OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2000
VOL. 1 NO. 8 -

DID YOU KNOW?
The first Christmas Festival was held in Pippy Park in 1980. It was primarily organized by the "Katimavik" programme participants and it lasted a full week! The Salvation Army, Girl Guides, the Boys & Girls Clubs, Provincial Parks Interpreters and the St. John's Fire Dept. all worked with the Commission staff. The Christmas tree lighting with carols and the Salvation Army Temple Band was the kick-off to the week. Fireworks helped to emphasize the event. The children sent messages to Santa Claus by homing pigeons from the Children's Farm carrying the messages in Ken Meeker's World War II plastic message carriers. About 150 people attended the freezing cold event that was held at the entrance to the Trailer Park. This year it will be held at the Rainbow Riders Barn on Mt. Scio Road on December 17th.

The Pippy Park Website has information on the Park, the Commission, the Friends of Pippy Park and the Trailer Park. It also has a guest book where visitors can leave their comments and E-mail addresses, it has a picture gallery of photographs of scenes and activities in the park and you can send an electronic greeting card with a choice of three different pictures. In addition there are links to the Botanical Garden , the Golf Course and the fluvarium websites. The address of the Pippy Park website is www.pippypark.com

The Eastern Canada Water Ski Championships were held in Long Pond in 1986. There was considerable concern expressed at the time over the potential for disturbance to the wildlife and damage to the aquatic environment of Long Pond. Letters criticizing the decision by the Commission to permit this event to take place were written to the press and to the Commission. It had been permitted, however, strictly on the understanding that this event was never to be repeated in Long Pond. The Commission had already decided to have a professional environmental study carried out before, during and after the event and the result of this was that "no appreciable environmental disturbance" did occur; in fact the Ospreys were seen circling over Long Pond while the event was actually taking place! The event was a great success and over 3,000 people sat on the grass by Queen's College to watch it.

The Folklore Department at MUN is building in their archives, an extensive collection of manuscripts, documents, photographs and taped interviews on the heritage of Pippy Park and the land it now occupies. As a very active member of the Pippy Park Heritage Committee the Folklore Dept. has cooperated with the Commission in having students collect data on the park each Summer since 1996. The Heritage Committee is now able to mount really interesting displays on the Park at the Heritage Fair each Spring and at the Botanical Garden and at Queen's College each Summer.

CORRECTION
The Editor wishes to apologize for some errors in the September edition of "In Pippy Park" concerning the Pippy Park Golf Courses and how they got started. Bob Holmes and Charlie Cook were not only keen golfers but they actually founded the Public Golf Assn. (not Golf Unlimited) and got the magnificent golf facility on Nagles Hill under way!.

RABBIT SNARING IN PIPPY PARK
It has just been reported to me that there are a lot of rabbit snares being set up on the Three Pond Barrens right now. Hunting of any kind is illegal in the Park so if you should hear of anyone doing this, let them know and if you come across any while out walking it would be a good idea to report them or disable them. We like to see wildlife living secure in the Park and we also would hate to see pets being caught in these snares. Dog owners in particular should take note that these snares are being set. Dogs illegally roaming off their leash could very well get caught and injured by a snare.

THAT BLESSED GOAT!
"Dulcie" is the goat that lives with the Rainbow Riders on Mt. Scio Road and keeps the horses and children amused. Recently she had the privilege of being blessed by the Anglican Bishop of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador, Bishop Donald Harvey when she attended the service for animals at the Cathedral this past summer.

DOGS AND THE THREE POND BARRENS
There is a particular problem area in the park where the accumulation of dog feces (doggy doo) is so great according to some park users, that it is becoming a danger to health.

The section of the old woods road right at the top of Nagles Hill Road has always been one of the worst places for dog feces to accumulate because that is where most of the dog owners park their vehicles and "walk" or "run" their dogs. The Commission is planning to put an extra garbage containers there and we hope to get some stickers to go on them to remind people to pick up after their pets. Please spread the word. PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOG!!

COLLEGE OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC
Prince Philip Drive Campus Expanding (from CoNA)
The portable building at the Prince Philip Drive Campus was torn down this summer - more than 25 years after its scheduled replacement!

The building, which housed 10 classrooms and a campus library, was supposed to serve the college for five years following its original construction. It is being replaced with a pre-engineered two-story building.

A second project at Prince Philip Drive is the construction of a new wing to allow for the relocation of the Medical Sciences programs from the Topsail Road Campus.

Both of these projects augur well for the future of the campus as major initiatives in spearheading a refurbishing of the Prince Philip Drive site. These projects are being designed to allow for further expansion of programs at this campus where the demand from the community is constantly at a high level for new programming initiatives and for increased enrollment in many of the current programs.

After many years of anticipation, the college has funding approved by the Provincial Government in the amount of $6.5 million to see the construction of the new wing, along with addressing capital equipment needs in support of the Medical Sciences programs. This long awaited relocation of these programs from the aging Topsail Road Campus is scheduled to take place upon the completion of the new wing in the spring of 2002.

ADMIRAL'S GOLF COURSE CLUBHOUSE
VIEW FROM THE CLUBHOUSE DECK
Why not hold your next reception, meeting or other social event at the Admiral's (Pippy Park) Golf Clubhouse? This brand new facility is set on the very top of Nagles Hill, overlooking the entire city, including Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean.

There is no better place in St. John's to hold even the most prestigious event. The location alone, not to mention the spacious modern facility, is guaranteed to make any kind of gathering a memorable one. If you have not already visited the clubhouse take a drive up Nagles Hill (exit 46 on the Outer Ring Road) to see for yourself! It is especially easy to get to from out-of-town! The Clubhouse has a well appointed bar and can accommodate 150 people for sit-down events, 250 for stand-up receptions and you can have your choice of seven different top-notch caterers. "Out of this world" wedding receptions are a speciality. The cost is $300 + HST for weddings and $250+HST for other events..

"PIPPY PARK PRESENTS" CALENDER OF EVENTS
MUN BOTANICAL GARDEN, 306 Mt. Scio Road. Phone 737-8590 website: www.mun.ca/botgarden E-mail: garden@mun.ca Open. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m until November 30th.

EVENTS
May 21st and every second Sunday." Sunday Morning Birdwatch" 8 a.m

May 6th. And every Saturday Morning 10.30-12.00 PARENT & TOT PRESCHOOL PROGRAM.

May 7th. & every Sunday "SUNDAY FAMILY FUN" 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Nature hikes, face painting, arts & crafts, garden tours and hidden creatures A different theme each weekend.

November 5th. "Forest Fun"
November 12th. "Amazing Mammals"
November 26th. "Signs of Winter"
NOTE: DRIED FLOWERS CAN STILL BE PURCHASED AT THE GARDEN

ST. JOHN'S PUBLIC LIBRARIES; , Arts & Culture Centre. Phone 737-2133/3950; website: www.publib.nf.ca Open Tuesday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. and Friday 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Saturday 10.00-5.30 Admission Free

Events:
Nov. 4- 11th. Canadian Children's Book Week look for displays and activities.

ANNUAL LIBRARY BOOK SALE
Sat. Nov 18th. 10.00-4.00
Sun. Nov 19th. 1.00-5.00 in the
Main Lecture Room (Irwin's Court)
Wed. Dec 6th. 4.00-7.00 Library Open House Join them for Holiday Season Refreshments at the A.C. Hunter Library.
Participate in the Fall Ticket Draw to purchase talking books for the visually impaired. Draw Date Dec. 6th.

ART GALLERY OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, Arts & Culture Centre, phone 737- 8209. Open Tuesday-Sunday 12 noon to 5 p.m. Admission Free. Website; www.mun.ca/agnl E-mail; agnl@mun.ca.

EXHIBITIONS Permanent Collection:- LIGHT PROOF An exhibition about photography from the AGNL permanent collection. Drawings by Christopher Pratt, photographs by Manfred Buchheit, Marlene Creates, Stephen Livick and Steven Payne.

Oct. 20th. - Jan. 7th. CANADIAN CHILDREN'S BOOK ILLUSTRATION: THE CANSCAIP COLLECTION an exhibition of the work of 50 illustrators sponsored by the national Eastern Horizons Conference.

Nov. 3 - mid January ART IN THE PARK collection of works at Gros Morne National Park - Parks Canada

Nov. 17th. - Jan. 21st. BIG NORTH: THE PAINTINGS OF JOHN HARTMAN (Georgian Bay and Newfoundland)

ARTS & CULTURE THEATRE

Nov. 2nd. Debut Plus concert Erika Reum and Walter Delahunt Haley
Nov. 6-11th. "THE SOUND OF MUSIC" presented by our own QV/RRDF.
Nov. 16-17 Montreal Lyric opera
Nov. 17th. NSO "The Mastersinger"
Nov. 18th. Fibromyalgia Benefit Concert
Nov. 19th. Music Industry Awards.
Nov. 25th. NSO Youth Orchestra
Nov. 30th. -Dec 1& 2nd. "SCROOGE"
Dec. 4,5,6,7 & 8TH. NLTA CHRISTMAS SUITE
Dec. 7th. Debut Plus Concert - Patricia O'Callaghan
Dec. 9th. FRANK MILLS
Dec. 11th. VOCM Happy Tree
Dec. 13th. HURON CAROL
Dec. 15,16,17th. NUTCRACKER by Kittiwake Dance Theatre

OTHER PARK ACTIVITIES
Dec. 17th. "Christmas in Pippy Park" at the Rainbow Riders Barn Mt. Scio Road: Carols, Creche, Parade of Holy Family etc.

For more information on the Pippy Park activities check the Arts Depot website; www.artsdepot.net, Arts and Culture website at www.artsandculturecentre.com and the new Pippy Park website; www.pippypark.com