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NEWS5

Quay addition

Wishing you a Season of Smiles!

Micheilin-recognized restaurant among new tenants coming to Lonsdale Quay

LIFESTYLE13

Marathon exercise

North Shore student runs five marathons in five days on educational trip

SPORTS39

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NEW

North Van hockey star makes Team Canada for world juniors

local matters . since 1969

Weekend Forecast Inside

NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTROVERSY

Supportive housing public hearing becomes longest in district history NICK LABA

nlaba@nsnews.com

What started on the evening of Nov. 21 as an opportunity for citizens to comment on a proposed supportive housing project has now become the longest public hearing in the history of the District of North Vancouver.

Spanning four evenings with sessions running over three-and-a-half hours each, mayor and council have heard from a total of 114 speakers, with an additional 40 instances of people speaking twice, thrice or more. Even by standards of the City of Vancouver, known for having some of the lengthiest council meetings in the country, a public hearing spanning five sessions is rare.

It began as people expressing points of view on a plan to build a six-storey, 65-unit studio apartment building at 1200 Keith Rd. But the hearing has increasingly become a forum to share tit-for-tat responses to past speakers, air defences of personal character and present ideas for alternative

developments, one of which included a hybrid tricycle king-size bed.

As the speaker list spilled past the first two meetings on Nov. 21 and 22 into Dec. 7 and eventually Dec. 13, much of the meeting time was sucked up by trying to track down and connect to speakers online. By the fourth meeting, Mayor Mike Little warned that he was going to be more “aggressive” about telling repeat speakers not to repeat past statements.

Similar to the first two evenings, arguments in the latter two sessions included comments against the project, in which people cited concerns about the location of the project near a busy intersection, schools and child care, coupled with fears that the people living in the building would contribute to open drug use, increased crime and decreased property values in the area.

A significant majority of those who have written to council and spoken at the public hearing have been opposed to the project.

On the other hand, people speaking Continued on A33

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COLD BUNS, WARM HEARTS

CHEEKY CHARITY North Shore Numb Bums members Kelly Lavallie, Nicole McLeod and Gillian Lustig take a quick cold plunge off West Vancouver’s Dundarave Beach. The group is inviting the community to Plunge for Purpose to benefit the Harvest Project on Dec. 23. See page 31 for more details. PAUL MCGRATH / NSN

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FOR NEWS AT ANY TIME, GO TO NSNEWS.COM DIGITAL EDUCATION

West Van teacher receives Prime Minister’s teaching award JANE SEYD

jseyd@nsnews.com

A West Vancouver teacher who pioneered the importance of digital literacy and teaching kids to navigate responsibly in the online world has been awarded the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence.

Cari Wilson, district vice-principal of innovation and technology, was in Ottawa recently to accept the award, along with 20 other teachers from across Canada. One of the most powerful parts of the experience was meeting those other teachers and learning about the innovative approaches they are using in their classrooms, she said.

Wilson’s own journey to understand how teachers could help kids use technology to learn began about 15 years ago, when she was asked to pilot a program of bringing laptops into elementary school classrooms to see if that would help students become better writers.

“The next thing I knew I had a cart on wheels full of very old laptops,” she said.

But she and other teachers quickly saw how the technology could be used to help students engage and create in the classroom. In time for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, Wilson’s students

West Vancouver teacher Cari Wilson helps Grade 9 students Esme Jessup and Jamie Lee work on their robot in a class at West Vancouver’s robotics academy. PAUL MCGRATH / NSN created a multi-media website translated into different languages that ended up being recognized

by Microsoft.

From there, she hasn’t looked back, and has been instrumental

in teaching students to cast a skeptical eye on information they find online, encouraging girls to get into coding and embracing changes like the advent of artificial intelligence.

One of the most important lessons she’s learned about technology is “It’s not going away. It’s not going to disappear,” she said.

“It’s just going to get increasingly complex.”

As a teacher, Wilson said her role is to show kids how to be good citizens online.

“Some of it is fairly simple and starts quite young,” she said. Kids need to know, for instance that “just because someone says they are an 11-year-old kid from the Lower Mainland doesn’t mean they are.”

Students also need to learn to fact check what they read online before repeating it, she said.

“There’s a lot of garbage on the Internet. A lot of it’s not true.”

Having a face-to-face conversation is very different than an online one and gives you far more social clues than texting in Snapchat, for instance.

But technology can also be an important tool, said Wilson.

“What we try to do in school is to use it for creating of knowledge, rather than sitting and mindlessly consuming what’s on the internet.”

Wilson is also actively involved in encouraging girls to get into coding, computer programming and science-based areas of learning.

“Ideally we’d be at a 50/50 split (of girls and boys) in those type of courses,” she said. “We’re nowhere near that.” Currently only between 20 and 23 per cent of people who go into those fields Continued on A29

STINKY SITUATION

North Vancouver’s Rice Lake has an ‘invasive feces’ problem BRENT RICHTER

brichter@nsnews.com

Someone is befouling the pristine forest around North Vancouver’s Rice Lake.

Metro Vancouver staff have posted signs around the lake in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, asking people to make use of nearby washrooms.

“Staff over the last while, maybe

four months or so, have been noticing poops in the forest around the lake where people usually go for their fishing spots,” said Mike Mayers, division manager for parks, visitors and operations.

Mayers said they had a staff meeting to discuss removing the invasive feces, why it might be happening, and what can be done about it.

Mayers said they don’t know who

is responsible and they’re not planning a sting operation, but for now they’re hoping the signs will remind folks to have a little bit better forest etiquette.

“There is a washroom at the west side of the lake so it’s not that far for people to walk,” he said. “Just protect the environment and the riparian area and make it enjoyable for other users.”

A sign posted recently at Rice Lake by Metro Vancouver staff asks visitors to use the designated washroom facility.

TWITTER.COM/@PHOENIX45PHOTO

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A5

MARKET RENOVATION

Michelin-recognized restaurant among new Quay tenants BRENT RICHTER

brichter@nsnews.com

Lonsdale Quay is announcing a smorgasbord of new tenants moving into the renovated food and market halls, including one recognized by the famous Michelin food guide.

Fiorino, which already has a successful Italian street food restaurant in Vancouver’s Chinatown, will be opening a new location in the second-floor restaurant space the Cheshire Cheese previously leased.

Fiorino is a 2022 and 2023 Michelin Bib Gourmand eatery, a class of highly rated restaurants that the gastro critics praise for their quality but also for their simpler meals and value for dollar.

Co-owner Gio Mascagni said he is aiming to bring the kind of dining experience he had with his weekly dinners at his aunt and uncle’s house in Edgemont when he first arrived in Canada from Florence.

“This is why we chose the North Shore and the Quay for our next venture,” he said in a release. “We want you to enjoy our food just like a wholesome Sunday family dinner.”

In keeping with the international street food theme, Mai Mai BBQ will be setting up shop in 2024, which they Quay says will bring familiar dishes but “re-imagined and elevated.”

For the plant-based foodies, Chau Veggie is joining the food hall, a third location beyond their West End and Victoria Drive offerings. A release from the Quay says to expect “soul-warming pho and vibrant summer rolls,” among other family recipes.

Other existing businesses within the Quay are going through expansions, rebrands, or moving into newly renovated spaces.

Phoenix Books has grown their second-floor location into the adjacent retail space, which is now Phoenix Toys. Butter Lane Bake Shop has been able to expand their offerings, securing a new production facility nearby, and El Dorado Pies & Treats will be relocating within the market in 2024.

There are also changes coming to the Quay’s health and wellness line-up, including an Oxygen Yoga location opening on the second floor in the spring of 2024. Saje Natural Wellness, which has been operating at the Quay for 30 years, is movin’ on down to a prime location at the north end of the first floor. And the second-floor dance studio has rebranded as The Space: House of Movement, and is moving to a new 5,000-square-foot location.

Taylor Mathiesen, president of market’s parent company Quay North Urban

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Maintenance crews work on Lonsdale Quay’s iconic rotating sign in 2019. A host of new restaurants and businesses including a Michelin Bib Gourmand, are coming to the Quay in 2024. MIKE WAKEFIELD / NSN Development, said he was excited about all the new announcements, but especially proud of a Michelin-recognized restaurant with North Van connections being added to the mix.

The redevelopment project, however, which was first announced in 2021, is now a full year behind schedule. Mathiesen acknowledged that people who shop and dine at the Quay may be fed up with the construction, and said he shares the frustration.

In October, the Quay fired their general contractor on the site and took over construction management, Mathiesen said, after suffering significant losses. Legal action will be coming, he added.

“We continue to do the best that we can,” he said.

The good news is that the subtrades are now lined up to get most of the interior and exterior renovations completed this winter, with new businesses trickling in right up until the summer season.

There is no timeline for when King Taps, the Quay’s new anchor tenant, will open, but interior work on the 10,000-square-foot restaurant space should be started in the new year, Mathiesen said.

Not every familiar Lonsdale Quay business has signed a lease for the updated gathering place, some by their own choosing, Mathiesen said, but the renovation of the Quay is intended to modernize the Quay, in keeping with Lower Lonsdale’s total revitalization.

“The community has evolved and the demographic has changed,” he said. “We’re really retaining that character of the Quay that everybody loves, but bringing in new ingredients to really serve the needs of this changing community.”

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north shore news nsnews.com PARK ROYAL

West Vancouver police seek answers in possible needle attack BRENT RICHTER

brichter@nsnews.com

West Vancouver police are looking for tips following a “strange incident” at Park Royal shopping centre on Dec. 7, in which a shopper fell ill after possibly being pricked with a needle by a stranger.

Investigators say the incident, which was captured on surveillance cameras, happened on Dec. 7. Video shows the victim standing next to a pillar when an unknown man squeezes by and make’s contact with the victim’s arm.

West Vancouver police say a man may have been pricked The next day, the man’s with a needle in the Park Royal Mall on Dec. 7, 2023. They arm became red and sore are looking for this person of interest. Visit nsnews.com for video. WEST VANCOUVER POLICE DEPARTMENT and he went to see a doctor, who raised concerns he’d that victim was followed briefly before the been pricked with a needle. incident and that it appears to have been “Because they don’t know what may deliberate. have been on that or in that needle, or Although it may be the kind of thing that what exactly he was poked with, he has happens in spy novels, McLean said that to take a bit of a cocktail of medications isn’t how investigators are seeing it, and and get regular blood tests,” said Sgt. Mark McLean, West Vancouver Police Department they don’t believe the victim was targeted for anything specific. spokesperson.

“I don’t think we believe that it’s McLean said it appears from the video anything to do with like a high-level assassination attempt or something like that,” McLean said. “Obviously we’re open to anything. We’re more concerned that this is potentially like a random act of violence.”

McLean said it’s possible there is an innocent explanation for what happened, but for now, it is being treated as an assault investigation. In any case, they want to find the person responsible, as the victim deserves to have his mind put at ease, McLean said.

“At this point, we just want to speak to this person and find out exactly what their intent was at the time, and what kind of risk that the victim has been exposed to here,” he said.

The man in the video is described as olive skinned with a thin build. He was wearing glasses, a black and blue jacket, blue jeans, black and white running shoes, and carrying a green reusable shopping bag. The video can be viewed at nsnews. com. Anyone recognizing the male in the West Vancouver police released images of surveillance images is asked to contact the this man captured on video at Park Royal on West Vancouver Police at 604-925-7300 and Dec. 7, 2023. WEST VANCOUVER POLICE DEPARTMENT quote file No. 23-15633.

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A7

POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY

West Vancouver officers suspended twice in 2022-23 BRENT RICHTER

brichter@nsnews.com

West Vancouver Police Department members faced discipline for professional misconduct three times in the last fiscal year, according to B.C.’s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.

The provincial watchdog agency, which oversees investigations and disciplinary decisions for B.C.’s 15 municipal forces, including the Stl’atl’imx Tribal Police Service, Metro Vancouver Transit Police, and Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, released its annual report last month.

In one instance, a West Vancouver officer who was in a supervisory position faced a four-day, unpaid suspension after an investigation found they created a “poisoned work environment” for another member, involving three specific acts of bullying and harassment. The supervisor singled out the colleague for performance issues and made critical comments about them in front of peers, displayed negative body language, and shunned them from training opportunities and mentoring, the report states.

In another instance, the same supervisor confronted a different member about a comment they made, but did so while being antagonistic and using an inappropriate tone, while in a setting that was not private.

The incidents took place between 2017 and 2021, the report states. Under the Police Act, the allegations are considered neglect of duty for failing to comply with departmental regulations.

In addition to the suspension, the officer was ordered not to perform any instructor duties for two years, and they were required to complete courses in respectful workplaces and conflict resolution.

Another four-day suspension was handed down after a separate investigation into a confrontation between two members that

escalated into a physical altercation.

“The colleague was called a derogatory term and pushed by the member, causing the colleague to fall backward into a desk.

The member engaged in disorderly conduct which was prejudicial to the maintenance of discipline in the department,” the report states. For their discreditable conduct, they received the unpaid suspension as well as an order to attend counselling for anger management and emotional regulation.

In the last WVPD-related investigation in the report, it was found an officer accidentally fired their gun during the department’s annual firearms qualifications.

“While the discharge was toward a populated area, there were no injuries, and no damage was located,” the report states.

Under the act, unsafe handling of a firearm is considered neglect of duty for which the officer received a written reprimand.

The officer immediately took responsibility for the incident and volunteered for remedial training, the report notes, adding that they have an otherwise unblemished service record.

Only investigations that result in discipline are detailed in the annual report.

The West Vancouver Police Department issued a statement in response to the release of the commissioner’s report.

“The WVPD took ownership of these incidents as soon as they were brought to the department’s attention and notified the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner. The discipline that was recommended by the WVPD in each of these instances was ultimately approved by the OPCC,” it read.

In 2022-23, the OPCC opened 12 new files related to West Vancouver Police Department complaints and investigations, which is down significantly from the average of 27 over the previous four years, according to the report.

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Christmas cheer

W

hether it’s Charlie Brown, Ebenezer Scrooge or young Kevin McCallister, there is no shortage of cultural icons who can remind us what is important at this crazy time of year.

There’s no question that the rising cost of living means Santa has probably had to make some more difficult decisions this year. That can mean more stress during what can already be a demanding time of year.

It is in moments like this that we can turn to the words of one of the West’s great philosophers: Dr. Seuss.

“What if Christmas isn’t something that comes from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?” the Grinch famously pondered in one of the

great heel turns in film history. “Christmas Day will always be, just as long as we have we.”

The phrase is all the more poignant as we reflect on recent Christmases when a public health crisis meant family gatherings weren’t allowed.

The real brightness we bring in the darkest of winter is the stuff at the centre of all our favourite Christmas stories: mirth, goodwill, compassion and generosity. Economists tell us that inflation has now peaked. These, however, are qualities we are happy to see grow, much like the Grinch’s heart, throughout the year.

It’s not too late to invite someone in, to make a donation, or to make a change in your life that truly matters.

Merry Christmas to you, and to all of us.

These holiday traditions are sure to annoy your kids ANDY PREST

aprest@nsnews.com

For parents at Christmastime, there are few things more thrilling than recapturing the wonder of the season by experiencing it all through the eyes of a very young child.

And then, as those kids grow into surly tweens and teens, there are few things more thrilling than making them carry on all those Christmas traditions, including the ones that they hate, as you force the holiday spirit upon them.

I’ve seen both sides of this. I’ve been that teen, wanting only to open presents and then play video games every waking second of the holidays. And now I’m that parent, wanting to find anything to pry

those eyes away from the screen for a few minutes. The more annoying for the kid, the better, I say. It can’t be all Fortnite and chocolate for the entire holiday. So here are some Christmas traditions, presented from both sides of the parental divide, that land squarely on the list of things that will annoy your kids the most. Enjoy!

Decorating the house: In many families, the holiday season starts on a special day in late November or early December when mom hauls out the decoration boxes and starts bringing that Christmas magic to life.

Who gets to put the star on top of the tree?!

Kids reaction: You, mom. You put the star on. And all the other decorations, because I did one and you told me I did it wrong. In fact, you’ve got your own tree right there

in the living room, all fancy and white, and you made us decorate the ‘loser tree’ in the basement with all the ornaments we made at school. What’s the matter – is the walnut shell Christmas turtle angel ornament I made for you in Grade 2 not good enough for your tree?

Putting up lights: It’s a sunny Sunday in late November, the perfect day for dad to grab the ladder and get the Christmas lights up on the house. Sparkle sparkle!

Kids: Sure dad, I’ll untangle these light string rat nests with my tiny fingers.

Nothing would bring me more pleasure than that, except perhaps holding a freezing ladder for you while you spend 35 minutes trying to figure out how to Zip Tie Santa’s head to the roof. At least I’m learning a

CONTACT US 114-400 BROOKSBANK AVE. NORTH VANCOUVER B.C. V7J 2C2 nsnews.com North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 111, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday by North Shore News a division of LMP Publication Limited Partnership. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40010186. Mailing rates available on request. Entire contents © 2023 North Shore News a division of LMP Publication Limited Partnership. All rights reserved. Average circulation for the Wednesday edition is 58,911. The North Shore News, a division of LMP Publication Limited Partnership respects your privacy.

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bunch of new swears from you.

Looking at lights: Dad has finished stringing the lights and mostly recovered from the concussion he suffered falling off the ladder. Now it’s time to bundle the whole family into the car and go and find the best and brightest displays the city has to offer.

What a treat!

Kids: You want to … drive around and look at other people’s Christmas lights? And I have to sit here, while my brother tries to stab me with a sharpened candy cane and you blast Christmas music the whole time?

OK, but while we’re looking at lights can we also look for a cliff to drive off of?

Wrapping presents: It really is the thought that counts, and nothing says more about Continued on A9

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MAILBOX WE NEED ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE FOR THE SAKE OF OUR GRANDCHILDREN Dear Editor:

At the COP28 climate negotiations I am proud to say that Canada fought hard for a deal that includes a transition away from fossil fuels.

For 30 years the UN climate negotiations had skirted around the basic fact that the climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis.

Hopefully this is a global turning point.

But Canada’s domestic policy is hugely hypocritical.

During COP28 Canada unveiled its flagship climate policy, the Emissions Cap framework, that officials admitted was specifically designed to allow for the continued expansion of fossil fuel production.

I call on my local MP, Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, with whom I’ve met several times, and other political leaders to correct this hypocrisy.

It’s time to end the fossil fuel era by closing Big Oil’s loopholes in our climate policies. Let’s start with a better, bolder Emissions Cap without delay.

The terrible wildfires in B.C. this summer were truly frightening — I had to evacuate from North Shuswap area as the

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A9 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR must include your name, full address and telephone number. Send your letters via our website: nsnews.com/ opinion/send-us-a-letter. The North Shore News reserves the right to edit any and/or all letters based on length, clarity, legality and content. The News also reserves the right to publish any and/or all letters electronically.

flames advanced.

The devastation is all-encompassing for those who lost homes and businesses.

We need strong actions on climate work.

We must recognize that oil and gas production must lower, not just emissions.

I understand the Federal government needs to ‘coax’ along some provinces – but this is the health of my two grandchildren, and the rest of the world being affected.

Please move even quicker!!

Judith Brook North Vancouver

FAITH IN HUMANITY RESTORED AFTER STOLEN BIKE RETURNED

Dear Editor:

In late June, my wonderful bicycle was stolen from my garage.

I and my neighbours were stunned and disheartened, as we consider our neighbourhood very safe and peaceful….

So, imagine my surprise when I came home recently to find my bike leaning against the road sign at the bottom of my property!! And none the worse for wear!

I will never know its adventure – if only.

However, my faith in humanity has been restored. Thank you, whoever you are.

Sharon Radcliffe West Vancouver

Why are we singing to the neighbours?

Continued from A8 the thought you put in than taking the time to wrap the gift up and out those personal touches on it – the drawings, the ribbons, the bows, the heartfelt note. Let Grandma know how much you love her.

Kids: Gift bag. One piece of tissue paper.

Gift wrapping done.

You know what Grandma really loves?

She loves it when I’m happy, which I will be as soon as I can play video games again.

Carolling: Bundle up kids! It’s time to go door-to-door, sharing our Christmas cheer with all our lovely neighbours. So giddy up, jingle horse. Pick up your feet!

Kids: Wut. Seriously? Don’t you hate the neighbours? Didn’t the guy across the street make you cry over a parking space?

And look at Uncle Charlie. What’s in his coffee mug? No one made coffee! And he’s

just mumbling and yelling. The neighbours look scared. Oh look, here comes a festive police car!

Did I miss any obvious additions to this list? The family trip to the ballet? Family movie night? Gingerbread house making?

Pretty much anything that doesn’t involve YouTube or Snapchat?

So Turn off the phones. Get outside.

Sing/yell at the neighbours.

It’s the holidays. We can all share a cup of whatever Uncle Charlie has got in his mug.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, however you wish to spend then, and that no one gets stabbed with a candy cane.

Andy Prest is the editor of the North Shore News. His humour/lifestyle column runs biweekly.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Jonathan Wilkinson NORTH VANCOUVER’S MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

December 20, 2023

Good will towards all in troubled times It has been difficult for many to think about the holidays this year given the horrific events happening in Israel and Gaza.

On October 7th the world was witness to barbaric attacks by Hamas inside Israel that killed 1200 civilians – including many children – with over 200 hostages taken.

We have since witnessed sustained retaliation against Hamas on the part of the Israeli military…retaliation that has tragically led to thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians being killed – once again, many of them children.

I think everyone understands that Israel cannot allow itself to be in a position where an attack like October 7th could happen again in a year or two.

By the same token, the scale of the devastation wrought on the people of Gaza cannot continue indefinitely. Civilians in Gaza are not Hamas. Hamas, we must condemn. But the civilians of Gaza, the international community – and Israel itself – must seek to protect.

As a global community, we must pursue long-term, sustainable solutions to a conflict that has gone on for far too long. Canada – in partnership with other like-minded countries – is working towards pathways to provide stability, peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

The joint statement from Canada, Australia and New Zealand on December 12th and the UN vote that same day calling for an immediate sustainable ceasefire are intended to move the needle towards durable solutions for an end to this conflict.

Bringing it home Here in North Vancouver, my constituency office has been working these past several weeks to help evacuees arriving here. Our office and the community as a whole are working to provide a safe and supportive place for those evacuated – whether they

be from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, or from Ramallah and Gaza.

A Jewish-Canadian family living in Tel Aviv evacuated by a Canadian Forces aircraft, arrived with the children asking where the bomb shelters are in North Vancouver. My staff worked to ensure the children were promptly enrolled in school and have the support necessary to begin healing and recovering from the trauma they’ve experienced.

A young family evacuated at a moment’s notice from the West Bank with a single suitcase and two small children in their arms raced to a bus arranged by Global Affairs Canada - desperate to escape random attacks on their apartment building. They reached North Vancouver after a grueling trip from Jordan. Dad and children are Canadian citizens – now reunited with extended family living here; Mom, a Palestinian, is applying for permanent residency.

A time for reflection As peaceful as life seems here in North Vancouver, the world can be a violent and unsettling place, and no one is immune to its terrors and challenges.

My staff often say that it is both a responsibility and a privilege to undertake this form of local humanitarian work that comes with the job.

I am so very grateful for their dedication and resiliency. And for their commitment to ensuring that all North Vancouverites, when in need, are treated equally with respect, dignity and understanding.

Peace and good will to all – something to reflect upon during and beyond the holiday season.

To view the PM statement, scan this QR code.

Contact us: Constituency Office 604-775-6333 Email: Jonathan.Wilkinson@parl.gc.ca Website: JonathanWilkinson.libparl.ca

A10 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com

MUNICIPAL FINANCES

Budget choices loom as West Van mulls tax increases for 2024 JANE SEYD

jseyd@nsnews.com

Tough choices are ahead as the District of West Vancouver council ponders how much taxes should increase to pay for everything from tree permits and trail improvements to funding for the arts in 2024.

Finance staff presented

three budget options at West Vancouver’s regular council meeting Dec. 11, which the public will have a chance to comment on in January.

The first, a “bare bones” budget, includes an additional $3.22 million in spending over last year and a 3.65 per cent tax increase over 2023. A “preferred” budget ups the ante, with $3.42 million

in additional spending and a 3.88 per cent tax increase. The Cadillac version, or “best practices” budget, includes a $4.21 million increase in spending over the past year and a tax increase of 4.78 per cent.

Deputy director of finance Chrystal Boy noted tax increases for two of the three options are below the Vancouver inflation

rate of 4.7 per cent, while the “best practices” budget clocks in at just over that. Tax increases in all three budgets are “considerably lower than tax increases being deliberated in other Lower Mainland municipalities,” she added.

Labour costs, inflation drive increases

Primary cost drivers are increases to labour costs, driven by wage increases in the district’s collective agreement with workers. Inflation and downloaded costs from other agencies are the second biggest drivers of the increases being contemplated.

West Vancouver is also Continued on A23

HOPE • PEACE • JOY • LOVE

Sharing the Christmas story that started it all…

Celebrate this special time of year at your local United Church – ALL ARE WELCOME! ST. ANDREW’S UNITED

LYNN VALLEY UNITED

NORTH LONSDALE UNITED

ST. DAVID’S UNITED

HIGHLANDS UNITED

1044 St. George’s Ave, North Van 604-985-0408 www.st-andrews-united.ca

3201 Mountain Hwy. North Van 604-987-2114 www.lynnvalleychurch.com

3380 Lonsdale Ave, North Van 604-985-4911 www.nluc.org

1525 Taylor Way, West Van 604-922-3961 www.stdavidsunited.com

3255 Edgemont Blvd, North Van 604-980-6071 www.highlandsunited.org

Wednesday, December 20 7 pm Blue Christmas Join us for a joint candlelit service at St. John’s Anglican Church, 220 West 8th Street – a service of remembrance and hope.

Monday, December 18 7 pm Soul Spa Celebrating Winter Solstice with live music.

Christmas Eve 5:30 pm* All Ages Celebration Service Join us for a Christmas Eve celebration service of carol-singing and all-ages fellowship. All children who attend are invited to join in our “pop-up Christmas pageant” (just show up on the night of) as part of this service. Costumes will be provided, or you can bring your own! *The 5:30 service will also be livestreamed on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@ northlonsdaleunitedchurch 11 pm Contemplative Communion Service You’re invited to come and rest in a quieter, contemplative space latenight on Christmas Eve, as we gather to reflect and to celebrate Holy Communion together. This service will include simple songs, Scripture readings, and times of silence.

Thursday, December 14 7 pm Quiet Christmas Vancouver harpist, Rebecca Blair, with Monique Creber. Comfort and support in sad times.

Sunday, December 17 11:30 am Highlands Family Christmas with live animal nativity scene, music, and refreshments.

Thursday, December 21 Free Community Christmas Dinner 11:30 am – 12:30 pm First Sitting 12:30 – 1:30 pm Second Sitting 7 pm Longest Night of the Year Come and celebrate the beginning of a new period of increasing light and growth in your life (Yalda, in the Iranian tradition) with music, poetry and prayer.

Christmas Eve 7 pm Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Experience the joy of Christmas at a traditional service of lessons and carols in our candlelit Sanctuary.

Christmas Day 10 am Family Christmas Service

Wednesday, December 20 5 pm Eat Play Love Stories, food, and fun for people of all ages.

Thursday, December 21 7 pm The Story of Christmas in Song Music Immersion Experience.

Christmas Eve 10:30 am Morning Service 4:30 pm Family Christmas Celebration 8 pm Carols, Candlelight & Communion Whoever you are, wherever you’re at on your journey, there is a place for you at LVUC.

MOUNT SEYMOUR UNITED

1200 Parkgate Ave, North Van 604-929-1336 https://mtseymourunited.com

Wednesday, December 20 7 pm Blue Christmas Candlelight Service with Marcus Mosely & Dominique Hogan

WEST VANCOUVER UNITED

2062 Esquimalt Ave, West Van 604-922-9171 • www.wvuc.bc.ca

Christmas Eve 4 pm Christmas for Kids Chaos and fun (with some treats too!)

7:30 pm & 9:30 pm Carols and Candlelight* Christmas Eve Come and be surrounded by peace 4 pm Young Families Christmas Eve and light.

Service *Also available online and throughout 7:30 pm Traditional Candlelight the evening at wvuc.bc.ca/live and on Service Facebook.

Sunday, December 17 10:30 am Service of Lessons and Carols We will be joined by guest vocalist Marcus Mosely.

Monday, December 18 7 pm The Magic of Christmas Concert Featuring the Creber family, joined by the combined church choirs of St. David’s United, St. Christopher’s and St. Catherine’s and the Cypress Singers. (A ticketed event.)

Christmas Eve 10:30 am Sunday morning worship celebrating “Love”.

10 pm Candlelight Service Come with Family and friends for a traditional candlelit service.

Sunday, December 31 10:30 am Sunday morning worship Hymns & prayers for the New Year

Thursday, December 21 7 pm Service of loss and light Join us for a candlelit service at St. Catherines, a gentle oasis of peace and beauty as we make space for grief and loss that may be accompanying us this season.

Christmas Eve 10 am* Carols and Readings with Re:Sound Choir.

4 pm Family Christmas Pageant with God’s Free Spirits & Genesis Too Youth Choirs.

7 pm* Christmas Eve at Highlands.

Settle into this traditional service of candles, carols and readings. Feel the wonder of Christmas.

10 pm Contemplative Christmas service with music, candles and prayer. *Available via Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/c/ HighlandsUnitedChurch

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 |

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A11

A12 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A13

ARTS | ENTERTAINMENT | FOOD | HOME |

| HEALTH | COMMUNITY

EXPERIENCE-BASED LEARNING

Teen runs 5 marathons in 5 days across Chilean desert NICK LABA

nlaba@nsnews.com

For most of us, the thought of running one marathon in normal conditions exists as a never-to-be-obtained ideal.

But how about five marathons, in five days, across one of the driest places on earth?

That thought didn’t scare Rhiannon Henley, a Grade 12 student at Brockton School – quite the opposite. When record-breaking ultramarathoner Ray Zahab came to present at her school, mentioning an organization that takes youth on adventure trips, she threw up her hand during the Q&A. “Where do I apply?” she asked.

That question would eventually take her to the Atacama Desert in Chile, where she and two other selected youth ambassadors ran extreme distances with Impossible2Possible, an organization that promotes youth leadership though experienced-based learning.

During their trip, Henley travelled across the barren landscape while learning about extreme weather from Weather Network meteorologist Jaclyn Whittal.

Going into the trip in November, Henley was excited but not sure what to expect. She arrived at the airport in Santiago, meeting everyone for the first time – the other youth ambassadors,

“I have difficulty moving around like I used to.”

Rhiannon Henley kicks up sand while running down a dune in the Atacama Desert. KENT KEELER the organizers, the photographers and videographers.

“It was kind of like, ‘Hey, nice to meet you,” Henley said. “And then the next day we’re running together.”‘ I definitely gained so much self confidence’ Running is not usually a team sport. But an expedition, it’s a team event. Being the only female youth ambassador, and the youngest person there, Henley was a bit nervous.

“That was really intimidating at first, because we got to the airport and I saw these two really tall, buff guys and I’m like, ‘This is a little bit nerve racking,’” she said. “So I did have imposter syndrome a little bit. I didn’t really feel like I belonged there.”

“But throughout the trip, I definitely gained so much self confidence,” Henley said. “And I learned that I’m not just Rhiannon, I’m Rhiannon and I can do crazy things like that.”

Imposter syndrome or not,

she underwent a rigorous training routine leading up to the trip: a gym day Monday, seven-kilometre runs Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, a physio rest day on Friday, a half marathon on Saturday and a 10-kilometre recovery run Sunday – for six months.

That would prepare her for the eventual long desert days, when marathon runs started at 7:30 a.m. each day. Reaching the next camp in the early afternoon, they would meet meteorologist Whittal for learning sessions that

would later be broadcast on the Impossible2Possible website.

Barefoot under a tent, they learned about the possibility of desert snow, hurricanes and tornadoes. They learned about why the Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar place on earth, and how sometimes it rains, even there.

Afterwards, they’d hop on Zoom calls with elementary school students to talk about the experience. Henley recalls taking questions from enthusiastic sixth and seventh graders in Colorado.

“They were honestly just so curious, because they haven’t heard of having done stuff like this before. And I think it’s powerful for them,” she said. “That’s what I really want – to just inspire other people and make them realize that you can do stuff like this, like, you just have to work really hard.”

Henley said she’s also brought positivity from her learning experiences to share back home.

Because Brockton School is junior kindergarten to Grade 12, she’s been able to give presentations to a broad range of students, including younger ones, “which was really cool,” she said.

“There’s always little kids coming up to me in the hallway and they’re asking me questions, or they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re the girl who ran across the desert.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, you could do that too.”

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north shore news nsnews.com ROADBLOCK BLITZ

Driver seen crawling to car blows three times legal limit JANE SEYD

jseyd@nsnews.com

A man in North Vancouver who was reported to be so intoxicated that he was seen crawling to his vehicle is one of the latest sobering statistics racked up by police during this season’s drunk driving enforcement on the North Shore.

SCIENCE SHOWS: MAKING MOUNTAINS SATURDAY, DEC. 23, 2:30 - 3:30 P.M. MONOVA: MUSEUM OF NORTH VANCOUVER The North Shore Mountains are the result of forces happening deep under the ground. This landscape was once covered in glaciers which created many of the shapes we see in the mountains today.

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Police received a call from a member of the public Dec. 6 just before noon, reporting the man smelled of liquor and seemed to be impaired, said Const.

Mansoor Sahak, spokesman for the North Vancouver RCMP. Police caught up with the driver, a man in his 50s, at his home, just a few blocks away from where the witness reported the man crawling to his vehicle in the 1600 block of Lonsdale Avenue.

He was arrested and taken to jail, where he provided breath samples showing blood alcohol levels of .290 and .280 – more than three times the legal limit of .08.

North Vancouver RCMP are recommending charges, said Sahak.

Extra officers are out across the North

A man who was seen crawling to his vehicle was arrested for drunk driving in North Vancouver. NV RCMP Shore this month conducting additional road checks over the holiday season.

During one of the first roadblock blitzes in North Vancouver, North Vancouver RCMP put the brakes on nine impaired drivers in one night, including six who were pulled over on the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing in a three-hour stretch.

SHARE IN THE

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 |

until Friday, December 22 - 10am to 9pm Saturday, December 23 - 10am to 6pm CHRISTMAS EVE - Sunday, December 24 - 10am to 5pm CHRISTMAS DAY - Monday, December 25 - CLOSED BOXING DAY - Tuesday, December 26 - 12pm to 5pm December 27 to 30 - Regular Hours NEW YEAR’S EVE - Sunday, December 31- 12pm to 5pm NEW YEAR’S DAY - Monday, January 1- CLOSED

A15

A16 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Squamish Nation hand delivers hundreds of Christmas hampers MINA KERR-LAZENBY

MKerrLazenby@nsnews.com Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

It was like a scene from Santa’s workshop last week at the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) Chief Joe Mathias Centre.

Before the bright festive display that decorated the hall lay a sea of bags overflowing with Christmas fare. Volunteers, like little elves, ferried the goods to and fro from delivery trucks.

For the past four years, the Nation has been delivering Christmas hampers to the community.

A charitable venture that was spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative has grown since then to become a vital part of the Nation’s festivities, said food co-ordinator Tannis Louie.

This year was it’s largest yet, she added, with 900 bags gifted, 700 delivered door-to-door to families in North Vancouver and Squamish, and 200 waiting for pick up.

Jacob Lewis lends a hand as 900 bags are packed by Squamish Nation staff and volunteers for delivery to families in time for Christmas.

TANNIS LOUIE

With carrots, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce and turkey, the parcels contain all the fixings for a yuletide meal with all the trimmings. Breakfast

for Boxing Day is in the bag too, with pancake mix, syrup, peanut butter and jam joined by inclusions of tea and coffee.

There’s even dish soap, to clean

the pots.

“Fresh produce right now is so high, turkeys are expensive, people are so grateful that they still get to have a full family dinner,” said Louie. “Normally families like to sit down and feast, and we all like to sit down as a community. If we can’t make it door-to-door to sit down and have a meal with everyone, this is a way that the Squamish Nation can spend Christmas with everybody.”

Louie said the Nation orders food through the same vendors annually – the dry goods and produce comes from Kin’s Farm Market and Safeway – and “great relationships” have been built with the local supermarkets and grocers over the years.

“We have some pretty amazing vendors that help us out. They’ve been very, very good to us and very loyal and wonderful,” she said. “They go above and beyond, no matter what we ask for. They are so accommodating.”

The same goes for the countless volunteers who offer their help packing and delivering the festive packages, she said, adding how the event is a collaborative effort from all Squamish Nation departments, particularly the council and Ayás Mén̓men Child & Family Services.

The West Vancouver Police Department’s Integrated First Nations Unit, a team created specifically to focus on providing policing services that are culturally sensitive and responsive to the First Nations, also offer a helping hand annually.

“We couldn’t do it without everybody coming in together.

The connections we make on these days stays with us forever,” said Louie. “Being able to do this lifts our own hearts and spreads holiday cheer all around us.”

Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.

FROM WEST VANCOUVER FIRE & RESCUE

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 |

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A19

SUSTAINABILITY CENTRE

CapU to research climate change impacts with $1.5-million grant JANE SEYD

jseyd@nsnews.com

You are invited!

North Vancouver’s Capilano University is poised to lead the way on important research into the impacts of climate change with a $1.5 million grant.

to join us on Christmas Eve as we celebrate Christ’s light and love.

Experience a Sense of the Sacred.

December 24th, 2023

CapU announced this week it has been awarded the $1.5 million Mobilize grant by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Capilano University will lead research into climate change The grant will help stuwith the help of an NSERC grant.

PAUL MCGRATH / NSN dents and faculty pursue research on climate action promote the United Nations Sustainable in both the public and Development Goals in community and private sectors. business practices.

The grant will also support NSERC, Canada’s major federal agency the development of a new Centre responsible for funding natural sciences for Interdisciplinary Research on and engineering research, works with Sustainability at CapU, according to a universities, colleges, businesses and statement by the university, that will not-for-profits to promote discovery and focus on themes including sustaininnovation. able tourism, biodiversity and how to

3:00p.m.

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We welcome you to join us on our journey.

Expectation vs reality: How the current cost of living is impacting North Shore residents

SPONSORED CONTENT

Harvest Project’s holistic support addresses health, hunger, and homelessness—helping North Shore residents in need feel heard, understood and supported Households on the North Shore are among the highest income earners in Metro Vancouver and yet one in 10 people in this affluent community live with low income.

Amid the majestic mountains, scenic shoreline, tidy neighbourhoods and trendy restaurants, the threat of poverty is a fact of life across the North Shore.

Single parents and those without affordable child care, seniors on fixed income, newcomers who lack certification for local jobs, refugee families who have fled war zones or economic distress – these folks and more are struggling to make ends meet.

And the challenge of meeting basic needs with an empty pocket has a direct impact on the health of the individual and of the broader community.

“Poverty is a major public health issue and a community mental health issue,” says Harvest Project (HP) Development Officer Kevin Lee. People with low incomes tend to have more stress and poorer health, according to a United Way report. Not only that, but children from low-income families tend to repeat the cycle of poverty, and as adults, they may also have worse health.

“HP provides a place, people and an open door so that those facing challenging times are seen, heard and understood,” Lee says.

HP’s “client care” model looks at folks in need of help holistically and aims to address areas of concern across their lives, providing them with longer-term support so they may regain their footing. Clients have monthly check-ins with a case manager,

Harvest Project collaborates with various agencies to provide comprehensive care for North Shore residents in crisis.

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working together to set goals, review progress and adjust services accordingly, with dignity and compassion.

HP also runs a grocery depot with on-site nutritionist, interest-free loans through a Rent Bank, a clothing support program, art therapy, financial literacy supports, and referrals/vouchers to specialized counselling.

Lee shares the story of Leia (not her real name), a newcomer who found herself fleeing domestic violence. While Leia found rental accommodation for herself and her children, she struggled in connecting with the range of resources available locally because she faced multiple challenges at the same time and she was unfamiliar with her community.

HP was able to advocate for her and connect her to much-needed supports.

“We are able to bring together people needing tangible help – with the best available services, when they aren’t otherwise equipped to make those connections themselves,” Lee says.

To achieve this, HP works closely with other agencies – Family Services of the North Shore, Hollyburn Family Services, Canadian Mental Health Association and Impact North Shore among them.

“Caring for those in need is best carried out when all agencies and resources are brought together to serve the person needing help,” Lee says.

None of it would be possible without community support.

From an operating budget of $1.5 million in 2023, less than $100,000

came from government sources.

HP relies on the generosity of individuals, businesses, community groups, religious organizations, service clubs and foundations across Metro Vancouver to provide care to North Shore residents facing life challenges that bring trauma and threaten many with homelessness.

“Community health is linked directly to individual health,” Lee says. “And, the threat of poverty for any one of us is an immediate health issue. As such, we are all in this together.”

For more about the Harvest Project, including how you can support its vital programs and services, visit harvestproject.org.

A20 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com HOLIDAY CHEER

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North Shore lights up for festive season MINA KERR-LAZENBY

MKerrLazenby@nsnews.com Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go … but especially if you’re going somewhere on the North Shore.

Villages across North and West Vancouver have been pulling out all the stops for the festive season, so if you’re looking for some free, festive fun to take the family to, look no further than the local streets.

Should you be wandering along the Seawalk in West Vancouver, be sure to pay a visit to the 9-metre Christmas tree that now sits on the waterfront at the foot of 15th Street.

The tree, which illuminates Millennium Park with its adornment of more than 10,000 lights, was installed in such a location so it can be spotted from Stanley Park or Lions Gate Bridge, said Maureen O’Brien, executive director of the Ambleside Dundarave Business Improvement Association.

“We wanted something tall and bright that might pique someone’s interest to come over to Ambleside, and, in turn, discover some of the

West Vancouver recently welcomed a 30-foot Christmas tree to its waterfront.

AMBLESIDE DUNDARAVE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION

great shops and restaurants we have,” she said, adding how the tree also serves as “a huge thank you” to the community who have supported local businesses in recent years.

O’Brien said the Ambleside waterfront, often busy with visitors and residents during the summer months, can be a “dark spot on the horizon” during winter.

The inclusion of the tree, on display until Jan. 7, is part of a larger vision O’Brien has to seasonally spruce up the village come the colder months.

“One day I hope we can host a small version of a European Christmas market, and connect Ambleside to Dundarave through the Seawalk, so that residents and visitors can enjoy Continued on A21

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A21

Edgemont fills Christmas corners Continued from A20 our parks all holiday season long,” she said.

The tree joins Dundarave’s annual Forest of Miracles display, a series of more than 150 Christmas trees decorated by local families, businesses, churches, schools or organizations, in bringing festive cheer to the area. The trees line the West Vancouver waterfront, from the Grosvenor Ambleside Galleria to Dundarave Beach.

Meanwhile in Edgemont Village, a yuletide makeover has been at play, courtesy of a few local Christmas elves.

On Wednesday, Dec. 13, students from Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School showcased their musical talents by singing festive jingles to the community. Under the guidance of teachers Ms. Jackson and Ms. Byrne, the young carollers delivered a vast repertoire of timeless classics.

The Friday prior, students from Highlands, Cleveland, Canyon Heights and Montroyal elementary schools had decorated four trees that had been freshly installed on the four corners of Highland and Edgemont Boulevards.

“You should have seen the bustle,” said Margaret Campbell of the Edgemont & Upper Capilano Community Association.

“Kids everywhere, hanging up whatever they had made.”

Following the guidance that they would have to make something that could withstand rain, the students crafted decorations from old compact discs, upside-down yogurt containers, twigs, pine cones and laminated paper or cardboard.

“It was great to see the ingenuity, and every school’s work was so different. It was amazing to see,” she said.

Campbell had floated the idea to one of the school’s principals with the hopes of “livening up the village” and making it feel more festive, she said. The idea was a hit.

“He said he had an art teacher who would love to do a project like this with the kids. I also talked to all the merchants in the Village about this idea, and they were all very supportive, which was super.”

Campbell said it’s safe to say the project was a “big success,” so much so that now the bar is set so high she’ll be under pressure to bring about more bright ideas for livening up the Village.

“Ah well, I’ll worry about that in the new year,” she said.

Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.

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north shore news nsnews.com HOSPITALIZATIONS INCREASING

B.C. health officials urge vaccination prior to holidays JANE SEYD

jseyd@nsnews.com

THANKYOUFORRECYCLINGTHISNEWSPAPER. THANK YOU FOR

RECYCLING THIS NEWSPAPER.

Wishing you all the joy and good wishes of the season from Lynn Valley Law

Lynn Valley Law

3161 Mountain Highway, North Vancouver

Provincial health authorities are urging people to get vaccinated now against flu and COVID-19 if they want to have extra protection in place heading into holiday gatherings.

The level of COVID-19 infection has decreased in the Lower Mainland since a recent spike at the beginning of October, according to statistics from B.C.’s Centre for Disease Control.

That’s reflected in data from wastewater treatment plants, including North Vancouver’s Lions Gate sewage plant, as well as the number of hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, which have all If [this] pattern dropped since were to be early October. maintained, we Vaccination would be seeing rates against record numbers COVID-19 have been steadily of people in climbing on the hospital [in North Shore, January]. with 25.7 per HEALTH MINISTER cent of those ADRIAN DIX eligible in West Vancouver receiving a booster shot by the first week of December, and 27.5 per cent of those in North Vancouver receiving a jab.

Numbers are higher in older age groups with between 47 and 48 per cent of North Shore residents over 65 having received a shot, and between 49 and 52 per cent of those over 80 getting a booster.

Vaccination rates among children for COVID-19 remain low at between 12 and 20 per cent, and vaccination rates among those between 18 and 28 are lower still, at between 7 and 10 per cent.

While COVID-19 infections are waning, other respiratory illnesses are picking up steam, warn health officials.

Levels of influenza are increasing throughout much of the Lower Mainland, reflected in both viral fragments detected in wastewater and visits to doctors’ offices.

According to information from North Vancouver’s Lions Gate wastewater treatment plant, levels of both flu and RSV infection likely peaked at the end of November on the North Shore, although they remain elevated. Flu and RSV infections are continuing to increase in many areas, however, including Vancouver.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, the province’s medical health officer, said Monday most flu cases are the H1N1 strain, which tends to cause more severe illness in children, although milder symptoms in other age groups.

Levels of the RSV respiratory virus have also been increasing in Vancouver and the Fraser health region.

Flu vaccines are being offered free at clinics and pharmacies throughout the Lower Mainland.

Health Minister Adrian Dix warned on Monday that the province is currently experiencing high numbers of hospitalizations, with more than 10,100 people in hospital on Dec. 7.

In January of this year, medical services were stretched when hospitalizations hit a peak of 10,280 people requiring inpatient care. Dix warned if current trends continue, it’s possible B.C. could break that record next month.

“We are approximately 170 above where we were last year right now. So if that pattern were to be maintained, we would be seeing record numbers of people in hospital [in January],” he said.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A23

Budget will be adopted in spring Continued from A10 challenged by a complete lack of industrial tax base and minimal business tax base, meaning more than 97 per cent of the tax burden is borne by residential homes, said Boy. West Vancouver’s geography also presents challenges, requiring more resources to deliver on activities like snow removal. Police and firefighters also have a comparatively large geographic area to cover in relation to West Vancouver’s population.

Seniors outreach, cash to ‘clean-up’ homeless encampments on budget wish list Among the items up for budget discussion in the new year are maintaining a seniors outreach program, providing more watering of drought-stressed trees and shrubs in summer, money to pay for “clean-up of homeless encampments,” trail improvements and additional requests for support by arts groups.

Requests to permanently fund a translation program to provide police safety messages in Farsi and Chinese, a permanent budget for a National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration, and a request from the fire department for more

resources to conduct more fire inspections are also on the wish list.

Maintenance of capital assets is also an issue, said staff, as required maintenance was deferred in past years because of both pandemic pressures and lack of funding.

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Taxes on ‘average’ home could increase between $640 and $853 Altogether, increases to municipal taxes, asset and environmental levies and utility fees on an “average” single-family home assessed at $3.7 million would result in a municipal tax increase of $640 under the “keeping the lights on” budget, according to staff. The “preferred” budget would result in a municipal tax increase of $771, while the “best practices” budget would result in a tax hike of $853.

Mayor Mark Sager said council has been actively reviewing the budget information with staff.

An in-person public budget information session will be held Jan. 16 between 1 and 2:30 p.m. in the Cedar Room of the West Vancouver Community Centre and online Jan. 18 between 6 and 7 p.m.

Council formally adopts the budget later in the spring.

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FOOD RECOVERY

Here’s why tonnes of mandarin oranges are wasted each year

orange, make mandarins more prone to degradation during transport, Lilley said.

“There’s going to be loads that would actually get rejected if there is degradation within them,” he said, adding that any mouldy or liquefied product within a load can also lead to the entire thing being rejected.

A lot of non-organic oranges are hit with a special gas to get them to ripen.

“And so that gas and can actually create problems on the skin through colourization, through blemishes, and those will get rejected as well,” Lilley said.

Because mandarins are expected by consumers during the holiday season, the demand is always there. “So there is always an overproduction,” he said. “They also factor in that cullage that you’re seeing. Typically that’s around 10 per cent, but in a given year it could be better, or it could be worse,” Lilley added.

NICK LABA

nlaba@nsnews.com

If you were outraged by our recent story about a mountain of mandarin oranges dumped in North Vancouver, there’s something you should know: it’s not a new issue.

The fact that so much of this imported fruit ends up rotting in B.C. dumps and landfills is something that Stuart Lilley has been trying to raise awareness about for years now.

Lilley is the founder and CEO of ReFeed Farms, an organization that takes food that’s unused by retailers and processes it for distribution to foodbanks, as livestock feed, or for repurposing into fertilizers or soil enhancers.

In August, ReFeed recovered a whopping 680 tonnes of mandarins due to the port workers strike, Lilley said. Product had arrived at the port, but no one could offload it. “Now all of a sudden, you’ve got a backlog of oranges or mandarins that have missed their delivery dates,” he said.

While that’s a huge amount of potentially wasted food, Lilley estimates that around 10 per cent of mandarin orange imports are culled each year. On the conservative end, that amounts to at least

Piled high are boxes for mandarin oranges that would have been dumped if not for a food recovery service like ReFeed Farms. STUART LILLEY 10 tonnes per day going to waste from September to December in the province.

“Mandarin season,” as Lilley calls it, is something he’s witnessed in the industry

AND A SPECTACULAR NEW YEAR! MLA North Vancouver-Seymour susiechantnvs.ca susie.chant.mla@leg.bc.ca 604-983-9859

for more than a decade. A number of factors make the citrus fruit particularly susceptible to getting tossed.

Thinner skins, versus a traditional

Regulation should require producers to use food recovery, ReFeed founder says Lilley, who’s originally from Lynn Valley in North Vancouver, started a company called Waste Collective around 14 years ago, to help companies develop custom Continued on A25

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Wishing everyone in our community best wishes for the new year!

A message from the North and West Vancouver Teachers' Associations.

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A25

Recovered food feeds livestock Continued from A24 programs to improve sustainability and reduce costs.

While working with a client that was growing insects as a more sustainable source of protein, he saw that they were bringing in 50 to 100 tonnes of pre-consumer food waste to feed the bugs. It was better than the food going to rot in the landfill, but much of it should have been recovered for human consumption, Lilley said.

That’s one of the ideas that led him to found ReFeed in 2019.

“Let’s use food to feed people,” he said. “Let’s make sure that we get food out of this waste stream, feed people, and then whatever other foods that we can actually use for livestock following CFIA guidelines, then we ensure that that happens…. If there’s leftover, then you create soil amendments for compost, anaerobic digestion to create energy – but follow a hierarchy.”

His company is designed to make production more circular, “to fix the broken food system that we’re dealing with,” Lilley said.

At his facility in Langley, ReFeed has rescued 11 million pounds of food. Of that, around 1.3 million pounds went to people

and nine million pounds fed livestock.

But business hasn’t been easy. After an investor pulled out in January, ReFeed now faces closure if it can’t secure sufficient funding in the coming months, Lilley said.

In response, Lilley said his company is paring things down “right to the studs,” putting the majority of its manufacturing and distribution on hold, while retaining the “impact” part of the businesses – the part that feeds people. ReFeed is also transitioning from a for-profit to a nonprofit model.

In hopes of keeping the lights on, ReFeed has launched a GoFundMe campaign and is seeking new sources of funds.

But ultimately, Lilley thinks regulation should be put in place that forces food growers and distributors to use services like his.

“Unless there’s a reason for them to do it, a lot of the time they’re just going to partner with a waste company. And that waste company is just going to get rid of it as cheap as they can,” he said.

“There are no other companies doing what we’re doing on the scale that we’re doing,” Lilley said. “We need to ensure that all this food is actually required to go through a model like ours.”

Happy Holidays from the staff at Living Well Home Care

Wishing you joy and health this holiday season.

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Wishing you a Season of Smiles!

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A26 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

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A28 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com

PROVINCIAL COURT

Groping sex assault on North Van trail nets house arrest sentence JANE SEYD

jseyd@nsnews.com

A Mission man who sexually assaulted a woman by groping her on a North Vancouver trail last year will escape time in jail, but will serve a sixmonth conditional sentence, including three months of house arrest, and be left with a criminal record, a provincial court judge has ruled.

Jairus-Paul Covacha Sacramento, 23, was handed the sentence Dec. 14 by Judge Joseph Galati in North Vancouver provincial court. Galati also ordered that Sacramento serve 18 months of probation and be placed on the sexual offender registry.

The sentence follows a trial earlier this year where Sacramento was found guilty of sexual assault for grabbing a woman’s buttocks from behind as she walked along a trail in Lynn Valley.

The incident happened on Feb. 13, 2022. The victim, whose

identity is protected by a court-ordered publication ban, testified in the trial she was walking over the small bridge exiting the Varley Loop Trail near Rice Lake Road when a stranger approached her from behind and grabbed her buttocks and genital area.

Within 30 seconds of the assault, the victim testified she started recording video of her attacker as he tried to cover his face and walk away.

North Vancouver RCMP later released an image of Sacramento’s face, hoping it would result in tips from the public. He was arrested in Abbotsford a month after the assault, after two witnesses identified him after seeing news reports about the incident.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court Nov. 27, the victim said while some people might dismiss the assault as a “grope,” the incident has left her with severe psychological harm including sleeplessness, agoraphobia, nightmares and hyper

vigilance around men.

“She became fearful of hiking and being out in nature which had always been a significant part of her life,” Galati noted.

In a sentencing hearing last month, Crown counsel urged the judge to consider a term of three or four months of real imprisonment, while Sacramento’s defence lawyer asked for a conditional discharge, which would have avoided a criminal record, along with an exemption from the sex offender registry.

In handing down his sentence, Galati said the assault in the park “is at the low end of the continuum of sexual assault.”

The judge said he was satisfied that although Sacramento intentionally assaulted the woman, he did not intend to cause harm to her.

“But he was clearly reckless or wilfully blind to the possibility that harm would result,” he said.

The assault was aggravated by the fact Sacramento sexually

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assaulted a stranger in broad daylight in a public park, said the judge, and that the assault has had a significant impact or effect on the victim.

The judge rejected the defence lawyer’s request to let her client off without a criminal record, noting Sacramento continues to have limited insight into his actions and appropriate social behaviour.

In a psychiatric assessment, Sacramento said he had only lightly tapped the woman on the buttocks “as he was trying to pick her up,” the judge noted.

The judge added Sacramento also said, “’It’s not my fault if she was wearing revealing clothes’ and, ‘She probably would have liked it if she was younger.’”

The psychiatric report deemed Sacramento a moderate risk to re-offend.

A pre-sentence report pointed to Sacramento’s use of drugs and alcohol, starting when he was a teenager. He was previously diagnosed with substance-induced

psychotic disorder but stopped taking his medication because he felt it was “suppressing his mental fortitude,” the judge noted.

Sacramento also described his use of cannabis as “pretty busy,” said the judge.

Sacramento told report writers he’d smoked two joints on the way to the park on the day of the assault and “was not in his right mind.”

Galati ordered Sacramento to obey a curfew between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. for the last three months of his conditional sentence.

Galati rejected Sacramento’s request to be exempted from the sex offender registry.

Sacramento was also sentenced for a gun offence of possessing a Glock handgun in a location where he was not permitted to have it. Galati said given Sacramento’s co-operation with authorities, a $200 fine was sufficient. The judge also ordered the gun and ammunition forfeited to the Crown.

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A29

Teacher gives girls ‘superpowers’ Continued from A4 are female. Societal expectations feed into that, she said.

“There’s a lot of pressures on them to be and act a certain way,” she said, and an acceptance of the idea that girls aren’t good at math and science.

“If I could get Taylor Swift to promote programming, we’d have young girls all over the world starting to program,” she said.

While awaiting a Swifties in Science revolution, on the North Shore, Wilson started the group Girls with Superpowers, which targets elementary-aged girls and teaches them that science and coding can be fun.

“There’s lots of really interesting things you can do,” said Wilson, who has three groups meeting online to build games, create art and create apps.

Most recently, the advent of artificial intelligence has levelled up the need for students to understand the technology they are interacting with, said Wilson.

“We know students are using AI but we’re not sure how we’re going to handle it,” she said.

Some AI tools can be incredibly helpful to teachers, she said. But students also need to know that AI makes mistakes and can authoritatively put out information

West Vancouver teacher Cari Wilson received the Prime Minister’s award for teaching excellence for her work on digital literacy and promoting girls in STEM. PAUL MCGRATH / NSN

which isn’t true.

“There are a lot really positive things happening online,” she said. “We don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water.

“I don’t think it’s helpful to put our heads in the sand.”

Wilson said she’s been fortunate to work in West Vancouver, a school district which has been forward thinking when it comes to technology, “instead of shrinking from it.”

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A30 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A31

FROSTY FUNDAMENT FUNDING

Numb Bums invite community to Plunge for Purpose BRENT RICHTER

brichter@nsnews.com

They’re about to freeze their buns off for a good cause.

The Numb Bums, a group of North Shore residents who go to the waters off Dundarave Beach for weekly “cold plunges,” is inviting the wider community to come join them for a chilly dip on Saturday.

“I can promise you, there’s going to be spirit,” said Nicole McLeod, Numb Bums member and organizer of the Plunge for Purpose.

Beyond the extremely cold tushes though, the Numb Bums have a goal of raising some extremely cold cash for the Harvest Project, the North Shore nonprofit that has been offering a “hand up” for the last 30 years.

More than assistance with food and rent, the Harvest Project uses a client care model that looks at people in need of help holistically and aims to address areas of concern across their lives with monthly check-ins and support.

“There’s a connection that’s made there,” McLeod said. “Their offerings

seem like a mile deep versus just a mile wide.”

McLeod said they chose the Harvest Project, in part, because of the stories her husband, who is a Lions Gate Hospital doctor, brings home about patients suffering ill health, exacerbated by poverty.

“Really good people in our community who are jobless, they’re about to be evicted or they don’t even have food,” she said. “This is all day long. And so I couldn’t unhear that.”

With Christmas coming, the Numb Bums wanted to leverage a few moments of discomfort in the water to help their neighbours across the North Shore, McLeod said.

As of Monday, the Plunge for Purpose campaign had raised $11,500 toward their target of $20,000.

McLeod said they are hoping to draw a big crowd including those with a desire to join them in the inlet as well as those who just want to support from the beach.

While there’s no question that jumping in Burrard Inlet, which has an average temperature of about 6 C at this time of Continued on A35

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City Library wishes our wonderful community a peaceful and happy winter holiday season!

Sharing warm wishes from my family to yours this holiday season!

May you have a peaceful and prosperous New Year!

Jonathan Wilkinson Member of Parliament, North Vancouver

A32 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Warm greetings this holiday season.

See you next year!

How can we help you?

northshorelaw.com 604.980.8571

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A33

Marathon public hearing will return for a fifth night in January Continued from A1 for the project spoke to the need to house the unhoused on the North Shore, how decision-making should be guided by compassion opposed to fear, and that evidence shows various costs associated with emergency care should go down where supportive services are available.

Questions from council answered Between the back-and-forth over the merits and concerns about the project, staff and members of relevant organizations answered questions posed by council. Most of these were read out in the Dec. 7 meeting.

The first involved residents wanting to have more data references or recent research that supported previous responses from staff about the project. For that information, district senior planner Tamsin Guppy directed people to the ever-growing binder in council chambers, or the online version. She also pointed BC

Housing’s digital research library.

After the public hearing is closed, Guppy said additional questions from the public could be put directly to her.

Next, there were questions about clarifying funding commitments.

From the capital side, $33 million in funding has been set aside

by BC Housing to pay for housing the 60 people brought in to live temporary at the Travelodge site on Marine Drive, explained Naomi Brunemeyer, director of regional development. For operational funding, BC Housing estimated that $2.5 million would be committed annually for the 60-year lease, she added.

There is an additional $1.7 million in operational funding for five complex care beds coming from Vancouver Coastal Health.

BC Housing was then asked if the Residential Tenancy Act would be enforceable at the housing development. Brunemeyer replied that it would apply to all the units.

A draft drawing shows what the Keith Road supportive housing could look like. BC HOUSING As for a breakdown of the tenants expected to live in the building, Brunemeyer said that BC Housing would strive to mirror demographics found in the 2023 homeless count.

“Those soft targets look something like 69 per cent male, 28 per cent female and three per cent of other gender identity. By age, we would say eight per cent for youth 19 to 24, around 70 per cent … would be 25 to 54, and 22 per

cent would be seniors. If we break that down further, we would like to house a minimum of 33 per cent Indigenous which is reflective of our homeless counts,” she said.

Will visitors be allowed to bring drugs and alcohol into the building?

“Yes, they can,” Brunemeyer said. “Alcohol is a legal substance that people are able to bring into any residential building. And we

do allow people to have their guests bring their drugs with them, hoping that instead of going out and using in the community, they would be using in the overdose prevention site.”

Another question concerned what the expected length of stay would be for someone in the supportive housing building.

There’s no specific length of stay for any of the beds, said Ira Roness, director of mental health and substance use North Shore for Vancouver Coastal Health.

“It’s really determinant on what the needs are of the individual. They can stay for lengthy periods of time, which is quite different than in a hospital,” he said. “This is housing. And some people are going to progress through and move out to either independent housing or other types of housing supports that we provide services to through Vancouver Coastal Health.”

Council is expected to continue the public hearing on Monday, Jan. 15.

HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!

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A34 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

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RCMP seek witnesses to camper arson JANE SEYD

jseyd@nsnews.com

The North Vancouver RCMP are renewing their plea to the public to help find two witnesses as they investigate a suspicious fire that appeared to target an occupied truck camper where someone was living.

Police also released CCTV footage of the two people believed to be those witnesses, in the hopes of tracking them down. Visit nsnews.com to see the video.

Fire and police were called to the scene near West 1st Street and MacKay Road about 9:40 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 20.

Const. Mansoor Sahak, spokesperson for the North Vancouver RCMP, said a person who was passing by noticed a fire burning under the camper that was parked on the south side of West 1st Street.

The occupant of the camper – who was sleeping inside at the time – was alerted by firefighters and escaped safely.

Sahak said police don’t know if the camper was specifically targeted but added no other vehicles in the area were damaged.

Police said the person who called in the fire talked to two other witnesses at the scene, who said they had observed a person riding by on a bicycle who tossed something under the camper shortly before the fire started.

Police are hoping to talk to those two witnesses, said Sahak, adding they may play a vital role in the investigation.

This week, police released CCTV video of the two witnesses to encourage them to come forward.

Sahak said the pair observed the crime and likely filmed

RCMP released CCTV images of two witnesses they want to speak with about a suspicious fire to an occupied camper van. Visit nsnews.com to see video. NV RCMP the incident.

“We’re treating this very seriously and are exploring every avenue to help us further this investigation,” he said.

West 1st Street is a usually busy road and it’s likely there were other people in the area at the time the fire broke out, said Sahak.

Police are asking the two witnesses, or anyone who has information about this incident, to call 604-985-1311 and quote file 23-24844. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

The block bordered by West 1st Street, West 3rd Street, Hanes Avenue and MacKay Road is an area where many people who are sleeping in campers or motorhomes park overnight – some for just a short stay, and some for more lengthy periods.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A35

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Nicole McLeod and the rest of the Numb Bums are raising money for the Harvest Project through their Plunge For Purpose. NUMB BUMS

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Continued from A31 year, is a shock to the system, McLeod noted there is a growing body of evidence that cold plunges provide both physical and mental health benefits.

Her group’s members report better circulation, hormone regulation, boosted metabolism, clearer skin and better moods.

McLeod, a registered clinical counsellor, said she routinely advises her clients to try it out for themselves.

Those with the courage to follow through reap the rewards, she added.

“When you do something really, really hard and really scary and it’s uncomfortable as well, you just instantly grow,” she said. “It’s like a long slow release of dopamine.

Everybody says they constantly feel better and better as the day unfolds.”

The Plunge for Purpose takes place at Dundarave Beach on Saturday at 11 a.m. Plunging with a group is always easier than plunging alone, McLeod said.

To donate to the campaign, search “Plunge for Purpose” at fundrazr.com.

“Every little bit counts,” she said. “There’s a ripple effect.”

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A36 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

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LOCAL POLITICS

Citizens’ forum looking for participants under the age of 40 MINA KERR-LAZENBY

MKerrLazenby@nsnews.com Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The fourth iteration of the North Shore Young Citizens’ Forum, an initiative to get those on the North Shore aged 18 to 39 more involved in local politics, is now accepting applications for its 2024 cohort.

The forum, running from the beginning of February to mid-May 2024, sees participants gain better understanding of the ins and outs

of governmental work in North Vancouver city and district and the District of West Vancouver via a series of workshops.

“The whole impetus for this was to find a way to help younger adults understand local government, where decisions often have quite a bit of impact on our personal lives,” said Murray Mollard, executive director at North Shore Community Resources.

Mollard said the months-long event is split up into two main segments.

The first, a “learning phase,” involves

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participants meeting with local government staff and councillors in council chambers to gain a stronger understanding of what those entities do, he said. The second will see participants working on projects that they will then present to the councils at the end of the forum.

“Generally speaking, we allow a lot of autonomy for the participants to have their interests drive the kinds of projects they want to work on. If people have particular issues, whether it be transportation, housing, parks, the environment, whatever it is, people who participate will have a chance to dig a bit more into what they care about,” he said.

The feedback received from the previous three forums has been “generally very positive,” he said.

“They have definitely learned more about local governments, they feel like they have gained relationships, both with their fellow participants, but also with municipal staff and councillors in a way that they feel more empowered to participate in local government decision making of one kind or another,” he said.

“They’re not going to be intimidated going to a council meeting, maybe even now they will be standing up to speak to a matter.

They’ve gained a network of younger adults who they may interact with in a continuing way in their lives.”

While the forum isn’t intended to be a training place for politicians, the connections gained and learning that occurs will equip people with the skill set and understanding needed should they be interested in such a career path, said Mollard. Some participants have even gone on to run for municipal councils, though none have been successful as of yet.

For Hassan Merali, a former participant who is now a co-facilitator for the forum, the experience shaped his life in more ways than he expected.

The forum helps participants gain a better understanding of North Shore municipal governments. CINDY GOODMAN / NSN FILES “The experience has been transformative for me. Before the forum I knew a lot about federal and provincial politics, but I knew very little about municipal government and how I could participate in shaping my community,” he said.

“The forum gave me the skills and knowledge to participate in city council meetings, public hearings, public engagements and how to contact and engage with city councillors and staff,” he said, adding how meeting such high profile government figures helped to “demystify the process” and normalize political leaders.

Merali said everyone can benefit from the program, whether there is an interest in politics and policy or simply a desire to better understand how the community is shaped.

“There’s a place for you in the forum. It’s not just for people who are into politics, it’s for people who want to better understand their city,” he said. “I’ve watched all kinds of people come through the forum, and every single one came away with new skills, knowledge, and friends. This is the stuff they should have taught you in high school. It’s essential to being able to participate in our democracy and have your voice heard.”

To apply visit the North Shore Community Resources website at nscr.ca.

Applications are open until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 7.

CITY OF NORTH VANCOUVER FIRE DEPARTMENT

Your City Firefighter Team reminds you to celebrate the holidays safely!

604-980-5021

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A37

GLOBAL REACH

Sentinel grad leads charity 3D printing prosthetic hands JANE SEYD

jseyd@nsnews.com

A West Vancouver grad is putting his engineering talents to work to help provide for an unmet medical need around the globe – using a distinctly modern technology.

Michael Peirone grew up on the North Shore and graduated from West Vancouver’s Sentinel Secondary before going to study biomedical engineering at the University of Victoria.

It was there he met Nikolai Dechev, another former North Shore grad and professor of mechanical engineering at UVic, who was interested in the idea that 3D printing could be used to make low-cost prosthetic limbs.

Fast forward to 2023, and Peirone has gone from former co-op student to CEO of the non-profit organization Dechev founded, the Victoria Hand Project, now a registered charity which operates out of the University of Victoria.

In that role, Peirone now oversees the work of the charity in 11 countries around the world, providing 3D-printed prosthetic arms for amputees.

Started as a research project in 2014, the Victoria Hand Project has been instrumental

in providing more than 300 prosthetic arms to people around the world.

In many of developing countries, “it’s very difficult to get prosthetic care,” said Peirone. For many people, “to buy a prosthetic arm out of pocket could cost as much as a year’s salary.”

Making low-cost options is “really what our charity is about,” he said.

Peirone recalls a visit to a clinic in Kenya when he was still a student and seeing a young boy of seven who had lost his hands in a fire. The boy had spied his prosthetic arm sitting on a table and excitedly grabbed it to show his mom, said Peirone. Once the hand was fitted, the boy was able to hold a pen and write for the first time, he said.

Most of the people helped by the Canadian charity have lost their hands to accidents, including those caused by lack of safety regulations, said Peirone. Land mines remain a source of injury in countries like Cambodia, even decades after the conflicts when they were first planted.

Most recently, the charity has been doing work in Ukraine, where the war has continued to result in injuries to both soldiers and civilians.

This summer, Peirone returned from a trip to Ukraine, where he met with young

Located in the heart of Dundarave

Michael Peirone (centre, back), a Sentinel Secondary grad and CEO of the Victoria Hand Project, was in Ukraine this year to help set up clinics that will provide 3D printed prosthetic limbs. VICTORIA HAND PROJECT men who had lost arms and legs to the fighting in that country. One soldier who received a 3D printed prosthetic had lost his arm in an explosion, then helped a fellow soldier who had been partially blinded to medical care, he said.

Experiences like that have spurred his group to expand to new sites in Ukraine, he

said, where there is already a wait-list at the existing prosthetics clinic.

While conventional prosthetic arms are manufactured through techniques that include injection molding and metal casting, the 3D-printing process used by the organization to create the prosthetics means they can be created quickly and at low cost – about $120.

“Somebody can put the file on the 3D printer, start it and walk away, and it can print overnight,” said Peirone.

The charity designs the devices and comes up with workflows for how to make them.

They then partner with clinics in resource-poor communities and donate the 3D printers, scanner and tools needed. They then train local technicians on how to make the prosthetic limbs. The charity pays for training for the medical team. “And then we come back to Canada, and they continue to produce the devices for people in need.”

“It helps support the local healthcare infrastructure,” he said.

“It’s all about transferring the cutting-edge technologies to the people around the world and giving them the tools and the capabilities to produce these directly in their own communities.”

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A38 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

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Members of the Handsworth cross-country running team celebrate a win in the senior girls AAA provincial championship race. DREW MARTIN

Handsworth senior girls win cross-country provincial title ANDY PREST

aprest@nsnews.com

A burst appendix did not burst the bubble for the Handsworth senior girls cross-country running team as they raced their way to a provincial title.

The Royals ran away with the senior girls AAA team title at the B.C. high school championship meet held last month in Surrey, scoring 24 points to handily beat second place Reynolds Secondary (63 points) and third place Oak Bay Secondary (64 points).

Low scores rule the day, as points are given based on where runners finish compared to other racers vying for the team title.

Handsworth’s Maggie Cormack, Brooke Hemstead, Elia Comeau and Kate Martin all scored top-10 finishes against runners in the team competition. All four runners also finished the 5,000-metre course in less than 20 minutes, a feat accomplished by only 13 total racers. Cassie Young, Julia Balchen and Lucy Henkel also raced on Handsworth’s banner-winning senior team The Royals earned the team title despite missing their top runner all season, Valeria

Orozco, whose appendix burst the day before the Sea to Sky zone championship race. Orozco was released from hospital in time to make it to provincials, but could not take part in the race.

Team members “dug deep to make up for her being away,” said Handsworth head coach Ryne Melcher. “[They] found an extra gear and had their best race of the year and were able to bring the provincial championship banner and trophy back to Handsworth for a second consecutive year,” he said.

In senior boys racing, the West Vancouver Highlanders earned silver in the AAA race, finishing behind Oak Bay and ahead of Maple Ridge. Oliver Van Dijk, Japhy Crookham, Lourens Verway and Keyaan Jivraj were the scoring runners for West Van. The Handsworth junior boys also hit the podium at provincials, finishing third behind W.L. Seaton and Mennonite Educational Institute. The top three teams were separated by just six points. Pascal Remillard, Casey Hempstead, Eames Kim and Andy Inkster finished in the points for the Royals.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A39

HOLIDAY HOCKEY

North Van’s Macklin Celebrini earns spot on Team Canada for world juniors ANDY PREST

aprest@nsnews.com

For the second year in a row, a North Vancouver hockey star will be looking to shine for Team Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship hockey tournament.

Macklin Celebrini, a product of the North Shore Winter Club youth system, was one of 22 players named to the national junior team Dec. 13 for the tournament running Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

“Huge honour,” Celebrini said after getting the news that he’d made the team. “Like every kid, it’s their dream.”

Celebrini follows fellow North Vancouverite Connor Bedard, who lit up last year’s tournament on his way to earning MVP honours while leading the tournament in scoring and setting a Canadian record for career points at the world juniors. Bedard is still eligible to play in the tournament but is now plying his trade for the Chicago Blackhawks after being taken No. 1 overall in the 2023 NHL entry draft.

Celebrini is following in Bedard’s footsteps, considered by many to be the likely No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL draft.

The 17-year-old Boston University freshman is currently second in the NCAA with 25 points in 15 games, including 10 goals.

“I was surprised at how good he was,” said Hockey Canada executive Scott Salmond following the world junior team’s selection camp. “For a young player, at 17 years old, to play the way he did here is exciting.”

North Vancouver’s Macklin Celebrini races up the ice while playing for the Canadian national junior team. Celebrini will suit up for Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship tournament starting Boxing Day in Sweden. THOMAS SKRLJ / HOCKEY CANADA IMAGES

Canada will open the world juniors with a Boxing Day matchup against Finland, followed by games against Latvia Dec. 27, Sweden Dec. 29 and Germany on New Year’s Eve. The quarterfinals are schedule for Jan. 2, with semifinals Jan. 4 and final Jan. 5. All of Canada’s games can be seen on TSN. -with files from The Canadian Press

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Prices, unless otherwise stated, reflect all applicable rebates and offers. Federal and Provincial taxes are not included in our prices. Pricing in effect December 14-January 3, 2024 while stock lasts. Actual products may not be exactly as shown. The flyer reflects the most current information available at the time of printing. If despite our vigilance, errors occur, a notice will be printed in store. 2-1 Receive free local delivery on two qualifying models on purchases of $750 or more. Maximum delivery credit is $119.95 per order. Must be purchased at ticketed price to qualify. Purchases made under our Price Match Policy may not qualify. One delivery offer per customer. Conditions apply. Offer is valid December 14-January 3, 2024. 2-2 Free haulaway on up to two qualifying models on purchases of $750 or more on major appliances. Maximum haulaway credit is $70 per order. One haulaway offer per customer. Conditions apply. Offer is valid December 14-January 3, 2024. 2-3 Receive a free 1-year extended product protection plan with the purchase of all qualifying appliances. Standard Comerco exclusions apply. Offer is valid December 14-January 3, 2024.

A40 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com

VANCOUVER FOOD RUNNERS

Volunteer asks businesses to join food recovery program NICK LABA

nlaba@nsnews.com

Six thousand meals went on people’s plates rather than to the landfill this year thanks to the efforts of just one volunteer, Janet McDonnell, and a food-recovery app she uses.

With Vancouver Food Runners, she made a total of 46 “food rescues” – that’s what the app calls them – in 2023, saving 3,520 kilograms of food. And that’s without any ongoing time commitment.

All she had to do was download and register with the app, select a delivery, pick it up and then drop it off with an organization that distributes the food.

At many of her stops, people there are happy to help McDonnell pack the food in and out of her car.

Now, the volunteer – who lives in North Vancouver – is imploring more volunteers, but also North Shore businesses, to sign up for the service. Her request comes amid a call from the food recovery charity to help expand

its operations across the Metro Vancouver region.

Facing increasing pressures in the cost of living, nearly 20 per cent of B.C. households lack reliable access to nutritious food, according to the charity. In response, Vancouver Food Runners has scaled up its operations, expanding to the North Shore, Richmond, Burnaby, Surrey and Delta.

The program is high-impact volunteering, the organization says. Just one hour of volunteer work results in around $570 of food donated, which is roughly 150 community meals. Most food pickups are less than 15 minutes from the drop-off location, and volunteering is flexible – from one-time rescues, to regular weekly routes, to food rescues that can be done by bike.

There are clear benefits for participating companies too, said McDonnell, who has a background in business management.

“It’s a sustainability accomplishment for the business… The

app makes it very easy. It’s free for the business,” she said, adding that provincial law protects companies from any potential liability while donating food in good faith.

Knowing that edible food isn’t being tossed in the bin is a good feeling for staff as well, McDonnell added: “For team building and community connections, feeling that they’re doing something worthwhile for the community.”

Since she joined the charity a year and a half ago, McDonnell said she’s been impressed at how efficient and low-cost the Food Runners model is.

“A lot of organizations pick up food in trucks, take them to a warehouse, then deliver them,” she explained. “But because of the app and because of the volunteer food runners who use our own vehicles, we pick it up directly from the business and deliver directly to the non-profit organization.”

Notifying people at her pick-up Continued on A41

Vancouver Food Runners volunteer Janet McDonnell picks up buckets of soup from Ono Vancouver, a catering company that runs a community meal program. COURTESY OF JANET MCDONNELL

NOTICE OF DISPOSITION In accordance with section 26 of the Community Charter (BC), the District of West Vancouver (the “District”) hereby gives notice of its intention to lease to Hollyburn Community Services Society (“Hollyburn”), for a term of five years commencing January 1, 2024 and expiring December 31, 2028 (the “Term”), the air space parcel legally described as PID: 031-907-806, Air Space Parcel 1 District Lot 790 Group 1 NWD Air Space Plan EPP121277 (the “Parcel”). The Parcel is located at 200 Klahanie Court, West Vancouver and contains six townhouse units that will be managed and operated as non-market housing.

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The Parcel is located approximately as shown in red on this sketch plan.

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The consideration payable by Hollyburn for the Term will be $10 plus operating costs.

QUESTIONS?

John Wong, Acting Director, Corporate Services jtwong@westvancouver.ca | 604-921-3420

westvancouver.ca

Season's Greetings From everyone at the North Shore News, may your holiday season be filled with warmth, and good cheer.

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A41

App simplifies volunteer work Continued from A40 and drop-off locations is as simple as pressing a button on the app, McDonnell said. “And if I’m going away, I just open the app and I click on the dates that I can’t do my weekly run. And that’s it. I don’t have to feel bad. I don’t have to organize somebody else [to make the delivery].”

Nearly $8.7 million of food saved since launch in 2020 Thanks in part to a donation from West Vancouver Foundation, Vancouver Food Runners expanded onto the North Shore this year.

But so far, only five businesses have signed up with the service: Real Canadian Superstore, Dashmart, Starbucks Northwoods Village, M&M Meat Market and Walmart.

“They have a lot of volunteers on the North Shore, but that not very many businesses donating food here,” McDonnell said. As a result, most of her food rescues are in Vancouver.

“There would be more availability for food rescues on the North Shore if there were more businesses donating,” she said.

This year, 214 food rescues have been made on the North Shore, for a total of 1,500 kgs of food delivered. The charity

estimates that to be around $106,369 worth of food.

Many of those deliveries go to six local non-profit partners: Family Services of the North Shore, Harvest Project, Capilano Students’ Union, North Shore Women’s Centre, North Shore Neighbourhood House, and Norgate Xwemelch’stn Community School.

Since launching in March 2020, Vancouver Food Runners has delivered 1.27 million total kgs of food (2.3 million equivalent meals) for a dollar value of nearly $8.7 million. Meanwhile, its 2,800 volunteers registered on the app and 162 active food business partners have diverted 2.5 million kgs of CO2 equivalent from the environment, according to the charity.

“As Canadians we throw away a huge amount of garbage, which is just criminal, and I know I’m guilty of that myself,” McDonnell said. “But in this case, we’re taking some of that food that would have been thrown out and giving it to people in need.”

“You can do it on your way home from work,” she said.

For more information on how to volunteer or donate food, visit the Vancouver Food Runners website.

Jim Hanson

from my family to yours

North Vancouver District Councillor

Cargo Boxes JUDY KILLEEN PERSONAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION CORPORA MRS REAL ESTATE TEAM

North Shore’s Largest Selection

604-833-8044 PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me, everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Our time on earth is limited and we are to use it wisely, not living for the moment, but with our eternal home in mind.

Remember Jesus is the reason for this season.

324 East Esplanade N Van 604.987.7474

Life Member 23 Years

SUTTON GROUP WEST COAST REALTY • 604-986-9321

A42 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com

GARDEN TO TABLE

This year’s perfect Christmas gift might be nothing new LAURA MARIE NEUBERT

Contributing writer

One of our daughters ran across a Nordic tradition of gifting books on Christmas Eve – the inspiration no doubt, behind generations of families reading and relaxing together by the fire. She proposed that we adopt this charming tradition, and also that we purchase used.

“The forest thanks you” were the first words that came to me. I am heartened by the growing awareness of excess and waste that younger people carry with them as they build their own traditions. I am hopeful that, as a collective, they can find their way back to the time not so long ago when escalating economic growth and conspicuous consumption of non-essential “things” were not universal metrics of success.

Author Robin Wall Kimmerer expresses the sentiment thoughtfully in her book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. “If all the world is a commodity, how poor we grow. When all the world is a gift in motion, how wealthy we become.”

I can see a shift in thinking and in values, and in the retail sector. Even here,

Old-school gardening books and a vintage forget-me-not teacup say ‘relax by the fire.’

LAURA MARIE NEUBERT

on the prosperous North Shore, boujee new-to-you boutiques offering artisanal handmades alongside gently used clothing, shoes and accessories occupy pride of place on high streets. Thrift stores are packed with fun retro and designer

Warmest Wishes from our home to yours and thank you for your business.

Kam Filsoofi, Owner

604-925-1341 www.progas.ca 1859 Welch St. North Vancouver HEATING • AIR CONDITIONING • GAS FITTING

merchandise, and used book stores burst at the seams.

Gardeners in particular are aware that we cannot take without also giving back, and that the earth and her resources are finite. “Use renewable resources and

services” and “produce no waste” are two fundamental permaculture principles.

Young people, I’ve noticed, are gardening, knitting and crocheting, baking and preserving, fishing and camping, and cooking at home with pride and enthusiasm. Increasingly, they are finding peace and delight in creating with their hands and doing without. How lovely.

There is time still before Christmas for the older majority of us (present company included) to shift our thinking, our habits and our language, and say proudly that, “My gift to you is nothing new.” This then might inspire a conversation and, perhaps, reciprocity. And so it might go as things change for the better.

Nature teaches us to take only what we need, that the metrics for sustainable economic growth reflect community health, moderation, humility and gratitude.

Indeed life is busy. We are busy, and it is easier and faster to buy new. We all do it, but we don’t have to always. We simply cannot. It isn’t sustainable, and it isn’t fair to our children and to all future generations. Knowing this should make it easier to start saying no to new – incrementally at first, and eventually by nature.

Continued on A43

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A43

Why not make or thrift a gift?

Continued from A42 Kimmerer writes beautifully: “We are showered every day with gifts, but they are not meant for us to keep. Their life is in their movement, the inhale and the exhale of our shared breath. Our work and our joy is to pass along the gift and to trust that what we put out into the universe will always come back.”

Need inspiration? Friends and family who garden or cook might enjoy: vintage gardening books paired with a charming old tea cup, jute pole bean twine tucked inside an antique canning jar with wellworn snips and some heirloom beans seeds, a beautiful old English tea tin containing homegrown mint and lemon balm tea, or a collection of thrift store cookie cutters bundled with a mid-century Cookie Lovers cookbook. High value, low cost, low environmental footprint.

This holiday season, as we count our blessings and reflect on a world gone mad with rage and injustice, let’s upset the

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Council Meeting Schedule The 2024 Council meeting schedule is now available online at DNV.org/Council2024 The next Regular Council Meeting is January 8, 2024. Agendas for upcoming meetings and minutes of past meetings are available online at DNV.org/council.

Council agendas are also available for viewing at all District libraries or you can sign up to receive agendas by email at DNV.org/agendanotice.

Council meetings are held in a hybrid format with a combination of in-person and electronic participation by some or all members of Council, staff and the public.

The public are invited to attend at the Council Chamber where they will be able to see and hear the proceedings and, at a minimum, the Municipal Clerk, or designate will be in attendance.

Scan QR code, or visit

nsnews.com/bizwire

Public input on agenda items, both in-person and virtually, will be facilitated by signing up in advance prior to 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting by contacting the Municipal Clerk at signup@dnv.org. Speakers will then be contacted by the Municipal Clerk with instructions on how to participate either virtually or in person. Participation can be in person, via video or telephone.

The public may also observe meetings via Zoom. Details are given in the agenda for each meeting, which are available at DNV.org/council after 10:00 a.m. on the Tuesday preceding the meeting.

POWERED BY

01srn1crnF

NORTH VANCOUVER

DNV.org/Council2024 DNV.org/council O

•

A44 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com

TIME TRAVELLER

A weekly glimpse into North Shore’s past from MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver

North Shore ice delivery

Photo: NVMA, 1960

Here is a photo of Archie Storey, ca. 1940, standing in front of a Storey North Shore Ice & Fuel Truck parked at 1040 West Keith Road, where the Storey family lived and operated their business.

The most expensive detached home to sell this year on the North Shore was 2960 Palmerston Ave., which sold for $16.98 million Sept. 30. ZEALTY.CA

Originally from England, the Storey family began the company in 1920 as a transfer truck operation, then later expanded to oil, coal and ice delivery. They also rented and sold ice boxes and ice machines.

‘WAIT AND SEE’ MARKET

Archie Storey married Lena Monica Handling of North Vancouver in 1944. Monica played a prominent role in the founding of the first public library in North Vancouver.

Visit monova.ca for more information about the history of the North Shore and to learn about MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver, now open at 115 West Esplanade in The Shipyards. MONOVA: Archives of North Vancouver is located at 3203 Institute Road in Lynn Valley. Contact: archives@monova.ca

ITIES

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FAMILY PARTY AT THE MUSEUM !

NEW YEAR AT NOON DEC 10AM–1PM 31 DROP-IN

Explore how some people around the world celebrate January 1st as a fresh start!

Included with museum admission

CREATE & CONNECT FAMILY FUN SERIES

JANE SEYD

jseyd@nsnews.com

THE "TIME TRAVELLER" SPACE HAS BEEN GRACIOUSLY DONATED BY THE ADVERTISER BELOW. #LOCALMATTERS

DI

Most and least expensive real estate sold on the North Shore

monova.ca/events

Once again, real estate markets on the North Shore are in a “wait and see” mode heading into the holiday season as buyers hold their breath on potential interest rate changes.

Sales are still happening, especially in North Vancouver. “North Vancouver is actually quite active,” said Navid Hakimi, a West Vancouver real estate agent with Re/ Max Masters.

But sales in both North Vancouver and West Vancouver are still below historical averages, as buyers keep their powder dry amid high interest rates.

What happens next on interest rates is on everyone’s mind, said Hakimi.

Buyers want to purchase at the bottom of the market, he said, but “no one knows when that will be.”

So far, prices on the North Shore have remained stubbornly high, with a median single-family home in North Vancouver selling for $2.1 million in November – up over both October and last November, according to statistics from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Prices for median apartments were down a bit – at $770,000.

In West Vancouver, a median single-family home sold for just under $3 million in November.

The British Properties remained a popular areas for buyers in West Vancouver while Lynn Valley, Upper Lonsdale and Grand Boulevard were favoured in North Vancouver. Apartment seekers favoured

both lower and central Lonsdale areas.

Here are some of the most and least expensive homes to sell over the past two months on the North Shore:

Most-expensive detached home The biggest sale of the year so far took on the North Shore Sept. 30, when a 14-year-old Altamont mansion of over 13,000 square feet at 2960 Palmerston Ave. sold for $16.98 million. Boasting almost 4,300 square feet of living space on the main level, the eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom home has plenty of room for entertaining and features vaulted ceilings, a hot tub, wine cooler, gym, media room and six fireplaces. There’s also a swimming pool, gated entrance and a five-car garage.

The home, which sits on almost an acre of flat land, sold just four days after listing.

Most-expensive townhouse The most expensive townhouse to sell in the past two months was a three-storey four-bedroom five-bathroom half duplex in central Lonsdale at 354 14th Street West.

The three-storey four-bedroom five-bathroom half-duplex sold for $2.65 million Nov. 6 after 17 days on the market.

Situated on a quiet block, the over 2,800-square-foot home features an open-concept living area with over height ceilings and a kitchen with high-end appliances. Upstairs there are three spacious bedrooms and a private covered rooftop patio. Downstairs has a rec room plus Continued on A45

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 | A45

Apartment sells for $390,000 CROSSWORD Continued from A44 a bright legal one-bedroom suite with separate entrance/patio. The duplex is new, built in 2023.

Most-expensive apartment The most expensive apartment to sell on the North Shore in the past two months was a waterfront apartment in the iconic five-year-old Grosvenor building on Ambleside’s Bellevue Avenue.

The second-floor two-bedroom three-bathroom unit sold Oct. 30 for $4.55 million. Generous-sized rooms include a massive walk-in closet and master bedroom ensuite. The over 2,300-square-foot apartment comes with an over 300 square-foot covered deck and extra-large garage with two EV chargers.

Most-inexpensive detached home The most inexpensive single-family detached home to sell on the North Shore in the past two months is a three-bedroom two-bathroom classic built in 1949. The almost 2,600-square-foot home at 3994 Mount Seymour Parkway sold for $1.45 million on Nov. 16 after 15 days on the market.

The home features a renovated kitchen, high-efficiency furnace and ample storage with a workshop and shed. The property

features a double carport and private backyard with custom fireplace. Perfect for an outdoor loving family.

Most-inexpensive townhouse Small but mighty! The most inexpensive townhouse to sell recently on the North Shore is a ground-level bachelor studio at 1-7 – 735 West 15th Street in North Vancouver’s Mosquito Creek neighbourhood. The 11-year-old 450-square-foot townhouse sold Sept. 29 for $525,000 after 21 days on the market.

The townhouse features cleverly designed built-ins that provide ample storage while keeping the space clutter-free.

The sleeping area is also thoughtfully separated, creating a cozy and private sanctuary. One feature of this townhome is the generously sized patio. Perfect for hosting a BBQ or unwinding with a glass of wine.

Most-inexpensive apartment The most inexpensive apartment to sell on the North Shore was a north-facing studio apartment in Woodcroft Estates at 1204 – 2012 Fullerton Ave. Partial updates include kitchen and bathroom upgrades and laminate flooring. The 486-square-foot apartment, built in 1977, sold Nov. 24 for $390,000 after eight days on the market.

I know this market...

I’ve been selling homes on the North Shore for over 35 years.

Let me help you get started.

Al Sutton

604-720-4889 | alsutton.org

Solutions can be found in the Wednesday December 27th issue.

Life Member

35 Years

videotape 44. Sag food CLUES ACROSS 23. Lord’s property 42. Make do 49. Passed beyond 1. Front of the leg 24. Song from 53. Unique person 43. Almost round 5. Load cargo yesteryear 9. Petal-pullers 54. Good buddy 45. Negative profit 25. Drama part word 55. Rushed 46. Military division 12. Highway section 56. Particular place 26. This minute!

47. Dole (out) 13. Attendant 57. Building addition 27. Entrance chime 48. Get ready 30. Race section 14. Habitual manner 58. Visualized 50. Garden tool 31. Notable timespan 51. Valuable dirt 15. Detroit product 59. Ladder rung 34. Brewed drinks 16. Consecrate 52. ___-gallon hat CLUES DOWN 40. Slip up 18. Golden-haired Crossword puzzle answers 1. Cement chunk use American spelling 41. Goes without 20. Sovereign 2. Lug 21. Update Wednesday December 13th Solutions: 25. “Stand ___ Deliver” 3. ___ thin air 4. Downtown 28. ___ tradition lighting 29. Barcelona cry 5. Feeling low 32. Dove’s sound 6. Dead heat 33. Chinese mammal 7. Out of the 35. Strife ordinary 36. “A Tale of ___Cities” 8. Peculiar 37. Earth 9. Gulps 38. Health 10. Despise establishment 11. Ogler 39. Umpire’s cousin 17.

Pool shark’s need 42. Hooded reptile 19. Fall sharply 22. Clear, as a

Daily crossword available at: nsnews.com/crossword

A46 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com

Metro Vancouver’s Hyperlocal Weather App. Get the most accurate weather forecasts in your pocket with the free Weatherhood app! Giving you access to more weather stations in your community than any other app.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 |

Your Community

MARKETPLACE classifieds.nsnews.com

A47

Call or email to place your ad, Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

604-653-7851 • 604-362-0586 nmather@glaciermedia.ca • dtjames@glaciermedia.ca Book your ad online anytime at

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REMEMBRANCES In MeMorIaM

In MeMorIaM

NIGEL GORDON MILLER 1973-1998

25 years ago, on Christmas Eve, our son died in an avalanche on Cypress Mountain.

Volunteers from North Shore Rescue (NSR) found and assisted in recovering his body.

The Nigel Miller Memorial Fund was recently established “to provide financial assistance for educational purposes to individual members” of the NSR team and/or their immediate family members. Those wishing to do so may donate to the fund through the West Vancouver Foundation.

As you share the stories and the memories of how they lived their lives and how very much they meant, may you find comfort...

obItuarIes

GILLETT, Steven Douglas June 10, 1949 − December 19, 2020

BRIND, Bill - Filmmaker London 1933 - Bowen Island 2023

Steve was born to Douglas and Dorothy and older brother Jim Gillett in North Vancouver on June 10th, 1949. Steve married Vicki in 1971 and had "his girls," Christie (Mike) and Katie (Grant). He was a dedicated and loving Dad and enjoyed being "Grandpa" to Mason and Sasha. Steve had a long and successful career in Forestry and travelled extensively to Japan and Korea. Steve was an established woodworker and built everything himself. He was incredibly funny, generous and kind and had many friends. He enjoyed time at the lake, fishing, a good beer and music. His life was cut short from a shocking ALS diagnosis. His courageous fight ended on December 19th, 2020, surrounded by his family. Steve is deeply loved, forever and always.

As long as the sun continues to shine and the stars light up the darkest of skies, we will miss you.

Bill was an extraordinary man who led an extraordinary life. From his childhood in the East End of London, he was determined to break through the class barriers of British society and achieve what he wanted: to be a documentary filmmaker.

From the BBC in England to the CBC in Toronto to the National Film Board in Montreal to the United Nations in Lebanon, the West Bank, Gaza, Syria, Jordan and Vienna. He edited, directed, and produced numberless award-winning documentaries including “High Grass Circus” nominated for an Oscar in 1977 for Outstanding Documentary Feature and the “The Devil at Your Heels” which won the 1983 Genie Award for Best Theatrical Documentary. Some of his best loved films are “Impressions of Expo ‘67” and “Jack Rabbit” all of which are available for viewing on the NFB website.

Bill died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family. He will be terribly missed by his wife Loredana, son Brandon, daughter Geraldine, sonin-law Peter, granddaughters Francesca and Selena, and by all who loved him, Farzaneh, Clare, Potter, and his many close friends.

His outsized personality, brilliant mind and passionate nature will remain in all our hearts and memory. He wanted to thank his wonderful doctors Blackwood and Kiraly and caregiver Peter for their friendship and care of these last few years on Bowen Island. His autobiography “Not a Bad Life, All Things Considered” is available at our local library, the Hearth, and Amazon.

Online Celebrate the lives of loved ones with your stories, photographs and tributes

legacy.com/obituaries/nsnews

A48 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com

REMEMBRANCES Obituaries

GILLIS, Joyce Beryl

July 11, 1926 - October 30, 2023 Joyce was born on July 11, 1926 in Gateshead, England and passed away at the age of 97 in North Vancouver, B.C. She met her husband Albert Gillis, a Canadian Soldier and immigrated to Vancouver as a war bride. They were married 60 years, before his death in 2006. She was also predeceased by her parents, 2 brothers, 3 sisters and brothers-in-law, and 1 son-in-law Graeme Couling.

Survived by children; Yvonne (Graham) Smith, Arlene Couling, grandchildren; Mike, Sheryl, Jamie (Shelley), Jema, Lanie (Levi), great grandchildren; Kiera, Alex, Danica, Ashley, Jasper, and Safron.

Family was always foremost and dear to her heart, she was supportive, kind and generous with her love. Joyce had the capability of kindness and compassion which she freely imparted to everyone she met. Her love of books lead her to volunteer at the Royal Columbian Hospital, delivering reading material to all the patients. She also loved music, decorating, and was a talented knitter and seamstress, and in later years she took up painting. She was always fashionable and stylish.

She had a great sense of humour, but was also passionately interested in world affairs and politics.

She was loved by all the family and her presence will be dearly missed.

No funeral, by request.

Obituaries

Obituaries

HUTTON, Gordon Callum (Cal) With his family by his side, Callum Hutton passed away peacefully on November 12, 2023. He will be lovingly remembered and missed immensely by his wife of 40 years, Lee Fraser; his children Greg (Stephanie), Jeff (Lauren), and Jamie; his beloved grandchildren Jeremy, Emma, Maëlle, and Beau; his siblings Heather Begin (Paul) and Ian (Laura); and numerous extended family members.

Cal was born in North Vancouver on December 23, 1957, where his passion for sports and the outdoors began. He was an avid skier, mountaineer, golfer, and baseball player. Cal met the love of his life, Lee, on holiday in Hawaii in 1980, and they married in 1983. He joined the RCMP in 1980 and began his 27-year career in Alberta, where he and Lee started their family and made lifelong friends. Cal was heavily involved in sports and coaching with all his children and, his grandchildren. He transferred to the Richmond RCMP Detachment in 1997 and worked there until retirement. He found his happy place at Kings Links, where he enjoyed golfing and spending time with his many friends.

Cal loved to travel and visited Australia, Europe, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, and more. He had a great sense of humour which was shown by his unflinching support of the Vancouver Canucks. He was also a lifelong BC Lions fan. Cal’s greatest love and joys included his family, golf, baseball, and especially being a loving dad and grampa. So many relatives and friends will miss Cal dearly.

In lieu of flowers, Cal has requested donations to BC Lung Foundation or KidSport Delta.

There will be a celebration of Cal’s life in March, 2024, date TBA. Please refer to Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services: https://www.myalternatives.ca/ladner/obituaries/2 023-hutton-callum for details of the service, once confirmed.

SCHAFF, Catherine Norma May 13, 1926 − December 1, 2023 It is with deep sadness that our family announces the passing of our dear Mother, Catherine Schaff.

Predeceased by her loving husband John Schaff and daughters Chrystal Douglas and Melody Schaff. Survived by her children Heddy Bing, Kandys Merola, Thomas Schaff, Daniel Schaff, David Schaff, and Alexandra Schaff.

Funeral service will be held on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2:00 pm at St. Christopher’s Anglican Church, 1068 Inglewood Ave., West Vancouver.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to RCL TVS Branch 44, rcl44@shaw.ca or TB Vets Chairty (www.tbvets.org/donate).

To share a tribute, visit: www.mem.com

IF TOMORROW NEVERby Norma COMES Cornett Marek If I knew it would be the last time That I’d see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly And pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door, I would give you a hug and kiss And call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I’d hear your voice lifted up in praise, I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute To stop and say “I love you,” Instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day, Well I’m sure you’ll have so many more, so I can let just this one slip away.

Celebrate the lives of loved ones with your stories, photographs and tributes.

Contact Nadia at 604-653-7851 or nmather@glaciermedia.ca

May the Sunshine of Comfort Dispel the Clouds of Despair

Celebrate the lives of loved ones with your stories, photographs and tributes

For surely there’s always tomorrow To make up for an oversight, And we always get a second chance To make everything just right.

There will always be another day To say “I love you,”

And certainly there’s another chance To say our “Anything I can do?”

But just in case I might be wrong, And today is all I get, I’d like to say how much I love you And I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, Young or old alike, And today may be the last chance You get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you’re waiting for tomorrow, Why not do it today?

For if tomorrow never comes, You’ll surely regret the day, That you didn’t take that extra time For a smile, a hug, or a kiss And you were too busy to grant someone, What turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, And whisper in their ear, Tell them how much you love them And that you’ll always hold them dear Take time to say “I’m sorry,” “Please forgive me,” “Thank you,” or “It’s okay.”

And if tomorrow never comes, You’ll have no regrets about today.

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 |

A49

REMEMBRANCES Obituaries

Share your Celebrations and Memories

North Shore’s Only Family Owned Funeral Provider

George & Mildred McKenzie

604-926-5121 • mckenziefuneralservices.com

WATTON (nee Rhodes/Keddie), Ronald J. July 21, 1932 − October 30, 2023

200-100 Park Royal South, West Vancouver

Dad was born Alan (Allen) Ferguson Rhodes in Sutton, Ontario, out of wedlock to Mary Rhodes and David Keddie, both recent immigrants from Scotland. After several years in foster care Dad was adopted by Joseph and Lillian (Steel) Watton.

taking care of each other

is what community is all about.

Hollyburn Funeral Home

Dad grew up in Toronto and attended St. Michael’s College. At 16 (following his Mum’s death), he left school and eventually became a professional football player for Toronto Balmy Beach, Toronto Argonauts, BC Lions, and Hamilton Tiger−Cats. In the off−season, a voyage to Europe on the Queen Elizabeth ignited his love of travel and history.

1807 Marine Drive, West Vancouver Thank you for continuing to place your trust in us now and always.

Proudly serving the north Shore for over 80 years

604-922-1221 HollyburnFunerals.com

In 1958, Dad met Mum, a stewardess with Trans Canada Airlines. They married in 1959. While with the Lions, Dad was taken under the wing of General Manager Herb Capozzi, who arranged for dad to be enrolled in the Faculty of Education at UBC. Dad continued his studies throughout his playing career, even after being traded to Hamilton in 1962. That year, he was named a CFL Eastern All −Star and played in the 50th Grey Cup, "The Fog Bowl." Dad received his undergraduate degree in 1965 and left UBC one credit short of a Masters.

As you share the stories and the memories of how they lived their lives and how very much they meant, may you find comfort...

Dignity Memorial is a division of Service Corporation International (Canada) ULC.

ExEcutor sErvicEs

Mum and Dad settled in North Vancouver and, in 1972, moved to Edgemont Village, where they lived for almost 50 years. Dad spent most of his teaching career at Balmoral Jr. Secondary, where he taught istory, was a Guidance Counselor (famous for the Counselor’s grip and Grade 8 Health class), coached rugby and chess club, and chaperoned student trips to Europe. He was also an anti−smoking advocate and headed the Counter Attack Campaign against drinking and driving. In his 50s, after retiring from teaching, he was appointed as a Justice of the Peace, joined Ron Jr. in property development, and launched a successful Real Estate partnership with Mum. In his 70s, after discovering that he was adopted, he was fortunate to find and be embraced by his maternal sister, Margaret. Dad and Mum eventually retired, allowing them more time for cruising and enjoying their Kelowna property. Dad continued going to the gym well into his 80s, where he enjoyed bumping into former students and colleagues. In his later years, reflecting on his life, Dad would often comment that he was the luckiest guy ever.

Dad, we were the lucky ones.

Dad was predeceased by Mum, Barbara, his sister Margaret Pomeroy, and the cats (who loved to cuddle up and read the paper with him). He is survived by his children, Susan (Warren Tucker, Katrina and Morgan), Ronald (Sierra and Colby), and Leslie (Victor Hammill, William and Victoria). In memory of Dad, don’t smoke, don’t drink and drive, and don’t jaywalk in the Village.

Funeral services

Caring and Professional Executor, Trustee and Power of Attorney services based on the North Shore

Tel: el: 778.742.5005

Nicole L. Garton

heritagetrustcompany.ca

President, Heritage Trust Tel: 778-742-5005

Westcoast Wills & Estates

Probate made easy.

Call 604.653.7851 or email nmather@glaciermedia.ca to place your announcement

Let our experienced lawyers help you.

604-230-1068 | westcoastwills.com 604-210-2211 *A law corporation

Celebrate the lives of loved ones with your stories, photographs and tributes

To advertise in the Classifieds call: 604-653-7851

A50 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 COMMUNITY Lost

Please recycle this newspaper.

OBJECT FOUND in Westview Mall. Call Kevin at 604-971-2155 to identify, as well as when you lost it.

north shore news nsnews.com

Christmas Corner CRAFT FAIRS/BAZAARS

Charlotte Market

LEGAL LegaL/PubLic Notices Warehouse Lien Act .

1405 Charlotte Road North Vancouver

12:00pm - 5:00pm Saturdays & Sundays

Nov 25 26 Dec 2 3 9 10 16 17 23

Notice is hereby given that Econo Moving & Storage will be holding a public auction on December 27, 2023 at 9:00 AM. The following accounts are in delinquency and will be sold to recover monies owing under the ‘Warehouse Lien Act’ Harrison Bradbury, Ziba Soleimannasab, Azadeh Hosseini, Paul Stegavig, Stephen Russell 991 West 1st St, North Vancouver, BC. V7P 1A4 (604-980-3333)

A curated pop-up market with a selection of products from local crafters, jewellers, potters, jams & jellies as well as artisan baked goods, aprons, pj’s and lots more.

Warehouse Lien Act

Follow @einaidesigns on Facebook and instagram #pocketmarketoncharlotte

.

Notice is hereby given that Econo Moving & Storage will be holding a public auction on January 3, 2024 at 9:00 AM. The following accounts are in delinquency and will be sold to recover monies owing under the ‘Warehouse Lien Act’ Michel Hamoy Lara Sergius 991 West 1st St, North Vancouver, BC. V7P 1A4 (604-980-3333)

Just in time for the Holidays!

A perfect way to get a jump on your holiday shopping and support your local small businesses.

1. The Following vehicle will be sold, 2002 international 4000 VIN: 1HTSDAAN02H411483 Registered owner: B.C. Wide Transport Ltd Debt amount as of December 7, 2023 is $37,000.

If you have claim to a said vehicle, please respond in writing by January 4, 2024 to: STI Solutions. Ltd, 2684A Bedford St. Port Coquitlam, BC, V3C 3K6

cLeaNiNg

eLectricaL

Spring, regular, office, move out & same day housecleanings.

Call 604-833-7217

A CLEAN SWEEP! Home and Move Out Cleaning. 778-836-9970

coNcrete

AGGRECON SPECIALTIES

• Polished Concrete Floors • Pumping • Placing • Sealing • Acid Staining • Decorative Concrete • Forming • Demolition • Foundation Pouring Professional Work

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N.C.B. CONCRETE LTD. Specializing in residential concrete. Repair, removal and new installation.

Patio specialists 604-988-9523 or 604-988-9495

.

YOUR ELECTRICIAN Lic#89402.

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DNE Electric 604-999-2332 License No: 89267

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FeNciNg

Free Free For Pick Up 48−Inch ELITE TV Call: 604−922−4459

WaNted CASH for your CLUTTER I will pay CASH for your UNWANTED ITEMS! I specialize in RECORDS, English Bone China & Figurines, Collectibles, Tools, Antiques, ETC

Rob • 604-307-6715

sPorts & imPorts 2012 NISSAN ROGUE, FWD, auto, 4cyl, LIKE NEW. Low mileage - 53k kms! Asking $17,000. 604-986-2072

Free Estimates & Quality Service

604-644-9648

Gutter Cleaning, Power Washing, Window Cleaning, Roof Cleaning

Call Simon for prompt & professional service 30 yrs exp.

604-230-0627

HaNdyPersoN Handyman on the North Shore Fully Insured & WCB 604−551−4267 www.nv−handyman.ca

LaWN & gardeN

A.A. BEST PRO

GARDEN SERVICES LTD.

Lawn aeration & Lawnmaint, maint., Moss, moss control, powerTrims, raking, Power Raking, trims, pruning, topping, cleanups.

Pruning, Topping, Clean-Ups

Free Estimates Call Sukh

DRYWALL PATCHING & REPAIRS. We Fix it -

Small & Large Jobs OK!

Winter Gift Gallery at the Seymour Art Gallery Shop local this holiday season!

We’ve brought together an amazing group of artists to inspire your holiday shopping.

Find unique, handmade gifts like ceramics, jewelry, paintings, and much more. Your support helps local artists and our non−profit gallery!

Open daily from 10am − 5pm until December 24 visit seymourartgallery.com for more information

moviNg FLooriNg

778-227-6573 A & A Millwood Quality Drywall Service. Repairs, renos, new construction. Prompt service.

Richard cell 604-671-0084 or 604-986-9880

LOOKING TO FREE UP SOME

Hardwood Floor Refinishing Experts • Repairs • Staining • Installation • Free Estimates

604-376-7224 centuryhardwood.com

INSTALLATION, REFINISHING, SANDING.

AUTOMOTIVE

• Gutters Cleaned • Power Washing • Christmas Lights • Window Cleaning • Awnings Cleaned

604.726.9152 604.984.1988

To advertise call Nadia at 604-653-7851 MARKETPLACE

gutters

Maid it Bloom

dryWaLL

WAREHOUSE LIEN ACT The following vehicle will be sold, as per the Warehouse Lien Act;

HOME SERVICES

Free Est. • Great Prices.

604-653-7851

Satisfaction Guaranteed.

604-518-7508

ABE MOVING • DELIVERY and Rubbish Removal $45/hr per person. 24/7

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YOUR AD IS JUST A CALL AWAY! Call 604-630-3300 Call 604-653-7851 tobook book your to yourad ad

TODAY'S PUZZLE A NSWERS

north shore news nsnews.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023 |

HOME SERVICES Painting/ WallPaPer

RICKY DEWAN PAINTING

COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL

Plumbing

10

PROMOTION

604-299-5831 or 604-833-7529

% OFF

your total bill

ABE Rubbish Removal + Delivery & Moving Services.

PROMPT. RELIABLE.

• glass and mirror cut to size • wood and metal customized frames • storefront glass replace • windows and screens replacements • patio door screens and rollers • shower doors and railing glass • emergency board ups

604-999-6020

tree services ALL WEST TREE SERVICE

atozglass1451@gmail.com | 604-770-0406

1451 Marine Drive, North Vancouver, BC V7P 1TS

• Hot Water Tanks • Plumbing • Heating • Furnaces • Boilers • Drainage • Res. & Comm.

• 24/7 Service

604-437-7272

DELBROOK PLUMBING & DRAINAGE • Licensed & Insured • No Job Too Small • Hot Water Tanks • Specializing in Waterline

604-729-6695

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

A TO Z GLASS AND MIRROR LTD.

Exterior Interior // Interiors Exterior Spring Specials Fall Specials Winter Specials BOOK NOW. Serving the North shore for over 20+ years

SUDOKU

rubbisH removal

renos & Home imProvement

..

RAIN FOREST STONE MASONRY 18 Years serving the North Shore Walls, Fireplaces, Brick, Stairs & Patios New & Repairs

Michael

604-802-7850 To advertise in the Classifeds call

604.653-7851

ALL RENOVATIONS • Kitchen • Baths • Additions • Stairs • Patio • Decks • Fencing • Gates • Painting • Drywall & MORE. Quality Workmanship

778-892-1530

a1kahlonconstruction.ca

MASTER CARPENTER

• Finishing • Doors • Moulding • Decks • Renos • Repairs Emil: 778-773-1407 primerenovation.ca

A51

Topping, trimming, hedges pruning, cleanups and take away. Free est.

604-726-9152

PUZZLE ANSWERS ON SEPARATE PAGE

HOME SERVICES Find the professionals you need to create the perfect renovation. to advertise call to call 604-653-7851 604-630-3300

roofing

.

Jag 778-892-1530

Re-Roofing & Maintenance Repair

SPECIALISTS

20 Year Labour Warranty Available Family owned & operated.

604-591-3500 604-502-8683

allseasonsroofing.ca

a1kahlonconstruction.ca

Bros. Roofing Ltd. Over 40 Years in Business SPECIALIZING IN CEDAR, FIBERGLASS LAMINATES AND TORCH ON.

Liability Insurance, WCB, BBB, Free Estimates

604-946-4333

Find all your renovation needs in Home Services 604.630.3300 604-653-7851

New Roofs, Re-Roofing, Repairs & Gutter Cleaning.

WCB.BBB. • GLRoofing.ca

604-240-5362

To place your ad email nmather@glaciermedia.ca

ADVERTISING POLICIES

All advertising published in this newspaper is accepted on the premise that the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and willingly sold to buyers at the advertised prices. Advertisers are aware of these conditions. Advertising that does not conform to these standards or that is deceptive or misleading, is never knowingly accepted. If any reader encounters non-compliance with these standards we ask that you inform the Publisher of this newspaper and The Advertising Standards Council of B.C. OMISSION AND ERROR: The publishers do not guarantee the insertion of a particular advertisement on a specified date, or at all, although every effort will be made to meet the wishes of the advertisers.

Further, the publishers do not accept liability for any loss of damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of an advertisement beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred. Any corrections of changes will be made in the next available issue. The North Shore News will be responsible for only one incorrect insertion with liability limited to that portion of the advertisement affected by the error. Request for adjustments or corrections on charges must be made within 30 days of the ad’s expiration.

For best results please check your ad for accuracy the first day it appears. Refunds made only after 7 business days notice!

ACROSS

New Roofs & Re-Roofing ALL TYPES All Maintenance & Repairs GUTTER CLEANING Gutter Guard Installations • RENOVATION WORK • WCB. 25% Discount • Emergency Repairs •

1. Droops 5. Subatomic particle 10. Not in danger 14. Nursemaid 15. Black band worn in mourning 16. Long song in opera 17. Edible seed of a Philippine tree 18. Chicago political family 19. Pursues pleasure from one place to another 20. Appetizer

22. Hill (Celtic) 43. Surface layer of 23. Simple shoe ground 24. Songs to one you love 44. Cotton fabric woven 27. Secret activities like satin 30. Upset 45. Choose for a post 31. Popular hot drink 46. Father 32. Body art (slang) 47. Tell on 35. Fired 48. Indian title of respect 37. Blood relation 49. Fonts 38. Identical 52. Fencing sword 39. Porticos 55. Mock 40. Partner to cheese 56. Vaccine developer 41. Type of sword 60. Atmosphere sur 42. Enough (archaic) rounding a person or place

61. Marten with a short tail 63. Chinese temple 64. Invests in little enterprises 65. Popular cut of meat 66. Charity 67. Iron-containing compound 68. River in Northern Europe 69. One point east of southeast

DOWN

A-1 Contracting & Roofing

1. Exhausts 2. Genus of fish related to gars 3. Impudent behavior 4. Adherents to Islam 5. They come after A 6. Spoke 7. Room to receive guests 8. About opera 9. End-blown flute 10. Heroic tales 11. Member of a Semitic people 12. Dog’s name 13. Opposite of west

21. Political divisions in ancient Greece 23. Ocean 25. Cool!

26. Young woman about to enter society 27. One from central Caucasus 28. Indian city 29. A way to serve ice cream 32. Emaciation 33. Escort aircraft carrier 34. Italian city

51. Semitic Sun god 52. Grads wear one 53. French river 54. Part of a cap 57. Digestive fluid 58. Metrical foot 59. Body part 61. Very fast airplane 62. Supplement with difficulty

36. Mythical settler of Kansas 37. Unhappy 38. High schoolers’ test 40. Measured in pace 41. Satisfies 43. Gullible person 44. Enclosed space 46. Substance used to color something 47. Shirt type 49. Discover by investigation 50. __-Castell, makers of pens

A52 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023

north shore news nsnews.com

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900-333 Brooksbank Ave. Park & Tilford Mall, North Vancouver • OPEN 9am - 11pm, 7 Days a Week • (604) 988-5545