Santa Claus is coming to Ruskin Hall...

T’was ten days before Christmas, and all through Ruskin Hall
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hope that Santa Claus would soon be there.

Ho Ho Ho

Our annual Breakfast with Santa is coming up fast....Next Saturday, December 12th, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
Santa will join us at 10:00 AM.
Join us for a pancake breakfast, and if you are small enough, you'll get to sit on Santa's lap too.....

New Year’s Eve Party

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RCKC will host this year’s New Year’s Eve Party at Whonnock Lake Centre! 

Nightshift, a Maple Ridge Band, will be playing Classic Rock

Dinner & snacks &  party favours.

Champagne toast at midnight.

Doors and Bar open at 7:30pm.

Ask Sue or Teresa for tickets or call 778 288 9791. 

Tickets are $50 pp. 

About the limits of groundwater

From the CBC Website an important article in particular for all of us depending on well water. Click here for the link to CBC Website version.

For a pdf version click here.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

The Whonnock History Calendar 2016 is out and for sale at the usual bargain price of $7.00. Ask Sue or Theresa a the postoffice.

This calendar is dedicated to the memory of Brenda Pelletier who passed away in September. Brenda thought it important for her students to know about our local history, teaching about it in her classes and occasionally organizing field-trips.

Pictures Remembrance Ceremony

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Click here for pictures of the Ceremony at Whonnock Lake Centre. Somewhere between 150 an 200 people were in attendance.

Whonnock Remembers - Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Times - Click here 

Whonnock Weavers and Spinners

Please join us for our 35th Annual Open House Exhibit & Sale
Sunday, November 29, 2015 from 11 am to 4 pm!

Click here for everything you want to know about it!

Giant Pumpkin Day at Thornhill

A fierce competitor! 

This year’s Giant Pumpkin Day at Thornhill was the first in six years with sun all day. The Pumpkin Rolling Contest was a great success with pumpkins hopping downhill at amazing speeds. The Potluck dinner was the richest ever in quality and number of dishes offered. Pumpkin art on display was fabulous and the heaviest pumpkin weighed in at more than 300 lbs.
A warm thank you to Klaus and Betty and all the volunteers who made this such a great success (again).

Click here to see some pictures of the event. 

Lest we forget

Join us to remember with a simple ceremony.

Outside Whonnock Lake Centre.

 Wednesday morning, November 11 at 10:30 am.

Spam alert Ruskin Hall

There have been several emails sent to contacts of Ruskin Hall, that were in fact spam.
If you are suspicious of messages in your inbox, check the full address of the sender by mousing over it.
If it says if it says ruskinhall@anythingelse other that @yahoo it is not from Ruskin Hall. 
Also, we never send messages with only a link (never click on them!), and we do not send messages from an iPhone.

Giant Pumpkin Day at Thornhill Hall, October 25th

The annual Giant Pumpkin Growing Contest and event day takes place on October 25th at the THORNHILL hall.

The drought conditions this year meant that the pumpkins ripened early and so we weighed in on October 2nd.
Everyone is welcome to see the rolling. Meet at the Thornhill Hall at 9:30.
Everyone is also welcome at the hall between 5:00 and 5:30  to admire the carving.
The evening event, a beautiful potluck dinner, is sold out to community members that signed up and participated since last March.
We are all looking forward to another family day of excitement.

The fall issue of Whonnock Notes is out and copies are distributed to all who live in Whonnock and Ruskin. If you did not get a copy click here to read and download a digital version ... in colour.

All Candidates Meeting -- October 1st

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The Whonnock Community Association hosted an All Candidates Meeting at Whonnock Lake Centre. From left to right on the photo: Dan Ruimy (Liberal), Peter Tam (Green) Steve Ranta (Independent), and Bob d'Eith (NDP). Mike Murray (Conservative) did not attend. Standing at right with microphone Phil Johnson who organized and chaired the event. Thanks to the candidates, the voters, the volunteers, but in particular to Phil for making this a successful and pleasant event. 

Comments on Global News page

Many people commented -- not everyone understanding the issue or our concerns. Click here.

Click here to read Global News’s report on the High Noon protest and see the video.
Click here to see what CTV had to say about it.

Finally our neighbourhood will be rid off that pod-growing eyesore!

Neighbours unhappy ....

Click here to read this front-page article in this morning’s Province.

Concerned Whonnock Residents

An organized protest has been planned for Friday, May 22, 2015 at 12 pm against the licensing of an industrial scale (97,000 sq. ft. greenhouse, plus a 16,000 sq.ft. production/ storage building) cannabis grow operation in Maple Ridge, proposed for 9860 272nd Street in the community of Whonnock, Maple Ridge.

The residents of Whonnock do not object to legal medicinal marihuana grow operations but feel strongly that this is the wrong site for such an operation and are requesting that Health Canada denies this application. The residents feel they haven’t had a voice in the licensing process and all levels of government are ignoring the outcries of the community.

The Federal Government is responsible for licensing the medical marijuana grow operations but advises the community must speak with its local government about this issue.

The Province of BC allows that licensed Medical Marijuana production facilities be in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) but isn’t recognizing the fact that these lands are many times in densely populated residential areas, using well water, and in this particular case, on a vulnerable aquifer.

The previous mayor and council of the City of Maple Ridge directed Tantalus Labs, the owner constructing the grow operation, to ALR land, suggested to them several properties, one of which, as we know, is the property on 272th Street. in Whonnock. Concerned residents feel the current City of Maple Ridge mayor and council has a duty to protect the residents of Whonnock regardless of who was responsible for the previous decision.

The residents are very concerned about their wells running dry and the safety of their community, in addition to environmental impact and decreasing property values. The protest is being held to bring attention to these issues.

Please join us at the proposed site (9860 272nd Street, Maple Ridge) on May 22nd.

Residents of Whonnock filled almost every visitors seat in Council Chambers

Betty von Hardenberg made a convincing and well-prepared presentation to the Committee of the Whole, seeking protection of Grant Hill aquifer in general and in particular protection from the destructive demands of Tantalus’s planned industrial-size hothouse.
Click here to read a report in Maple Ridge Times and click here to read what Maple Ridge News had to say about it. 

We have two very important events coming up this month regarding Tantalus Labs. You presence is VERY important and your support is needed. Our goal is to prevent Tantalus Labs from getting their licence. 

First important date is May 4^th at City Hall. Betty von Hardenberg, our expert on the Grant Hill  (Thornhill) aquifer,  will make a powerful presentation to our mayor and to councel. We must show up and fill the house to show counsel our united front in the fight against the greenhouse in our neighborhood.

The next date in our event calendar is May 22^nd,  at 12:00 o’clock, high noon, for an official protest in front of the greenhouse, Bell and 272^nd. We hope to have at least 100 people show up. We will have media coverage again. Our crowd has to make a serious impact.

Please tell your friends and neighbors and invite them to come along for both events. 

We are counting on your support and hope it will make all  our efforts worthwhile. 

On behalf of our group I thank you very much.

Birgit Mischke

Ruskin: Silent Auction and Potluck Dinner

On May 3rd, the Ruskin Hall Association will be holding its fifth annual Silent Auction and Potluck Dinner, starting at 5:00 PM, with dinner at 6:00 and the auction closing at 6:45. 
We hope that you will be able to join us, to share a great meal and raise some money for the Hall. We are also requesting your help, with the collection of items for the silent auction. 
Click here to open a letter that you can download and print and submit to businesses that you know or deal with, requesting the small donation of an item to auction off. It would be appreciated if all items, accompanied by two business cards, could reach Dan (604-462-0316) by May 1st so that bidding sheets can be prepared. Spread the news! Please invite others to help us make this event a success.

Volunteer Dinner 2015

Special recognition and appreciation went to Phil Johnson for more than 40 years of dedicated volunteer service. 

The Whonnock Communty Association honoured the volunteers of East Maple Ridge for their work and their love for their community with a dinner at Whonnock Lake Centre. CLICK HERE to look at some pictures taken at the event. 

Sunday, April 12th at Thornhill Hall

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Easter Egg Hunt 2015

Waiting for the word GO! Click on picture to enlarge

This was a record year -- in beautiful sunshine at least 470 children exchanged their plastic chips for chocolate.
Thank you to Shelley and her helpers for a great job in again organizing this annual event of the Whonnock Community Association.
Also thank you to the the City of Maple Ridge and several businesses for their support.
CLICK HERE to look at almost 100 pictures.

One Book Whonnock -- again a great success

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Yesterday’s One Book Whonnock meeting at Whonnock Lake Centre was a great success. The hall was covered with signs and other furnishings of elections past, including voting booths. There were lively discussions and lots of laughter. Click here to see some pictures. 
The properly voted choice for the 2015-2016 book was Paris 1919 by Margaret Macmillan. 

If you want to read the book and would like to join your neighbours to talk about it call Jean at 604 462 7341 or send an e-mail to <webmaster@whonnock.ca>.  

Yes, it is free! 

One Book Whonnock

The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis is this year’s One Book Whonnock. 

Join your neighbours in reading this book and discussing it at the One Book Whonnock gathering on Thursday March 26 at Whonnock Lake Centre. Sofar there are 50 registered readers of the book. 

To register for this year’s gathering, please contact Jean Davidson 604-462-7341 or e-mail jeandavidson@shaw.ca.

New Whonnock Notes issue

Whonnock Notes No. 21 "George Stanley Godwin 1889 – 1974 Biographical notes" 

Click here to read or download and read this latest Whonnock Notes. 

For printed copies of this and all previous Whonnock Notes  ask Sue or Teresa at the post office. 

Whonnock News Spring 2015

On behalf of the Whonnock Community Association Canada Post delivered 1,400 copies of the spring edition of Whonnock News to residents of Whonnock and Ruskin. In case you did not get your copy just click here to read or download and read a digital version.

WCA Annual Easter Egg Hunt

As usual our Easter Egg Hunt will start at 1:00 PM sharp on Easter Sunday, April 5th. Rain or shine!

The Easter Bunny is looking for volunteers to do some very rewarding assignments for the event. 

If you are willing to hop along please call Shelley at 604-462-1881.