North Shore News December 31 2014 by North Shore News

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Wednesday, December 31, 2014

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#Up to $3,500/$2,500 in savings is comprised of a up to $3,000/$2,000 cash purchase incentive on select 2014 CR-V models / select 2014 Civic models and a $500 “Holiday Bonus”. *Up to $3,000/$2,000/up to $3,000 Honda cash purchase incentive is available select 2014 Civic models (2D LX, 2D EX, 2D EX-L NAVI, 2D Si, 4D DX, 4D LX, 4D EX, 4D Touring and 4D Si), select CR-V models (LX, EX, EX-L, Touring) and select 2014 Accord models (2D EX, 2D EX-L Navi, 4D LX, 4D Sport, 4D EX-L and 4D Touring). Honda cash purchase incentive will be deducted from the negotiated price after taxes and cannot be combined with special lease or finance offers. ‡‡$500 Consumer Incentive Dollars “Holiday Bonus” (“Holiday Bonus”) available on any new 2014 Civic and new 2014 CR-V models, purchased or leased and delivered by January 2, 2015 and can be combined with advertised lease and finance rates. “Holiday Bonus” includes GST and PST, as applicable. Visit a participating Honda dealer for eligible products & services applicable to “Holiday Bonus” redemption. Offer ends January 2, 2015 and is subject to change or cancellation without notice.**MSRP is $17,185 / $27,685 / $25,685 based on a new 2014 Civic 4D DX 5MT FB2E4EEX / CR-V LX 2WD DX RM3H3EES / Accord 4D L4 LX 6MT CR2E3EE including $1,495 / $1,695 / $1,695 freight and PDI. */** Prices and/or payments shown do not include PPSA lien registration and lien registering agent’s fees, which are due at time of delivery. Dealer may sell for less. Dealer trade may be required. For all offers levies (air conditioning tax of $100 and tire/battery tax of $25), license, insurance, applicable taxes and registration are extra. ‡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 Pilot LX only on behalf of the customer. †Limited time weekly lease offer based on a new 2015 Pilot LX 2WD model YF3H2FE.††2.99% lease APR on a 60 month term with 260 weekly payments O.A.C. Weekly payment, including freight and PDI, is $105.32. Down payment of $0.00, first weekly payment and $0 security deposit due at lease inception. Total lease obligation is $27,383.20. Taxes, license, insurance and registration are extra. 120,000 kilometre allowance; charge of $0.12/km for excess kilometres. **MSRP is $36,795 including freight and PDI of $1,695 based on a new 2015 Pilot LX 2WD model YF3H2FE. License, insurance, registration and taxes are extra and may be required at the time of purchase. ‡/Ω/¥/*/#/†/††/**/‡‡ 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 the 2015 Pilot LX only. ‡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 behalf of the customer. *Limited time weekly lease offer based on a new 2015 Fit DX model GK5G3FE. #2.99% lease APR on a 60 month term with 260 weekly payments O.A.C. Weekly payment, including freight and PDI, is $39.97 based on applying $875.00 lease dollars (which is deducted from the negotiated selling price before taxes). 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 $15,990 including freight and PDI of $1,495 based on a new 2015 Fit DX model GK5G3FE. License, insurance, registration and taxes are extra and may be required at the time of purchase. ‡/Ω/¥/†/€/*/#/**/‡‡ 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 the 2015 Fit DX only. Offers valid from December 2nd, 2014 through January 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.

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A2 - North Shore News - Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - North Shore News - A3

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A4 - North Shore News - Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Church seeks help for Syrian family CHRISTINE LYON clyon@nsnews.com

Lynn Valley Road & Mountain Hwy • www.shoplynnvalley.com

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In a refugee camp in Cairo, Egypt, a Syrian family is awaiting the day they can start a new life in North Vancouver. A grandmother, her two adult daughters and her two school-aged granddaughters are among the millions of Syrians who have been uprooted by civil war. But they remain hopeful. The matriarch of the family has a younger brother who lives on the North Shore and he has teamed up with Canyon Heights Church to bring his relatives here. Hisham Wattar immigrated to Canada in 1987 and has owned a falafel shop on Commercial

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everywhere causing them to break. These men were armed with guns,” she writes. “My family and I were terrified and thought they would kill us . . . . They demanded Ali give himself up. We all knew that if that were to happen Ali would be placed under a tremendous amount of torture and potential death.” Authorities continued to raid the family home in the middle of the night, Fatima writes. Fearing for their safety, the family fled the capital city of Damascus on Sept. 22, 2012, via Beirut, Lebanon, and flew to Cairo. “There is no prospect of return to Syria,” Fatima writes, adding, “It is extremely difficult to integrate in Egyptian society when we are not welcomed in the first place. After all these circumstances, we truly have run out of solutions.” Although the sponsorship application has been approved, it could be many months before the family arrives in Canada. “We’re being told it might take up to a year for them to clear all that paperwork and interviews and what-not and hopefully by next September we’re renting a suite in a home (for the family),” Moore says. In July 2013, Canada committed to permanently resettling 1,300 Syrian refugees by the end of 2014. According to figures from the office of Canada’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, as of Nov. 13, a total of 457 resettled Syrian refugees had landed in Canada, including 163 privately sponsored refugees and 294 government-assisted refugees, since the start of the Syrian conflict. To help Canyon Heights Church raise the necessary funds to sponsor the five refugees, visit canyonheightschurch.ca/syria

Drive in Vancouver since 2000. He lives just down the road from Canyon Heights Church and is a regular customer at Capilano Grind, the church’s in-house coffee shop. It’s here that he got to talking with lead pastor Steve Moore about his family’s dire situation and asked if the church could help. “I remember the day he asked me. I’m confused, I’m thinking I don’t know if we can do this, I have no idea, but we’ll pursue it and see if the doors open,” Moore says. It turned out the church did have the capacity to help Wattar sponsor his family and, in late August, Moore and Wattar received approval from the Canadian government to proceed with the process of bringing the five refugees to Canada. They established a $48,000 line of credit to fulfil the financial requirement for sponsoring the family and are now looking to the wider community for reimbursement. “The fundraising is going to basically replace that and put the effort in the hands of the community rather than in the hands of two individuals,” Moore says. According to Amnesty International, more than 10 million Syrians, or 45 per cent of the country’s population, have been displaced. Of those, 6.5 million are displaced within Syria and four million have sought refuge in other countries. Wattar’s sister has shared her story on the Canyon Heights Church website. Fatima (the names of the family members have been changed for their protection), describes how her youngest son, Ali, was put on a wanted list by Syrian authorities. “Shortly after, the Syrian regime raided our house by throwing our belongings

Setting it straight To correct information in previous news articles on Sept. 7, Oct. 5, and Oct. 22, as well as the Trevor Lautens columns on Oct. 10 and Nov. 7, the size of the house under construction in Kensington Crescent, West Vancouver, after blasting permits, is 12,063.27 square feet, not as previously reported at 16,000 square feet or 17,500 square feet. l

The Dec. 26 story School Board to Allow Cameras inaccurately named two trustees. The story should have attributed quotes to Susan Skinner and Cyndi Gerlach, not Lisa Skinner and Cindy Gerlach. We regret the errors.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - North Shore News - A5

New sidewalk not welcome BRENT RICHTER brichter@nsnews.com

A group of Moody Avenue residents say they’re getting stuck with sidewalks they don’t want and accuse the City of NorthVancouver of botching the process to get them. City council voted unanimously in July to install sidewalks on both sides of Moody Avenue between 13th and Ninth streets. Under a process contained in the Community Charter, any municipality can build a sidewalk on a public boulevard and charge adjacent homeowners a small percentage of the cost to install it. After being notified of the proposal by official letter, the homeowners have 30 days to express their opposition to the municipality. If a majority of the homeowners representing more than half of the assessed value in the local service area are opposed, the project gets scrapped. In this case, only seven owners representing 44 per cent of the assessed value filed their objections by the deadline, according to the city, and council voted the project through. Moody Avenue resident Michelle Blaksic appeared before council on Dec. 1 to show the signatures of nine homeowners in the local service area who swear they had their opposition in by the deadline. Blaksic now questions what happened to those votes. She said most residents on Moody are opposed because the new sidewalks would require them to remove gardens, driveways, paths and even structures. She concedes, however,

EU7V\PP\ 2P;Q&U7 ;N5 V\( &-N 1-P\ &V-` V-` O"7V +-$\N$U;P X(\\N &+;7\ O;A 5U&;++\;( UZ $V\ 1U$A -Z D-($V #;N7-"a\( X-\& ;V\;5 Ù$V ; &U5\`;PQ -N E--5A 3a\N"\< BJC'C PAUL MCGRATH those have been built encroaching on the cityowned boulevard. Unlike the old standard of four-foot sidewalks placed right against the curb, the Moody Avenue sidewalk will be almost six feet wide and have a five-foot grass buffer from the curb.That was something the city didn’t adequately explain during the petition period, Blaksic said. “It was only two or three days before (the deadline) when the whole neighbourhood became aware it was going to be a huge sidewalk that had boulevards, and gardens were going to be wiped out and driveways were going to be lost.That’s when people started to get really serious about their opposition,” she said. Blaksic said she’d like to see the city hold the petition over again and come back with a proposal for narrower sidewalks.The amount of foot traffic the street actually gets doesn’t justify the larger

sidewalks, she said. “I think sidewalks are an excellent idea. It’s just the scale that they’re planning. It’s not really a route between two schools . . . . It’s not on a bus route or near a bus stop. I just don’t see this as the right place to do that kind of massive upgrade.” But city engineer Doug Pope said everything was done according to the law, and there is no intention of re-doing the petition. “We actually undertook a formal review of that process.We had our lawyers look at the process and were told the process was tight, that there were no legal concerns,” he said. And the city has made creating more walkable neighbourhoods a priority. “Council has indicated a strong desire to move ahead with this project in that it is a key connection to Ridgeway school,” Pope said. “School children are walking along that road every day and the community needs a sidewalk there.”

Wider sidewalks with grass buffers are considered best practice in city planning now, Pope said, because they allow people to walk side by side or pass other pedestrians without having to step off. And the grass buffer means car doors don’t open into the path of pedestrians, he added. Design work on the $500,000 project is expected to start in January and engineers will work with individual owners to make sure the sidewalk doesn’t impact private property or mature trees on the boulevard, even if that means making the sidewalk meander around them, Pope said. “I think the best thing for us is to move forward and work with the residents to get the sidewalks built and talk to them more about their concerns and design something that addresses their concerns but still provides something of high quality for the public,” he said.

North Van man shot in Surrey BRENT RICHTER brichter@nsnews.com

A North Vancouver man is in hospital after being gunned down in Surrey on Sunday night. Surrey RCMP received a 9-1-1 call just after 9:30 p.m. from a woman reporting that a man had been shot in the driveway of a home on 107 Avenue near 142 Street in Surrey’s Whalley neighbourhood. Police found the man with what appeared to be at least one gunshot wound in his chest/abdomen area,

according to Cpl. Bert Paquet, Surrey RCMP spokesman. B.C. Ambulance Service paramedics rushed the victim to Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. By Monday afternoon, he was listed in serious but stable condition. The 31-year-old victim is known to police, Paquet said, and the shooting was targeted. But unlike most targeted shootings, this one doesn’t appear to be gang related, Paquet said. “We’re familiar with both the victim and the residence

he was at. Because of that, we do believe this is not a random incident but we’re still trying to clarify exactly why he was targeted by this shooting and exactly who was responsible for it,” he said. “The people we have spoken to as well as the victim — although known to police — are not associated to gangs or organized crime or anything like that.” After interviewing witnesses, neighbours and canvassing the area for video surveillance footage, investigators hadn’t yet come up with a suspect or

motive.That’s something police are hoping to glean from the victim who hadn’t been formally interviewed yet, Paquet said. “We spoke to him very brieﬂy (Sunday) before he went into surgery. He’s been in and out of surgery since,” Paquet said. “As soon as he’s no longer going for medical procedures and he’s not sedated, we’ll have ofﬁcers talking to him and see if he can shed some light as to what happened and why.” At press time, the name of the shooting victim hadn’t been released.

A6 - North Shore News - Wednesday, December 31, 2014

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A fresh start L ike pulling on a pair of new socks or climbing into a bed with fresh sheets, we revel in New Year’s Eve. It’s not the paper hats, budget bubbly and long wait for a cab but rather what Dec. 31 represents. As Socrates told us, a life unexamined is not worth living. The end of December is the only time our culture is collectively asked to take a moment to reﬂect on the year behind and ponder the year ahead. Of course we live with the consequences of yesteryear but the changing of the calendar gives us the symbolic but powerful opportunity to renew our perspective. Are we holding onto old grudges that it is past time to let go? Are the goals that might have eluded us in 2014 still the ones we want to achieve in 2015?

MAILBOX

Are we coasting on any big achievements without striving to do better still? Keep in mind, if you’re the type to make a new year’s resolution, even if yours fails in spectacular fashion, you’re probably still better for it. These are the thoughts that should fill our heads as we fill a flute of Baby Duck. After we’ve had the chance to reflect and Auld Lang Syne plays in Times Square, we can step forward and greet the new year. We can’t predict all the tragedies and triumphs we’ll experience in 2015. Challenges in our homes, in our communities and in the world at large surely wait for us. Whatever they are, North Shore, we’ll face them together. Happy new year.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR must

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New leadership needed at school district Dear Editor: I was appalled to read that North Vancouver School District superintendent John Lewis had retired in September, but had been retained by the district on contract to, Lewis says, “allow the new board to hire a deputy superintendent who can gradually take over.” School District 44 is not a large school district. In fact, it is shrinking; 2,000

of our students go elsewhere to attend school and more leave each year. It is not a progressive school district. It has been slow to implement programs that other districts in the province, some very close by, have been offering students for years. As such, I do not see why the transition from one superintendent to another is such a big deal. When CEOs change, it is often overnight, and the new

person hired is often head-hunted for the skills and experience to allow them to take over from day one. Is this district so concerned about keeping the status quo that they must train a new person in the present mindset? As a parent and taxpayer in the North Vancouver School District, I am questioning the sagacity of this situation, as well as the transparency and the

Low light adds to pedestrian plight Dear Editor: It really does amaze me to see how poorly lit so many pedestrian crossings are in North Vancouver. Even in high density areas like Chesterﬁeld Avenue, St. George’s Avenue and all the surrounding streets (other than Lonsdale Avenue) there are hardly enough street lights. On top of all that is the fact that most pedestrians still wear dark colours, if not all black, while walking on a black road in the dark while the

CONTACTUS

accountability. I would advise the new school board to look very closely at this, and to search very carefully for a new superintendent who will have no alliances and a fresh outlook, so our children have better leadership to emulate. It is time the elected board not allow the bureaucrats to wag the dog. Cynthia Bunbury North Vancouver

Owl visit elicits much admiration and photos

rain comes pouring down. Surely in the interest of public safety, the city should look into doing something about this. We don’t need big, fancy, expensive crosswalks every 15 blocks. But what could help is maybe just a little LED ﬂasher of some sort installed on all crosswalks that would signal the presence of a pedestrian. A simple thing like this could go a long way to improve road safety for everyone. Wendy Stump North Vancouver

Dear Editor: At around 11 p.m. the other night we noticed this visitor sitting on the handrail of our deck. We established that it is a barred owl and it watched the stream below for about 30 minutes. We managed to get some good photographs without

a ﬂash and it was very accommodating, sitting very still for the ﬁvesecond portraits required with such low light. It was great to see such an impressive bird in the heart of residential West Vancouver. Gavin Ritson West Vancouver

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AFTER HOURS NEWS TIPS? CALL 604-985-2131 NorthShoreNews,foundedin1969asanindependentsuburbannewspaperandqualifiedunderSchedule111,Paragraph111oftheExciseTaxAct,ispublishedeachWednesday,FridayandSundaybyNorthShoreNewsadivisionofLMPPublicationLimited PartnershipanddistributedtoeverydoorontheNorthShore.CanadaPostCanadianPublicationsMailSalesProductAgreementNo.40010186.Mailingratesavailableonrequest.Entirecontents©2013NorthShoreNewsadivisionofLMPPublicationLimited Partnership. All rights reserved. Average circulation forWednesday, Friday and Sunday is 61,759. The North Shore News, 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.nsnews.com.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - North Shore News - A7

MAILBOX

Taxed to the max already for transit Dear Editor: Regarding the new regional tax towards transit. I went for a walk the other day and read the plaque at Grand Boulevard commemorating the tram line that ran to Lynn Valley from the bottom of Lonsdale. It was built around 1910, along with the one up Lonsdale and to Capilano.The population on the North Shore then was

around 5,000 people. At that time we had no sales tax or income tax for that matter. The tram line was built by the BC Electric Company. The B.C. government seems to have billions for a new Site C dam. If they need half a per cent of sales tax to pay for transit, take it out of the seven per cent we pay now. Bert Sherlock North Vancouver

Lautens’ column spot on Dear Editor: Trevor Lautens’ column on the Vancouver Downtown Eastside is a masterpiece in descriptive writing. I walked with him in the decaying shabby area in my mind, and remembered my shopping days with my children at Christmas time. As usual Mr. Lautens hits the spot with his last sentence “no sign of Christmas.” Fay Stannus North Vancouver

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Dear Editor: I would like to share with you a special Christmas gift. Three local grade 6 and 7 classes were recently given the opportunity to help families in need. We registered to care for three families enrolled with the North Shore Christmas Bureau. In total we had to provide Christmas dinner and gifts for three adults and nine children of varying ages. We, the teachers at Gleneagles elementary, only provided the opportunity for our students. They raised over $2,000 with their hard work. They did chores around their houses, went out in the stormy weather to clean, organize garbage and wash

cars. They babysat, walked dogs, organized candy, hot chocolate and bake sales. Our students didn’t receive public accolades, a prize for the greatest amount raised or public photo ops. They received the gift of pride in their accomplishments and a glimpse into the true meaning of the holidays. I write simply to share how proud we are of our students’ initiative and to allow others to know the power of kindness which exists in our communities of Lions Bay and Horseshoe Bay. Thank you, from a proud teacher of 12-year-olds. Andrea Crowdis North Vancouver

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A8 - North Shore News - Wednesday, December 31, 2014

BRIGHT LIGHTS

by Lisa King

Tyee Ski Club Silent Auction

/a\N$ -(X;NU?\( Helen Brown> 2-;(5 +(\&U5\N$ Karen Mooder> 7-;7V Dallace Matson ;N5 +;(\N$ Marie-France Perusse ;N5 7-OO"NU7;$U-N& 7-=-(5UN;$-( Tamara Matson 7V;U(`-O;N Myriam Beaugé

Linda Senenki> 7-;7V Sue Callaghan ;N5 Marian Dodd Representatives of the Grouse Mountain Tyee Ski Club hosted a Silent Auction event at Grouse Mountain Nov. 22. Guests were given an opportunity to get started on their holiday shopping while simultaneously supporting local ski racing. The club, founded in 1929, works to develop the physical and ski-speciﬁc qualities of children ages six to 18. grousetyee.com

Selina Smitran> Dijana Mandic> 7-;7V Serguei Makarevski ;N5 Christopher ;N5 Audrey Sjoholm

3P+UN\ 7V;U(O;N Gogi Kaludjercic> Sarra Gau ;N5 Jeff Gau

1-;7V Tamara Schaupp ;N5 +;(\N$ 7-=-(5UN;$-( Milena Dobreva

)+-N&-(&VU+ 7V;U(O;N Rob Greene> 5U(\7$-( Chris Pretty> Hugh MacNaught ;N5 +(-X(;O 5U(\7$-( Sead Causevic

Vita ;N5 Ian Macdougall

Anna MacNaught> Janine Love! 7-;7V Andrew MacDonald ;N5 (;7\ 7V;U(O;N Bob Walton

Please direct requests for event coverage to: emcphee@nsnews.com. For more Bright Lights photos go to: nsnews.com/galleries.

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Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - North Shore News - A9

YOUR NORTH SHORE GUIDE to HOME & GARDEN

Ringing in the New Year

Decorate your table with an elegant winter white theme

GROWING CHANGE

Columnist Todd Major discusses some community-based success stories from 2014. page 10

GREEN GUIDE page 11

White Christmases are infrequent in Vancouver. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t decorate our homes to replicate the beauty of a snowy, white holiday season. Ring in the New Year with a table setting that will dazzle your guests. A combination of white and silver will create a beautiful setting for your silverware and white dishes. Look in dollar stores for New Year’s items such as silver crowns and tiaras in addition to other themed paraphernalia. This year I’ve decided to do a Ring In The New Year theme, complete with silver bells. All the silver bellthemed items on store shelves inspired me to become creative for my New Year’s dinner party. This table setting is easy to replicate as you may already have white tablecloths, white dishes and silverware. Begin by laying out your white tablecloth. Iron it if necessary to eliminate any wrinkles. Look for a silver glitter table runner and lay it down the length of the table.

Barb Lunter

Home Ideas

Next, lay the plates followed by the silverware. Finish off with your glassware and cloth napkins. Look for silver bell napkin holders and place card holders to finish off the look. When you are satisfied with all your items, add a few large silver bells down the centre of the table. You may want to place tall, white taper candles in silver holders in the centre and scatter small white tea lights in silver holders around your bells. If you’re looking for a centrepiece that will not fail to impress, purchase two or three large glass orb vases.You may be able to find these at department stores or floral shops.

Wishing you happiness & prosperity in the New Year

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A10 - North Shore News - Wednesday, December 31, 2014

HOME

Groups helping to grow positive change

Food seems to be the strongest current in this year’s ﬂow of ideas coming out of the gardening world. In community plots, the grocery store and at home, food safety is top of mind for many people.There’s concern over GMOs, pesticides and industrial farming practises that put our food supply at risk. Some people say the hippies have taken over the streets and they are reclaiming land to grow food.Those so-called hippies are actually techno-savvy 20- and 30-year-olds who are concerned about food production that is safe and sustainable. But the healthy food movement is not the exclusive domain of younger generations; people of all ages are concerned about food safety. And many people seem to be putting boots on the ground instead of waiting for policy makers to act. Sometimes boots on the ground is not enough, often a policy change is needed. A case in point, the Globe and Mail reported that Ontario beekeepers are suing pesticide manufacturers

Todd Major

Dig Deep

Syngenta and Bayer for $450 million in damages alleging neonicotinoid pesticides or “neonics” have caused bee deaths, driven up costs and reduced honey production. Unfortunately this policy change has to be initiated through litigation with government falling behind the wave of change.The Ontario government has announced a plan to restrict neonics.We’ll see how the legislation looks when it’s fully revealed. Most government pesticide regulations around the world have traditionally beneﬁtted industry.The European Union recently enacted a moratorium on neonic pesticide use after

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pressure from European bee keepers. To be part of the bee protection solution here at home, visit action2. davidsuzuki.org/neonics and sign the online email petition to request that the federal government ban neonic pesticides across Canada. Closer to home, the Edible Garden

Project at North Shore Neighbourhood House (ediblegardenproject.com) put boots on the ground to achieve some impressive results. In 2014 the EGP grew 23,500 pounds of fresh local produce for people in need.There were 680 residents who volunteered 5,418 hours in gardens and farms on the shore.The

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r 24 - Jan uary 1

Loutet Farm generated $42,000 in revenue. And 3,600 adults and children were inspired and educated by EGP programs.With a small staff and limited resources the EGP has grown some very positive results for local residents. Not to rest on their laurels, the EGP recently signed an agreement with the North Vancouver School District to start building the Sutherland Schoolyard Market Garden in spring 2015.With results like those, a budget increase would be a good investment. The North Shore Community Garden Society (northshorecommunitygardensociety. ca) was also busy this year opening the new Lynn Valley Lions Community Garden and nearly completing the

Garibaldi Park Community Garden.The North Shore Community Garden Society manages community gardens in the City and Districts of North Vancouver, as well as West Vancouver. The dedicated people at the society also manage the Queen Mary Community Garden, the Charros Community Garden, the North Vancouver City Hall Community Garden, the St. Andrews Community Garden and the Lillooet Park Community Garden. All of the work building and operating those gardens is done by volunteers.Those hard-working, concerned and enthusiastic members of the North Shore community have worked countless hours to create places for people to connect with plants, soil and each other. Two of the most interesting and controversial gardening styles to re-emerge this year were “biodynamic” and “biocultural” gardening. Biodynamics is a spiritual, ethical and ecological approach to agriculture, food production and nutrition, according to the Biodynamic Association website, biodynamics.com. The system was advocated by Austrian writer, educator and social activist Dr. Rudolf Steiner. Biodynamic farming strives to create a diversiﬁed, balanced farm ecosystem to generate health and fertility from within the farm. Steiner is not without controversy though. He is credited with starting the ﬁrst Waldorf School, but he was reportedly against disease immunization due to his spirituality. The term biocultural is credited to Aldo Leopold, See Healthy page 11

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Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - North Shore News - A11

HOME

Healthy ideals needed

LEGACIES LIVE HERE.

From page 10

considered by some to be the pioneer of wildlife management in the United States. Leopold was a conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer and outdoor enthusiast. His career at the University of Wisconsin and the United States Forest Service during the 1900s and his book, A Sand County Almanac, are benchmark achievements in wildlife management. Biocultural philosophy strives to accommodate the needs of humanity by valuing culture, while protecting and enhancing natural environments. A biocultural landscape is a holistic system of culture and nature that has been shaped by human management over long periods of time. In gardens and farms, both biodynamic and biocultural philosophies have found a new resonance with modern gardeners and organic farmers. Both systems promote protection of soil and soil organisms and the belief that a holistic

Green Guide MONTHLY BIRD COUNT Join the Lighthouse Park Preservation Society Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, 8:30 a.m. Meet at the upper kiosk of the parking lot at Lighthouse Park. lpps.ca ORCHID CARE AND CULTURE Anna Kanz of the Vancouver

1;((-$& ;(\ V;(a\&$\5 ;$ F-"$\$ .;(O \;(PU\( $VU& A\;(< BJC'C PAUL MCGRATH

approach to growing is sustainable and healthy for people and the planet. Those ideals are needed now more than ever as our politicians and the modern industrial food machine seem indifferent to our

concerns about food safety and sustainability.

Orchid Society will give a presentation and demo Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, 10:30 a.m. atWestVancouver Seniors’ Activity Centre, 695 21st St. $2.25 drop-in. Contact Mary Delaney, 604-921-4117.

Vancouver. Margaret Cadwaladr will be the guest speaker at the Jan. 12, 2015 meeting and she will speak about her book InVeronica’s Garden:The Social History of the Milner Gardens and Woodland. New members welcome: $25. Guests: $5. 604-926-2304 Compiled by Debbie Caldwell Email information for your non-proﬁt, by donation or nominal fee event to listings@nsnews.com.

CAPILANO GARDEN CLUB meets the second Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at Canyon Heights Christian Assembly, 4840 Capilano Rd., North

Todd Major is a journeyman horticulturist, garden designer and builder, teacher and organic advocate. stmajor@shaw.ca

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A12 - North Shore News - Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - North Shore News - A13

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A14 - North Shore News - Wednesday, December 31, 2014

11 10 9 8

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CHRISTMAS TREE CHIP-UP Ambleside Tiddlycove Lions Club will be chipping trees by donation Jan. 1 and 2 from noon to 4 p.m. and Jan. 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ambleside Park at the foot of 13th Street in West Vancouver. CHRISTMAS TREE CHIP-UP Larson Elementary is holding a Christmas tree chip-up by cash donation and a bottle drive, Saturday, Jan. 3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 2605 Larson Rd., North Vancouver. CHRISTMAS TREE CHIP-UP Blueridge elementary is holding a tree chip-up by donation on Saturday, Jan. 3, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at 2650 Bronte Dr., North Vancouver, in partnership with Silverback Treeworks Ltd. CHRISTMAS TREE CHIP-UPS Island Paciﬁc school with the help of Bartlett Tree Experts will hold tree chip-ups Jan. 3 and 4, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Rona parking lot, 915 West First St., North Vancouver and Thunderbird Marina, 5776 Marine Dr., West Vancouver. Chipping by a minimum donation of $15 with funds going towards IPS programming. CHRISTMAS TREE CHIP-UPS North Shore scouts will hold tree chip-ups by donation Jan. 3 and 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Hollyburn Plaza, Marine Drive and 18th Street, West Vancouver and Ray Perrault Park, Moody Avenue and East 13th Street, North Vancouver. scoutschristmastrees.ca CHRISTMAS TREE CHIP-UP Upper Lonsdale Preschool will hold their annual tree chip-up by donation Jan. 3 and 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the North Vancouver District Hall parking lot, 355 West Queens Rd. upperlonsdalepreschool.com CHRISTMAS TREE CHIP-UP The Seymour Scouts will hold their annual tree chip-up by donation Sunday, Jan. 4, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Parkgate Village shopping centre at the corner of Mount Seymour Parkway and Mount Seymour Road, North Vancouver. CHRISTMAS TREE CHIPPING EVENT Montroyal elementary’s Grade 7 students and their families are hosting a chipping event Sunday, Jan. 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Montroyal elementary School, 5310 Sonora Dr., North Vancouver with help from Bartlett Tree Experts. By donation, suggested $5. montroyalpac.com Compiled by Debbie Caldwell Email information for your event to listings@nsnews.com.

TASTE

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - North Shore News - A15

YOUR NORTH SHORE GUIDE

to EXCEPTIONAL CUISINE

List looks at local changes Chris Dagenais

The Dish

ROMANCING THE STOVE Angela Shellard presents some recipes for meatless meals. page 16

The passing of another year is often marked by raucous partying and the overzealous use of spinning, ﬂapping or unfurling noise makers. Almost invariably, it seems, the stroke of midnight is followed by muddled and saccharine renditions of “Auld Lang Syne.”The part of that song that has always vexed me is its question of whether or not old (auld) acquaintances should be forgotten, as if the contrived occasion of a new calendar year should affect a fundamental re-evaluation of our relationships. With due deference to the inimitable Rabbie Burns, I reject the proposition and prefer to use the milestone to conﬁrm the importance of the friends, family, and acquaintances that enrich my life all year round. In my position as a regular food columnist, I consider restaurants, and the staff behind them, important acquaintances; as far as I’m concerned, they most certainly should not be forgot (sic). With that in mind, I’d like to pay my respects to a number of restaurants that closed in 2014, places that positively impacted me in my capacity as a foodie, while looking forward to a bunch of imminent openings that have come to my attention recently.

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Big changes are afoot on the 100-block of East Second Street.Tom and Kathi Cinnamon, of the eponymous Cinnamon’s Chocolates, brought us thoughtful, well-crafted treats in an approachable atmosphere for many years. According to their new website (munchbytomandkathi.ca) the duo closed the doors of their shop to “examine life at a slower pace.” Their old space has been taken over and fully remodelled by newcomer Il Castello, a wood-fired pizzeria committed to authentic Neapolitan pies. Watch for more about them in these pages in early 2015. Just a few doors down, one of my favourite little haunts, Hanoi Bistro, served its last bowl of delicious pho on Dec. 12. Owners Ken and Thuy Nguyen have decided to try their hand at a larger venue in Vancouver where, Ken explained on my last visit, they will serve Vietnamese-style tapas and contemporary cocktails. Meanwhile, just east of Il Castello, 30-year North Shore event and celebration institution Cheers poured its final round in September. As yet, I do not have official word on what will become of their former space. Another long-standing North Shore venue,The Bakehouse in Edgemont Village, buttered its last slice of fresh-from-the-oven bread this year at its cosy, cottagelike location on West Queens Road. Happily, as reported by the North Shore News in October, it looks like the baked goods purveyor will return to the Village next year with a 30-seat restaurant on the ground floor of a still-underconstruction development. At the very foot of

J;N-U 2U&$(- -`N\(& G\N ;N5 'V"A DX"A\N `\(\ +V-$-X(;+V\5 \;(PU\( UN $V\ A\;(< 'V\ 7-"+P\ V;a\ &UN7\ 7P-&\5 $V\U( (\&$;"(;N$ ;N5 O-a\5 $- ; P;(X\( a\N"\ UN #;N7-"a\(< 'V\ +V-$9\P-` &V-`& Z--5 Z(-O 'V;U 1V\Z> ;N-$V\( 7P-&\5 \;$\(A< BJC'C) PAUL MCGRATH Lonsdale Avenue, in the historic Coppersmith Shop space,Vancouver casual taproom, the Tap & Barrel, will open its third location in the spring of 2015. It is a massive space for the restaurant in a high-trafﬁc part of town. I have enjoyed Tap & Barrel’s extensive wine-on-tap program and tasty ﬂatbreads at their Olympic Village location, but I sincerely hope that any new diners drawn to Lower Lonsdale as a result of this opening will also discover the charms of that block’s current, smaller venues, like Burgoo, Raglans,The District, Anatoli Souvlaki, Gusto di Quattro and El Matador. I also encourage the new arrival to devote at least a few of their many taps to the North Shore’s own craft beer creations. On the topic of local See New page 16

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A16 - North Shore News - Wednesday, December 31, 2014

TASTE

Meatless meals make nice option excess pounds. One way to help achieve both of these goals is to eat a meatless meal once or even twice a week. It doesn’t hurt your grocery budget either since meat is usually the most expensive item on shopping lists. Just because your meal is meatless, it doesn’t have to be flavourless. Whether you’re a vegetarian or a die-hard carnivore trying to be more heart-healthy, the following recipes are dishes worthy of a second helping. Even your picky eaters should be satisfied (fingers crossed). Happy

Angela Shellard

Romancing the Stove Now that we’re about to venture into another new year, I’m sure many resolutions will be made to eat healthier food and maybe get rid of a few

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2015 everyone. Here’s to another year of happy and healthy cooking. Mushroom & Chard Stuffed Pasta Shells 1 Tbsp olive oil 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms (the brown ones usually found next to the regular white button variety) 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 bunch of Swiss chard (about 8 ounces), tough stems removed, coarsely chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 cups ricotta cheese, preferably reduced-fat ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese ½ tsp dried basil ¼ tsp dried oregano 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1½ cups marinara sauce (store-bought is perfectly ﬁne), divided use 16 jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package directions 1 cup shredded partskim mozzarella cheese Additional marinara sauce for serving Preheat oven to 350° F. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned, about four minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for one minute more, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the chard and stir-fry until

,"UN-; ;55& $\^$"(\ ;N5 $;&$\ $- a\X\$;(U;N 7VUPU< I$ U& \;&A $O;Q\ ;N5 U& ; Z;U(PA a\(&;$UP\ UNX(\5U\N$< BJC'C MIKE WAKEFIELD chard is wilted, about one or two minutes more. With a slotted spoon, transfer the mixture to a large bowl and discard any leftover liquid in skillet. Stir in the ricotta, Parmesan, basil and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste, then fold in the beaten egg. Spread three-quarters of a cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Fill the cooked pasta shells with the ricotta mixture and place them in the baking dish (any leftover ﬁlling can be placed in the dish between the ﬁlled shells). Spoon the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the shells and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes until cheese is melted

and sauce is bubbling. Let sit for ﬁve minutes before serving. While it sits, warm the additional marinara sauce to serve over top (optional but recommended). Makes four to six servings. Quinoa Chili 2 cups cooked quinoa 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1¾ cups) 3 cloves garlic, minced Two 398-ml cans diced tomatoes (undrained) One 398-ml can tomato sauce 1½ cups chicken or vegetable broth One small can diced green chiles (found in the Mexican food aisle) 2½ Tbsp chili powder 2 tsp ground cumin 1½ tsp paprika ½ tsp granulated sugar ½ tsp ground coriander

Cayenne pepper to taste (optional) Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Two 398-ml cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed One 398-ml can black beans, drained and rinsed 1½ cups frozen or canned corn (drained if canned) ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro Juice of one lime Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over mediumhigh heat. Once oil is hot, add onion and sauté until tender, about four minutes, adding in the minced garlic for the last 30 seconds. Add the next 11 listed ingredients (diced tomatoes through salt and pepper); bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the beans, cilantro and lime juice and cook until heated through. Serve hot with your preferred chili toppings (grated cheese, sour cream, diced avocados). Makes six servings. See this column in the Taste section of nsnews. com for a recipe for Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato and Basil Soup. Angela Shellard is a selfdescribed foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: ashellard@hotmail.ca.

New bistro coming to Queensbury

From page 15

Happy New Year from all of us at Chez Michel! 1373 Marine Dr., West Van

604.926.4913

craft beer, Bridge Brewing is seeking to relocate its operation to a larger North Shore space, but their move date is still undetermined. For the time being, it’s business as usual at their garage-style walk-in location off Dollarton Highway, but expect a big move sometime next year. Stack Grill, a curious but enjoyable joint that featured a hybrid of classic Italian cuisine and Korean-inﬂuenced pub fare, closed shop seemingly overnight and gave rise to a new sushi restaurant called Tawara, the third restaurant to open in that same space in the span of less than two years since longtime resident Ricky’s gave it up. The folks at Café for Contemporary Art and their surprisingly good burritos called it quits in the summer and opened Renfrew Café in the Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood instead, featuring sweet and savoury pies and coffee. Mission Springs, the brewery-pub-restaurant group that owns a number of private liquor stores in the province, took over the Avalon liquor store space in late summer.They have since pursued a program of inventory depletion as they prepare to launch a new beer-centric restaurant there in the spring. I am excited to see how they transform that long and narrow space into a sit-down venue. Finally, though scant details are available now, rest assured that I am on the case of another opening slated for 2015:

Blvd Bistro on Queensbury Avenue, taking up residence where the Thai Chef used to be. A discreet peek behind the papered-over door reveals a space under serious renovation.

Chris Dagenais served as a manager for several restaurants downtown and on the North Shore. Contact: hungryontheshore@ gmail.com.

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SPORT

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - North Shore News - A17

YOUR NORTH SHORE GUIDE

to THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

YEAR IN REVIEW Top 3 North Shore sports stories of 2014: 1. Hockey star Sam Reinhart on a path to greatness 2. Capilano RFC trio makesWomen’s Rugby World Cup ﬁnal 3. Gymnast Scott Morgan — King of the Commonwealth Gold star: Maelle Ricker competes in Olympics 19 days after breaking her arm Honourable mentions:

• Skier Manuel OsborneParadis returns toWorld Cup podium • Figure skater Liam Firus makes Olympic team • Windsor edges STA in epic basketball rivalry • ChrisWinter wins Canadian x-country running championship • Rockridge beats Collingwood in provincial rugby ﬁnal • Argyle Sr. girls win ﬁrst provincial volleyball title

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Greatness in the blood ANDY PREST aprest@nsnews.com

In the ﬁnal installment of our North Shore sports year in review we narrow the ﬁeld down to focus on the top three stories of the year, as chosen by the wise and humble North Shore News sports editorial board. We’ve also thrown in a bonus selection for an athlete who didn’t earn any major victories in 2014 but took home the coveted “Ignored a Super Gross Injury” trophy. More on that later. First we start at the top with our No. 1 story: the rise of the youngest — and, dare we predict, best? — member of the famous hockey playing Reinhart family from West Vancouver. 1. Sam I am Perhaps the wildest thing about Sam Reinhart’s year is that we still don’t know how it will end. The West Vancouver hockey player will suit up tonight, NewYear’s Eve, in what is becoming a

of 2014 Top 3 stories

beloved national tradition: Canada vs. the United States at the World Junior Championships. A few days later the tournament will wrap up with the championship ﬁnal at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Helping Canada break their golden drought — they haven’t won the tournament since 2009 — would be a nifty little bow on top of what has already been a spectacular 2014 for Reinhart. It all started in the same tournament 12 months ago. Reinhart suited up for Team Canada but the squad ﬁnished fourth, failing to live up to the golden expectations that always tag along with Canadian kids playing at the World Juniors. Things got better for Reinhart though. After the World Juniors he returned

to his post as captain of the WHL’s Kootenay Ice and went back to shredding the league, ﬁnishing the season with 36 goals, 69 assists and 105 points in just 60 games. At the league’s award ceremony in May he was named Player of theYear as well as Most Sportsmanlike Player. “Being named Player of theYear is a huge honour and a direct reﬂection of my team, my teammates and the opportunity I was given,” Reinhart said after accepting his awards. “With the sportsmanlike award, I’ve always taken pride in playing the right way and being smart. I always felt you can get a couple of more shifts in a game if you’re not in the penalty box.” The party continued a couple of months later when Reinhart was taken second overall by the Buffalo Sabers in the NHL entry draft. Following the draft he said he’d been waiting for that moment all his life. “I’ve envisioned myself in this position, coming in

here at this point in time,” Reinhart said. “I know I have a lot of work ahead, and I know I’m going to continue to work.” The dream turned into reality when Reinhart made his NHL debut — at the tender age of 18 — in Buffalo’s season opener Oct. 9 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The dream didn’t last forever — Reinhart played only nine games, picking up one assist, before being sent back to junior — but an elite career seems well on its way. Back in Kootenay this season he’s again lighting up the WHL, having scored 27 points in just 15 games. This month he made his second World Juniors team and was named an assistant captain. As of Sunday he’d already picked up three assists in a pair of Team Canada wins. It’s been a great year indeed. But what may be the most unique part of the story is the bloodline that he’s following. Father Paul played 11 standout seasons in the NHL with Calgary and Vancouver. Older

brothers Max and Griffin both have also already tasted NHL action early in their pro careers. But Sam might be the best of all of them. At least he already has draft position bragging rights — he nipped Griffin by two spots. However it all shakes out, the Reinharts have already made their mark on the hockey world, and Sam has definitely stamped himself all over 2014.

2. Capilano’s World Cup rugby trio “I think we can win the World Cup,” Carson Graham grad and Capilano Rugby Club member Hilary Leith told the North Shore News before she and her Capilano teammates Andrea Burk and Mandy Marchak set out with the rest of Team Canada for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in August. At the time it sounded like a standard, and wildly optimistic, pretournament boast, but one month later the Canadian See Smashing page 18

A18 - North Shore News - Wednesday, December 31, 2014

SPORT

Smashing success at Rugby World Cup From page 17

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women were playing in the championship final at Stade Jean Bouin in Paris with the World Cup trophy on the line. To get to the final the Canadians conjured up one of the most electrifying rugby plays you’ll ever see, a play that had North Shore fingerprints all over it. Leading their semifinal against France 11-6 early in the second half, the Canadians were in a tight spot, facing a French scrum in the shadow of their own goalposts. The Canadian front eight, including Leith at tighthead prop, blasted back their French counterparts on contact, stealing the scrum in decisive fashion. Canada’s Elissa Alarie scooped up the ball and scooted to her right before dishing off to Burk, also a Carson Graham grad, who deftly passed again in one swift motion to a charging Marchak. Marchak caught the pass and ran straight at a tackler, drawing her to the inside before shooting a pass outside to Magali Harvery who then lit a trail of fire on an amazing 80metre run, juking a tackler with a wicked head fake at midfield before sprinting the rest of the field and diving into the corner for an incredible try. Harvey topped it all off by kicking the convert from an extremely tight angle to give the Canadians an 18-6 lead. The team would hold on to win 18-16, becoming the first Canadian national team to ever make a Rugby World Cup final. Back home, rugby fans from Capilano, Carson Graham and all across Canada could hardly believe it. “I’ve been involved in rugby now for 20 years and it’s one of the best tries I’ve ever seen, men or women,” said longtime Carson Graham coach Brad Baker. A few days later some 140 rugby fans packed into Capilano’s clubhouse on an early Sunday morning to watch three of their own go for World Cup glory. The team’s incredible run had won over a new nation of supporters. “Some of our senior guys were saying ‘Holy crow, we didn’t realize they hit that hard,’” said Capilano Rugby Club president Ken Robinson.

“The women’s game has changed a lot in the last 10 years.” The World Cup dream, however, ended in silver as England topped Canada 21-9. The disappointment of the loss soon wore off and all that was left was an enormous amount of pride for the players and team. Capilano club members were still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that three of their own had played in the World Cup final, making up a full 20 per cent of Canada’s starting lineup. “For us it’s just overwhelming to get those three on the team,” said Robinson. “That was absolutely spectacular. I know full well how much work they’ve had to put in.” After the final Marchak, a Winnipeg native who moved to the North Shore to join the powerful Capilano club, tweeted out her thoughts on the wild ride the Canadians had just been on. “No we didn’t win the World Cup, but I’m damn proud of what we have achieved together as a team. That being said, never settle!” she wrote. “Thank you Canada. We had a whole country and beyond that was behind us, that connection was felt over seas!” The three North Shore players took different routes to the World Cup but the Capilano club was the one uniting factor that has pushed them this far, said Leith. “Having the Capilano Rugby Club behind us and supporting us is pretty cool,” she said. “All the girls that have played for the club and all the old boys have a piece in this. The club has helped us so much getting to where we are. I would not be playing if it wasn’t for them.” 3. Scott Morgan — King of the Commonwealth North Vancouver’s Scott Morgan has had an up-anddown relationship with the sport of gymnastics in his lifetime, but 2014 was an up year.Way up. Morgan started gymnastics at age four and he was only six when his skills earned him a short stint as a pint-sized, highflying mini sidekick for Vancouver Grizzlies mascot Grizz. The gig didn’t last long because Morgan’s

family moved away — so did the Grizzlies, for that matter. The family returned to North Vancouver but by the time he reached high school Morgan had lost his interest in elite gymnastics and dropped out. In 2007, before his Grade 12 year, he finally tried the sport again, rejoining the Flicka Gymnastics Club only because a friend was looking for a training partner. The coaches at the club welcomed him back but no one was expecting much from an athlete who had been out of the sport for so long. There were low expectations all around, and they all were wrong.Within four years he was on the national team. In 2013 he made the floor exercise final at the world championships, finishing eighth. That result set the stage for this year’s breakout at the Commonwealth Games where Morgan won four medals to earn the virtual crown as king of gymnastics. Morgan won gold on back-to-back days to finish off the competition, first winning on the rings and then flying back to the top of the standings on vault. A silver medal came in the floor event while a bronze medal came in the team competition as Morgan led the way for the Canadian men as they finished third behind England and Scotland. “It was spectacular to get up there on the podium and hear the Canadian anthem,” said Morgan about winning gold. “It’s something you dream about as an athlete.” Those low expectations that accompanied his return to the sport are now long gone as Morgan is now Canada’s undisputed leader heading into the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Gold star — Ricker’s unimaginable recovery Elite athletes battling for worldwide glory likely don’t have much time for the corny old cliché “it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game,” but it’s a fitting mantra for Maelle Ricker’s showing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia. It’s fitting because Ricker played the game just 19 days after breaking both her radius and ulna bones, competing in the crazy See Morgan page 19

Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - North Shore News - A19

SPORT

Morgan scores four at Commonwealth Games

From page 18

sport of snowboard cross with two metal plates and 16 screws in her left arm. Just one day after breaking her arm in a training fall — the radius actually broke through the skin — Ricker was already mapping out a plan to get herself ready in time for the Games. A few days later she took part in a conference call with reporters to describe the fall as well as her audacious plan to make it to the Games to defend the Olympic Gold she won on home soil in 2010. Ever competed with a broken bone, she was asked. “Not this fresh,” she replied with a laugh. “She’s one of the toughest athletes that I’ve ever had,” said her longtime trainer Anthony Findlay, owner of North Vancouver’s Level 10 Fitness. “I’ve had pro football players that take epidurals to play a football game in the NFL, and Maelle is right up there with the toughest of all of them.” Competing with her arm in a cast, Ricker looked

good during her qualifying run on at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park outside of Sochi, posting the fourth fastest time of the day on a course that was at times treacherous — two of the first six riders in the qualifying round were taken off the hill on stretchers. In her six-woman quarterfinal — her first elimination race — Ricker was in the middle of the pack and battling for the necessary top-three spot when she fell while taking an aggressive inside line around a banked curve. She ended up 21st in the overall standings. Her broken arm affected her ability to compete, she said. In snowboard cross, racers use their arms to launch themselves out of the gates at the start of the race. “I (didn’t) have my usual pull out of the gate,” Ricker said. “It just kind of all fell apart there in the quarterfinal. My start wasn’t anything to write home about and it just got worse and worse as I went down the course. Usually I’m able to refocus and get back on point, especially in pressure

D-($V #;N7-"a\(4& )7-$$ E-(X;N &V-`& VU& &$(\NX$V -N $V\ (UNX& ;$ $V\ 6:8[ 1-OO-N`\;P$V L;O\&< 'V\ .PU7Q; LAON;&$U7& 1P"9 O\O9\( `-N Z-"( O\5;P&> UN7P"5UNX $`- X-P5&< BJC'C )%BBFI/0 DAN GALBRAITH/DETAILS GROUP situations. I can usually pull up my socks and dig deep, but that was really not the case today.” Despite the injury, Ricker fully expected to

contend for a medal in Sochi. Her crash didn’t do any further damage to her body but left her shaken up nonetheless. “I’m a little bit in

shock,” she said. “It’s something that’s going to replay in my head for years to come. I’m not going to be able to shake this one off very easily.”

She didn’t win this one, but she’ll always be our Golden Girl. And now we know for sure what we’ve always expected — she’s made of steel.

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A24 - North Shore News - Wednesday, December 31, 2014

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