The Tri-Cities Now October 1 2015 by Coquitlam Now

THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2015

TRI-CITIES

NOW sports editor Dan Olson revisits highlights from decades of community athletic coverage

23 THROUGH THE YEARS Join us for a look at photos and headlines from our archives

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THE NOW

SPORTS REDUX

Serving COQUITLAM, PORT COQUITLAM, PORT MOODY, ANMORE and BELCARRA since 1984

OUR LAST EDITION: TAKING A LOOK BACK Join us as we revisit 31 years of local history, as seen through the pages of the Tri-Cities NOW

LISA KING/NOW

Tri-Cities NOW carrier Meaghan Garayt delivers one of the last issues of the paper, which is closing down this week. Her brother and sister have also been carriers, making it a family affair. In our Page 3 story, reporter Jeremy Deutsch looks at the future of community newspapers. In the rest of this issue, we share some time-capsule moments from our archives, as well as writeups from former staffers and community members who’ve been touched by the NOW.

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A MESSAGE

TO OUR READERS This is the last edition of the Tri-Cities NOW

he decision to close was not made lightly, but anyone who has been following media news during the last decade knows that newspapers are facing serious challenges. Once strong advertising streams such as classiﬁed ads have been severely diminished. It’s a time of revolutionary change for the industry; not since the invention of the printing press has so much changed so fast for those in the business of sharing information. Our parent company, Glacier Media, owns both community newspapers in this region: the Tri-Cities NOW and the Tri-City News. The closure of one leaves the other in a stronger position to capitalize on changing trends in reader and advertiser behaviour. When we announced our closure, we were touched by the outpouring of support. You told us our coverage has made a difference in your lives, keeping you connected with the community. You told us we were fair in our reporting, that we listened when you had concerns about your neighbourhood, your city. You told us we’ll be missed. It’s been a privilege to serve the Tri-Cities for more than 31 years, to cover the people and stories that make this region unique. We’ve also been honoured to represent so many local companies, big and small, through advertisements that told readers of everything from grand openings to new products. We’ll miss being a part of the weekly ﬂow of Tri-Cities life, of being with you as you sit down with the paper to learn about your community, or go online to check for breaking news. Many of us live locally, though, so you’ll still see us around town. While this is our last edition, our sister paper, the Tri-City News, is going strong, with a dedicated team of journalists covering the issues you care about, from what’s happening at your children’s schools to how politicians are spending your tax dollars. They can’t do it without you, the readers and advertisers who keep community newspapers alive. We hope you’ll continue to support local news coverage by supporting the Tri-City News. And we thank you for supporting us, and for helping us tell the stories that matter. From all of us at the Tri-Cities NOW:

Shannon Balla, Publisher Leneen Robb, Editor Dan Olson, Sports Editor Leneen Robb, Editor The Tri-Cities NOW Phone: 604-492-4967

John Kurucz, Reporter Jeremy Deutsch, Reporter Lisa King, Photographer

James Corea, Advertising Sales Rep Kerri Gilmour, Advertising Sales Rep Sanjay Sharma, Advertising Sales Rep

Daaniele Sinclaire, Advertising Sales Rep Bentley Yamaura, Advertising Sales Rep Elayne Aarbo, Ad Control

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What’s next for local papers? AS THIS AND OTHER COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS FOLD, WE LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE

Jeremy DEUTSCH

jdeutsch@thenownews.com n a drizzly Thursday afternoon, Meaghan Garayt steps up to a well-manicured home in her College Park neighbourhood and places the latest edition of the Tri-Cities NOW on the doorstep. It’s something she’s done thousands of times since she started delivering the paper at nine years old. For the Garayts, delivering newspapers has been a family affair for nearly a decade. Meaghan’s older brother Matthew was the first to get a route, then Meaghan followed. It was an opportunity to make some extra money for a couple of hours of work. There was even a time when Meaghan did her route on roller skates and, in one case, delivered to a home with a lot of stairs. “I left the paper on the stairs,” she recalled with a smile. “It got wet and I got a complaint.” But there were also friendly people along the route. “At Christmastime, people were really nice. They’d give envelopes with money in them,” Meaghan said. Now in high school, the 16 year old is winding down her first job, and passing the torch to her 11-year-old sister Mairin. The Port Moody family delivers both the Tri-Cities NOW and Tri-City News, but after this week, there will be just one left. The NOW is shutting down after 31 years in the community, leaving the Tri-Cities with a single community newspaper. Its demise is part of a recent trend in the industry. For the last two years, Glacier Media Group and Black Press have been buying publications from each other across the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island. In some cases, each company kept two titles operating in each community, while in others, newspapers have closed. The casualties in the new landscape have included the North Shore Outlook, Richmond Review and, more recently, the Burnaby News Leader and New Westminster News Leader. For its part, Glacier Media said the company feels strongly about the future of community newspapers. “We believe they do have a future,” said Alvin Brouwer, president of Glacier’s Lower Mainland Publishing division. He said what isn’t known is what form these papers will take, adding he suspects it will be a combination of print and digital. In 10 years, it may be more digital than print. Brouwer also suggested community papers offer great value for advertisers because they stand alone in what they produce. “We think there’s always going to be a place for sharing the stories of people within the

LISA KING/NOW

Elizabeth Lochhead, left, and Davis Garayt with kids, Matthew, 19, Meaghan, 16, and Mairin, 11. The family has been delivering local papers for the past 10 years.

city and town and bringing them together,” around the local paper.” The question now is, what happens when a he said. As for the Tri-City News, Brouwer expects newspaper shuts down and how much of an the newspaper to continue to cover happen- impact is there on the community? It’s too early to say in some of the cities ings like city council meetings and community listed above, but in late 2013, the Abbotsford events. Port Moody Mayor Mike Clay said he under- Times shut its doors, leaving the Fraser Valley stands the challenges of having two papers in city with one local paper, the Abbotsford News. And for at least one person the local market, but hopes at with close ties to the media least one can thrive. and the community, the closHe suggested it will be the ure was a loss. community interest stories, Const. Ian MacDonald events and people features in Take any of [the is the spokesperson for the the paper that will be missed. NOW’s] front Abbotsford Police Department. “It was always great that For those in the industry, our local non-profits could cover stories the relationship between get a story in the paper,” Clay for the last few police and media, especially said, adding losing one of two months — those local media, while at times papers will make it hard for are great local adversarial, is often very close. some groups to get their mesThough MacDonald noted sage out. community the department has a good “Take any of [the NOW’s] stories, and working relationship with the front cover stories for the last where are they Abbotsford News, he argued few months — those are great the loss of the other paper hurt local community stories, and going to go? the community. where are they going to go?” –Port Moody Mayor He said the information proBesides the stories, Clay sees Mike Clay vided through local papers is community newspapers provaluable, because they take viding a space for local businesses to advertise in a specific market, rather more time with stories and give them the than paying for an ad in a paper that’s region- space needed. He noted that’s not the case with larger wide. “I know some people don’t like them, but dailies or other media. “You can compare any story in a local I like the flyers that come in the local paper. That’s part of the reason I pick up the local paper to the larger papers, the more regional paper is to get the flyers inside of them,” he papers, and there’s no comparison,” he said. In some cases, for example, a pretty big said. “I think a lot of important things go on

story for Abbotsford doesn’t make the radar with the larger media organizations and is only covered by the local paper or radio station. “Everybody comes to town on a slow news day, but what happens when there’s other news taking place?” he asked. Taking off his police hat, MacDonald’s concerned about what he sees as an overall trend toward fewer options for people wanting to get into journalism, and less interest by the public in stories that affect them locally. “I think we invest way too much time in reality television; we spend way too much time watching people whose lives don’t matter,” he said. For anyone who values newspapers, or journalism, the loss of any publication touches a raw nerve. It also leads to renewed calls that newspapers themselves will go the way of the Dodo bird. That was the case in January 2014 when the Kamloops Daily News shut down after 80 years. At the same time one institution closed, though, another paper was ready to jump in and fill the void. Chris Foulds, the editor of Kamloops This Week, explained the day the daily shut down, the community paper made a decision to expand. (Full disclosure: this reporter worked at Kamloops This Week for four years before joining the Tri-Cities NOW in 2012.) The Interior paper moved to publishing three days a week from two, hired new people and nearly doubled the size of its newsroom. And for the most part, things have been going well. However, Foulds suggested the challenge isn’t from another paper anymore, but from online start-ups, including names like InfoTel News and News Kamloops, which are all competing for advertising dollars. Even in an incredibly competitive market that includes a CBC radio station, a TV station, five private radio stations and online sites all trying to get advertisers, the Kamloops This Week editor is confident a newspaper can survive, not only in his community, but in the Lower Mainland as well. “People still want the paper in their hands,” he said. “When you meet anyone and they mention, ‘Hey, I read that story,’ 99 times out of 100 they saw it in the paper on their doorstep. They didn’t see it online.” The key for any newspaper’s success in the future, as Foulds sees it, is for a publication to go “hyper local.” “Other people can cover the Pope better than you can, other people can cover the Canucks better than you can, but nobody should be able to cover the community better CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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What’s in the future Thanks, Tri-Cities, for local newspapers? for the great stories CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

As to the future of journalism and community newspapers, the head of the Langara College journalism department believes there than you can,” he said. In the Tri-Cities, an online-only news is one. Frances Bula said community papers in source hasn’t taken off, but for the last five years snapd Coquitlam has been quietly carv- towns around B.C. seem to be making it, adding advertisers aren’t deserting smaller publiing out its own niche. The monthly publication, which also has an cations in the same way they are large dailies. But the award-winning online presence and is free, journalist, who worked at will be rebranding as snapd the Vancouver Sun for 20 Tri-Cities just as the NOW years and now writes for The closes. Globe and Mail, said in this Snapd Tri-Cities general When you meet business, it doesn’t necesmanager Lisa Landry said anyone and they sarily matter what readers the publication will conmention, ‘Hey, I care about, it’s advertisers tinue to specialize in providwho matter. ing a non-political, “friendly read that story,’ Bula suggested through and entertaining” view of 99 times out of its history, journalism has the Tri-Cities. 100 they saw it in been able to work when it She noted what readers the paper on their serves a particular audience won’t find in the rebranded willing to support it, notsnapd are news items like doorstep. They ing business journalism, for bank robberies, murders didn’t see it online. example, has been well supand political scandals. ported. “Snapd’s policy is that –Chris Foulds, Editor of “Niche publications that our content is all positive Kamloops This Week serve an audience in a way in nature with regards to that no one else is doing, I events and stories,” Landry also think can be strong,” she said. wrote in an email to the Tri-Cities NOW. Back in Port Moody, it’s 16-year-old “Our publication itself is photographically rich, free to consumers and strives to capture Meaghan Garayt who offers a more sobering the overall spirit of the Tri-Cities and the con- view of the future of newspapers. When asked, she said she doubts people in tributions its citizens make to it.” She noted snapd will continue to distribute her class read the paper. “From what I see at school,” she said, its publication through exit racks in high“everyone is on their phone.” traffic areas throughout the community.

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ow do you say goodbye, not to a person but to a community? When I started at what was known simply as The NOW more than 15 years ago, it was for a fill-in stint as a reporter. An opening came up, and I stayed on to fill a leave, then graduated to a permanent position, a rarity in the industry then, and almost unheard of now. I couldn’t believe I was getting paid to talk to interesting people about all kinds of subjects, everything from their hobbies (making wooden duck decoys, pressing flowers, building mason bee boxes) to their personal glories and tragedies. Being on the other side of the notebook was also an eye-opener. People who don’t work in media may wonder, for example, how journalists can approach a grieving family and ask them about the crime that took their parent or their child. They think we’re being cruel. I learned, though, that it’s the family members who approach us. They want to talk about their loved one, to let the world know that person was more than a victim, more than a statistic. Another thing readers might not realize is that we protect them from the most gruesome aspects of sensational stories. We leave the really bad stuff out. There were other surprises. City council meetings could actually be interesting

Editor Leneen Robb (although that sentiment would change after sitting through a few years’ worth). Seeing how decisions were made, how what went on in front of the cameras was just a small part of the picture, that was an experience. So were the off-the-record conversations with politicians and other decision-makers. The best quotes were always the ones we couldn’t print. We don’t name names, but every reporter has stories about politicians who’ve phoned to complain that their photo wasn’t prominent enough, that they, not the other guy, should have been quoted. We also know politicians who don’t play those games, who dedicate themselves to making their region a better place. Those are the ones, regardless of party, we hope get re-elected. In more than 15 years of community journalism, there are lots of highlights to look back on. Experiencing the level of caring in the TriCities is one of them. There are so many selfless people

in this community who work to make it better. Everyone who lives here is lucky to call it home. If there’s a dark side to community journalism, it’s the chronic complainers, the people who write endless letters about dog poo, who want to pay less in taxes and have others receive fewer services. Fortunately, they’re in the minority. As our Page 3 story examines, the community newspaper landscape is shifting so rapidly, it’s hard to make predictions. As some papers close, will the remaining ones get stronger? Do most people still read their community newspaper or visit its website? Or does their “news” come only from their Facebook feed? Sometimes, it’s hard to understand why journalism schools are still churning out graduates. Where will they work? Will they get paid? Hopefully, the evolution of community newspapers takes us to a place where local stories are valued, where residents realize it’s the small stuff — not the national and international issues — that impacts their lives the most. There will always be a need for people who live in a community to connect with others, to learn more about their neighbours and themselves. Thank-you to all those people in the Tri-Cities who shared their stories with us over the years, and to all those who read them. We’ll miss being a part of your lives.

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THANK YOU TRI-CITIES NOW FOR 31 YEARS!

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OPINION

THE TRI-CITIES NOW

| THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2015

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Tri-Cities NOW is a division of LMP Publication Limited Partnership. Our offices are located at 216-3190 St. Johns Street, Port Moody BC V3H 2C7 Phone: 604-492-4492

Readers’ thoughts on The NOW

A 20-year partnership

Thank you, Tri-Cities NOW, for your long-time support of our local veterans, peace and remembrance. I have been a Port Moody resident for almost 20 years, and during that time I have tried to highlight our local veterans and their contributions to our community. You supported me with every project and idea, whether it was the Port Moody Chip Kerr Park renaming in 2006 or last year’s 100K walk from the Port Moody Cenotaph to the Victoria Legislature to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War, or the creation of the McKnight Centennial Trench at our local museum, you were always there. A 20-year partnership formed with a common interest and belief that our veterans are a cherished part of our community and the lessons of sacrifice, peace and remembrance cannot be forgotten. You were always willing to bring these stories to life and contributed in a great way to making these reallife stories better known throughout the Tri-Cities. Thank you, Jeremy Deutsch, and everyone at the Tri-Cities NOW. Guy Black Port Moody

The launch of a ﬁlm critic’s career

As the last issue of the Tri-Cities NOW is printed, the climax has happened, and everyone is exiting the theatre. We’d like to think that the hero has saved the day and that an equilibrium has been restored to the diagesis, but sadly, this ending is more ambiguous. An industry I’ve been devoted to entering is quickly closing. But in November 2012, brighteyed and overjoyed, I rudely interrupted a piano lesson to pick up a call that had already gone to my answering machine. A few weeks prior, I had called the paper not expecting a reply, but to my surprise, it was Leneen Robb, the editor of the Tri-Cities NOW. Graciously, she offered me, only 16 years old, an opportunity to write biweekly for the paper. And the best part: my parents never forced me to play piano again! Eventually, through the paper, I was able to be put on press lists, attend advanced screenings and make valuable connections. In the last year, I’ve had the privilege of reviewing films on Global TV and even attended the Toronto International Film Festival, but without Leneen, and the support of everyone at the NOW, my dream of reviewing movies would have remained in my sleep. The NOW’s credit crawl may be rolling, and the lights might have come back up, but the movie will never be over. The guidance, mentorship and kindness I experienced will remain in my mind forever. Josh Cabrita Port Coquitlam

A ﬁrst job for hundreds of kids

I worked for Van Net distribution for over 10 years. Van Net made sure that the NOW was delivered twice a week in the Tri-Cities area. I hired hundreds of children to deliver the NOW newspaper during that time, including my own daughter. The kids had an opportunity to learn responsibility, work ethic and earn their own money. Some carriers also learned the consequences of doing a poor job or dumping newspapers, as I had to let them go. All good life experience, though! I have a lot of memories from those years, and I am sorry to see the NOW go! Shelagh Conroy Port Coquitlam

Opening doors I was saddened to hear that the NOW is closing. Thank you for the years of fair and informative coverage of local news and deep connection to the Tri-City community. You have consistently provided engaging and thought-provoking stories and editorials. My own relationship with the NOW began in 1990 when I first swam across the Georgia Strait to raise environmental awareness. During the next decade, your staff generously covered 13 more marathon swims. The features and photos you published about the swims, especially the two of the Fraser River, and the coverage provided when I founded the Rivershed Society of BC in 1996, helped me immensely with my goal of raising important issues in our watersheds. Coverage of those activities opened the door for me to forge relationships with educators, business people and politicians. Reading the NOW deepened my own understanding of the many issues faced by local residents. The support gained from discussing those issues with the community helped me win a seat on Coquitlam city council in 2002. The NOW has been there every step of the way, covering candidates’ meetings, asking difficult questions, presenting all sides of the stories and publishing your own educated opinions. You have always represented me accurately from my beginnings as a swimming activist through the council years and since 2009 when I was elected a member of Parliament. I will miss your strong presence in my community. Best wishes to the entire staff of the NOW for a successful and nourishing future. Fin Donnelly Coquitlam

-30- and RIP As one of the founding partners of the Coquitlam NOW back in 1983-84, I am extremely saddened

to have heard the news that it will be shut down effective with its last issue on Oct. 1, 2015. The NOW was part of our fourpaper group of community newspapers founded after the closure of the New Westminster Columbian in November of 1983, and has been an integral part of Coquitlam’s information and advertising sources for the residents and businesses, seniors’ centres, crown corporations, environmental groups, charitable organizations, educators, municipal, provincial and federal politicians, as well as the many sports teams and associations in the TriCities area since its first edition. Many fine folks have been part of the history of the NOW, including advertising sales people, managers, columnists, reporters, photographers, publishers, editors, production and front office staff, along with carriers and drivers, all of whom have contributed many long hours and dedication to bringing a newspaper, published twice a week, to the homes and businesses of the Tri-Cities — in rain, sleet or snow. I worked with many and admired them all. It has given many businesses and politicians many opportunities to liaise with the public and to air their views, achievements and weekly advertising specials, and I know it will be sorely missed by many, including myself. I am particularly concerned for the current staff that will be affected by the closure, including many young carriers who delivered the NOW over the past 30-plus years. I would like to think they will be well taken care of by the folks who made the decision to close the newspaper. As they say in the newspaper business, -30- and RIP. Ken Dopson Coquitlam

The neighbourhood history book

I grew up at the NOW. I was 19 when I was hired to help Howard Tsumura cover sports in Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam and sister papers in Surrey, New Westminster and Burnaby. I was 21 when there was a re-jigging of staff and I started focusing on the Tri-Cities full time. I loved the job. Ate it up. You were telling the stories about regular people for regular people. You were the neighbourhood history book. I was always very proud about the way we went about our business. We had a great little team, led by Pat Cooper and Bob Moody. I adored the whole experience so much so that my grand plan was to one day come back to a community paper, like the NOW, and become an editor and try to groom people like I was groomed. That’s obviously looking less and less like a reality.

The world is changing. It doesn’t mean I have to like it. People will find ways to get their big-picture news. The stories about what’s happening down the block are going to be harder to find, and we’re going to lose a sense of community because of that. Steve Ewen New Westminster

Positive experiences Very sad, indeed, to learn the NOW is shutting down the presses for the last time today. I’ll miss this 31-year-old, venerable community newspaper very much. Over the last 30 years, I’ve had two outstandingly positive experiences with the NOW — one professional and one personal. My first was in the late ’80s, when I approached Pat Cooper, then-NOW editor, to support my efforts as a project manager for the Coquitlam Arts Council to build awareness for the arts in the TriCities. She eagerly agreed to advertise and promote various events for a six-month Arts Awareness Project that I was spearheading. It involved Arts in the Park events, concerts and the development of an arts directory for the Coquitlam area. The second, more recent experience is the wonderful support by NOW staff — reporter Jeremy Deutsch, editor Leneen Robb and photographer Lisa King — for all their creative energy and work to help promote, advertise and sell tickets for BRAVE: the Mary Steinhauser Legacy, the March 29, 2014 tribute performance for my sister Mary Steinhauser and fundraiser for the Mary Steinhauser Memorial Bursary for SFU Aboriginal students in arts and social sciences. The night was magnificent in every respect and I was so gratified to learn that BRAVE: the Mary Steinhauser Legacy had been selected as one of the 12 top NOW stories for 2014! Thank you, thank you, thank you ... for everything! Margaret Franz Port Coquitlam

Local coverage I was disappointed to read that the NOW is going to be discontinued. Reading the local news is very important to me for following up on events and news in our community. I subscribe to the Sun and Province, but those papers do not report on issues and events in the Tri-Cities. I hope you will reconsider, as the NOW is vital to our Coquitlam community. Edie Kernighan Coquitlam

Your community journalism matters

Dear NOW: We first met when I was in pri-

mary school. Always delivered before I returned home, you worked wonders as rolled up thingamajigsturned toys for my young imagination. Much later, you provided this PoCo-bred boy two wonderful and more matured opportunities. The first was fairly steady pay as a freelance journalist for four years. My belly and credit report remain ever thankful. You also afforded me access to tell stories of the lives inside your five-community family — from your most disenfranchised to your municipal decision-makers. And what lives they’ve had. And what events you’ve witnessed. Your community journalism in pictures and words matter. Your stories are those not of strangers but of your neighbours. Bringing home swim meets, school board debates, local tragedies and holiday parades impact us all as concretely as any election. Newspapers face a daily Promethean struggle. They acquire knowledge and pass it to the public. The foreseeable results stories produce aren’t always known, but the consequences are great. And in your years you’ve handled it all with class. I’m lucky to have provided a few drops of ink onto the pages of your paper. -30DJ Lam Vancouver

A local favourite I am so sorry to hear that the NOW is closing. You have been my favourite local paper for many reasons. The NOW seems to have a very humanitarian approach, sharing stories with a humanitarian slant. You also have a way of connecting to the readers and you have so many interesting columns. One of the highlights for me is the editorial cartoonist, Ingrid Rice, whose cartoons are so “right on.” It’s one of the first things I look for. I’ve also really enjoyed Dr. Davidicus Wong’s column and others columns in your paper, including Keith Baldrey’s. Even the readers’ poll is interesting. You have so many unique ways of presenting things that you are definitely not a ho hum, boring/yawn paper. You make things come alive in such a way that makes readers like myself feel more connected and involved. Although I haven’t seen it lately, there was also a column where people asked questions about cars of two fellows — I think it was called Click and Clack or something like that. To all of the staff, I wish you much success and happiness in the future. May this be the start of even better things to come for all of you. L. Mackintosh Coquitlam CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

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THE TRI-CITIES NOW | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2015

OPINIONN0W

Reflecting on The NOW

CONT. FROM PAGE 8

Letters raised awareness The Tri-Cities NOW touched my life not only on one particular occasion but on many — as it featured stories of several surrounding municipalities and, with its closure, one is losing part of a link to these communities. This will feel like losing a faithful friend that showed up on one’s doorstep on a regular basis. You will be missed! But much thanks to editor Leneen Robb for her reminder that the sister paper, the Tri-City News, will still be serving us, the readers. Reading the letters to the editor of the Tri-Cities NOW was always interesting because these represented the voices of the public. Also, a few of my own letters were published and, as in my writings, usually wood smoke was mentioned to disclose the danger to one’s health that lies in breathing woodsmoke-contaminated air. The Tri-Cities NOW was an instrument revealing this health hazard to the public and, if heeded by readers, thus may have spared some human suffering. A most worthwhile humanitarian service for which one can be grateful. Thank-you. For the staff at

the Tri-Cities NOW, the closure of their paper will be like the end of a day, and I pray that the rising of a tomorrow will bring them new work opportunities! Brie Oishi Port Coquitlam

Telling the stories of our community

I started work at the NOW in 1985, delivering my stories on typed sheets of paper to the editor’s home, with three children under five strapped into the back seat of my car. For the next 15 years I had the privilege of telling the stories of our community, of meeting people in the best and worst of circumstances, of covering each of the city councils and school board and occasionally nipping into the court house. The stories people shared with me were inspiring, heart-rending, informative, joyful and sad. Through them, readers learned about their neighbours, sharing in their triumphs and their sadness. In return I shared my stories — the feeling of loss as my eldest son stepped into kindergarten, my youngest son’s love for his chicken Maggie, and my middle son’s activism as he presented a petition to council to save Glen Park pool. I moved from an electric

typewriter to a word processor to a computer, from working as a freelancer in the basement after the children were in bed, to an office in the Lincoln Library that had no washrooms and then to cubicles in the office on the Barnet Highway. Throughout my years at the NOW, I had the privilege of working with a fantastic editor, Pat Cooper, who encouraged me to enter a Canada-wide competition that led to a six-week exchange in Zimbabwe, from which I returned with a lifelong passion for the country and the continent. Good community papers share the stories of their community, giving voice to artists, business owners, students and non-profits trying to improve the lives of all residents. They play a vital role in keeping politicians honest and in giving residents a voice in shaping their community. The NOW performed this role admirably and while all things change, the need to understand your community and share its stories does not. Hazel Postma Coquitlam

Promoting library programs

Tri-Cities NOW will publish its final edition on Oct. 1. I have been connected to the NOW since I started my career as a children’s librarian in the Lincoln Library (now City Centre) 25 years ago, when NOW reporter Hazel Postma brought her three beautiful sons to my storytimes. Through Hazel, who later became acting NOW editor, I met NOW photographer Paul van Peenen. Whenever I called Paul to photograph special children’s programs and activities, he complied graciously. The NOW often gave front page coverage to our children’s programs. Children whose pictures appeared in the NOW went around the neighbourhood collecting extra copies to mail to their families and friends. Libraries put a lot of effort in providing meaningful programs, and the NOW was instrumental in promoting these programs to the community. Currently, I am the community services librarian at Coquitlam, responsible for adult programs. From the program evaluation forms, I have learned that about 50 per cent of our adult patrons learn about library programs CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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THE TRI-CITIES NOW

| THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2015

WWW.THENOWNEWS.COM

OPINIONN0W

Some final thoughts on the Tri-Cities NOW

CONT. FROM PAGE 9

through the newspaper. I am so glad that over the years, I have also developed a very good rapport with the sister

paper, the Tri-City News, because that is all we have now. Best wishes and heartfelt appreciation go to editor Leneen Robb and the wonderful staff of the NOW for

their invaluable service and especially for their unwavering support of libraries in the Tri-Cities area. You will be missed! Teresa Rehman New Westminster

A partner in the community City Hall - 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam

Monday, October 5, 2015 MEETING

TIME LOCATION 2:00 p.m. Council Committee Room

Council-in-Committee Closed Council

Council Committee Room

*A Closed Council meeting will convene immediately following adjournment of the Council-in-Committee Meeting

7:00 p.m. Council Chambers

Regular Council

Thursday, October 8, 2015 MEETING

TIME

LOCATION

Strategic Priorities Standing Committee 10:00 a.m. Council Committee Room Closed Strategic Priorities Standing Committee

*A Closed Strategic Priorities Standing Committee meeting will convene immediately following adjournment of the Strategic Priorities Standing Committee Meeting

Council Committee Room

Watch Live Broadcasts of Coquitlam Council Meetings or Archived Video from Meetings Previously Webcast The City of Coquitlam offers a video streaming service that makes Regular Council Meetings, Council-in-Committee Meetings and Public Hearings accessible online at www.coquitlam.ca/webbroadcasts. Agendas for the Regular Council and Council-in-Committee Meetings will be available on the Council Agendas page of the City’s website by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday prior to the scheduled meetings.

CityofCoquitlam

The Tri-Cities NOW has been a fabulous community partner. When I worked at SHARE as director of development, the NOW was always the first to ask what the organization needed. The Pennies for Presents program that they hosted year after year raised thousands of dollars for the Christmas Toy Program and demonstrated the huge commitment the NOW had to the Tri-Cities. The NOW promoted the campaign, collected the pennies and housed the volunteers who would sit for hours rolling those pennies. The NOW has also been a fabulous partner to the three Divas by helping us to promote our Oscar Night and Diva en Blanc events. As a Coquitlam city councillor, I came to really appreciate the coverage the reporters did of those council meetings, sitting for hours as council debated the sometimes mundane details of

running a large city. All that sitting could not have been easy but they would listen and pull out the salient content that was important to residents. I want to especially acknowledge the editor, Leneen Robb, who always made time to educate me on what stories to share with reporters and how to frame op/ed pieces that would be of interest to readers. Community newspapers are about community, and the NOW and their staff had a clear understanding and commitment to this community. I am sorry that such a great community asset is being lost and I wish all those who made it such a great asset all the very best in the future. Selina Robinson Coquitlam

A long history The Tri-Cities NOW and I go waaaay back. Back to the beginning. Back to when it was the Coquitlam NOW. When I was 17 back in 1983, I was an aspiring journalist, working on The Catalyst newspaper at Centennial Secondary and heading down to The Columbian newspaper after school to work as a file clerk. Much to my dismay, The Columbian shut down in

1983 after 122 years. Not an auspicious start to my career! Within the year though, I saw hope for the industry. Displaced Columbian reporters, ad sales people and editors joined forces to start NOW newspapers in Coquitlam, Burnaby, New Westminster and Surrey. Norm Wright, the former sports reporter for The Columbian, was the founding sports editor for the NOW newspapers. He had covered the emerging sport of girls’ soccer and had often written about my team, the Blue Mountain Royals, and other local powerhouses. The coverage continued in the new format and we graced those pages several times. When I was in first-year university at SFU in 1984, he offered me a stringer’s job of reporting on SFU sports in On The Hill, my own column in the Burnaby NOW (sometimes also picked up by Coquitlam NOW). In those pre-email, pre-Internet days, I would go interview the SFU coaches on Monday morning, write up the results on my electric typewriter, and drive them over to NOW newspaper headquarters in New Westminster in time for the Tuesday deadline. I lament the loss of the many community news-

papers that are closing these days, and hope that we can find a way to continue to have “papers of record” for our communities. Anne Russell Chilliwack

Closure is a sad end to an era

It was with profound sadness and sense of loss I read of the end of the NOW. Not only was this a causality of the electronic age, but I think we are in an era where world events are overshadowing our own sense of community. I also think the reading of anything other than a handheld device is no longer a passion as it once was. I will miss the NOW for a couple of reasons. I enjoyed reading about matters that were truly local and would never be covered by the major news sources. It also covered the local sporting organizations — our junior hockey and football, our high school teams, etc. It also supported our local businesses. And the coverage of the Tri-Cities civic politics was thorough and it allowed us to keep tabs on our local politicians. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

RIVERVIEW PARK FOREST PARK & MUNDY PARK TRAILS INFORMATION SESSION

PULL TOGETHER FOR MUNDY PARK! BE PART OF A WORLD-RECORD-SETTING WEED-PULLING PARTY!

Please attend this information session to learn about improvements to Mundy Park trails and Riverview Forest Park trails. DAY 1 - Sunday, October 4, 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. DAY 2 - Monday, October 5, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Bad Seeds, also known as invasive plants, are spreading and taking over Mundy Park. Help us make Mundy Park invasive free, while also setting a record for the greatest number of people removing invasive plants at a time!

WHEN

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5

12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

WHERE

MUNDY PARK, HILLCREST PARKING LOT (LOOK FOR EVENT SIGNS)

(In conjunction with the Bad Seed Record-Setting Weed Pull event.) Field 3 (just east of Hillcrest gravel parking lot).

For more information contact: City of Coquitlam Parks Planning parksandconsultation@coquitlam.ca coquitlam.ca/parkprojects

CityofCoquitlam

Go to coquitlam.ca/badseed for more information and event details including what to bring and wear and how to register.

CityofCoquitlam

THE TRI-CITIES NOW | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2015

WWW.THENOWNEWS.COM

NEWSN0W

NOW FILE PHOTOS

Spread over five pages (10, 11, 12, 14, 16 and 17) in this edition are photos, stories, headlines and banners from some of our earlier editions. At right is the introductory column from our very first edition, published on Jan. 10, 1984. We hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane.

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THE TRI-CITIES NOW

| THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2015

WWW.THENOWNEWS.COM

NEWSN0W

CHAMBER

OCTOBER

2015

TR ECAVLEENN DA

Federal All-Candidates Debate [PORT MOODY-COQUITLAM] Monday Oct 5, 2015

Federal All-Candidates Debate [COQUITLAM-PORT COQUITLAM]

FIRED UP!

Fundraiser - PoCo Fire Relief Fund Task Force Wednesday Oct 7, 2015

If you got this card, you’re ready to vote!

Tuesday Oct 6, 2015

SMALL BUSINESS WEEK 5 Seminars in 5 Days Unlock the Keys to Success Monday Oct 19, 2015 - Friday Oct 23, 2015 Check out www.tricitieschamber.com for more details on Tri-Cities Chamber’s events in September Members and non-members can register online for events at www.tricitieschamber.com

TRICITIES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Federal election day is October 19.

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THE TRI-CITIES NOW | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2015

WWW.THENOWNEWS.COM

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Bulging, Herniated or Worn Discs may be to Blame for Sciatica, Pain and Numbness in Legs Bulged Disc

]

Did you know that over 30 million North Americans suffer from back and neck pain every day? Whether spine and back problems result from an auto accident, injury, or have crept up over time, sciatica and herniated discs are often misunderstood and improperly treated. They can result in pain and numbness anywhere in the body. This pain affects everything that you do, from work to play, and ultimately your quality of life. You might not even be able to sleep at night without pain. If you suffer from debilitating pain, we are here to tell you that there is hope. We have the technology and decades of experience to help you find relief from disc problems and sciatica. The Spinal Decompression Institute focuses on treating all disc and spine-related conditions with advanced non-surgical treatments. We are so confident that we can help you find relief that we are offering a complimentary consultation to the first 25 callers.

Spinal Decompression Allows Back Pain to Heal...Without Drugs or Surgery Decompression relieves pressure that builds up on the discs and nerves. The task of relieving pain comes about as a result of drawing the leaking gel of a herniated disc back into place. Decompression achieves this by creating

Herniated Disc Sciatica Pinched Nerves Stenosis

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negative pressure within the disc, referred to as negative intradiscal pressure. This creates essentially a vacuum to draw the bulging and herniated disc material back into the disc space and relieves pressure. This process of non-surgical decompression allows the body to heal itself naturally and is only one of many treatment options available at Spinal Decompression Institute.

Many spinal conditions can be treated, including pain due to bulging and herniated discs, degenerated discs, sciatica, low back pain, neck pain and much more. If you have chronic or severe back pain, you may be a candidate for spinal decompression treatment. At the Spinal Decompression Institute, we will evaluate your condition and only recommend treatment if it’s right for you.

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Who is a Candidate for Spinal Decompression? With 7 out of 10 people experiencing low back and neck pain at some point in their lives and those types of pain being the most common reasons for patient visits to primary care physicians as well as hospitalization, there is no doubt that back and neck pain exists in epidemic proportions today.

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Example images: In the before picture you can see the herniated disc (black) protruding into the spinal column (white, center of MRI). After decompression treatment, the MRI shows the herniated disc is no longer bulging into the spinal canal where the spinal nerves are located.

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THE TRI-CITIES NOW

| THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2015

WWW.THENOWNEWS.COM

NEWSN0W

Simran (Route 8508 ) receives a yummy $15 Sticky’s Candy gift card Congratulations on a job well done!

Carrier of the Week