DID YOU KNOW?

1. We have some of the tallest trees in the Province at Shamrock (Kelly) Farm behind the new Janeway Hospital according to Dr. Sandy Robertson. "A European Ash and a Silver Poplar hybrid dominate the tallest category. Together they share first place for the tallest trees on record both at a whopping 26 metres (85.4 ft.). They also have sole possession of second place at 24m.(79ft.) Two Silver Poplars have third place and another European Ash and a Hybrid Poplar share 4th. place. There are other interesting trees on that site including a Pedunculate Oak and the only specimen of Sweet Chestnut in the province."

2.The Admiral's Green Golf Clubhouse has added a Pro Shop extension to the building by the main entrance just in time for hosting the Canadian Ladies Golf Assn. National Amateur Championship August 6th. - 11th. 2000 . The Clubhouse has been decorated with flowers and shrubs courtesy of O'Neill's Nursery at Spaniard's Bay and is looking exceptionally smart. We should all make a point of bringing visitors up there. The building and its setting is guaranteed to impress anyone!

3. For the very first time ever the British Ornithological Union and the American Ornithological Union will meet together in the Living on the Edge - Birds 2000 Conference. This historic meeting is taking place, at their request, at Memorial University in Pippy Park! The conference is being hosted by the Society of Canadian Ornithologists and will attract up to 1,000 bird scientists from all over the world to Newfoundland. In their spare time the Friends of Pippy Park and others have offered to conduct early morning "Bird Walks" in the Park.

4.Memorial University is the largest University east of Montreal. Because it is the sole university in the Province it is larger than any of the many universities in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick. Student enrollment at Memorial is in the range of 14,000 with a Faculty of 1,400 including Instructors

PIPPY PARK FAMILY DAYS
August 19-20 th. 2000

The third annual Pippy Park Family Days Festival will be held August 19-20 on the Family Stage, on the lawn to the south of the Fluvarium on Nagles Place. The Festival will incorporate SUMMERDANCE 2000. The Festival is being presented by Pippy Park and DanceEvents Inc. Running for two days, the festival will be an event for the whole family, incorporating music, dance and theatre. There will be activities from 1. p.m. to 5 p.m. each day, with performers for children, local bands and theatre companies scheduled around the dance activities. There will be free dance workshops each day from 10 am to 1 pm

As well as the Family Stage, other locations will be open to the public, such as the Admiral's Green Golf Clubhouse where snacks and refreshments are accompanied by a spectacular view of the City. Also visit the Fluvarium, the MUN Botanical Garden where free Lupin seedlings will be given away to visitors that weekend and the Rainbow Riders Annual Horse Show also on that weekend. The Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador will be featuring an exhibit in recognition of the international Birds 2000 Conference entitled RARE BIRDS: TREASURES OF THE BLACKER-WOOD LIBRARY . This exhibit will consist of historical works on paper and rare books by masters of ornithological art fro the 17th. To yhr 20th. Centuries. A collaboration of the McCord Museum, McGill University at Montreal and the AGNL. Support has come from the Living on the Edge:Birds 2000 conference and the Museum assistance Program, Dept. Of Canadian Heritage.

A major feature of the Pippy Park Family Days is the historical exhibit entitled a ROVING THROUGH PIPPY PARK PAST a heritage exhibit, in the Great Hall, Queen's College, directly opposite the Arts & Culture Centre on Prince Philip Drive. This exhibit will be open weekdays 9 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. until September 29th. But on the Pippy Park Family Days it will also be open on August 19th. And 20th. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. This exhibit is presented by the Pippy Park Heritage Committee, MUN Folklore Dept. and the Heritage Outreach Program, Archaeology Unit MUN. This excellent exhibit will be of particular interest to anyone connected with the either of the former Church of England Orphanages, the farms both past and present in Pippy Park. There are exhibits with documents, photographs and artifacts on "Lindburg's Castle", "Smithville", "North Bank " mansion, "Shamrock" farm and Pat Kelly, the O'Brien Farm and many other interesting vignettes from the past. This exhibition was officially opened on July 28th. on the occasion of a reunion of former staff and residents of the orphanages.

One special feature of the exhibition is the opportunity presented for anyone to write down interesting facts or reminiscences on any aspect of the land now designated as Pippy Park. Old names of fields, ponds, hills or other landmarks; stories of ghosts, old "characters", events; in fact we hope you will jot down anything that might help to make a lively connection between the increasingly sophisticated "park" and its roots.

The Friends of Pippy Park will be conducting guided walks along the trails around Long Pond at noon and 4.00 p.m. on August 19th. And 20th. Starting by the Summerdance 2000 site.

The Family Stage events, the Guided Walks and the ROVING THROUGH PIPPY PARK PAST" are FREE, some of the other sites charge minimal admission.

On August 19th. The Rainbow Riders Therapeutic Riding programme will be having their first "ANDREA GILLIES EQUESTRIAN CHALLENGE" HORSE SHOW. This is the first of an annual event and is being jointly funded by Bill and Meg Gillies in memory of Andrea who was largely responsible for the very existence of Rainbow Riders. It will be an enjoyable event for all the family. Everyone is welcome! It will run from approximately 1 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rainbow Riders barn on Mt. Scio Road. Come and see!.

SUMMERDANCE 2000 is a festival of dance, featuring a variety of dance groups and independent dance artists, showcasing the wide range of styles, traditions and forms found in the province, from the indigenous to the more stylized forms of dance as performed by amateur and professional dancers alike.

DATES:August 19-20, 2000
LOCATION:Pippy Park, East of the Fluvarium on Nagles Place.
TIMES: 1.00 -5.00 p.m.
PERFORMERS:Acushla, Gregory Donaghey, Scottish Country Dancers, Kittiwake Dance Theatre, Dance Studio East, Catherine Wright, Hindu Temple Dance, El Viento Flamenco, Jill Dready DanceCo., Marie Cragg, The School of Dance Inc., Martin Vallee, Evelyne Benais, Catherine Simmons, Kelly Scott Dance Studio.
INFORMATION:Call 722-6907

ATTAINING NEW HEIGHTS...A NEW WALK IN PIPPY PARK

The Grand Concourse Authority is constructing a new link from the west end of Long Pond to the Memorial University Botanical Garden.

The stout of heart will enjoy the 122 foot vertical climb northward up Mt. Scio, through wooded slopes with bedrock outcrops and rich woodland flora. From the barrens at the top of the climb, walkers will be rewarded with panoramic views of St. John's set against rugged hills and the Atlantic Ocean.

Aside from the challenging hike and the great views, the walk also forms a new link between two gems within Pippy Park. Shamrock Farm at the lower end has tremendous exotic trees as well as some of the best remnants of rural farm life to be found in the City. At the upper end is the Botanical Garden. Walkway construction continues, but the final completion of the walk is scheduled for the fall of this year.

This trail will open up a whole new series of views and experiences for the hundreds of avid trail walkers and joggers in Pippy Park and beyond, but be warned! The climb up the hill from behind Shamrock Farm will be quite a challenge to those of us who are not as fit as we should be. Try walking down the trail first!