be receiving their seeds in the mail this week!

From the garden of Lynn O’Malley, voice of the valley:

For the past two months, the LynnValleyLife team has been planning and promoting its scheme to blanket Lynn Valley in summertime sunflowers. We’ve talked sunflowers, mailed sunflowers, photo’d sunflowers and dreamt sunflowers. It occurred to me that amidst all the fuss, I might forget to actually plant the darn things!

But this weekend all the stars were in alignment. After last week’s late-season frosts, the nights have now warmed up, and the weatherman promises sunshine throughout the week ahead. I put all busy work aside, and decided that today was a perfect day to launch Project Sunflower in the O’Malley plot.

I thought I’d start a Project Sunflower diary here on LynnValleyLife, to inspire people to take part, to (hopefully) answer questions, and to post photos and stories sent in by proud sunflower-growers. I’m not known for my green thumb, so I figured that if I can coax a seed from seedlinghood through to maturity, then the rest of Lynn Valley has no excuse for opting out (we still have more free seed packets available, so email us at info@LynnValleyLife.com if you’d like to grow along with us. You can do it for the warm glow you will get from bringing happiness to those walking by your garden, or – insert evil laugh - you can set your sights on winning our prize for tallest or most sunflowers. See this post for details.)

First step was to do a final weed of the raised beds in the front garden. These are usually saved for beans, zucchini, chard and the like, but as we usually mange to harvest enough over the course of a season to save approximately a whooping $5.28 at the supermarket, we thought giving over one of these beds to Project Sunflower would not cause undue hardship. I picked the bed nearest the street, which is designed to maximize sun exposure and admiring glances from passers-by.

Once it was weeded, I sprinkled into the soil a mixture of three basic substances that are standard organic soil amendments. I would be more specific about the ingredients, but I mixed the concoction last fall and now I’ve forgotten what’s in it. Something to do with bonemeal and …. something. Apparently you don’t have to be too fussy about your soil with sunflowers, but I had it on hand so I thought it couldn’t hurt (famous last words). And, by the way, when I say I “sprinkled” it on, I mean “threw it on in damp, smelly clumps” because it seems I left the container in the rain at some point over the past few months. (See what I mean about my non-green thumb? Follow this column’s advice at your own peril.)

I planted the seeds at the recommended six-inch intervals, at half an inch deep. I went to town and planted a whole packet, because I am determined to have a sunflower patch to be reckoned with. I was watched throughout this process by our garden’s resident crow, who struts about constantly looking self-possessed and calculating. Knowing that crows carry grudges against people they don’t like, and even tell their children and friends about particular individuals they despise, I am carefully polite to him and we have developed a mutual understanding. I have told him about Project Sunflower and respectfully requested his support, so I am hoping he will stay away from the seeds and seedlings. We’ll see.

Next, I watered the plot. If there is any advice you might want to take away from this post, it is the following: when screwing your ‘water wand’ watering attachment to the end of your hose for the first time in the season, you MAY WISH – this is just a suggestion, mind you – you may wish to test it gently at first, rather than cranking the water pressure full blast while closely examining the seal between the component parts, just in case winter warping has caused said seal to be ineffective, and you have your hat and sunglasses blasted off by the resulting escape of high-velocity water and are left standing in your driveway, dripping wet from drenched head to sodden toe. It’s just a suggestion.

Once the plot was nicely damp, I sprinkled on some natural slug bait I bought a year or two ago that proved to be quite effective. (Stalking slugs at nightfall with a pair of scissors is also quite effective, but labour-intensive and admittedly gruesome.)

Over the sunny week ahead, I will be zealous in my soil-moisture monitoring, and hope for shoots in the next few weeks. I will be sure to report back with photos as soon as the first sprout is crowning! In the meantime, please do get your own seeds planted if you haven’t already. All tips and anecdotes welcome – just send them to info@LynnValleyLife.com. Tara from the Lynn Valley Garden Club told me that she planted her seeds today, too, and plans to use the sturdy growing stems as a trellis for her cucumber plants – there’s a pro for you!

You can meet Tara and other garden club members at their annual plant sale that takes place next weekend at St. Clement’s Church. They have been working like beavers potting up perennials, digging shrubs, growing tomatoes and doing a thousand other tasks to give shoppers a great selection of growing things to choose from. Watch our blog for more details over the week ahead, but be sure to put Saturday, May 11 on your calendar, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

And one final suggestion: while you’re out planting sunflowers in your own garden, why not take a few of those old plastic flower pots we all have kicking around, and plant some seeds for a friend or neighbour who might not be planting their own? I have planted several pots of seeds, which can be given away or moved around my own garden. Sunflowers don’t take too well to being transplanted, so I am using pots that I (hope) are large enough to see them right through to maturity. Don’t tell Mr. O’Malley, though – I have assured him that the pots are all planted with the cucumbers and tomatoes he requested! (Roll that evil laugh again…)

Melanie Swithin-Jones, D.O.M.P.

Business Operating in Lynn Valley since: March 2013

What do customers like about your practice?
Osteopathy is a gentle process to help the body heal. I am approachable and deliver easy explanations of the treatment and reaction of the body.

What do you love about your customers?
My customers are well informed about health issues and the possibilities of treatment. They are also very proactive about their health and wellbeing.

Can you give us an osteopathic tip?
Pay attention to your posture, it will keep many ailments at bay.

Tell us about your other accomplishments.
In 1996, I graduated from the University of Montreal with a Bachelor’s in Biology. I have the ability to teach; I taught ESL for a number of years. I am also fluent in French and English.

How about hobbies?
I like wine and whiskey!  I watch tons of documentaries, on any subject. I also do Bikram yoga twice a week.

Community involvement?
I am involved with the People in Pain Network; I co-facilitate a group in North Vancouver.  I took part in Operation Red Nose for a number of years.

Tell us something we don’t know about you!
I am a licensed scuba diver and I went skydiving two years ago.

What’s the business taught you?
The importance of good nutrition. This is something that most people overlook or don’t pay attention to.  However, health starts at the cellular level and the micronutrients you get from good nutrition are an essential part of healthy cells.

Any future plans?
I would like to put together a series of lectures to inform people of the community about health issues.  I also would like to get involved more in pain relief.

Favourite quotation:
You are as important to your health as it is to you.
~Terri Guillemets

Email: melanie@harmonyosteopathy.ca  

Seylynn Village is part of the new Lower Lynn Town Centre plan that will see a range of new development in Lower Mountain Highway. One of the first stages is the construction of the Beacon building, one of the high rises that will be situated  across from Seylynn Park (they are shown in the dotted circle below).

We’ve arranged for LynnValleyLifers to have a sneak preview of the Beacon’s two bedroom and den, brand-new display suite and get access to VIP preview pricing before things open up to the general public.  Come on down from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7, enjoy some refreshments, and experience what it might be like in this Denna Homes creation. If you’re thinking of buying, it’s a great opportunity to have your pick of the suites before they start getting snapped up – and, as you’ll see below, there’s good reason to think that demand will be high.

The buzz on this first-stage tower is that it is being priced at not much more than cost as it will serve as an anchor for the community-building that is to follow. There’s certainly nowhere else on the North Shore that you can get into a brand-new, concrete building with quality finishings like triple-glazing at prices that start at $265,000 for a one-bedroom condo apartment.

Planned as part of the development are other perks such as an exclusive, residents-only private recreation club and a daycare facility. (Another attractive feature: traffic will be re-routed so that city-bound drivers will enter the highway straight from Keith Road; the current Fern Street access will be a thing of the past.)

It’s a great bet for investors, too – its location near Capilano University and the bridge to Vancouver means there will always be someone anxious to rent there!  We asked local expert and LV merchant Mortgage Dave how the numbers would pencil out as an investment. Click here to see his take on this great opportunity.

Seylynn Village’s marketing team at Pacesetter Marketing has received a huge response to its initial publicity, which includes the chance to WIN a free home just for registering and visiting the display suite. There are only 5,000 “golden keys” for this contest, so be amongst the first in line and be guaranteed that you get one, thanks to your membership in the LynnValleyLife Network.

Given the prices of these homes, Seylynn Village sales managers Tammy Vogan and Monique Davidson both confirm the advance interest has been “epic.”

LynnValleyLife sponsoring realtor Jim Lanctot says “We are excited that we’ve been able to arrange this evening for our LVL Network members. We wanted to give our local people the chance to be amongst the first in line to see what opportunities are out there in the neighbourhood. The Beacon building makes a great option for some of Lynn Valley’s downsizers, first-timers and investors.”

And we’d be thrilled if one of our LynnValleyLife members left holding the gold key that ultimately unlocks the door to a free new home!

For more information on the development, check out the Seylynn Village website. If you are unable to make the LynnValleyLife-only Open House on May 7, please contact Jim Lanctot and he will call the Seylynn Village marketing team to arrange an alternative showing.

(Graphics above courtesy of Denna Homes.)

There’s always something new to look forward to at Lynn Valley Days, and 2013 will be no exception!

For starters, we want to give a big community thank-you to William F. White International, which is sponsoring all of Lynn Valley Days’ cable and power needs. (And thank you to Lynn Valley’s Garin Josey, the William F. White VP who is making this happen for us!) Amongst other things, what this will mean is no more distressing generator failures, and a much better-balanced sound system at the sold-out Gala Dinner Dance. And if the weather cooperates, it will also mean some amazing light-up-the-sky special effects on Friday night!

People, businesses make it happen

It’s thanks to business sponsorships of all shapes and sizes that Lynn Valley Day has become the great event that it has. Please have a look at some of the other sponsors who stepped forward to support the community festival this year (list is not complete, we know more names are yet to be added!). But it’s not just businesses that make it happen – Lynn Valley Day is the result of months of hard work by host organizations Lynn Valley Lions and Lynn Valley Community Association, and many individual volunteers.

Shirin Ismail of the LVCA is once again coordinating volunteers, and would love people to step forward to offer just a couple of hours here or there. Whether you lean towards traffic control during parade time, staffing a ride on the midway or site clean-up, there is definitely a place for you to earn your karma points. The times and tasks, along with Shirin’s contact info, are listed here.

New ride promises good view

We’re definitely looking forward to watching people’s faces as they take in the new Euro-Bungee ride. Thrill-seekers will be strapped into this new attraction, then bounce on a trampoline that will shoot them 40 feet into the air – so hang onto your dentures!

People looking for more old-fashioned fun will once again be glad of the free games and races that the LynnValleyLife team will be organizing in its corner of the field. Egg-and-spoon, gunny sacks, three-legged races, ballon toss, the ever popular Hyak Rafting Super Soaker…. what more could you want for some good old family fun? (Well, if there IS something more, please tell us – it’s not too late to incorporate some other favourite races! Just email info@LynnValleyLife.com.)

Also new in our neck of the woods will be the chance to have your photo taken with our custom-painted Project Sunflower photo board (thank you, Julie Jay!) If you haven’t already picked up your free packet of seeds for Project Sunflower, please stop by and do so – we’re hoping to see hundreds of sunflowers blooming in the valley this summer!

Rain or shine, there will be something old and something new, something borrowed and …. oh, right, that’s weddings. But it holds true for Lynn Valley Days as well, and we know you’re not going to want to miss the Lions Cook Shack 7:30am Pancake Breakfast, the 10 a.m. parade, and all-day fun at the park. Keep our special Lynn Valley Days section handy so you’ll have access to all the entertainment schedules and other details as they are finalized!

Given the North Shore’s high prices, current investors sometimes wonder if buying in North or West Vancouver can possibly provide a decent return. In fact, a well-thought-out real estate purchase can provide not only a decent return, but also one that’s far more lucrative than many current stock and mutual fund portfolios.

I decided to take a closer look at the new Seylynn Village development being offered by Denna Homes in the Lower Lynn District.  The Beacon building will comprise the first stage of new development in an area that is ripe for change. Being situated close to transportation, recreation, the downtown bridge, and Capilano University, it promises to be attractive to renters in an area that is already one of Greater Vancouver’s strongest rental markets (North Vancouver has a current vacancy rate of 0.9%).

The entry-level 1 bedrooms are currently selling for $264,900, and the same 2 bedrooms are selling for $418,900 (based on the price list provided to me).  If one was to invest in either of the two, based on 20% down, they would need to pay $57,528 and $91,408 respectively.  Using stats provided from an independent study, suites should rent for approximately $2.40 per square foot.

Why is the return so good?  It’s the power of leverage combined with a low purchase price and decent monthly rental income.  As an investor you also have three forms of return:

• Positive monthly cash flow – the 1 bedroom has $170 positive monthly cash flow and the 2 bedroom has $215 monthly.
• Paying down the mortgage
• Potential real estate market appreciation

Now the great thing is you will get the monthly cash flow even in a flat real estate market.  You are still looking at a substantial return on investment if the market stays flat.

Feel free to contact me at 604-315-DAVE (3283) or Dave@mortgagedave.ca for more details.

Calculations were made using very conservative numbers and taking into account factors such as inflation, vacancy, closing costs, taxes, condo fees, insurance, etc.
Investing can be risky.  This analysis used some basic assumptions.  Make sure you are fully educated before you invest.  Contact me for the details on these calculations.

 

These spring landscape tips are provided by Lynn Valley local, Matt Boyd of Endless Summer Landscaping.

Are you looking forward to a beautiful, lush, green lawn this year, surrounded by attractive gardens and dotted with healthy trees? These top five spring landscaping tasks will ensure your lawn looks great. Review the list and hire a professional landscaper to get a jump on the season of outdoor living.

Spring Landscaping Task # 1 — Aerate the Lawn

This process involves special equipment that actually punches holes in your turf, creating air pockets to improve the health of soil and roots. Aeration is best done when the yard has dried out, and hiring a professional to do the job is a wise idea. DIY aerating machinery is expensive and difficult to handle – the pros can whip through this job in a few hours and give your lawn the leg up it needs.

Spring Landscaping Task # 2— Clean Out the Gardens

Many gardeners leave their plants in the fall, providing seed heads for winter birds and creating an attractive picture throughout the cold season. But when the weather turns in spring, your garden needs to be cleaned out and cleared up. Cut down the dead foliage and stalks from last season, composting all but the diseased plant material. Destroy any bugs, larvae and other pests you find and avoid turning the soil too much — that amount of disturbance can kill off nutrients in the upper layers of soil.

Spring Landscaping Task # 3— Prune Your Shrubs

Many shrubs and bushes can be pruned or trimmed in the spring to create an orderly, attractive landscape. Juniper, euonymus, forsythia and plenty of other shrubs need to be trimmed for good health and to avoid massive overgrowth. Use sharp pruning shears that have been well cleaned and be careful when handling tall shrubs.

Spring Landscaping Task # 4— Fertilize the Grass and Gardens

The first thing that people often think about in the spring is feeding their grass to get it growing healthy and green. But you should spend some time thinking about the ideal type of fertilizer for your property. Are chemical products the way to go, or can your grass thrive on compost or other natural fertilizers?

Spring Landscaping Task # 5— Plan for This Year’s Projects

Maybe this is the year you’ll have the deck or patio installed. Or perhaps it’s time for a fence or a fence replacement. Whether you’re considering a pool, hot tub, flagstone patio or storage shed, it’s best to start planning early. Contractor schedules get filled up quickly; the longer you wait to get moving on the project, the longer you’ll have to wait for installation. Contact a few local contractors and find out the scope and budget of your outdoor project.

One of the most important decisions when choosing a mortgage is whether to lock in a fixed interest rate or select a variable (floating) rate.  With interest rates at historical lows, making the wrong decision could cost you thousands.  Let’s look at the difference between the two types of rates, and how this choice might affect you.

Fixed Rate

With a fixed rate mortgage you “lock in” a predetermined interest rate for a set period of time (i.e., term).  The most popular term these days is five years.

A fixed mortgage rate can give you a bit more comfort and security knowing exactly what your payments will be each month for the duration of your term.  This makes financial planning and budgeting relatively easy.

The downside of a fixed rate is that if interest rates remain stable or fall during the term you will end up with higher payments than you’d experience with a variable rate mortgage.

Another consideration is that if you need to get out of a fixed rate mortgage before the term is up, you may have to pay a higher penalty.  The penalty is typically the greater of either 1) three months’ interest, or 2) the interest rate differential (the difference between your fixed rate and the current market rate multiplied by the outstanding principal further multiplied by the remaining years of the term).  Different banks calculate these penalties differently, so I would work with you to ensure the bank you choose matches your needs.

Variable Rate

The payments on a variable rate mortgage fluctuate, based on the prime rate throughout the term that you have the mortgage.

Lenders offer the variable rate as a discount off the prime rate.  Today the prime rate is at 3% and discounts on variables are around 0.40%, so a homeowner choosing this option will pay about 2.6%.  However, your mortgage rate, and therefore your payments, will increase and decrease along with the prime rate.  A great feature of a variable rate mortgage is that you can pay it off early with only a three-month interest penalty.  The lenders cannot charge the dreaded interest rate differential on variable rate mortgages.

Since the prime rate can increase or decrease on a monthly basis, variable rates are not for the faint of heart.  Anyone taking on a variable mortgage needs to be able to handle changes to their monthly payments not only financially, but psychologically as well.  If the thought of paying an extra $200 per month in mortgage payments causes you to lose sleep, a variable rate may not be for you.  I would work with you to manage this risk.

Then And Now

In the past there has been a huge discrepancy between fixed and variable rates.  Five years ago fixed rates were around 4.8% and prime was around 4%.  We had large discounts off prime of around 0.9% so you could get 3.1% variable vs. 4.8% fixed.  Going with a variable rate was an easy choice for most people, especially if they thought that interest rates were moving downward in the coming years.

Today the best five-year fixed rate is around 2.89% and variables are around 2.6%, so the gap has reduced significantly.  Prime has been around 3% for over 2 ½ years and most experts believe it will remain steady for some time, but that it will go up eventually.

Which Is Best For You?

If you are planning on moving in less than five years, a variable may be the best way to go.  If you are staying put I would definitely look at a five-year fixed or even a 10-year fixed at a slightly higher rate.  On 10-year terms the penalty to pay out after the fifth anniversary is only three months interest, so you get the best of both worlds — stability over a decade and the ability to renegotiate or payout in the last five years for a relatively low penalty.

Everyone’s situation is unique to them, and Mortgage Dave is here to provide a mortgage solution that is customized to meet your specific needs.

As always, I would be happy to review your personal situation and make my recommendations for you.  Feel free to call me at 604-315-DAVE (3283) or email me at dave@mortgagedave.ca.

There was enough concern, in fact, that North Vancouver District Council voted to re-engage the public in a discussion about redevelopment options for the Lynn Valley town centre area.

Now we’ve learned that Mark Sager, founding partner of Sager LLP and former mayor of West Vancouver, has been given the mandate to be the sounding board for the residents of Lynn Valley. He’ll gather feedback, engage in conversations, listen to questions and concerns, and help Bosa come up with a new proposal that is in line with what the neighbourhood wants while being economically feasible for the developer.

“I am really, really honoured to be given this opportunity,” he said over a coffee in Delany’s. “Bosa is one of the most respected builders in Western Canada. They’ve said to me ‘Go out, and then tell us what’s the right thing to do here.’”

Nat Bosa, he says, lives on the North Shore. While leasing the old Zellers space to Target might be an easy economic answer, Mark says that Nat wants to build something with more neighbourhood appeal.

Mark and a team of students are inviting local residents to visit them in the mall, where they will be setting up a storefront where the pet store used to be (across from CIBC). From Saturday, May 4 to 25, hours will be Monday to Wednesday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. to  4 p.m.

You’ll also find them at Lynn Valley Day on Saturday, May 25, and Mark is also hoping to snag some tickets for the virtually sold-out May 24 Gala Dinner.”At the end of the day, we have to do something that makes economic sense,” says Mark. “But Nat is completely open to hearing a range of ideas.”

Mark has introduced himself to the neighbourhood via this letter that was mailed out to 7,000 Lynn Valley homes this week. If you’re not able to pop into the mall, he invites you to email your comments to him at mark[at]sagerllp.com. (We’ll also be sure to post any of his team’s feedback forms or community information here on LynnValleyLife, so keep an eye on our Front Porch blog’s Town Planning section.)

Mark says that since his letter hit the streets, the response has been fantastic. “I’ve had many very thoughtful emails in just the first two days,” he said.

While Mark doesn’t want to give his own opinion regarding the best direction for Lynn Valley’s future development – he’s keeping an open mind as well – he does say that many residents seem to want more of a ‘village centre’ feel than a ‘town centre’ feel, one in keeping with our mountainside location. He’s very familiar with our community, he says, having lots of friends here and a penchant for our YYoga studio, and he knows it’s a place where a great many people choose to raise their families.

Mark himself was born and raised above the family shop in Dundarave, where he says his father planted flowers down the middle of the street. “I grew up always being aware of the things that make a community,” he says. He enjoys the challenge of consensus-building, loves listening, and has a reputation as someone who is patient and thoughtful – all qualities that stood him in good stead when he was the West Van mayor, and will no doubt play a major role in his new post as Lynn Valley town planning confidante!