Earthquake puts emergency response team to the test
BRENT RICHTER brichter@nsnews.com
The person in charge of overseeing the local response to disasters on the North Shore was in the optometrist’s chair at 1:26 p.m., Friday when the earth began to shake.
A 4.7 magnitude earthquake struck about a kilometre below the surface northeast of Sechelt.
“My phone became very active, and I knew that I needed to respond to a few things, so I just politely ended the eye appointment, and we stood up the North Shore response structure,” said Emily Dicken, North Shore Emergency Management director
As the shaking was underway, Alertable – the smartphone app that NSEM uses for public safety notifications – “did its job and activated right away,” Dicken said.
About two minutes later, inside North Shore Emergency Management’s office at the North Vancouver RCMP detachment, data was coming in from a series of seismic sensors placed on public buildings confirming that a quake had indeed happened but that the shaking likely wasn’t violent enough to have damaged infrastructure.
The next order of businesses was a conference call with
Highwaypark?
CNV looking into putting a park over Highway 1 at Lonsdale COMMUNITY15
Pinkshirtdesign
Design from Tsleil-Waututh teen featured in national campaign
SPORTS18
Bikepark
Thousands sign petition trying to save indoor bike park
INSPIRATION North Vancouver’s Assunta Aquino celebrates a gold medal win for Canada in alpine skiing at the Invictus Games in Whistler on Feb. 12. The powerful story of Aquino’s healing journey following two tours as a combat engineer in Bosnia was featured in the closing ceremonies of the Games held Feb. 16 at Rogers Arena. See Page 13 for Aquino’s inspiring story. PHOTO BY DEREK CAIN/GETTY IMAGES
BAD DRIVERS
North Van to hire professional school crossing guards
BRENT RICHTER brichter@nsnews.com
The District of North Vancouver could soon be hiring paid crossing guards for elementary schools following an increase in appalling driving by parents.
A split council voted Feb. 11 for a one-year pilot project after hearing from parents and volunteers who’ve become fed up with parents causing near misses and dishing out abuse to volunteers.
Tara King, a volunteer with Cleveland Elementary’s traffic safety team, said she and the other two crossing guards who show up each day will not continue after this year and warned there likely aren’t others willing to step in and do the job.
“It’s not just the preponderance of illegal or unethical driving that makes the job difficult, or the endless amount of parking violations, the work itself is extremely demoralizing. We are parents with no power and we are almost entirely women, which means we are routinely yelled at and dismissed,” she said. “I am done after this year. I need a break from the emotional labour that is caused by a few dangerous and bad actors.”
Rob Dale, traffic safety
co-ordinator at Montroyal Elementary, said his school’s vice-principal stepped in and started directing traffic after some
very close calls involving drivers and kids
“Within those two weeks, she suffered insults and abuse and
threats,” he said. “We have three to four significant incidents per drop-off and pick-up, so it’s not a matter of whether something’s
going to happen, it’s a matter of when something’s going to happen I’ve seen several children almost hit by cars. One of them came within about an inch of being run over.”
Laura Jamieson, Ross Road PAC chair, stressed that children’s safety outside schools should not be a “big ask.”
“Every week, I receive reports of parents almost hitting students as they speed down our narrow street or speak rudely to the few volunteers that we do have,” she said “On the days we do not have a volunteer crossing guard, it is chaos. Parents double parking, zipping into the no-stopping areas to drop off their child right in front of the school. I personally witnessed a child almost get run over because a parent wanted to grab a parking spot that became available. This is unacceptable.”
Cost for school safety projects shouldn’t be downloaded to municipalities, mayor says When it came to a request for a staff report back on options prioritize safety improvements around schools with known issues, the vote was unanimous. The crossing guard pilot project was more divisive.
Woman charged with dangerous driving in fatal West Van crash
NICK LABA
nlaba@nsnews.com
A woman has been charged with dangerous driving offences for her involvement in a tragic head-on crash that claimed the lives of two people last June.
On June 26, 2024, around 11:40 p.m., the driver was travelling east in the westbound lanes of the Trans Canada Highway near Westport Road in West Vancouver
The driver caused a head-on collision with another vehicle that killed two people and sent another two passengers to
hospital, according to a release from West Vancouver Police Department on Thursday
WVPD’s Major Investigation Team initiated a criminal investigation, and the driver was arrested.
Melesesh Sahalo, age 25, of Vancouver, has been charged with two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm.
She will appear in North Vancouver provincial court Feb. 26.
It was a detailed and lengthy investigation into a terribly tragic event, and police
are pleased to have charges sworn, said Sgt. John McCormack of WVPD.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the survivors and to the family and friends of those who were killed that day,” he said.
WVPD extended thanks to its investigative partner Integrated Collision Analysis & Reconstruction Service (ICARS), along with West Vancouver Fire & Rescue and BC Emergency Health Services for their response to the crash.
WVPD said no further details are available as the matter is now before the courts.
Greer Wright, with son William (left) and friend Adam Darlington, is concerned about Montroyal Elementary School traffic and is calling for crossing guards to help with student safety PAUL MCGRATH / NSN
First responders attend a June 26, 2024 crash on Highway 1 in West Vancouver where a wrong-way driver hit another vehicle head on, causing two deaths, according to police. SHANE MACKICHAN Continued
City of North Van looks to build park over Highway 1
BRENT RICHTER brichter@nsnews.com
Four years after the idea was first pitched, a serene, urban park capping Highway 1 at Lonsdale Avenue may yet become a reality.
Mayor Linda Buchanan floated the idea for a park stretching a block in both directions from Lonsdale Avenue in 2021 after reading about a similar project in Tulsa, Okla.
The city currently has a call out for consultants with experience in planning, feasibility analysis, design, and cost-estimating of park-supporting land bridges.
Speaking to the North Vancouver Chamber’s members at an event on Feb. 20, Buchanan laid out the vision again.
“We’re re-imagining how we can reconnect the north side of the city with the south side of the city through a land bridge,” she said “That creates land for us. It creates a green space. It helps to dampen the noise from traffic. It’s a natural way in which to absorb a lot of the emissions from cars, and then it does allow a much more active way for people to get out of their cars.”
The new park would provide a critical link between the neighbourhoods above the highway with the new Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre and commercial areas along Central Lonsdale as the city embarks on making it into a “great street,” Buchanan added.
The community was bisected when the Upper Levels Highway was built in 1964 Buchanan said she remembers having to
sprint across the freeway from her neighbourhood on the north side. The existing overpass hasn’t been much better, she said.
“It’s horrific. It’s not accessible. It’s terrible. Most people drive because it feels very unsafe,” she said.
Council did discuss pursuing a feasibility study in 2021 but city staff prioritized other projects.
The current request for proposals, which closes on March 6, specifies that the final report should include details on Canadian precedents, the existing conditions, a technical evaluation and recommendations for further studies, alternative options and cost estimates
Those writing the report should include structural, transportation and geotechnical engineers, as well as landscape architects, the request for proposals states.
While such a project would undoubtedly come with a big-ticket price tag, there are other benefits that will flow as more people are incented to walk or bike where they previously would get into a car, Buchanan noted.
“A lot of people say, ‘Oh my God, that sounds really expensive,’ and it probably is, and it’s a good question. It’s a fair question…. It should be all levels of government looking at it,” she said. “You always have to look at cost, and you always have to do your due diligence around it, but you also have to look at, ‘What are the benefits and the long-term gains that you’re going to make?’”
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A design mock-up shows a potential new park over Highway 1 at North Vancouver’s Lonsdale Avenue. CITY OF NORTH VANCOUVER
HARD LANDING
Investigation reveals details of Bowen Island ferry crash
ALANNA KELLY akelly@glaciermedia.ca
A Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) investigation into a BC Ferries vessel hitting a docked boat at Snug Cove on Bowen Island has revealed more details about what happened.
A video taken on Feb. 2 around 7:30 a.m. shows the Queen of Capilano vessel departing from Bowen Island and colliding with a moored boat at the Bowen Island Marina shortly after setting sail.
The boat subsequently slammed into the dock, causing significant damage to the structure. The ferry was taken out of service later in the morning and held at Horseshoe Bay until the evening.
In an email on Feb. 20, a TSB spokesperson said the incident has been classified as a “class 5 occurrence.” That’s where the incident is not subject to a comprehensive investigation followed by an investigation report. However, these types of occurrences “are recorded in suitable scope for possible future safety analysis, statistical reporting, or archival purposes,” the statement said.
A summary of the incident stated the “accident collision” caused a minor degree of damage.
There were 34 people on the ferry at the time.
“The passenger ferry … reported touching the wooden dock structure and docked pleasure craft, while departing the ferry terminal at Snug Cove, Bowen Island, B.C. due to high wind gusts and issues with the control of the azimuth thrusters,” said the summary.
Azimuth thrusters contain propellers that provide steering and rotation on ships and other vessels.
After reproducing the azimuth control issue during a later departure from Snug Cove, the Queen of Capilano returned to Horseshoe Bay where the joysticks were
replaced and successful sea trials were conducted.
BC Ferries said its internal investigation is still ongoing “to understand the contributing factors and the role that weather and mechanical issues may have played.”
“As always, we will continue to cooperate with TSB and other involved parties to take forward any learnings,” said senior communications advisor Shiryn Sayani.
Boat damage
After the boat was hit, the ferry was captured on video leaving and not stopping.
At the time, BC Ferries said: “We are investigating whether this was due to wind conditions, a mechanical issue, or a combination of factors.”
Bowen Island resident Brittany Yu said her classical Grand Banks yacht bore the brunt of the ferry collision.
She viewed the video from the incident and said the impact was quite significant.
The Queen of Capilano’s stern smashed through the boat’s cabin, tearing off railings, shattering windows, and crushing the door and its frame.
“We are on our boat a lot in the summer We sleep on the boat, we do big trips, we spend a ton of time on our boat,” Yu said.
“I certainly don’t feel safe in that spot anymore, and we’ll be looking into alternative spaces where that’s not a risk factor.”
Response time
In an interview with the Bowen Island Undercurrent back when the incident occurred, Bowen Island Mayor Andrew Leonard did have questions about the timing of the Feb. 2 events.
“The biggest issue for myself was that it took a few hours for BC Ferries to respond directly to that incident, and it seemed to be their response was a result of having reported it,” said Leonard, noting he sent video and photos of the collision to BC Ferries leadership early that morning.
Yu reported the incident as a hit-and-run to RCMP
“I think it’s quite disappointing that they left the scene,” she said. “Having a ferry run into something is really unsafe, so obviously that has to be taken care of on their end.”
According to the TSB, a class 5 occurrence investigation can, in some cases, result in a safety letter highlighting a safety issue.
“The collected data is entered into the modal database and an extract of the database is published,” said the TSB’s website.
The Queen of Capilano crashes into boats shortly after leaving Bowen Island on Feb. 2. SCREENSHOT GLACIER MEDIA
McKeen industrial land sells for $143M
BRENT RICHTER brichter@nsnews.com
The company that bought a major piece of industrial property on the North Vancouver waterfront paid $143 million.
Dream Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust issued a press release on Wednesday including the purchase price for the 27.5-acre property at 1371 McKeen Ave.
The press release notes the property is strategically located in an established industrial node in close proximity to major trucking and shipping infrastructure. The property currently has 210,000 square feet of existing buildings, self storage, warehousing, marine industrial businesses, and a large footprint of industrial outside storage.
The rents paid by tenants at the site are “well below market,” the release adds.
The previous owner Wesbild, which bought the land in 2017 for $115 million, had sought to subdivide the northern 15 acres of the site into smaller lots accommodating various uses including film production, a food commissary, e-commerce, craft brewing and child care, but that plan was rejected by the District of North Vancouver’s approving officer, who cited the property’s poor transit and vehicle accessibility and a desire to protect the land for export purposes.
The release offers some window into Dream’s plans for the site
“With a going-in cap rate of above six per cent before taking into account property management and leasing
fees generated by the REIT, this acquisition provides a rare opportunity to acquire significant industrial outside storage scale in an established Vancouver industrial node at a price per acre that is below transactional market levels for industrial land,” said Bruce Traversy, chief investment officer “The current mark-to-market opportunity of this asset, combined with an inelasticity of supply of land, allows us to unlock value immediately. In the long-term, we also see considerable potential to add value through intensification and repositioning opportunities.”
As of the end of 2024, the company’s total assets were valued at $8.1 billion, the release states.
Dream REIT purchased 1371 McKeen Ave. on the North Vancouver waterfront for $143 million. CBRE LTD.
Cultural shift
People of a certain age never seem to be shy to remind their youngers that, when they were in school, they walked. Up hill. Both ways.
Nowadays, it is the norm for kids to get a drive to school, courtesy of mom or dad.
So much so, the District of North Vancouver is looking to spend upwards of $500,000 a year to hire paid crossing guards at schools because things have gotten so out of hand with illegal driving and parking, near misses with kids and abusive comments from parents It’s so bad that volunteer crossing guards can no longer be asked to do the task.
When it comes to keeping children safe on their way to and from school, no amount of money is too much. But this is a sign that it’s time for a look in the mirror, and not the rear-view one. This a
cultural problem. Where cars are involved, we’ve begun to conflate convenience with necessity.
North Vancouver is about as safe as a community can get. Our kids are not in typically threatened by criminal gangs or strangers. Ironically, it is parents in their vehicles that pose one of the greatest risks.
The cheapest thing we could do to protect our children is to not flood school zones with unnecessary traffic twice a day. The money would probably pay better dividends on infrastructure that makes walking or biking to school fun and safe, as it should be.
Kids who walk or bike to class learn better after a little exercise, studies show This week, do your kids and your entire community a favour and leave the SUV at home. It might be the start of the cultural shift we need
Few positions are more powerful or fraught than ‘aux’
ANDY PREST
aprest@nsnews.com
Who’s on aux?
It’s one of the most important questions of our time.
Other questions may have more global weight: How do we stop temperature rise? Who will ensure that democracy as we know it survives the next four years? Can AI make me a really nice sandwich?
Those are the big questions. But in terms of day-to-day life, how we interact with those around us, “who’s on aux” is a question that provides the soundtrack for everything we do. Quite literally, in fact.
For those who don’t hang out with the kids these days, “who’s on aux” means who is choosing the music for this party/
meal/office/funeral/etc. The person in charge of the music plays a huge part in deciding the vibe of the room, holding unique power over everyone within earshot. It’s a massively important position and responsibility
And, I’ll add, it can be an extremely fraught position. You’re putting yourself out there. Ego is at stake. What if you crank up your absolute favourite and someone casually strolls by and says, “this music sucks?” Devastating.
I’ve found this question of confidence to be more serious than ever now that I am a parent of two teen/tween boys. No one comes close to those two in their ability to tell me I suck.
It’s been an interesting musical
journey to get to this point. Early on in parenthood you can foist your musical preferences on your little children as much as you want.
Some parents start before birth, blasting their tunes at their unborn children. This is smart – there’s nothing that a little fetus can do about it. Oh, you’re not a fan of Kraftwerk? You’re literally trapped in a sac, you little squirt. What are you going to do, kick your mom? She’ll just think you’re dancing to the music and crank that synth-pop even louder Ja ja ja!
When baby finally reaches the outer world, you still have a few years of blasting your favourite tunes with no discernible complaints. Sure babies may cry, but you won’t ever know for sure if it’s the
colic or the Conway Twitty.
Soon enough, though, they start talking. And that means they can start complaining.
There might be a sweet spot when they are old enough to talk but still young enough to think that everything their parents do is cool. This is a great stage of life.
The song “Take On Me” by A-ha still whisks me right back to my childhood home with my parents absolutely rocking out to that Euro trash/treasure.
I have fond memories of my little guys singing “Walk of Life” by Dire Straits, blaring the trumpet part from Sloan’s “Everything You’ve Done Wrong,” or hilariously singing and dancing to the Great
MAILBOX
OIL AND GAS SECTOR SHOULD STAY OUT OF OUR CLASSROOMS
Dear Editor:
RE: Nearly 40 Fossil Fuel Companies
Shaping Canadian K-12 Curriculums, Report Finds, Feb. 18 nsnews.com online story
I was unsurprised, yet nevertheless deeply disturbed, to learn that dozens of oil and gas sector companies have been influencing K-12 education in the province of British Columbia.
It was especially disturbing, yet perhaps not surprising, to learn that FortisBC was involved, specifically as part of its ongoing efforts to downplay the disadvantages of natural gases and their role in climate change and the advantages of non-fossil-fuel energy options alike. Quite frankly, targeting this messaging at children who are just figuring out information literacy is unacceptable That this is being done by a company overseen by the British Columbia Utilities Commission is even worse.
I will not provide suggestions on how
B.C. can and should be approaching its energy needs going forward, although I certainly have my thoughts on the matter I will state that these energy decisions must be made with a clear understanding of the benefits and downsides of each, including the roles they play in climate change and the extreme weather that comes with that. Filling the heads of tomorrow’s leaders with dreams of a future of problem-free fossil fuels and unproven technologies does a disservice to society and the future health of our species and the rest of the planet.
I sincerely hope that the BCUC intervenes in this matter when next it meets with FortisBC, and that the NDP government as a whole works to remove the influence of oil and gas companies from school curricula.
In the meantime, I would urge any teachers on the North Shore to look at their lesson plans critically, and ensure that their students look at those plans with a critical eye as well.
Bryan Wood North Vancouver
Ego at stake when picking music
Big Sea classic “Donkey Riding” when they were cute little tots. Pro tip for parents: you can’t go wrong with donkey content.
But soon enough, they start to discover there is a musical world beyond mom and dad’s Spotify list. It’s only a matter of time before the hammer falls: “Dad, your music sucks.”
The first time my kid told me he thought The Tragically Hip were “the worst band in the world,” I cried my eyes out, not just because of what he said, but also because I threw him off a bridge.
Just kidding! Just kidding. Don’t call the cops on me – he’s fine, enjoying life in military boarding school. Just kidding again!
But yeah, it stung, and there was more to come. The New Pornographers, The Band, The National, The Weakerthans…. They all stink, I’ve been told many times.
The toughest fight was the rap battle I’m not anti-rap. In fact, we have all bonded over the classics – Wu-Tang Clan, Outkast, Dr. Dre. Those are universally beloved.
But then my kids started blasting the new stuff: the “got chop of the blop blop blop” of U.K. rap. The “kla kla kla” of the New York drill. Now I was the one telling them to turn it down, transforming from a
cool bro into an old grump.
And just like that, the battle lines were drawn. There I was, teasing my little U.K. rappers. “Oy mate, wat’s this rubbish?”
And in return, they were literally shouting until my music went off. Or, even worse, throwing their headphones on and shutting me out completely The aux wars raged on, for years
Then the wildest thing happened.
“You know dad,” one kid said to me a few weeks ago, “those bands you played when we were young – they low-key hit.”
(That’s a good thing.)
Chilli Peppers, Beastie Boys, Weezer, Green Day, Nirvana – you’ve rocked me to a very special place: cool dad land.
And then a few weeks later my other kid watched The Blues Brothers with me and adored every minute of it – just as I did when I was a kid – and now we’re rocking out to Jake and Elwood doing the theme from Rawhide on the way to soccer practice
You can’t imagine how good it feels. In fact, if you want to make someone feel powerful, loved, respected, there’s one simple way: “nice job on the aux.”
Andy Prest is the editor of the North Shore News His humour/lifestyle column runs biweekly
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North Van OKs McCartney Creek bridge on Spirit Trail route
NICK LABA nlaba@nsnews.com
While District of North Vancouver council hasn’t yet selected a route to extend the Spirit Trail east, all available options will require a bridge to be built over McCartney Creek.
At a Feb. 10 workshop looking into the eastward expansion of the crossNorth Shore multi-use path, council was undecided on fundamental aspects of the project – namely, if the trail should take the staff-recommended “northern route” that crosses Mount Seymour Parkway from Plymouth to Strathaven Drive, or if it should follow a “southern route” that doesn’t cross the busy parkway.
Yet despite the disagreement, staff told council following the workshop that they had enough direction to apply for up to $5.6 million in federal funding, critical to offset municipal costs for the active transportation project.
Much of the workshop’s debate focused on the crossing of McCartney Creek, which will be the costliest part of the trail segment and has sparked concerns from conservationists at the nearby Wild Bird Trust.
At the workshop, outgoing project manager Shane Divine presented the
staff-recommended northern route, which he said was the highest-priority segment and would not be impacted by the funding cut of $20 million to $15 million for the overall project in the new budget
To keep costs down, the recommended
route would maximize the use of existing trails and would build trails to a “bronze” standard, aiming to “make meaningful improvements instead of no improvements,” Divine said.
However, both routes would involve
a new bridge crossing over McCartney Creek, which would also attract the most grant funding, as it provides a safe route to nearby schools and brings active transportation near səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) land, Divine said.
The Nation also wrote a letter of support for the Spirit Trail, which staff said would help the district’s chances of securing grants.
The total estimated cost for the eastern extension is between $9 million and $10 million, with the bulk of that going to the bridge, costing around $7 million to $8 million. On top of the federal funds, staff will apply for a $1.2 million grant from TransLink.
That would lower the district’s estimated contribution to less than $4 million.
At the workshop, staff sought general consensus from council on the recommended route, the location of the McCartney Creek bridge, the bronze standard for most of the trail, and gaining the funding from Ottawa.
During the discussion, Couns. Pope and Jordan Back favoured the alternative southern route, which they said active transportation users would actually take.
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A concept drawing shows a paved section of the Spirit Trail passing through a park. District of North Vancouver staff, however, have recommended a ‘bronze’ standard for most of the trail’s eastern extension, which would mean a gravel surface in some areas. DNV
Some councillors push for more discussion
Continued from A10
Pope said she favoured the route, but there are still issues to overcome.
“It is flatter. It’s supported by people who actually would use active transportation, and it’s beautiful, but it still needs work,” she said
And more consultations must happen with the Tsleil-Waututh Nation before work on the trail continues, Pope said.
“I just want to hold off of moving forward with making a decision today about going with the northern route, because I feel like we’re not there yet,” she said. “We need to have more discussion about that expensive bridge and where it’s going to land in the neighbourhood and the pathways that will come out of it.”
While Coun. Lisa Muri favoured the northern route, she also raised concerns about the new bridge.
“I don’t support the bridge at this point right now, because I’m disappointed that we did not discuss this issue with Wild Bird Trust when they have been reaching out to us about that [wildlife] corridor,” she said.
“I know this trail better than anyone and I will tell you, where that
bridge is located – coming out onto Fairfield on Plymouth – is a steep incline of a hill. It’s a bus route, and there’s parking on both sides,” Muri said.
But Coun. Jim Hanson, who was acting mayor for the workshop, said the route recommended by staff was a practical option.
“Rather than engaging in more discussion and holding off before moving forward, as has been suggested,
I think we’re better to pursue this, pursue the grant funding, pursue the route, pursue the bridge, and get the trail in the bronze standard to Parkgate,” he said.
“And from there, it is my commitment to be a consistent advocate for the connection of the trail to Deep Cove and Cates Park,” Hanson said. After the meeting, staff said they reached out to the Wild Bird Trust to continue conversations.
at $1200 for
A map shows the proposed and alternate routes for the eastern extension of the Spirit Trail, with funding amounts attached to each portion. DNV
BC SPCA looks to help North Van kitty injured in hit-and-run
BRENT RICHTER brichter@nsnews.com
The BC SPCA is hoping residents can chip in a few bucks after a North Shore kitty was struck and injured in a hit-and-run.
A release from the animal protection agency described in detail what happened the night the driver of a pick-up truck hit Magnus on West Keith Road. The incident was witnessed by a Good Samaritan who jumped into action.
“The witness watched a truck speed down the road and saw Magnus get hit. She could hear him crying out in pain,” said Sarah Henderson, animal care manager BC SPCA West Vancouver “The truck did not stop.”
Magnus dragged himself under a parked car, where it looked very much like he wouldn’t make it.
“Based on the amount of blood loss and his obviously broken leg, she was very concerned,” says Henderson.
Immediately after, the woman went door-to-door asking if anyone in the area recognized the cat. Other neighbours came out to offer help, get the kitty out from under the car and rush him to an
emergency animal hospital. Staff there reached out to the BC SPCA in West Vancouver to see if they would be willing to take on the significant cost of his care.
VOLUNTEER NEEDED
“The staff at the animal hospital informed us Magnus was in such rough shape, he would not have survived the night if the witness and her neighbours had
not intervened,” Henderson said.
“The poor cat was in extreme pain, bradycardic (slow heartbeat), hypothermic and dehydrated with pulmonary contusions, and a severe right tibia fracture that required surgery.”
SPCA staff did eventually locate Magnus’s owner but they opted to surrender the cat, the agency says.
Today, Magnus is recovering from successful surgeries and is living with a foster family pending his OK for adoption, likely in the next week. All indications are he is going to make for a very affectionate friend for someone.
“This is a sweet cat who experienced a traumatic injury,” Henderson said. “His foster family reports he is a very friendly boy who was purring and ‘making biscuits’ even before his surgery. He takes his meds very well and he purrs every time they scratch his head.”
To help cover the cost of Magnus’s surgery – and to help other animals at the BC SPCA –visit medical.spca.bc.ca
NOTICE OF INTENT
RE:LIQUORCONTROL ANDLICENSING ACT
APPLICATION FORA LIQUOR PRIMARY LIQUOR LICENCE
An application fora liquorprimary licence hasbeenreceivedbythe Liquor andCannabis RegulationBranchfromThe Wallace Venue Corp at 300– 125VictoryShipWay
Pickleball Advisory Roundtable
TheDistrict of West Vancouver is looking fora resident with apickleballand/ortennisbackground to fill one vacancyonthe Pickleball Advisory Roundtable.
We needyour helptoensurethe long-termsuccess of indoorand outdoorpickleballin West Vancouver. Input provided will helpguide us in supporting this growing sport. Must be availabletomeet one evening per month.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, March7,4:30p.m.
LEARN MORE AT: westvancouver.ca/courts
Proposed interiorand exterior is 210persons. Hours of liquor service beingrequested are 10AM to 12AM daily
Residentslocatedwithin a0.5 mile (0.8 km)radiusofthe proposedsitemay commenton this proposalby:
1)Writing to:
The GeneralManager C/O Senior LicensingAnalyst
Liquor andCannabis RegulationBranch PO Box9292 Victoria,BCV8W 9J8
2)Emailto: LCRB.SLA@gov.bc.ca
PETITIONSAND FORM LETTERS WILL NOTBECONSIDERED
To ensure theconsiderationofyour views, your comments,nameand address must be receivedonorbefore March28th, 2025.Pleasenote thatyourcomments maybemade availabletothe applicantorlocal governmentofficialswhere disclosure is necessaryto administerthe licensing process
Magnus rests with a cast on his leg following surgery. The cat was hit by a driver in North Vancouver BC SPCA
SPIRIT
Invictus 2025 gold medalist shares her inspiring story
BRENT RICHTER
brichter@nsnews.com
Assunta Aquino is injured but unconquered.
The Canadian war veteran from Lynn Valley has faced despair and, through her own healing journey arriving at the Invictus Games, a return to glory.
“It was amazing,” she said. “Better than I could have imagined.”
Aquino served back-to-back tours as a combat engineer in Bosnia in 2004-2005, leading a demining unit. There, she suffered injuries, both physical and moral. Two of her unit members were killed and she was injured when members of an NGO triggered an accidental chain reaction of detonations in a minefield. She also faced sexual violence from those who were supposed to be allies.
Aquino lived with – and tried to suppress – the trauma until about five years ago, when it became too much and she left her military career in a mental health crisis.
Her recovery began with the Homewood Ravensview Treatment Centre, but no small part of the turning of the tide has been her participation in the Invictus Games. Aquino’s husband Francis encouraged her to apply to join Canada’s team for the 2025 games in Vancouver and Whistler Out of 550 applicants, she was one of 56 chosen to represent Canada.
The criteria had nothing to do with athletic ability and everything to do with how a soldier’s story embodies the spirit of Invictus – the Latin word for unconquered. The games were started by fellow veteran Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, to celebrate the fighting spirit and capabilities
of sick and wounded veterans and service personnel.
Aquino said she sees it as nothing short of healing in the form of sport.
“You’ve got 23 other countries that have all brought athletes that are struggling, and you realize you’re not alone in a really big way,” he said.
All the chosen athletes had a year to
train for at least three events. Aquino opted for swimming, sit volleyball and downhill skiing – the sport that was dearest to her until her mental health collapse wrenched it away from her too.
A former coach volunteered to train Aquino. And the relationship she built with her Canadian teammates bears an uncanny resemblance to those who’ve
faced combat together.
“You just want to do it for each other,” she said. “They’re now my battle buddies as well.”
Now, thanks to her performance in Whistler, it’s no longer just military medals she can wear on her chest.
“I took the gold,” she said with an astonished laugh. “I can’t even believe it. I’m looking at it right now.”
With or without the medal, participating in the games has been life changing, Aquino said. She now sees herself in a new light and importantly, so does her family who had do endure her crisis in their own way
“My kids were so proud, and I felt like all of a sudden they could be proud because they couldn’t easily understand until then,” she said, in tears. “But now they understand.”
And as a lifelong monarchist, it was another thrill for Aquino to meet Prince Harry in person. One of the things that inspired her to specialize in demining was the activism work of Harry’s mother Princess Diana.
“He said ‘You guys have got this. I brought you here for this, and I want you to make the most of it,’” she said.
When they met for a photo, Aquino gave him a hug and whispered her own personal thanks in his ear.
“He’s amazing,” she said.
Since the end of the games, Aquino and her teammates have stayed in close touch – a new network of comrades looking out for one another. She’s been reaching out to other veterans, encouraging them
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North Vancouver war veteran Assunta Aquino dons the gold medal won in downhill skiing at the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver and Whistler PAUL MCGRATH / NSN
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‘You can do this,’ veteran says
Continued from A13
to apply for the next Invictus Games set for Birmingham in 2027. And she’s been tapped for a role within the Invictus Games Foundation.
If there’s anything the wider community should take away from her experience, Aquino said she hopes it is a bit of inspiration.
“You can do this anyone with mental health issues. I think it really has brought to the forefront that it doesn’t have to be hidden,” she said.
Because of how Aquino’s story reflects the “unconquered” spirit of the games, a video sharing her story was featured in the closing ceremonies, seen by more than 500 athletes and a packed BC Place stadium.
Afterward, Aquino had strangers approach her to thank her It means, to some extent, she can declare ‘mission accomplished.’
“There’s a lot of people that we can reach. Funnily enough, when I left Ravensview, I said I was going to sing it from the mountaintops,” she said. “And I did.”
Assunta Aquino and her family have their photo taken with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. COURTESY ASSUNTA AQUINO
CamilleSleeman ‘LakesideTangle1
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ANTI-BULLYING
Tsleil-Waututh youth artist picked for national Pink Shirt Day design
ABBY LUCIANO aluciano@nsnews.com Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A design crafted by a 13-year-old from the səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) will be featured across Canada as a powerful symbol of kindness and respect.
Kadence Lánahmats George’s butterfly design was selected as the official artwork for this year’s national anti-bullying campaign, Pink Shirt Day Canada. The pink and purple kilila (butterfly in hənq̓əmin̓əm) ties back into Indigenous values of respect, kindness, inclusivity and community, fitting into the campaign’s message.
“I really like butterflies. In my mindset, butterflies are so pure of kindness, something about them touches me,” George said.
Killia embody the spirit of Nəc̄əmat, where togetherness and collective strength are celebrated, she said.
George first heard about the Pink Shirt Day design contest through the TsleilWaututh siʔáḿθət School’s art therapist. George then went to work with Sharpies and pens, crafting a design with colours to fit the anti-bullying theme.
Pink Shirt Day started in 2007 after a
new student in Berwick, N.S. was bullied for wearing the coloured shirt. After this, two Grade 12 students bought 75 similar shirts, encouraging their classmates to wear pink. The following day at school, they gave out the shirts, but to their surprise, the majority of students were already wearing pink. The campaign is now an annual movement to encourage kindness and raise awareness about bullying prevention.
George found out she was the contest winner following a suspenseful few minutes in class. She said her teacher was on a call with Sean Wilman, director at Indigenous Marketing Solutions, the organization behind the contest. By the end of the call, George asked with anticipation if she won, and was surprised when her teacher said yes.
“I was so happy because it was all throughout B.C., that’s pretty big,” George said.
Wilson said the design really stood out to the company, fitting into the anti-bullying message, but also uplifting Indigenous language.
“We’re always looking to enhance and help support the revitalization of Indigenous language,” Wilman said. “We
thought that would be a great opportunity to introduce a little bit of Cost Salish language to the rest of the greater population of Canada.”
George also gets to claim another title in this year’s contest – she is the youngest person to have won in the contest’s history.
“This is a great opportunity to take this young artist, have her work with our team … bring it to life and really celebrate
and share it with the rest of the country,” Wilman said.
Indigenous Marketing Solutions is a company that works with brands and organizations to uplift Indigenous voices while also supporting community-driven initiatives, according to a press release.
The contest is open to those who self-identify as Indigenous. This is the fourth year the creative contest has been held. Wilman said the company sends a call out on social media and their website looking for artists to submit designs for the pink shirts.
Once submissions close, Indigenous Marketing Solutions goes through all the pieces, narrowing down a shortlist to review with the board of the Naut’samawt Tribal Council for final selection.
George’s achievements were honoured at a blanketing ceremony Thursday afternoon in the Tsleil-Waututh’s administration building. She will also be featured in the Pink Shirt Day Canada Live broadcast that will be held at various times on Feb. 26, the official 2025 Pink Shirt Day in Canada.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
Kadence Lánahmats George is a 13-year-old Indigenous artist from the səlilwətaɬ (TsleilWaututh Nation), whose design was selected for this year’s national Pink Shirt Day in Canada design. ABBEY STIMPSON
City council greenlights heritage preservation for 1907 house
ABBY LUCIANO aluciano@nsnews.com Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Flocks of people were coming to North Vancouver to start a new life at the beginning of the 20th century.
Margaret Jane and William Follis were two of them. In 1907 they purchased land and built a one-and-a-half-storey, gabled vernacular style house on what is today the south side of West 14th Street, near Mahon Avenue.
The Follis Residence was one of the first homes on the block, housing three longterm North Vancouver resident families. The Follis family owned the property until 1930, where Arthur and Clementine Evans purchased it shortly after and resided there until 1946.
As North Vancouver’s population started to grow in the 1940s, Michael and Jean McCaffery bought the home and lived in the house from 1947 to 1974
The home signifies the beginning of an era of bustling growth and prosperity for the city, while also being one of the oldest surviving houses on the 300-block between Jones and Mahon Avenue.
At a meeting Jan. 27, city council unanimously voted for a “heritage designation”
New windows, doors and wood siding like the home’s original style will also be added to the basement.
The home’s front stairs will also be rebuilt, and the rear deck will be removed as it has no heritage value. All other exterior elements on the home, including original windows, horizontal lapped wood siding, soffits, shingles and dormers will be preserved. Walls will also be repainted in historic colours.
Vancouver, and at the same time provide new housing,” said Coun. Don Bell. “I think it’s an innovative and sympathetic approach to doing so. I’m happy to support it.”
Coun. Holly Back asked what colour the Follis residence will be as photos show the home’s colour has changed over the years.
bylaw and proposal from Vancouver-based company DLP Architecture Inc to preserve and rehabilitate the Follis Residence.
The home will still remain at 311 West 14th Street. Slight modifications will be made to keep the vintage style and rehabilitate the home. The applicant will build a duplex infill building at the rear of the property with two principal units and two accessory lock-off suites. In total, there will be six residential units, including a livable basement.
According to the Heritage Conservation Plan, the home’s foundation will be replaced, creating extra height for the basement suite.
Four parking spots will be at the back of the property, and new trees will be planted on the site as well. The applicant, Lucio Picciano of DLP Architecture Inc., estimated the cost for the proposed restoration and rehabilitation of the Follis Residence will be $360,000, according to a November 2024 staff report.
The proposal was presented to the heritage advisory commission on Dec. 13, 2022.
Councillors
in support of preservation plan, bringing more housing in the city
During the Jan. 27 meeting, councillors expressed support for the plan, keeping the heritage of the Follis Residence while also adding more housing.
“I think it’s great to be able to preserve these houses that are the history of North
There is no record of the house’s original colour, CNV staff said, but it will align with heritage colours that were used at the time. The home’s siding and shingles would be a burgundy red, the trim and railings beige, while windows and doors would be a highgloss black.
Mayor Linda Buchanan also echoed support of the preservation plans, allowing people to see the history of the area.
“But also, as we are in the present, it allows us to use that land in very different ways and provide that infill. It’s a good winwin for everyone, and being the owner of a heritage home, I know the cost of doing this type of work,” Buchanan said.
“I think this helps with that rehabilitation.… I think this is a really good project to put forward.”
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative
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The City of North Vancouver has approved a heritage designation for the Follis Residence on West 14th Street. This design graphic shows how the property will look when upgrades are completed. CNV
Prince Harry gifted blanket during Tsleil-Waututh Nation visit
ABBY LUCIANO aluciano@nsnews.com Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Prince Harry showed his love in a special way on Valentine’s Day as he made a memorable visit to the səlilwətaɬ (TsleilWaututh Nation) before the Invictus Games came to an end last week.
Members of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation welcomed the Duke of Sussex into the Child and Family Development Centre in North Vancouver on Friday, Feb. 14, where he spent time with children and families from the Nation.
“I think everyone was pretty honoured to have him come visit, especially the kids,” said TsleilWaututh Nation elected Chief Jen Thomas, adding that the children did a song and dance for Prince Harry. “He’s very human. He really cares about the little ones.”
Chief and council also held a traditional blanketing ceremony to honour Prince Harry and thank him for having an open mind and heart, Thomas said.
“Being blanketed is the highest honour, symbolizing protection, respect and recognition of one’s journey,” read a statement from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex about the visit. “It is a powerful and sacred gesture that symbolizes the warmth and embrace of the community, offering a deep sense of belonging and solidarity.”
The blanket is a replica of her own chief robes, Thomas said.
“We just wanted to cover and thank him for all the work he’s done for the Invictus Games and for the four [host] nations,” Thomas said.
Prince Harry was also gifted a bracelet with blue and red beads that are centuries old.
Nearly 50 Tsleil-Waututh Nation members were there during the hour-long visit, including some elders and youth ambassadors who worked in the Invictus Games.
Thomas said the Nation has been in contact with Prince Harry for the last four years in anticipation of the Invictus Games. From what she has seen and heard,
the Duke cares about the TsleilWaututh Nation and its members.
“He really wanted to know what was going on with our youth –what their struggles are, what they would like to see,” Thomas said.
It’s hard for Thomas not to get emotional when looking back on how the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and other Nations were included in the Invictus Games. From the Nation being involved in helping plan the Games to participating in medal
ceremonies, Thomas said she was thrilled to see their culture take centre stage on a global event.
“I almost cried because it meant so much to the four leaders, to our Nations, to be part of it,” Thomas said, reflecting on the medal ceremony. “We got to show our culture, our traditions.”
The Nation did a blanketing ceremony with every participant from all the 23 countries that took part in the Games, and Thomas said
a lot of participants cried during that special moment with them.
The Tsleil-Waututh Nation had a significant role in the Games, including collaborations on the visual identity of the event.
Last week the 2025 Invictus Games brought more than 500 competitors from 23 nations to Canada to participate.
This year marks the second time the Games were hosted in Canada, with Toronto holding the spot in 2017. But the 2025 Games mark the first time including winter adaptive sports such as alpine skiing, biathlon, Nordic skiing, skeleton, snowboard and wheelchair curling.
“The whole experience with him for the last four years and this day is his open mind and his open heart to really listen and understand who we are as Indigenous people,” Thomas said. Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
Prince Harry meets with Tsleil-Waututh Nation elected Chief Jen Thomas during a royal visit on Valentine’s Day. The Duke of Sussex was gifted a traditional blanket during the event. ERIC CHARBONNEAU
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Bike park in former Sears location to be evicted for another tenant, director says
NICK LABA nlaba@nsnews.com
A beloved indoor bike park in North Vancouver is set to be replaced by another tenant, according to a director of the business.
Since news emerged earlier this month that the North Shore Bike Park in Capilano Mall will be shutting down, many in the community have asked why the facility is closing.
The property owner has found another tenant to replace the cycling-focused attraction, says bike park investor and director James Wilson.
After the business got rolling in July 2023, at a certain point Wilson realized that the company wasn’t bringing in as much revenue as hoped, and the business was falling behind in its lease with QuadReal, which owns the Capilano Mall.
“The landlords offered us three different pathways to try to absolve ourselves of that problem, and we chose one which we felt was the best for the community and the best that we could handle and with the highest probability of success,” he said.
But in choosing that option, the bike park gave up on a term for its lease.
“If another suitor could produce more rent, then they could evict us,” Wilson said. “And that’s basically where we’re at.”
to work with – it was empty for eight years.”
But they’ve since made changes that have improved the business, Wilson said.
That includes adding skateboarding to the park, introducing after-school programs, as well as a full calendar of spring and summer bike camps, he said.
So far, their landlord has treated the park with the “utmost respect,” Wilson said, adding that he hopes there could still be room to negotiate.
QuadReal – which is owned by the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation – also didn’t address rumours that a pickleball operator is being considered to take over the space. The company has partnered with a pickleball and paddle club to fill mall space at two locations in Ontario.
Per the agreement, the bike park was given 90 days notice to move out, and is currently set to close March 30 at 10 p.m.
However, Wilson said he’s not giving up on the bike park, and is trying to renegotiate with QuadReal to stay.
There’s also an online petition to save the North Shore Bike Park with more than 3,500 signatures.
“That’s a very large number, and it really reflects what the community wants,” Wilson said.
Business had glitches at start but has since picked up, director says
When things first started up, there were some glitches, which happens with any new business, said Wilson, who’s also owner of Obsession Bikes.
“It was really difficult to get the type of revenue out of it that we projected,” he said. “Honestly, it’s a difficult space
“A potential solution is that our landlord turns around and realizes that, ‘Hey, these guys are good for the community, and maybe there is a way to patch this up,’” he said.
“We want to keep that door wide open, because at the end of the day, we’re in a great space,” Wilson said. “We’ve got parking We’re right beside a food court. We’re breathing some life into that mall.”
In an emailed response, QuadReal didn’t say whether it’s considering having the bike park stay
“At Capilano Mall, we are committed to creating a vibrant and thriving retail environment that serves the needs of the community,” a spokesperson said. “We do not publicly disclose information about current or future tenant negotiations. We will share additional information about Capilano Mall with the community as it is available.”
There were concerns in the community that North Shore Family Services, which operates a Community Hub upstairs, would have to leave if the bike park shut down. But a staff member said that the hub would continue to operate even if a new tenant came in.
If the bike park can’t stay in its current home, Wilson said the ownership group is looking for other locations, hopefully on the North Shore.
“One of the prospects is picking up the park and moving it into another city, which honestly would be so terrible for this place,” he said.
Wilson said he’s also planning to meet with local government to try to find solutions.
“This community loves this thing, and there’s got to be the possibility of a private-public partnership, much like Canlan rinks,” he said.
“It’s literally less than a hundredth of the cost of a rec centre to build something like this, and so many kids benefit from it. That’s the part that saddens me,” Wilson said.
Anthony Gregory looks down jump lines at the North Shore Bike Park, right after it opened in July 2023. NICK LABA / NSN FILES
SCAN ME
Earthquake offers a great reminder to plan for ‘the big one’
Continued from A1
all three North Shore municipalities and both First Nations to see that the quake hadn’t triggered any landslides, fires or other “secondary hazards” that often follow a seismic event, and confirmation with the Ministry of Transportation and Transit that the North Shore’s major bridges were unscathed.
BC Ferries briefly evacuated the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal to allow teams do inspect for damage.
Within about two hours, Dicken said NSEM was ready to stand down.
“At the time, it was decided that there was no impact to the North Shore, other than an experience that probably triggered a lot of people,” she said.
Did you feel it?
Although it wasn’t ‘the big one,’ it surely startled a lot of people, said North Vancouver geophysicist and disaster researcher Mika McKinnon.
“It’s easy to forget that we live in earthquake zones in Vancouver We don’t feel them very often. This is the biggest earthquake we’ve felt in decades,” she said.
How people felt the quake depended largely on what kind of building they were in and what kind of soil or bedrock it is built on. McKinnon, who was standing in line at a Marine Drive grocery store when quake struck, didn’t feel the primary “jolt” that came at the beginning but felt the secondary waves roll through after.
“For me, it felt a lot like being on the ocean,” she said. Aliya Hussein was working in North Vancouver when she felt it.
“The whole building where I work was shaking. I thought my brain was playing tricks on me until my co-worker said she felt it too,” she said. “I was not too scared, but a little startled.”
North Vancouver resident Kathy Coles said she was feeling a little bit more alarmed after feeling a second shake.
“It shuddered once and I thought, ‘Oh my God, what was that! Did a truck hit this building? And then after the second shudder, I knew it was an earthquake,” she said. “I have a lamp on a table that was shaking back and forth and I’m on the third floor It was quite scary.”Earthquake preparedness
There’s nothing like a small quake to get people motivated to prepare for a much larger one, both McKinnon and Dicken said. When it comes to assembling a disaster kit and putting together emergency plans, NSEM directs everyone to PreparedBC, which itemizes the supplies everyone
should have stockpiled to shelter in place for at least 72 hours (though a week is better) and tips on how to reach family members in the moments after a disaster
McKinnon said people tend to have a case of “paralysis” when it comes to confronting the frightening risks we face, but she added everything can be done in small, manageable steps, and you’ll feel less anxious when it’s done.
“If we have a big earthquake, it’s going to be severe shaking a minute or several minutes. It’ll be a lot,” she said. “This is a chance to check on how you responded [to Friday’s quake], and if you feel ready If this were a bigger earthquake, do you feel like you had a plan or know what to do?”
McKinnon recommends sleeping with a pair of shoes
under the bed, because a larger quake will leave the exit routes potentially strewn with debris and broken glass.
The event also provided a rare opportunity for scientists to better understand what’s happening beneath the surface of the earth and how we can be more prepared for the next one. For that, McKinnon urges everyone to fill out a survey for Earthquakes Canada at earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca.
“Can we understand how did our building codes react to that earthquake? Are there any little pockets of bedrock we didn’t know about, or any pockets of geologic goop we didn’t know about?” she said. “It’s not a scary earthquake, because people didn’t get hurt and nothing was damaged so we can focus in on the science.”
- With files from Alanna Kelly and Elana Shepert
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Students at West Van’s Irwin Park Elementary take part in the Great BC ShakeOut in 2022 MINA KERR-LAZENBY / NSN
West Vancouver man sentenced to 3 years jail for police shootout incident
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NICK LABA nlaba@nsnews.com
A judge has sentenced a West Vancouver man to more than three years in jail for an alcoholand drug-addled incident where he shot a gun at police.
In North Vancouver provincial court on Tuesday, Siavash Ahmadi was sentenced to impaired driving, unlawfully discharging a firearm and two counts of possessing a loaded restricted firearm
Initially, he was charged with a total of nine criminal offences including two counts of attempted murder, but in July 2024 he entered a guilty plea for the four counts he received judgment for this week.
Ahmadi’s total four-year jail sentence will be reduced by a credit of 233 days, accounting for his time already spent in custody
At the time of the offence in June 2023, Ahmadi was recently divorced and living with his parents, Judge Mark Jette said, reading from an agreed statement of facts.
He was a hunter and a shooter, and had a licence to possess restricted firearms. Some were kept in his parents’ home and some in a storage locker in Abbotsford.
He had travelled to Iran – where his family is originally from – earlier that year, where he received several prescriptions including benzodiazepines and sleeping pills. But Ahmadi didn’t inform his Canadian doctor of these medications when he returned, Jette told the court.
Back in Canada, both his family and his close friend noticed that heavy drinking and taking medications was affecting Ahmadi’s behaviour. His father noted Ahmadi was “delusional” and urged his son to seek help, the judge said.
After Ahmadi became heated during a conversation at his parents’ West Vancouver apartment, he stormed out at around 1 a.m. on June 25, 2023, taking a shotgun and .22 caliber pistol with him.
Next, he drove to East Vancouver, where he broke into his friend’s apartment and got into an argument with a neighbour. Then Ahmadi drove back to the North Shore, and a tow truck driver spotted his black Toyota pickup around 2:15 a.m. on the offramp at 15th
West Vancouver police and the Independent Investigations Office inspect an area near Highway 1 after an ‘exchange of gunfire’ on June 26, 2023.
Street in West Van.
Constables from West Vancouver Police Department arrived soon after, and decided to administer an impaired driving test on Ahmadi. He was asked to retrieve his driver’s licence from his car.
When Ahmadi returned to his vehicle, dash cam footage from the tow truck showed him reaching into the back of his car and placing an object behind his back, Jette told the court. As Ahmadi walked back to the police vehicles, he hesitated, took a step back and then fired two shots at an officer from about two metres away Another officer took out his pistol and shot at Ahmadi. No one was hit, the judge said.
Thinking Ahmadi would flee, another police member in an SUV accelerated into Ahmadi, knocking him onto the hood and over the roof of the vehicle, and sending his firearm flying.
He was then rushed to hospital, suffering a severe head injury. In hospital, he was found to have blood alcohol content between 0.37 and 0.55, along with benzodiazepine, several antidepressants and sleep medication, Jette said.
After the incident, police found a semiautomatic rifle in a bag, as well as two loaded semiautomatic pistols without trigger locks. Ahmadi was licensed to own the restricted pistols but not to transport them, the judge said.
Despite intoxication, accused acted with intent, judge says
At trial in November, the Crown
sought a sentence of seven years jail. But Ahmadi’s defence argued that he should serve two years house arrest followed by three years probation, taking the accused’s personal circumstances into account.
Handing down his decision, Jette said aggravating factors in Ahmadi’s sentence included him arming himself on the night of the shooting, despite pleas from his father not to leave the apartment; becoming intoxicated with alcohol and prescription drugs; driving in an intoxicated state across town while unlawfully carrying multiple firearms; and endangering the lives of police, the tow truck driver and anyone else in the area when he shot his pistol.
Mitigating factors mentioned by the judge were that Ahamdi entered early guilty pleas, had no prior criminal convictions, struggled with mental health after the death of a friend in a plane crash, and has generally led a prosocial life. Since being charged, he has worked to deal with his mental health issues and maintain sobriety, the judge said.
But Jette said some of the risk taking was intentional, and worsened by substance use.
“A finding that the combined effect of mental health issues linked to self-induced intoxication contributed to the commission of these offences is not a complete explanation,” Jette said. “I agree with Crown counsel that there’s an element of intentional risk taking.”
Despite his relatively high level of intoxication, Ahmadi was able to act with intent and deliberation on the date of the shooting, the judge said.
“He then drove his vehicle around parts of West Vancouver with multiple loaded handguns at the ready, and he deliberately armed himself with one of them during his [interaction] with police,” Jette said.
Taking into account Ahmadi’s status as a first-time offender, and his relatively low risk to re-offend, Jette ruled that Ahmadi should serve concurrent sentences for the firearms offences totalling around three years and four months remaining jail time. He will also have to surrender all his guns.
For the impaired driving offence, Ahmadi was sentenced to the mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 for first-time offenders, along with a twoyear driving ban.
PAUL MCGRATH / NSN FILES
Mayor calls out parent drivers
Introducing his motion to work with the North Vancouver School District, Coun. Jordan Back said it was not only necessary but long overdue. The City of North Vancouver pays for crossing guards at all five of its elementary schools, he noted.
“These aren’t just imaginary worries that we’re hearing They’re the daily realities for families across our whole community, and as a parent of two young kids myself, I understand these concerns first hand every time I walk or bike with my children, which is daily And as a district, I believe we have responsibility to act,” he said.
Coun. Catherine Pope voted against the pilot, arguing the district should go straight to full implementation, along with increased enforcement for violators and bans on dropping off kids within two blocks of their schools.
“Honestly, I’m just shocked to hear how bad it’s gotten, and about the increasing number of near misses and also the abuse, like, what is wrong with drivers today? I just don’t get it. It’s no wonder really people, in the end, are feeling afraid to let their kids walk to school, and that just makes the problem worse with more cars and more drop-offs” she said. “I don’t think
it’s necessary. Little lives are at risk, and we cannot delay.”
Mayor Mike Little however said the district shouldn’t pursue the pilot until there had been a proper look into the funding sources and benefits.
“You are talking about costs… of over $500,000 by the time it’s all said and done per year going forward. Well, $500,000 can go towards fixing a lot of problems at a lot of schools. And this presupposes that the best solution to the problem is with crossing guards, and I’ve got to say, I don’t think it is in most cases,” he said, adding that school safety should be paid for by the Ministry of Education, not downloaded to municipalities. “I think the best solution to the problem is going to be through using speed bumps, changing the built form in and around (schools), using signage and other things to affect behaviour in those areas.”
Little did however take the occasion to call out the “culture problem” at the root of parents driving their kids to school in an otherwise safe community
“I am wagging my finger at the parents The parents, if they could, would drive right down the front hallway and drop their kid off at the classroom, and that is absolutely irresponsible behaviour,” he said.
WATERMAINMAINTENANCE
Is your tapwater cloudy?
From MarchtoMay,the District is conductingwatermain maintenanceinorder to providehigh-qualitytap water to West Vancouver.Annual flushing of sediments in thewater systemmay causetemporarycloudiness. Your water is safe—sedimentsare notharmful.
What to expect:
•you might seeperiodicdiscolouration;you may wish to runthe cold tapuntil waterisclear
•chlorinationwill be increasedasnecessary; the waterwill be dechlorinated beforeitreaches the drainagesystem
Did youknowthat the West Vancouver Seniors’ ActivityCentre(SAC) runs a ShuttleBus service(by $3 donation) that provides easyaccesstothe SAC, local businesses, senior living facilities, banks, grocery stores,doctors’ offices, and more forWestVancouver seniors?
WESTERN CONNECTOR PILOT
In an efforttoincrease easyand accessible transportation options forseniors, starting on March 10,2025, seniorsliving in the western partofthe communitywill be able to catch aride on the new Western Connector (by$3donation) to access services between the Seniors’ ActivityCentreand Horseshoe BayonMondays!
We’reseekingvolunteerswith lived experience of a disabilityorindividuals whodirectlysupport personswith disabilities to join theNSAAC.Thiscommittee supports all threeNorth Shore municipalities in removing barriers and improving overallaccessibility forpeople with disabilities.
ALICIA PETERS
Contributing writer
British Columbia has the lowest fertility rate in Canada at just one child per woman, and for the first time experienced negative natural population growth.
Canadian fertility rates have been on a downward spiral for years, and in 2023 were at the lowest level in recorded history at 1.26 children per woman. Canada is not alone. Like many G7 countries, U.S. fertility rates have generally been dropping since 2007, and have reached a low of 1.6 children per woman. Rates have been declining so fast that the U.S. Congressional Budget Office is cutting its 30-year population growth projections by 11 million, according
to a Jan. 15 release.
You probably already knew people were having fewer kids, after all not many of us are farming in the countryside anymore, but the choice of more and more Canadians to have only one or none is about to become your problem.
The economic dilemma
Why would a Congressional Budget Office wade into fertility? In the report, they make a clear connection to the economy and the federal budget explaining that “the number of people ages 25 to 54 affects the number of people who are employed, and the number of people age 65 or older affects the number of Social Security and
People are having fewer kids in Canada, choosing one or none, which has ramifications for the country’s economy, writes North Vancouver advocate Alicia Peters, pictured here with her son NOMAD BY NK
Rising cost of living and lack of affordable housing are critical
Medicare beneficiaries.” Slowing fertility rates impact economic output and increase the draw on government services as the population ages, creating an uneven economic recipe that threatens our way of life.
To maintain what we have today, we need to have more children, and what we have today could use a little help when we think about challenges like our chronic lack of doctors and nurses and a collapsing trades workforce at the time of a housing crisis. We’ve been supplementing our low birth rates with immigration, but read up on why the Liberal government has recently made drastic cuts and you’ll know it’s not a magic bullet.
The bottom line is if you plan to collect any kind of government income supplement such as Old Age Security, visit a hospital, go to a grocery store, live in a condo, hire workers, or do anything but live alone on an island, you need to care about Canadians having children.
Why women are having one or none
The rising cost of living and the lack of affordable housing are two obvious reasons why Canadians are having fewer children, but there is also the fact that its just so difficult to be a parent today. In 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General released a public health advisory highlighting the effects of parenting stress on parents’ mental health and well-being. Much of the challenges working women face are captured in terms like the motherhood penalty and mental load. Seeing the extreme challenges mothers face, many women are rethinking children altogether
Creating the conditions to help women thrive in the workplace
While the parents who chose to have children have the main responsibility to care for them, the U.S. Surgeon General notes that, “society as a whole must see itself as sharing in this responsibility – and shaping policy, programs….” In other words, it
takes a village. It is time to think about structural barriers that prevent women from reaching higher in their careers or working around the problem by not having children at all or only one. Supporting our economy through increased fertility rates needs to start with equitable and modern policies. Here are some ideas that could create a better environment for parents on the North Shore and beyond:
• Separate EI from maternity leave and value parental work by increasing the maximum payout (the government doesn’t put a cap on your taxes) and tie it to inflation.
• Increase the B.C. child-care fee reduction subsidy and mandate that new major building developments include childcare centres that have daycare, kindergarten, elementary school and before and aftercare on site to support parents with more than one child.
• Include maternal and child health supports in provincial health-care coverage including
Disposition and ProposedAssistance
ThirdFloor of Lynn CreekCommunity Recreation Centre1491HunterStreet
private lactation consultants, pelvic floor physio and clinical counsellors.
While politicians and businesses are rightly focused on the immediate Trump tariff threats coming from south of the border, they would do well to look ahead at Canada’s population growth trajectory and implement some policies and programs to help ease the burden of parenthood.
Lillooet
Alicia Peters is an award-winning senior corporate affairs and government relations leader living on the North Shore. After becoming a mother, brought together a non-partisan coalition of parents, health-care providers, and politicians to advocate for modernized and equitable policies in maternal health care, maternity and parental leave, childcare, and more. aliciapeters.ca@gmail.com
Rd Affordable Housing
LocatedonDistrict-ownedland, this mixed-income rental housingproject featuring188 rental unitsacrosstwo six-storey buildingswillprovide affordable housingwithrentalrates alignedtoBCHousing’s CommunityHousing Fund
TheDistrictofNorth Vancouver planstoenterinto alease with Parkgate Community Services Society fora 3,410square foot childcarefacility locatedonthe thirdfloor of 1491 HunterStreet. Thelease would commence on March 15th,2025, for afive year period,withtwo fiveyear renewal options. Therentwillbeat thenominal amountof$1annually. Themarketrentofthisfacility would be approximately $135,000 per year.Byleasing this facility at nominalrentthe District wouldbe providingassistance to theSociety forthe term of thelease
Public Info Meeting: 5:30pm–7:30pm Wed.March 12,2025 HolidayInn, NorthShore Ballroom, 700 OldLillooetRd, NorthVancouver Tash Cheong 604-990-2411 cheongt@dnv.org
VirtualPublicMeeting: March10–April4 at DNV.org/public-meeting
We should be making it easier for parents to have and raise children, writes advocate Alicia Peters ANDY PREST / NSN
LEARNMORE
TIME TRAVELLER
Aweekly glimpseintothe past from MONOVA: Museum & Archives of NorthVancouver
FirstWorld WarTrophyGuns
Photo: NVMA,5308
At theend of theFirst WorldWar,North Vancouverheldseveral wartrophiesin commemorationofthe effortsofour veterans in thewar
The trophies included twocapturedGerman77mmfield guns,and four German machine guns.The fieldguns were stationedinVictoriaParkaspartoftheir WarMemorial, however the machineguns were kept by severalveteransassociations.
In 1942,inthe heat of theSecondWorld War, themachine guns were returned to alocal salvage officertoberepurposedasartillery in thewar effort at therequest of Ottawa’s SalvageOfficer.
Discover more of theNorth Shore’srichhistory at MONOVA.Start planning your visitat monova.ca. Do youhavea storytotell? Getintouch via archives@monova.ca.
GARDEN TO TABLE
How to fight climate change locally with savvy seed starting
LAURA MARIE NEUBERT Contributing writer
As a permaculture designer I am transfixed by climate change over time. Of particular interest are the cool animations that illustrate global temperature, emissions, Arctic sea ice, carbon cycling and storm anomalies that the California-based, non-profit research organization Berkeley Earth hosts online.
We might well be miles ahead in our race to overtake the climate emergency, if we checked-in daily But admittedly, climate isn’t as sexy as politics and the price of eggs.
The unglamorous news is that January 2025 was the warmest January since directly measured instrumental records began in 1850. According to Berkeley Earth, January 2025 was measured at 1.64 ± 0.11 C (2.95 ± 0.19 F) above the corresponding 1850 to 1900 average This is 0.09 C (0.16 F) warmer than the January 2024 record.
Of note, and alarmingly, this January marks the 19th consecutive month with global average temperatures at least 1.5 C warmer than the corresponding 1850 to 1900 monthly average. Paris Agreement targets relate to current 20 year averages, but the upward trend is indisputable It’s nothing short of a kick-in-the-butt wake up call.
Indeed we have “arrived” at the forewarned climate emergency.
Politics does not lend itself to the making of unpopular hard decisions, so it falls to us citizens to act, optimistically, at home.
At this time of year, gardeners are ordering seeds or starting seeds indoors for planting out in the spring. This seemingly simple act has become quite nuanced, as record-setting climate anomalies devastate crop after crop and introduce new and unseasonal pest pressures.
One of my climate adaptations is to lean more heavily than ever on locally saved seeds, especially those hardy heirloom varieties that arrived long ago with families immigrating from challenging climates. While the slow creep in average global temperatures may seem incidental, it is the increased prevalence of systemic extreme and unseasonal weather events that have impacted food crops.
Shortly before checking out of my online seed catalogue shopping carts recently –having slept on the delicious possibility of
growing Fort Portal jade beans from Uganda – I deleted all exotics and focused exclusively on cold- and drought-tolerant flower, vegetable and berry seeds that have been adapting to Canadian temperature extremes over time, often centuries.
Last winter, I ordered seeds for hardy peas that came to North America from sub-polar Northern England in the 1850s. Just this morning, during my daily garden walk-about, I met these same determined late summer-planted peas. Tendrils of new growth curling up through the leaf litter, calling me and the pea-loving finches alongside for a snack. My reward, I am sure, for sleeping on temptation.
My sensible 2025 seed order contains a variety of red kale, introduced to Canada by Russian traders prior to 1885, and Russian Prince George tomato, also from Russia, ice-bred arugula, and early maturing Yukon chief corn introduced in 1958 by the University of Alaska.
Other favourites like Manitoba tomatoes and sweet Siberian melon arrived to Canada from short growing season geographies as well. Due to their original genetics, these plants thrive in extreme heat as well, without any special treatment, and in my experience without pest pressure.
An even better hedge against seed uncertainty may be to order climate resilient varieties from the B.C. Eco Seed Co-op, a producers’ co-operative providing 100-percent B.C.-grown vegetable, herb, flower and grain seeds. They are ecologically grown and certified organic, open-pollinated, regionally selected and GE-free – all saved by B.C. climate-savvy co-op members on farms across the province.
My money is staying home.
Laura Marie Neubert is a West Vancouverbased urban permaculture designer Learn more about permaculture by visiting her website upfrontandbeautiful.com, or email hello@upfrontandbeautiful.com.
February peas descended from sub-polar North England, pressing on through the ice and snow. LAURA MARIE NEUBERT
HOROSCOPE WEEK OF FEB 26, 2025 -MAR 4, 2025
Face the music:3wds.
Black
Authority
entertainer
Mother’s sister
House”(song)
lump 57.Courtdividers
Moistened
Tall tale
Lyric verse
Beerlikebrew
Copper or nickel
Denomination
Tango requirement
Urge
Spots
England cape
Long sandwiches
Moe
“____ the Woods”
25.Amount unpaid 28. the fat
30.Choir voice
31.MTV watcher,e.g. 32.Don’t go
34.Signs up
attraction 42.Explosives
Actual
45.Tenant’s concern 46.Cheeky
48.Immediately
49.Stage prompt
51.Not well
52.Cow’s call
Umbrella 9. Is beholden to
53.Recede, as thetide
Crosswordpuzzle answers use American spelling
ARIES March21-April 19
You’ll come up with great ideas and innovative proposals this week. Your plans may change afew times based on your mood. This could irritate some people around you.
TAURUS April 20-May20
Amid achaotic situation, brilliant ideas often emerge. If you’refeeling overwhelmed, asecond cup of coffee might be just the boost of energy you need to accomplish great things.
GEMINI May21-June 20
After aparticularly stressful period, taking astep back and indulging in some welldeserved rest is important. This break will help you recharge your batteries and feel refreshed.
CANCER June 21-July 22
You’ll put in aconsiderable amount of overtime at work this week. You’ll also enjoy relaxing moments with family and friends and participate in enriching activities together
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
Atrip or aromantic getaway will lift your spirits. You’ll fully embrace this blissful experience. The idea of moving abroad or going on an adventurewill take shape in your mind.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept.22
Change will come naturally to you this week. Choose your friends wisely to reduce stress in your life. You’ll take amorespiritual approach to life, which will improve your well-being and help you feel morealigned with your deepest desires
LIBRA Sept.23-Oct. 22
You’ll have strong emotions this week. Be mindful about putting yourself in aposition whereyou’reforced to make abig decision all alone. This could lead to tough criticism that may be hardtohandle.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
You’ll use your strong sense of determination to carve out your own place in the professional world. This approach could open the door to exciting opportunitiesfor travel and cultural experiences.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec.21
You’ll stand out among your friends and colleagues. These individuals will be ready to supportthe big changes you’remaking, including those in your personal life.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
For some people, spring break means relaxation. However,ifacrowd of visitors arrives at your home, they may take liberties and leave you feeling solely responsible for putting things back in order.Fortunately,you’ll still have agreat time.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb.18
Trust your instincts—they’re your best guide! Don’t let yourself be influenced by those who think they know everything. Believe in your own abilities. Someone close to you might inadvertently hold you back.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
Your work will provide you with stability,financial independence andtravel opportunities. Be careful not to exceed the speed limit when driving this week.
HOWTOPLAY:
Fill in the gridsothat everyrow,every column and every3 x3box contains the numbers 1through 9only once. Each 3x3box is outlined with a darker line. Youalready have a fewnumbers to get youstarted. Remember:you mustnot repeat the numbers 1through 9inthe same line, column or 3x3 box.
MARKETPLACE
REMEMBRANCES
Struggling with food? Check oa.org for local meetings. “We are not a diet club.
FoundKeys on bike/ walking path by Highway 1 and Mount Seymour Parkway. 236−862−7066
Lost Cat We lost Simba on February 9. Bellevue Avenue and 29th West Vancouver. Silver Bengal Cat (boy). No collar or chip. 604−802−2000
CASH for your CLUTTER I will pay CASH for your UNWANTED ITEMS! specialize in RECORDS, English Bone China & Figurines, Collectibles, Tools, Antiques, ETC Rob • 604-307-6715
EYFORD, Susan Gayle
April 2, 1964 - December 27, 2024
After a brave battle with cancer, it’s with great sadness we announce the passing of Susan Gayle Eyford, wife, mother, sister , aunt and friend to all.
Sue’s infectious smile and sense of humour were a constant in her life. Her sweet charm and positive attitude could lighten up the darkest days, encouraging well being wherever she went.
Her passions for travelling and exploring were legendary, often wel off the beaten path. Margarita’s were a passion, as was enjoying appy’s and bevies on the patio on any given sunny day. Sue lived her life to the fullest extent.
GRAIS, Barbara A. April 26, 1936−February 13, 2025
Barbara Audrey Grais passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family and caregivers, after an 18−year journey with dementia. She was 88.
Barb was born April 26, 1936, in Vancouver to parents Audrey Benoit and Charles Chadbourne. She went to McGee High School and worked at Imperial Oil before marrying Gary Grais on May 9, 1959.
CHITTY, Donald George December 25, 1927 - January 24, 2025
We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our father, Donald better known to all as “Mr. Chitty.” Al our love forever, Denise, Dave, Crystal, Max, Kim and Clayton.
Parenthood came naturally to Sue and she focused every ounce of her being to protect, nurture and love her family with no exceptions. Her boys were her life. She radiated compassion and patience, always willing to help, lend an ear or just to comfort those in need.
Sue was predeceased by her parents, Frank and Irene Eyford, and her sister Sharon Eyford.
Left behind is her husband and best friend for 30 years, Martin Conroy, sons Jackson and Lucas Conroy, her sister Lori Chapman (Peter) and brother David Eyford (Jane),and many nieces and nephews
The list of friends who touched Sue’s life, are numerous, all benefitting from a compassionate and kindly soul.
She will be greatly missed.
“ My worst fear was once losing you, My worst fear now is learning to live in a world without you” I love and miss you so much.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, April 5 from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. at the Legion 123 West 15th Street, North Vancouver Branch 118. Due to limited space please contact me for confirmation of attendance.
She was adevoted wife, mother and grandmother. Active for many years at St Christopher’s Anglican Church and Hollyburn Country Club in WV, where she played tennis and swam weekly with the same group of friends. Mom had many hobbies and pastimes, including bridge, knitting, crocheting and needlepoint. She loved dancing and entertaining and was very creative in the kitchen. Most of all, Mom loved to laugh and be together with her family and friends. She loved the beach and enjoyed many trips and cruises with family, collecting colourful mementos along the way. She surrounded herself with these, especially at her summer cabin on Gambier Island. Barb also loved cats, birds, and nature and beingactive outside, gardening,walking, "puttering,"and making everything just right.
She is survived by her husband Gary; herchildren, Louise Oswaldand husband Hugh Oswald, Roger Grais, Ian Grais and wife Jennifer; grandchildren James and Anthony Oswald and Madeleineand Lauren Grais.
Acelebration of life will be held at St Christopher’s Church in West Vancouver on Thursday, March 27, at 1:30pm.
Barbs family would like to recognize and thank the many devoted caregivers who loved and cared for her in her later life.
In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, Alzheimer.ca.
TORRELL, Terry Austin
February 3, 1957-February 15, 2025
It is with heavy hearts we announce thesudden passingofTerry in theearly morning of Saturday, February15thaftera 2year battlewithstomach cancer.Terry’spositive attitude enabled him to fight throughavarietyofcomplications overthe past twoyearswithgraceand an incrediblesense of humour.However,despite hisstrong will to fight forhis life and hisfamily, hisbody had other plans and Terry passedawaypeacefully surroundedby thelove of hisentirefamily.
Terry AKA “Grandpa T” wasthe belovedhusband ofTracy (nee Green) and will be missedbeyond words by histhree childrenTara(Simon),Dana (Mike) andBrenden (Allisha) and hismuch loved grandchildren(Ava, Carter,Chase,Baden, Rylee and Mikaela). Terry is survived by his heartbroken mother,Marion Torrell (neeYoung) and his cherished bigsisterBarb Cameron(Garry).He waspredeceased by his father AustenTorrell. Over 27 years ago, Barb donatedone of her kidneys to Terry,which enabled himtolivean incrediblyfulfillinglife.Terry and hisfamily will always foreverbegratefulfor hissister’sgiftof life.
Terrywas averyspecialindividual whowas kind andgenuine to thecoreand wasloved by many peoplebeyond hisfamily. Heloved thesimple things in life and cherished his family,his friends andall creatures great &small. Anyone whowas fortunateenough to spend timewithTerry was guaranteedtolaugh hard and oftento thepoint of tears thanks to his lighteningspeed wit andifyou were lucky,you wouldbeableto enjoy one of his tasty homecooked meals. Cooking forothers was without adoubt hislove language.His entire lifehe ovedthe outdoors, sunshine, gardening, animals, fishing,camping,music,movies, buildingand fixing things and wasfamousfor hislove of allthings scary andHalloween related. Terry’sHalloween displays were always “best onthe block” while he lived in Whistler
The world will be missing one of thegood guys anditwill not be nearlyasfun with himnot in it
“See ya” Grandpa T We love you and you will be forever in ourhearts.
In lieuofflowers,the family kindlyrequests donations be made to W.A.G. -WhistlerAnimals GaloreinWhistler, B.C. WAG |DonateToday! In addition, thefamilyasks that youconsider registeringwiththe OrganDonor Registry.Towrite a condolence to thefamily,please visit www.mckenziefuneralservices.com Obituaries
ANTHONY, Brian Lewis July 3, 1935 −January 31,2025
BriangrewupinWest Vancouver after moving from Lytton,BC, in 1939. He attendedPauline Johnson School and graduated from West Vancouver Senior Secondary in 1953. Anatural athlete, he later coached YBAbasketball and Babe Ruth baseball, always makingtimeafter work to be at AmblesidePark for"theboys."
After high school,Brianworked at Woodward’s Food FloorinParkRoyal,saving fortrips to Europe andHawaii.Heput himselfthrough Vancouver Vocational Institute,becoming adraughtsman and laterworked on theproject forthe renovations at the Vancouver InternationalAirport
Brianco−founded theconsulting engineering firm Anthony−Seaman Ltd., specializing in sawmill design. The company designed millsacross BC andbeyond, and continuestooperate to this day. Business took him across Canada, theUSA,and Europe.
Weekendswere spentonGambierIsland, where the familyfirst stayedinalivablebarn before purchasing theadjoining property. There, Brian undertook therenovation and expansion of an original cottage.Deeply involved in thecommunity, healso designedthe Gambier CommunityCentre and is proud thatitremains athriving hub for Gambier Islanders to this day.
Back in thecity, Brianenjoyed curling and tennis at Hollyburn Country Club and great games of golf Hisgreatestjoy, however, was time with family at their"House in theWoods"onGambieror travelling to Fiji, Hawaii,Mexico, and California. He and his wife, Mollie, also explored Europe,Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and theSouth Pacific, wintering for yearsinLaManzanilla,Mexico.
Brian leavesbehind his wifeof 64 years, Mollie Le ani (née Brimacombe), his sonDean (Kelly), daughter Colleen, and grandchildren Shaunand Carly. Alsomourning him are his brothers Jerry (Jill) inAustraliaand John(Sandy) in West Vancouver, his sister−in−law Barbara in Sechelt, and many lovingnieces,nephews,and cousins.Brian often said, ’I’ve had agood life,’and his familyfinds comfortinknowing he lived it fully withpassion, kindness, anddeep love forthose around him.
The familyextends heartfelt thanks to Brian’s cardiologist, neighbour, and friend, Dr.Payam Pournazari, and familydoctor, Colleen Lawlor, for theircompassionatecare.
Acelebration of Brian’slifewillbeheldatSt. Christopher’s Anglican Church(11th and Inglewood, WestVancouver) on Monday, April7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., officiated by Rev.Jonathan P ckney.A reception at thechurch willfollow.
BARRATT,Chris
May 21, 1942 -January 28, 2025
Itiswith great sadness that the family of ChrisBarratt of West Vancouver announcehis passing on January 28thwith his family by his side.Chrisis survived by hiswife, Jane, to whom he was married for55years, his dear children andgrandchildren. While they are devastated to have lost their rock, thememoriesthey made of the happy timesthey hadtogether with himinfun, laughter,adventures,and close family living will live on.
Chris wasborninMontreal, moving back to Vancouver in 1948with his parents, Barbaraand Bert. Afew yearslater,the family bought acabin at Hood Point on BowenIsland, whichbecamethe focus forChris,who spentmany happy years growingupthere with agreat group of friends but also following around the caretaker at Hood Point, learning carpentry and fix-it skills. At 15, he spentthe summers running water taxis forFrank Wright, ferrying the daddiesdaily to Horseshoe Bay and back in the evenings, delivering other customersaround HoweSound in between. Chrisalso spent timefollowing hisloveofskiing at Whistlerinthe winters of hisyouth. He attended St.George’sschool, which he loved, excellingatsports,cricket, and rugby,which prepared himfor yetmore rugby at UBC, where he won his Big Block.
Chris wasalways generous with his time and talents throughout hislife, preferring quietservice to recognition, always lending ahandwhere he could. He hadbeen President of St.George’sOld BoysAssociation, which he gave up when hisfather died, taking over the role of family patriarch looking out for the interests of hismother and the restofthe family.Later,while on the boardofSt. George’s, he gavehis engineering expertisetothe renovation of St. Ann?s convent,which becameSt. George’sJuniorSchool.Hewas proud of his engineering competence throughout hisworkinglife but happily took up boating on retirement whenheand Janebought aboat and immediately cruised to Alaskafor overthree months. They also spenthappy yearsintheir casa in Mexico with new and oldfriends,enjoying the local art, culture, dining, volunteering andhosting visitors
Chris loved adventure, and he and Jane spent many retirement years travelling extensivelytovarious parts of the world. He particularly loved Britain where they visitedfamily buthealso so enjoyed the countryside, architecture,pubs, old villages, stone cottages and antique shops! Chriswas adoerall his life, building acabinonBowen Island, renovatinganold house in Victoria, building ahouse on Mathers Avenue,renovating the secondhouse on Mathers and working all thehoursthatGod gave himinthoseearly years. He loved classical musicas well as hispop favourites like Buddy Holly,was afurniture maker, apotter,a writerand even anaturalartist, though he never wanted to pursue that talent.
Inhis final years afterhis stroke, he was just happy to be with his family at home, with Virginiaand John at Parksville, Toby and Dana at FawnLake, still travelling cautiously, andspending Tuesdays and Thursdays with hisclose friends. This friendship hadspanned over 60 yearsfrom the startofthe O.S.A.C’s(The Ostler Street Athletic Club)! through to the recent yearsofpickleball, golf and cards!
He wasknownbyall his family and friends as aquietly attentivelistener,with a winning smile andquick dry witwhich could reduce the room to tearsof laughter when deployed, askill he exhibited even towards the end of hisdays. He is verymuch missed by Jane, his children,extended family and his grandchildren,who looked up to him as their loving Poppa.
Adonationtothe oncology Department at Lions Gate Hospital would be greatly appreciated: https://lghfoundation.com/cancer-care/
Heather Belle Abbott
Born on November 24, 1952
Died in hospital on January 29, 2025
John Garland Hamilton Abbott
Born on October 6, 1946
Died at home on January 31, 2025
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the deaths of John and Heather Abbott. John and Heather were happily married for over fifty years. They travelled and worked all over the world but always considered BC their true home. They rased their family in West Vancouver and were active members of Hollyburn Country Club. They had, in recent years, retired to their dream home in Egmont and were active members of the Egmont and District Volunteer Fire Department. John and Heather’s final months were spent surrounded by their grandchildren in Nova Scotia.
John and Heather are survived by their sons Richard and Patrick, both of whom serve proudly as members of the Canadian Armed Forces, daughter-in-law Chantal, and grandchildren Dominic, Charlotte and Parker
A gathering will be announced once the family has determined how best to celebrate their lives.
LOHN, Zora
November 24, 1928 - February 18, 2025
It is with heavy hearts Zoe Lohn passed away February 18, 2025.
Predeceased by husband Laurie Lohn. Survived by daughter Becky Lohn, (Patty) and son Kelly Lohn (Heather) grandchildren Simon, Haley, Zoey Lohn.
Mom was a proud 3rd generation Vancouverite and Catholic attending Lady of Sorrows School as a child Her first job was at the Province followed by Woodwards downtown. She then married her beloved Laurie and mastered the art of landscape and interior design. Zoe could turn any property to a show home
She loved looking at homes and studying the local papers. Besides being a fantastic cook, Zoe would always have lots of food on the table for anyone that dropped over
Mom was adored by family, friends and neighbours and all that knew her Her laughter would always fill a room.
She will be remembered as a kind, sweet, generous lady to all that crossed her path She was passionate about animals and children. When we would go to the Canada Day parades, Mom just wanted to look at the children, as she would at the beach.
Zoe had very fond memories of summers at Cultas Lake, in her childhood years She loved living on the Sunshine Coast the past 13 years, moving from West Vancouver
You will be so deeply missed, and we are all blessed to have you all these years
Love you to the Moon and Back
You were the best of the best Moms and my best friend.
Celebration of Life details to follow
SPRACKLIN,
Joanne (Jody) Beaumont November 26, 1957 - January 26, 2025
Joanne (Jody) Beaumont Spracklin (born Smith), age 67, passed away peacefully at the North Shore Hospice on Sunday, January 26th. Jody was an incredibly loyal and loving wife to her husband, James (Jim), for 36 years before his passing two years prior. Jody took immense pride in being a devoted mother to her only daughter, Heather Born on November 26th, 1957, in Montreal, Quebec, Jody moved to West Vancouver in 1979 with her family She enjoyed working with Swinton and Company in downtown Vancouver before dedicating her life to creating a warm and nurturing environment for her family A true lover of music, Jody found joy in filling her home with the sounds of her favourite tunes. In her younger years, she cherished spending time in nature, enjoying camping and fishing with her husband, creating lasting memories of their shared love for the outdoors. Her clever wit, love of wordplay, and passion for trvia and crosswords were just a few of the things that made her so special. Jody was predeceased by her mother Shirley Smith She is survived by her father Harry, daughter Heather, brother Craig (Kerry), sister Donna (Tom), and their growing families. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all who were lucky enough to know her
WEBSTER, Thomas Arthur
Tom passed away peacefully in the morning of February 8, 2025 at Evergreen House in North Vancouver He was born in Edmonton, Alberta on April 29, 1947 and was previously deceased by his parents Arthur and Olive Webster. He is survived by his cousins Grant, Bernice and Kathryn.
Tom was a lifelong resident of West Vancouver attending Ridgeview Elementary and West Van High, as well as Sentinel Secondary
As a young man he worked with his father at the Texaco Station on Marine Drive and later went on to work until retirement for his cousin Grant at Interior Fire and Safety Ltd.
He was an avid outdoorsman enjoying golfing, fishing and hiking In the mid 70’s he summited Mount Rainier with his good friend Bruce McKenzie. Tom could be seen on the seawall from Ambleside to Dundarave every day
Tom will be missed by his family and his many friends. His family and friends would like to thank the staff of Evergreen for their excellent care for Tom. By Tom’s request there will be no funeral service. If you would like to make a donation in Tom’s memory, please donate to the Variety Club of BC
REMEMBRANCES
KENNA, Nancy Sue
September 21, 1940 −October 28, 2024
Born on September 21, 1940, in Vancouver, Nancy spent her childhood in West Vancouver, graduating from West Van High. She began her adult life in Vancouver, but her heart eventually found ahome in North Vancouver’s Edgemont Village. In 2021, she moved to the mountains of Squamishtobecloser to her daughter.
Nancy was awoman of vibrant passion and quiet elegance. She was an avid skier who spent time in Whistler and cherished her trips to Sun Valley, Idaho, with her girlfriends. She was happiest snowshoeing or hiking the North Shore mountains, or enthusiastically watching the ATP tour. Her door was always open,and her impeccably maintained home became the backdrop for countless gatherings and late−night sleepovers. Agracious hostess and loyal friend, she made everyone feel welcome.
Raising her daughter, Kristal, was her greatest joy and achievement. Nancy’s love extended to Gidget, Kristal’s beloved dog, whose antics and film roles she never failed to share in conversation.
Nancy was predeceased by her brother Peter and her parents, Ron and Helen Kenna. She is lovingly remembered by her daughter Kristal Kenna; her siblings Barry Kenna (Dorothy) and Bonny Schultz (Robb); and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends.
Anafternoon tea in celebration of Nancy will take place on March 6, 2025, at 1:30 PM in the Great HallatGleneagles Clubhouse in West Vancouver.
Inlieu of flowers, donations in Nancy’s memory may be made to the North Shore Hospice.
Each
Will I ever stop missing
This one I
Good times we had together,
The moments that we shared
We didn’t have to tell each other
How much we really cared.
I never dreamed you’d go away, Never thought of sorrow.
So sure you’d always be here
Took for granted each tomorrow.
Now my life is all confused
Since you went away
You took a part of me
And for help daily pray
But when God sent you to me
He never said that you were mine
That I could keep you always –
Only borrowed for a time
Now, He’s called you home, I’m sad and I shed tears.
Yet I’m glad He loaned you to me And we had these many years.
Obituaries
MATTHEWS, Phyllis 1940 -2025
Phyllis Matthewspassed away peacefully in her homeinSummerland onJanuary 29, 2025, surrounded by family and friendsand herbeloved dog, Josey.Phyllis is survivedbyher loving husband of 62 years, DaleMatthews; children Jennifer(Jason) andJohn (Barb);grandchild Chevy; and her sister Nora (Grant). She was predeceased by her sister,Paddy Owens, in September2024. Bornand raisedinWest Vancouver with alove fornature and adventure, Phyllis wasanaccomplished equestrian, skier, hiker, and boater andwas active well into her 84 years. Alsoknown as “P.A.,” “Phyllyanne,” or “Phylly,” Phyllis had awidecircleoffriends that she made over theyears. FriendsfromWestVan, Vancouver SchoolofArt,Deep Cove, boating, church, ApexMountain andher travels with Dale around theworld.Anavidphotographer, her photos reflect alife well lived and full of storiesleft forustotell. Phyllis will be remembered for many things,but mostlyfor herkindness, herstrength andher love of aproper cup of tea. Phyllis will be greatly missed by herhusband, family and friends.
Acelebration of life and servicewillbeheldMay 3rd, at 2pm,atthe family homeinSummerland.
Condolences and memoriesmay be shared by visiting www.everdenrust.com
Atthe age of 12 Trueman attended theYMCABig Cove Camp and from then on, he devotedhis life tothe YMCA untilhis retirement from theGreater Vancouver YMCA
Predeceased by hisparents, hissisterand histwo brothersand hisson James Hirschfeld.
Survivedbyhis wife of 68 years Beverlyand their daughtersKimberly (Larry), Karen(Randy);his 7 grandchildren, Lars, Amy, Kathleen, Christopher, Kiara, Dylan and Gabrielle;his 5great-grandchildren Aprilia,Eleanor,Trueman, Oliver and Parker Trueman was the love of my life for 68 years, Iwill miss himforever.Noservice, Please remember him.
Obituaries
MacDONALD, David H. 01November 1932 -17February2025
We are verysad to sharethe newsofthe sudden but peaceful passing of ourbeloved father Dave MacDonaldinWest Vancouver, BC on February 17 AresidentofWest Vancouverfor the past 54 years, Dave wasborninCampbellton, NB,the only child of Howard and Dorothy(Hinton) MacDonald
In1954, after earninghis Diploma in Pharmacy from DalhousieUniversity,Dave began buildingwhat wouldbecomea verysuccessful pharmacy business career in Moncton,NB. In June of 1955 he married Margaret Ann Currie, thelove of hislife He opened hisfirstdrugstoreinSeptember of 1956 andover thecourseofthe next 15 years he grew that first MacDonald’s Pharmacy into a successful chainof5drug stores in New Brunswick. In 1971, after joiningthe ShoppersDrug Mart group,heand Margaret relocated theiryoung family to West Vancouverwhere they would happily livefor therest of theirlives. While Dave embraced lifeonthe West Coast,heneverlost his love of theMaritimes.
Alwaysadevoted family man, Davewas predeceased by hislifelong partner,and beloved wife of 62 years,Margaret in 2017. He leaves behind 3children- Pamela (Mike, deceased 1994), Scott(Linda) andLisa(John), 6grandchildrenJessica (David), Eric,Brandon(Victoria), Kathryn, Spencer (Alycia) and Nicholas (Jessica), 3great grandchildren- Isabelle, Luckyand Eliseaswellas a4th great grandchild he was looking forward to joining our family thisJuly. We will forever remember himasa dedicated,loving father and grandfather,aman whowas always therefor those he loved, offeringadvice, guidance through tough decisions, andready to catch us whenever wefell.
Agathering to celebrate hislifewill be held in late June. In lieu of flowers, please make adonation in Dave’smemory to the Heart &Stroke Foundation ofCanada. For moreinformation, please visit https://www.heartandstroke.ca. To writea condolence to the family,please visit www.mckenziefuneralservices.com
NORBERG, Ruth Margaret November 14,1923− February 14, 2025
RuthNorberg (nee Willie), born November14, 1923, toEdward andChristinaWillieinNorth Kamloops, died peacefullyon St.Valentine’sDay in InglewoodCareCentre.
She is survived by her daughterNicolaFollows, son −in−law Robertand grandson Jasper. Ruthwas theyoungest of sixchildren andwas brought up and educatedinNorth Kamloops. She married Albin Carl Norberg in 1945
She worked in theWaterRights Department in Kamloopsand rananantiqueshop in herspare time. Al died in 1985, andRuthsoonafter moved to Vancouver to be close to herdaughterand grandson
Many thankstothe staff at Inglewood Care Centre, who caringly and lovingly soothed her through her last years.
NESBIT,Helen Cale (Papple) March 12, 1927 -February 4, 2025
Afternearly98years of love, laughter,and gratitude, Helenleaves her children John(Kazuko) andSusan (Paul),her grand-children Maya, Erina, Liam,and Kristin, and 14 nieces and nephews, each of whom she cherished. Helen graduated fromthe Brantford General Hospital Nursing school.She worked as an operating room nursein London, Ontarioand then moved to Vancouver whereshe worked as apublic healthnurse. She joined thenaval reserveat HMCS Discoverywhere she metDon Nesbit who becamethe great loveof herlife. Theymarried in 1953 and settled in West Vancouver where they lived forover 60 years. They were enthusiastic sailors and gardeners. In 1972, Helenreturned to nursing, first working in the LGHprematurenursery andthen the Provincial Venereal Disease Clinic, where she supported women’shealthinVancouver’sDowntown Eastside. She volunteered forcountless organizations, most notablyco-founding North ShoreKeep Well. Helen told agood story and never failedto seehumour in the small things in life. When Don wasdiagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she wentintoactionashis primary caregiver.Bythe timeDon died in 2016, she had moved into HollyburnHouse. Herfamily is grateful forthe superb care given to her by Hollyburn admin staff, care aides, andnurses, and by Dr.K.Rahnavardi.
Acelebrationoflife will be held on the afternoon of March28. If youare interested in attending, please contactnesbit@sfu.ca. In lieu of flowers, please give to The Foundry (https://foundrybc.ca/donate/).
ROSSEN, Judith E.
July 13, 1938 - February 15, 2025
We are saddened to announce that Judith Ellen Rossen passed away on February 15, 2025, at the age of 86. Judith was a native of Simcoe, Ontario, second youngest in the family of Bruce and Ellen Pearce, sister to Dick (d’d 2007), Sally, and Nancy Her life changed abruptly at age 18 when an automobile accident resulted in many weeks of coma, some bran damage, and chronic pain from neuralgia The accident gave her a permanent aversion to automobiles, and she preferred bicycling and walking for the rest of her life. After recovering, Judith spent the next few years working and traveling in Jasper, Alta and Europe. Judith met her husband, Uwe, after returning to Ontario They were married and moved to Vancouver in 1965. She and Uwe raised two sons, Erik (b.1967) and Mark (b.1969) Judith remained a teenager in spirit, preferring the company of animals and people under 10 years old. This preference perfectly matched her earlier employment as a children’s librarian and a reviewer of school books. It also helped when her children and the dog arrived and demanded 8-hour reading marathons of her For many years, life was a quiet routine of walking, playing her organ, collecting books and music, playing cards (and usually cheating), and weekly correspondence with her sister Nancy Life started to go downhill when Mark was diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease around 2000 and Uwe’s death in 2015 After suffering a bad fall in 2020, Judith accepted the generous offer of her older sister Sally to stay with her in Dundas Judith’s increasing dementia and loss of equilibrium caused many bad falls, culminating in a stroke in 2024 that ended her ability to walk more than a few steps without falling. The family of Judith is particularly grateful to her nephew Bruce and her sister Sally, who attended Judith during the last weeks of her life. Judith is survived by her sons Erik and Mark and her granddaughters June and Kinsey
A service will be held Sunday, March 2, at 12 p.m. at Circle of Life Cremation and Burial Centre, 100 King St. E., Dundas, Ontario.
JOHNSTON, Dr J. Ivan
Dr J Ivan Johnston, known affectionately as Ivan to his friends and family, passed away peacefully on February 7, 2025, at the age of 90, in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Born on September 6, 1934, in Belfast, Ireland, Ivan was a man of remarkable intelligence and analytical prowess, complemented by a handy and practical approach to life’s many challenges.
Ivan’s journey brought him from the Belfast, Ireland to his first stop in Montreal, Quebec. He eventually landed in West Vancouver, BC where he attended high school and then continued undergrad studies at UBC. He pursued and achieved academic excellence at the University of Washington Dental School His passion for Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry was not only his calling but also his contribution to the dental world, dedicating his life to restoring smiles and confidence to his many patients. His professional life was marked by an unwavering commitment to his craft, and he was highly respected within the dental community for his expertise and dedication.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Ivan was blessed with a loving family Predeceased by his parents John and Letitia and brother Brian. His devoted spouse, Patricia Johnston, stood by his side in every chapter of their shared life for almost 61 years! His daughter, Karen Mittendorf(Tyler), and son, Ken Johnston(Cheryl), were the lights of his life, inheriting their father’s sharp intellect and kind-hearted nature. Ivan’s role as a husband and father was characterized by his steadfast support, his gentle guidance, and his enduring love for his family He was very proud of his grandchildren, Connor, Rachel, Ashley, and Tessa and all that they have achieved
Ivan’s interests and hobbies painted the picture of a man who found joy in the simple pleasures of life. An avid gardener, he found solace and peace in the act of nurturing plants and flowers, celebrating the beauty and tranquility of nature His love for puttering around the house and his afternoon naps were reflective of a man who appreciated the art of living well and resting fully The lake held a special place in his heart, serving as a sanctuary where he could immerse himself in the serenity of still waters and the companionship of his friends and family
Those who knew Ivan would describe him as an intelligent and analytical thinker, a man who could solve complex problems with ease and grace. His hands were not only skilled in the intricacies of dentistry, but also in the countless tasks and projects he undertook, embodying the essence of a truly handy individual
Dr J. Ivan Johnston lived a full and meaningful life, marked by his professional achievements, his unwavering commitment to his family, and his capacity for finding joy in everyday moments. His legacy is one of kindness, excellence, and the pursuit of a life well-lived. Ivan’s memory will be cherished and celebrated by al who had the privilege of knowing him, and his spirit will continue to inspire and guide us.
As we bid farewell to a remarkable man, we reflect on the immeasurable impact he had on the lives he touched Dr J. Ivan Johnston’s story is one of love, dedication, and the enduring power of a life dedicated to the service of others and the pursuit of personal passions. He will be deeply missed, but his memory will forever remain a beacon of light for his famly, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to have been a part of his extraordinary journey
There will be a service held at St. Christophers Church on Saturday, March 15th, 2025 at 2:00 pm Al are welcome, a reception at the church will follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation as he received amazing care and compassion from all the staff at the hospital.
To advertise call 604-653-7851 or email nmather@glaciermedia.ca
KRASSEY, Leanne Marie (nee Gilbert)
Born: March 19, 1970
Passed: February 13, 2025
Leanne passed away peacefully at Vancouver General Hospital on Thursday, February 13th, 2025. She is survived by husband Sean Krassey, and daughters Alyssa and Sheneece, parents Jim and Maureen Gilbert, and sister Lisa Kennedy (nee Gilbert), niece Katie and nephew Justin.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Pemberton Station, 135 Pemberton Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, on Thursday, March 6th, 2025 from 4-6pm.
In memory of Leanne, and in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the BC SPCA or charity of your choice. To write a condolence to the family, please visit www.mckenziefuneralservices.com
FUNERAL SERVICES
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