Doors Open Saskatoon – June 7, 2015

June 7, 2015:
Saskatoon Heritage Society presents Doors Open Saskatoon – Doors Open Saskatoon, a popular bi-annual event that allows people to peek behind the curtains of some of Saskatoon’s most interesting buildings for free, has been confirmed for Sunday, June 7, 2015. This year’s event is sure to have something for everyone with an exciting mix of new and old buildings. Approximately 20 buildings have already been added to this year’s tour, including Affinity Credit Union (City Park School), Bus Barns, Fire Station #1, Little Stone School House, and the Superintendents Residence. The complete list of participating buildings for the 2015 Doors Open Saskatoon event is expected to be released in mid-May. Visit the Doors Open Saskatoon website at www.doorsopensaskatoon.com to keep up-to-date.

VVCA AGM – April 15, 2015

NOTICE of AGM,and call for volunteers!

The Annual General Meeting for VVCA/Grosvenor Park will take place on Wednesday, April 15, 2015 at 7 pm at Brunskill School. All community residents are invited to attend for an update on projects and to elect next year’s Executive. A number of members of the Executive will not be standing for re-election, so new volunteers would be more than welcome!

Saskatoon Police Community Information Night

You are invited to the Saskatoon Police Service Community Information Night.

Dates:
April 13, 2015 (Central Division), 7 pm to 9 pm – Contact: Cst. Robson, 306-975-2265
April 20, 2015 (East Division), 7 pm to 9 pm – Contact: Cst. Epp, 306-975-8032
April 27, 2015 (Northeast Division), 7 pm to 9 pm – Contact: Cst. Xiao, 306-975-2296

Location:
Community Board Room
76 25th Street East, Saskatoon
Saskatoon Police Service

Topics:
Drugs, Graffiti, Anti-bullying
Citizens Patrol, Q&A

Great Annual Saskatchewan Pedal 2015

The Great Annual Saskatchewan Pedal is a bicycle ride across some of the greatest frontier of North America. GASP is a bicycle tour, and not a race. The tour is designed to allow you to travel at your pace while providing you with the support you need to enjoy the tour.

GASP 2015: From Border to Border … Again!
In 2005 for the provincial centennial the GASP tour traversed the province. Ten years later were are going to do it again. Over that time the tour has grown so this year we are offer two tours.

The first tour (E section July 18-25) will be geared towards more experienced touring cyclists and provides a more basic level of support. SAG stops will be less frequent otherwise the same support will be provided. The second section (B section July 19-26) will be geared towards less experienced touring cyclist and provide a SAG wagon stop approximately 20-30kms.

The tour will start near Macklin, on the Alberta – Saskatchewan border. From there we will be working our way out east with stops in Wilkie, Biggar, Saskatoon, Wakaw, Tisdale and Hudson Bay (the town not the water body!). You will enjoy riding roads through beautiful prairies, parklands and forests. 624 km of Saskatchewan highways. It will be a challenge but remember this tour is fully supported with SAG wagons!

GASP provides an introduction to cycle touring in a supportive manner. Luggage is transferred for cyclists, SAG Wagons make periodic stops and provide refreshments including juice, water, fruit and light snacks. We want you to cycle the whole tour but we’ll be there to help you to the destination if need be.

More information here.

Saskatoon Minor Football for Boys and Girls

Saskatoon Minor Football is working towards promoting the sport of flag and tackle football to boys and girls of all ages. Like you, our goal is to promote physical activity and skill development. Currently Saskatoon Minor Football provides over 4,000 children the opportunity to be active each year. Our goal is for children to find this activity to be fun, challenging and also a sport they can enjoy with their friends.

SMF would like you your community know about:

Rush Female Flag Football league
Colts – Grade 1-2
Mini Valkyries – Grade 3-5
Huskies – Grade 6-8
Crush – Grade 9-10
Valkyries – Grade 11-12
COST: $75
Registration closes April 15th
With the development and existence of the Saskatoon Valkyries Women’s Tackle Football team of 5 years now, SMF would like to continue promoting that the game of flag football is important for young females to start playing early in their development with hopes of continuing into High School and after.

Six-a-side Tackle Football
Hilltops – Grades 5-6
Huskies – Grades 7-8
Development football focused on skill development not competition (No score keeping)
Children will learn all positions
Equipment will be included in registration fees
COST: $275
Registration closes April 15th

U16/U18 Academy
Grades 8-12
Monday full equipment practice sessions starting April 20th
Positional football skill development for athletes
Players will receive instruction from some of Saskatoon’s greatest coaches
COST: U16 – $375/U18 – $325
Registration closes April 15th

Spring and Fall Flag Leagues
Spring 2015 – Game days are Saturday
Fall 2015 – Games days vary during the week, as well as games on Saturday.
COST: $75
Registration closes April 15th

saskatoonminorfootball.com

‘Go Wild’ with WWF-Canada this Spring!

This spring WWF-Canada wants you to join us and Go Wild. From March 5 to April 15, tell us how you will get people in your community more involved to help nature thrive and we’ll support the top five ideas with up to $1,000 each!

We are looking for ideas that will help you rejuvenate the experience of nature in your community – that bring people together to make a difference. Whether your idea involves planting or protecting, counting or training, celebrating or solving, leading or inviting, we want to hear from you!

Here are some fun ideas from WWF staff to get your creative juices flowing:

“To get my friends engaged in the watershed they live in, I’d like to take them fishing in the Rouge River, near Toronto’s downtown. There’s an impressive diversity of native fish species in this urban river. While we’re at it, I’ll ask them to help me take some water and bug samples to include in WWF’s Freshwater Health Assessment!”
– James Snider, Acting Freshwater Director, WWF-Canada

“People in Vancouver are always surprised to hear that one of the significant threats to whales in the Salish Sea is underwater noise from passing ships and boats. I’d like to set up an underwater microphone in the habitat of endangered orcas that is linked to a public institution to broadcast underwater sounds live. This would allow the public to appreciate how orcas communicate and how noise pollution affects them, and encourage them to think more about ways to help the whales in our region.”
– Hussein Alidina, Senior Officer, Marine Planning, WWF-Canada.

Why Go Wild?

Nature isn’t only a far-off place or pristine wilderness. Thinking of nature as something that is “over there” makes it easy to ignore in our daily actions and decisions. But, experiencing nature doesn’t necessarily require a long car ride or a map or the right gear.

Nature is something you experience and benefit from every day. It’s our backyards, gardens and ravines. It’s our rivers, lakes and oceans. It’s our fresh air and clean water, our parks, both big and small. Nature is on your doorstep, no matter where you live, and it provides you with unlimited benefits that are essential for a healthy life. And the more we get involved with nature, the more we understand how it needs our help.

We invite you to open the door to a little more nature in your life and tell us your great idea to help nature thrive in your community.

When Canadians Go Wild and experience nature and conservation within their community, their impact grows beyond their single act. It grows the presence of nature in their community and it inspires a deeper connection to nature that colours future actions and decisions, keeping nature and its value top of mind.

See website for more information.

Amnesty International Canada Public Events

Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, will visit the city.

Alex will address three public events, and we hope you will be able to join us:

Tuesday March 10, 2015
10am to 12 noon: Protecting Refugees: Remove the Barriers
Mennonite Central Committee, 600 45th Street West, Saskatoon
Event organized by Amnesty International Group 33 and the Saskatoon Refugee Coalition

1:15pm: Confronting a Human Rights Scourge: Canada and the Global Struggle against Torture
Room 150 (MLT Lecture Theatre)
University of Saskatchewan, College of Law
Event hosted by the College of Law

6:30pm to 9pm: Canada, Let’s Right the Wrongs – Protect Indigenous Rights
Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, 19th Street and Ave. B South
Event organized by Amnesty International Group 33 and Iskwewuk Ewichiwitochik (Women Walking Together)

Alex Neve bio
Alex Neve became Secretary General of Amnesty Canada in January 2000. Among his many other duties he has participated in Amnesty International missions to South Sudan, Côte d’Ivoïre, Tanzania, Ghana, Mexico, Burundi, Chad, Colombia, Guinea, Honduras, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Guantánamo Bay and Grassy Narrows, Ontario.

He has represented Amnesty International at international meetings such as the Summit of the Americas and the G8 Summit. He has appeared before numerous Canadian parliamentary committees as well as various UN and Inter-American human rights bodies. He appears and writes regularly in the media and speaks to audiences across the country on a range of human rights topics.

Be sure to visit amnestysaskatchewan.ca for news regarding other exciting upcoming events.

Relay For Life

Fighting Cancer is a Team Effort!

Get your friends, family and co-workers together and join the fight for LIFE. Relay For Life is a 12-hour overnight, non-competitive event. Teams of 12-15 friends, family members or co-workers get together and run, walk, or stroll around a track as part of a Relay For Life team. On Relay For Life night, participants pitch tents which may be decorated in their particular theme. The tent serves as the team’s headquarters for the evening. It is a time for you and your team to join in the celebration of survival, a tribute to the lives of loved ones and a night of fun, entertainment, friendship and fundraising to beat cancer. It’s a night for all ages!

Gather a team, pick a theme and join the biggest cancer event to make the biggest difference. We are looking for volunteers, cancer survivors and/or people who would want to put in a team to raise funds for cancer research and various programs which the CCS provides.

Diefenbaker Park, Saskatoon
June 12, 2015
6pm to 6am
Find more information on our website
www.ccsevents.ca
or call 306-244-4389

2015 Outdoor Soccer Registration

Season length: 8 weeks – May 4, 2014 to June 26, 2015

Register Online at Picatic: Varsity View 2015 Outdoor Soccer Registration Registration open from February 18 to March 1, 2015.

Divisions and Game Times:
·Kinder Soccer (born 2011 & 2012): TBD
·U6 (born 2009 & 2010): Monday and/or Tuesday and/or Friday (6 p.m. or 7 p.m.)
·U8 (born 2007 & 2008): Wednesday and/or Thursday and/or Friday (6 p.m. or 7 p.m.)
·U10 (born 2005 & 2006): Monday and/or Wednesday and/or Friday (6 p.m. or 7 p.m.)

While the exact times have not been determined yet, you are encouraged to register first to ensure placement. If the final schedules turn out to be in conflict with other activities, you can withdraw and get a refund minus a $10 administration fee. With the exception of Kinder Soccer, there will also be a practice session each week. The days and times of the practice session will be determined by the coaches.

New U10 Development League (D-League) is for children who are more serious about developing their soccer skills and may want to eventually be a part of the High Performance Stream. These players will be trained by a coach from the zone (in our case, Eastside Soccer). The D-League will have a practice to game ratio of 2:1 each week.To register for the D-League, please go to: http://www.eastsidesoccer.ca/

If cost is a barrier for you to register your child/children, you are encouraged to apply for funding from Kidsport. Please click on the link below for the application form:

http://www.kidsportcanada.ca/saskatchewan/saskatoon/apply-for-assistance

Application deadline for kids sport funding is March 15, 2015. You may email the VVCA soccer co-ordinator at: thekovitchs@gmail.com if you have any financial assistance inquiries.

Note that a community association membership is required for registering in soccer. If you do not have a membership, please purchase one on this webpage. If you have just purchased a membership please enter “just purchased” when buying the soccer registration.

Growing Forward! Shaping Saskatoon

Growing Forward! Shaping Saskatoon – the City’s public planning initiative to develop a Growth Plan to Half a Million that will help guide future infrastructure investments for the next 30 to 40 years.

The next round of Growth Plan public engagement is being planned from February 25 to March 18. It will feature two workshop-style events on March 3 at TCU Place, a Campus Consultation on March 10 at Louis’ Loft at the U of S, as well as an online survey from February 25 to March 18 at www.growingfwd.ca. This engagement will:
· present the recommended long-term plans for Corridor Growth, Transit and Core Bridges for confirmation; and,
· begin discussion about implementation priorities for these plans (what do we make happen in 0-5 years, 5-10 years, 10-20 years?).

A key component of the Growth Plan is development of a new transit system with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to help provide more attractive options for moving around the city. As discussed during our engagement before Christmas, providing a greater variety of transit services to suit more user needs would include BRT running along 8th Street to Preston Avenue and College Drive. If adopted, BRT along Preston Avenue would likely be developed in stages, beginning with increased service and moving towards eventual dedication of road space over several years. This will be discussed in greater detail during the next round of Growth Plan public engagement starting February 25.

Learn more and get involved at www.growingfwd.ca

Saskatoon Rush Football for girls

Saskatoon Rush Flag Football • Engage girls in the sport of football! • Active Living, skillful movement, social interaction • Passing, catching, running in a non-contact setting • Ideal atmosphere for FUN!!!

REGISTER NOW GIRLS GRADE 1-8
Online registration begins Jan. 5, 2015 – April 15, 2015

Huskies: Grade 6-8
Mini Valkyries: Grade 3-5
Colts: Grade 1-2

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBSITE
http://saskatoonminorfootball.com/rush

Heritage Festival of Saskatoon

Sunday, February 1, 2015
Western Development Museum
2610 Lorne Avenue
Noon – 5:00 pm

FREE ADMISSION

The 2015 Heritage Festival of Saskatoon will celebrate the youth of Saskatoon and area with the theme Young Saskatoon on Sunday, February 1, 2015, 12 – 5 pm at the Western Development Museum, 2610 Lorne Avenue.

Come explore the rich diversity of Saskatoon from past to present through the variety of heritage and multi-cultural themed displays & interactive exhibits throughout the museum.

Join in the opening parade! Chat with our exhibitors or get answers to your questions. Try your hand at old-time activities or brush up on your “home skills”. Play a game. Learn more about the cultural landscape of Saskatoon. Hands-on activities & demonstrations are offered throughout the afternoon. Entertainment on two stages features performances by fantastic performers, children’s entertainers, and musicians. Free Admission to the Museum and Festival.

The Heritage Festival of Saskatoon gratefully acknowledges the financial sponsorship of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Lotteries, Information Services Corporation, and SaskTel.

We appreciate the in kind sponsorship of the Western Development Museum, Meewasin, SaskTel Mendel Art Caravan, ProPrint, SCYAP, The Giggle Factory, and The Flag Shop.

We are thankful for the media sponsorship of the Saskatoon Media Group, 98COOL, CJWW, The Bull, and Planet S.

Website: Heritage Festival of Saskatoon

Children’s Discovery Museum – Open House

The vision to create a state-of-the-art, centrally located children’s museum in the Mendel building is taking shape. Scheduled to open in 2017, the museum will be a vibrant and welcoming hub for all children and families, a resource for educators, and a major tourist destination for Saskatchewan.

We invite you to attend our upcoming open house to learn the “Big Ideas” behind the new museum design, share your feedback and contribute your ideas.

Community participation is essential to the museum’s success in ensuring a welcoming space for all children. Please share this invitation with your networks!

NOTE: NEW DATES AND PLACES!

Exploring Alternatives with Cheryl Bartholow and Michael Joyce, Argyle Design
Mendel Building, lower level auditorium, 950 Spadina Crescent East
February 3

Radisson Hotel, Venice Room, 2nd Floor, 405 – 20th Street East
February 4

Options to attend:
Tuesday, February 3rd: Open House
10 am to 8 pm. Drop in anytime!
Scheduled presentations at 12 noon, 4:30 or 7 pm

Wednesday, Februayr 4th: Community Sessions
Aboriginal Community 9 – 10 am
Newcomer Community 10:30 – 11:30 am
Special Needs Community 3 – 4 pm
Educators 4:30 – 5:30 pm

RSVP to discovery@museumforkids.sk.ca

www.museumforkids.sk.ca