UP FRONT 3
‘They never came home’ COMMUNITY 11
The real face of arthritis CITY BEAT 15
Top five weekend picks NewWestRecord.ca
LOCAL NEWS – LOCAL MATTERS
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 12 2015
Y O U R
in toda
There’s more online at
H O M E T O W N
y’s paper
N E W S P A P E R
Radbourne named top citizen
Citizen of theYear winner previously earned the Bernie Legge Cultural Award Theresa McManus
tmcmanus@newwestrecord.ca
HAPPY DIWALI New Westminster’s Asian Arts Bhangra Club was all decked out to perform at the Diwali festivities at Queensborough Community Centre on Sunday. The celebration of the annual festival of lights included food and entertainment. PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER
‘We are not a block party’ 12th Street Music Festival is unhappy about the fact that Uptown Live will go ahead on the same weekend next summer Theresa McManus
tmcmanus@newwestrecord.ca
Thirteen may be an unlucky number for the 12th Street Music Festival. City council recently approved a request from organizers of Uptown Live to allow that street festival to be held on Saturday, July 23, 2016 – a day before the 13th annual 12th Street Music Festival.The decision came after Uptown Live organizers appeared before the city’s festivals committee – something the 12th Street Music Festival organizers didn’t have a chance to do.
70
$
Neil Douglas, a member of theWest End Business Association, said he was disappointed and surprised when he picked up the Oct. 29 Record and read about discussions taking place at city hall that would impact the 12th Street Music Festival. “I think the process was flawed and I think we need to revisit,” he told council Nov. 2. “To continue and allow the decision that was made without us would be disrespectful of our festival. It would be very disrespectful of our volunteers and disrespectful of our sponsors, and would add challenges to our festival.”
+ GST
3
FOR
UPPER LIP LASER HAIR REMOVAL TREATMENTS
604-553-0717 www.gracelaserskincare.ca #307-233 Nelson’s Crescent New Westminster, BC
Douglas said having two festivals on the same weekend poses challenges for retaining sponsors, stretches the city’s resources to clean the streets beforehand and forces the festivals to compete for vendors and volunteers. He said food vendors tend to like to do one event a weekend, so they’d likely go to the larger Uptown Live event. “Compounding all of this are some mischaracterizations of our festival. It almost sounded like some people were characterizing us as being a little block party or something.We are not a block party,” he stressed. “We have brought some of the top professional bands inVancouver to our event over the years.We have had Juno-award winners.” Continued on page 10
Lynn Radbourne’s cultural award has some company on the mantle. Radbourne was named New Westminster’s 2015 Citizen of theYear at the Platinum Awards gala on Nov. 5. She previously received the Bernie Legge Cultural Award, which means she’s one of only two residents (Tony Antonias is the other) to get the two top awards for individuals in New Westminster. “I was so surprised and overwhelmed when I got the Bernie Legge award in 2006. To have both of them is the icing on the cake,” she told the Record. “No slacking off now.” Anyone who has met Radbourne knows there’s little chance of I have … some that. In June, amazing people Radbourne working with me. retired from a two-daya-week job she enjoyed so she could take on a new volunteer role. “We became puppy raisers for B.C. Guide Dogs.We couldn’t get our puppy until I retired – you have to spend 24/7 with them,” she said. “That was the big motivator.” Raising a puppy is just one of many volunteer activities that keeps the longtime New West resident on the go. Radbourne is the worthy matron (like a president) this year for the Order of Eastern Star – Friendship Chapter 75 and founder of the New WestminsterYouth Ambassador Society, both of which have chosen the B.C. and Alberta Guide Dogs as their charity of choice for 2015 for fundraisers. “I must admit, I have got in both organizations some amazing people working with me. I couldn’t do it without them,” Continued on page 9
‘Lucy’ Lianer Ren
Order Take-Out. Call 310-SPOT (7768) or order online at www.whitespot.ca
NOW OPEN 706 Sixth Street New Westminster, BC V3L 3C5
Licensed Optician • Contact Lens Fitter Progressive Glasses Specialist Over 30 Years Experience
40% Regular Price
Up to
OFF
(With coupon)
778-398-2626
www.newwestoptical.com