VTL Member Night and AGM!
Monday, May 30, 7pm
Another Space, 1523 East Pender St
Hey VTL members! Come hang out, have a beer on us, and let’s talk about your Vancouver Tool Library. We want to hear your thoughts on the VTL and its future. At the same time, we’ll give you updates on what we’ve been up to and nominate a couple new Board members.
Beer, snacks and refreshments will be provided!
Please RSVP to manager@vancouvertoollibrary.com
Interested in tool maintenance? Want to get more involved with your Tool Library? Join our Tool Committee.
Help us maintain our tools! The Tool Committee meets once per month to work on our tool inventory. This means sharpening blades, replacing parts, diagnosing problems, cleaning tools, applying grease where grease is needed, etc.
No experience is necessary, but experience is welcome.
Please email tools@vancouvertoollibrary.com for more information.
Send us pics of the projects you’re working on with Tool Library tools! We will share them online and you’ll be entered into a draw to win a whole year’s membership at VTL. Email your pics and project info to manager[@]vancouvertoollibrary.com. Contest ends November 30!
Thank you to the members who took the time to attend one of our AGMs last month – it was great to hear your questions and comments about the VTL. There were many ideas for the Board of Directors and staff to work on in the upcoming year.
For those of you who could not make it to one of the dates, the Annual Report from the 2013-2014 fiscal year is now available here: VTL Annual Report 2014.
The VTL offers organizational memberships to non-profits and small businesses to help make tools and tool use accessible and affordable for those actively working to improve our communities. This month, we connected with VTL organizational member Shifting Growth to find out who they are, what they do, and how they use VTL tools in the work of their organization.
Shifting Growth is an urban agriculture organization that creates community gardens on vacant lots throughout the lower mainland. While Shifting Growth has gardens from Coquitlam to North Van, VTL members living in East Van are likely most familiar with The Drive Garden (Commercial Drive and 12th Avenue) and the Hastings North Community Garden (East Hastings Street and North Penticton Street).
Shifting Growth was established in 2011, when founders Troy Barrie and Chris Reid saw an opportunity in Vancouver to create high-demand growing space while providing a service for private landowners. Acting as property managers, Shifting Growth takes over property maintenance and creates temporary community spaces. Through this work, Shifting Growth provides a cost-effective solution for private landowners while transforming vacant spaces into temporary growing spaces, and engages local community members and organizations to create value from underutilized space.
Shifting Growth uses specialized tools and garden tools from the VTL for its community garden builds. Their VTL membership has lowered their equipment budget, allowing Shifting Growth to contribute more funds toward creating more gardens and more impact within our communities.
The Drive Garden will be expanded by over 30 community garden beds on May 10, 2014. You’re invited to spread the work, move some dirt, and find out more about how you can get involved!
