Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Times January 27 2015 by Maple Ridge Times

Tuesday, January 27, 2015 Curling fans descended on Golden Ears Winter Club as Maple Ridge played host to the BC women’s Scotties provincial championships this past weekend.

Page A15 • LOCAL NEWS, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT • mrtimes.com • 604-463-2281 • 20 PAGES Finance deliberations

Pitt council holds tax hike to zero Two councillors who opposed the budget, raised concerns about eliminating the Pitt Meadows Economic Development Corporation.

GET AN iPAD WITH YOUR NEXT VEHICLE PURCHASE In-stock cars only some exemptions may apply

View

More Photos with

www.mrtimes.com

– while a stretch – was attainable.” During the budget process, council had some “vigorous debates” and identified some changes, Becker explained. And, although he noted the spending adjustments were “not driven by the election goal,” he said he was pleased that his “projections of a spending by Eric Zimmer freeze proved accurate.” What’s among the changes? ezimmer@mrtimes.com “The volunteer Pitt Meadows After going through the numEconomic Development bers, making various adjustCorporation (PMEDC) board ments, and meeting twice for was replaced by City council budget deliberations last week, as a way to bring the strategic Pitt Meadows City council planning process back within achieved a zero-per-cent tax City council’s purview,” and increase for 2015. ultimately PMEDC itself will “Basically we had last year’s “cease to operate,” the mayor budget, and we went through explained. Tracy Miyashita a process,” said finance direcThe outstanding relationships City councillor tor Mark Roberts. He noted that and obligations will be transback in October, staff proposed ferred to City staff, City couna budget with a 2.85-per-cent tax cil and potentially third party suppliers, increase. Becker said. “With repurposed economic “Then at the beginning of these two ses- development form and function, I believe sions, new things came along,” Roberts that future investment in Pitt Meadows said. “One of them was taxation from new looks very bright indeed.” growth, which helped us bring the 2.85 Two City councillors didn’t support the down to 0.73 per cent – which is where budget, and expressed concern with how we were sitting at the beginning of these council achieved its goal. deliberations.” “Overall, I am impressed that council During the two days of budget discusachieved a zero increase, and discussions sions, “council did its pluses and minuswere very respectful and showed that es,” at one point actually getting below staff and council are working hard for the the goal of zero-per-cent tax increase, citizens of Pitt Meadows,” said Councillor Roberts said. Tracy Miyashita. “But I didn’t support It was decided by Mayor John Becker the overall budget because to achieve the and council that the spending balance ‘zero increase,’ council eliminated ecobelow zero (almost $88,000) would be put nomic development.” into a new reserve for the future replaceDuring the election, economic development of existing City buildings. That deciment was key to Miyashita’s campaign, sion brought the tax increase back to zero. as well as for others who ran and were “What we’re basically saying is for elected, she explained. the average single-family home in Pitt “Supporting businesses, attracting new Meadows, they are going to have a zero business, and creating jobs is something increase over last year’s budget property that should be a priority in our communtaxes, and zero increase in utility fees,” ity,” Miyashita added. explained Roberts. The discussion, the process, and the “When I ran for mayor, I set it as one decision was “premature, given the lack of my goals to freeze 2015 spending at of a fully detailed business case that 2014 levels,” said Becker. “This was based would outline context as well as a SWOT on my review of the publicly available analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunCity’s financial information.” ities and threats), options, and potential Based on the review, Becker said he felt recommendations,” said Councillor Bill that with a change to “strategic focus and Dingwall. some operational efficiencies, the goal • More at www.mrtimes.com, search “deliberations”

Layar or online

Celebrating the written word

Rick Moyer/TIMES

Dozens of local families took part in the family literacy week events at Maple Ridge Library this past Saturday. It featured storytellers, entertainers, and a costume contest that ran throughout the afternoon. A similar literacy celebration is planned at the Pitt Meadows Library this coming Saturday, Jan. 31, highlighting the Dirty Thirties through to the Awesome Eighties with stories, games, puppet shows, and other activities from 1 to 3:30 p.m. See more about Family Literacy Day and additional photos on page A7.

Online, all the time...

www.mrtimes.com

See our ad on page 19 for this weeks deals!

Connect With Your City

pittmeadows.bc.ca facebook.com/pittmeadows @citypittmeadows

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Warm Hearth HOT WINTER

REBATE

SAVE $600 UP TO

ASK US FOR DETAILS! 11834 - 226th St., Maple Ridge 604-467-2200 www.warmhearthheating.ca

ONLY UNTIL FEB. 23RD WINNER BEST FIREPLACE STORE!

Your fireplace specialist...

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

UpFront Click

Police files

Mountie helps save a trucker

for community

by Roxanne Hooper rhooper@mrtimes.com

mrtimes.com

Camping fees rising It will cost more to camp at provincial park – including Golden Ears and Rolley Lake – this spring, after fee hikes unveiled by the government Thursday. The nightly rate at many of B.C.’s provincial park campgrounds will increase between $2 and $5 starting March 15, when the online reservation system opens, said Environment Minister Mary Polak. • More at www.mrtimes.com Troy Landreville/TIMES

Pitt Meadows was the winner of a friendly wager between its mayor John Becker and Maple Ridge Mayor Nicole Read. The Pitt Meadows flag will sit in the Maple Ridge City Hall lobby for a month after Pitt Meadows raised more food and cash, based on per capita, than Maple Ridge for the Friends In Need Food Bank during the CP Holiday Train’s stop at the two communities last month.

Fundraising Rick Moyer/TIMES

The North Alouette River was still running high on Saturday morning, but 224th Street was reopened to local traffic.

Weather mixes it up Heavy rains shut down roads in Maple Ridge on Friday night, and sunny weather on Sunday nearly broke temperatures records in Pitt Meadows. Needless to say, local weather this past weekend went from one extreme to another. • More at www.mrtimes.com

TIMES files

Golden Ears Bridge traffic has increased in the past year.

Drivers dodging tolls Though many drivers bypass the tolled Golden Ears Bridge, as well as the Port Mann, in favour of free routes, TransLink – which operates the tolled Golden Ears Bridge – claims traffic volumes on the local bridge rose six per cent to 11.7 million trips in 2014. • More at www.mrtimes.com

Flag flies following friendly bet

Friends In Need Food Bank recipients are the big winner in a little inter-city rivalry. by Troy Landreville tlandreville@mrtimes.com

Visitors to Maple Ridge City Hall will no doubt do a double-take when they see the Pitt Meadows flag standing prominently in the lobby. The colourful flag being placed in a temporary home is the result of a friendly contest between the neighbouring communities. Early last month, Maple Ridge Mayor Nicole Read made a friendly wager with Pitt Meadows Mayor John Becker as to which community would raise more money during the Dec. 17 visit of the CP Holiday Train to Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. “The challenge flowed from what I think is, the fact that when we started talking, we really hit it off,” Becker said, about his rapport with Read. “It was just a fun thing. The CP Holiday Train had never stopped in Pitt Meadows before, and this was the first time it did. And CP said, ‘We want to see what kind of response your com-

munity gives to the train in terms pleased to see the shelves stocked of donations and people and conat a time of the year when, tradtributions to the food bank.’” itionally, donations of both food Read thought the friendly chaland cash tend to drop off. lenge was a great idea. The wager was based on the ‘per “It was a good way to raise capita’ amounts raised, and while awareness for an important cause,” Maple Ridge citizens donated more she said. actual cash and a similar amount In 2013, donations were down of food, the City’s population is from the previous year and the four times that of Pitt Meadows. event barely raised $20,000, which This means the Pitt Meadows impacted people who need the flag will be seen at City hall for food bank to get them through the the next month, and it will be month. displayed behind Mayor Read at To bump up interest and donatonight’s (Jan. 27) council meeting. tions for this key This was one bet fundraiser for the Read “We’re happy to have losing.didn’t mind Friends In Need the flag here…” Food Bank, the “It was fun… a mayors made the lot of fun,” Read Mayor Nicole Read bet. said. “And we’re The totals rose happy to have the significantly. flag here. We’re good partners.” Maple Ridge donors raised just This has the makings of being an shy of $10,000 in cash and 3,355 annual challenge. pounds of food. “The intent is to raise awareIn Pitt Meadows, the cash total ness to get people out,” Read said. was a little more than $6,000 with “It’s a really great event for the 3,419 pounds of food collected. community. Outside of even the CP Rail donated $7,000 in each food bank, it’s great for the CP community, bringing the combined train to arrive, and the music was total between Maple Ridge and Pitt amazing, and it was a really fesMeadows to close to $30,000, plus tive event. It’s a great opportunity more than three tons of food. for the community to get together Becker related that Friends’ exec- during the holidays and also raise utive director Mary Robson was what we need for people in need.”

JOIN NOW AND PAY ONLY $15 FOR YOUR FIRST FULL MONTH MAPLE RIDGE’S LARGEST 24 HR. COED & WOMEN’S ONLY HEALTH CLUB

KIDS KLUB EASY PARKING SENIOR RATES FAMILY RATES CORPORATE RATES TANNING

20629 - 119th Ave., Maple Ridge • 604-465-8955 • fitnessunlimited.ca

Quick action by a Maple Ridge Mountie is credited with saving a life last week. Thanks to RCMP Const. Tammy Lang, a truck driver was able to get the medical help he urgently required. Last Wednesday, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Lang was travelling east on the TransCanada Highway – heading to a training appointment at the Pacific Region Training Centre in Chilliwack. Near the Yale Road exit, she was flagged down by an “excited man” on the roadside. “I had no idea what the problem was,” explained the community policing officer. “I saw a semi-truck on the side of the road and this man acting quite frantically. Tammy Lang RCMP constable I had some difficulty in understanding the man, but soon learned that his partner inside the semi was in some form of a medical distress.” Lang climbed into the cab and immediately assessed the man’s condition, called an ambulance, and began administering first aid. “Medical intervention was urgently required,” she said, shrugging off accolades for her efforts. “In my opinion, the man who flagged me down is the true hero. He did all he could to get help for his friend by waving me down.” This is just one example of how Ridge Meadows officer go above and beyond, said Cpl. Alanna Dunlop.

Over 55 classes per week INCLUDED in membership! Including Pilates, Yoga, Metabolic, TRX, Stretch, Spinning & MORE!

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times www.sd42.ca

A revised $1.4-million upgrade to Whonnock Lake Park was rolled out Thursday. It included significant changes after public outcry about the removal of too many trees in the municipal park.

7 pm, February 4, 2015 Golden Ears Elementary (Activity Room) 23124 - 118 Avenue, Maple Ridge

LATE FRENCH IMMERSION

PA R E NT & ST U D E NT I N F O R M AT I O N M E E T I N G

Late French Immersion begins in grade 6. Students who are currently in grade 5 are eligible to begin Late French Immersion in September, 2015 at Golden Ears Elementary School. Come to our information meeting on February 4th to ﬁnd out more. For more information, contact Shelley Linton at t. 604.463.7108 or e. shelley_linton@sd42.ca.

Tree removal scaled back

A few dozen people came out to see revised plans for the future of this rural Maple Ridge park.

Will your child be 5 years old on or before DECEMBER 31, 2015? If so, it’s kindergarten registration time!

Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows School District 42

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION NO MORE LINE-UPS!

Visit our website to learn more about our online registration process, open your Parent Portal account and ﬁnd your child’s registration period: http://www.sd42.ca/kindergarten-registration

EN REG I RT

NOW ONLINE

ATION

Did you Know…

Maple Ridge / Pitt Meadows Community Services is a local charity helping those in Need…

22225 Brown Avenue, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 8N6 Tel. 604.463.4200

R ST

few dozen people dropped in Thursday’s meeting. The upgrades will come at a cost of $1.4 million, according to Pendl, although she couldn’t confirm if that number included the cost for a permanent caretaker’s residence to be built in 2017. by Cole Wagner For Noreen Woods, a bookkeeper with editorial@mrtimes.com the Whonnock Community Association, The public has spoken, the trees will the upgrades, regardless of cost, are “overstay – at least most of them. due.” It’s been almost 14 years in the making, “They have to take care of the needs of but if everything goes as planned, conthe park first; the drainage issues and so struction on improvements to Whonnock on,” she said. Lake Park could start as early as March. Woods also stressed the need for the On Thursday night, the public was upgrades to find a balance between makinvited to an information meeting at the ing the park accessible to a growing numWhonnock Lake Centre, where the most ber of people every year, while maintainup-to-date plans for Whonnock Lake were ing its “natural appeal.” unveiled. Pendl understands the Last fall, preliminary balance, and stressed that plans for the upgrade were “This could be the last the public consultation was unveiled amid criticism by a key factor in determining major upgrade to the locals. They were angered how to develop the park park for 50 years… we without ruining its natural by the number of trees slated for removal from the beauty. want to do it right.” park. “People sometimes don’t Sylvia Pendl With those complaints understand… We’re not in mind, the updated site home developers – we love plans scale back on parking near the our trees,” she added. Whonnock Community Centre, opting Now, the challenge facing Pendl is to get instead to preserve a swath of trees that the plans approved by City council, then were on the chopping block in the prior out for bidding. plan. “We’re confident we’re on the right The revised plans also include lighted track,” Pendl said. “We think we can start trails for pedestrians and new playground this in March.” equipment for children. In 2001, a new master plan for But most of the upgrade will go Whonnock Lake development was drafted towards the infrastructure that will keep in consultation with residents, but was Whonnock Lake a sustainable recreation shelved due to funding. area – things like drainage improvements That plan was revisited in 2013, when and new road access to keep cars from monies became available. parking on sensitive ecological areas, said Now, after a two-year public consultaSylvia Pendl, park planning technician tion process, Pendl realizes that the opporwith the City of Maple Ridge. tunity for major upgrades to the park may “People might not notice too many be few and far between. changes in the look of the park, but they “This could be the last major upgrade to will notice a change in how the park the park for 50 years … we want to do it works for them,” said Pendl, who noted a right.”

REGISTRATION begins Feb 11, 2015 on a ﬁrst come, ﬁrst on list basis.

DE R G A

Park

KIN

TIMES files

Kindergarten registration is exclusively online, and begins mid-January.

20 15-2016

22225 Brown Avenue, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 8N6 Tel. 604.463.4200

meadowvalefamilydental.com Stephanie Manager

Are you putting off

dental treatment

because of financial concerns? You will be pleased to know that January is

“Manager’s Special”

month. Stephanie will give each new patient a

YOUR DONATION WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

$50.00 off coupon

when you reserve your new patient exam and cleaning. Maple Ridge / Pitt Meadows Community Services

11907 - 228th Street, Maple Ridge Visits and Meals for Isolated Seniors

604-467-6911

Donate today online at www.comservice.bc.ca

Meadowvale Family Dental Centre also offers a very unique payment plan that hundreds of our patients are taking advantage of? An examination is first requires to determine one’s eligibility for treatment.

Call Stephanie today for details.

604-457-0990

111-19150 Lougheed Hwy.

Pitt Meadows meadowvalefamilydental.com

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Behind the scenes

Input sought

Abernethy road work unveiled A section of one of Maple Ridge’s key eastwest roadways will look significantly different in the not-too-distant future. Road widening is planned for a large section of 128th Avenue. (Abernethy Way), from 210th to 224th Streets. To accommodate the work, the City of Maple Ridge has acquired additional road right-ofway along Abernethy Way from 210th Street to east of Blackstock Street. The work will turn the route into a fourlane rural arterial roadway standard from 210th to 224th Street. The work will be done in two phases. Phase 1 is from 210th to east of 216th Street, with construction planned to start in early summer. Dependent on funding, the second phase will mean widening of the road from 216th to east of 224th Street. On Wednesday, Jan. 28, the public is invited to an open house. People can view the preliminary design and provide feedback for the widening of 128th Avenue (Abernethy Way), from 210th to 224th Streets. The open house runs from 4 to 8 p.m. at Maple Ridge City hall, 11995 Haney Pl., in the lobby at the Dewdney Trunk Road entrance.

• More at www.mrtimes.com, search “Abernethy”

Flames’ voice bound for Games

BCIT broadcast student and Maple Ridge resident Tyler Lippingwell will be covering the Canada Winter Games in Prince George. by Troy Landreville tlandreville@mrtimes.com

The voice of the Ridge Meadows Flames will be temporarily setting up shop in northern B.C. during the second half of February. Flames play-by-play announcer Tyler Lippingwell is driving to Prince George on Feb. 11, along with his friend Lucas Wilson. Once there, the 22-year-old BCIT broadcast students will be covering the Canada Winter Games (CWG) for a pair of Prince George radio stations, 101.3 The River and 99.3 The Drive. Prince George is the host community of the CWG that run from Feb. 13 to March 1. The CWG will be the largest multi-sport and cultural event ever held in that community, with roughly 2,400 athletes from 800 communities, 1,000 coaches and officials, up to 4,500 volunteers, hundreds of media, and thousands of visitors coming to the Games Lippingwell and Wilson are being asked to provide three CWG reports per day, working with the stations’ morning and afternoon drive crews. “We’ll be doing interviews, Internet promos, on scene promos… that type of stuff,” Lippingwell said. “As to what exactly we’ll be doing up there, we’re going up there and doing what is asked of us.” Lippingwell couldn’t ask for a better traveling partner than Wilson, who is the colour commentator for Port Moody Panthers junior B games. The two are good friends, and do a podcast together. They also played baseball against each other when they were kids. When asked to go to Prince George for the Games, Lippingwell

Troy Landreville/TIMES

Ridge Meadows Flames play by play announcer (and BCIT student) Tyler Lippingwell is heading to Prince George in mid-February to cover the Canada Winter Games. said it was “kind of surreal.” “I’ve lived in Maple Ridge my whole life and the longest I’ve been away has been for a week,” said Lippingwell, a graduate of Westview Secondary. “Going away this long is something special on its own, especially

considering what we’re doing and working at the Canada Winter Games.” While he does play-by-play for Maple Ridge’s junior B hockey club, Lippingwell’s idol growing up wasn’t the likes of the voice of the Vancouver Canucks, John

Shorthouse, or the venerable Bob Cole, who for decades has been the voice of Hockey Night In Canada. Instead, it was, and still is, Don Taylor, a full-time afternoon host with TSN Radio 1040 and former anchor with the Sportsnet Connected highlight show. “Don Taylor is my idol,” Lippingwell said. “I grew up watching Sportsnet Pacific. Don Taylor, every night at 10 o’clock – that’s what I would go to bed to.” And then there’s his work with the Flames. He learned about working with the team through BCIT instructor Brian Wiebe, who manages the school’s student-run radio station, Evolution 107.9. “He mentioned to me that the PJHL [Pacific Junior Hockey League] had mandatory play-byplay and camera, and he mentioned to me that Ridge Meadows was looking,” Lippingwell said. “I talked to [Flames head coach and general manager] Jamie Fiset and that got the ball rolling.” Last season, Lippingwell provided colour alongside Flames marketing associate Rick Garrison, who handled play-by-play duties. “This year he was kind enough to step aside and let me do the play-by-play gig,” Lippingwell said. “Big props to Rick Garrison.” Lippingwell relishes his new role: “It’s the best time ever. I love it. Getting to know the players, the team, the fans… the whole experience has been incredible. I have to keep going with it. I absolutely love it.” He added, “I would love to do play-by-play [full time]. That to me is not even work. You’re showing up, having fun, and getting paid for it.” His first game as the Flames play-by-play man, Lippingwell felt like a deer in the headlights. “The first game ever [as play-byplay announcer] it was just, ‘all right, let’s do this,’” Lippingwell said.

• More at www.mrtimes.com, search “Lippingwell”

2 for 1 Designer Eyewear... Everyday!

50% OFF

COAtingS AnD UpgRADeS

100 – 20398 Dewdney Trunk Rd. MaAl@ RDdF@ 7 days a w@@k • OAEom@ErDsE oB-sDE@ • DowBEowB How@ SE aBd Yal@EowB • LaBFl@y • AbboEsford

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Celebration of life

Firefighters honour fallen friend A former member of the Maple Ridge fire department will be remembered on Wednesday.

Delta in 1989. “I was really shocked,” Spence said after hearing the news of Janson’s death. “I just feel everyone got ripped off… he was really a good guy… I lost a good friend.” In honour of Janson, the flags at the by Roxanne Hooper main Maple Ridge firehall will be lowered rhooper@mrtimes.com to half-mast on Wednesday. Flags will fly at half-mast at Maple As well, several of the long-time Maple Ridge’s Firehall No. Ridge firefighters, 1 this week, when who knew Janson local firefighters during his years say goodbye to a of working at the “[Mark Janson] was fallen colleague and local Lordco and friend. volunteering with really a good guy… Mark Janson, a the local fire brigI just feel everyone Langley resident ade, are planning got ripped off.” and Delta fireto attend his serDane Spence fighter – with ties vices. to Maple Ridge – is Janson is surbeing laid to rest on vived by his wife Wednesday. of 28 years, Lynda, Janson, 54, was as well as their walking his dog along 240th Street – near son Brady (Junior), and his dog and best his Langley home – during the evening buddy Reo. of Jan. 15. He was struck by a passing “We have lost an outstanding husband, pickup truck. father, and friend,” a member of his famEfforts by both the driver, a bystander, ily said in a prepared statement. and emergency responders failed to save Janson also had a large extended famJanson. ily, including his mother, brother, sister, Janson was a 26-year veteran of the nieces, nephews, and in-laws. He was preDelta fire department, working both as deceased by his father. a battalion captain and an emergency “Our thoughts and prayers go out to vehicle operator instructor. Captain Janson’s family and his friends,” But Janson got his start in the fire sersaid Delta fire chief Dan Copeland. vice in Maple Ridge back in 1985 – startA celebration of his life will be held on ing the same time as his fire colleague Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 10 a.m. at Delta and friend Dane Spence, the fire chief for South Baptist Church, 1988 56th Ave., in Maple Ridge fire department. Delta. “Mark and I started together in the fire In lieu of flowers, people are asked to service the same day,” Spence told The consider making donations to the Delta TIMES, recalling that Janson took the leap Firefighters Charitable Society in memory to full-time firefighting with the job in of Mark Janson.

Do you have peace of mind? Having a financial plan and working with a knowledgeable and trusted professional will give you peace of mind during times of volatility. I can give you a fresh opinion on your existing financial plan, or create a new customized plan, to help ensure your investments are worry-free. Call me today. Michael Kujala Financial Planner, Investment & Retirement Planning Tel. : 604-466-3561 michael.kujala@bmo.com

Financial Planners, Investment & Retirement Planning are representatives of BMO Investments Inc., a financial services firm and a separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal. ® Registered trade-marks of Bank of Montreal, used under licence.

Congratulations

TOP SALES

PERFORMANCE AWARD

2014 Derek P. Magennis Senior Sales & Lease

604-607-4719

Top Sales for 2011, 2012 & 2013 Honda Canada SALES LEADERSHIP 2013 & 2014 Derek.Magennis@marvjoneshonda.com

“Thank you to all my clients on another successful year! And for bringing back excitement to the car purchasing experience!”

SALES 604.465.5464 SERVICE 604.465.7622

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

MAPLE RIDGE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT SOCIETY

POETRY CONTEST 2015

INVITATION TO SUBMIT A PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED POEM (40 lines or less).

Theme: “Light”

Rick Moyer/TIMES

www.mrtimes.com

More Photos Online

Publisher, author, and poet Tiffany Stone (above and inset) told stories to the kids using a variety of props during the Family Literacy events at Maple Ridge Library on Saturday. An afternoon of storytelling, entertainment, children’s activities and – of course – some solitary reading were part of the festivities. Pitt Meadows Library is hosting a similar celebration this coming Saturday, Jan. 31, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Submission Deadline Feb 6, 2015 to: Maple Ridge Festival of Light Society: #905 – 12148 – 224 St., V2X 3N8 Please include: Name, Address, Phone & email address Category: Junior (to age 15) • Senior – 16 and over ENTRY FEE: $5.00 FOR EACH POEM SUBMITTED. PARTICIPANTS MUST BE RESIDENT OF MAPLE RIDGE OR PITT MEADOWS

Each participant receives certificate and booklet of all submitted poems. Selected poets may be asked to read their poem at Sponsored by:

National celebration

Literacy programs benefit the whole family

n honour of today’s 17th annual national Family Literacy Day, I would like to make a confession: I love reading picture books written for little kids. I used to drop into the kids section of the local bookstore and leaf through books from my favourite authors and illustrators. When our first child was born, I had an excuse to buy picture books or borrow them from the library. I started reading to her while she was still in her cradle. I wasn’t thinking about how valuable it was – how reading and telling stories provided powerful stimuli for brain and language development. It never occurred to me that it could be anything more than great fun and an easy way to spend time together. As she reached the toddler stage, we took turns choosing which books to read. Sometimes I held the book; sometimes she did. She loved rhyming books, those that repeated, and those with bright, colourful pictures. As she got older, it was silly, funny books that grabbed her attention. We recited nursery rhymes, with and without actions, told stories, and sang about everyday activities we were doing. We didn’t know that all these activities encouraged literacy. By the time our next kids arrived, we were much more aware of the

benefits that came from reading to Results from the past round of little ones. research out of UBC has shown We learned about brain and lanmarked improvement in literacy in guage development, and that reading our communities. to little children more than once a Not only are children reaping the day – when they are two and three benefit from these programs, but years old – helps parents are gaining them do better in kinas well. dergarten than chilParents are makdren who are rarely ing connections and read to. (This was an friendships, and easy task – we always learning from each read books before nap other. They’re finding and bedtime anyway.) out about opportunBut, the term “litities in the communeracy” still wasn’t ity for themselves something on our and their children. radar. The whole family is by Kathy Booth In the past decbenefitting, and that’s ade, awareness has something worth increased about the importance of celebrating. lifelong literacy and the need to So, go ahead. Celebrate this Family encourage literacy in the early years. Literacy Day. School districts throughout the Read a book, play a game, sing a province have taken part in research song, tell stories, count something, that shows how vulnerable kinderdraw pictures, look up something garten children can be in certain online. It’s all literacy. areas of development. The important thing is doing it During the first years of testing, together. children entering kindergarten in For information on programs and some neighbourhoods in Maple resources for families with young Ridge and Pitt Meadows were at children, follow the Ridge Meadows a lower level for literacy than in Early Childhood Development comothers. mittee on Facebook or Twitter and Free community programs such check out their website at www. as Mother Goose, Strong Start, ridgemeadowsecd.ca. library drop-in programs, and others – Kathy Booth is a local writer addressing the for parents and young children or importance of early childhood development, and the babies were implemented to provide work being done in Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, and support. with Katzie First Nations.

Starting Early

• • • • • • • •

2015 LANTERN FESTIVAL February 27, 2015 Haney Place Mall

GREAT ENTERTAINMENT

MEAT DRAWS EVERY TUES., THURS., FRI., SAT., SUN. FULL DINING DAILY EXCEPT MONDAYS KARAOKE WITH PHIL EVERY THURSDAY

JANUARY 30-31 ............... CHEEK TO CHEEK FEBRUARY 1 .............. SUPER BOWL SUNDAY FEBRUARY 6-7 ............................. RECKLESS FEBRUARY 8 ........................... SWEETWATER FEBRUARY 13-14.................... WHISKY RIVER FEBRUARY 15.......... MIDNIGHT EAGLES JAM

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY Sunday, Feb.1 N.Y. Steak Buffet @ Half-Time

$14.00 Per person

plus ...

Free $.50 Break-Open ticket Free Meat Draw Ticket Door Prizes

Tickets available at the bar or in office!

MEMBERS & GUESTS WELCOME. ASK ABOUT OUR FUNDRAISERS.

12101-224th St. Maple Ridge 604.463.5101 (Office & Lounge)

FEBRUARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS

583 Air Cadets Coronation Squadron - Tag Days Fundraiser ............................................. February 1 International Paintball Group - Information & Registration ............................................ February 1-8 Family Day - Mall Hours: Noon to 5pm....................................................................... February 9 Shuwap - Custom On Site Orthotics ........................................................................ February 9-15 Avon – Women’s Foundation-Breast Cancer Awareness ........................................... February 12-15 PLEA Community Services Society - “Putting on The Glitz” Grad Dress Donation Drive ......... February 14 H&R Block - Tax Services ......................................................................... February 15 - April 30 Maple Ridge Festival of Lights - Celebration at Centre Court 4-9pm ................................ February 28

Lougheed Hwy between 224 & 226 St

•

604.467.1554

•

Runners & Booties Shop’n’Stroll Exercise Program Thurs. 9:30 - 10:30 am Contact Lara 778.285.6265 Tri Hard Walking Club Mon., Wed. & Fri. 8:30 am Beverly Hernandez 604-467-9407

haneyplacemall.com

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Opinion Who we are The Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows TIMES newspaper is a division of LMP Publication Limited Partnership. We’re located at 22345 North Avenue, Maple Ridge, B.C. The TIMES has a CCAB audited circulation of 29,950.

Brian McCristall

bmccristall@mrtimes.com Publisher

Bob Groeneveld

bgroeneveld@mrtimes.com Editor

Roxanne Hooper

rhooper@mrtimes.com Assistant Editor Editorial Troy Landreville Eric Zimmer Advertising Ralph De Adder Graeme Ross Anne Gordon Sheryl Jones Distribution Supervisor Wendy Bradley Administration Rebecca Nickerson

www.mrtimes.com Email us

editorial@mrtimes.com

Write us a letter

#2 - 22345 North Avenue Maple Ridge, B.C., V2X 0R7 Switchboard Classified Delivery Fax

604-463-2281 604-463-7283 604-942-3081 604-463-9943

Our office is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows TIMES, a division of LMP Publication Limited Partnership, respects your privacy. We collect, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Statement which is available at www.mrtimes.com. The Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows TIMES is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and complainant. If talking with the editor or publisher of this newspaper does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby Street, Nanaimo, B.C., V9R 2R2. For further information, go to www.bcpresscouncil.org.

Our View

Reading joy for whole family Reading is one of the most important skills we can help pass on to our children. It’s also one of the greatest pleasures we can share with one another. Today, Jan. 27, is Family Literacy Day, a national awareness program to promote parents reading to and with their children. The ability to read, and to read well, is so important that it hardly needs to be stated. There is hardly a job in the world that doesn’t require literacy, not to mention the way it smooths out your path in dealing with the government, law, and financial institutions. Beyond that, the reason to read with and to your family is simple: it’s fun. Reading together takes a family on journeys into the past, the most distant parts of the world, the far future, or into realms that never did or will exist. Catch a reader young, and they’ll keep reading on their own, and pass that along to the next generation as well. Today, we live with millions of options at our fingertips, through cable TV, on demand programming, and the internet to access a vast collection of human knowledge and entertainment. Most of it is consumed passively. You watch a movie or a television show. Even in live theatre, it’s frowned upon to interrupt the performance to ask questions or comment, to stop and ask the actors to go back a few pages in the script and start again, this time doing everything in a different accent. The printed word allows those options, immediately. Reading together, reading out loud or sharing books, permits a rare form of discussion. Each reader has their own view of the story, the vision they form in collaboration with the author. Stories live on long after the words The End appear, in the minds of their readers. The printed word is one of the few addictions that causes no lasting harm, and instead provides a life-long benefit of happiness. – M.C.

This Week’s Question How often does your family read together? ■ Your View Last week’s question, results… How do you feel about Target closing all its Canadian stores – including Maple Ridge?

Hooray!

12 %

So sad.

24 %

Bring back Zellers.

22 %

Kick out all American big box stores.

13 %

Who cares?

28 %

Vote online at: www.mrtimes.com

Opinion

Canada sits low on list of lists As someone who is distinctly Following The Amazing Race not a sports enthusiast, I’m Canada down the list is The Big obviously not on the right side Bang Theory, which admittedly of this fence… but that’s never started life as a prodigy, a shinstopped me before. ing light of intelligent creativity Perusing several lists of through its first few seasons Canada’s most watched television before sinking into a self-made shows of 2014 offered an insight mire of drone-attracting mediocinto what we’ve become as a rity. nation. Skipping the prodigy stage and In fact, Canada doesn’t seem heading straight into contrived to rate very highly on the list of blah are the next entries on the by Bob Groeneveld what Canada likes best. list, Gotham and The Flash. Only one of Canada’s top 10 No. 5 on the list, NCIS: New events was not a sporting event. Even worse: it Orleans, is yet another vehicle to rehash some was the Oscars (2nd most watched of the top of the more popular plot lines used up in the 10). early days of NCIS and reaffirmed by renewed Only two of Canada’s top 10 watched events enthusiasm in the subsequent NCIS: Los Angeles prominently featured Canada – the Grey Cup reincarnation. (ranked 7th out of 10), and a Hockey Night in Rounding out the top 10 depressing realities Canada special (8th) pitting the Toronto Maple of network viewership in Canada through 2014 Leafs against the Detroit (not even Canadian) were How to Get Away with Murder, Masterchef, Red Wings. Survivor (true to its name, you have to wonder All the rest took place in the United States how that old chestnut has survived against all (Super Bowl, ranked 1st), Brazil (world cup socthe odds its writers have stacked against itself), cer, 4th), and Russia (the Sochi Olympics, all of The Amazing Race, and Grey’s Anatomy (which the rest of the top 10 entries). admittedly was, once upon a time, a reasonably Regular programing was even more depressing healthy option for those whose viewing habits from a stalwart Canadian point of view. lean towards an eventual heart attack). While the top show was nominally Canadian, For the most part, Canada’s national broadcastThe Amazing Race Canada is really just another ing company, the CBC, doesn’t figure prominof many barely disguised American baby brothently in any of the lists of top programming ers that have filled our viewing slots over the – except in the lists specifically dedicated to past decade or so. In this case the big brother is Canadian content. The Amazing Race – which clocked in at No. 9 Even in those lists, CBC tends to be chasing on the same list. the pack comprised of the likes of CTV, TSN, Notably, all the other baby brothers, like and Global. Masterchef Canada, for instance, fail to fit That begs some serious questioning, in light into our national attention span ahead of their of the force of destruction being wreaked on our American forebears. public broadcaster by the federal government. The rest of the top 10 general programming Do Mr. Harper’s Conservatives have it right? Is hits for 2014 were distinctly not Canadian – and the CBC a waste of time that is long past its Best in most cases offer an embarrassing picture of Before date? the collective Canadian viewing audience’s artisOr are their attacks finally showing some suctic and cultural literacy. cess?

Odd Thoughts

editorial@mrtimes.com

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Parks and recreation

Don’t let kids’ fields go to the dogs Dear Editor,

I love my dog. She has a better life than a good percentage of the world’s children. But I disagree with council taking away three playing fields to add to the three dog parks Maple Letters Ridge already has. to Parks and Recreation the mentioned they would They did negsave $27,000 in bags; Editor lect to tell us how they do not need more much the fencing, dog parks to stop providlabour, maintenance, and ing dog bags or to provide the cost of the land would education to dog owners. be. How much is a playA sheet of Dog Owner ground worth? Responsibility could be We need more parks for provided when we pay for people to share with our our dog licence.

Environment

Don’t pass buck to politicians Dear Editor,

Dana Lacroix and all of us all over the world need to do more than not use our car one day a week [Harper has brought Canada to crisis point, Jan. 22 Letters, TIMES]. Forty-two gallons of oil makes 19.4 gallons of gasoline. The rest – more than half – goes into making 6,000 other items: eyeglasses, antiseptics, artificial limbs, cortisone, antihistamines, tires, dentures, heart valves, and anaesthetics, to name just a few. To blame Canada’s government for the mess over decades we all have contributed to, and to expect a government to rescue us from our own eager use of all the myriad, useful inventions made from petroleum byproducts, is passing the buck. It will take as long to get out of the mess as it took to get in, maybe a lot longer. Cherryl Katnich, Maple Ridge

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

A Night At The

Masquerade Gala The Unveiling of the 2014Winners

loved ones, we still have people living on the street, we do not even have garbage pickup, but we have high taxes. If we are looking for more ways to save money, I recommend stopping the provision of coffee, tea, muffins, and bottled water during meetings at city hall. Two hundred twenty-six people took part and made comments, pro and con, for these parks – that is less than one per cent of the population of Maple Ridge. Thousands of people signed a petition to stop a road through Upper Maple Ridge Park, destined to be a dog park now. That was back in the day when all the environmental groups had banded together to try to stop Silver Valley development. Twenty years ago we knew a bad plan when we heard it.

Saturday, February 21st 2015 Meadow Gardens Golf Club

BUSINESS EXCELLENCE

AWARDS

RSVP Today! Early-Bird: $85+tax Tables: $630+tax

Early-Bird Deadline January 31st 2015

Regular: $95+tax Tables: $710+tax

Lyn Peters, Maple Ridge

Property taxes

Poor services offer no deal in Maple Ridge Dear Editor,

Where does Steve Ranta get the idea that property taxes in Maple Ridge are a bargain compared with other Greater Vancouver municipalities [Room to raise property taxes, Jan. 20 Letters, TIMES]? In my final year living in Coquitlam in 2013, I paid $3,307 in taxes (with basic grant), including a separate water and garbage collection charge, on a singlefamily property assessed at $521,600. Last year in Maple Ridge, my tax bill (with basic grant) was $3,397 on a much smaller property assessed at $441,000. That is already more than I paid in

What you’re telling us on Facebook Pitt Meadows City council approved a •zero-per-cent increase in its 2015 budget last week, drawing mixed reviews from some of our Facebook followers.

“[The late] Tom Murray’s goal achieved! It’s refreshing to have a mayor and council listen to taxpayers.” – Sherri Bychuk “Wow. At what cost? Shame!” – former councillor Gwen O’Connell “Yes Gwen, I am happy about low taxes as it is was residents want. However, I don’t like what we did to get there. Losing economic development has many impacts for our city.” – Pitt Meadows Councillor Tracy Miyashita

Share your views. Like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/MapleRidgePittMeadowsTimes

Coquitlam, but does not include garbage collection which, for reasons I find unfathomable, Maple Ridge council does not regard as a municipal responsibility. I paid $280 for garbage service comparable to what I received in Coquitlam, making my total cost for services $3,677 in Maple Ridge. So, compared with Coquitlam, at least, Maple Ridge taxes are not a bargain.

Thank You To Our Sponsors Presenting

Ian Smith, Maple Ridge

Property taxes

Platinum

Feel free to pay more Dear Editor,

Apparently, Steve Ranta [Room to raise property taxes, Jan. 20 Letters, TIMES] has not factored in bureaucratic thinking as it applies to taxes, fees, and levys. The idea that there is room for increases does not factor in the increases we all must pay for services such as ICBC, MSP premiums, house insurance, electricity, natural gas, federal and provincial taxes, transit taxes, increases in the deductible portion for PharmaCare, etc. Those elected on promises to hold the line and even find efficiencies in municipal spending are to be congratulated. Mr. Ranta is welcome to go down to city hall and write out a big fat cheque, so he can feel better about paying his share of the property taxes. They will be happy to take his money.

Mike Boileau, Maple Ridge

Letters on this page have been edited for space. For longer versions, or more letters to the editor visit... www.mrtimes.com – Click on Opinion, or search the writers’ names.

LETTERS POLICY: 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. Letters are also subject to editing for content and length. The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows TIMES is a division of LMP Publication Limited Partnership.

Video Presentation

Prize

Floral Media

Signage

Photo Booth

RSVP TODAY at www.ridgemeadowschamber.com or 604 457 4599

A10

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

.com

-7

Get exclusive access to the best offers in the city

One-Night Stay for 2 People with 14 Nights of Parking at Executive Airport Plaza Hotel – Weekends Included

One Luxurious Corset or Lingerie – Over 100 Styles to Choose From, Tax Included

Executive Airport Plaza Hotel

Blushing Doll

$353

$99

Richmond, BC

-5

$99.99

Redeem Online P

$24

-7

Set of Two Luxurious 100% Silk and Handcrafted Bow Ties

Admission to 5-D Real-Life Escape Room Experience Game and Membership for 2, 4 or 6 People

Black Box Tie

Locked Canada

$70

Redeem Online TO

-7

From

$30

$70

Vancouver, BC

-8

$29

Hair Package with Optional Full Colour, Partial Highlights, Style and More

Ultimate Car Maintenance Package, Includes Oil Change, Multi-Point Inspection Tire Rotation, Brack Check and Much More

Shine Hair Lounge

Auto A Unique

$101

Port Moody, BC

From

$24

$102

Burnaby, BC

Get these and other exclusive offers at SocialShopper.com Visit us online

Find an offer you like

Buy it

Enjoy it!

$15

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

&places

faces Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

WE PAY CASH for Used Cars

Call

604.343.2036

With the increased awareness and attention to the Canadian military following the murders in eastern Canada just before Remembrance Day, the local Royal Canadian Legion Branch 88 – like other legions across the country – sold out of poppies leading up to Remembrance Day. Consequently, the legion was able to present a $20,000 donation from the poppy fund to the Ridge Meadows Hospital Foundation for a critical care bed. See story (right).

Showcasing some of this community’s people and happenings

A11

Hospital

Poppies make a care bed possible by Roxanne Hooper rhooper@mrtimes.com

re e Secondary we from Maple Ridg s nt d de an d, stu oo ip rh sh the neighbou Senior leader ou a.m., waking up “Y 7 d at te ol an ch ho sc ey e , th outside th g a megaphone hool’s bring food. Usin all part of the sc s wa It asking them to s. ur ho o tw t nana os ba m al 16 r ct fo CAN do it” aged to colle nk. Ba efforts. They man od as Fo tm ris ed Ch Ne of Five Days r the Friends In fo sh ca e m so d boxes of food, an

Lyle Freeman of Pitt Meadows enjoyed some friendly banter and theatrics with other sellers at the last diecast sale in his hometown. The next event is coming up Feb. 8.

Neehaa Haaris, Anya Kozak, and Gabby Fafard are three St. Patrick’s School students who won the Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 88 – Veterans Day poetry contest.

Rick Moyer TIMES

Rick Moyer/TIMES

Mike

aple Ridge Stelter of M

was one of

the exhibito

rs at

Several times a year, former country music singer and Hot Wheels collector Rick Tippe hosts the Greater Vancouver Diecast Toy Show. The next show is Sunday, Feb. 8, again at Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall, 12460 Harris Rd., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

w. the last sho

How can you share? Do you have a local photo of someone or some place you’d like to share with the rest of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows? Email it to us as a high-resolution .JPEG to editorial@mrtimes.com. Please include a brief description – including everyone’s ﬁrst and last name. Put “faces & places” in the subject line of your email.

Diecast show host Rick Tippe (above) and his father Elmer (left) were among those at the last Hot Wheels show in December.

A $20,000 donation to any person or organization can be life altering. But a $20,000 donation from the local Royal Canadian Legion’s poppy fund to the Ridge Meadows Hospital Foundation is expected to impact a lot of local lives. The contribution was delivered last week and will provide for some of the hospital’s sickest patients, explained hospital foundation executive director Laura Cherrille. The money has been earmarked for the purchase of a new, state-ofthe-art, critical-care bed for the intensive care unit at the local hospital. This is the second year in a row that the local legion has been able to buy one of these beds, which is equipped with a mattress capable of various motions that aid in reducing fluid build up in the chest, reducing pressure on the skin of bed-ridden patients, and decreasing bed sores. The bed is also equipped with monitors, indicators, safeties, and alarms that helps enhance caregiving, said legion member Jim MacDonald. “This critical care bed plays an essential role in delivering superior health care at Ridge Meadows Hospital to its sickest and most fragile patients,” MacDonald concluded.

FIT, BC's #1 SELLING SUBCOMPACT CAR†

LEASE FROM

40 @

2.99% APR# $0 down‡

Weekly on a 60 month term with 260 payments. MSRP $16,070** includes freight and PDI. Model shown: GK5G3FE

Sales 604.343.2036 Service 604.465.7622 20611 LOUGHEED HWY MAPLE RIDGE www.marvjoneshonda.com

Standard features include: • Earth Dreams™ technology powertrain • Multi-angle rearview camera

bchonda.com Ω

2015 FIT BEST NEW SMALL CAR (UNDER $21,000)

• 60/40 Split 2nd Row Magic Seat® †Based on IHS Automotive: Polk Canadian New Retail Vehicle Registrations as of CYTD November 2014 for the Compact SUV/Compact Car/Subcompact Car segments as defined by Honda Canada Inc. *Limited time weekly lease offer and all other offers are from Honda Canada Finance Inc., on approved credit. #The weekly lease offer applies to a new 2015 Fit DX model GK5G3FE for a 60-month period, for a total of 260 payments of $39.97 leased at 2.99% APR based on applying $1050.00 “lease dollars” (which are deducted from the negotiated selling price before taxes). ‡In order to achieve $0 down payment, dealer will cover the cost of tire/battery tax, air conditioning tax (where applicable), environmental fees and levies on the 2015 Fit DX only on customer’s behalf. Down payment of $0.00, first weekly payment and $0 security deposit due at lease inception. Total lease obligation is $10,392.20. Taxes, license, insurance and registration are extra. 120,000 kilometre allowance; charge of $0.12/km for excess kilometres. **MSRP is $16,070 including freight and PDI of $1,495 based on new 2015 Specified Models described above. License, insurance, registration and taxes are extra and may be required at the time of purchase. ΩFor more information about the AJAC’s Best Small Car (Under $21,000) award, please visit: http:// www.ajac.ca/web/ccoty/2015/comparison_category.asp?cat=176 */#/**Prices and/or payments shown do not include a PPSA lien registration fee of $30.31 and lien registering agent’s fee of $5.25, which are both due at time of delivery and covered by the dealer on behalf of the customer on Specified Models only. Offers valid from January 3rd through February 2nd 2015 at participating Honda retailers. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Dealer trade may be necessary on certain vehicles. Offers valid only for British Columbia residents at BC Honda Dealers locations. Offers subject to change or cancellation without notice. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.bchonda.com or see your Honda retailer for full details.

A12

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Public forum

Workshops open up local discussions about water

A series of community dialogues will culminate in an arts performance along the banks of the Fraser River. by Cole Wagner editorial@mrtimes.com

A Port Haney–based artist hopes to blend activism, music, and spirituality to help connect Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows residents with their local water sources. Kat Wahamaa, a musician, artist in residence, and self-described nature lover, has teamed up with Watershed Watch Salmon Society and the City of Maple Ridge to produce WaterBody: Where Conservation & Art Flow in Harmony, a series of workshops that lead into two performances within the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows area during the next four months. The project is designed to engage the community in discussion about the state of local watersheds said Lina Azeez, engagement coordinator with Watershed Watch. The workshops coincide with the enforcement of a new Water Sustainability Act in B.C. Azeez hopes the workshops will be able to summarize the long, complicated bill into something the average person can understand. Still, she admitted the legal discussion would

have to be brief. “Discussing the act in its entirety could fill an entire workshop series itself,” laughed Azeez. The announcement of the performances and workshops comes on the heels of controversy surrounding the appearance of salmon in the Katzie Slough in Pitt Meadows. Farmers in the area recently expressed concern at the prospect of salmon in the slough, which they say was originally dredged for agricultural purposes. Questions about the Katzie Slough Restoration Project will be answered at the workshops, but won’t be the forefront of the discussion, according to Azeez. Instead of focusing on the political or scientific side of watersheds, Azeez and Wahamaa aim to appeal to the “spiritual and cultural connection we all share with our local bodies of water.” Throughout the workshops, Wahamaa hopes to work with locals to create a performance that not only engages locals, but also involves the community in the show itself. The performance is a “choral and movement piece” of Wahamaa’s own creation, she explained. How this process will lend itself to a collaborative approach remains to be worked out, said Azeez. WaterBody is one of the first of five public art projects to receive funding through Maple Ridge’s

Mental health

Courage nominations sought by Cole Wagner editorial@mrtimes.com

Nominations are now open for the Coast Mental Health’s annual Courage to Come Back Awards Gala. The awards recognize individuals in six categories, who demonstrated remarkable perseverance in the face of adversity or illness. Five years ago, then 10-year-old Fahreen Mapara of Pitt Meadows was recognized in the youth category. Mapara spent the first six months of her life in the hospital, undergoing a number of major surgeries on her throat and vocal cords. Though she now requires a feeding tube, and frequently fights chest infections, Mapara is involved in martial arts, and volunteers at a local mosque. If anyone knows a person like Fahreen, the nomination form can be found at: http://www.coastmentalhealth.com/pdfs/2015OnlineNomination.pdf.

at Westgate Flower Garden BYO Vase Design

Friday, Jan 30th at 7pm Call to inquire at 604.460.7230 Westgate Flower Garden

20398 Dewdney Trunk Rd. Maple Ridge

www.watershed-watch. org/2015/01/maple-ridgeand-pitt-meadows-to-get-amusical-treat-inspired-bylove-for-local-watersheds/

Money makes art Organizers of the WaterBody project want to open up dialogue about the water that flows through out lives every day, inviting people to attend and participate in the workshops and a show on the Fraser River. new community public arts grant program. The workshops run on Jan. 26, 28, 31, as well as Feb. 2 and 4. The performances will take place, appropriately, along the banks of the Fraser River in Pitt

Meadows on March 22 – to mark World Water Day, and during Earth Day celebrations in Maple Ridge on April 25. More information on WaterBody and the accompanying workshops can be found online at: http://

WaterBody is one of four projects to receive funding from Maple Ridge’s new community public arts grant program. The grants are for projects which engage the community in a meaningful way and have a lasting impact on the City. The other projects include the Maple Ridge Salvation Army teaming up with a local artist and

YOUR HEALTH

President’s own story: 15 years ago I started to have arthritis, prostate, kidney, snoring and sleep apnea problems, which were all helped quickly with natural health products. I made it my life’s purpose to help others. Nick A. Jerch

ARTHRITIS

Pain free in 2 weeks. This is what happened to me personally. I tried drugs, acupuncture, magnets and many other methods. Finally after taking a specially processed shark cartilage I was pain free in 2 weeks. It gave me the idea that I could help thousands of the 5 million men and women suffering daily in Canada with the worst pain on earth to have less pain or no pain at all. Nick A. Jerch, President of Bell Lifestyle. !For 40 years I had injections and drugs and finally Bell Shark Cartilage #1 spared me the endless torture I suffered day and night with 3 bottles costing less than $100. Pat Laughlin, Coldwater, ON. !Cancelled knee replacement. 1 was in pain and limping. Have no more pain now. Can square dance for hours. Anton Melnychuk, Porcupine Plain, SK. !At first I was skeptical. I gradually noticed an improvement. Then I took another brand. I was surprised having so much pain again. Eventually I realized that I needed to re-order Bell. Found relief again. Marie Ciraulo, 72, Oakland, CA. !Many people on our website write: “Can walk again for hours”;”Can climb stairs without hanging on #1 NPN 80042283 to railing”;”First time in 15 years can sleep at night” Rheumatoid arthritis in joints down 90%, same for my sister…Also guaranteed for sciatica. Hundreds of testimonials all with full names and towns. Shark bones/cartilage was a previously thrown away by-product of the food industry. No sharks are caught for their cartilage. Don’t let any activist confuse you.

Shape and Health

A new and improved natural product with the proven ocean kelp bladderwrack. Many men and women wrote us that this ocean kelp reduced cravings and hunger for sweets and starchy food. !Lost 15 lbs in 3 months. Bell Shape & Health naturally curbed my appetite and actually gave me more energy for workouts. My friends and family are on it now too. #5-SH NPN 80051637 Latoya Daniella Scott, 29, Shuterville, SC. & Health decreased my appetite for sugary food. Lost !Shape 5 lbs this month. I feel I have more energy. Thank you. Barbara Huether, 66, Soper, OK. !Finally lost the extra weight I wanted to lose for years. The instructions with Shape & Health helped to be more selective in non-fattening food choices. Krystyne Petermann, 23, Pensacola, FL.

Frequent BATHROOM TRIPS? Prevent COLDS &FLUS

Men Bell Prostate Ezee Flow Tea

Men have relief in 3-5 days from dribbling, burning and rushing to the toilet. Relaxes blood flow for better erections. Helps also with male incontinence. Works in virtually every case. If you are considering surgery, try this tea first. Hundreds of delighted men testifying on our web site:!Had to get up every hour at night. Now I get up once a night. Joseph Whittaker, Sewell, NJ ! I cancelled my prostate surgery. Get up once a night. I'm so happy not to have to face the torment of a prostate operation and possible incontinence and impotence. Albert E. Blain, 74, Schumacher, ON !Even after TURP prostate surgery and microwave therapy had to get up many times. Now down to 1-2 times. Tea is 100% better than drugs. Robert G. Stocker, Eustasis, FL !After 1st year drinking tea my PSA went down to 4.5; after 2nd year to 2.9; after 3rd year to 2.3. I highly recommend the tea. A real life saver. Thomas M. Thurston, Forsyth, GA. Women Ask for #4b Bladder Control Tea for Women. It seems so unbelievable, most women don't know #4a NPN 80051642 there is a delicious tasting herbal tea available in all health food stores that stops incontinence, bladder infections, UTis within days and women keep on wearing costly pads and diapers. Try the tea. It is guaranteed. Go shopping and travelling again worry free. We have helped tens of thousands of women.

The only cold medicine with a money-back guarantee. Four medical doctors that wrote in their book SHARK LIVER OIL that you can prevent colds and flus. Dr. Hubert wrote since his own high-school age children took shark liver oil they have no more colds. Dr. Haimes’s grandchildren have been taking shark liver oil for 6 months and he writes they have no more infection of any kind. Read many testimonials on the Bell website: “I had 3-4 flus every winter. None last 5 years.” “Amazing! All of us have no more colds.” “No more asthma, no puffer, no cold, no flus, changed my life”. In North America this is a by-product from the restaurant industry. No sharks are caught for their liver or their cartilage. ! No more colds, also my #51 NPN 80036946 eczema disappeared! Last 2 years I would get colds often due to stress as I am an athlete and body builder. After starting Bell Shark Liver Oil #51 I had no more colds or even a sign of a cold. Dennis Tudos, 23, Kent, WA.

AVAILABLE HERE:

ABBOTSFORD: Abbotsford Vitamin Centre 33555 South Fraser Way; Alive Health Centre Seven Oaks Shopping Centre, Fraser Way; Herbs & Health Foods West Oaks Mall, 32700 S. Fraser Way; Living Well Vitamins 4-32770 George Ferguson Way; Nutrition House High Street Shopping Centre 3122 Mt. Lehman Rd; !AGASSIZ: Agassiz Pharmacy 7046 Pioneer Ave. !ALDERGROVE: Alder Natural Health 27252 Fraser Hwy. !BURNABY: Alive Health Centre Metropolis at Metrotown - 4700 Kingsway Ave.; Best Choice Health Food 4323 East Hasting St.; Health Natural Foods 4435 E. Hastings St.; Longevity Health Foods 6591 Kingsway; Natural Focus Health Foods Kensington Plaza, 6536 E. Hastings St.; Nutrition House Brentwood Mall, 4567 Lougheed Hwy.; Nutrition House Eaton Centre, 4700 Kingsway Ave; Nutrition House Lougheed Mall, 9855 Austin Ave.; Pharmasave 4367 E. Hastings St. !CHILLIWACK: Alive Health Centre Cottonwood Mall, 3-45585 Luckakuck Way; Aromatica Fine Tea & Soaps 10015 Young St., North; Chilliwack Pharmasave 110-9193 Main St.; Living Well Vitamins 45966 Yale Rd.; Sardis Health Foods Unit #3-7355 Vedder Road!COQUITLAM: Alive Health Centre Coquitlam Centre, 2348-2929 Barnet Hwy.; Green Life Health Cariboo Shopping Ctr.; Longevity Health Foods Burquitlam Plaza 552 Clarke Rd.; Nutrition House Coquitlam Centre, 2929 Barnet Hwy.; Ridgeway Pharmacy Remedy's RX (IDA)1057 Ridgeway Ave.!DELTA: Parsley, Sage & Thyme 4916 Elliott St.; Pharmasave #286 Tsawwassen 1244 - 56 St.; Pharmasave #246 Ladner 4857 Elliott St.; !LANGLEY: Alive Health Centre Willowbrook Shopping Centre, 19705 Fraser Hwy.; Rustic Roots Health Food Store formerly Country Life 4061 200th St.; Grove Vitamins & Health Centre 8840 210 St.; Langley Vitamin Centre 20499 Fraser Hwy.; Natural Focus 340-20202 66th Ave.; Nature’s Fare 19880 Langley By-pass; Nutrition House Willowbrook Mall, 19705 Fraser Hwy.; Valley Natural Health Foods 20425 Douglas Cres.; Well Beings Health & Nutrition 22259 48th Ave. !MAPLE RIDGE: Maple Ridge Vitamin Centre 500-22709 Lougheed Hwy.; Roots Natural 22254 Dewdney Trunk Rd.; Uptown Health Foods 130-22529 Lougheed Hwy. !MISSION: Fuel Supplements and Vitamins 33120 1st Ave.; Mission Vitamin Centre 33139 1st Ave.; !NEW WESTMINSTER: Alive Health Centre Royal City Centre, 610 6th St.; !PITT MEADOWS: Mint Your Health 19150 Lougheed Hwy.Company; Ultimate Health Warehouse 19040 Lougheed Hwy!PORT COQUITLAM: Pharmasave 3295 Coast Meridian Rd.; Poco Natural Food & Wellness Centre 2329 Whyte Ave; !RICHMOND: Alive Health Centre Richmond Centre, 1834-6060 Minoru Blvd.; Consumer's Nutrition Centre Richmond Centre 1318-6551 3rd Rd.; Great Mountain Ginseng 4151 Hazelbridge Way; Mall; MJ's Natural Pharmacy Richmond Public Market 1130 - 8260 Westminster Hwy; Your Vitamin Store Lansdowne Mall; Nature's Bounty 110-5530 Wharf Rd. !SOUTH SURREY: Ocean Park Health Foods 12907 16th Ave.; Pure Pharmacy Health Centre 111-15833 24th Ave. !SURREY: Alive Health Centre Guildford Town Centre, 2269 Guildford Town Centre; Alive Health Centre Surrey Place Mall, 2712 Surrey Place Mall; Natural Focus Health Foods 102-3010 152nd St.; Natural Focus Health Foods Boundary Park Plaza, 131-6350 120th St.; Nutrition House Guildford Town Ctr., 1179 Guildford Town Centre; Nutrition House Semiahmoo Shopping Centre, 1711 152nd St.; Punjabi Whole Health Plus 12815 85th Ave.; The Organic Grocer 508-7388 King George Hwy. Surrey Natural Foods 13585 King George Hwy; The Energy Shop 13711 72 Ave. !VANCOUVER: Alive Health Centre Bentall Centre Mall 595 Burrard St.; Alive Health Centre Oakridge Centre, 650 W. 41st Ave.; Famous Foods 1595 Kingsway; Finlandia Natural Pharmacy 1111 W Broadway; Garden Health Foods 1204 Davie St.; Green Life Health 200 - 590 Robson St.; Kitsilano Natural Foods 2696 West Broadway; Lotus Natural Health 3733 10TH AVE. W. MJ's Natural Pharmacy 6255 Victoria Dr. @ 47th Ave.; MJ's Natural Pharmacy 6689 Victoria Dr.; MJ's Nature's Best Nutrition Ctr. Champlain Mall, 7130 Kerr St. & 54 Ave.; Nature's Prime 728 West Broadway; Nutraways Natural Foods 2253 West 41st Ave.; Nutrition House 1194 Robson St.; Supplements Plus Oakridge Ctr.; Sweet Cherubim Natural Food Stores & Restaurant 1105 Commercial Dr.; Thien Dia Nhan 6406 Fraser St. !NORTH VANCOUVER: Anderson Pharmacy 111 West 3rd St.;Cove Health 399 North Dollarton Hwy. N.; Health Works 3120 Edgemont Blvd.;Nutraways Natural Foods 1320 Lonsdale Ave.; Nutrition House Capilano Mall, 935 Marine Dr.; Victoria's Health 1637 Lonsdale Ave !WEST VANCOUVER: Alive Health Centre Park Royal Shopping Centre, 720 Park Royal N.; Fresh St. Market 1650 Marine Dr.; Nutrition House 2002 Park Royal S.!WHITE ROCK: Health Express 1550 Johnston Rd.; Alive Health Centre Semiahmoo Shopping Centre, 139-1711 152nd St.

Try your local health food stores first. If they don’t have it and don’t want to order it for you, order on our website or call us with Visa or Mastercard. Also available in many pharmacies.

604.460.7230

an elementary school to create a mural along the fence on the west side of the Caring Place building. The Downtown BIA also received funding, and plans to partner with Jason Craft, a mural artist, and students from Maple Ridge high schools to paint a mural near 224th Street behind T’s Once Upon A Tea Leaf. Ridge Meadows Recycling Society received funding. They will partner with a group of local artists to create interactive displays and performances during this year’s Earth Day celebration in Memorial Peace Park.

1-800-333-7995 www.BellLifestyle.ca Natural medicines are not altering the chemistry of our body and cause virtually no side effects

100% Truthful testimonials with full name and towns. Real people you can call, if you want more reassurance. More testimonials on the Bell website. No money is paid for testimonials.To ensure this product is right for you, always read label and follow the instructions.

See videos: On Bell website and YouTube

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Economics

Fuel prices keep falling Consumers were asked for their thoughts on the dropping gas costs.

Registering now...

Certificate Programs & Courses BOOKKEEPING / ACCOUNTING / MS OFFICE 2013 COURSES: Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint OFFICE ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS FREE INFORMATION SESSION: FEB. 23, 7:00 PM Call for more information!

by Cole Wagner editorial@mrtimes.com

Falling gas prices might be wreaking havoc on Alberta’s economy, but in Maple Ridge the more affordable rates are being met with smiles at the pumps. “I love it,” said Mike Colonna, while filling up at the Chevron on Lougheed Highway and 223rd Street. “I’m hoping the prices stay low into the summer so I can take my hotrod out more often.” For others, the reduced prices at the pump weren’t worth changing driving habits. Katie Granholm said the prices were a nice perk, but that she “didn’t make any extra effort to go fill up.” While forecasting gas prices is a tricky business, many leading experts believe prices will remain low for an extended period of time – which might lead to an increase in hotrods on the roads of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows this summer. Or at the very least, more smiles than frowns at the pump, as Colonna demonstrated.

A13

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM FREE APPLICATION SESSION Wed. Feb. 25 – 7:00 pm Call for more information! BUILDING SERVICE WORKER April 13 – May 1 6:00-10:00 pm $789/15 sessions $40 materials fee FOODSAFE LEVEL 1

Sat. Feb. 14 $76/1 session

FORKLIFT OPERATOR

Sat. Feb. 21 $179/1 session

8:30 am - 4:30 pm $25 text certificate fee 8:30 am – 4:30 pm $30 text certificate fee

SAGE 50 2014 / SIMPLY ACCOUNTING LEVEL 2

Sat. Feb. 21 – Mar. 7 $249/3 sessions

9:00 am – 2:30 pm $50 Text

General Interest & Personal Development HOW TO GET BETTER GRADES IN SCHOOL

With Terry Small Tues. Feb. 17 $45/family

7:00-8:30 pm

ZUMBA© with Kathy White

Thurs. $10 drop-in

7:00-8:00 pm

PILATES with Kathy White

Wed. $10 drop-in

6:30-7:30 pm

DOWNSIZING & CLEARING CLUTTER Cole Wagner/TIMES

Mike Colonna filling up at the pump Friday at the Chevron in downtown Maple Ridge.

With Wesley Brown Tues. Mar. 3 $39/1 session

6:30-9:00 pm

SMARTER SELLING

Simplified Solutions With Dominic Kotarski Wed. Jan. 28 Wed. Mar. 4 $39/1 session

6:30-9:30 pm 6:30-9:30 pm

FINDING YOUR FAMILY TREE

Carrier of the week Matthew Wallace Congratulations on doing a fantastic job. As winner of one of our Good Sport Awards you get

ONE FREE SMALL PIZZA

An Introduction to Geneology With Rob Whitlock Thurs. Feb 5 7:00-9:00 pm $109/4 sessions

HOW TO WRITE & PUBLISH YOUR OWN BOOK IN 40 DAYS

With Bob Burnham Tues. Feb 10 $49/4 sessions

6:30-9:30 pm

E-COMMERCE

With Peter Valbonesi Tues. Feb 10-24 $79/3 sessions

7:00-9:00 pm

HOLISTIC NUTRITION

The #1 Most Dangerous Food Causing Sluggishness, Low Energy & Chronic Disease With Patricia Dominguez Wed. Feb. 18 7:00-9:00 pm $29/1 session

WINTERIZE YOUR SKIN CARE

With Scentimental Creations All supplies included Mon. Feb 23 6:30-9:30 pm $49/1 sessions

22441 Dewdney Trunk Rd. MAPLE RIDGE

RED CROSS CERTIFIED FIRST AID WITH FIRST AID HERO RED CROSS CPR C & AED

Sat. $69/1 session

Feb 21

8:30am-4:30pm

RED CROSS HEALTH CARE PROVIDER CPR & AED

Sat. $69/1 session

Feb 21

8:30am-4:30pm

RED CROSS EMERGENCY FIRST AID & CPR C/AED

Sat. $89/1 session

Feb 21

8:30am-4:30pm

RED CROSS STANDARD FIRST AID & CPR C/AED

Third Wednesday session may be necessary depending on class size. Sat. Feb 21 8:30am-4:30pm & M/W Feb 23 & 25 6:30-9:30pm $137/2-3 sessions

RED CROSS BABYSITTING

FOR 11 YEARS OLD + M $63/1 session

Mar 16

8:30am-3:30pm

RED CROSS EMERGENCY CHILD CARE FIRST AID + CPR/AED

Sa $89/1 session

Feb 14

8:30am-4:30pm

RED CROSS INFANT/BABY WORKSHOP

(FOR INFANTS 12 MONTHS AND UNDER) W Feb 11 7:00-9:00pm $36/1 session

www.rmcollege.ca 20575 Thorne Avenue Maple Ridge T 604-466-6555

A14

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

What’s On

www.mrtimes.com Post events 1o days in advance by email to:

editorial@mrtimes.com Jan 27: Weavers

• Whonnock Weavers and Spinners holds a meeting at the Whonnock Lake Centre at 7:30 p.m. Visitors, guests, or those interested in becoming new members are all welcome. Info: Marie at 604462-9059.

Jan 27: Support Group

• Golden Ears Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Support Group meets the last Tuesday of every month, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Family Education and Support Centre, 22554, Lougheed Hwy. Info: Nikki at 778-8393373, or Candace at 604-8367832.

Jan 28-30: Mousetrap

• Thomas Haney’s awardwinning Sightlines Theatre presents Agatha Christie’s murder mystery, The Mousetrap. Curtain is at 7 p.m. and tickets can be reserved for pick-up by calling 604-463-2001, or bought from cast members at the school. The show also features an afternoon matinee on Jan. 28.

Jan 30 : Hominum

• HOMINUM Fraser Valley

is an informal discussion and support group to help gay, bi-sexual, and questioning men with the challenges of being married, separated, or single. For information and meeting location, call Art at 604-462-9813, or Don at 604329-9760.

Jan 31 : Concert

• Music duo The Harpoonist and The Axe Murderer perform at The ACT. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students. Visit www.theactmapleridge. org for more information.

Feb 1: Audition

• SPECC-tacular Productions is holding auditions for its spring show, Wartime Classics – a musical revue. Auditions run at the Maple Ridge Dance Circle on Sunday, Feb. 1, from 2 to 4 p.m. Those wishing to audition can prepare a song and music, or they can opt to audition a cappella. Rehearsals start in March and the show runs in June; dates still to be confirmed. For more information, people can email specctacularproductions@gmail.com.

Feb 3: Poets

• Holy Wow Poets host the Poets and Artist’s Extravaganza at 7 p.m. at The ACT: Theme: Let’s be Literally Keen to be Artistically Seen in 2015.

Feb 3: Youth Services

• Join a citizens services specialist from Service Canada to discover the many federal programs available for youth, ages 15 to 30. Hear about the federal student work experience program, Canada Student loans and grants, apprenticeship incentive, and completion grants, and the new Canada apprenticeship loan, starting at 6 p.m. at the Pitt Meadows Library.

Feb 3: Arts Club

• The next meeting for the Garibaldi Art Club is Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m. in the craft room on the third floor of The ACT.

Feb 4: History

• Maple Ridge Family History Group meets at the Maple Ridge Library,0 in the Greenside room at 7 p.m.

Feb 8: Fundraiser

• A tribute memorial celebration for Judith Bergthorson takes place at The ACT from 4 to 8 p.m. Open to anyone who knew Judith or is involved with the Bergthorson Academy. Memorial will feature singers, instructors, students, and artists from the academy. •Full list: www.mrtimes.com

ODAY! REGISTENEDRS JT ANUARY 31 EARLY BIRD

Spring has Arrived in Downtown Maple Ridge! New Year, New You? We are half way through January and by now many of you will have given up on your New Year’s resolution. I feel like there is so much pressure to make changes to fitness, diet and every other aspect of life and to be honest I find it all a little overwhelming. I am so lucky that our downtown core has so many great businesses to help keep me on track. If you are anything like me, you are still going through eggnog withdrawals. A great way to reset your system is with a detox. Roots Natural Organic Health Foods on Dewdney Trunk Road has a variety of cleanses and detox kits. I’ve personally had success with their Wild Rose Cleanse but pop into the store to find the perfect cleanse for you! If a cleanse is too intimating why not up your vitamin routine with a visit to Uptown Health Foods. Ask about Prairie Naturals MULTI-FORCE. This specialized supplement provides the Suggested Optimum Nutrient Allowance of multiple vitamins, minerals, enzymes and green foods. In order to get myself off the couch I need to want to exercise. Luckily Latin Flavors’ Zumba classes are so fun I feel like I am at a party but I am actually getting in shape! The ladies at Curves understand how busy you are, which is why their 30 minute Total Body Work Out is perfect for even the busiest Mom on the go! Have you ever been nervous to attend a yoga class because you fear you might not fit in? Lisa, the owner of Body Positivity Yoga totally understands. Through yoga she will help you live life now, not 10 lbs from now! This yoga is truly for every shape and size of human without any judgment. Why not try something new to get your whole family moving? Visit Bill’s Skate Shop for a great selection of hockey and figure skates. Then you can take in a family skate, which will work out your legs and core while spending quality time with your family. 2015 is a great year to shop where you live! By supporting your local economy you keep your money local and positively contribute to our community. This could be the year you park your car and wander the downtown core to explore new businesses you’ve never visited before. Maybe this year you will resolve to read more instead of watching too much tv? Pop into Black Bond Books in Haney Place Mall to find a novel that will allow you more time to spend on yourself. Is 2015 the year you discover your creative side? Take in a photography class at the ACT, drop in and make something beautiful at the Create Shop or enroll your children in classes at 4 Cats Art Studio. Remember that 2015 has 365 days and you won’t change your whole world within the first few weeks. Personal growth is a marathon not a sprint and you aren’t in this alone either. Downtown Maple Ridge has vibrant businesses ready to help and support you. Visit Shop Maple Ridge on Facebook to see what an amazing online community is available to you and share with us how your 2015 resolutions are going! Happy New Year!

SUNRUN

Tu r n

e rg y.

CANADA’S JOIN LARGEST 10K RUN o h el p s av

APRIL 19 2015

PRESENTED BY

Open to all runners and walkers of all levels. Register by January 31st and SAVE!

#turndowntheheatweek

Businesses across BC are joining together to promote energy conservation and to encourage donations of sweaters to local charities. Turn Down the Heat at home and at work and donate a sweater to those in need. Presented by:

Go to www.downtownmapleridge.ca for Drop off locations

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Sports

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Recreation

A15

Did you know?

We offer non-judgmental support for everyone. No matter what.

604.467.5179 • www.alouetteaddictions.org

Curling championships

Scotties successful in Ridge

On Deck

The Golden Ears Winter Club was a hub of activity this weekend. by Eric Zimmer ezimmer@mrtimes.com

TIMES files

Ridge Meadows Flames are at home on Friday against Grandview.

Panthers tamed Ridge Meadows Flames won a hard fought, double-overtime battle against the Port Moody Panthers in double overtime by a score of 4-3 on Saturday. The win came on the heels of a doubleovertime loss to Aldergove on Friday night. The Flames host the Grandview Steelers this Friday, at 7:30 p.m. • More online: www.mrtimes.com, click on “Sports”

Moose in action The Meadow Ridge Moose female hockey team is in action this Saturday, Jan. 31 against South Fraser TNT. Puck drop is at 8:30 p.m. at Pitt Meadows Arena. • More online: www.mrtimes.com, click on “Sports”

Playing at Pitt The basketball court is a busy place at Pitt Meadows Secondary today. The Grade 8 boys play Garibaldi Secondary, the Jr. Boys battle Westview, and the senior girls are taking on Southridge. • More online: www.mrtimes.com, click on “Sports”

Ridge competes The Maple Ridge Ramblers Senior Girls hoops squad competed in the Kiwanis Basketball tournament this past weekend. • More online: www.mrtimes.com, click on “Sports”

Send your scores and game reports to sports@mrtimes.com

TT ET BE

ER A

Crowds of people – including many that Kristen Recksiedler “hadn’t seen in a long time” continuously filed into Golden Ears Winter Club during the weekend, as the local Club hosted the BC Women’s Scotties provincial Curling Championships. Reckeseidler – a Maple Ridge-raised curler – was the 5th on the Team Scott Rink out of Kelowna during the tournament, and said the home crowd support was “really nice.” Her team included members from Abbotsford, Kelowna, as well as Kamloops, and though the team doesn’t play together outside of Bonspiels and training weekends, “we get along really well, and it’s been great,” she told the TIMES. The Scotties was a “really well-run event, and the volunteers and committee members really put in a lot of time to make this a great experience for all of the athletes,” Reckeseidler added. Although not quite sure what they’d see when it came to what the crowd numbers would be like, Donna Maitland, the host chair for the event, said there was more public attendance then they were expecting. “We weren’t sure how it was going to be, because the format was triple knockout with only eight teams – meaning you have to lose three games and you’re out, ” Maitland explained. In the past, it was a round-robin, “where every team played every team once, and then they’d take the best teams from that and have the playoffs,” she said.

& RMS

LEGS

ARM N A YING A P T OU WITH

Troy Landreville/TIMES

The B.C. women’s curling championships wrapped up Sunday at the club beside Planet Ice. Team Van Osch’s Trysta Vandale (inset) of Maple Ridge started sweeping Thursday, during the Scotties Tournament of Hearts at the Golden Ears Winter Club.

When all was said and done this weekend, Patti Knezevic from Prince George finished her undefeated run at the tournament with a 4-3 win over Sarah Wark in the extra end and walked away champion. “We had some mixed emotions on our new format from the round-robin to the triple,” said Terry

LEG. A &

Vandale of Curl BC. “It’s quite different to have four teams out there instead of eight, but overall everything’s going well,” she said on Friday. The appeal of the local club’s facility is the “small-town atmosphere in the sense of what they can give our curlers compared to some of the bigger centres,” she said. “It’s

always great to go to the in the past “acknowledges smaller communities.” that if there is a major Putting on an event event happening, there’s a such as the Scotties is no good chance it’s going to small feat though, and happen at the Golden Ears Maitland said she could Winter Club,” said pres“not express enough” the ident Wayne Chin. important role the 125 “It reinforces that even volunteers though played in the faces “When players get off making the the ice, they’re smiling.” may event a succhange, Wayne Chin cess. the “I’ve got Golden a great committee,” she Ears Winter Club is still said. “Everybody’s worked the Golden Ears Winter so hard and it’s all come Club,” he added. together.” “We are also known in Volunteers rotated the Lower Mainland as through different positions, having one of the best ice doing a minimum of two surfaces, and it’s been like four-hour shifts. that for a long time,” Chin Holding an event such noted. as the Scotties, as well as “When players get off other high-profile events the ice, their smiling.”

ﬁtness for as low as

$ .50 PER WEEK* (+$59 Enrolment)

JOIN ONLINE NOW goodlifeﬁtness.com

*When joining, you will be required to pay a $59 enrolment fee + applicable tax based on the purchase of a 1 year membership. Biweekly payments will commence based on your start date. $2.50 per week membership includes weights, cardio and virtual fitness access only. Offer valid at Pitt Meadows Women’s Club. Please check goodlifefitness.com or with club for hours of operation. Other conditions apply, see club for details. ** Other services and amenities available with the purchase of a different membership option.

Meadowtown Centre Women’s Club 201-19800 Lougheed Hwy, 2nd ﬂoor Real Canadian Superstore

604-460-0348

A18

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Valentine’s Day for the kids

Although Valentine’s Day may be geared toward adults, children are quite drawn to the celebration as well. Perhaps it’s the promise of candy or chocolate that gets their attention, but Valentine’s Day annually appeals to the younger set.

Learning games Valentine’s Day can be turned into a learning opportunity for children. One idea is to create an “Attracting Love” game that illustrates the power of magnets and the laws of attraction. Fill an empty glass jar with various items made into heart shapes. These can include small

pieces of pipe cleaner, paper clips, paper, and even aluminum foil hearts. Put the top on the jar and shake up the contents. Let children guess which items will be attracted to a magnet, then have them test their theory with a strong magnet rubbed on the outside of the jar. See which hearts are attracted to the magnet.

Crafts Children can have fun cutting out cupids, making coloring pages or doing just about any other Valentine-inspired craft, like making their own cards.

Another craft idea is to write secret love notes with invisible ink. Lemon juice can be used as invisible ink. Have children write a message by dipping a cotton swab or their finger in lemon juice and then writing words on a white piece of paper. Once the papers have dried, an adult can reveal the message by placing the paper in front of a heat source, such as an iron or a light bulb. The message will magically appear and reveal those secret sentiments.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and the holiday presents many opportunities for children to share in the fun and festivities.

Challenging and exciting classes Bright learning environment Experienced and dedicated teachers Music, art and gym classes Consistency for your child Easily accessible location

3 yrs classes Tues/Thurs 9 to 11:30 4 yrs classes Mon/Wed/Fri 9 to 1pm. Call Now!

Kids Zone

11601 Laity Street Maple Ridge, BC 604.466.5704 www.kidszoneonlaity.com

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

BC’s Best

Flooring Value

“Closer Than You Think” LAMINATE

ENGINEERED HARDWOOD

• Environmentally friendly • Easy maintenance • Family friendly

YOUR CHOICE $3.99/SQ. FT. UNDERLAY INCLUDED

CARPET

• Lifetime Stain and Soil Warranty • Full Pet Warranty

• New Stylish Designs In Stock • 25 Year Wear Warranty

CARPET

• Anso Nylon • R2X Stain and Soil Warranty

WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT LOCAL CHARITIES AND IN 2014 WE DONATED TO THE FOLLOWING WORTHY CAUSES:

Ridge Meadows Hospice Society

STOP AND READ THIS!

Jan 10, 2015, Port Coquitlam From the minute we walked in the door Shawn and his team members were fantastic to deal with and extremely helpful. The home we recently purchased was a DIY nightmare, where the homeowners appeared to have installed the floors themselves, and the poor quality of materials selected and the installation job itself showed. Shawn and his installers came in and did a fantastic job replacing all the flooring in our home.The tile work, engineered hardwood and carpets we replaced were installed by top notch installers, who took their time to do things right and had the forethought of thinking of potential future changes we may incorporate into the home.The casings and baseboards that were installed throughout the home also were meticulously done.We couldn’t be happier with the quality of service and the work that Diverse Flooring did for us.They were by far our favourite trade to deal with and Shawn was always available to answer any questions we had regarding the project, as well as took the time to keep us up to date on with progress reports on how the project was progressing.We would recommend Diverse Flooring for any upcoming flooring projects you might have without any hesitation.Thank you again Shawn and Diverse Flooring for all your help with making our house really feel like a home. Cristina & Jaime

Stop by homestar.com for more reviews

COMPLIMENTARY IN HOME MEASURE / GUARANTEED INSTALLATIONS* Ste

rt C

res

113B Ave.

LOUGHEED HW Y.

Ro ad

cen

203 St.

Golden Ears Bridge

Ham mo nd

Hammond Elementary School

WE ARE HERE!

*See store for details

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US THE #1 FLOORING STORE 4 YEARS IN A ROW

Look us up at Homestars.com

Store Hours Mon - Fri 9-5 Sat 9-4 Sun Closed Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows #1-20295 113B Ave. 604.460.0020

w w w. d i v e r s e f l o o r i n g . c a

A19

A20

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times

Serving our Communities since 1924....

JANUARY

CLEARANCE EVENT!

ENGLAND SOFA reg. $1399

ENGLAND SOFAreg.&$2198 CHAIR

NOW $ 699

NOW $ 999

STYLUS SOFA & LOVESEAT reg. $2298

STYLUS SECTIONAL reg. $2099

NOW 1099

NOW $ 999

AMERICAN HARDWOODS TABLE

SIMMONS QUEEN MATTRESS SET

NOW $ 999

reg. $3799

reg. $1399

EVERYTHING IN-STORE ON SALE!!! 速

FURNITURE INDUSTRIES INC.

604.463.4168

22390 Lougheed Hwy., Maple Ridge www.fullerwatsonbrandsource.ca

Like us on

Monday to Thursday 9am - 5:30pm, Friday 9am - 9pm, Saturday 9am - 5:30pm, Sunday 12 - 5pm

*Images may not be exactly as shown