Did you know?
One out of every three C-TRAN riders uses the Fourth Plain Boulevard transit corridor. With over 6,000 trips provided each day it is the highest ridership corridor within C-TRAN's system. In recent years, transit travel within the corridor has suffered with longer and more unpredictable travel times caused by traffic congestion, bus overcrowding and difficulty getting to and from bus stops. C-TRAN is attempting to solve these problems through the Fourth Plain Transit Improvement Project whose planning effort is funded by a Federal Transit Administration grant.
On Wednesday, Nov. 16, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the community is invited to participate in a design workshop to help craft transit solutions for the Fourth Plain corridor. The Wednesday workshop takes place at Clark College's Gaiser Hall Student Center on Fort Vancouver Way, between Fourth Plain and McLoughlin boulevards in Vancouver; and the Saturday workshop will be held at the C-TRAN's Administrative Office, located at 2425 N.E. 65th Ave., Vancouver.
Breakout sessions will allow participants to choose which part of Fort Vancouver Way and Fourth Plain they would like to help design, while real-time design visuals will be displayed for participants to have an immediate vision of their transit solutions. The workshop also provides participants with a brief overview as to why transit improvements are needed along Fourth Plain Boulevard and a basic understanding of how Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) operates.
At their November meeting, the C-TRAN Board of Directors approved lane concepts for BRT and design parameters for Forth Plain Boulevard. As a result, the project is now moving towards the development of both BRT and non-BRT solutions for further evaluation. The transit solutions that result from this workshop will be presented to the project's Corridor Advisory Committee and Project Management Team in early December.
The top two or three options that surface during this planning phase will be evaluated over the next six to eight months, with a final decision on the preferred alternative expected by the C-TRAN Board of Directors in the summer of 2012. C-TRAN will then begin seeking federal funding to design and eventually build the selected transit project. Local funding for construction, operation and maintenance costs for the tr ansit line will be included in a potential ballot measure in the fall of 2012.
Here are a couple of suggestions for buying local this holiday season, from our gift guide in the new North Bank Magazine, out on stands today!
Vancouver-based Suburban Contessa offers three flavors of caramel corn that are available through its website and at stores throughout the region. In addition to the purveyor’s Traditional Caramel Corn, Sweet with Heat is Traditional with added pepper, and Sweet and Salty is Traditional with Hawaiian sea salt, just rolled out in September. The popped corn is available in 6 oz. bags for $5.25, and a variety gift pack featuring a bag of each for $14.95.
A trip to this restaurant is a gift to the whole family. A laid-back atmosphere and kids’ area will make anyone who walks in the door feel comfortable. And the pizza (local, seasonal ingredients plus brilliant pairings) will make you feel like you’ve died and gone to a four-star restaurant in a big ol’ city. As for gifts, I recommend a gift certificate of any size, a T-shirt featuring Solstice’s gorgeous logo, or a quart of the famous Moroccan Beef Stew. Bonus! Among the 50 best pies in the country, according to Food Network Magazine: Solstice’s Country Girl Cherry pizza.
Navidi’s Oils and Vinegars
322 N.E. Cedar St., Camas
www.navidioils.com
360-210-5921 | Facebook
Give salt of the earth for a gift this year. Navidi’s Oils and Vinegars has an impressive selection of just what their name says, but don’t miss the gourmet sea salts, almost two dozen of which are available, including White Truffle, Alaea Red, Cyprus Flake and Northwest Alderwood Smoked. Sea salt is a great alternative to table salt and a fun addition to the holiday feast.
New market creates connections between backyard growers and buyers
story + photos by mary preiser potts
Urban Growers Market
Second Fridays (next one Friday June 10!
2315 Main St., Vancouver
(One World Merchants parking lot)
www.urbangrowersmarket.com
Embarking on its first year, the Urban Growers Market is an evolution of Craft in the Village, started in 2009 by Chris Stevens of NW Shirts and Liz Halili of One World Merchants. The new market brings together a mix of backyard growers, small farmers and food artisans, as well as artists and crafters. It features a co-op table run by Urban Abundance, a barter table where backyard farmers can swap produce, and a table where fresh eggs and plant starts are offered by Posey Patch.
You may even see a table of budding child gardeners trade and sell their own fresh produce.
A swift outpouring of support got the market off the ground. In just a few days, a Kickstarter campaign raised money for permits and fees. Sponsorships from local businesses followed. Other fundraisers included the Vancouver Vixen (skateboard) Benefit Race sponsored by NW Shirts, as well as a silent auction and concert at the Brickhouse organized by Anni Becker.
“The Urban Growers Market has been fully funded by the community, 100 percent,” Halili said.
The local food movement in Vancouver is already strong. As the UGM founders see it, the more options there are for buying local, the better, especially as people become increasingly concerned about their food sources. This is evidenced by the proliferation of community-supported agriculture farms and farmers markets in recent years.
“All of the neighborhoods around here are very interested in buying local. It’s just giving them another option for a local, community, family event,” said Sunrise O’Mahoney, a co-founder of the Urban Growers Market, alongside Halili and Stevens.
Bigger than the sum of its parts, the market aims to serve as a community gathering place. In a city with low walkability in many areas, the founders hope to provide people with a reason to get outside, walk around and get to know their neighbors.
“This is just something that oil has done away with. People don’t know their neighbors…. I would just like for people to see how closely tied we are,” Stevens said.
A backyard grower and mother of three, Erica Barnes-Davis sells produce via the Urban Abundance co-op table. She thought participating in the market would be a good way to educate her children about where their food comes from.
“It’s so hard for kids to know about seasons for foods,” she said, “since we can get anything anytime from some part of the world.”
The Parks Foundation is recruiting volunteers to help plant the large planters and flowerbeds in and around Propstra Square, at Esther Short Park on Saturday, May 14. The planting will begin at 9 a.m. and is expected to be completed by 11 a.m. Event sponsor Hilton Vancouver Washington will provide refreshments for volunteers both before and after the planting.
Volunteers must preregister through the Parks Foundation office by Thursday, May 12, arrive at Propstra Square no later than 8:45 the morning of May 14 to sign volunteer forms, and should bring their own small gardening trowel. Please contact the Parks Foundation office at 360-487-8370 or email Cheri Martin to preregister. For more information, please see event flyer.
Flowers and plants for the 2011 planting were funded through Parks Foundation Propstra Square Memorial Brick sales. To help support future plantings, please consider purchasing a Memorial Brick.
Deja Vu Camas gave $5 in store credit to Jessica Ambrose last week in North Bank Now's Friday Fiver giveaway. Congrats Jessica!
Deja Vu Camas is a consignment boutique for girls and women located at 726 N.E. Second Ave. in Camas, 360-834-1771. They have a big selection of wedding gowns right now 
and plenty of items in the $1 to $5 dollar range!
Happy shopping!
J.
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