Irwin Park Project

2006-05-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hey Every body

This is me again doing a wrap up posting on Irwin Park. I admit I had fun and learned a lot. In the picture is Donna and I reacived a certificate for protecting the otters and being they'r confidant. how ever in closing I would like to say to the teachers keep up the good work and don't stop what you are doing.

[]Deace out

2006-04-27T22:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends of Irwin Park,
It has been some time since I last entered a blog. I have been very busy with helping with the video.

Each time I visit Irwin Park I am reminded of how little I know of mother nature and her animals, plants, lakes and streams of the park. It is especially beautiful at the park these days, as Spring shows its cream-coloured dogwood blossoms, fresh green waterlilypads and skunk cabbage, purple shooting stars, pink salmon berry flowers and magenta ladyslippers - the first I have ever seen in BC.

A lot has happened during our time at Irwin Park and a lot has been accomplished. We have taken over 5,000 photos and will soon be finished a video. The otter design on the front of the park shed at the entranceway to the park is awesome. Here is a photo and I'm sure you will all agree, this is something very special. Thanks to John, Roger, and all the students who helped design, finish, and install the otter design.

Also, I have included a photo of some kind of freshwater clam shell or mussel shell that Julie found along the lakeshore...we think the otters may have left it there. If anyone has some ideas about what kind of shell this is and how it would get to the shore please let us know.

That is all for now.
Hope you enjoy the photos.
Thanks to all that make this possible.
...Janet...

2006-04-06T13:12:00.000-07:00

Helloooooooooooooo, my name is Janel Jack and I work at WestShore Annex as a Teachers Assistant. I have not yet been to Irwin park however, I do plan on visiting this wonderful park everyone keeps talking about. Although, I did watch the DVD's that the WestShore students created and the water fall was the most capturing picture I have ever seen. I will visit this park one day.

2006-04-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a while since i have been out to the park but i am looking forward to going out tommorow and being out it the wilderness and hoping there will be sun and lots of fun!!

2006-04-06T12:56:00.000-07:00

Hey whats up!This past friday i went to the Irwin Park and tooke pictures of All of the peoples Planting trees and watched them Interview People and i Video cameraed Mike and the crew Work on the shed nailing boards up.Thats about it.From stephanie Quilt

2006-04-03T21:18:00.000-07:00
Irwin Park Project

2006-03-30T14:09:00.000-08:00
hello everybody,
This is Jackie again im writing my march bolgg I havn't gone to the park in a long while. I have been work on the paper work at our school and thats been ok well lookin foward to blogging again ttyl in the words of my people hasta-la-chuu-way-ese

2006-03-27T11:51:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone;

What a gorgeous day it was this past Friday, March 24, 2006. The sun was shining as a team of students, along with Mike Huck and John Lyall, dismantled the mossy roof of the shed by the front enterance to Irwin Park and cleaned up the mess as we went.

I really enjoy the unique features of the First Nations Graduation Program and the Fast Forward to Graduation Program. I was commenting to Janet Rieken while we watched the induviduals work together in this endeavor. From ages 19 to the Elderly, everyone worked together putting together their skills, tools, and knowledge. It was not the typical "Teacher-Oriented Enviroment" that you see in the large public school systems. The students and the people volunteering their time in this project come together and work together - it becomes more of the "student-oriented enviroment". The older men shared their vehicles, their tools and skills of different trades they have gathered in their life time and everyone is equal and is respected equally.

While there is laughter, there is conversation about how to get the job done, and also the large concern about keeping eveyone safe. Everyone is looking out for each other. A little rain does not discourage the SPIRIT of the project. There is excitment and talk of next week chores to be completed. Other people also journey into the park to take care of filming and other jobs that need attention.

Work does not stop at the park but is also continued at the school where many exciting preparations are in the works for this beautiful park.

I wonder how the little River Otter Family feels about the hussle around them. I hope that they know how much the students repect them and enjoy the spirit of their liveliness. In my culture, I was taught that the animals and trees and plants are our Spirit brothers and sisters. They are alive and feel just as we do. Find the movie about plants that Stevie Wonder wrote a song about. It shows some amazing experiments and truth to this teaching. Give a tree a hug. Lie on the grass and look at the sky. Sit by the water trickling down the river and listen to nothing else. Watch the River Otter family play, swim, and frolick. It will be medicine for your dreary Spirit and make you realize how insignificate and small we really are. To connect with the outdoors and walk in the rain and feel at peace is a gift that is free to us. It a chance to pull away from all the negativity, disrespect, and violence that media bombards our Spirits daily. We just have to open our eyes and appreciate it the outdoors when the chance is there. The students of this program are lucky to have such an opportunity to have so many opportunities become available to them.

To everyone who is a part of this project, GOOD WORK!!! You will be setting a good example for your future children and their children and their children. I hope that more people can follow in your footsteps. This was the way of my Ojibway people. We worked side by side. The Elders guided the youth as the children learned their teachings and learned about the world around them. Everyone worked as one to make it all happen.

Chi-meegwetch for this awesome opportunity.

Respectfully;

Julie DeVries
Chippewas of Kettle and Stoney Point Reserve in Ontario.
I am over 40 years old.

2006-03-21T09:25:00.000-08:00
Hi everyone,
Hope you had a great Spring Break and are ready to go at it this week to continue improving the park. Now that spring is "officially" here, and the weather feels that spring has arrived, it will be even better working outside. It has been a lot of fun, even when it has been cold and rainy, so I am looking forward to seeing the results of our labours.
See you on Thursday! Donna M.

2006-02-23T13:42:00.000-08:00

Kyle at the park, working hard or hardly working?

2006-02-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

Hi, this is Lisa.
The weather was very nice, it wasn't raining. Jordan and I planted about fifty trees in less than two hours, it was fun, the time went by so quickly. Than we got stuck chopping prickle bushes, and before we knew it, it was time to go.
Lisa H.

2006-02-02T10:44:00.000-08:00

hey
this for my January posting i was there mabey once last month it was alright i go to cut down some bushes and stuff. It wasn't the best day when I went there. I was going through some stuff at the time but other that that january was a good month .....

2006-01-30T11:21:00.000-08:00
Good day to all well friday was raining out so i decided to stay at the school and i worked on the video we are making about this cool project i camwe accross this in the video and decided to make a freeze shot and thought i would share it with y'all

2006-01-27T19:16:00.000-08:00
Hi Everyone,
Today has been the most exciting day for me at Irwin Park because the elusive otters (five of them) that live in the park introduced themselves to us this morning - and we have video footage and digital stills to prove it. It was amazing to see the otters slink through the water, dive and emerge making snorting sounds as they bobbed their heads and stretched their necks to get a closer look and sense of us (Jeremy, Aaron, Ali and I) hiding amongst the cattails. It took all my willpower to contain my excitement and awe as I watched these beautiful animals up close engaging us through their curiosity. Thank you Jeremy for showing us where you saw them earlier this morning catching fish alongside the Heron. (I'm not sure what kind of heron - a Great Blue Heron of Tricolored Heron. We should be able to identify it from the photo.) It seems that the otters and heron were helping each other find fish. We also saw a Kingfisher (likely a Belted Kingfisher) hovering and skimming over the water as if preparing to dive for fish. The Bufflehead ducks were swimming about and diving as well today. We didn't have time to look for the fledgling woodpecker (not sure what kind - perhaps a juvenile Lewis's woodpecker) that Jeremy got super video footage of last week.
This little park is magical! There is so much to learn from it. I hope our visits to the park will be such that all the animals and plants will continue to flourish. I hope we do not cause any of the animals to leave.
Thanks to an amazing day.
...Janet...

2006-01-26T13:05:00.000-08:00

Hello! I havn't been to Irwin Park before but I have heard many great things about it. It is such a fantastic thing that the students and teachers of Westshore are involved in. They are really making a difference! This project that is in the process will be recongized by many important people, and will show them what a great school Westshore is and the involvement that they have with the community.

2006-01-26T12:55:00.000-08:00
So far things are rapidly progressing at Irwin Park. The weather has not been the kindest to us, but all in all it is expected this time of year. For some of the participants their time at the park is coming to an end. With the departure of some, there will be a welcoming for some new recruits to take the reins. The snake fence has come a long way from just being some bucked logs on the drenched ground. That so far has been the most enjoyable porion of the work completed for me. For myself, I am one of the few leaving at the beginning of February and will greatly miss those Friday morning work parties. It has been a very enjoyable experience and I will definetly continue to return to Irwin Park to see the future progress. Our video projects are also coming to a close, with much anticipation. Hopefully our videos will be as much fun to watch as they were to create. Unfortunately this will be my last Blog entry, however, I will continue to pop in on the site to see what is going on. Thank you to everyone on the project and those who donated their time. Thanks to WestShore for creating this opportunity. Regretfully parting, Colin.

2006-01-25T12:13:00.000-08:00

Hi there all you wonderful people. For anyone who has not been out to Irwin Park just off Humpback Road in Victoria, BC, it is a beautiful location with much potential. Donna Miller and many other wonderful people are working hard with two classrooms full of wonderful students. They are restoring the park to its natural state. It is alot of fun working with everyone. Everyone is tree planting, cutting down bush, filming, enjoying the wildlife, and so much more. Through the WEstshore Learning Centre and other organizations in Victoria/Langford, great work is being done. It is a priviledge to be a part of this project.

As a First Nations person, I always believed that the outdoors has so much healing capabilities when it comes to nurturing our spirit and our health. I was taught that these are our spirit brothers and sisters. If we take care of them, they will take care of us. Much of First Nations culture is tied with the outdoors and we are to respect everything that is part of our Mother Earth. What we do to Mother Earth is what we do to ourselves and our children and our children's chilren.

I will write again. John Lyall and Mike Huck and all faculty at the Westshore Learning Centre - this is a great opportunity for students and I hope to see more programs blossom from this.

2006-01-19T11:46:00.000-08:00
This post is for December and i didn't really go to the park but i bet i would have had a little fun and excitment there.

2006-01-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

When i came out to the Park i had fun Becuase me and Deborah_Lee Interviewed people and that it was pretty good cause it didnt rain made it even better..lol...but anyways i had fun out there at the Irwin Park.

2006-01-19T09:22:00.000-08:00
Well i just thought i would drop a line or two and say hello and let everyone know that we are having fun out in the woods and learning new skills . this is a project i am really enjoying being a part of. if you get a chance come out and check it out!!

2006-01-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

on friday January 13 we started building a snake fence.
here is a picture of me drilling the holes for the guys to put the fence together,
i have enjoyed being able to use tools that i don't get to use often, actually i never use these tools!
it was really wet out but hey this is British Columbia it should be expected this time of year.
It is better then working in snow so i won't complain ever!!

2006-01-12T13:49:00.000-08:00

Good Day to all!!
what can i say about the days out in the Great Outdoors???
Well it is nice to be able to be working out in the FRESH Air ,
to be able to have a cup of coffee and watch the amazing wild life see your class mates act goofy and enjoy the same place at the same time is great!!
when i move away i am definatly going to miss this place and i will always use my memories of this beautiful place to escape from the awful times in basic training when i leave for the Marine Corps.
I hope i get to bring my son to this place before i leave.
As well i hope you all out there get a chance to see this magnificent place,
but PLEASE KEEP IT THE WAY YOU FOUND IT IF YOU DO GET A CHANCE TO GO THERE AND CHECK IT OUT ONLY LEAVE YOUR FOOT PRINTS
THANK-YOU
XO Deborah-Lee

2006-01-12T13:48:00.000-08:00

Mike & Mark falling a tree.

2006-01-12T13:47:00.000-08:00
hi there,

i've been working on this project now for about 3 months and quite enjoy the "great outdoors"!
i have learned to work with some fasinating people and love the coffee and treats in the morning. i've been able to plant over 40 tree's with fellow school mates and create a bautiful naturilized enviorment for them. although we start at an early time, and work through rough conditions the time just seem's to fly by. my knowledge on related subject has definately improved, like: tree planting,cutting, there names and also the diffrent types. i can now use a camera and there movie system. i expect i will learn much more interesting thing and can't wait to see are accompishments and the finishing of the park.

Till next month,
Savannah

2006-01-09T22:32:00.000-08:00
Happy New Year!
We just completed our first work party of the New Year and spent the time interviewing and taking pictures as we weren't able to access the tools to do some of the clearing. However, a reporter, Jeff Bell, came from the Victoria Times-Colonist with a photographer and interviewed some of the students and staff. There was a really good article in today's paper with a huge picture on the front page of the Capital section. You can check their website at:http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/capital_van_isl/story.html?id=9f727b77-c2e5-47e6-97a7-1b4ede8c7c19 to view the article entitled "Learning Starts When School's out".

We still have a lot to do, so hope to see everyone out this week.
Donna

2005-12-15T15:13:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of the causeway to the dam. It still needs to be cleaned up. The iron pipe was used to keep the people on inner tubes away from the dam when it was a camp ground and the log that has turned into a floating tree farm use to be one a few logs lined up together used to stop debris from going over the overflow and jamming it up

Jeremy

2005-12-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of the type of water wheel I would like to see at Irwin Park.

Jeremy C

2005-12-15T13:25:00.000-08:00
The first day that we went to work at Irwin Park it was raining. We all when into
different groups or teams and began to clean up the area. We cleaned up glass, an old car tire, ,, we cleared out the fallen branches and put them into a pile to be taken away.
We had coffee and cookies, it was great. We managed to get a lot done on the first
day. We have been going to the site
every Friday for the past two months.
We get a lot accomplished when
we work in teams. I enjoy working on
this project so far, we have had sunny days
and rain but every day is not quite the same.

2005-12-15T09:18:00.000-08:00
My last visit at the park was fun, people have been doing a lot of work on it and it's looking great. The last time I was there I got to try using the video camera, that was an experience. All in all it was fun.

2005-12-13T20:19:00.000-08:00
Hi
We had a good time last Friday at Irwin Park with some of our team mates filming and others cleaning out blackberry bushes and small trees that were near the water. It was a bit cold, but no rain, thankfully. We have just one week left before the Christmas break, but there has been a huge amount accomplished in a short time. The saying "many hands make light work" has been true, as we're seeing the park being transformed. Congratulations to all the students who did so well on the Occupational First Aid Course a week ago and previously the course on WMHS. All the information on hazardous materials probably is a boring subject, but important to know about.
I am so pleased that everyone I have spoken with is really keen about this project and willing to work in the park, even in the pouring rain. This park has such huge potential for being a community resource that I think everyone will be very glad and proud that they had a part in improving it.
Donna Miller

2005-12-12T09:48:00.000-08:00
This time at the park, my group and I filmed for our video. The filming went quite smoothly if you ask me. We got a lot of natural shots and we got really gross shots of the destroyed/deteriorating bathrooms. I feel we've gotten alot acomplished in the past couple of fridays

2005-12-09T13:19:00.000-08:00

Today Me and Tracy and Johnny-Boy Worked at the Irwin park Snipping the Prickly Bushes it was alota work and tireing on your wrist actually your wrist hurts after while Expecially when the prickly Bushes pokes you defently hurts and This time it didnt Rain made it more Better I dont like Working in da Rain but We all had Fun at the Irwin Park Working...Thats It For Naw

2005-12-08T15:22:00.000-08:00
A lot has happened in the few weeks that have passed, both to the park as well as the participants. Many of those active in this project, including myself, have had a couple of weeks off from the site in order to achieve some valuable certificates. As a group we have successfully passed both the WHMIS and Level 1 First Aid courses. This should prove beneficial on the site as well as personally for those involved. The weather has statred to take a turn for the worse on us, but our work effort has shined through as we seem relentless with our task. The most exilerating part so far has been using the brushsaws to hack our way through some unwanted vegetation. This project continues to grow as much as the vast area that we work in lets us, but I do not think that any obstacles stand a chance should they chose to stand in our way. The video projects have commenced posing a whole different aspect to this experience. Our more creative sides are able to come out as we get behind and in front of the cameras more frequently. Hopefully the camera shy will come out of their shells a little and join the party!

2005-12-08T14:03:00.000-08:00
I really enjoy being out in the forest, helping my fellow commrades in preserving the native plants and trees of Vancouver Island. This should be a good expierience for all of us, helping out our earth and making the Irwin Park better then ever.

2005-12-08T13:34:00.000-08:00
I think that Irwin park has the potential to be such a beautiful place to bring your kids or dogs for walks. All of the wild life could just be amazing, and it will be once we are through with it!!! This project has only been going on for a few months and it already looks so much better than it did before. It look like a hidden place for partiers before, now it is on it's way to becoming a beautiful park for EVERYBODY to enjoy. I have had lots of fun doing this, I enjoy using the brush saw, and the hand held saws, and I think it is awsome to get nice and dirty sometimes.

Rachel

2005-12-08T11:03:00.000-08:00
Hi Everyone,
I look forward to our next trip to the park to do some filming. Also, I found some information on river otters that you may be interested in reading about. Perhaps we will see "Irwin" the otter on our next visit. I will bring the article to show you in class today.
That's all for now,
...Janet...

2005-12-01T13:53:00.000-08:00

My experience with the Irwin park project

My experience with the Irwin park project has been reasonably good, as it is a beautiful park and with time and determination I have hope that will be even better. I had an awesome time and hope to have even more.

2005-11-29T15:34:00.000-08:00
This is the over-flow from one of to earth dams at Irwin park.
It is the biggest dam and it has a drop of roughly 20ft. I’ve been hinting that we should put a water wheel there, it wood look neat and if we hooked a generator up to it we could make electricity to power a kiosk for a inter-active display on native plants, animals, alternative energy and the work we did as a class.
The creek only flows through the winter months, but we could put up a couple solar panels to take up the slack when there is not enough water. There is a reservoir up the street that is not used any more. If the city could let more water out in the summer there is potential to sell the excess power to the power company and make the park self-sufficient.
Jeremy

2005-11-25T10:52:00.000-08:00

2005-11-25T09:52:00.000-08:00
Irwin Park has a lot of potential. We have done quite a bit of work on it already in the past couple of months. It still has a long way to go, however, and if we keep at it, we can make something we can all be proud of for everyone to enjoy.
Stephanie

2005-11-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone
Here is a picture of me, Mike, Mark from the City of Langford and Jeremy at Irwin Park.
We have all worked hard at our Friday work party cleaning out broom, dead branches and other debris and the park is really looking beautiful. We are learning to make digital videos and each group is beginning to make their own video, which we will be showing soon. I just found out that the whole class passed the Workplace Hazardous Materials Course last Friday. Way to go! Donna

2005-11-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

This is me, Janet and all my hard work.... LOL it was fun. I got to walk around a lot and learn how to use the camcorder. Before I started recording I was picking up garbage in the rain; that was alright I guess, it was helping the park.

2005-11-24T09:17:00.000-08:00
I had good time out at Irwin park it was fun.even though I just took pictures for the whole timeI was there. But I promise for next time not to wear white! LOL Because next time I'm gonna work extra hard for all the work Imissed last time.

2005-11-21T10:00:00.000-08:00
Hi Everyone,
Your blog entries are super. It was beautiful on Friday, working while the sun was out.
Someone mentioned that there is an otter in the lake. I would like to know more about what you saw and where it was.
Ali, you may be particularly interested in this with your affection for otters?
It felt so good to do physical work and to think that we are helping with restoring the park.
That's all for now,
...Janet...

2005-11-17T10:32:00.000-08:00

Harvey Charles

2005-11-17T10:28:00.000-08:00

Harvey Charles

2005-11-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

What i learned about this project is that every week on friday we go to the park and do some work like using the brush saw, cutting some, trees down and replanting trees into the ground. We take pictures of the hardworkers. I do not enjoy standing in the rain. When we go to the park...?

2005-11-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

My Reflections on the Irwin park project
My experience with the park was generally good. Me and the group I was with went on a walk through it to pick up garbage, and I thought is was a beautiful park. There were a few man made flaws however. We found a deteriorated bathroom, and someone so graciously dumped a lot of garbage pretty far out into the park. It was a little disturbing. It was also a little disturbing how people were cutting down trees.
I thought it was a beautiful park, which is why it kind of saddened me to see my teacher and some of my class mates cutting down trees, and cutting off branches from some beautiful trees. There was some plant life there to that I also wached a few people tear out of the ground. Other than that I had a pretty good time.

2005-11-17T09:52:00.000-08:00
To you who found it in you to take the time to open your eyes as well your mind,
so you can see and learn the cool ways we are preserving a piece of land so that millions can enjoy.
Thanks for your curiosity and hope you enjoy what you see and learn from our wonderfull experience on this soon to be one of the most beautiful places on earth!!
Wolffe

2005-11-16T22:24:00.000-08:00
What an amazing difference in only two work sessions! It really shows what you can accomplish with a group of dedicated and hardworking people. Congratulations everyone!

2005-11-10T14:04:00.000-08:00
coem
come and see the bautiful view in Irwin Park Coming soon......more views!!

2005-11-10T13:33:00.000-08:00
Colin Ralph

So far this has been an extremely positive experience. It has brought everyone toghether as a team more so than I initially anitcipated. The on-site work has been very motivating and efficient. I have not seen much individualism thus far. People have been pairing off well in groups of two or more, and have tackled larger jobs with some ease.
Along with on-site tasks, the multimedia side of this project has produced some very creative ideas. Everyone involved seems filled with anticipation to see the finished product. Hopefully this project will continue to evolve, because as a group we have so much potential to produce something great.

2005-11-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

Mike Huck

2005-11-10T11:56:00.000-08:00
Thursday November 10th
Today, we are working on the blog and digital film production.

John

2005-11-10T11:41:00.000-08:00

my name is Savannah Cooke and this is a picture of me in Irwin Park. I am also part of the Irwin Park Project. I hope to accomplish a lot here at the park, and look forword to the improvement in the end. It's lots of fun but a lot of hard work is needed to fulfil such a large task. It tends to rain on us a lot, but that won't break our spirits! This project contains 5 groups with 5 group leaders. We are thankful for their donations (gloves, equitment, ect.) and absolutly adore the cookies and coffee on breaks. I feel we will learn a lot out of this project and enjoy planting new trees to improve the local wilderness.

till next time i bid you good day........ i said good day

2005-11-09T15:20:00.000-08:00
Hi Folks,

I just wanted to write a quick note to congratulate the students and volunteers who have worked so hard on the renewal project over the past couple of weeks. The site is being transformed before our eyes. Keep up the good work!

Mike

2005-11-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

stephanie Quilt

2005-11-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

November 4th work Party

Mike clearing English Laurel
Planting trees in the rain!

2005-11-03T15:58:00.000-08:00
Project Description
Project Title: Humpback Community Outreach Partnership
Project Summary:
The First Nations and Fast Forward to Graduation program of the WestShore Centre for Learning and Training propose to create a digital video for the promotion of public awareness and understanding of learners’ issues through an environmental project. This will be achieved by developing a partnership with four groups: Colwood Rotary, the City of Langford, the University of Victoria’s Pathways to Health Project and youth and adults at the WestShore Centre to document an environmental project and redevelop an abandoned campsite at Humpback Lake in Langford. It is proposed that the First Nations’ learners study a unit on the traditional uses of water by Aboriginals, work with Rotary members to clean up and redevelop the area for community use, gain employability skills through certification workshops and learn how to create a professional video of the process through instruction provided by the University of Victoria Education Faculty graduate students. At the conclusion of the project the video will be shown to the 13 Rotary Clubs in the Capital Region as well as being shown at the Rotary District Conference in Victoria in May of 2006. The content of the video will include interviews of participating learners and discussions about some of the barriers they have encountered in their schooling. The viewing of the video will act as a motivator for community leaders to become increasingly involved in literacy initiatives by providing them with a clearer understanding of the root causes of the literacy challenges learners face.

What needs will the project meet?
The two programs share a facility (WestShore Annex) and the project provides an opportunity for Aboriginal & non-Aboriginal students who are returning to school to participate in a “hands on” activity to:
improve literacy skills by creating plans, reading maps, and planning promotional material
gain employability skills by earning certificates for Foodsafe, WMHS and Chainsaw Use
acquire technical knowledge by photographing, creating and editing videos
gain an understanding of Native culture in the traditional uses of water
learn what motivates community leaders for “service above self”
create awareness and understanding of the barriers learners face in returning to a learning environment
motivate learners to find their own path to learning