North Shore News January 10 2016

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Hundreds show up for stem cell drive MARIA SPITALE-LEISK mspitale-leisk@nsnews.com

The community heeded the call to save a life and came out in droves for Nancy.

NEIGHBOURLY NOTES Ginny Cathcart shares a recollection on the memory board set up to commemorate the end of an era in Edgemont Village, with popular longtime businesses Trims and Peter Rabbit leaving their current locations in the 3100-block of Edgemont Boulevard. PHOTO MIKE WAKEFIELD

Nancy Taylor is the North Vancouver RCMP volunteer and longtime Lynn Valley resident currently battling leukemia and in desperate need of a life-saving stem cell donor.

On Thursday 141 people from all walks of life turned up to the North Vancouver RCMP detachment, which hosted a stem cell drive in support of Taylor. One man even rode his bike from Richmond just to be tested to see if he was a match. There were other stories of strangers stepping up for the cause, according to North Vancouver RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Richard De

See Sign page 7

SCHOOLS: SD44 PLANS FOR FUTURE GROWTH IN MOODYVILLE, LONSDALE NEIGHBOURHOODS

Urban school model touted for LoLo JUSTIN BEDDALL jbeddall@nsnews.com

Bill Vander Zalm was the B.C. premier the last time the North Vancouver School District opened a brand new school to serve a fast-growing enrolment area.

That was in 1990, with the completion of Seymour’s Dorothy Lynas elementary, which was spurred by a massive residential development in the area in the late 1980s.

Now, 26 years later, the school district is considering the need for another new elementary school, this time for Lower Lonsdale.

In late October, the school district submitted its five-year capital plan to the Ministry of Education that included a request for a new K-7 school. “It’s really a signal to the ministry that there’s potential for that Lower Lonsdale school and it also

enables us to proceed with a little more formal discussions with the municipality and the ministry,” said John Lewis, schools superintendent.

The school district’s draft facilities 2015 update forecasts an additional 1,520 apartment units in Lower Lonsdale and 650 apartments/850 townhouses in Moodyville to 2029. Using yield factors of 0.28 to 0.33 students per townhouse and 0.05 to 0.08 students per apartment, that translates into 76 to 122 more students in the Lower Lonsdale area and 271 to 333 more students in Moodyville within the next 20 years.

“You want to have your schools where your population is. And I think the sense of Lower Lonsdale is that there’s a population that is having to head up the hill to Queen Mary and Ridgeway and they would be better served by having a school in closer proximity to them,” Lewis said.

The city’s Moodyville development is expected to attract

more young families looking to get into the residential market and “that is typically when they start to have their first couple of children.”

“It’s a shifting of the demographics,” added Lewis, who said that collectively there’s been a “gradual enrolment increase” across North Vancouver.

Despite recent housing assessments that show North Vancouver to be increasingly unaffordable, it’s still highly desirable. “North Vancouver is a very attractive community; people (are) moving from the west side of Vancouver to North Vancouver attracted to the schools, the communities, the parks that we have, the access to recreation. So people are moving in.”

Although there haven’t been new schools built in a quarter century, there have been several rebuilds of existing schools that

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

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An unexpected ally for a convic

Visit from exonerated convict gives imprisoned Atif Rafay a beacon of hope, 20 yrs after family’s slaying JUSTIN BEDDALL jbeddall@nsnews.com

After serving 29 years in prison for a car-jacking murder he didn’t commit, recently exonerated Brooklyn native David McCallum was busy making up for lost time with family during the holidays.

But he still planned to make time to write to Atif Rafay, the West Vancouver man serving three consecutive 99-year sentences for the murders of his family – father and mother, Tariq and Sultana, and sister Basma – in David McCallum was 16 when he was convicted of kidnapping and murder. He was exonerated in 2014, after serving 29 years in prison for a crime he 1994. did not commit. PHOTO SUPPLIED MARC LAMY McCallum, freed in 2014, can destroy a group’s credibility. and Rafay share disparate like that,” said McCallum. “One of the reasons I really wasn’t Klonsky advocated for McCallum’s innocence for a decade, going to be nervous about the prison was Atif. … I had gotbackgrounds, but their lives intersect in many curious ways. visiting him in prison, regularly talking by phone and working McCallum grew up in a crime-ridden New York neighbourten to know a lot about him prior to meeting him for the first with a pro bono legal team to prove his innocence. hood and was wrongfully convicted of the kidnapping and time.”

When Klonsky’s teenage son Ray was getting in trouble, murder of a 20-year-old man in 1985. He was 16 at the time and When he first saw Rafay inside the prison’s cafeteriahe had McCallum write him a letter and the two began sentenced to 25 years to life. style meeting room, he took note of his small stature and his corresponding.

Rafay was an 18-year-old freshman at the Ivy League’s intelligence.

After graduating from film school, Ray and classmate Cornell University when he was arrested and charged, along “In some ways he kind of reminded me of myself in having Marc Lamy began shooting a documentary titled David & with best friend Sebastian Burns, for killing his family inside to do your own legal studies and how knowledgeable you Me, in which they participate in the improbable quest to free their home in a quiet Seattle suburb. The pair was convicted have to be about your own situation because no matter how McCallum alongside a group of lawyers and detectives. in 2004. many attorneys you have or supporters you still have to have Ray and Lamy spent seven years on the project and What connects their stories is the spectre of false cona lot of knowledge about your own case.” happily re-cut the ending of the already completed film fessions and a Vancouver man named Ken Klonsky of The The pair sat across from one another separated by a small after McCallum was exonerated and released from prison in Innocence International. The prisoner advocacy group was table talking about their cases and McCallum’s hard-fought October 2014 at age 45. founded by Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, the falsely imprisoned freedom.

McCallum’s release came following a deathbed op-ed piece boxer made famous in the Bob Dylan song “The Hurricane” While their cases differ – “the notable exception, which is a in the New York Daily News written by Carter pleading for the and later in a movie of the same title starring Denzel huge exception, obviously was the fact that he lost his family,” exoneration, which came too late for the co-convicted in the Washington. said McCallum – there was common ground for the pair who case, Stuckey, who died of a heart attack in prison in 2001.

After spending 18 years in prison for a triple murder in grew up worlds apart.

According to a press release from the Office of the New Jersey he didn’t commit, Carter was released in 1975.

“I think that one of the similarities that is very obvious is Brooklyn District Attorney, a review of the case “concluded Klonsky, a retired teacher and writer, invited Carter to the false confession,” he added. that the confessions were false and not supported by physical speak to his students and the former middleweight boxer The Brooklyn man believes youth are particularly susor testimonial evidence.” agreed to visit his classroom. ceptible when it comes to being interrogated by skilled law Klonsky described McCallum’s release as “the best day in Klonsky later wrote a magazine article about Carter’s enforcement officials. my life, with the exception of the birth of my son.” plight. McCallum, who was convicted of the crime along with “Manipulation is huge in interrogations, especially with Since his release McCallum has been working at Manhattan young people. It doesn’t really matter how much you think his friend Willie Stuckey, read the story while in prison and Legal Aid Society and lives in Brooklyn with his mother. sent a letter to Klonsky asking for help proving his innocence. you know or how smart you think you are or what your Klonsky agreed and began poring over transcripts and court education level was at the time you were being interrogated documents and soon came to believe two innocent men were – it really doesn’t matter when you are put under that kind of THE VISIT in jail. That turned out to be Klonsky and Carter’s first innopressure you know,” he said. “And of course law enforcement cence case. His second, the case of Burns and Rafay, came five knows this … and that’s what happened to me.”

In September, David McCallum flew to Seattle to visit Atif years later.

Overcoming a false confession can be like driving up an Rafay at the Washington State Reformatory, a century-old “These were coerced confessions in both cases. Each with icy mountain pass on bald tires and inevitably the question brick prison that houses 700 inmates. two (sets of) teenagers. They were both coerced but were becomes: “If you didn’t do anything, then why confess?”

The hulking prison is fortified by tall walls ringed with coerced in different ways,” said Klonsky.

“Of course there are circumstances involved in why people barbed wire and guard towers, but McCallum wasn’t intimiKlonsky has said that selecting the right cases to pursue is confess. It’s called physical duress, it’s called manipulation, dated as he approached the visitors’ entrance. absolutely critical for innocence projects because one mistake it’s called coercion, those sorts of things,” he said.

“Surprisingly I wasn’t anxious, or nervous or anything

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

NEWS | A5

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North Shore Schizophrenia Society Family-to-Family Education AN INTENSIVE 12-SESSION COURSE FOR

victed killer Burns and Rafay have always argued that they were coerced into confessing by undercover RCMP operators posing as underworld criminals in a controversial “Mr. Big” sting operation.

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LIFE IN PRISON

After nearly three decades behind bars, McCallum understands what it takes to survive the daily monotony of prison life and remain positive while trying to prove your innocence, even in the darkest hours.

He says having a lifeline outside the prison walls is vital.

“It was everything to be honest with you.

You’re inside but you have a lot of people on the outside working for you, believing in the cause in which everyone is fighting for, I know for me it’s a huge incentive to know that. I think Atif feels the same way. You know a lot of people on the outside believe in him. And I think that goes a long way towards a person’s morale,” said McCallum.

For nearly a decade, Rafay has been a student and TA with University Beyond Bars.

Along with tutoring fellow inmates in calculus, composition, literature and philosophy, he’s also pursuing a BA in specialized studies in modern literary criticism and theory. While incarcerated he’s had several pieces of writing published, including an essay on personal freedom that was published in acclaimed Canadian magazine The Walrus.

“One of the things I know Atif does while he’s inside is he educates other inmates, which is always great to do because I know when I was inside I was a facilitator too for alternatives to violence programs and that sort of thing. Just being able to do that and share my story with other inmates to me in some ways was almost like therapy. Plus the fact that I was able to help other people out.”

Burns, meanwhile, is incarcerated at the same correctional complex in Monroe, but at a separate facility and the pair are forbidden to communicate.

McCallum said Rafay doesn’t need his help to motivate him in his quest for freedom – “he’s a very motivated man, obviously” – but he would share the same advice Rubin Carter once imparted to him.

“Rubin would always say: ‘Think about that hole in the wall and if you can see that hole in the wall, then that’s your path to freedom.’ It’s important to remember who you are and why you are there … and the fact that you know that you are not supposed to be there. And for me I hold on to that innocence – that was everything to me.”

Klonsky, who sat in on the visit between McCallum and Rafay, believes it was important for the pair to meet.

“I felt David was a symbol to Atif of possibility. David was in for 29 years and Atif’s case, well he’s been in for 20 years and a little more and that if David could get out, then perhaps he could. And I think that was David’s message,” said Klonsky. “He had to stay the course, not give up on himself.”

In 2013, Washington state’s top court denied Burns and Rafay’s petition for a review of their failed bid in appeal court the previous year to overturn their triple murder

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Atif Rafay is serving three consecutive 99-year life sentences for killing his family.

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convictions. Burns and Rafay continue to fight to overturn their convictions.

And while the cases have similarities, there’s also major differences, according to Klonsky: “In that we had three highly regarded professionals dealing with the case in New York. Plus we had private investigators. We weren’t dealing with the appeals process and that has made this whole thing much more difficult,” said Klonsky.

But with Innocence Project Northwest now involved with Rafay and Burns’s case that may change. “(Our) lack in expertise they can easily make up for. And there’s a lot of energy in the group that’s helping Atif,” said Klonsky.

McCallum plans to keep in touch with Rafay.

“In fact I’m in the process of writing him a very long letter now just to let him know what I’m doing just to keep him positive and try to give him some information and some news to keep his morale high. If he continues getting the support he’s getting I’m sure he’s going to be fine,” McCallum said. “I’m sure he’s going to find himself out of that place sooner or later, it’s just a matter of staying the course and remaining positive throughout it.”

In an email to the North Shore News, Rafay wrote about what the visit from McCallum meant to him.

“It was inspiring to meet David. I’ve only met two people who have made it out alive from wrongful conviction: Rubin and David.

Of course, Ken Klonsky kept me up-to-date with the progress of his exoneration, but until it actually happened I could never be sure that it really would. It was special to speak with him and share our not-nearly-unusualenough experiences. He is courageously rebuilding a life that prosecution shattered, and seeing that he has done that successfully despite the sadness of all that he lost was very encouraging. I am very grateful to have him on my side. He gave me valuable advice and the hope not only that I can be exonerated, but that something can be done to remedy the pervasive error in the criminal justice system.”

The course is taught by trained family members who themselves have ill relatives. It will be of particular interest to families whose relatives have recently been diagnosed.

As class size is limited, please register a.s.a.p.

For information and to register, please call 604-926-0856 | Course details: www.northshoreschizophrenia.org

Grade 7-8 Transition:

Secondary School Enhanced Programs Information Meeting for Parents and Students for 2016-17 We’re pleased to present this information night for families of students preparing to enter Grade 8 in September of 2016.

Come learn more about the Enhanced Programs being offered at our secondary schools including Academies, French Immersion and International Baccalaureate.

Our dedicated staff will be happy to answer your questions.

Where: Sutherland Secondary School 1860 Sutherland Avenue When: January 14, 2016 7pm Parking will be limited. Please plan accordingly, allowing yourself extra time for getting to/from the event. If possible please walk, carpool or take transit.

NOTE: Registration/transfers begin January 25, 2016. Deadline for priority placement is March 4, 2016.

Visit www.sd44.ca Call 604.903.3444

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New chair elected to head NV school board Christie Sacré voted in after Cyndi Gerlach steps down JANE SEYD jseyd@nsnews.com

North Vancouver School District trustees have voted in a new chair of the board.

Christie Sacré was announced as the new board chairwoman following a secret ballot vote at the public meeting Dec. 8.

Sacré takes over as school board chairwoman from Cyndi Gerlach, who held the position following the resignation of Barry Forward last March.

Gerlach told her board colleagues she would not put her name forward to continue as chairwoman because the position requires more time than she is able to devote to it.

Sacré, nominated by trustee Franci Stratton, won the vote over trustee Megan Higgins, who was nominated by trustee Jessica Stanley.

Sacré, who officially took over as chairwoman Jan. 1, said she sees her role as one of keeping the board on track, making sure trustees have information they need to make

Christie Sacré decisions and being the voice of the school board on public issues. Among key issues the board expects to deal with in the coming year, trustees hope to hear from the minister of education soon about their request to proceed with a full replacement of Argyle secondary, said Sacré.

Planning is also underway on the next large capital project – a possible replacement of Handsworth secondary, which has already been approved for a seismic upgrade.

That project will likely go through a similar process as Argyle – with the school board weighing options of simply doing the upgrade or requesting a replacement of the school and negotiating with the province on how

that should be funded. Early estimates put the difference between a seismic upgrade and a new school at about $20 million.

After years of declining enrolment, the board is also looking ahead to continuing projected increases in numbers of students, said Sacré.

That means starting to talk with local municipalities now about future school needs, she said. Sacré said she’s also hoping to see a sustainability strategy in place in the school district that would combine energy-reduction initiatives and areas like outdoor and environmental learning.

Franci Stratton was voted in to the position of vice-chairwoman following a second secret ballot vote. Stratton won that vote over trustee Jessica Stanley.

In recent years, decisions over whether to sell and redevelop former school lands have been among the more divisive issues that the school board has grappled with. Both Sacré and Stratton have supported that direction by the school board. Higgins, Stanley and Forward have all raised questions about that approach.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

NEWS | A7

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‘Sign up. Save a life’: stem cell recipient From page 1

Jong.

“There was, believe it or not, a guy whose wife was going into labour and she says, ‘Well, I’m going to be busy for a few hours,’” said De Jong, adding the expectant father spotted the donor drive across the street from Lions Gate Hospital.

Taylor was on hand for two hours during the drive held in an RCMP briefing room-turned-makeshift clinic, to thank those who gave their time and potentially a life-saving gift. She met co-workers, her friends, first responders from across the North Shore and complete strangers.

“It was very emotional for her,” said De Jong. “There were some tears shed over the whole process and everything else. But she has remained very strong and, of course, quite hopeful.”

Taylor wants to live to see her children get married and have kids of their own, and “do so much” she told the News earlier this week.

Being of Dutch and Indonesian descent makes it difficult for Taylor to find a stem cell match, which is why Canadian Blood Services is targeting people of diverse ethnic ancestry, particularly young males between the ages of 17 of 35, the demographic with the healthiest stem cells.

Many young men did show up Thursday, some of them brought in by their mothers, said De Jong. The potential donors swabbed that day have been added to a 26-million-name international OneMatch stem cell and bone marrow registry.

“When you become a potential stem cell donor you can help not only someone in Canada but literally a patient anywhere in the world,” said David Patterson, director of donor relations at Canadian Blood Services.

Taylor’s health struggles resonated with leukemia survivor Boyd Dunleavey, who saw media coverage of her story and wanted to pass along a message of hope.

“Just don’t give up,” said Dunleavey. “Don’t quit.”

Four years ago Dunleavey was diagnosed with a rare and

deadly form of acute myeloid leukemia and only given a 10 per cent chance of living. After getting his cancer into remission twice, Dunleavey got the lifesaving call: a stem cell match had been found. Dunleavey’s “perfect” match was a United States Navy serviceman stationed in Japan at the time.

“Sign up. You can save a life,” said Dunleavey of that miracle.

Almost four years after his successful stem cell transplant, Dunleavey has beaten the odds. This spring he will run the Boston Marathon. Dunleavey will be sharing his story during the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services Sunday at Deep Cove’s St. Simon’s Anglican Church.

Another stem cell drive, along with a blood donor clinic, will take place Jan. 30 at Carson Graham secondary from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Young families expected in future Moodyville From page 1

have, in some cases, doubled the school’s capacity, said Lewis.

The next step for a Lower Lonsdale school will be meetings between the city’s planning department and school district officials to discuss needs, locations and options – one of which Lewis described as the “urban school model.”

Lewis cited recent examples in Vancouver, like the new planned school near Yaletown that will be incorporated into a mixed-use building and have capacity for 60 kindergarten students and 450 children in grades 1 to 7.

“They are in a higher density community and you move away from a traditional single-storey or two-storey school. These have been around for hundreds of years but we have not had to do this in the past.”

Lewis said the ministry requires at least 10 years’ lead time for a project of this scope, which offers ample opportunity to discuss various options, from the traditional school on a separate piece of land model to locating a school within a mixed-use building with blended amenities and services, such as child care.

City of North Vancouver Coun. Linda Buchanan made a motion in October directing staff to work with the school district to continue planning for a new school to address future growth in Lower Lonsdale. “We are seeing that young families are wanting to live in the city, and we want them here. You can’t a have complete community if you’re void of young families. This is a good thing for our community.”

Buchanan said recent headlines about the cost of real estate on the North Shore are reminders that single-family home ownership isn’t an option for most young families.

New developments in Lower Lonsdale and Moodyville will provide housing options for young families that are close to services, shopping, and active transportation, she added. “It’s a great place to be.”

Buchanan agrees there will be challenges moving forward with a new school, especially with high land costs, that will require out-of-the-box thinking.

“Urban schools are not really common but the days of building schools on a five-acre, 12-acre city block are probably in the urban setting long gone.”

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Guns blazing

I

f we ever need a reason to feel good that we live in Canada rather than America – in addition to obvious advantages like politeness and a national health care system – we need look no further than American gun culture.

The ease with which Americans have access to guns, the social acceptance of guns and the sheer number of Americans who have them is nothing short of shocking.

Yet despite repeated tragedies, a frightening and vocal segment of the U.S. population has held fast to their firearms.

The gun lobby in the U.S. holds an almost unfathomable sway over a significant number of U.S. politicians – enough to have been able to block most of U.S. President Barrack Obama’s hoped-for changes to that country’s gun laws.

Even the shooting deaths of 20 first graders in their Newton elementary school didn’t do much to shift America’s love affair with firearms.

Staring down the barrel of his last year of presidency, this week Obama once again took on the gun lobby, introducing a set of ultimately mild restrictions on gun ownership that immediately set off a firestorm of protest in the right-to-beararms crowd.

But despite what the NRA would have folks believe, more people with more guns will not make society safer. That this is even up for debate borders on Kafkaesque.

We wish Obama well in his efforts to inject some sanity into the discussion on gun control south of the border.

Taking aim at stemming gun violence in America is a worthy legacy.

Kids got it figured out: guns don’t solve it

M

y old boss always warned me about kids with guns.

You can’t keep them from getting hold of guns, he’d say. There’s no escape.

And he backed up his warning by keeping a couple of loaded weapons in his office at all times. In fact, he pulled them out whenever a kid showed up, flashed them around so everyone could see what he was packing.

The kids loved it – they’d come right in and start blasting away at the windows.

They were, of course, just sticky dart guns they were firing, but it was always a huge crowd pleaser. It was a big hit with everyone except for the office moms – my boss knew that some of them ran no-toy-gun households and they weren’t too thrilled to see their impressionable youngsters blasting darts at impressionable office ferns.

“You can’t fight it, so why bother trying,” were my boss’s words of wisdom to me knowing that I’d be a

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Laugh All You Want Andy Prest father someday soon. You can ban toy guns from your house all you want but your kids will just end up turning other things into guns, he said.

I didn’t really believe him.

I’m not violently anti-gun, but I don’t have much interest in them having never actually held a real gun in my life, let alone shot one. I know this is odd given that I grew up in Alberta where, if I’m not mistaken, it’s the law that before leaving hospital every family must ensure that their newborn baby has

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a proper rear-facing child seat for the car and a proper bolt-action rifle for the crib.

My wife, however, felt strongly about keeping toy guns out of our house. I’ve gone along with it because, like most parenting decisions, I don’t have a strong opinion either way. You know the old rule: “happy wife equals happy … yup … sure … OK, sweetie. Sounds great. Hey, can I watch basketball now?”

At first the ban was easy to enforce. When they were very young our kids would sometimes come across a toy gun owned by a neighbour or friend and ask what it was.

“I’m not sure, bud,” I’d say. “A boat?” Then I’d make a noise like a cruise ship horn. Problem solved. Buuu buuuuuuuuup.

Now that they’re a bit older they don’t fall for that ruse. They’ve never whined about not owning toy guns but they don’t need them.

As my boss predicted, they improvise.

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This started, as all the fun things that keep us on our toes have, shortly after my older son started kindergarten. He came home with the knowledge that every child is blessed with two free guns at birth: left pointer finger and right pointer finger. It wasn’t long before he discovered that he could enhance the effect by building his Lego pieces into guns. Mouth explosions and gunshot noises completed the package and made dinnertime extra exciting.

“Can I have ice cream now?”

“No ice cream tonight, buddy. You already had a treat.”

“Then I’ll shoot you in the face. Piu piu.”

Charming. The more we tried to stop it the more it happened. After a while my son basically invented a new language best described as “gun.” He started peppering explosions and gunshot noises into nearly every sentence he spoke.

And of course his

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Layne Christensen EDITOR

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two-year-old brother was happy to join in. It was actually quite disconcerting, particularly given recent global events, including our U.S. neighbours losing their minds with their depressingly frequent literal gun fights and depressingly idiotic political gun fights.

Right now there is a group of heavily armed men who put on their finest camouflage gear and bravely took over the administrative buildings at a very remote federal wildlife refuge in Oregon. One of them conducted a short interview on live TV while hiding under a blue tarp.

I can understand the allure of a gun. The only thing that could give a man hiding under a tarp any sense of power at all is if it’s a man hiding under a tarp with a big gun. Or perhaps a magic wand.

Maybe there’s a way out of this madness though. My sons went through their serious gun-loving phase but it faded almost as quickly as

it started. They realized that waving a finger gun at their parents had serious consequences, none of which resulted in more ice cream.

All the credible research is clear as well – owning a real gun does not keep you safer but rather increases the chances that you or a member of your family will get shot. Maybe gun lovers will one day realize, as my children have, that guns don’t get them what they want.

Just look at the guys in Oregon. As I write this they’ve been there for almost a week and there is no indication at all that they’re going to be successful in getting the federal belt buckle tax repealed. Or whatever it is they’re after.

I know some people will not like my opinion. All I ask is that if you wish to respond, you leave the guns at home. After all, I’ve got my boys with me. They may show you the finger, but we all know it ain’t loaded. aprest@nsnews.com

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

NEWS | A9

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MAILBOX Earthquake prompts building code concerns LETTERS TO THE EDITOR must include your name, full address and telephone number. Send your letters via e-mail to: editor@nsnews.com The North Shore News reserves the right to edit any and/or all letters to the editor based on length, clarity, legality and content. The News also reserves the right to publish any and/or all letters electronically.

Dear Editor:

Something we seem to be missing in the present dialogue on earthquake safety is how certain construction practices permitted by our local municipalities put us in danger.

Almost every residential street on the North Shore is marred by huge pits that have been dug to accommodate monster houses.

Incredibly, our municipal governments allow builders to excavate right to the adjoining property lines.

The occupants of houses on both sides of these pits are faced with a drop-off of up to 25 feet only six feet from their homes. The faces of these excavations are usually not supported or shored up in any way.

To allow builders to do this is both irresponsible and dangerous.

My wife and I discovered just how dangerous three years ago when the District of North Vancouver allowed a developer to do this at the lot next to our home. Half of the walkway at the side of our house fell away into the excavation.

There was no earthquake then.

If there had been, the sides of the excavation would in all probability have collapsed and our house would have

fallen into this pit, taking us with it.

Our municipal governments should enact residential building codes that prevent excavation up to adjoining property lines and compel adequate shoring of excavations.

Otherwise, all their talk of earthquake preparedness is hollow and meaningless.

Joseph W Hind North Vancouver

Editor’s note: District of North Vancouver spokewoman Jeanine Bratina provides this response: “Without knowing the details of any particular case, the public should be advised that the district requires that new construction be monitored by professional structural and geotechnical engineers and WorkSafe BC. This ensures that procedures for sound structural design, safe excavation and shoring, and acceptable proximity to property limits are followed throughout construction. The BC Building Code also heavily regulates new construction, and as the code evolves, more stringent seismic requirements are put in place.

The district actively works with the province, professional associations and WorkSafe BC to mitigate any risks during construction.”

Sole mates prove their mettle Dear Editor: (Before Christmas) I broke my leg while I was hiking on Bridle Path Trail on the lower part of Mount Seymour.

I slipped on a wet tree root and heard the bone snap, and when I put my weight on my leg I crumpled to the ground.

Fortunately I was with my hiking group, the “Sole Mates.”

Within seconds someone had put her coat under my head, another wrapped me in a space blanket, somebody else called 9-1-1, and others gathered sticks and made a splint for my leg to secure it.

Then they carried me out of the forest to Northlands Golf Course where a golfer drove me in his cart to the clubhouse, and from there the ambulance took me to Lions Gate Hospital.

It was quite an adventure!

I would love to publicly thank the

people who took such good care of me.

The paramedics were most impressed by the splint they made and observed that further damage was mitigated because of their expertise.

So, my heartfelt thanks go to Sandy Howey (who oversaw everything), Lesley Arnould, Sheila Casselton, Chelan MacDonald, Nancy Thorneloe, Carol Rattray, Judith Gordon, Betsy Oster, Dee Bodnar, Iris McKibbin, Pat Fast and Linda Hatch.

And a special thanks to the golfer who interrupted his game to chauffeur me to the clubhouse.

Humanity knows no bounds — it’s who you surround yourself with that truly matters.

Linda LeQuesne North Vancouver

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NEXT CHAPTER Heavy equipment takes down the old Lynn Valley library earlier this week. The 1970 facility was replaced by the new Lynn Valley library, which opened its doors in December 2007. After its closure, the old library was used for many years as a production set for TV and movie productions that included the popular Once Upon a Time television series. Bosa is redeveloping the lots south of Lynn Valley Centre for mixed use including multi-storey residential. PHOTO MIKE WAKEFIELD

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A 22-year-old North Vancouver man has been handed an immediate roadside suspension after crashing his sports car over a barrier on an

on-ramp to the Lions Gate Bridge Friday morning.

West Vancouver Police officers were called to the accident at the north end of the bridge around 2 a.m. where they found a white two-door Scion had been pushed over a barrier.

The driver, who identified himself to police, was given a roadside screening test after officers noted slurred speech and a strong odour of liquor.

The man was subsequently issued a roadside driving suspension and the sports car was towed.

None of the four people who had been travelling in the car were seriously injured, said West Vancouver Police Department spokesman Const. Jeff Wood.

Two passengers had left the scene by the time police arrived.

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BRIGHTLIGHTS!

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

by Lisa King

2016 Penguin Plunge The 2016 Penguin Plunge, a Deep Cove New Year’s Day tradition, was once again a well-attended event with hundreds of community members daring to plunge into the cold waters off Panorama Park to start the new year with a bang. Presented by Deep Cove Kayak Centre and Deep Cove Outdoors, the annual event is a fundraiser for North Shore Rescue. Prizes were awarded for best costumes, and post-dip plungers and supporters warmed themselves by a bonfire while enjoying refreshments and live music by Gary Comeau and the Voodoo Allstars.

Jason Overend and Brant Carter

Members of the Little, Royle, Walters-Wong, Phillips and Keams families

Oliver, Gabriel and Selena Pizarro with Jane Bjornson

Gabe Laubach, Sean MacCarl, Alex Thompson, Jeff Maertz and Isla Powell

Lauren Duke and Kaitlyn Brum

Kaleigh Wilson, Becky Salmon, Joey Davis, Jessica Hine and Matthew Craddock

Don, Claire, and Morgan O’Carroll

Gary Comeau and the Voodoo Allstars

Sylvia the Balloon Lady and Kenzie Paley

Please direct requests for event coverage to: emcphee@nsnews.com. For more Bright Lights photos, go to: nsnews.com/community/bright-lights

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Your North Shore Guide to life and style HEALTH 14 l SENIORS 17 l TASTE 19 l PETS 20

Keeping a close watch

Clinic offering mole mapping technology BEN BENGTSON reporter@nsnews.com

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, an estimated 6,800 Canadians were diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in 2015.

However, a new technology to monitor moles and skin lesions on the body may help detect skin cancer early on, and it’s available here on the North Shore.

Dr. Shehla Ebrahim, a family physician with a focus on dermatology, uses a computerized mole mapping system called FotoFinder, which scans the entire body for moles and creates an accurate readout of the lesions on high-resolution photos. These photos allow Ebrahim to trace the progression and changes to skin lesions over time and observe any abnormalities.

“There’s nobody on the North Shore who’s offering this.

I think there are a couple of dermatologists doing this in Vancouver, but nobody on the North Shore,” said Ebrahim.

Ebrahim started her career as a family physician in 1992.

In 2005, she opened a clinic in North Vancouver devoted to esthetic medicine, which she described as the use of “medical treatments in order to improve one’s physical appearance.”

Ebrahim now has a second clinic called Ambleside Dermedics in West Vancouver. Besides offering many beauty and esthetic enhancement procedures, the clinic also does skin and dermatology treatments, including mole mapping.

“About five years ago, I felt that there was an acute need for family physicians, for myself, at least, to expand into medical dermatology,” she said. “When I was practising family medicine the earliest time I could see a dermatologist or send my

Ambleside Dermedics’ Dr. Shehla Ebrahim, a family physician with a focus on dermatology, has started offering a computerized mole mapping system called FotoFinder at her West Vancouver clinic. PHOTO KEVIN HILL patient to a dermatologist was about six months and that hasn’t changed yet.”

In the fight against skin cancer, early detection and prevention is essential. According to a 2014 report by the Canadian Cancer Society and Statistics Canada, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the country, with melanoma

accounting for three per cent of all new cancer cases. When skin cancer is detected and treated early on, however, the results are generally positive.

According to B.C. Cancer Agency spokesman and

See Increased page 19

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A14 | HEALTH

nsnews.com northshorenews SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

Playtime offers insight into a child’s feelings Question:

“I’m feeling out of touch with my seven-year-old daughter. She seems more touchy and demanding than when she was little and sometimes is quite hard to be with. We are all so busy and rushing much of the time. How do I connect more with her and help her?”

Answer:

For many of us, parenting can be an alarming wakeup call to the sheer volume

ON THE COUCH of ever-expanding roles to play and hats to wear. From judge, tutor and teacher to paramedic and chauffeur, the list seems endless. It’s time to recharge with something quite basic that gets lost a little (or a lot) in the grand dance of busy modern family life. Here, we shift gears, slow down, back off our own agendas, and set aside some time to just be with a child

when he or she is in their most natural state: at play.

Like many clinicians who work therapeutically with children, I operate from the principal that play is the child’s language. Play is so universally important to children because it is the most natural way that they communicate. It is instinctive and developmentally necessary. Where adults talk about their experiences, thoughts and feelings, children use toys and play to

explore their understanding of the world and relationships, and to express what they think and how they feel.

Play gives children a way to communicate feelings they do not understand or cannot express any other way.

With her behaviour, it sounds as though your daughter may be feeling disconnected. Having time alone with her at play is a great place to start.

When we take on this role of playmate and enter into the child’s play with awareness and intention of letting the child lead, we pave the way for: 1. Real expression of feelings on the part of our child.

2. A sense that we “get” and “accept” our child as he or she is.

3. A positive shift in his or her behaviour.

Developing a deeper understanding of your child creates feelings of warmth and connection between you.

A unique training group for parents, Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), invites and trains parents to have a special playtime with their child. This is an unstructured play where the child leads, parents

Dad Morgan plays with son Henry at Family Services of the North Shore. Playtime is a great time to connect with your child as play gives children a way to communicate feelings they don’t understand or can’t express any other way.

PHOTO MIKE WAKEFIELD

learn to speak the language of play and to set limits to help a child practise better self-control. As a parent, you are the most powerful influence of change in your child’s life, and when you find new ways of relating to your child through their play language, you can discover a window into his or her world that is accessible and always available to you. This wellestablished, well-researched program in North America was formulated by nationally

renowned play therapist Dr. Garry Landreth.

Training groups for parents in this play-based method are available at Family Services of the North Shore beginning this month.

For more information call 604-988-5281 x307 or go to familyservices.bc.ca.

Erin Bruchet, M.Ed., is a child and youth clinical counsellor at Family Services of the North Shore. familyservices. bc.ca

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A16 | HEALTH

nsnews.com northshorenews SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

Avoid common mistakes

Take a balanced approach when putting fitness resolutions into action If sudden weight gain has you feeling that it is time to make some dramatic changes to your diet and exercise routine, be careful not to make some common mistakes that may lead to long-term disappointment.

The new year is a great time to focus on fitness, as many of us are happy to get back into a structured routine after the splurges of the holiday season.

Just remember that the most successful outcomes will come from setting realistic goals.

The most common mistakes are following overly

strict short-term diets, exercising at an excessive and unattainable level, or leaving out an important part of an exercise program such as weight training.

Here is a list of common mistakes to ensure you start in the right direction.

1. Avoid dramatic dietary changes.

Before you make any changes to your diet, ask yourself if you can realistically maintain the change. To be successful in the long term, you need to make adjustments that you know you will keep.

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2. Do not place too much emphasis on the scale.

Muscle weighs more than fat, so trusting the scale could be misleading. A body-fat measurement will tell you more about your progress as it can determine how much of your bodyweight is actually fat as compared to muscle.

3. Do not do two hours of cardio per day.

Cardiovascular exercise is great because it helps to burn off extra calories. But excessive amounts can cause burn out. Instead, aim for a

balanced cardiovascular program of 20 to 45 minutes, three to five times per week.

4. Do not rely on meal replacement supplements.

There are many great supplements out there. However, these are best used to replace the occasional meal or to help supplement an already balanced diet. To reduce your reliance on supplements, plan your meals ahead of time.

5. Do not leave out the strengthening component.

To achieve the best results, it is important that you perform strength training exercise. This is because muscle is the body’s most efficient calorie burner; the more you have, the more calories you will burn! Start with three times per week and increase the intensity as you improve. If you’re confused about where to begin, start by performing one exercise for each major muscle group.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer. For further information call 604-420-7800 or go to karpfitness.com.

HEALTH NOTES YOGA AT THE HOPE CENTRE Mondays and Wednesdays until Jan. 27 from 11 a.m. to noon in the centre’s atrium space in front of Blenz Coffee. This gentle hatha yoga class is by donation. This is a collaborative offering presented by Vancouver Coastal Health, LiveWell Yoga and the HOpe Cafe Blenz Coffee. The HOpe Centre is at 1337 St. Andrews Ave., North Vancouver.

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DEEP SEA Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre senior biologist John Fisher explores the underwater world as part of a recent Arctic diving trip. The aquarium is gearing up to host its 17th annual Divers’ Weekend, for divers and non-divers alike, Jan. 16-17. This year the focus will be on Canada’s Arctic, with live demonstrations, special guests and seminar topics ranging from the impacts of climate change to exploring shipwrecks in the waters off Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. vanaqua.org PHOTO SUPPLIED DANNY KENT healing techniques for any aspect of life with certified healers and teachers Tuesdays, 7-8 p.m. at 1295 Inglewood Ave., West Vancouver (private residence). Participation by donation.

778-379-9920 GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP Family Services of the North Shore offers grief support, facilitated by a bereavement support counsellor Tuesdays until Feb. 9, 10:1511:15 a.m. Free of charge however registration is required. 604-9858713 quenneville@familyservices.bc.ca

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SENIORS | A17

northshorenews nsnews.com

Raging Grannies ringleader rallies on Memory Lane Laura Anderson “It helps if you can sing.”

Robyn Smith is talking about what it takes to be a Raging Granny.

All Grannies are female, though not necessarily grandmothers. They can’t be shy about wearing outlandish granny gear and, yes, it helps if a Granny can sing. For the Grannies, however, shared values based on social justice,

non-violent activism and peace count more than the ability to carry a tune.

Robyn can sing, though she confesses to being more of a contralto than a soprano now that she’s nearing her 90th year. Robyn won a prize for singing back home in Ocean Falls where she grew up and sang with MUSSOC, the University of British Columbia’s musical society, while she studied for her degree in social work. When the Raging Grannies became part of her life, Robyn raised her voice to sing out for a better world.

Like many a Granny, Robyn has written her share of the songs in their repertoire, songs that address the issues of the day, climate change or political corruption or both. Her latest goes like this: “Hang down your heads, you Liberals; Hang down your

heads in shame; You promised us transparency; Instead we got Deletagate.” The lines may not scan but they do make the point.

As one of the founders of the Vancouver Raging Grannies, and their current ringleader, as she calls herself, Robyn is valued for more than her songwriting skills. Perhaps her most valuable contribution to the Grannies is the ability to guide and direct this rambunctious collective of older women, who bring their own experience, attitudes and

opinions to the task of making the world a better place.

Her story as an activist parallels the rise of the peace movement. In 1960, as the Cold War escalated, government was under pressure to allow nuclear warheads into Canada. In response to the threat of nuclear war, the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace was established.

“It was a motherhood issue,” Robyn says. “As mothers, we had to be for peace and disarmament.”

Among the 6,000 Canadians

who joined the Voice of Women, Robyn found Doris McNab. The two mothers raising their families in West Vancouver embarked on a lifelong friendship.

The spectre of nuclear annihilation did not go away, despite the efforts of Robyn and Doris and the Voice of Women. In the 1980s, the Greenham Women’s Peace Camp was set up to protest the presence of nuclear missiles on British soil. On the other side of the world, nuclear-powered naval vessels

in Victoria Harbour were met by a flotilla of old ladies wearing their granny get-ups, complete with goofy hats.

They called themselves the Raging Grannies.

Doris was inspired – nonviolent protest powered by humour was right up her alley – and gathered her cohorts in the Voice of Women, Robyn among them, together. In 1987, around a kitchen table in West Vancouver, the Vancouver Raging Grannies were born.

See Grannies page 18

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A18 | LIVING

nsnews.com north shore news

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

Grannies make their point through music and humour

JOIN FOR US OUR

From page 17

The Vancouver Grannies were designated “a low level threat to national security” at the infamous APEC summit held in Vancouver in 1997 where non-violent protesters were pepper-sprayed. “We were very thrilled about that,” Robyn remembers, “and to receive the Vancouver Citizen Peace Award in 2004.”

On the North Shore, the Grannies joined the protest against a proposal to build condos in Lynn Canyon Park, singing, “There are trees, trees, mighty living trees; In our park, in our park; There are trees, trees; See them

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when you please; In our Lynn Canyon Park.” These days they join with the Suzuki Elders, collaborating on environmental issues across the generations. “We believe we can make our point through music and humour,” says Robyn. “If you make people laugh, they’re more willing to hear the message. It works for politics and for dispelling stereotypes, aging, for instance.

You’re never too old to be an activist.”

Robyn, the sole remaining founding member of the Vancouver Raging Grannies, will introduce the documentary, Granny Power, at West Vancouver Memorial Library

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FLOWER POWER Lions Gate Hospital Foundation volunteers Jack, Coryn and Caitlin Hemsley participate in the foundation’s annual Poinsettias for Patients delivery program, which saw the seasonal plants delivered to every patient Dec. 22, 2015. See more photos at nsnews.com/living/ health-wellness. PHOTO MIKE WAKEFIELD

on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 2 p.m.

She will extend the invitation that inspired women all over the world to become Raging Grannies: “Come join us in changing the world. Peace and justice will be our reward.”

Laura Anderson works with and for seniors on the North Shore.

778-279-2275 seniorsconnect@ shaw.ca

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD DOWNTON ABBEY SERVICE A service conducted according to the British prayer and hymn books at the time of the Downton Abbey series Sunday, Jan. 10, 10 a.m. at St. David’s United Church, 1575 Taylor Way, West Vancouver.

Choir members will be in costume and English-style tea and sandwiches will be served.

GETTING STARTED WITH FACEBOOK Discover Facebook, a popular social media network, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2-3:30 p.m. at West Vancouver Memorial Library, 1950 Marine Dr. Register online. 604-925-7400 westvanlibrary.ca JOIN JANE Drop by Parkgate Community Centre for informal chats with North Vancouver-Seymour MLA Jane Thornthwaite Wednesday, Jan. 13, 10-11:30 a.m. at 3625 Banff Court, North Vancouver.

“HOW-TO” SERIES Join the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and MLA Naomi Yamamoto to learn about emergency preparedness in the workplace Thursday, Jan. 14, 7:15-9 a.m. at Holiday Inn & Suites, 700 Old Lillooet Rd., North Vancouver. $35/$25. nvchamber.ca Compiled by Debbie Caldwell

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

LIVING | A19

northshorenews nsnews.com

Stemware choice may affect flavour

A few weeks ago I was having lunch at a fancy, new modern bistro on top of an equally fancy, new, downtown department store, over which everyone’s gone gaga.

The food was good, the service too, and the company delightful. But the stemware was downright clunky.

Given the perceived cachet of the store, I was surprised. But, then again, maybe I wasn’t because, as often as not, surprisingly, and sadly, glasses are all too often given short shrift. In the clear new light of the new year that has me thinking (again) about just how much even a little money well spent on decent stemware will bring big rewards in a very short time. That’s especially true if, like me, you tend to buy a lot of “value” wines.

It’s an interesting paradox that more expensive

Notable Potables Tim Pawsey wine glasses are sometimes perceived in the context of wine snobbery rearing its ugly head. In fact, nothing is farther from the truth.

The right glass will improve just about any kind of wine. Riedel makes a glass for just about every style of wine known. You want a glass for sherry? White Burgundy (as opposed to California Chardonnay)? Icewine, even?

Riedel has one, and the

difference between using the right and wrong wine glass can be like night and day. I had my conversion during a Riedel blind tasting. And I’ll never go back to clunky.

There’s a school of thought that the more you spend on a good bottle of wine, the more attention you should pay to the glass you drink it from. It’s one of the reasons we have sommeliers.

They’re there to guide you to a wine that suits (not just the food but your wallet), as well as pour it into the right (and properly polished) glassware.

Incidentally, you can catch the second annual Best Sommelier of B.C. Competition, hosted by The Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers B.C. chapter, Jan. 25, at Rogers Arena. Free admission, with a small charge for the afterparty.

But good glass works for

all price levels. In my house I use three kinds of Riedel glasses for still wines. The Bordeaux glass will more than do well for most reds and red blends. In fact, almost without fail, it will show the wine in a kinder light possibly than its due.

An exception? Pinot Noir, which will always show better in a red Burgundy glass.

Riedel also suggests you use a specific glass for Syrah, and if you’re a frequent Shiraz/ Syrah drinker you might go that route. For most whites we use the Riesling O Glass, which, again, is more than just serviceable. Although, if you’re into Burgundy you’ll want the white burgundy glass.

The biggest shift in the last few years has been the rise of the stemless Riedel “O” glass. It’s more robust and much less vulnerable in the sink. But beware the

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Increased skin cancer awareness is needed From page 13

University of British Columbia professor Dr. Harvey Lui, mole mapping isn’t necessary for most people that might have moles or skin lesions on their body.

“For one-off lesions that occur sporadically from time to time I’m not sure that this technology is really necessary,” he said.

“However, if you have a patient who might be more complicated with lots and lots of spots, then that’s probably the best place to have this kind of approach.”

A physician or dermatologist, he said, can usually make the decision to biopsy, remove, or continue monitoring a mole just by “eyeballing” it.

“There aren’t really clear studies to suggest if you meticulously map every single patient in detail and follow them over many years that you’re necessarily going to decrease the overall rate of melanoma or the overall death from melanoma in the population,” he said.

Ebrahim said that the skin is the body’s largest organ, but a lack of awareness when it comes to taking care of it has led to a spike in skin cancer and melanoma in recent years.

She recommended mole mapping for clients that have excessive moles or skin irregularities, fairer skin, or for people with a family history of skin cancer. “We call these patients back typically in about six months.

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If there is a change, the mole mapping, which is like a computer analyzing system, will pick up a change. That allows me to give further diagnostic accuracy,” she said.

If a change in a client’s moles is observed through mole mapping, Ebrahim can recommend a biopsy of the lesion, surgery to have it removed, or, if there is no change, continue to monitor the area for future changes.

Lui said that if mole mapping was truly beneficial to the Canadian public, it would be covered by the health care system.

“If there was strong, strong evidence that doing this would be a major benefit to the health care system at large, then generally, no matter all the complaints we make about government, usually the health care system

does its best to try and accommodate really, really important and game-changing technology,” he said. “This may get there one day, but for now it’s for interest, it’s for potential use – but not to every single person out there.”

Mole mapping is currently not covered through MSP and costs $300 per year at Ambleside Dermedics. “There’s a lot of debate, lots of discussion about the benefits of mole mapping and digital photography (of moles),” said Ebrahim. “Cost is a major factor.”

“I think given the rising incidence of skin cancer and the health care costs, it seems the most logical thing to do would be for the government to cover it,” she said.

A20 | LIVING

nsnews.com north shore news

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

Dogs may help with fitness goals For those who are seeking a change, the start of the new year is often seen as a signal for a fresh start be it in work, relationships, health or life in general.

TRAIL TRIO Sue Nicholls , Tracy Oliver, and Barbara Pichler are ready for Walking the Trails with Barb Pichler on Friday, Jan. 15, 1:30-3 p.m. (meet at the Ecology Centre cafe), and Tuesday, Jan. 26, 10-11:30 a.m. (meet at the End of the Line cafe). The free hikes are part of a month-long program presented by the North Vancouver Recreation and Culture Commission and North Vancouver District Public Library to celebrate health and wellness month. A variety of free workshops are being offered that are meant to support goals of living an active and healthy life. Visit the groups’ websites for more information. PHOTO MIKE WAKEFIELD

Setting resolutions at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve is a way of commemorating the start of these changes.

Starting the resolutions is the easy part, committing to them is the hard part. It’s usually around the two-week mark into the new routine that people start slacking off while thinking: this sucks!

One way to help stick to the new routine is to recruit a partner to help keep you accountable to the changes that you want to accomplish.

Most people wouldn’t consider their dog to be a good partner in maintaining goals, but when it comes to the resolution that tends to top most peoples list there really is no better partner.

Loosing weight, getting in better shape or adopting an overall healthier lifestyle tends to be in the top 3 of most people’s resolution goals and Fido is the best health and lifestyle coach there is.

Most people tend to gravitate towards group classes or sign up for a gym

Main Street Animal Hospital

Canine Connections Joan Klucha membership when it comes to changing their fitness habits. Both of these are great to start but they tend to offer little in the way of variety, often resulting in people giving up and dropping out due to the hard physical work they are not used to or boredom because of the repetitive nature of the classes.

But to really make a change and get the result you want, you have to adopt a completely new outlook on how exercise is incorporated into your life. It’s more than a six-week boot camp or three days a week of weight training at the gym. It is a complete change of lifestyle, and utilizing a dog’s natural love of fitness can keep the interest alive and the focus on a healthy lifestyle change.

Right about now some of you are probably wondering

why a dog trainer is giving health and fitness advice.

Well, besides being a dog trainer I am also a certified Pilates instructor and fitness coach. I often combine fitness programs into my dog training programs.

There are plenty of caninerelated outdoor activities that can be incorporated into a new healthy lifestyle. Boot camps are great but so is snowshoeing with your dog for an hour in the gorgeous local mountains. You can do both. Not in one day but certainly in one week. Bored of running on a treadmill or through your neighbourhood? How about something a bit more adventurous like skijoring (a person on skis being pulled by a dog) with your dog?

Both of those activities get you and your dog out of a walking or exercise rut and out enjoying the natural beauty and fresh air of the outdoors. The benefit is not only a more fit owner and dog but an improved bond between the owner and dog.

The local trails offer loads of hiking opportunities but it gets a bit tedious if you follow the same routine every day.

Source out alternate trails off the beaten path or hike the local ones with a friend. Find a dog-friendly hiking group with fellow canine-owning

fitness lovers and make a point of meeting a couple of times of week for a good hike with the dogs and maybe an après hike coffee for socializing and support. It’s a great way to make new friends (outside of Facebook) and keep the healthy lifestyle focus. Can’t find a canine hiking group? Then start one.

Facebook is a great way to set up a local group and invite people to join in your activity. Not on Facebook?

Then post notices at pet stores, coffee shops or the local recreation centre. Most of these places have public notice boards for these sorts of things. Dog people tend to be very supportive of one another and if you create a hiking group of like minds who want a healthier lifestyle for themselves with their dogs you are even more likely to stick to your new year’s goals.

If a healthier lifestyle is one of your resolutions and you are struggling to stay focused, find a way to include your dog. Your health and, of course, your dog will benefit from your commitment.

Joan Klucha has been working with dogs for more than 15 years in obedience, tracking and behavioural rehabilitation. Contact her through her website k9kinship.com.

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

| A21

north shore news nsnews.com

Your North Shore Guide to the games people play SPORTS NEWS? Contact sports editor Andy Prest at 604-998-3538 or email aprest@nsnews.com

B.C. wrestlers ring in the new year

Cadet girls square off against U.S. national team ANDY PREST aprest@nsnews.com

While many folks spent New Year’s Eve lacing up their dance shoes and hitting the town, several of the top junior female wrestlers in British Columbia were celebrating by lacing each other’s ankles and hitting the mat.

Carson Graham secondary was the host site for a holiday break training camp and dual meet that saw the best cadet (17-and-under) girls from B.C. grappling with the U.S.A. cadet national team.

“It shows their dedication, that’s for sure,” said Kate Walker, the women’s provincial development coach for B.C. Wrestling, about athletes spending their Christmas breaks throwing each other around a gym. “Kids came from all over the province.”

The camp ran from Dec. 31 to Jan. 4, concluding with a B.C. vs. U.S.A. dual meet at Carson Graham Jan. 5. It wasn’t just a time commitment for the B.C. wrestlers but also a bruise commitment – the U.S. squad featured some of the best juniors in the world, including an athlete who won gold and another who claimed bronze at last year’s cadet world championships.

“It was tough competition,” said Walker, a North Vancouver resident who for many years has helped coach at Carson Graham as well as with the North Shore-based Capilano Wrestling Club.

“We were definitely looking to bring in a team that was tougher to show us what the

next level of training and competition was like.”

The B.C. girls, however, weren’t pushovers when it came time for the athletes to step inside the circle. In all the provincial team members won four of the 24 matches, with Capilano Wrestling Club member Serena Woldring leading the way. The Notre Dame secondary Grade 10 student won both her matches, the only B.C. wrestler to claim two wins.

Windsor secondary Grade 10 student Amara Jarvinen also picked up a win, going 1-1 in the meet. Other North Shore and Capilano wrestlers taking part in the meet included St. Thomas Aquinas Grade 12 student Karah Bulaqui, Sentinel Grade 12 Alison Horne, Carson Grade 11 Lyric Atchison, and Elphinstone Grade 11 Scout Stipec.

“It was tough competition, but I’m very proud of how the girls wrestled,” said Walker.

“It was definitely a fantastic experience. The girls really had to work very hard. It was good to see.”

The camp included a workout session at North Vancouver’s Level 10 Fitness as well as a trip to wrestlingmad Simon Fraser University where the juniors got to train with the Clan coaches and athletes and tour the campus.

The cadets also received instruction from several current Canadian national team wrestlers.

“It’s a great opportunity to work with the older athletes and see how the sport

See Wrestlers page 22

SFU wrestler Abby Lloyd takes on Ronna Heaton of Team U.S.A.

North Vancouver’s Karah Bulaqui grapples with Vayle Baker during a dual meet held Tuesday at Carson Graham that pitted top wrestlers from British Columbia against members of the U.S.A. cadet national team. PHOTOS CINDY GOODMAN

A22 | SPORTS

nsnews.com north shore news

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2016

Wrestlers face the best From page 21

so this is our competition.”

The B.C. wrestlers will now shoot back into high school competition with events scheduled throughout January and February. On the North Shore the Baron Bash at Carson Graham’s small gym and Windsor’s Put Up Your Dukes will both be held this Tuesday starting at 4 p.m.

The North Shore championships are scheduled for Jan. 29 starting at 2 p.m. at Sentinel secondary while the zone qualifiers will be held at Argyle Feb. 12.

progresses at the next level,” said Walker, who added that the Americans thoroughly enjoyed the trip, which included a trip to Cypress Mountain on New Year’s Day, and are hoping to do it all again next year.

“It was good to have them here and be training with them for a week and then have the competition at the end,” said Walker. “We’re definitely aspiring to win matches on the international and world level,

FOOTBALL FINALS The Lions (above photo, in orange) ended the 2015 GSL North Shore Football League Minor season with a 33-8 championships win over the Westside Warriors at Confederation Park while the Warriors defeated the Vikings 12-6 in Peewee. PHOTOS CINDY GOODMAN

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TIMEOUT!

Solutions can be found in next Sunday's issue.

CLUES ACROSS 1. Color properties 5. Arabian greeting 10. Frozen spike 12. Levels 14. Tear down social stiffness 16. Rapper Hammer’s initials 18. Midway between E and SE 19. Shooting marble 20. Edward __, British composer 22. Largest English dictionary (abbr.)

23. Cygnus’ brightest star 25. Goidelic language of Ireland 26. Midway between N and NE 27. Auditory organ 28. Last month (abbr.)

30. Indicated horsepower (abbr.)

31. Mediation council 33. Aussie crocodile hunter 35. Sylvan deity 37. Clears or tidies 38. In a way, emerges 40. Whimper 41. G. Gershwin’s brother 42. Begetter 44. Seated 45. Old world, new 48. Girls

CROSSWORD

CRYPTO FUN DETERMINE THE CODE TO REVEAL THE ANSWER

14

22

26

7

24

22

17

B.

20

22

14

21

26

23

6

C.

23

6

25

11

23

22

2

D.

Clue: Illustrations

Clue: Activity involving making things

Clue: Fill someone with the urge to do something

23

19

Clue: Suggestions

2

14

CLUES DOWN 1. Go quickly 2. Fiddler crabs 3. Cervid 4. Gundog 5. Gushed forth 6. Caliph 7. Shoe cord 8. Give extreme unction to 9. Of I 10. “A Doll’s House” author 11. Documents certifying authority 13. Drunk 15. Principal ethnic group of China 17. Crinkled fabrics 18. Longest division of geological time 21. Pancake 23. Small pat 24. A garden plot 27. Strayed 29. Surgical instrument 32. No. French river

34. Modern 35. Now called Ho Chi Minh City 36. Set into a specific format 39. Exhaust 40. Individual 43. Moves rhythmically to music 44. D. Lamour “Road” picture costume 46. Having earlikeappendages 47. Certified public

accountant 49. Outermost part of a flower 51. Supplement with difficulty 54. Plains Indian tent (alt. sp.)

59. Electronic warfare -support measures 60. Displaying a fairylike aspect 61. Taxi 62. They __ 64. Syrian pound

SUNDAY DEC 27, 2015 – CROSSWORD SOLUTION:

YOUR WEEKLY HOROSCOPE

Solve the code to discover words related to being creative. Each number corresponds to a letter. (Hint: 23 = i)

A.

50. “Song of triumph” 52. A covering for the head 53. Attack 55. Norwegian krone 56. Coach Parseghian 57. No good 58. Task that is simple 63. A way to move on 65. In a way, advanced 66. Loses weight 67. Shift sails

WEEK OF JANUARY 10-16, 2016 ARIES

MAR 21 – APR 20 Aries, finding time to get everything done can be challenging. Fortunately, you have quite a few friends willing to spare some time and lend you a helping hand.

LIBRA

TAURUS

APR 21 – MAY 21 Difficult decisions can take time to work through, Taurus.

Although you want to address all situations, this week isn’t a good one for making big decisions.

SCORPIO

GEMINI

MAY 22 – JUN 21 Gemini, something keeps nagging at you and you can’t get it out of your head.

Trust your intuition and be on guard. With some careful thought, a solution will present itself.

SAGITTARIUS NOV 23 – DEC 21 You cannot avoid a complex issue forever, Sagittarius.

Come clean with the person you may have been hiding from, and work with this person to reach a resolution.

CANCER

JUN 22 – JUL 22 A hectic schedule may have you feeling some pressure, Cancer. Keep in mind that all of your deadlines are selfimposed, so just factor a little more time into your week.

CAPRICORN DEC 22 – JAN 20 Capricorn, it may be frightening to reveal your true feelings about something, especially when the truth might change your life in a dramatic way. Muster your courage.

LEO

JUL 23 – AUG 23 Leo, sometimes you have to make a few mistakes before you get things right. Don’t let this worry you, as trial and error is all a part of the learning process.

5

25

SUNDAY DEC 27, 2015 ANSWERS: A. celebrate B. presents C. enjoy D. relatives

WORD SCRAMBLE Rearrange the letters to spell something pertaining to creativity.

TOREPYT SUNDAY DEC 27, 2015 ANSWER: FESTIVE

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Take our online survey. It’s quick. And it will help us help you get the news and information you’re most interested in.

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VIRGO

AUG 24 – SEPT 22 Virgo, you may suspect what’s around the corner, but you are not ready to take the plunge just yet. Give it a little more time until you feel ready and secure.

SEPT 23 – OCT 23 Work with your doctor to develop a plan for meeting some healthy resolutions, Libra. It is important to make your health a priority this week.

OCT 24 – NOV 22 Scorpio, it may prove impossible to escape all of your responsibilities right now, but you can let a few slide for the time being. Tackle the most daunting projects first.

AQUARIUS

JAN 21 – FEB 18 Others appreciate all that you do for them, Aquarius.

But sometimes they have to do for themselves to learn valuable lessons. This week is a time to step aside.

PISCES

FEB 19 – MAR 20 Pisces, while you are busy helping other people, you may discover that it’s time to take a step back and tend to your own needs.

A28 |

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