On Thursday evening, September 22, we initiated Trivia Night. This will run every other Thursday evening alternating with Bingo.

The attendance on the first night indicated that we have a winner activity here. Twenty-two residents of all ages showed up.  Even the baby had a good time as we wracked our brains to remember, deduce and wildly guess at the answers to 25 tricky questions. The two winning teams (1st and 2nd place) were presented with a box of prizes and each team member allowed to choose a prize from it.

It was a most enjoyable evening, apparently not just for those who left with a prize. Thank you to the organizers. Come out next time and join in!

Last Friday evening residents of Islington 2000/2010 gathered poolside to celebrate the end of summer with a Fall Festival. This included a delicious meal, live music and entertainment, dancing, conversation and laughter – all around our beautiful pool deck. The temperature was a little lower than we had hoped, but we bundled up and warmed the evening with fun and friendship.

Thank you to the Social Committee for getting it right again – you are truly amazing. Enjoy some scenes from this special evening.

Our amazing Social Committee has planned its second event for 2022, a Fall Festival to be celebrated on Friday September 16th from 5 pm.

This event will include a full meal plus music for dancing around the pool deck. In case of bad weather this will move indoors, but keep all fingers crossed!

There is still time to sign up in the Recreation Centre.   Make your payment to committee members who will be on hand in the art activity room on Tuesdays, afternoons from 2 to 3 pm and evenings from 7 to 8 pm.

A small group of residents at Islington 2000/2010 is working at a grassroots level to make our community more connected.

The Islington Vertical Village is part of the “Naturally Occuring Retirement Community” movement that has gaining popularity in the face of our aging populations. The NORC idea is to leverage the experience, skills and wisdom of  older residents  into making buildings like ours into local hubs for all the support residents will need to thrive as they age.

Islington Vertical Village asked residents to indicate what they would like to see happening at Islington 2000/2010 going forward. This word cloud indicates what jumped out as the most important.

Next the group will meet with interested residents to get a sense of who is ready to step up and advance some of these things.  This will happen in the party room on August, 16th from 2 to 4 pm and again from 7 to 9 pm. Remember to wear a mask.

For some time our Bistro was a favorite fixture at Islington 2002/2010. It was situated in the party room, where you could go each afternoon to find a little companionship and conversation  along with some tasty single serve coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

The Bistro was forced to close in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.  As the pandemic went on and on, and the recreation centre stayed closed, it became necessary to return our specialty coffee machine and put all traces of our Bistro away.

When restrictions were lifted, we looked to replace our coffee machine and open our Bistro again, but we were caught up in the supply chain crisis. Finally though, a coffee machine has been located and installed in the party room again. It is a little different from the original machine, but we believe it to be pretty foolproof to use.

Our primary hours of operation at 2 pm to 4 pm though you are invited to come for a coffee any time. All drinks are $2, with proceeds going to the Daily Bread Food Bank. For the sake of the environment, and to minimize any contamination you must bring your own mug, and take it home to be washed.

Sadly we have to remind you that the pandemic is not over. Please wear a mask and follow COVID-19 mitigation protocols.

You may find this short video helpful to famiarize yourself with new machine.

Everyone is aware that renovations are happening in a number of suites this summer. We’ve heard it loud and clear.  Depending on the type of tools being used, the sound can be considerable, and unfortunately it travels.

Our condominiums have rules to balance the needs of the renovators/builders, and the nearby neighbours who fear for their sanity.

Time is set aside for noisy activities like hammering and using power tools. These jobs are limited to between 9 am and 5 pm during the week, or 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday. No noisy work is allowed on Sunday.

Quiet work like painting, plastering, etc. is also allowed an extra hour on Saturday and on Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.

To workers these hours may be inconvenient but to the neighbours forced to hear construction sounds, the hours go on and on. The rules are a way to compromise, since both sides have their reasons and rights.

Here’s a tip: It is a gracious goodwill gesture to warn your neighbours when you are beginning a noisy renovation. And here’s hoping for all within earshot that the work is expedited as much as possible.