N E W
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2013
W E S T M I N S T E R
INSIDE TODAY: Difference makers of 2013 P11
NEWS,
SPORTS,
OPINION
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Headline makers and head shakers of 2013 New Year’s Eve is fast approaching – and, for those of us in the newsroom, what better time to pause, reflect and remember all that’s happened in New Westminster in 2013. Our Royal City always seems to have stories that are just, well, bigger than our rather compressed metro burg. Per capita, we believe, there’s more news – and news that draws gasps, laughs and serious second reads, than most cities our size. And this last year has been no exception. Earlier this month, The Record editorial team sat
down to discuss the top stories of the year. Our collection of awards, honours and special mentions include The News Story of the Year, The Newsmaker of the Year, and several other inaugural awards, such as The Social Media Odd Couple Award. Our choices are obviously subjective. It’s hard to compare a tragedy that brought out the best in city people – the downtown fire – to a comedy-tragedy that brought out the worst in people – the Hyack brouhaha. These decisions, were, after all, made during the festive season fuelled by chocolates. We also
polled readers to see what they chose as their story of the year. To see their choice, and runners-up, turn to page 5. To see the News Story of the Year, and more awards, turn to page 3. And don’t miss our ‘If Everyone Were More Like Them, The World Would Be a Better Place’ award on page 11. A big thank you to all of our newsmakers and those who pass on news tips and ideas – we couldn’t do it without you! Go to www.royalcityrecord.com to check out the awards that didn’t make it into the print edition.
NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR: HOW A FUN FESTIVAL GROUP BECAME A FIGHTING FESTIVAL GROUP
Hyack brouhaha: A battle with news legs
N
ews heated up in the summer when the internal squabbles of a group that runs the city’s largest annual festival hit the headlines. The story started in July, when a handful of Hyack Festival Association executive board members fired its executive director. Douglas Smith, who many say breathed new life into the once-stale Hyack Festival, was fired on July 31 without the approval of the Hyack Festival Association board. But he was reinstated after the board at-large voted to ask him back. “The board invited me back to work. I returned to work last week,” Smith told The Record in the summer. The agreement was that he would return to work for a period of one month without prejudice, which meant Smith could still take legal action against the association for his dismissal, which he ultimately did. Smith said he was told he was let go because of an incident that occurred on Canada Day during a live music performance. A group was being disruptive during a Concerts on the Quay performance. Smith intervened, and later one of the group members accused Smith of assaulting him, although Smith was never charged for the incident. But Smith speculated that his firing was related to future plans he put forth to re-vamp the Hyack Festival, including a name change to Festivals New West. As a result of Smith’s firing, the Hyack board also passed a motion calling for the four executive members who wanted Smith fired – including president Gavin Palmer, treasurer Gloria Munro and vice-president Alan Wardle – to resign. But they refused to give up their seats. So Smith left, and so did sponsors, like Royal City Centre and the Uptown Property Group, who liked the sophisticated flavour Smith brought to the annual Hyack events. Another division seemed to be over the fact that the old guard wanted to take various jaunts to other
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parades in the Pacific Northwest, don their plaid jackets and carry on as per usual, while some seemed to want to focus funds on building support closer to home. Then the two camps – Smith supporters and those who wanted him out – started working on ways to get rid of one another; each making motions to kick the other group off the Hyack board. The group that besieged president Palmer wanted gone – directors Ron Unger, Bill Radbourne, Patti Goss, Stephen Loyd, Michail Boncea and Mariane Kazemir – resigned from their posts, but stayed on as members. They resigned just before a showFor down meeting, which was expected to past stories, determine the fate of the two groups. scan However, in another strange turn with of events, Palmer and his group called Layar off that meeting. Nonetheless, about 25 Hyack members reportedly turned up and voted to remove Palmer and friends. Douglas Smith: Former executive Gavin Palmer: Hyack Festival Palmer denied the legitimacy of the meeting director of Hyack Association president and the vote, saying it had been cancelled. He also refused to give up his seat and maintained reporting back to council on the resolutions until January. that everything was A-OK at Hyack, despite the drama. As for Hyack, the remaining group, including Palmer, But it wasn’t enough to convince the city, which took continue to plug along despite the debacle. And Smith, over the Christmas parade this year from Hyack. before Christmas, was pledging to take the matter to court As well, city council voted to request all financial because his settlement is frozen with the rest of Hyack’s records and procedures from the organization so it can accounts. conduct an independent audit. It also contacted the regWhy does all of this infighting of a non-profit matter so istrar of B.C. Societies to investigate the conduct of the much to residents? Well, because the association receives Hyack Festival Association and to suspend any future approximately $150,000 in funding and in-kind services funding to the association until the governance matters from the city, or more precisely, local taxpayers. are resolved to the satisfaction of the city. Interestingly, the remaining group recently unveiled a Jan Gibson, the city’s acting director of legislative sernew name: Festivals New West – the same moniker that vices, told The Record the city had received a response to was kicked around when Smith was involved with the its letter to the registrar of societies but staff wouldn’t be group.
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