Delta Optimist October 6 2022

What’s Happening at Southlands Tsawwassen this Fall

Tickets Still Available

Southlands Grange Presents Long Table Harvest Dinner

15 October 2022

Guests will be part of a true farm to-table event and experience the promise of Southlands, where farming and food bring people together and energize the neighbourhood.

Ideally located in our historic Red Barn, guests will enjoy a beer, wine, and canapés reception, followed by a four-course meal highlighting the region's freshest farm-sourced ingredients, many grown at Southlands.

For more info, and to purchase tickets, scan the QR code.

Pre-purchase tickets only $90 per person + registration fee (includes taxes + gratuity) Ticket sales close on 13 October 2022 (limited tickets available)

Pre-Order Your Holiday Turkey!

We have partnered with the Fowl Farmer to provide the community with fresh J.D Farms turkeys.

There will be a variety of size ranges available, and J.D. Farms will do its best to accommodate specific size requests

Pick-up :

• Thanksgiving Southlands Farmers Market on Saturday, October 8th, 2022, from 10:00 am-2:00 pm

• Christmas Southlands Farmers Market on Saturday, December 17th, 2022, from 10:00 am-2:00 pm.

For details and ordering, visit southlandsgrange.ca/farmers market

Farmers Market Updates

Every Saturday, June 18 December 17, 2022

It's getting chilly, so we are moving indoors! Find your favourite Southlands Farmer’s Market vendors in Red Barn until December 17, 2022.

Spooky season is here!

October 29 Spooktacular Halloween Market

Pumpkin patch pop-up

Pumpkin carving contest

Vendor trick or treating

Prizes for kids in costume

And more!

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CascadesCasinoDeltacelebratesgrandopening

SANDOR GYARMATI

A major new entertainment attraction in South Delta has officially opened for busi ness as Gateway Casinos & Entertainment celebrated the grand opening of the Cascades Casino Delta last Thursday.

Company officials and dig nitaries were on hand for the afternoon celebration which included a media tour and rib bon cutting for the new gaming facility and its eateries.

It includes 160,000 square feet of entertainment space with a gaming floor as well as Gateway’s signature restaurants

The Buffet, Summit Bar and MATCH Eatery & Public House, which will feature a multi sea son patio and the Bud Room

The casino has 500 slots, 18 table games and stadium style gaming.

The project has created hun dreds of new jobs in Delta

“This is a wonderful day for Delta and Gateway Casinos I am proud to say, despite the challenges of the pandemic over the last two and a half years, we finally reached our destination,” said Gateway’s Chief Operating Officer, Rob Ward “This new property is testimony to the resiliency and determination of a great many people who kept their focus and worked hard together to create a state of the art entertainment destination for the City of Delta”

The complex also includes an adjoining hotel with 120 rooms, which is to be operated by Delta Marriott It’s expected to open

later this fall, but details on its construction progress and the official opening date have not been released by Delta Marriott.

Back in 2016, the BC Lottery Corporation announced Delta was chosen as the preferred host local government for a new gam bling and entertainment facility.

The City of Richmond had conveyed opposition and want ed the facility located elsewhere in Delta, citing concerns includ ing potential impacts to the River Rock Casino Resort’s busi ness The City of Delta indicated to Richmond, as well as BCLC,

that the Town & Country site was the only location it would consider for a gaming facility

The grand opening was origi nally anticipated to take place in 2020, but delays getting final provincial approvals, and then more significantly the COVID 19 pandemic, delayed the con struction Gateway now says it is a $99.3 million project.

When approved, Gateway described it as a “modest sized” casino, but after six months a review would take place on potential expansion Any sub stantial change to the gaming

equation would require city approval.

Gateway also announced that, as part of the opening cer emonies, the recognition of the Delta Community Foundation as the official beneficiary of the GatewayGives charitable dona tions program.

GatewayGives charities are selected locally by employees of Gateway Casinos in the commu nities where they operate.

From now until Oct 31, a portion of the casino’s food and beverage sales in MATCH will be donated to the foundation.

JIM KINNEAR PHOTO

Rowland England, Gateway Casinos`VP of Operations B.C. West welcomes the community to the new casino See more photos from the opening on the web at: www delta-optimist com.

Teachers`AssociationsaysparentscanoptoutofFSAtests

4 and 7

It’s not a required part of the B C school curric ulum and does not lead to increased supports for individual students.

That is what the Delta Teachers’ Association (DTA) is saying about the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA) tests, but parents have been informed students are expected to write the tests

The FSA is an annual province wide assess ment of all B.C. students’ academic skills in grades

Following the Delta School Board’s Sept 27 meeting, the DTA issued a news release saying that preparing students for FSA tests does not teach them things useful for real life, nor does it contribute to students’ skills and development. The tests take away valuable class time administering and preparing students, while the results do not translate into additional resources for students, teachers or schools, the DTA said

“The detailed results are not available to par ents or teachers who might be able to extract some meaningful or use ful information The data is something that the Ministry of Education may need, but the real ity is, the FSAs are quite publicly used by the Fraser Institute not government or educa tors for purposes that are not about supporting education,” the DTA said

The teachers’ union added it would send materials in sealed envelopes addressed to

parents/guardians to teachers of grades 4 and 7 in Delta

These will be sent home via students and will explain why teach ers oppose the tests and what parents can do, the DTA said, adding that the withdrawal letter/ form is agreed to by both BC Teachers’ Federation and the BC Public School Employers’ Association through a protocol agreement

The school district, which hosted an online information session for parents last week, recently issued a notice regarding the FSA tests, saying the tests will be administered between Oct 3 and Nov 11

Students write the FSA early in the year to allow teachers and schools to be responsive to student outcomes, according to the notice, adding the FSA results will be shared with families later in the fall, providing par

ents with some evidence of how their children are doing in literacy and numeracy.

“The Delta School District is supportive of the FSA, as we believe it provides important infor mation on how our stu dents are progressing on key learning outcomes. We believe the nature of the assessment benefits student learning, both in preparing for and writ ing the FSA At the same time, we believe that the FSA is just one piece of information about stu dent learning It comple ments the wide range of information teachers collect through ongoing methods of assessment,” the notice stated

The district also informed parents that they may be receiv ing information about excluding children from the FSA

“However, except for very specific situations identified by the Ministry

of Education, all students are expected to write the FSA Students cannot be excluded from the FSA by submitting a form,” the notice stated

The DTA’s news release to parents, though, states, “Parents can and should decide if their child writes or not If you receive let ters from the district or ministry indicating your child ‘is expected to ‘write the exam, notice that doesn’t say ‘required’ This is a parental choice”

The Delta School Board in 2020 voted unanimously in favour of a motion to initiate an education partner consultation to elicit feedback about their concerns with the FSA and ask for their input on what forms of assess ment they feel would better serve students in the district A follow up report has not beenmade public

SANDOR

Change eyed for provincial

SANDOR GYARMATI sgyarmati@delta optimist com

Part of the Delta North provincial electoral district could be on the move to Delta South

The BC Electoral Boundaries Commission this week published its Preliminary Report with recommendations for changing provincial elec toral districts for the next two provincial general elections.

Key recommenda tions to the Legislative Assembly include the creation of six additional electoral districts, bring ing the total number of seats to 93 from the cur rent 87

As far as what’s pro posed for the ridings of Delta South and Delta North, the preliminary report recommends moving the area south of 64th Avenue out of the Delta North and into Delta South

“This will distribute the populations of these two ridings more evenly

and create room for anticipated population growth in Delta North,” the report explains.

“Delta South includes Ladner, Tsawwassen, Parkdale Gardens, Boundary Bay and agri cultural lands Moving the area south of 64th Avenue into this riding keeps the area around Watershed Park in one electoral district”

The commission notes it will now begin a final round of public consulta tions

The commission says it also proposes adding the electoral districts in areas of rapid popula tion growth, specifically Langford on Vancouver Island, Burnaby, Langley, Surrey, Vancouver and Kelowna

“British Columbia is a growing province,” said Chair Justice Nitya Iyer in a news release “The population has increased by more than 300,000 people over the last five years Our recommen dation to increase the

number of electoral dis tricts in B C reflects that growth”

The commission says it also recommends adjustments to the boundaries of 71 elec toral districts based on the geographic, demo graphic, communication and transportation con siderations set out the in Electoral Boundaries Commission Act

Its final report must be released by April 3, 2023

The Legislative Assembly will then decide whether to accept all, some or none of the commission’s recom mendations

Public hearings will begin this month in com munities throughout the province

British Columbians can also provide input by completing a website survey or by writing to the Commission directly by email or post.

All public input must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Nov 22, 2022

See more at: bcebc.ca.

Hiringpeople

Police hold distracted driving blitz

PHIL MELNYCHUK

Contributing Writer

Based on a two hour sliver of time, on one road, last Thursday (Sept 29) as part of Operation Hang Up, Delta drivers for the most part, were driving undistracted Delta Police, along with Delta Cell Watch volunteers set up watch on Ladner Trunk Road

near 64th Street, in Ladner from 10 a m to noon, looking for dis tracted driving

Karon Trenaman, with ICBC, said that apart from a suspected impaired driver caught in the process, and a hand ful of warning tickets, most motorists were fully engaged with the process of driving

She noted that no

westbound drivers received tickets, but a handful of warning tick ets were given to east bound drivers at a differ ent location along Ladner Trunk Road.

Operation Hang Up is part of the twice yearly campaign by police and ICBC against distracted driving

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Delta Police, along with Delta Cell Watch volunteers, set up watch on Ladner Trunk Road near 64th Street, from 10 a.m. to noon on Sept. 29, looking for distracted driving.

“With the motorists going westbound what we did observe, which is really great to see actu ally, was all the motorists coming by were looking fairly alert We didn’t see a lot of people reaching for their phone obvi ously,” said Trenaman “Instead, motorists pass ing by were alert and cau tious as they passed by”

A handful, five or six, eastbound motorists received warning tickets along a different part of Hwy. 10, while police also caught a suspected drunk driver

Trenaman said that for the last 10 years, distract ed driving remains the second leading cause of fatal motor vehicle crash es in B C , while speeding is the leading cause of deadly collisions

Impaired driving is the third leading cause

of death on B C roads, but distracted driving is the number one cause of injury accidents, accord ing to Surrey RCMP

Last year, 76 people died in distracted driving collisions, said ICBC

The penalty for dis tracted driving is $368 and four driving licence demerit points

Trenaman pointed out that people are still touching and holding their phones despite Bluetooth now allow ing touchless access on dashboard screens

“Despite all this better technology, we ’ re still seeing in a number of communities, this prolific use of hand held cell phones,” Trenaman said “Technology has come a long way in the last 10 years but tragically, a number of motorists haven’t changed their attitudes They’re persist ing in dangerous behav

iour”

Motorists are five times more likely to crash while using a hand held phone, said ICBC

Using hands free devices in the car that can be operated with one touch or voice com mands is OK

“If you have a new vehicle, there’s no rea son you should be using a phone in your hand,” said Karen Klein, with ICBC Road Safety, at the Operation Hang Up loca tion on 56th Avenue in Surrey

Delta, Surrey and Langley police all did an enforcement blitz on Thursday looking for dis tracted drivers.

She suggested if peo ple don’t have Bluetooth, to put the phone in the glove box, turn it off or put it in the trunk of your car, “if they’re finding themselves struggling with their willpower”

PUBLISHER: Pierre Pelletier ppelletier@delta-optimist

EDITOR: Ian Jacques ijacques@delta optimist com

SPORTS: Mark Booth mbooth@delta-optimist com

REPORTERS

Sandor Gyarmati sgyarmati@ delta-optimist com Mark Booth mbooth@delta-optimist com

PHOTOGRAPHER

Jim Kinnear jimgkinnear@netscape.net

DIGITAL SALES MANAGER: Marianne LaRochelle mariannel@glaciermedia ca

SALES REPRESENTATIVES: John Gallinger jgallinger@ delta-optimist com

Ruth VanBruksvoort rbruks@ delta-optimist com

Lee Fruhstorfer lfruhstorfer@delta optimist com

SALES SUPPORT: Linda Calendino lcalendino@ delta-optimist com

DISTRIBUTION: Kristene Murray 604 946 5171 kmurray@glaciermedia ca

Roya Sarwary rsarwary@delta optimist com

CLASSIFIED: 604 444 3056 classifieds@van.net

OPINION

Mind your own business

For all the good things that social media can provide, there is a dark and ugly side that continues to proliferate in our local Facebook groups

On a recent Sunday evening, the Tsawwassen Loop was on overdrive with rampant speculation about a police incident near the South Delta Rec. Centre.

The first post went up and then all hell broke loose because of people’s insatiable desire to know what is going on.

As it turns out it was a serious incident involving a person who had injured themselves

The speculation sparked this response from Delta Police who posted in the Loop the following day, “A reminder to all that often times when police and/or ambulance are on scene, this is potentially someone ’ s worst day We’d ask that you respect that and wait to hear from official channels before commenting and/or posting photos about the incident.”

It’s a simple, but stern ask from police to show some compassion and respect

I still don’t understand why there are so many out there that don’t get this

If you hear sirens in the community that means police, fire, ambulance or all three of these first responders are on their way to attend to an emergency situation.

Unless it is an instant matter of pub lic safety, or that it may involve you, it really is none of your business Don’t go posting on social media asking what’s going on Don’t start sparking rumours and stirring up the pot That does noth ing but cause undue panic in the com munity It potentially hurts those who are involved and it can also hinder the first responders from doing their jobs

This is not the first time I have writ ten about this in a column and sadly I doubt it will be my last because some people really don’t care, but I will ask again, please mind your own business.

1

1957 Clark Drive

This 1957 photograph depicts a property on present day Clark Drive on the North Delta/Surrey border overlooking Boundary Bay Written on the back of the photograph (in pen) is “Sunnybanks 1957 Clark Drive”

is unknown what Sunnybanks refers to but it could possibly be the name of the house or the property The

Goodbye ArriveCAN, hello line-ups

Nothing says ‘back to normal’ than long line ups at the border

As of last Saturday (Oct 1), ArriveCAN is no longer required to come back into Canada

It was about time ArriveCAN was shelved It wasn’t stopping COVID any longer and didn’t make much sense

I was given a test coming back from Point Roberts one time, but I couldn’t get an online appointment for three days By the time I took the test, I’d contracted COVID, likely from this side of the bor der. I did my quarantine, got over COVID and went back to work.

I was pretty diligent about filling out ArriveCAN, so much so that I even remembered my password, but on occasion, it would slip my mind I think it’s pretty easy to forget that run ning to the Point is considered international travel. It’s not really the USA, it’s the Point Driving back, I’d suddenly remembered, pulled over and

filled it out quickly On occa sion, it wouldn’t be until I was at the booth I was given my warnings, but it seemed pretty ridiculous that, just because I didn’t fill out the app, the gov ernment would have me stay home for 14 days.

ArriveCAN wasn’t stopping people from going across the border with COVID either I know a couple of people who came back from Las Vegas and the next day came down with it Then others in their party got it Unless you knew you had it, it didn’t do much to stop it at the border any

longer

I could see that originally, when we didn’t know what was going to happen with COVID, there was reason for that level of concern Back then, you may not have even known someone who had it Now, it’s hard to find people who haven’t had it The next step is getting the new booster so as to not get it again

For the most part, COVID is a few days isolated, rest and liquids and back on your feet While it’s still a serious con cern for some, for most it’s an inconvenience

Now that ArriveCAN is no longer required, the long line ups at the border will be back

If only our Nexus offices in Canada would open so we could avoid them again.

Brad Sherwin, MBA is a long time resident of South Delta, and has over 30 years ’ experience in marketing, public relations and business strat egy. He teaches post secondary marketing, coaches hockey goalies and is past president of Deltassist

The Delta Heritage Society is pleased to celebrate 100 years of the Delta Optimist

visit us at the Douglas J Husband Discovery Centre

remember, we are always on the lookout

artifacts

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the story

Delta

Letters

Commitmentneededto supportseniors`programs

Editor:

As a Gerontologist I read with interest news stories about older per sons

Unfortunately, the reports that make the headlines often feature a narrative suggesting aging is a problem to be fixed

“More help needed for Delta seniors who want to live at home” a recent article stated. “Many seniors want to remain in their own home longer to keep their independence, but face challenges including mobility, men tal health and financial constraints”

While these are signifi cant challenges identified in the article, if there is a problem to be fixed it is the need to reinvent our cities to be age friendly, our long term care insti tutions to be homes and our neighbourhoods to support ageing in place.

There is good news to report. Delta is develop ing an age friendly city initiative to improve the livability for older persons while providing hope for younger genera tions to age in their com munity

A significant challenge is outdated long term care homes that are in need of replacement without the capital fund ing to reinvest in new modern living designs that create a home living environment rather than a traditional institutional nursing home

Along with capital investments to replace outdated infrastructure, there is a need to invest in more comprehensive programs and services for older persons as the key ingredients to their well being The impact of these investments is especially true for those who continue to live at

home

Older persons who live in Ladner, North Delta and Tsawwassen should have a robust array of social, health and hous ing programs and servic es and available in their community to ensure they can age in place To remain in their commu nity accessing care, hous ing and services close to home is critical to avoid moving to a different area where family and friends might have transporta tion barriers

What is needed is a commitment, yes from government, but more importantly from your neighbours, local busi nesses, and community based organizations to actively support programs and services that help older adults to remain active members of their community.

Dan Levitt CEO KinVillage

Watershed has one neglected area

Editor:

I wish to bring this matter to the attention of the public and the City of Delta

The undergrowth along the lower service road in the watershed is reaching out into the trail and road. The bad plants are burrs, nettle, thistle, and brambles

The City of Delta planted 100 conifers along the creek bank a few years ago. They are juvenile evergreens now, around six feet tall. Cedar, pine, spruce, fir The horsetails grow up between the branches, the scrub poplar shoots and the others build a six foot deep bank of

weeds that only the top of the tree can be seen

Not good I’ve gone walking there for 15 years

I live 2.5 miles away. It’s lovely and cool in summer. Families, couples, bike riders and those people who enjoy a forest come all year

Donald Guthrie

Thanks for helping after my fall

Editor:

My thanks and great appreciation to the two ladies who so quickly came to my aid when I tripped and fell in a Ladner crosswalk

The help was quickly taken on by three helpful, attentive Delta firefight ers, who have my deep appreciation

I wish to thank them for their particular help,

which included carefully dressing my wound It was easy to see Ladner folk are in the best of hands with Delta fire fighters.

Bernard C. Barton

The Optimist encourages readers to write letters to the editor. Letters are accepted on any topic, although preference is given to those on local matters The Optimist reserves the right to edit letters and the decision to publish is at the discretion of the editor or publisher All letters must be signed, dated and include the writer’s phone number (not for publication) The Optimist will not print “name withheld letters Copyright in letters and other materials submitted voluntarily to the publisher and accepted for publication remains with the author, but the publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other forms

D E S C E N D A N T S O F

Local RCMP officer receives award

IAN JACQUES ijacques@delta optimist com

He had a dream to be a police officer since he was a little kid.

Now a Tsawwassen man is living out that dream and receiving deserved recognition for his work with the RCMP In early September, Staff Sgt Glen Fishbook was presented with the Commissioner’s Award for his innovation and contribution to RCMP Air Services and ERT Programs.

He was instrumental in assisting the RCMP into getting the new Air 5 heli copter and development of tactical capabilities for

the Emergency Response Team of which Delta Police is a member The Air 5 replaced the former Air 5 which crashed in January 2012 and sadly the pilot died This new Air 5 is the legacy out of tragedy

“Police work it was something that I wanted to do since I was a kid, so after high school I went off to Simon Fraser University, moved up to Whistler as a full time ski patroller and was a firefighter in the summer, but I always wanted to be a police office,” he said “Here we are 25 years later I joined in 1997”

Currently he is in an active operations role Previous to that he was

part of the ERT, which is what he received the award for

“It was humbling and extremely nice to be recognized,” he said “In some ways, my feelings are I was just doing my job and not really worthy of this kind of recogni tion. I’m very apprecia tive that some of my col leagues and supervisors would take the time to write up the award and the submission”

He also credits his family and friends for all of their support over the years

“I have a couple proud parents and would not be anywhere without them,” he said.

PHOTO

Pictured left to right, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki, Glen Fishbook and BC RCMP Commanding Officer Dwayne McDonald.

BEACH. CRAFT

URBAN LIVING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

‘Field Bet’ unveiled at new casino

SANDOR GYARMATI

sgyarmati@delta optimist com

Delta residents going through the downstairs entrance of the new Cascades Casino Delta will be greeted by a colourful mural depict ing local elements and nature themes

Representatives with Gateway Casinos & Entertainment unveiled the whimsical wall art work by commissioned Tsawwassen artist Gary Nay on Sept 28, a day prior to the grand open

ing celebration of the gaming facility.

Nay told the Optimist his work is titled Field Bet, a form of bet in the game of craps. He said it high lights the integration of the new casino in the Delta landscape, which includes farming and fishing, with the Cascade Mountains in the background

Nay’s other works includes a colourful out side mural on the wall of the Telus building in Ladner Village.

Also, on hand at the unveiling was Delta

South MLA Ian Paton, who was impressed with Nay’s use of colours and how Nay showed so many elements depict ing Delta themes in one piece

Upstairs, the gaming floor was already open ing to invited gamblers in a “test and tune” of the equipment and newly hired staff ahead of the official opening

The casino is located next to the interchange of highways 99 and 17. An adjoining hotel is to open at a later date.

SANDOR GYARMATI PHOTO

Tsawwassen artist Gary Nay’s piece depicts the new casino’s integration into Delta’s landscape.

DFCS’s annual Boot Drive fundraiser takes place

weekend

MARK BOOTH mbooth@delta optimist com

A popular and key fundraising campaign for the Delta Firefighters’ Charitable Society (DFCS) will be tak ing place outside stores across the city this weekend

The DFCS’s annual Boot Drive will take place Friday (Oct. 7) and Saturday (Oct 8) Delta firefighters will be on hand to accept donations that will be forwarded to Muscular Dystrophy Canada (MDC) and other local charity organizations

The 2021 campaign was a tremen dous success with firefighters combin ing for over 350 hours of volunteer time and raising $50,000 The record total helped make up for the DFCS being unable to host its annual Harvest Festival since 2019 due to the pan demic.

“The Harvest Fest is normally a huge generator for our charitable society,” explained Delta Deputy fire Chief Dave Wood. “With this Boot Drive, it sure has been a big help getting the funds so they can do their good deeds. Pretty much every grocery store, liquor store, coffee shop, you name it and our fire fighters will be out there this weekend”

From a convenience and safety per spective, debit/credit card terminals

The Delta Firefighters’ Charitable Society hosts its annual Boot Drive this weekend.

will be an option at each location so people who wish to donate can simply ‘tap’ and have a contactless transaction.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

VANCOUVER CHAMBER MUSIC

Community

Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley

Cops for Cancer Tour de Valley, sponsored by Applewood Auto Group, rode through Delta on Sept. 28. The nine day, 800 km cycling journey wrapped up 24 hours later with a closing ceremony co hosted by Surrey RCMP and Surrey Police Service. The team of 34 first responder riders started nine days earlier in Langley and rode across the Fraser Valley, as far as Boston Bar and back, bringing hope to children and families living with cancer. This was the first full 9 day tour since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the event has raised more than $325,000 for childhood cancer research and support services at the Canadian Cancer Society. Pictured from left to right are Delta Police offi cers Const. Terra Schmuland and Const. Kim Loeppky.

SEEKING RE-ELECTION DELTA TRUSTEES

NICK KANAKOS AND BRUCE REID BRING EXPERIENCE AND COMMITMENT

Nick Kanakos Bruce Reid

• “It has been an honour to serve the Delta school community for three terms as your School Trustee on the Delta Board of Education.”

• Having taught high school for thirty-three years at North Delta Secondary, I gained valuable first-hand experience in the classroom which helped me to understand the school system from the ‘inside out.’

• I have continued to champion for additional funding for the District and bring the experience of tough decisions and policies adopted during the pandemic.

• I have four children and with my wife, Jeannie Kanakos, we have lived and raised a family here in Delta since the 1980’s.

• My three grandchildren go to school in Delta and I continue to contribute to a school system for now and future generations.

• I am formerly a Secondary School Counsellor in Richmond, B.C.. I have been teacher and pastor in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

• My experience as a teacher and a counsellor has helped me understand the Delta educational system from many perspectives and will provide the experience necessary to help guide the school system.

• While Delta has seen funding improve in this province, there is still a way to go to see funding equal to that of other provinces.

• I am a resident of Delta and have 7 grandchildren in British Columbia, 3 of which are students in the Delta School District.

• “Serving the District as a Trustee for the past 8 years has been a privilege and also an opportunity to have an impact on education in Delta.”

Authorized by financial agent: James Reeve reevejmr@gmail.com Independents Working For You

JIM K NNEAR PHOTO

nextupforPhotoClub

For the first zoom workshop of the 2022/23 season, Delta Photo Club is pleased to pres ent “Macro Photography The Universe at Our Feet” with acclaimed photographer Don Komarechka from 9 to 11 a m on Saturday, Oct 8 Macro photographers play by a different rule book Not only are the technical challenges more prominent, but so too are the creative opportunities This talk aims to explore many elements of macro pho tography from composi tion to staging, various subjects you might never have considered, and how to handle the mis takes you make along the way as a critical compo nent in your success.

Komarechka is a

Canadian nature and macro photographer liv ing near Varna, Bulgaria. From auroras to pollen, insects to infrared, much of his photographic adventures reveal a deeper understanding of how the universe works Exploring the world that we cannot see with our own eyes has been a common thread in his career as a professional photographer Always sci ence minded, but never formally trained, he uses photography as a way to explore and understand the world around him Photographing something unusual or unknown is the perfect excuse to learn some thing new. His work often pushes up against the technical limitations of modern camera equip

ment and the physical limitations of light itself

The zoom link for the workshop will be sent in the evening of Friday, Oct 7

To attend:

Become a member of the Delta Photo Club by filling out the mem bership form at: http:// deltaphotoclub.com/ member sign up form

Attend as a guest by sending an email transfer of $10.00 to: treasurer@ deltaphotoclub com by noon, Friday, Oct. 7. Please include your name, email address, and Club affiliation with the transfer

Anyone with questions about the DPC or using the Zoom platform, can email: president@delta photoclub.com.

Submitted

BOOTH

Community

TOOB hosting food drive this Saturday

8 fundraiser at South Delta Rec. Centre to benefit food bank

Thanksgiving has tra ditionally been a time to show gratitude for safe journeys, peace, and bountiful harvests.

With increases in the cost of living, food banks have experienced a greater demand for their services and support

The Delta Food Bank serves the South Delta community and provides supplemental support in the way of groceries to those dealing with short or long term financial

distress.

The food bank accepts donations of non per ishable food or financial donations. In fact most food banks prefer finan cial donations, which have a five to one buying power over food donations

The TOOB has commit ted to make a $1,000 cash donation to help replen ish food supplies and is stepping up again to help fill the need, by holding a Food Drive to benefit the South Delta Food Bank

on Saturday, Oct. 8 at the South Delta Recreation Centre parking lot from 10 a m to 2 p m

Bring your donation of non perishable food items in the trunk of your car and TOOB volunteers will lift your donation out and add it to the growing supply In lieu of food donations, anyone wish ing to make a financial donation can do so by donating cash as well as cheques payable to The South Delta Food Bank

TOOB volunteers are hoping to collect a lot of food to help support the South Delta food bank during their foos drive on Saturday.

Debit and credit dona tions are also accepted

This is your chance to give thanks and share a little cheer with some folks who are less fortu

nate. If you would like more information about TOOB, please go to the TOOB’s website at www toobfordelta.ca or send an email to toobfordel

ta@gmail.com. If you would like to volunteer and help out at the TOOB Food Drive please call 604 551 5842. Submitted

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Out of the pandemic, a neighbourhood emerges stronger

When the pandemic hit in 2020, people stayed home, gathered around their TVs and watched the deadly march of the COVID 19 disease, but a group of about 10 Tsawwassen residents didn’t let the pandemic pound them into isola tion.

Within days of the pandemic being declared in March 2020, they were gathering outdoors, sit ting and chatting in lawn chairs at safe distances, creating a neighbour hood social group that offered support and reas surance, during trying and deadly times.

They agreed they would get to know each other, “ over the length of this dumb disease,” said Robb Lucy “And it worked out like a charm”

Once a week, they gathered their chairs on the street and talked about what was impor tant to them.

“And a lot of laughs too,” Lucy said.

While the pandemic has faded, the lawn chair litigators still gather weekly in the Cliff Drive area and chat and keep each other up to date and by doing so, strengthen community bonds

“It was very healthy from a mental health perspective,” said David Fredericksen, a retired lawyer. “It’s sort of ironic, but we were lucky to have the pandemic, which brought us together”

During the early days of the group, with vac cines still months away, the major discussion topic was the disease

“That came up often We spoke a lot about pol itics,” said Fredericksen. “It was a real sounding board.”

They acknowledge, at some point they were breaching health regula tions simply by gathering, though they were always outdoors and extremely

careful at maintaining safe distances, with more than two metres distance separating each other

The gatherings take place every Friday at 4 p.m. While the group has been going for two years, it has failed to meet only a few times and has experienced a death of someone in the group and became new grand parents, like any family

It also functions like an informal neighbourhood watch with residents keeping an eye out if some are out of town

On Canada Day last year, members of the group took turns hosting the group with appetizers in their home

One approach was to get people to talk about three things: family, career and their future.

“That started it and gave a nice structure for getting to know each other,” said Lucy.

Being outside on the side of the road also drew in passersby who stopped to chat and get to know their neighbours

“It’s a neighbourhood,

but it’s sort of like an extended family,” said Fredericksen

Instead of just giving polite hellos to neigh bours, the group fosters real relationships.

“We now know each other,” said Lucy

Asked if other neigh bourhoods could do this, Fredericksen said all people have to do is take the first step and reach

out to their neighbours

Studies show that the happiest people are those who are connected to others and feel they have each other’s back, said Lucy.

ROBB LUCY PHOTO

The lawn-chair litigators still gather weekly in the Cliff Drive area.

National Day of Truth & Reconcilation

The National Day of Truth & Reconciliation

JIM KINNEAR PHOTOS

The Tsawwassen First Nation hosted a community Walk for The National Day of Truth & Reconciliation on Friday, Sept. 30 at the TFN Rec Centre. There was an opening ceremony and song, followed by the 5 km walk around the Tsawwassen Mills Mall. The walk concluded with a closing ceremony and a barbecue lunch hosted by Delta Police. See more photos at: www.delta-optimist.com.

Municipal election

Delta Teacher’s Association hosts all candidates meeting in Ladner

SANDOR GYARMATI sgyarmati@delta optimist com

Candidates for the Delta School Board in the upcom ing civic election took part in an all candidates forum on Monday evening at the Genesis Theatre in Ladner

It was the first of two forums organized by the Delta Teachers’ Association (DTA) and CUPE Local 1091, with the second scheduled for Tuesday evening at the North Delta Secondary School Theatre

Running for one of seven trustee seats are incumbents Bruce Reid and Nick Kanakos under the Independents Working for You banner, as well as incumbent Erica Beard, who is running again with the Achieving for Delta team Incumbent Val Windsor is also running for re election with the Achieving for Delta team Hoping to make it onto the board for the first time, are Achieving for Delta candi dates Nimmi Daula, Ammen Dhillon, Masako Gooch, Maury

Kask and Joe Muego

Also running for a seat on the school board are indepen dents Andrea DeWolff and Whitney Saip Dyck, while can didate Nuno Antunes describes himself as an independent endorsed by ParentsVoice BC.

Three candidates who are also running under the ParentsVoice BC banner Carmen Halpenny, Alisa Horth and Daniel Tonn did not take part in Monday’s forum.

The evening began with the candidates introducing them selves with most saying they supported safe and inclusive learning environments

The first question from the DTA asked each candidate how they would advocate for increased funding

Antunes answered that he believes everything must be done to inspire kids to keep them in schools, while Beard said she would advocate though provincial and com munity partnerships, and Daula pointed to the need to continue to talk to educators to

convey their needs

Suggesting Delta should bring even more international students for additional revenue, DeWolff said they must advo cate even “harder and louder” to the province, while Dhillon, who agreed Delta is one of the lowest funded districts, said the district needs to encourage even more enrolment

Dyck also said they need to engage in “unapologetic hounding” as they raise the profile of teachers, while Gooch echoed that they must work closely with education partners.

Kanakos suggested bringing provincial officials to Delta for “face to face” communica tion, and Kask said the board “needs to go on the offence, not defence.”

Muego said the district has to get creative with its partners to stretch dollars further, and Reid, saying Delta has become the victim of its own suc cess, said more strategies are needed

Noting the province has

given the same amount of funding as last year, despite inflationary costs, Windsor said they can get results by making their case for more funding directly to the province.

Among the other questions were queries from the floor including those directed at specific candidates.

One asked what “inclusive” meant to them, with Gooch saying it’s about creating an environment that allows people to freely express them selves, while Reid said more models are available to help all students develop as indi viduals, and DeWolff said the district doesn’t have enough resources to truly include all students.

Asked if racism is an issue in schools, Antunes said it’s important that parents show the right way by example, while Dyck said Delta has gone a long way, but has a long way to go, and Daula said more programs and resources are needed because racism is everywhere including schools

Among the other questions to select candidates was how they felt about the International Student Program subsidizing inadequate funding

Beard said the revenue doesn’t make up for the fund ing shortfalls, thus the need for more advocacy, while Reid insisted the revenue should not be seen as a means to finance education, and Muego noted the revenue can’t be counted on every year.

Also asked was what can be done about Delta’s “have” and “have not” schools when it comes to a parents’ ability to fundraise

Beard said building relation ships with the city can be ben eficial, while Reid noted some schools have supported others “because that’s what commu nity is all about” Muego, who said he witnessed first hand the problem as a district PAC chair, said everything needs to be done to ensure there aren’t “have nots”

SANDOR GYARMATI PHOTO

The Delta Teacher’s Association held the first of two all-candidates meetings for Delta school board candidates at the Genesis Theatre in Ladner on Monday night. A second meeting was held on Tuesday in North Delta.

Municipal election

Whatareyourelectionissues?

Nuno Antunes (school trustee) ParentsVoiceBC

Nuno Antunes, a true immigrant success story, immigrated to Canada with his parents in 1978 and grew up in Vancouver. As an adult, Nuno settled in Delta with his wife, where they raise their two children

Nuno has volunteered for many school events and projects, and has coached soccer and baseball for the past five years

Nino believes schools best serve their commu nities when they focus on preparing students for a productive adult hood This means a focus on essential skills like reading, writing and mathematics.

With his real world experience collaborating and providing solutions in the consumer retail, construction, hospital ity and private sectors, along with his aptitude

for listening and his real world problem solving skills, Nuno’s greatest desire is to con tribute his talents to our community.

Nuno plans to work with his fellow Trustees to ensure our children benefit from health and fitness, develop debating skills, build sound rea soning skills

He also wants to pro vide parents with trans parency on curriculum, policies, and education material that is lacking from the current board

Nuno wants to help grow our district into one where our children are taught how to brave ly seek a future they will be proud of

Nuno Antunes

Nimmi Daula (school trustee) Achieving for Delta

I work in communica tions and media and as a radio host and through this work I have had the chance to hear directly from the community about what is important to them.

As a parent of two children who attended Delta public schools, I believe providing the opportunity for par ents to engage with the school system is critical to students’ success. I believe that many par ents in Delta struggle to access resources and I would like to strengthen the connection between parents and schools to empower them to sup port their children’s learning My top priori ties include excellence in education, better physical and mental health of students and a safe and inclusive environment for all stu

dents I strongly believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are key components of success ful school systems In addition to sports and physical activities, it is important to foster cre ativity in children and support their overall health and well being I want to help students understand that they are the future of their com munities and instill the importance of a sense of service to their fellow citizens.

To ensure the well being of students, I will prioritize providing a safe and supportive learning environment It is important to creative a safe and supportive environment where stu dents have someone to listen to them when they want to talk about their concerns. I want to fos ter students’ curiosities

and passions and facili tate a stronger connec tion between them and their community

Erica Beard (school trustee) Achieving for Delta

As a lifelong Delta resident, Delta School District parent and trust ee, I have a vested inter est in the Delta School District.

The Achieving for Delta team has commit ted to ensuring student mental and physical health and wellbeing, enhancing inclusivity for all students, putting Delta students first, and keeping students safe I believe these issues are in alignment with the Delta School District’s Vision 2030, a vision I strongly support.

Achieving for Delta School trustee candi dates are committing to a plan to keep students safe in schools and in the community. It is often the students with out a strong support net work or those experienc ing challenges related to mental health, food

security, and a lack of stable housing who are more vulnerable to mak ing choices that could lead to their safety being compromised.

Keeping students safe is about creating inclusive environments and support networks to help them focus on their education and make positive life choices A positive working relationship between the board of trustees, school staff and com munity partners is vital to ensure student safety and success. I value the ongoing commitment from all education and community partners to maintain student focused, open and respectful communica tion, and a shared goal of the ongoing enhance ment of the student experience.

The Achieving for

Erica Beard

Delta team includes candidates with diverse perspectives and expe rience, who are all united by Mayor George Harvie’s vision to move Delta forward. The only way we can achieve our goals and deliver sig nificant investments for Delta is with the entire Achieving for Delta team elected to council and school board

Andrea DeWolff (school trustee) Independent

The role of a trustee is to help create an envi ronment for excellence in education for every student to reach their full potential, in the class room and in life As a trustee it is imperative to identify the needs of our education system through a collaborative approach, working with education partners at various levels

As an independent candidate in this elec tion, the top priorities I have identified through observation and con versation with parents, teachers and administra tion are; the immediate need for more resources and supports at the classroom level, specifi cally the need for more education assistants. All learners require these supports in the class room as they are the foundation for setting our educators up to cre

ate successful and safe classrooms

Throughout the pro cess of balancing the budget a priority of the trustees needs to be ensuring the distribu tion of funds starts at the classroom level, guar anteeing supports and resources are a top bud get priority. Educators and students should not bare the brunt of any budget shortfalls The district needs to be trans parent with the budget to ensure accountability.

During the four year term as trustee, I would like to ensure our stu dents feel safe at school. Safe, not being defined by a single action, but instead all encompass ing. Ensuring that “safe ty” includes and is not limited to; bullying, rac ism, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual ori entation, drug use and

Andrea DeWolff

violence. Our students have a fundamental right to feel safe at school.

I would also like to col laborate with the City of Delta to create accessible and safe new playgrounds at some of our local pub lic schools. Our commu nity needs inclusive play ground equipment, and to attain this, I believe col laborating would be the best approach This will ensure children at school, as well as other members of the community will benefit

Nimmi Daula

Municipal election

Dr. Ammen Dhillon (school trustee) Achieving for Delta

I was honoured to be asked by Mayor George Harvie and the Achieving for Delta Team to run for school trustee, giving back to the district that fostered the strong foun dation upon which my career rests on today, and that I’m now entrusting to educate my children

I bring a wealth of academic and indus trial experience, having worked in the biotech industry as a PhD (UBC) level scientist for 15 years developing therapeutics from the bench through to human trials, includ ing working on Dr Pieter Cullis’ team to hone the technology behind the mRNA COVID vaccine Dedicating decades towards challenging problems in medicine, I understand that solu tions are achieved with effective collaboration, planning, and innovative

thinking I want to ensure that our education sys tem reflects this and is keeping up with our fast evolving workforce and social systems

My passion is to fos ter mental and physical health literacy in our schools, as it is the first step to securing their educational success. I am a master’s level clinical counsellor specializing in healing trauma and ner vous system regulation, and a huge advocate for Achieving for Delta’s com prehensive school health strategy In line with this plan, I will be prioritizing initiatives that offer men tal health training and resources to children and parents, so they feel more in control of their own psychological well being and protecting them from anxiety, depression, and drug use

Finally, volunteering

Ammen Dhillon

as a Delta Community Foundation board mem ber, I get to appreciate Delta’s incredible diver sity, which demands that we make schools safe and welcoming spaces for all students and ensure a no tolerance policy for discrimination, bullying and exclusion. With your support, my goal is to see Delta gradu ates exceed all other districts in their social competency, academic performance, and resil iency

Carmen Halpenny (school trustee) ParentsVoiceBC

Carmen Halpenny is an active member of Delta with a long history of community involvement. She was also employed by the City of Delta to deliver the training “Healthy Cooking For Kids”

Carmen’s commit ment to public service is evidenced by her vol unteer roles with Basics for Babies, Food On The Corner, Sacred Heart School, and Earthwise Garden.

Carmen is trained to administer Naloxone, and researched about BC’s fentanyl crisis and how it has affected Delta youth important expe rience given Naloxone administration training will be delivered to stu dents in the 2023 school year

As an Early Childhood educator with 25 years ’ experience, Carmen has

growing concerns over recent initiatives being pushed into our educa tion institutions

Her number one goal is to advocate for trans parency and openness within the Delta School District so students and parents will be fully informed at every level of education.

If elected as school board trustee, Carmen promises to serve the people who elected her, not powerful unions, labour federations or government bureau crats.

She has also served on the Parent Advisory Committee of South Delta Secondary School

Masako Gooch (school trustee) Achieving for Delta

As a mother of three young children, current and future students in the Delta school system, I have a vested inter est in advocating for all students in the district. I believe a strong founda tion is vital to life long learning, and that every child deserves to feel empowered, supported and nurtured in their education I also believe that educators need to be supported and heard, as their role is invaluable in providing the corner stones of learning and knowledge My top pri orities are advocating for greater supports for both teachers and students, as well as promoting an inclusive atmosphere for learning School should remain a safe space for all students, regard less of learning needs, gender identity, sexual orientation, culture, or

socioeconomic back ground. I also believe a top priority needs to be increased advocacy for funding at the provin cial and federal level for students of all learning abilities If elected, I will also ensure greater supports for mental health, physical activity, and health literacy for students, as wellbeing greatly impacts mean ingful participation in learning, communi cation, and fostering healthy relationships I believe in a healthy part nership with teachers and staff, where areas of concern can be dis cussed, is of vital impor tance Increasing trustee visibility and collabora tion with families and school staff is imperative to creating inclusive school communities, where voices are heard Based on discussion

Masako Gooch

with teachers in the dis trict, student funding, salary, and cost of living in the Lower Mainland are main concerns when it comes to recruit ment and retainment of teachers If elected, I will advocate to the pro vincial government that salaries need to keep up with the rising cost of living, as our teachers are invaluable.

Alisa Horth (school trustee) ParentsVoiceBC

I’ve seen enormous changes to schools over the years and, more recently, an aggressive push to alter the educa tion curriculum without parental input or con sultation

This drove me to question the quality of the education being delivered to our children and to demand answers

I’ve talked to princi pals, school board trust ees and school coordi nators, none of whom seemed interested in my concerns Instead of an open and transparent dialog, I was met with apathy and disinterest.

This led me to run for school trustee so I can help create an environ ment where parents’ voices will be heard by those who are elected to serve them, as that is the primary responsibility of school trustees

I’m also concerned about the shift away from the core education al skills that serve as the foundation for all suc cess in life and towards an agenda more suitable for the political arena than our children’s classrooms.

BC’s public schools belong to parents and the communities where they’re located, not to labour unions, teachers’ federations and govern ment bureaucrats. I’m running for trustee so I can help our school board remember its pri mary purpose is to serve parents, not to dictate to them

Carmen Halpenny

Alisa Horth

Municipal election

Nick Kanakos (school trustee) Independents Working for You

As a Trustee with experience and commit ment, I will work with the board to address the following three key issues:

COVID 19 and beyond:

It is important to continue and improve on the collaborative approach developed by our education com munity regarding the unique challenges the pandemic posed for us all. Drawing on the leadership of district staff, the Parent Advisory Committees, parents, teachers, and support staff, going forward we must continue to provide healthy, safe, and inclusive schools in a post COVID era We must work to bring parents back into the schools, in person, as full partners in the edu cation of their children

Keeping Delta No 1 in B C :

Over my three terms

as trustee, the Delta School District has achieved one of the highest graduation and scholastic achievement rates in the province.

At the elementary level, Delta students continue to achieve high levels of literacy and numeracy Our district continues to demonstrate ath letic achievements and our sports teams, and extra curricular pro grams make us proud I will continue this work towards excellence and support all in improv ing our students’ overall performance and school experience

Partnerships that move us forward:

I have witnessed first hand the discrepancy between the funding allocated by the Ministry of Education and the needs outlined by the Delta School District

At every opportunity, I have pressed for more funding and will con

Nick Kanakos

tinue to do so Our partnerships with the federal, provincial, and municipal governments are key in enhancing programs and our sports fields I will advocate for more funds and part nerships as this would: improve student perfor mance, improve health and safety opportunities, improve support for special needs students, and allow all students to reach their full potential.

Kids Matter Partners in Education

On Oct 15, please re elect Nick Kanakos and Bruce Reid

Joe Muego (school trustee) Achieving for Delta

Delta is a consistent leader in student perfor mance in the province and is an internationally recognized district for innovative teaching and inquiry based learning.

This means we have some of the most tal ented and dedicated professionals being sup ported by a District that has a clear vision.

The experience that I have gained within the Delta school system, having been an execu tive parent leader for 14 years, has made me very proud to have been the official voice of parents in my various roles as elementary and second ary PAC chairs, and ulti mately the chair of Delta DPAC representing par ents of 15,000 students from 31 schools.

That said we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to build upon our success by making sure

that students continue to thrive throughout their years and gradu ate with options We can do this by supporting teachers and staff in their professional prac tices, promoting inclu sive classrooms so that everyone feels safe, and through continued fiscal responsibility

One issue of dear importance to me is physical and mental health in schools

My record shows this commitment as I have been on the District Healthy Schools Committee for years as the parent voice. In this committee we initiated discussion and action that made real differ ences.

The importance of mental health was deep ly underscored when I was at the helm of DPAC at the start of the pan demic and undertook

Joe Muego

the task of a District wide survey of parents to report back to the Board and Superintendent on parents’ concerns The number one concern was mental health.

While the pandemic was an extreme occur rence, it did elucidate mental health as a core issue for parents As a leading District, it is our responsibility to continue to work with education partners to ensure our work in this area remains progressive and effective

Maury Kask (school trustee) Achieving for Delta

As a Delta resident, candidate for school trustee, and a passionate community advocate, I believe a key issue for all voters is to ensure that we elect candidates that possess the collective knowledge, skills and experience to effectively lead our city and school board Today’s challeng es are many and varied, and they require profes sional and competent leaders that can work together to ensure that Delta continues to be the best place to live in the Lower Mainland and one of the best managed cities in all of British Columbia. I’m proud to be part of the Achieving for Delta team, as all our candidates possess these qualities and more I think it’s important for voters to know that Boards of Education carry many responsi bilities and control a considerable amount of

taxpayer dollars

Our Board of Education must be made up of a team of professional and com petent trustees in order to govern effectively We need a well rounded team of board members that believe there is only one taxpayer Our school trustees must be effi cient with every dollar spent The highest value for taxpayers comes when the school board works with all commu nity partners, including mayor and council, on shared priorities that maximize the efficient use of tax dollars to deliver for our students.

Our team of Achieving for Delta school trustee candidates fully sup port this expectation from our community Over the next four years, I believe our Board of Education should be focused on several dis trict priorities, including

ensuring that education policies (and funding decisions) place a prior ity on student outcomes and effectively meet our District’s wide ranging needs; allocating avail able resources effec tively to support equity and inclusion; ensuring our children can learn in a safe and caring learn ing environment and putting the needs of our students first

Bruce Reid (school trustee) Independents Working for You

Delta is one of the best managed districts with the best student outcomes in British Columbia

Having taught in Ontario and Alberta, I am acutely aware that the Delta tradition of high achievement that has been established by past boards has made it possible for future boards to continue pro viding outstanding edu cational opportunities for our students

However, there are still areas where advo cacy for improvement is needed, as the success of our students remains our number one priority. While academic prepa ration for students mov ing on to college and university has been high, we continue to need a greater emphasis on preparation for equally important skilled trades.

While in recent years,

educational funding from the province has improved, we still lag behind other provinces in funding In fact, in Delta we also receive less per capita fund ing than other districts. Recruitment and reten tion of staff is also an issue which requires con stant attention. Especially certain teaching areas have been difficult to fill.

The Delta School District also has a his tory of working well with all stakeholder groups, including our indig enous community, and this has resulted in a cooperative atmosphere which exists throughout the district

A new reality that has come out of the COVID pandemic is that maintaining healthy physical school environ ments has become more expensive. It would be ideal to hire more jani

Bruce Reid

torial staff to maintain the standards that were established during the pandemic

Our inclusive learn ing model is well established and requires constant monitoring to ensure that all students receive the best educa tion possible

Because of the stress, which is prevalent in our culture, staff wellness is also a major concern As an employer, we need to continually be seek ing to promote mental health support

Maury Kask

Municipal election

Whitney Saip Dyck (school trustee) Independent

As a mother with two young sons in the public school system, I have had the privilege of seeing first hand the difference that teachers and EAs have made in their lives, and despite our positive experience, I am very aware that many educators within our system lack the nec essary support in their classrooms to make Delta the best place to learn for our children.

I desire to be a part of a change in priori tizing how the limited resources available are distributed within the Delta School District Increasing allocations to allow for adequate learning supports, improving protection measures and programs for at risk youth, and providing trustee trans parency and account able spending are what I

believe to be the top pri orities for our district

Delta is a diverse city with many ethnic, religious and cultural minorities represented, and our schools are full of kids who need to feel loved, accepted, and safe.

Based on experience, Delta teachers are some of the most engaged and inclusive educators any where, but we need to ensure that they them selves have the training, resources, and support needed to manage a diverse classroom and provide a quality edu cation for our students without being overbur dened

Fresh voices, unbe holden opinions and on the ground insights are crucial to the Delta School Board if we want to see the real change that is possible Our

Whitney Saip Dyck

future is bright!

Val Windsor (school trustee)

We can all be proud that the Delta School District has one of the highest student achieve ment rates in B C and is widely known as an innovative, creative district thanks to out standing leadership and dedicated teachers and support staff But we must always be striving for improvement

To realize Delta’s Vision 2030, we need to elect forward thinking Trustees who bring a wide range of experi ence and community knowledge to ensure success for students well into the future I will work to advocate for a fully funded public education system so that we can meet the unique learning needs of all stu dents I will work with all levels of government to seek partnerships and funding that enhances

Achieving for Delta

our schools and pro vides high quality facili ties in our community

I will continue to focus on ensuring that we have inclusive, safe and welcoming schools for all students. This means prioritizing resources and supports so every student can achieve their full poten tial

I will continue to vote for additional funding for EAs, support for classroom teachers and additional specialist educators. I will con tinue to build positive relationships with our parents, students and staff so that the Delta School District is the best place to work and learn It’s more impor tant now than ever to get out to vote for forward thinking candidates who have the professional skills and qualifications

Daniel Tonn (school trustee) ParentsVoiceBC

Daniel Tonn is a long time Ladner resident and homeowner. He has extensive experience as a heavy duty mechanic working with the City of Vancouver, Coast Mountain Bus Company and DeltaPort

Daniel is deeply con cerned about the shift away from the essential building blocks of a successful working life reading, writing and mathematics toward major initiatives around hot button issues such as sex, race, and schools’ response to COVID 19, with little or no input from parents or the local community.

Daniel believes the primary responsibility for children’s education lies with their parents, not the state

Daniel also believes parents and their com munity deserve full

transparency about what happens in local schools, including the educa tional decisions made by school boards and how those decisions impact their children

When parents are ignored, at best, and labeled as troublemak ers or intolerant at worst, school boards have com pletely lost the plot

The role of the school trustee is embedded in the name: to be a trusted voice for the community they serve, not the ser vant of powerful unions and government bureau crats

He went to school at Hawthorne Elementary and graduated from Delta Secondary.

Daniel Tonn

to take the Delta School District into the future!

Val Windsor

Community

Be thankful for every moment

Have you ever expe rienced seasons when the moments, days and weeks seemed to slip away without noticing?

If we are honest, most of us will say yes. Maybe we were consumed by the busyness of every day routines, or by a difficult season when merely stay ing alive seemed like a challenge Regardless, we often look back on these seasons with a great sense of regret and the feel ing that moments were wasted. Time was wasted. And sometimes, it was stolen by complaining and ungratefulness

The book of Psalms (a great place to start when you come to realize the shortfalls of our human ity and want to refocus on God) gives voice and expression to this tendency in a prayer by Moses Moses asks God to “arrest” his impulse to simply just drift through

Minister’s Minute

ANDREAS

BASSON

LIFE CHURCH

the days

“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Psalm 90:12

I cannot begin to imagine the pain and the sorrow that so many people are experiencing with losing loved ones in Hurricane Ian in Florida, but I am convinced every single one of them would give anything to have just a few more moments.

Many lost their homes and possessions and things they value, things they might have com plained about before, but now that it’s gone, the value is felt. Do not take the time you have for granted no matter the season Do not take your blessings for granted

This Thanksgiving, make a point of it and express your thankful ness Let others hear Imagine if we can start a culture in our homes of thankfulness and appre ciation?

Be thankful, enjoy life, love people, and allow God to show you how much He loves you

Let us number the days, tune our ears heav enward to ensure that this season will not slip away That we might have our eyes wide open to see that the Lord is present and active and good!

LIFESTYLES

Event to report?

Contact Ian at

Sidekick holding audtions St.David’shostingbenefitconcert

Sidekick Players is auditioning again This time it’s for the second production of the season, Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley, directed by Cathy Collis

Outside Mullingar is about the romance of Anthony and Rosemary, neighbours in rural Ireland who are nearing their middle years. The production is poetic, uplifting, dark, and funny as hell. Anthony is an introverted farmer and Rosemary is the woman who vows to have him at all costs When Anthony’s father threatens to disin herit his son, Rosemary steps into the middle of a land feud and fam ily eccentricities beyond what one might imagine

The cast requirements are two women and two men.

Characters are, Rosemary Muldoon, age 30s to 50s, Anthony Reilly, age 30s to 50s, Aoife Muldoon age 60s to 70s and Tony Reilly, age 60s to 70s Irish accents are required for all cast mem bers.

Auditions will be held Monday, Oct. 24 and Tuesday, Oct 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Tsawwassen Arts Centre Auditions will be in person with a cold reading from sides of the script. Scripts are available at the Vancouver Library for perusal

If interested in audi tioning, please send resume and headshot to collisca11@gmail com with the subject line ‘Mullingar’

This is a community theatre production and all work involved would be on a voluntary basis

Rehearsals will be Tuesday evenings, Thursday evenings, and Sunday afternoons, start ing

Saturday’s musical evening to help finance extensive church upgrading

ELIZABETH MURRAY Contributing Writer

“If I Were a Rich Man“, I’d re roof St David’s Anglican Church Alas, the congregation do not have a Fiddler on the Roof, but it wishes it had

It does, however, have tal ented vocalists performing a benefit concert this Saturday, Oct 8 at 7 p m to help put roof ers atop the church’s a frame structure

Parishioners Rosemary Gahr and Daniele Walker have selected a variety of classical and semi classical songs to entertain their audience at the Tsawwassen church

They will be accompanied by Paul Kemp, well known Delta piano teacher and choral accompanist in churches, com munity choirs, elementary and secondary schools for the past 40 years

Their repertoire of solos and duets includes Barcarolle from Tales of Hoffmann which Gahr and Walker will sing together to the delight of concert goers with a taste for opera

Proceeds from this musical evening will be added to a major fundraising drive under way at St David’s to finance extensive

maintenance and upgrading needed to fix the church build ing from top to bottom.

A positive start in achiev ing a large contributory goal is already evident by receipt of significant donations of sup

port from the Diocese of New Westminster, from Legacy Parish Trust Funds, and from parishioners’ special giving

Tickets are $25 each (chil dren under 12 free), and are available from members of St.

David’s, or at the door on Oct 8 Refreshments will be served in the parish hall following the concert

St. David’s Anglican Church is located at 1115 51A Street, in Tsawwassen.

Paint the Port Art Show running until Oct. 29

Join the Port of Vancouver for a port inspired art show by the South Delta Plein Air Painters who painted outdoors throughout South Delta this summer

Paint the Port Art show is on now until Saturday, Oct 29 at the Port of Vancouver Delta Community Office, located at 5223 Ladner Trunk Road (Trenant Park Square).

Opening day featured artists painting en plein air (outdoors)

Throughout October, the art show will fea ture artists in residence, vote for Best in Show,

door prizes, coffee and cookies, interactive port games, and more

The show will run Wednesday to Fridays in October from 9 a m to 5

p m and Saturday’s from 10 a m to 4 p m

See more details at: portvancouver com/ delta

MARY HORTON PHOTO

Rosemary Gahr and Daniele Walker rehearsing with accompanist Paul Kemp for the upcoming benefit concert.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Rod Winning painted the MSC ship which was berthed at Deltaport container from the Tsawwassen ferry causeway.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

A plein air artist paints a CN locomotive and coal train along the Roberts Bank causeway.

Fire Prevention

Smoke alarms need to be replaced every 10 years.

What you need to know about smoke alarms

Smoke alarms save lives.

Smoke alarms that are properly installed and main tained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out

Here’s what you need to know:

A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area Install alarms on every level of the home

Smoke alarms should be interconnected. When one sounds, they all sound

Large homes may need extra smoke alarms.

Test your smoke alarms at least once a month Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working.

Today’s smoke alarms will be more technologically advanced to respond to a multitude of fire conditions, yet mitigate false alarms

When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside

Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years

Fire Prevention Week

the time to educate your children.

Planningaproper fireescapeiscritical

With today’s homes capable of burning faster than ever, it’s critical that families are well prepared for a potential tragedy

That’s why “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape ” is the theme of Fire Prevention Week that runs from Oct 9 to 15.

You may have as little as two minutes (or even less) to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advanced planning

“Everyone says they will plan to get out of their house safely, but not enough people actually take that to heart and actually do it,” said Delta Deputy fire Chief Dave Wood “So develop a home fire safety escape plan, and practice it at least twice a year, just like changing your smoke alarm batteries.

“Draw a map of your home and figure out two ways out of each room. See what you come up with then pick an outside meeting place for your family and practice those drills. Furniture is not built with big solid wood anymore Fires definitely burn hotter and quicker than they did in the past so your time to get out is limited”

Wood emphasized the plan must factor in the age and the physical ability of everyone as well

“Children, non able bodied adults or older adults need to be practicing those escape routes Compared to a healthy adult, they are going to need more time and that’s critical with today’s combustible materials,” he added

With that in mind, smoke alarms need to be in every bedroom as well as outside of sleeping areas (like a hallway), and on each level (including the basement) of your home

“Through testing, they found that most, especially children, will actually sleep right through a smoke alarm, so they need to be in every sleeping area, as well as outside too,” Wood added

For the best protection, use combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms that are interconnected throughout the home These can be installed by a qualified electrician, so that when one sounds, they all sound This ensures you can hear the alarm no matter where in your home the alarm originates.

After two years of COVID restrictions, Delta Fire is looking forward to getting back to its school presenta tions during Fire Prevention Week

“We’re pretty happy this year to be back in the school system,” Wood added “We will be reaching out to every school in the district and teaching kids fire safety”

Delta Fire’s popular contest returns

One lucky Delta elementary student will be cho sen Delta Fire Chief for a Day with details of the popular contest being released as part of National Fire Prevention Week. Here is last year’s winner Arjun Parihar

PHOTO BY DANI PENALOZA

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

SunDevilssweeprivalrygames

MARK BOOTH mbooth@delta optimist com

The South Delta Sun Devils will be jumping into the teeth of their 2022 B.C. High School Football schedule on Saturday knowing they already have a couple of rivalry trophies in their back pocket

The Sun Devils will play their first home game in over a month when No 1 ranked Vancouver College Fighting Irish visit Tsawwassen at 1:30 p m , beginning a string of challenging Western Conference games that will determine if they are headed to next month’s provincial “AAA” playoffs

They begin the pivotal stretch as Delta Bowl champions for the second straight year after a hard fought 22 14 win over the Seaquam Seahawks last Saturday at John

Oliver Park. The result came on the heels of rallying for a 22 16 triumph over the New West Hyacks in the annual clash for the Bill Kushnir Bronze Boot

“Anytime you got two rivalry games and come away with two trophies, that’s huge for the kids,” said SDSS co head coach and offen sive coordinator Jerry Mulliss. “We struggled at times and made some mistakes but at the end of the day the kids rallied and did a hell of a job, so we ’ re pretty happy”

The Sun Devils compiled nearly 300 yards of total offence against the Seahawks, but saw too many promising drives stalled by penal ties and turnovers However, they leaned on the leadership and athleticism of Grade 12 quarterback Kenny Scott to break a 14 14 fourth quarter deadlock on a five yard run by Ryan Roberts.

Scott used his scrambling ability to compile a team leading 74 yards on just seven car ries and would have also thrown for over 200 yards if not for a number of dropped passes Dawson Sjoberg did make a terrific catch for an 11 yard major in the second quarter. Ben Holmes finished with three receptions for 85 yards.

With Scott attending the Canadian Futures Baseball Showcase in Toronto, Grade 11 quar terback Darius Hanna stepped up in a big way to lead South Delta to a come from behind win over the Hyacks

Trailing 16 14 in the fourth quarter, he hit Morgan MacCubbin for a 12 yard touchdown MacCubbin then ran in the two point convert Hanna finished the night connecting on 10 of 19 passes for 143 yards and two majors The other was to Trent Clisby.

PHOTOS BY MARK BOOTH

The South Delta Sun Devils are Delta Bowl champions for the second straight year after their hard-fought 22 14 win over the Seaquam Seahawks on Saturday at John Oliver Park Mayor George Harvie presented to the trophy to the team captains.

Sports

AhistoricplayoffvictoryforDeltaStars

It’s a playoff champion ship win at last for the Delta Stars in the Lower Mainland Baseball Association (LMBA)

The Stars were formed out of Ladner back in 2004 as one of the original teams in the LMBA’s new 45+ Division

Since then, they have had no post season success over the last 18 seasons

That finally all changed last Saturday at Dugald Morrison Park.

The Stars defeated the Vancouver Pirates 6 5 in thrilling come from behind fashion. The win snapped four straight playoff final losses to their longtime rivals

It look like the drought would continue when Vancouver jumped out to a commanding 5 0 lead in the top half of the first inning.

In a show of sheer determi nation pitchers Paul Pepin

e e

in the seventh with timely hits and heads up baserunning by Phil Letts, Ghalib Gulam, Mike O’Connor, Rick Dubras, and a sacrifice fly by Keith

Fluet Down by one going into the bottom of the ninth, lead off batter Brian Loney worked a base on balls and quickly moved to second on a sacri

fice bunt by Russ Lacate.

Following a strikeout, Mike O’Connor just beat out an infield single to keep the rally alive. Dubras then came to bat and worked the count to 2 and 2 before sending a fly ball to short left centre field In what seemed like an eter nity, the Pirate centre fielder sprinted to try and make the catch, but the ball fell in front of him, allowing the tying and winning Stars runs to score. Bedlam ensued

In his post game remarks, LMBA Commissioner Dan Taylor noted that the 45+ Division championship tro phy is named after former original Delta Stars player and long time Ladner resident George Pinter who passed away in 2013

The Stars roster is rounded off by original members including coach Ken Lorenz, Larry Waddell, and Bruce Oikawa, along with Ian Kato, Adam Roberts, Rene Holt, and Doug Roberts.

Submitted

SUBMITTED

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Sherwood

Gorgeous family home in the Upper Terrace on a 8000 sq ft corner lot. Main floor living w/ 4 bedrooms Mup. ove in ready with a recent kitchen renovation byLentel Construction, as well as a fully renovated main bath w/ seamless shower & stand alone tub. Master bedroom has a recently renovated 3 piece ensuite & walk in closet. This home has a European ambience with inviting living room with wood floors, bay window & wood burning fireplace The dream room is the Glass Solarium overlooking the garden w/ vaulted usedceilings year round for dining & entertaining. Lovely South West garden has constant sun & provides harvests with 3 apple trees, grape vines, raspberries, blueberries & lavender Double car garage completes this well loved family home. Newer flooring, windows & furnace.

Quality custom built home on a 9300 square foot, beautifully landscaped lot in Pebble Hill. Top quality finishing including: engineered hardwood floors throughout, radiant in floor heating, air conditioning & high end Fisher & Paykel appliances package. 4 extra large bedrooms upstairs & 1 on the main for guests. 2-5-10 home warranty

English Bluff

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947 51ST STREET

Tsawwssen's Street of Dreams. Spacious executive 4 bedroom & den home situated on huge 10,118 sq ft southwest facing gorgeous private lot on very popular street Large family room, nice kitchen with newer Stainless steel appliances Spacious living room w/separate dining room plus 1 bedroom and den/office downstairs Three bedrooms up, large master bedroom with walk in closet & full ensuite w/ Jacuzzi tub Radiant hot water heat Home built w/4x6 construction, thermal windows, newer drainage, great workshop/shed

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COLLIER, Ruth September 27, 2022

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Ruth Collier, in late September. She is preceded in death by her husband, Dave. She is survived by her son, Darren (Cathy); daughter, Sherri; grandchildren, Jeffrey (Tiff), Michelle, Amber (Sean) and Ashley (Tyler); and great grandchildren, Landon, Carter, Garrett, John and Jack

In her childhood years, Ruth enjoyed vacationing with her family at Mule Lake and Matlock. She continued travelling after marriage, vacationing in Hawaii and Palm Springs with her husband and close family friends Ruth enjoyed listening to her favourite artist, Englebert, knitting and talking for endless hours on the phone. Her humour was infectious. She was an advocate for Save the Delta Hospital and was proud of her efforts Ruth was devoted to her family, cultivating close relationships with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She has created many beautiful memories that will ive on and comfort those who held her dear.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Delta Hospital Foundation, 5800 Mountain View Blvd, Delta, BC, V4K 3V6.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma and Sister

Mom passed away at the Irene Thomas Hospice at the age of 88 after a battle with cancer Born in New Westminster, B C , raised n East Delta and a ongtme resdent of Ladner

Mom wil be forever remembered by her four chidren and ten grandchildren Leonard (Shannon, Danie), Karen/David Bonneteau (Serena, Travs, Erca, Ncoe), Richard/Cindy (Courtney, Meissa), Wayne/Lynne (Ashton, Cassdy) and thirteen Great Grandchldren Aso survived by her brothers, Howard Peterson (Betty) and Dennis Peterson (Joy) Predeceased by Husband, Edwin (2003), brothers, Ivan Peterson (2021) and Jack Peterson (2022)

Mom worked for many years as Hostess at the Delta Town & Country Inn She loved gardening payng cards, casno visits, but was happest spending time with her famly Her door was aways open and the coffee on for neighbors and friends

A private family gravesde servce wil be hed at the Valley View Cemetery

gathering for famiy and friends

take place at the Delta Funera Home

2 p m 4 p m

21,

KILLEEN, Patricia Lee December 19, 1941 September 28, 2022

Patricia Lee Killeen (McCubbin) passed away at the time chosen by her Lord, Wednesday, September 28, 2022, after a long illness. Patti, who was 80, had been living on Salt Spring Island for many years. She is survived by her son Paul (Monica) and daughter Sarah (Alec, Shawn and Amy). Patti was predeceased by her granddaughter, Grace. Paul and Sarah wish to thank her many loyal friends who kept in contact and provided so much encouragement over the years and the home care nurses who gave her companionship these last months A funeral will be held at Benediction Lutheran Church in Tsawwassen on Tuesday, October 18 at 1 pm, followed by a private burial at Boundary Bay Cemetery In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to B.C. Children’s Hospital.

When my life work is ended, and I cross the swelling tide, When the bright and glorious morning I shall see; I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side, and his smile shall be the first to welcome me.

In leu of flowers,

famiy

in memory of Frances Els to “Delta Hosptal and Community Heath Foundaton”

PATERSON, George Charles

George’s

1:30pm

ELLIS, Karen Frances (nee PETERSON) September 14, 1934 September 23, 2022

GROENEWOLD, Jan Hendrik “Henk”

Henk Groenewod passed from ths world into the

arms of hs Lord and Savour, Jesus Christ

September 24, 2022

Born on November 7 1929 in Gronngen The Netherands, Dad began a career n the merchant navy folowing the war In 1954 he married Tne Eelhart and mmigrated to Canada to adopt chidren They first ived in Alberta and after a few years moved to BC where the famly settled

Dad had a successfu career working as a marne engineer and then later as an engneer n the pup and paper industry

Dad oved to trave and vst famly and friends in Holand, Caifornia and Edmonton In retrement he spent countless hours fimng and producng videos of the adventures of hs ife as wel as producing videos for famiy and frends

Dad’s faith and trust in God endured through hs ife

Henk leaves behnd his children Margaret McCabe (Steve), Michae (Bev), Harold, Evelyn Mathesus (Curt), and stepchldren Leslie Pocha (Steve) and Jerad; 15 grandchldren and 20 great grandchidren He was predeceased by his loving wives Tine (nee Eelhart, 1989), Teena (Hammng, 2007), grandson, Nathan (Bowling) and hs friend Liz Burks

A funera service was held on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at Delta Funeral Home, Ladner, B C https://www legacystreaming com/arbor memoral delta/

Onine condoences can be made at deltafunera ca Delta Funeral Home 604 946 6040

WILLIAMS, Holly Anne February 7, 1981 ~ October 3, 2022

Only 41 years od, a terrible accdent resulted n Holy passing away on October 3, 2022 Born n Vancouver to Harold Wiliams and Sue Schaab, Holy was a strong, independent, talented woman who adored her children and oved al of her family deepy She was a fighter and a survivor who fought a hard lfe and love to live lfe to the fulest and to the extreme The word s a much duler place without her

She is survved by her oving father Harold (Chief) Willams her mother Sue Schaab (Terry); her devoted children, Tyee/Tmber, Natasha (Miguel), Jennifer, Sequoia, Aalyiah, and Joy; her cherished siblngs Natasha (Darryn), Rache (Blake), Dionne, Jason (Stephanie), Tammy (Everett), Angie (Jeremy), Dan (Syma); and many auntes, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends

She is predeceased by her stepmother Sharon Htchcock Wllams; grandparents Harod and Dorothy Willams; Unce Waly Wllams, Unce Bruce and Gna O’Rourke and Aunte Karen and Mke Underwood

A dedicated, oving mother ful of passion and inspiration She loved her chidren unconditonally and was their advocate and warror

Holy was an excellent cook and baker, and her deicious pes wil be missed She was an exceptonaly talented weaver and seamstress; weaving cedar and woo nto masterpeces to be cherished and even sewng her own wedding dress Al of her work emboded her ove of lfe, her culture and her passons

Prayers w l be hed on October 7 2022 at 7:00 p m and a Celebration of Holy s Lfe wil be held at 10:00 a m on October 8, 2022, both hed at the Tsawwassen First Nation Longhouse ocated at 2148 Tsawwassen Drive, Tsawwassen B C

LAWTON, Anthony (Tony)

January 31, 1923 September 29, 2022

Anthony (Tony) Lawton, (born 1923) a longtime Ladner resident, has left us but his kindness will remain for all his friends and acquaintances. He will always be remembered.

SWENSON, Art

A Celebration of Life for Art Swenson: Saturday, October 8th from 1:00 4:00 pm Harris Barn, 4140 Arthur Drive, Ladner, BC

We invite Art’s friends and loved ones to join his family to remember his wonderful life. All are most welcome.

found Sep 19th, Tsawwassen Springs Mall

Evelyn EMacklem velyn Macklem

yn yn greatest Hope W be daughters (Kathy), received Mom’s birthday is this October 8th for her 101 Birthday. She has received congratulations from the Queen last year as well as the Government of Canada. She is even thinking she will start to bake her famous cookies again now that Covid has subsided.She is still a huge CFL fan of the BC Lions (Saskatchewan as well) and of course her Canucks. Those who know her well,know just how much she loved her trips to Las Vegas even into her late 80’s going to the shows,out for dinner and of course working the slots—especially at the Flamingo! She lived in Winnipeg until the early 80’s and then moved to Tsawwassen.Once our Dad passed,she moved to South Surrey to be close to her daughter and son, we are so fortunate to have our Mom so close!

Happy Birthday to the eatest Mom, Grandmother & Great Grandmother!

ope your day is surrounded by love and happiness

We are wishing you all the est and looking forward to your special year

L ots of love, from your ughters Barb (Clarence) & aron (Gary), your son Bill hy) and all your grandkids and great grandkids