Burnaby Now November 10 2022

Burnabysues B.C.privacy commissioner

lvanderdeen@burnabynow com

The City of Burnaby is fighting to keep infor mation about 421 of the properties it owns secret Burnaby resident Da vid Hayre made a re quest to the city under the Freedom of Infor mation and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) for “a list of all proper ties owned by the City of Burnaby and any prop erties it may own in the Province of B C ”

The city, which owns 2,735 properties, gave Hayre a list of 2,314 properties, with the in formation of 421 proper ties redacted

The withheld infor mation included street addresses and land par cel IDs of properties “currently the subject of land acquisition projects where the City has tar geted adjacent or prox

imate properties for acquisition and land as sembly”

The land assemblies have the goal of creating higher density housing or expanding existing park land, according to a re view by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC)

A municipality can refuse to disclose infor mation if it could “rea sonably be expected to harm the financial or economic interests of a public body,” according to FOIPPA, as well as in formation about nego tiations carried on by a public body.

The city said disclos ing the property ad dresses would “harm its ability to negotiate the purchase of these tar geted properties at fair market value” and wor ries property owners would refuse to sell or

Municipality seeks to quash decision to release details about 421 city owned properties

LaurenVanderdeen

Aletter from 19 year old Flight Sgt. Jack Fitzgerald, a former Burnaby high schooler, to his family in B.C. is making its way back home again as part of a campaign spotlighting the personal histories of men and women who lived and died during wartime.

Citynow

AttackersentencedforassaultsonSouthAsianmen

CorneliaNaylor cnaylor@burnabynow com

A 35 year old New Westminster man has been sentenced to a conditional discharge with three years of probation after plead ing guilty to a series of ran dom, unprovoked tran sit attacks on South Asian men in Burnaby,Vancou ver and NewWestminster Rainier Jesse Azucena was charged in seven as saults that took place on buses and trains and near transit stations between Oct. 29, 2021 and Feb. 7, 2022

“By virtue of some de lusion that apparently targeted Indo Canadian men, Mr Azucena would, without warning, attack, either kick at or punch these unsuspecting com plainants who were sitting on the bus minding their own business,” Crown prosecutor Jonas Dow said at a sentencing hear ing inVancouver provin cial court Friday But Dow added there was “tragedy in both col

umns”

in the case

‘GREAT GAP’

Azucena has schizo phrenia and had fallen into a “great gap in any mental health services,” according to Dow

He had grown beyond his family’s ability to care for him, and his men tal health issues had gone untreated for some time, Dow said.

“He was off his meds It’s as simple as that,” de fence lawyer Terence La Liberté said.

After Azucena’s arrest, La Liberté said transit po lice took him to Royal Co lumbian Hospital, but he then ended up at the North Fraser Pretrial Centre for a month.

“I think our system’s going to have to look into this because, if he was get ting the proper care, we probably wouldn’t have these difficulties,” he said

La Liberté said Azucena has “some deep seated concerns about certain racial groups be cause of experiences he’s

had” and is unable to “ra tionalize” them when he’s off his medications

But for nearly five months now, Azucena has been at a mental health facility and has stabilized, according to La Liberté

“He’s properly medi cated; he has the support system he needs ”

In a joint sentencing submission, Dow and La Liberté called for a condi tional discharge and three

years of probation That means Azucena, who doesn’t have a criminal record, will not have one if he abides by the condi tions of his probation

B C provincial court Judge JodieWerier ac cepted the plan.

“I’m satisfied a condi tional discharge is the ap propriate outcome,” she said

During his probation, Azucena will have to get

treatment and take his medications

He is also banned from contacting any of his vic tims and from possessing any weapons

Azucena pleaded guilty to four of the seven assault charges The rest were stayed

Transit police described five of the attacks Azucena was charged with in a Feb 14 news release

On Oct. 29, 2021, a

man was getting off a number 9 bus by the Commercial Broadway SkyTrain station at about 10:30 p m , when another man approached from be hind and kicked him sev eral times in the legs and tried to hit him in the face, according to the re lease

On Jan 6, a passen ger was sitting aboard a train near Royal Oak sta tion at about 5:30 p m , when another man got up and, without provocation, kicked the victim in the face, transit police said

On Jan. 26, a SkyTrain passenger near the Metro town station at about 8 p m was punched in the back of the head three or four times A short time later, another victim was hit in the face with an empty beer can on a dif ferent train, according to the transit police release

On Feb. 3, a SkyTrain passenger near Patter son station at about 5 p.m. was punched in the face up to six times, po lice said

City secrecy puts homeowners at disadvantage, resident says

tition.

seek prices much higher than market value.

Burnaby’s general man ager of community safety and the general manager of planning and develop ment gave sworn affidavits with more than 20 exam ples of property own ers seeking compensation “above fair market value” after learning of the city’s hope to purchase their property

In some cases, the city stated property owners asked for $1 million over market value once learn ing the city wished to purchase their property, according to the city’s pe

But Hayre said with holding the information disadvantages homeown ers, and that the city is abusing its powers

Hayre asked the OIPC to review the city’s deci sion, saying fair market value is the determined price a property sells for in an open market, with buyer and seller both rea sonably knowledgeable about the property.

Hayre said the city is not allowing property owners to receive fair market value, “in part by withholding informa tion from property owners about its plans and future

zoning changes,” accord ing to his response in the OIPC review

In September, the OIPC decided in Hayre’s favour

Adjudicator Elizabeth Vranjkovic ruled the city did not establish a di rect link between prop erty owners selling their properties for more than market value and the dis closure of municipal ad dresses.

Vranjkovic said it is rea sonable that property owners would seek prices above fair market value or refuse to sell regard less of when they learn of the city’s interest in their

property.

She noted the city did not explain how the tim ing of when the property owner learns of city inter est in their land would af fect the owner’s desire to sell or not.

“In fact, the city’s evi dence demonstrates that even without the kind of advance knowledge that the information in dispute conveys, property owners often demand more than fair market value once they learn of the city’s in terest in their property,” Vranjkovic wrote “I do not see, and the city does not explain, how advance notice of the

city’s interest would alter the negotiations between the city and the property owner.”

Vranjkovic ordered the city to give Hayre the pre viously undisclosed infor mation by Nov 3

CITYWANTS TO QUASH ORDER

But the city is fighting the OIPC decision

The city filed a petition in BC Supreme Court against the B.C. Informa tion and Privacy Commis sioner and Hayre on Oct 31 to quash the OIPC or der

The city’s petition said Vranjkovic’s decision is

based on speculation on how some property own ers may react “regardless of knowledge” about city interests.

“What might be in a property owner’s mind before and after the city’s interests become known is something incapable of proving or disproving,” the city’s petition stated.

It said the OIPC deci sion is unreasonable and doesn’t align with the re quirements stated in FOIPPA or the city’s “ac tual experiences in the past.”

The claims have not been tested or proven in court

Man receives conditional discharge and three years of probation for series of transit attacks on strangers.

RANDOMATTACKS:ANewWestminstermanwassentencedtoaconditionaldischargeafter assaultsontransitpassengers PHOTOTRANSLINK

6900 Southpoint Drive

From: CD Comprehensive Development District (based on P6 Regional Institutional District and M2 General Industrial District)

To: Amended CD Comprehensive Development District (based on P6 Regional Institutional District and M2 General Industrial District, and in accordance with the development plan entitled “BCH Edmonds Ops Centre Truck Storage and Yard” prepared by SNC-Lavalin Inc. and Ian Mckay Architect Inc.)

Purpose: to permit the construction of a truck storage building in an existing operations yard Applicant: SNC-Lavalin Inc.

2) Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 1965, Amendment Bylaw No 37, 2022 Bylaw No 14523

Rez. #21-43

5675 and 5691 Rumble Street

From: R5 Residential District

To: CD Comprehensive Development District (based on RM2 Multiple Family Residential District as a guideline and in accordance with the development plan entitled “5675 & 5691 Rumble Street, Burnaby, B.C Townhouse Development” prepared by Simplex + G Architecture Inc.)

Purpose: to permit the construction of a three-storey, ten-unit residential townhouse development with underground parking

Applicant: Simplex + G Architecture Inc.

3) Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 1965, Amendment Bylaw No 38, 2022 Bylaw No 14524

Rez. #19-28

7465 Griffith Drive

From: M5 Light Industrial District and M2 General Industrial District

To: CD Comprehensive Development District (based on the RM3s Multiple Family Residential District, RM3r Multiple Family Residential District, and Edmonds Town Centre Plan as guidelines, and in accordance with the development plan entitled “7465 Griffiths Dr” prepared by GBL Architects Inc. and Gauthier + Associates Landscape Architects Inc.)

Purpose: to permit the construction of a single multi-family residential building consisting of a high-rise strata tower with an attached low-rise rental component

Applicant: Square Nine Griffiths Development Ltd.

4) Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 1965, Amendment Bylaw No 39, 2022 Bylaw No 14525

Rez. #21-32

4750 Kingsway

From: CD Comprehensive Development District (based on RM5s Multiple Family Residential District, C3 General Commercial District and Metrotown Downtown Plan as guidelines)

To: Amended CD Comprehensive Development District (based on RM5s Multiple Family Residential District, RM5r Multiple Family Residential District, C3 General Commercial District, the Metrotown Downtown Plan as guidelines and in accordance with the development plan entitled “Concord Metrotown Phase 2AB & 2C” prepared by IBI Group Architects (Canada) Inc.)

Purpose: to permit construction of the second phase of the Concord Metrotown site, including three high-rise market residential strata buildings atop non-market rental and commercial/retail podiums, and two commercial high-rise buildings (one being market rental and the other being office/hospitality) atop a combined commercial/retail podium. Parking is provided fully underground with some on-street convenience parking

Applicant: Concord Kingsway Projects GP Ltd.

Citynow

Wind storm batters Burnaby

City among hardest hit in region as downed trees knock out power

Citymullsplanfor libraryatLougheed

next door

Burnaby residents were among thousands left with out power after a wind storm battered the area on Nov. 4.

Wind gusts as high as 90 km/h were reported as the storm, in the early morning hours of Saturday, Nov 5, caused widespread power outages onVancouver Is land, the Sunshine Coast and across MetroVancou ver and the FraserValley BC Hydro said as of 6:30 on Saturday morn ing (Nov 5), there were 145,000 customers with out power with the hardest hit areas being Surrey, Ab botsford, Burnaby and Na naimo.

“BC Hydro had been closely tracking the storm,

and sent many crews home early in the day yes terday so they could rest and be available for over night work,” a press release stated.

“All available BC Hydro crews and contractor crews worked through the night to repair and restore ser vice to customers One

challenge the crews faced during the night was fall ing trees, which made it too dangerous for them to access some areas to begin repair work

“The wind knocked down trees and branches many of them weak ened by the summer’s drought causing them

to come into contact with BC Hydro’s electrical equipment ”

BC Hydro spokesperson Scott Mora told the NOW that about 27,000 Burn aby customers lost power Most of them had power restored by Saturday, he said, and all outages were fixed by Sunday

With Cameron Recre ation Centre and Library set for redevelopment, the City of Burnaby is consid ering temporarily housing the facility’s programs in the former H&M space at LougheedTown Centre

The city has proposed to lease and remodel al most 17,000 square feet of existing commercial space at Lougheed mall at 9855 Austin Ave , accord ing to the city’s requests for proposals for architec tural consulting and con struction services

The library, at 9523 Cameron St., would be temporarily located in the former H&M retail space on the lower floor of the mall and expand into the former dollar store space

The lease would be for an anticipated three years “and may be extended for an additional two years,” according to the bid re port.

The total target space for the library is an esti mated 7,000 square feet, while the required recre ation space, including a reception area, seniors’ lounge, three activity rooms, a preschool room and staff space, is esti mated at 11,300 sq ft

The total project bud get, according to a bid ad dendum, is $2 7 million including design, con struction, furniture and fixtures, moving costs, setup costs and others.

A proposed timeline would see the opening of the temporary facility by the end of July 2023.

JessBalzer jfedigan@burnabynow com

Danger: Burnaby suffered widespread damage and power outages as a wind storm wreaked havoc

PHOTO @ACMINBUR/TWITTER

LaurenVanderdeen lvanderdeen@burnabynow com

Opinionnow

Topic: Firing back at fireworks

MY VIEW KEITH BALDREY

Ontario is new labour-strife hot spot

While Ontario appears to have avoided (for now, anyway) a government ver sus labour showdown, it is worth pointing out that things could not be more dif ferent in this province

Last week saw two major contract agreements reached with B.C. doctors and teach ers Assuming they will be ratified by their member ships, the deals take what could have been major prob lems off the table.

As of this column’s writ ing, the Doug Ford govern ment in Ontario has pulled back from the brink of a major showdown with CUPE school support workers, thus avoiding what potentially could have turned into a massive strike involving sev

eral unions

But that does not mean all is well and good when it comes to labour relations in Ontario A rocky road still lies ahead.

Meanwhile, in B C , sig nificant progress is being made when it comes to new collective agreements cover ing almost 400,000 unionized employees in the public sector

Other than a brief strike by BCGEU liquor distribution workers, there have been no disruptions tied to contract negotiations. The deals that have been reached are es sentially the same about a 14 per cent wage increase over three years with language and salary grid changes unique to each sit uation

The two surprise agree ments are the ones with doc tors and teachers

Historically, the B.C. Teachers Federation has had more trouble at the bar gaining table than any other union, resorting to strike ac tion a couple of times

Not this time

Assuming the member ship ratifies the tentative agreement, the deal puts B C teachers in the “top tier” when it comes to pay across the country.

But the truly historic deal is the one with B.C. doctors, especially family physicians

Currently paid an aver age of $250,000 to $300,000 annually, family doctors will now make $385,000 (plus have a large share of their overhead and administration

costs funded). On top of that, the new payment model overhauls what a physician’s pay is based on and will now include how much time a doctor spends with a patient and how complex their med ical needs are.

B C used to be known as the land of epic labour con frontations (the Solidarity protests of the 1980s, the BC Liberal government’s strip ping of collective agreements for health care workers and teachers) Labour protests were a regular thing on the legislature front lawn.

But now Ontario seems ready to become the new battleground, pitting ideo logical forces against each other.

Keith Baldrey is chief po litical reporter for Global BC

LastWeek ▼

ThisWeek ▼

Should

“What the hell does fireworks have to do with Halloween?”

“I’m lucky my building is built well enough to muffle the sounds of fireworks Otherwise the new furry residents would be so spooked and stressed all night, my cat included.”

Judi Vanderzwart via Facebook

Lauren Takeshita via Facebook

Tax the corporations that profit while we suffer

Editor: Everyone can see inflation is crippling us Gas, rent, mortgages, food all of it is skyrocketing, and it doesn’t take long to see who is to blame! I know I am not alone in being disgusted to see the record profits posted by corporations while ordinary people are struggling to stretch our income, with many no longer able to cover basic needs I have no patience with how major corporations like grocery store chains and oil and gas compa nies are price gouging until my students and neighbours are forced to go to food banks

To make matters worse, communities around the world are being hit by major cli mate impacts like wildfires, floods, and storms, and have to deal with the financial toll left in their wake While all of this is going on, fossil fuel companies those most responsible for the climate crisis are sitting on their hoards like modern day dragons

We need a windfall profits tax These compa nies shouldn’t just be able to line their pockets while making the climate crisis worse Coun tries around the world are already implement ing their own versions, and it’s time Canada followed suit

Feeling the pinch: Ordinary Canadians are struggling while big corporates rake in the money this letter writer says it’s time for Canada to introduce a windfall profits tax PHOTO JAVIER ZAYAS

PHOTOGRAPHY/MOMENT/GETTY IMAGES

I am tired of being a pawn in their game of winner take all That’s why I got involved with 350 Canada’s #TaxBigOil campaign An oil and gas windfall profits tax could raise billions to help communities rebuild after climate events and speed up Canada’s transition to clean energy ensuring no one gets left behind in the process You can learn more about the cam paign at 350.org/TaxBigOil.

Maureen Curran

BURNABY

Thank you, Burnaby, for your support. Our community has rallied together to surpass a significant milestone, raising vital funds for upgrades and modernization of our beloved Burnaby Hospital.

raised for Phase One of our Proud History, Bright Future campaign.

We know that Nov 11 is the time to reflect on the sac rifices on brave men and women who fought for the freedom that we now enjoy today

We also remember the gen erations that came before us that struggled through not only the threats of vio lence and invasion, as many people around the world still do today, but also suf fered innumerable sacri fices for months, even years on end, to do their part to

help their nation overcome those threats once and (they hoped) for all.

Today, with so much strife in the world, we are painfully reminded that evil does not sleep, even when past gen erations had conquered it at the time Evil is always look ing for another opportunity Our freedoms, our democ racy, and our civil society, are fragile and must be con stantly cultivated, like a gar den And like a garden, we don’t just water it once, and

consider our job done. It re quires more than a moment As cultivating our civil soci ety and our democracy take more than a moment, so,

too, does remembering our fallen

While attending a Remem brance Day ceremony is an important and special way

to start (see below for de tails on the one in Burnaby Heights), that isn’t where our action ends

We can remember them when we choose a kind word over a sharp one, when we swallow our pride and reach out with compassion, and when we contribute time and money to help our whole community These lit tle moments of loving ac tion can help secure the free doms and democracy that those who gave the ultimate

sacrifice fought for, on our behalf.

On Remembrance Day, join the Royal Canadian Legion No 148 at Confederation Park (meeting at McGill Pub lic Library parking lot) for a procession to the cenotaph at the north end of the park

We will remember them at 11:11 a m , and for all the moments that follow

Katrina Mendoza is market ing and events co ordinator at the Heights Merchants As sociation

Remembrance: Paying tribute to the sacrifices of Canadian veterans doesn’t end on Nov 11 PHOTO CANADIAN LETTERS & IMAGES PROJECT, VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY

Communitynow

Groupseeksnewdogtrainingsite

Burnaby society

AbhinayaNatesh anatesh@burnabynow com

With winter approach ing and space tight at its current facility, a Burn aby based group is looking for a larger place to house and train puppies as assis tance dogs

Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS) has been breeding, raising and training certified assis tance dogs that help peo ple with mobility issues or post traumatic stress disor der for over 35 years.

Volunteers with the group typically take in and raise young puppies and shape them into assistance dog trainees ready to en ter advanced training But with the arrival of several litters of puppies recently, the indoor training capac ity has reached a maxi mum, said Katelyn Mills, director of canine opera tions at PADS

While trainers typically took the trainee puppies off site during the sum

looking for facility to raise puppies as assistance dogs

mers, with a wetVancou ver winter in the forecast, it could become uncomfort able for the dogs and the trainers, she said “We would love a [ware house like] space some where that all of our train ers and puppies could work throughout the day , as well as our [evening] puppy classes,” she said “Right now, during the day, we have three staff members that work on site in the advanced train ing program, and they are training about 10 dogs a day”

Ten dogs in a small space would make it dif ficult to get all the work done and train properly, she explained Logistically too, the so ciety feels the absence of a large, secure indoor train ing facility can result in confusion and depletion of resources, which could be better used in training pup pies to become certified as sistance dogs to help the community

“We were able to place significantly more of our dogs with clients, and these dogs are life chang ing for these clients,” she said. “That’s been incredi ble, but in order to do that, more dogs have to be go ing through our training program

“We have off site train ers, so trainers that train out of their home But it would be nice for us to all be able to train in one space again because when we’re doing all these sepa rate spaces, we get a kind of disconnect between the team ”

CitySPCAbranch chosenforvirtual vetcarepilotproject

JessBalzer jfedigan@burnabynow com

Burnaby’s SPCA branch has been tapped for a pilot project with the goal of making animal care more accessible.

The non profit and Telus announced a new partnership on Nov. 2 to create a new health pet service that will offer re duced rates for virtual consultations for dogs and cats in BC SPCA care

“Working together with organizations like the BC SPCA is part of our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to ‘give where we live,’ a so cial purpose that drives and inspires our team to contribute and connect with local initiatives doing good in the community,”

Telus Health spokesper son Juggy Sihota said in a news release

“As the number of

dogs and cats in animal centres increases, we’re proud to be able to pro vide much needed virtual veterinary support and fi nancial contributions ”

The BC SPCA says the service was especially helpful when a mother cat namedWasabi came into its care, along with her kittens, whenWasabi’s owners surrendered her

“WhenWasabi first ar rived at the North Cari boo animal centre, she was fearful and very pro tective of her kittens,” a news release said.

The BC SPCA said the animal care centre was able to use theTelus Health MyPet app to se cure a virtual vet consul tation where the vet was able to prescribe anxiety medication for the cat so she would be more com fortable in the animal centre and with staff who were caring for her and her kittens

New prospect: Katelyn Mills, director of canine operations, on puppy assessment day PHOTO ABHINAYA NATESH

DREAM MARROW ARTIST RECEPTION

Burnaby Art Gallery will celebrate its new exhibi tion Dream Marrow on Thursday with an opening reception. The exhibit explores “the generative as pects of dreaming,” with work by contemporary art ists Hana Amani and Audie Murray

The exhibition runs from Nov. 10 to Jan. 22, with opening hours Tuesday to Friday from 10 a m to 4:30 p m and weekends from noon to 5 p m

WHEN: Reception on Thursday, Nov 10 (today) from 7 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: Burnaby Art Gallery (6344 Deer Lake Ave )

COST: Suggested donation $5

SATURDAY, NOV. 12

RIVER BASIN DAYS AT CENTRAL PARK

Learn all about different locations around the Fraser River Basin through fun activities like art projects and science experiments as the Fraser River Discovery Cen tre hosts River Basin Days on Saturday

THURSDAY, NOV. 10 Night

With a workshop aimed at older children, families can learn the basics of orienteering, using a map and compass to find your way from checkpoint to check point

WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 12 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. or 2 to 3 p m

WHERE: Central Park, meet in the parking lot on the west side of the park, off Boundary Road

COST: Family ticket $15 (includes two adults and up to four children), adult ticket $6, children aged 3 12 $3; pre registration is required, more ticket in formation at https://fraserriverdiscovery.org/rbd/ THERE’LL

NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU: MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO RYSZARD WRZASKAŁA

In this performance, musicians will honour the Pol ish Canadian composer Ryszard Wrzaskała, who won multiple awards and distinctions for his songs and ar rangements With a wide range of genres, from classical to ragtime, pop, soul, jazz and blues, and with lyrics set

in both English and Polish, this concert will be a beauti ful mix from a beloved artist

WHEN: Saturday, Nov 12 at 6 p m

WHERE: Shadbolt Centre for the Arts (6450 Deer Lake Ave )

COST: $38 regular, $28 youth, tickets available through tickets shadboltcentre com

SFU FOOTBALL VS WEST TEXAS A&M

Will the Red Leafs be able to snap their eight game football losing streak? They’ll face the West Texas A&M Buffs, who are coming off two losses It’s sure to be a battle for the win.

Note that bags larger than 8.5 inches by x 6.5 inches are not allowed

WHEN: Saturday, Nov 12 at 6 p m , doors open at 4 p.m.

WHERE: Terry Fox Field (8888 University Dr. West)

COST: General admission $18, seniors 65+ $16, SFU students and children under eight are free, tick ets available on Eventbrite (search “SFU Football”)

SUNDAY, NOV. 13

PHOTO TOUR: IPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY

Want to improve your phone photo skills? The Apple Store at Metrotown is hosting an afternoon session of photography tips and tricks that will teach you “the lat est camera features to compose a great shot”

WHEN: Sunday, Nov 13 from 12:30 to 1:30 p m

WHERE: Apple Store at Metrotown mall (320 4700 Kingsway)

COST: Free, register online at https://tinyurl com/ AppleStoreBurnaby

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WORLDWARI

Anderson,A Anderson,Goldie F Ashworth,Henry Beattie,Reginald Blackman,WalterT Blair,George Boggust,WilliamL Bournes,WilliamH Bowker,OsbourneH P Breakwell,ThomasJ Burton,WilliamM Buxton,LeopoldG Campbell,FindlayC Campbell,H Campbell,JamesL Campbell,WilliamW Chaffey,CharlesR Clark,PeterC Collins,Gerald Cook,JohnE Cope,RoyE Craig,WilliamC Dawson,Albert Diss,Frank Drummond,RobertA Elliot,FredF Elliot,GeorgeW Evans,AlexanderE Exworthy,Albert Fuller,William Glen,RobertB Glover,GeorgeA Godwin,ArthurG H Goodwin,WilliamH Gordon,CharlesW Grant,FrederickC Greenhalgh,Samuel Greenwood,HarryA Harris,Frederick Hart,KingsleyC Henry,(Lieut ) Holdom,CharlesE Humphreys,StanleyAl Hunter,Leslie Keam,StanleyG Kitcher,Bertram

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Knox,Joh Leisk,Joh Levy,Alfr Lidiard,F Lowe,Tho Lusier,Wi Maclean, MacPhers Marshall, Marshall, McCartne McIntosh, McKenzie McLelland McLelland Murphy,E Padmore,Arthur Peacock,AllanR Penny,HerbertS Peterson,Frank Pettigrue,ThomasP Philpot,JohnE Plumridge,George Powys,EdmondI O Ramsay,AlbertE Rawlings,HarryG Reid,JamesD M Rigby,Walter Ross,AlexanderG Ross,John Ross,WilliamL Rumble,HaroldJ Smith,HerbertJ Smith,Robert Spilling,ThomasH Strain,Richard Sutton,AlfredE Svendsen,Conrad Sworder,Malcolm Sworder,Norman Taylor,AlbertE Telford,WilliamW Thornton,JosephH Topping,John Townley,MaxM Walker,John Walker,RobertC Walters,ErnestW

WORLDWARII

Allen,ReginaldA H Anderson,HarryD Anderson,HowardF Anderson,SydneyL Andrews,HenryL Barker, JohnH Bennett,CecilJ Berg,GilbertL O Berkey,GeorgeR Bing,GerrardR Bishop, JohnP Black,GervaseE Blunt,WalterL Bonnett,AlwynnL Borrett,WilliamF Boyd,James Boyde,JohnH Bradshaw,ArthurR Brambleby,JamesE Bratherton,Wilfred Brookman,StanleyB Brown,WalterH Bryant,JamesA Buckingham,ArthurAVM Campbell,DonaldL Campbell,AlexanderH

Cary,EarlS Chamberlain,JohnL Chappell,Harold Chaykowski,Mike

Clark,JamesE Clark,James Clay,GilbertF Coe,ReginaldC Connolly,JohnE Connor,GeorgeR Cook,Allan Cooper,AlbertN Cosh,RobertM Cowell,RichardB B Crehan,MauriceJ Cullen,CliffordL Cumming,JohnW Currie,James Custance,JohnP Davenport,FrederickC Davidson,WilliamD Davidson,GeraldH Deacon,KennethW Dolter,FrancisW Douglas,JamesW Douglas,JamesF Dowler,NormanNG G Drury,RobertW Duffy,Ernest Eddy,HowardE Fensome,PeterJ Ferguson,JohnT Fernquist,VirgilJ Fisher,JohnE Fitzgerald,JohnE Forster,JohnJ W

Fothergill,Charles Freberg,PhilipG Freeman,HenryG Gandy,PeterJ Gillender,Hunter Gillis,NormanM Goodman,ArthurH Gracie,William Greenwood,FrederickW Halfpenny,Bob Hallding,ErnestC Halpenny,RobertM Hardy,JohnE Hardy,JamesT Harper,JamesR Harrison,ArthurJ Harrison,RobertM Haslett,Robert Hayward,MorrisE Herder,Wayne Holdom,JimE B House,RobertA L Irving,JamesE Irving,WalterN Jackson,DuncanJ Johnson,ThomasO Jones,DouglasE Keep,AlbertR Kemp,HubertP Knezovich,WallaceA Lang,RobertS Leighton,LeeP

Liddle,Stan Lindemere, Litchfield,R Loranger,W Loranger,N Ludington, MacDonald, MacDonald, MacDonald, MacGregor, MacGregor, MacKay,Wil MacMurray, Manson,Ha Marshall,G McBride,Th McCombie,

leyM RichardW alphF alterG ormanA LeRoyH DonaldA IanP AlistairK GordonF RobR liamB WilliamA roldM ordonD omasH OtwayC ,John McCormack,RobertJ McCutcheon,WilliamA McIntosh,CharlesL McKay,JohnC McKennie,GeraldB McKercher,WilliamD C McLachlan,PercyA McNie,DonaldC McWilliams,JamesW McWilliams,FrankC Middleton,CharlesG Mills,FrederickJ Morrison,Boyd Moss,HenryL Moss,KennethL Muckle,StuartJ Mullen,AlbertL Murie,JamesM Nesbitt,WesleyV R Norman,BenjaminE Norris,PeterV North,JeanA Northey,RobertA O'Connor,RonaldC Owen,William Peardon,LloydG Phillips,Jack Physick,FrancisG Power,JohnG Power,JohnM Powley,DavidA Profit,BenjaminJ Quinn,Tom

Quinn,RobertA Quissy,GilbertL Ridgeway,RobertH Ritchie,JamesW Roane,WillaimM Roberts,JamesE Roop,AlvinV Rowell,Lloyd Rutherford,Thomas Salmond,George Scott,ClarenceE Sharpe,RonaldV W Sharpe,GeorgeA Sherry,WilburB Simpson,JohnH Simpson,JohnA Smith,DanielW Smith,KennethG Smith,Alfred Smith,GeorgeP Smith,GeorgeE Smith,Kenneth Smith,KennethH Smith,Freddie Spackman,HarryW Spouler,JosephG Stephens,GeorgeW Stevens,LawrenceD Stevenson,GeorgeE Stinson,JohnG W Stocken,WalterF Story,RupertR Swanson,BenjaminA Tarrant,JohnL Taylor,George Taylor,James Thomas,EdwinH Thomas,ErnestR Thomas,GeorgeC Thomas,CharlesR Thompson,RalphL Tribe,ErnestW Walkinshaw,GordonM Westley,HaroldD Wilson,Marriott Wilson,Howard Wilson,ThomasH V Wilson,DavidR L Wormworth,ThomasC

way back home to B.C.

JulieMacLellan jmaclellan@newwestrecord ca

“

And if you ever see Bill around tell him to write to me, and another thing if he doesn’t write soon I will beat his brains out with a tea spoon and play the ‘Warsaw Concerto’ on his teeth with a sledge hammer, that had bet ter scare him into writing.”

It’s not hard to imag ine a little grin on the face of 19 year old Jack Fitz gerald as he penned those words to his mother, Ef fie, and kid sister, Ruth, at home in NewWestmin ster

It was February 1944 Jack had left school two years previously, during his final year at Hugh M Fraser High School (as

Burnaby South Second ary School was known for a short time). He en listed in the Royal Cana dian Air Force, shipped off overseas in Decem ber of 1942 and served as an air gunner in the RAF 166 Squadron

As fate would have it, he never got a chance to beat Bill’s brains out with a teaspoon.

Jack would live for an other six months and eight days after he wrote that letter home.

He had been on a minelaying mission over Danzig Bay, Poland, with his crew They were on the return flight when a Ger man night fighter shot their Lancaster down over Denmark’s Jutland pen

insula.

On Aug 30, Effie Fitz gerald got word by tele gram that her son had been reported missing in action

“The Government and

people of Canada join me in expressing the hope that more favourable news will be forthcoming in the near fu ture,” wrote Minister of National Defence Charles Power in a letter to New Westminster soon after It was not to be.

Flight Sgt John Ern est Fitzgerald, recipient of the Distinguished Flying Medal for vigilant service and for shooting down an enemy fighter, had died on Aug. 27, 1944. He was buried with the rest of the crew in Denmark

PERSONAL HISTORIES

Now, Jack’s letter from Feb 19, 1944, is mak ing its way back home one more time as part of a na tional Letters Home cam paign

The Legion National Foundation and Royal Canadian Legion have partnered with Home Equity Bank on the cam paign, which is designed to connect Canadians more closely to the stories of those who fought in the First and SecondWorld Wars

Replicas of real letters from Canadian soldiers are being mailed out to their originally intended addresses across the coun try in the lead up to Re membrance Day

The letters provide glimpses into the personal histories of the thousands of Canadians many of

them very young who left their homes in service of their country.

Yes, they are authen tic letters They’ve all been sourced through the Ca nadian Letters and Im ages Project, an initia tive of the department of history atVancouver Is land University The proj ect, which began in Au gust 2000, is dedicated to digitizing letters, diaries, photographs and other re lated memorabilia to cre ate an online archive of the Canadian war expe rience “from any war, home or battlefront, as told through the letters and images of Canadians themselves,” as the pro ject’s website says.

The letters chosen for the Letters Home cam paign are tiny, intimate portraits of the lives of ordinary people living through an extraordi nary time, offering small glimpses into life behind the front lines

“

For the last three days I have been trying to get in a little flying time but every thing seems to be against me. Either my pilots sick or the aircraft is unserviceable it is starting to get me down be cause I’m just itching to get flying again, ” wrote Jack in the letter that’s part of this year’s campaign.

“At present my mid up per gunner is in the hospi tal with a cold, I went to see him tonight and he is look ing good, and his tempera ture is back to normal again, but he isn’t getting out of the hospital, so I’m beginning to wonder things

“Do you know if Norm is still in England? I haven’t heard from him in a long time and I was wondering if he was still in this little bit of dirt

“For the last three days I haven’t done a thing except sit around and clean the oc casional gun This monotony is beginning to get me down

“As you can plainly see I can’t think of a darn thing

to write about, but I guess you will be glad to know that I am still alive and kicking at everything and everybody

“How is everybody in the neighbourhood? And if you ever see Bill around tell him to write to me, and another thing if he doesn’t write soon I will beat his brains out with a teaspoon and play the ‘Warsaw Concerto’ on his teeth with a sledge ham mer, that had better scare him into writing

“Well it seems as though I can’t think of anything more to say One of these days I will write a decent let ter that is if anything excit ing ever happens that I can write about Well I will sign off now

“Lots of love, Jack

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

For the curious reader, the single letter leaves questions unanswered not the least of which is the identity of the unfor tunate Bill

Those who find them selves wanting to know more can delve into the collections at the Cana dian Letters and Images Project virtual archive. There, reading through Jack’s correspondence and personal memorabilia slowly builds a picture of a regular teenage boy with a Hugh M Fraser High School students’ council card, aYMCA membership, and a jokily affectionate relationship with the kid sister who noses around about Jack’s love life while spilling the beans about her own ro mantic adventures

“I’ve actually met an air man kind of a cute kid but darn it he’s leaving for the East next week They are having a big blow up at the Commodore so heres where little Ruth steps out with a bang, ” Ruth wrote to her brother in May 1944.

NoStoneLeftAloneinsalutetoBurnabyveterans

St.John Ambulance

JessBalzerand LaurenVanderdeen jfedigan@burnabynow com lvanderdeen@burnabynow com

No stone was left alone

Saturday morning at For est Lawn Memorial Park in Burnaby

St. John Ambulance Di vision 389c participated in its second annual running of No Stone Left Alone, an event to honour Cana dian veterans No Stone Left Alone is an educational initia tive involving youth across Canada with the sim ple act of placing a poppy on military headstones to honour and recognize the sacrifices that Canadian military men and women

389c pays tribute at cemetery in lead up to Remembrance Day events

made while serving Can ada, a press release notes

Cadets of all ages placed poppies on head stones and reflected on those who served the country

NOV 11 EVENTS

The president of the Royal Canadian Legion No 148 in North Burn aby,Wilson Gurney, em phasized the importance of honouring Canadian veterans

“If it weren’t for the vets, we would not be here in this free country,” he told the NOW.

Here’s how residents can honour Remem brance Day this year in Burnaby.

Confederation Park Remembrance Day service

Wear a poppy while you pause and remember those who served at home and abroad to protect This North Burnaby ser vice will be hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #148 in front of the cenotaph in Confeder ation Park

A parade to the ceno taph along Albert Street will begin from McGill Library at 10:30 a m

When: Friday, Nov. 11, parade begins at 10:30 a m

Where: Confederation Park cenotaph (250Will ingdon Ave ) Cost: None

Bonsor Park Remembrance Day service

The South Burnaby Remembrance Day Ser vice will be hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #83 at the ceno taph in Bonsor Park. You can remember the veterans who served in combat and in support operations

A parade to the ceno taph will begin from Fire Hall No. 3.

When: Friday, Nov 11, parade begins at 10:30 a.m.

Where: Bonsor Park cenotaph (Jubilee Avenue and Nelson Avenue be tween Bennet and Impe rial streets) Cost: None

Lest we forget: St. John Ambulance Division 389c Florence Burwel Cadets participated in their second annual No Stone Left Alone event on Nov. 5, 2022. PHOTO JESS BALZER, BURNABY NOW

Firehallwilldisplace bears,neighbourssay

Plan for fire station in green belt draws criticism

CorneliaNaylor cnaylor@burnabynow com

Burnaby’s plan to build a new fire hall just west of theTrans Mountain tank farm was unwelcome news to neighbours who are worried about a loss of green space and the possi ble impact on bears living in the area

The city announced in early October that Fire Station 4, which has stood at 2326 Duthie Ave since 1956, would be rebuilt on an undeveloped piece of city owned green space off Greystone Drive east of Pinehurst Drive.

With the new station projected to be operational by the end of 2023, con struction is expected to begin in a matter of weeks

“For us, it’s terrible news,” said Jenny Reznik who moved to the area with her family in the summer from EastVan couver

“It’s very quiet and very foresty and very green,” she said of her new neigh bourhood, “and suddenly we have these huge con structions with the pipe line and now another con struction is going to be very close to our house It’s really a major change.”

Reznik said the city should have consulted with residents

“Nobody told us about

it,” she said Neighbour Natalia Sa martseva, who has started a petition opposing the city’s choice of location for the fire hall, agreed

“I would have started much earlier if I knew this information, but it was just news to me last week or so,” she said

With the loss of the green space, Samartseva is worried about the fate of black bears that she said live in the area.

“Every year there is a mama bear and baby bears,” she said. “They always come out of the bushes in one spot, and, again, this is exactly where the fire hall will be lo cated ”

City communications manager Chris Bryan con firmed neighbours were not consulted or even in formed about the project until early October, when the city sent out a news re lease and set up a project page on its website.

In an email to the NOW, Bryan said city staff had picked the Greystone site “after reviewing the impacts and benefits of multiple locations ”

“Our goal was to find a site which allowed crews to reach the entire service area with suitable response times, while ensuring min imal disruption to the neighbourhood and en

vironmental area,” Bryan said

He noted the parcel of undeveloped city owned land where the fire sta tion will be built is “quite large,” and the fire station, driveway and landscaping will take up a “very small portion” less than one tenth of the entire prop erty.

“The remaining portion of the parcel will remain in its natural state, which minimizes any potential disruption of wildlife habi tat on site,” Bryan said

He said the city con ducted a full environmen tal assessment as well as tree and nesting surveys for the project

The NOW has re quested access to those re ports but is still waiting for a response

Bryan said the Grey stone fire station located just outside theTrans Mountain tank farm fence is a “priority” for the city “as it relates to public safety in a neighbourhood where industry has created a different safety profile than in the past ”

So far, however, some neighbours in the area aren’t satisfied

“The forest is hid ing all the disturbance al ready done to the Burn aby Mountain leave it alone,” states their peti tion.

EUROPE AND ASIA RIVER CRUISING SESSION

LUXURY YACHT CRUISING SESSION

Conflict: Glen Abbey Drive resident Natalia Samartseva said she snapped this photo of a pair of bear cubs near her house this year She is worried a new fire station planned for the area will displace the bears PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Warletterspaintvividpicture Communitynow

“Oh well I’ve got the navy around so can fall back when he leaves.”

The correspondence also offers a window into the world of a wartime mother, putting pen to pa per to stay in touch with her son checking in to be sure he was taking care of himself and that par cels containing much cov eted cigarettes had arrived from home

Throughout, her moth er’s love shines through

“So until next time be a good boy & take good care of yourself & remember you are always with me in my thoughts and prayers, ” she signed off in the spring of 1944

And, of course, they re veal the ever present anx iety of waiting for word from overseas.

“Just a few lines to let

you know we are all well, & hope you are the same, cant understand why we dont hear from you, ” Ef fie wrote on Aug. 4, 1944.

“The last letter we received was dated July 17,so you see it is quite sometime since we have heard,don’t think I am complaining but if you could just find time to drop one line saying you are well that would be allright ”

CONNECTING CANADIANS

The personal experi ences that pour out so viv idly in the wartime corre spondence are what make Letters Home such an im portant campaign, accord ing to the Royal Canadian Legion’s Dominion presi dent, Bruce Julian

“The incredible sacri fices of our soldiers may already seem like a cen tury ago, which makes finding ways to share these

letters and the harsh real ities they contain with to day’s young Canadians all the more important,” Ju lian said in a press release

The letters are arriving at their destinations with QR codes that will point people towards the Le gion National Founda tion’s Digital Poppy cam paign, which raises money to help veterans, educate youth on the contributions of veterans, and provide students with scholarships and bursaries.

You can create a cus tomized poppy in memory of a particular soldier or simply make a donation

WANTTO KNOW MORE?

Anyone who’s inter ested in the Letters Home project can visit its online portal at letters home ca To donate directly to the Digital Poppy campaign, go to mypoppy ca

Nolan J. Lydhurst Elementary, Grade 6

JessBalzer jfedigan@burnabynow com

Christine Sinclair isn’t hanging up her boots just yet

Fresh off of her third NationalWomen’s Soccer League (NWSL) title with PortlandThorns FC, the all time international lead ing goal scorer announced she will be back for the 2023 season.

“I’m announcing it here, I’ll be back next year,” Sinclair said at the podium in Providence Park during a victory cele bration on Nov 1

In February, the Cana dian soccer icon signed a new deal with Portland through 2022, with an op tion for 2023.

“Everybody knows that Christine Sinclair has been

at the centre of this club’s success since the begin ning of this league,” Port landThorns FC general manager Karina LeBlanc said in a news release

“The impact she’s had not only on our club and this league, but on the global game highlights her importance She is

a leader who inspires all those around her to be better, while constantly striving to be a top class professional day in and day out

“Throughout this pro cess, it was clear that Christine wanted to re main in Portland, and we are thrilled that she will be returning for the 2023 season ”

Following their 2 0 championship win over Kansas City on Oct. 29, Sinclair became the leader in NWSL playoff appear ances (12) and is also the league record holder in playoff minutes (1,022)

Since Portland’s inaugu ral NWSL season in 2013, Sinclair leads the club all time in games played (157), games started (152) and goals scored (59)

She is also just one of two players to score a goal in every year of the league and ranks second all time in goals, sixth in games started, eighth in minutes played and ninth in games played in league history.

“Sinc is a foundational member of this team,” PortlandThorns FC head coach and formerTeam Canada teammate Rhian Wilkinson added

“Their success is her success, theThorns and Christine Sinclair are syn onymous

“Having Sincy’s leader ship, goal scoring prowess, and standard setting men tality, makes the Portland Thorns better every day”

Last season, Sinclair ap peared in 14 games where she scored five goals in 990 minutes played

Champion: Christine Sinclair

Portland Thorns

11th season PHOTO PORTLAND THORNS FC

It is w th great sadness that we advise of the passing of Ruth Jul an Ruth led a wonderful ong ife fu l of church, family, friends and, of course, the ove of her l fe Terry Julian

Ruth was born in Edmonton Alberta and ater moved to New Westm nster, making t her home She and Terry built their fam ly home on 2nd Street n 1953 where they ived unti med cal needs necess tated their move to long term care in 2021 They a so bu lt a cottage at Ch lliwack Lake that was used by the r entire family for decades

Terry and Ruth were act vely involved with Ho y Tr nity Cathedra in New Westminster throughout the r married l fe They attended regu arly and raised their ch ldren n that church

Ruth was a t re ess volunteer and gave generous y of her time over the years to organizat ons ike the Holy Trinity Breakfast Program and the Queen’s Park Preschool She was talented in the arts and taught children n local schoo s in arts and crafts

Her Norweg an her tage was also very important to Ruth She almost always said her good byes and thank yous (as wel as many other salutat ons) to everyone in Norwegian, oved her krumkake that she made for the fami y for years and attended many loca annual Scand navian events over the years

Ruth was a so a quiet activist for women’s r ghts She was the first woman in the Royal Bank system that insisted that she could carry on working although she was pregnant and she in fact did so Ruth was always strong and vocal and conv nced many of the value of “her way” on many topics

Terry predeceased Ruth on November 17, 2021 Her children Patrick (Shel ey), Randi (Don) and Peter (Lime ) wi l sorely miss her She w ll also be missed by her grandchi dren Emma, Hannah, Charlotte, Stefan and R chard

Due to space restrictions, there is no puzzle this issue. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

JULIAN, Ruth Margaret August 1, 1923 November 4, 2022