THE NOW
Oakdale neighbourhood
4
TRI-CITIES
thenownews.com
FRIDAY
NOVEMBER 22, 2013
PAVING PARADISE? Footpath plan angers residents of
SOCCER ACTION Carney Stars regroup for B.C. bronze
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Serving COQUITLAM, PORT COQUITLAM, PORT MOODY, ANMORE and BELCARRA since 1984
TRANSIT TROUBLES
HandyDART cuts topic of Saturday meeting NEWS 7
Metal theft costs company $40K
Storage lockers broken into
NEWS 10
NEWS 14
Join us for a live chat ONLINE FORUM WILL FOCUS ON CRIME AND SAFETY
Jeremy DEUTSCH jdeutsch@thenownews.com The pages of the Tri-Cities NOW have long been a reflection of the community and a vital resource for debate and discussion on the issues facing the five municipalities we serve. As technology has advanced, so have
beyond the headlines to take a more in-depth look at the stories and issues facing the community. Using the popular social media platform Twitter and the hash tag #TCNOWforum, the feature is an interactive one-hour event that invites the entire community in on the discussion CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
the various forums and forms in which Tri-Cities residents have come to get their news and share ideas. With that in mind, the Tri-Cities NOW is excited to launch a new and innovative feature we’re calling the online community forum. Starting at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 27, the Tri-Cities NOW will be going
Live in PoCo? Give $2 Jeremy DEUTSCH jdeutsch@thenownews.com
SUBMITTED PHOTO
West Coast Trail Journey a triumph
OPINION 8
KATHY LYNN ON THE BENEFITS OF PLAY LIFE 18
It’s nearly impossible to ignore the scenes of devastation that have enveloped the Philippines after Super Typhoon Haiyan crashed through the Pacific nation last week. But rather than sitting on their hands and feet, one Port Coquitlam classroom is trying to make a difference with a rather ambitious challenge. A Grade 6/7 class at Pitt River Middle is attempting to raise money toward aid for the typhoon victims. However, this isn’t just a bake sale or lemonade stand; the students are challenging every resident of PoCo to donate a toonie to the cause. Based on the population of the city at 56,000, the students could raise more than $100,000.
LISA KING/NOW
Aiden Graham, 11, Alina Mashanlo, 12, and Connor Denis-Barnard, 11, are gearing up for their class’s Toonies for Typhoons fundraising campaign. Pitt River Middle teacher Kiren Chand said her students originally wanted to donate from their piggy banks, but when they learned provincial and federal governments were matching donations from the public, the 11- and 12-year-olds got
an idea. “It’s such a cool idea,” Chand told the Tri-Cities NOW of their plan. “They thought if everyone donated less than [the cost of] a cup of coffee, imagine just how much the City of Port Coquitlam could generate.”
She noted the students had been working on lists in their classroom to make the world a better place, and were inspired after the typhoon. “They were just so shocked [by], in a matter of minutes how devastated a community could be,” Chand said, adding her students saw the catastrophe as an opportunity to help. The students’ plan is to fundraise for seven days straight starting this Monday (Nov. 25) for the campaign they’ve dubbed “Toonies for Typhoon.” All money raised will be donated to the Red Cross. Donation jugs will be set up at a number of participating businesses during the week, while the students themselves will be out in force on Monday in the Downtown PoCo area kicking off the campaign. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
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