Royal City Record February 21 2014

Page 1

N E W

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

W E S T M I N S T E R

INSIDE TODAY: Joining the thin blue line P3



NEWS,

SPORTS,

OPINION

&

ENTERTAINMENT

 www.royalcityrecord.com

◗ HEALTH

Kids and coal dust: trustees concerned BY NIKI HOPE REPORTER

nhope@royalcityrecord.com

New Westminster trustees are joining the chorus of those asking Port Metro Vancouver for a comprehensive health impact assessment for the proposed $15-million Fraser Surrey Docks transfer coal facility, but they might not have to sign off on their letter. Port Metro Vancouver is requiring more information about potential health risks, including an update on the air-quality assessment, the analysis of the coal composition and an assessment of the risk to human health, Port Metro Vancouver’s director of planning Jim Crandles told a daily newspaper. The move will likely please local school trustees, who voted unanimously Tuesday to instruct staff to begin drafting a letter calling for more scrutiny. One of the major concerns for board of education chair Jonina Campbell is the facility’s proximity to local schools. “What’s frightening is when you look at where the tracks are, there’s about 100 schools … that will be close to where the trains would be going. And, in particular, we have our schools in Queensborough that would be just across the water from where the coal is going to end up,” Campbell said. The district will be one of about five Lower Mainland school districts to voice concern about the facility. A number of municipalities and local residents have come out against the proposed coal facility, which they fear will impact air quality and contribute to global warming. Trustee Casey Cook had a “smart” suggestion, Campbell said, to ask Port Metro ◗Trustees Page 9

Jason Lang/THE RECORD

Home invasion: Truck noise has invaded Lori Pappajohn’s home on East Eighth Avenue. The longtime New Westminster

resident has spent $10,000 on soundproofing initiatives, including the recent installation of new windowpanes.

Make the noise go away New Westminster resident spends thousands trying to mute truck noise BY THERESA MCMANUS REPORTER tmcmanus@royalcityrecord.com

Instead of the sweet sounds of her harp, musician Lori Pappajohn is being drowned out by the sounds of trucks blasting by her home. The longtime New Westminster resident said a “traffic nightmare” occurs outside the front window of her home on East Eighth Avenue every afternoon, when trucks and traffic make life miserable. In the past seven years, she’s spent $10,000 to install eight panes of glass

and soundproofing insulation in her home to make it livable, but it hasn’t muted the sound of trucks. “When that toll increased, it was absolutely unlivable,” she said. “The cars and trucks were parked outside of my house every night.” Pappajohn isn’t the only resident who has made sound-reduction measures to her home to make it livable, noting residents living near Royal Avenue have done the same. Trucks have long been an issue for residents on East Eighth Avenue, but she said it’s only gotten worse since tolls were introduced on the Port Mann Bridge. “We here on East Eighth are taking a huge hit of trucks going over Pattullo Bridge,” she said. “There has to be a dif-

ferent option for them.” Pappajohn said she drives a lot and knows of no other residential street that is subjected to this volume of truck traffic within 40 feet of their homes. Pappajohn’s plight comes at a time when the city, TransLink and the province are releasing numbers about traffic volumes on the Pattullo Bridge and the Port Mann Bridge. Blair Fryer, the city’s manager of economic development and communications, said the city’s traffic counts on Royal Avenue showed truck traffic increased by 70 per cent, when compared to November 2012 to November 2013. Counts comparing December 2012 to December 2013 showed a 30 per cent ◗Noise Page 10

"

$

*for online registrations. See our website for details.

WITH THE PURCHASE OF PRESCRIPTION LENSES (valid with this coupon only)

2004-2013

Thank you for voting us #1 in Custom Picture Framing for the past 10 years!

Get a Comprehensive Eye Exam and Clearly See Our Deals!

A headstart for your child. French Immersion 4 Convenient Locations No Registration Fee*

100

OFF

DESIGNER FRAMES SINGLE VISION LENSES WITH FRAMES

l us EdithsMontessori.com Cadl ay! to

604-522-1586

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

$39.95

BIFOCAL PROGRESSIVE VISION LENSES WITH FRAMES VISION LENSES WITH FRAMES

$69.95

$99.95

SOME RESTRICTIONS APPLY 709-12th Street,New NewWestminster Westminster • 604-519-8686 www.eyeclinicnewwest.biz 709-12th Street, • 604-519-8686 www.eyeclinicnewwest.biz

twitter .com/TheRecord

www.theframeshop.ca

121 Third Avenue, New Westminster

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

604-521-0930

By Appointment call Peter Berger

est. 1946

facebook.com/RoyalCityRecord


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.