April, 2001

DID YOU KNOW?

Buddy Wasisname & the Other Fellers did their first public performance in St. John's in the North Bank Lodge in Pippy Park. The event occurred during the Herald Family Days held in August of 1986 and was sponsored by the Herald/ NTV. Admission was free and the building was completely filled for two back-to-back performances. Buddy Wasisname & the Other Fellers will be playing at the Arts & Culture Centre April 17th. - 21st. and April 24th. - 28th.

There have been 12 Chairs or Acting Chairs of the Pippy Park Commission since it was first established in 1966. They were Charles R. Bell 1966-72, Thomas S.A. Freeman 1972-1977, C. Gordon Butler Acting Chair 1977-1978, Graham W. Mercer 1979-1984, Cllr David R. Barrett Acting Chair 1983-1984, J. Burford Ploughman Acting Chair 1984, Tomas M. Doyle 1984-1987, Cllr. Tom Osborne Acting Chair 1987, Lt. Col. Donald C. Barter L.V.O. 1987-1990, Frank Manuel 1991-1993, Dr. Philip J. Warren PhD. 1994-2000 and Tomas Murphy 2001-

Dr. Ryan Phillips, Director of Geotechnical Engineering tells me that one of the largest geotechnical Centrifuges in the world is located in Pippy Park at the C-CORE building on the University Campus on the south side of Long Pond. The 5m-radius centrifuge rotates at up to 3 times every second when it weighs more than 5,000 tons. See it at http://www.c-core.ca/ge.html C-CORE is one of Memorial University's cutting edge research facilities and has just received another major grant for their H .E I programme for the transfer of space technology into forms for application in the oil & gas and mining industries.

The Fluvarium is remodeling the Frog Tank so that there will be room for more exhibits of different species of frogs and toads and they will be more visible to the thousands of visitors who love these amphibians. The decor on that level of the Fluvarium is being extended to include the frog tank area. It is also well worth a visit to the fluvarium in the Winter/Spring just to see the underside of the ice and watch the slow sluggish movements of the trout at this time of year.

DAVE WALSH WITH FORMER CHAIR PHIL WARREN
Dave Walsh, Maintenance Supervisor, had been a valuable employee of the Pippy Park Commission for 15 years. He was well known for his cheerful willingness always to help out when asked along with his candid outspokenness when provoked!. This winter in particular, he had been exceptionally busy operating the plough in the almost constant snow clearing. He will be well remembered by the Friends of Pippy Park for his always prompt assistance in making sure the grass was cut and the water supply was in order for the Children's Gardening Programme at #5 Mt. Scio Rd. Pam Karasak has also noted how helpful he was in trying to ensure, under extremely difficult conditions, that sufficient parking was available when needed at the Fluvarium. The parking lot was usually better cleared than Nagles Place! Dick Stoker remembered that he and his crew were also exceptionally helpful in setting up the stage and fittings for the annual Summerdance event by Long Pond every Summer as part of the Pippy Park Family Days.

Dave Walsh died on February 1st. 2001 under tragic circumstances. He is much missed by his family, work colleagues and all who knew him.

PUBLIC LECTURE ON PIPPY PARK
"PIPPY PARK - THE VISION AND THE REALITY"
BY
DR. JO SHAWYER
Dept. Of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland

APRIL 24rd. 2001 at 8.00 p.m.
at the
MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY BOTANICAL GARDEN
FIELD CENTRE LECTURE ROOM
306, MT. SCIO ROAD
REFRESHMENTS TO FOLLOW
ALL ARE WELCOME

Dr. Jo Shawyer of the Geography Dept. at Memorial University will be presenting an illustrated talk on the history of the establishment of Pippy Park and how the park came to be what it is today. The lecture is sponsored by the Heritage Committee of the Pippy Park Commission will assistance from the Friends of Pippy Park Inc. and the Pippy Park Promotions Committee.

THE FRIENDS OF PIPPY PARK INC.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
will be held
on
TUESDAY APRIL 24TH. 2001
at the
MUN BOTANICAL GARDEN
FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC LECTURE
NEW MEMBERS AND ANYONE INTERESTED ARE VERY WELCOME