Finding our way
in rockets, bikes and life
“The weight of the world is not on your individual shoulders, but what you do with your energy every day is.” Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hanson
“All we ever wanted was to be able to move the needle, to hopefully tell people that our shared humanity is the most important thing we have, that we live on a precious lifeboat, that we are a crew,” Christina Koch, Artemis Mission Specialist
quoted in this Globe and Mail article.
Do you live near Mountsfield Public School? They could use some adults to join the Wednesday Bike Bus. Meet at Devonshire and Edward Streets at 8:20am and ride with the kids to school.
Do you know a school that would like bike training? Learn more about Ride to Thrive.
Interested in planting on your boulevard? Blooming Boulevards has lots of information and plant lists. Looking for native plants? Presales are still open until Sat May 16. Buy a plant and help biodiversity in our own backyard.
Have you considered installing a bat or owl house? Mark Anderson of Birds and Bat Habitat Structures is a local craftsman making (and installing) top quality structures.
Summer job opportunity: Carolinian Canada is hiring for a Communications Specialist. Must meet Canada Summer Jobs requirements. Deadline to apply is May 20.
Do you know someone (perhaps just outside the city) with some land and are looking to install a wind break? Reforest London has White Spruce saplings for sale. $25 for a package of 10 (no individual sales).
Volunteers Needed: Native Plant Sale pick-up day on Sat May 23. No experience necessary. Do you know a student that needs volunteer hours? We could use their help!
On May 12th, at the Council Meeting, a contentious development proposed at 945 Bluegrass Drive (across the street from Gateway Church) was denied at PEC and then at Council after vocal resident dissent, losing 225 much needed long term care spaces.
The staff report was in support of the development by Jarlette Health Services, a Midland-based retirement community and long-term care provider (not a local developer) and concluded:
The recommended action is consistent with the PPS (Provincial Policy Statement) 2024, conforms to The London Plan and will facilitate development at a scale and intensity that is appropriate for the site and surrounding context.
This property already has zoning to allow for a 3 storey building and was planned for some sort of development geared to seniors. Residents had gotten used to using this property as neighbourhood green space.
(video: 1:41:00)Councillor Steven Lehman voted no because the height “was not appropriate” and that this land would be used for a “business”, not a residential use.
(video: 1:44:00) Councillor Sam Trosow voted no because he felt the traffic study was “inadequate”.
(video: 1:51:00) Councillor Steve Hillier voted no because the density was too high (staff noted that as a long term care home, compared to strictly residential, densities are much higher and that this density was proportionate to the size of the property).
(video: 1:52:00) Councillor Shawn Lewis voted yes because the staff approval would make an appeal to the land tribunal likely. He also indicated that the loss of the land as green space was not a valid argument (it is not park land that was being taken away) and the street parking issues were a problem that Gateway Church needed to rectify.
Councillor Corrine Rahman voted no despite acknowledging that the province’s care model required the higher density to make this project “work” and hoped the developer would find another location in the city.
(video 2:01:00) Councillor Anna Hopkins voted yes because “I want to support our policies, if we don’t want to support our policies, we should change our policies” adding that Council has a history of approving developments even when staff recommended refusal, approving developments with much higher densities and seemed to be at a loss why they were refusing this one.
(video 2:08:00) Councillor Elizabeth Peloza “I appreciate the 37% of open space”.
Vote (2:11:35) lost, with only Councillors Lewis, Hopkins, Ferreira, Peloza, Franke in support.
The city’s Strategic Plan Performance Dashboard has 8 Areas of Focus.
This recommendation will contribute to the advancement of Municipal Council’s 2023- 2027 Strategic Plan in the following ways:
Housing and Homelessness, by ensuring London’s growth and development is well-planned and considers use, intensity and form.
Wellbeing and Safety, by promoting neighbourhood planning and design that creates safe, accessible, diverse, walkable, healthy, and connected communities.
Sat May 16, 11am Toxic Trivia & Pizza Party at Springbank Park (near playground) hosted by For Our Kids. Free pizza, trivia games, and community connection!
Together, we’ll unpack the common myths and ‘lies’ spread by the Big Oil lobby, and we’ll have a great time doing it.
Sat May 16, 9am-noon, Plant and Bake Sale at Unity of London, 501 Nelson St.
Sat May 16, 10am-3pm Farm tours and Seedling Sale, Common Ground Farm, St. Thomas
Sun May 17, 1-3pm Komoka Provincial Park. FREE guided forest walk with Larry Cornelis. Reserve by emailing: pollinatorteam@mail.com (not gmail)
Tues May 19, 7pm - Talking Climate in the Age of Disinformation! Action Party with Climate Action Now, featuring Katharine Hayhoe; online, free
Sat May 30, 9am-11am Tree Giveaway, Western Fair Market
Plant Exchanges at your local library on Saturdays in May; 10am-12pm.
May 16: Pond Mills, Sherwood, Landon
May 23: Byron, East London, Jalna May 31: Beacock, Bostwick
Sat June 6, 10am Let the Sunshine In, a presentation on installing rooftop solar panels by Bluewater Energy. Hosted by Rotary Club of London, First-St. Andrew’s United Church, 350 Queens Ave.
Sat June 6, 10-5pm Gathering on the Green, Wortley Village. Tree Giveaway from 10-noon
Sat June 6, Forest City Slow Roll, a bike ride through the city, safe for the whole family. Registration required. Arrive at 1pm for activities, Ride starts at 3pm. hosted by London Cycle Link as a kickoff to bike month.
Sat June 13 Butterfly Festival, 17 Meadowlily Rd S. Learn to catch and release butterflies. Hosted by TTLT. Drop-in anytime from 11am-2pm. Note: see event link for apparel recommendations
Fridays for Future 2:30 - 3:30pm continues every Friday at the corner of Dufferin and Wellington streets. Bring a sign, or just come to chat and experience fellowship with other concerned citizens. This is a small group, dedicated to holding a place for youth in support of Greta Thunberg’s global movement.
In an interview with Living on Earth, author Katharine Wilkinson talks about her latest book, Climate Wayfinding: Healing Ourselves and the Planet We Call Home.
Why “Climate Wayfinding”? Because we are living in a world where maps increasingly no longer work—quite literally, as shorelines slip beneath rising seas, glaciers melt away, and places we love go up in flames. But this is also true internally and societally. Many people feel lost or stuck in this liminal, unsteady time. Climate Wayfinding asks the questions I hear everywhere: How do we navigate lives of meaning, belonging, and contribution? How do we move through ache to action?
Katharine has said that this is a magnificent time to be alive, because we truly can make a difference with our actions.