July 30: A visit to the restored CPR Steamship Terminal to explore the world of Robert Bateman.

Remembering Hans

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is with great sadness that we note the passing of long-time member, Hans Ockermueller. Hans was an excellent Rotarian who was extremely proud of his perfect attendance record, which spanned over 30 years. He passed away on July 25 after a difficult battle with cancer. A service will be held at McCall Bros. funeral home on Thursday, August 8th at 2:00 pm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

July 30 meeting reported by Renate Gibbs.
Guests: Rotarian Terry O’Halloran, Bailgate Lincoln Club, UK (District 1270); Jean Lawrie and her sister Judy, guests of Peter Lawrie; Betty O’Coffey, guest of Don; Colleen Force, guest of Jim; and Kathleen Schelle, guest of Bob. (Note: Rotarian Tourist, Terry O'Halloran, made the trip from downtown to the OBB Hotel for the meeting, only to have to taxi back to town to make the meeting!)

Downtown Victoria

The newly restored CPR Steamship Building

We learned from club member, Dr. Phil Neroutsos, that his grandfather played a significant part in the inspirational design of the CPR Steamship Terminal building, through his close friendship with architect, Francis Rattenbury. Phil’s grandfather, Captain Cyril Demetrius Neroutsos, began his seafaring days at the age of 13, and was promoted to Master Seaman within 9 years. He eventually settled in Victoria and became Manager of the BC Coast Steamship Service of the CPR in 1928. (Neroutsos Inlet in Quatsino Sound is named after him.) His Greek heritage helped inspire the Ionic columns and ancient Greek iconography, such as the facades lined with images of dolphins, crowns, crosses and the heads of Poseidon, which associate the original function of the building with the sea, and which also reflected his friendship with Rattenbury.  Here Phil’s story turned a new path and took us into the scandalous personal life of Rattenbury, who left his wife for a younger woman, who then took up with the family chauffeur – which resulted in Rattenbury’s untimely death at the hands of this same chauffeur! In 1924, the CPR building was valued as one of the most important buildings in Victoria’s Inner Harbour. From 1970 to 2010, the building was home to the Royal London Wax Museum. The building's owner, the Provincial Capital Commission spent $5 million on seismic upgrades. Now the Greater Victoria Harbour Commission has taken it over on a lease to be rented out to Romers Restaurant and the Robert Bateman Foundation. For more information on its historic significance, check this link: http://www.bcpcc.com/pdf/significance_cpr.pdf

Inside this magnificent building, we were introduced to the Robert Bateman Centre by Marketing & Media Director, Aimee Ippersiel (right with Robert Bateman in the gift shop). She began the information portion with a short video and Q&A presentation, after which we had an opportunity to wander through the gallery and view over 110 paintings, drawings and etchings. During our light sandwich lunch, we learned more about Robert Bateman and the Centre through Executive Director of the Bateman Foundation, Paul Gilbert. The centre was opened on May 24, Robert Bateman's 83rd birthday.

At 83 years of age, Robert Bateman continues to paint. Over the past 10 years Bateman has explored preserving an artistic legacy as well as creating an avenue to offer programs to get people out into nature.  He recognizes the importance of individual connection to nature and the need to counter the loss of sense of place. We were able to see never-before-shown paintings from the $11 million collection that has been donated to the Centre.  With our smart phones or tablets, we downloaded (free wifi in the gallery) the App to read the QR code placed by each print or painting, and view/listen to stories of Bateman’s life in digital format. In the Kathryn Iredale Gallery we were treated to the magic of bird songs that technology enabled to be paired with paintings of Bateman’s birds. 

Joan and Heather try out the QR (Quick Response) matrix barcode technology available for each exhibit.

In two locations a wall of 6 screens enabled us to use touch screen technology to peek through the remaining 6,000 works available for viewing in this state of the art centre. The gallery is in but Phase 1 and reflects an incredible feat of hard work, having opened only 9 months after the space was first started to be developed.

The Gallery is not commercial in nature, but is a National Public Charity that exists to do public good. Generous donors have contributed $4.5 million. Phase 2 hopes to expand from the existing 4,000 square feet to 18,000 sq. ft. of space (2^nd and 3^rd floors) to focus on artists involved with the environment, and adding a space for dialogue and education to allow schools to be connected via Internet with Robert Bateman’s educational sessions. We learned from club member, Wynne Taylor, of how Bateman’s love of teaching reached back to the early 60’s when he was his geography teacher. Given the opportunity to choose between ‘Art’ by Bateman or ‘Typing’, he sadly chose the latter. Others such as Paul Gilbert were able to have art classes throughout their high school years in the Toronto, Rosedale area. Next week an 18-km trail through a ravine in the Forest Hill/Rosedale area of Toronto will have a permanent designation named The Robert Bateman Urban Nature Trail.

Peter Lawrie thanked Paul Gilbert and Aimee for including us in the front end of this new endeavour and a donation to the Polio Program will be made in the Foundation's name.

President Pete Lawry, Guest Terry O'Halloran, and scribe Renate Gibbs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Club in a Pub by Jim Force. Photo by David Sills

The July 25th Club-in-a-Pub gathering at the Penny Farthing was quite lively and interesting with ten Club Members, one Rotaractor and three Guests in attendance. During a conversation about smoking dope [WHAAAT?], one un-named person mentioned, “if you smoke it under a blanket, you get stoneder.” Of course the unanswered question was, “do you know this from personal experience or did you read it in a book.” As usual, many folks enjoyed a meal along with their drinks. As can be seen from David Sills’ photo some folks were a little fuzzy.

Next week's (August 6) speaker will be Holly Jones, GM of the Victoria Harbour Cats. Learn more about Holly and her team here.