New Westminster Record January 5 2023

highs

A record number of residential properties in NewWest have all topped the $3-million assessment mark

BC Assessment is in the midst of sending 2023 assessment notices out to owners of more than 1,089,000 properties throughout the Lower Mainland

At $3,353,000, a property at 1238 Ewen Ave in Queensborough is the top assessed residential property in NewWestminster It’s followed by two homes in Glenbrooke North that are assessed at more than $3 million: 310 Princess St. ($3,290,000) and 223 Durham St ($3,227,000) (See page 3 for the top 10.)

This year’s assessments mark the first time that more than one New West residential property has topped the $3-million mark, but they don’t come close to the top assessed single

Pulling pucks from the net and tapping shin pads of junior hockey players might be a step down for a 13-season NHLer But for KyleTurris, it’s a chance to stay connected to the sport and pass on some

of the things he’s learned since he was one of them

Turris is back on the ice with his BC Hockey League (BCHL) alma mater the Coquitlam Express as a “helper” after a pro career that took him to Phoenix, Ottawa, Nashville and Edmonton, with minor diversions to San

Antonio and Sweden along

the way

On Jan 6,Turris’s old No 19 Express jersey will be retired in honour of the team’s most celebrated alumnus, who led it to a national championship in 2006 when it was temporarily displaced to Burnaby The following season, he

scored 121 points and was named the top junior ‘A’ player in Canada before being selected third overall in the 2007 NHL draft

Turris, who’s originally from NewWestminster, has returned to MetroVancouver to raise his young family and

GIVINGBACK: Former NHLer Kyle Turris is now helping out at practices with his old Junior A team, the Coquitlam Express PHOTO MARIOBARTEL

TheresaMcManus tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca

MarioBartel editorial@newwestrecord ca

Up Front

Typical single-family home value up 11 per cent

Continued from page 1

residential property in B C That distinction goes to aVancouver property at 3085 Point Grey Rd. owned by Lululemon founder ChipWilson, which was assessed at $74,089,000.

The 2023 notices reflect market value as of July 1, 2022

BC Assessment provided the Record with a list of theTop 10 residential properties in New Westminster (see list at right), but assessment watchers may discover properties around town that have higher assessments but aren’t included on the list

An example is a property at 417 Fifth St., which was assessed at $4,701,000 as of July 1, 2022

Asked why it wasn’t included on theTop 10 list of residential properties, BC Assessment assessor Bryan Murao said it was because it had been assessed with “multi-lot subdivision potential.”

“The intention of ourTop 10 residential properties lists are to highlight the houses/condos that represent true residential properties with the goal of filtering out development land,” he said “That property is assessed as development land, which is why it was held off the initial data extract presented to me. It’s a bit different from a highrise construction site, but we do consider it to be development land nonetheless and intend to exclude it from theseTop 10 lists ”

Another example of a local property that’s not included on theTop 10 list of residential properties is Honour

House, which looks like a beautiful heritage home but has been renovated to include 11 private bedrooms that temporarily house members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans and emergency services personnel who are in town for medical treatment Located at 509 St George St in the Queen’s Park neighbourhood, the property was assessed at $4,837,000 as of July 1, 2022, an increase from the previous year’s 4,047,000 assessment

SO WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PROPERTYTAXES?

While assessments for home

and condo owners in NewWest have gone up in the past year, that doesn’t necessarily mean their property taxes will be rising by a similar rate

“It is important to understand that changes in property assessments do not automatically translate into a corresponding change in property taxes,” Murao stressed “As noted on your assessment notice, how your assessment changes relative to the average change in your community is what may affect your property taxes ”

According to BC Assessment, market trends show a singlefamily home in NewWest that

was assessed at $1,388,000 on July 1, 2021 could be assessed at $1,543,000 on July 1, 2022 an 11 per cent increase

For condo and townhouse owners, a typical strata residential property in NewWest assessed at $558,000 in July 2021 increased by 12 per cent to $626,000 in July 2022

More details about 2023 assessments, property information and trends such as lists of 2023’s top valued residential properties can be found at bcassessment ca

HOWTO FIND OUT MORE ABOUTYOUR PROPERTYVALUE

The website also provides self-

The top 10

These are the 10 New Westminster residential properties with the highest assessed value in 2023.

1238 Ewen Ave $3,353,000

310 Princess St $3,290,000

223 Durham St. $3,227,000

124 Second St $3,151,000

101 College Ct. $3,132,000

403 St George St $3,113,000

218 Regina St. $3,100,000

411 Eighth Ave $3,095,000

212 Eighth Ave. $3,085,000

220 Second St $3,068,000

source: B.C. Assessment

service access to a free, online property assessment search service that allows anyone to search, check and compare 2023 property assessments for anywhere in the province Property owners can unlock additional property search features by registering for a free BC Assessment custom account to check a property’s 10-year value history, store/ access favourites, create comparisons, monitor neighbourhood sales, and use BC Assessment’s interactive map

Any property owner who feels their assessment does not reflect market value as of July 1, 2022 or who sees incorrect information on their notice can file a notice of complaint by Jan 31 for an independent review by a property assessment panel

Review panels are appointed annually by the provincial government and typically meet between Feb 1 and March 15 to hear complaints.

CharityChristmastreechippingthisweekend

TheresaMcManus tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca

NewWest residents can get rid of their Christmas trees and help out local charities at this weekend’s tree-chipping event

The NewWestminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society is holding its annual tree-chipping fundraiser on Saturday, Jan. 7 and Sunday, Jan 8 from 10 a m to 3 p m at New Westminster City Hall.

Alasdair Dunbar, the

charitable society’s president, said the by-donation event raises money to help support a multitude of groups and programs in NewWestminster He said the society is hoping for good turnout at this weekend’s drive-thru style event

For years, the tree-chipping event was held at the Canada Games Pool parking lot, where it included a barbecue and entertainment It relocated to city hall last year because of

construction of the new təməsewtxʷ Aquatic and Community Centre

“People pull up; we pull the trees out of their car,” said Glen Bailey, the society’s past president

Firefighters will be collecting cash donations in boots, but debit and credit machines will also be available.

Bailey said the City of NewWestminster has been fantastic about allowing firefighters to hold the drive-thru event at city

hall while they consider where to hold the event in future years He said firefighters enjoy meeting community members at the tree-chipping fundraiser

“Come and have a chat with us We love seeing the community,” he said “We always take time to talk to people while they are in their cars Also, there is lots of parking at city hall – if they want to park and come chat with us, they are more than welcome ”

MORE NEW YEAR’S CLEANUP OPPORTUNITIES

The Class of 2023 at NewWestminster Secondary School is holding a bottle drive on Saturday, Jan 7 from 9 a m to 3 p.m. at 820 Sixth St Grads will be at the NWSS parking lot, in front of the school’s main doors, to receive your recyclable deposit beverage containers A list of accepted containers can be found at www return-it ca/

beverage/products

Burnt out or broken holiday lights can be recycled at more than 150 free drop-off locations across the province, including the Salvation ArmyThrift Store in NewWestminster (774 Columbia St ) All kinds of string lights can be recycled in B C , including retro-style incandescent strings and LED garlands that twinkle and blink For a full list of accepted products, visit productcare org

ONTHELIST: The home at 310 Princess St was valued at $3 29 million, making it the second-highest-valued residential property in New Westminster on a list from BC Assessment PHOTO THERESA MCMANUS

FORTUNE IN YOUR HANDS BANNER WORKSHOP

CALENDAR

January 2023

OF EVENTS

Shine Bright Various locations newwestcity.ca/shinebright

CHRISTMAS TREE CHIP

Monday, January 9 6:00 pm Council Meeting Council Chamber, City Hall and online

COMMENT PERIOD: January 3 – January 24, 2023

REZONING APPLICATION FOR 228 Seventh Street (REZ00229)

WHAT IS THE REZONING (REZ00229) ABOUT?

Westminster House Society currently operates a provincially and municipally licensed residential recovery house at 228 Seventh Street A rezoning application has been received for this property, which would change the zoning to make it consistent with its current use The application would also permit construction of a two-storey, detached accessory building that would help provide additional client intake and administrative spaces. The project does not propose an expansion to the number of clients served by the recovery house; rather, the building would improve and expedite clients’ access to services and better accommodate staff needs.

The application proposes to rezone the property from Single Detached Residential District (RS-1) to a site-specific, Comprehensive Development (CD) District The applicants have updated the design based on feedback received during the applicantled consultation, held from November 1 to November 22, 2022

Images of the proposed development are available on Be Heard New West This is the last opportunity for public comment on the updated proposal prior to the application being forwarded to Council for consideration.

HOW CAN I BE HEARD?

Complete the comment form and find detailed project information on the project webpage at: beheardnewwest ca/228-seventh-st

You may also send comments or request a meeting with City staff (via

WHAT HOUSING MEANS TO ME: A PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT

Explore the importance of housing through the lens of affordable housing residents. This exhibit will be at the Community Art Gallery at the Anvil Centre (3rd floor, near the Theatre entrance) and runs Jan. 5 – 24 For more information, visit anvilcentre.com/community-art-gallery

OUTSIDE/IN

Celebrate the arts and culture of six regions

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newwestcity.ca

Turris credits Express teams for hockey success

assess his next steps, which include resuming the business management degree that he started during his one season at the University ofWisconsin before he turned pro with the Phoenix Coyotes

He said after talking with Express general managerTali Campbell and head coach Patrick Sexton, he knew he had something to offer the team

“I enjoy working with the kids and just kind of helping them to grow,” Turris said prior to heading onto the ice to shag pucks and share quips at a recent Express practice

“There’s a lot of lessons in sport and hockey that translate into real life ”

Turris said many of those lessons came his way from the likes of former Vancouver Canucks Darcy Rota and Rick Lanz during his two seasons with

the Express, as well as his teammates on that championship team

“You learned what it took to have that success, how to develop into a good professional,”Turris said, adding their teachings often encompassed simple things that can be easily overlooked, like being on time, being respectful “It’s just being a good person ”

Clearly he was paying attention

During his NHL career,Turris developed an affinity for community involvement and giving back, most notably with the Capital City Condors, a community program in Ottawa that extends hockey opportunities to kids who might not otherwise be able to play because of cognitive or physical challenges.

Last summer, the BCHL recognized his

dedication to community building by creating the KyleTurris Community Award to annually honour one player on each of the league’s 18 teams for service to their community

Turris said he respects the pressure the current generation of junior hockey players endure; when he was coming up, social media was still in its formative stages and the pursuit of post-secondary opportunities has become more expectation than aspiration

“These things are bigger and more prominent now than they were when I was at that age,” he said.

On the flip side, young players today have more resources at their service, like professional guidance for diet, fitness and mental health

“They know what to expect and how to develop into the person who’s

ready for the next level,” Turris said

As for seeing his jersey hung at the end of the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex ironically an arena whereTurris never played as it was undergo-

ing renovations when he was with the Express he said the honour is more of a reflection of the teams he was part of.

“It’s not just my success,”Turris said “I feel like it kind of pays trib-

ute to them and helping me have the success I had The combination of both years, it was more of a team success than a personal success ”

Still just 33 years old, Turris said a series of injuries to his back through the latter years of his career hastened his departure from hockey.

For now, he’s happy hanging out with his three kids at their new home in NorthVancouver, but doesn’t rule out his role with the Express could be a springboard to greater involvement with the game

“I’ll always have a love for hockey”

CEREMONY FRIDAY

The ceremony honouringTurris precedes the Friday evening Express game against the Chilliwack Chiefs Game time is 7 p m

Love for hockey: Former NHLer Kyle Turris is back with his Jr A hockey alma mater, helping out at Coquitlam Express practices His jersey will be honoured Jan 6 PHOTO MARIO BARTEL

parking for customers?

“What New West needs are lots of free parking Because there is a ton of paid parking by the waterfront. But who’s going to pay for parking to shop?”

“There’s street parking on both sides of the street in front of her building , two SkyTrain stations in both directions, a bus that runs along Columbia and a covered parkade near her as well that I overlook and can assure is never full.”

MY VIEW KEITH BALDREY

A spending spree, you say? Political predictions for 2023

It is nearly always hazardous to make predictions of how things will unfold in B.C. politics in the coming year (remember the 2013 election?), but it is still a fun exercise and, heck, I only do it once a year

So here is my short list of what I expect (and do not expect) to happen on the B C political scene in 2023

I expect the BC NDP government will embark on quite a spending spree in the next three months (which takes it to the end of the current fiscal year) as it spends as much of its $5-billion budget surplus as possible before any money still on hand on March 31, by law, goes to pay down government debt

However, very little of the

spending will be the kind that becomes embedded in existing program spending because that money would have to be used again in subsequent years. Rather, look for a lot of one-time grants for things like research and development projects, community organizations, rebates and the like

I do not expect Premier David Eby to call an election this year Despite the constant speculation by some that he will, he has pledged to stick to the legislated election date slated for fall 2024

Also, his party simply is not prepared to fight an election any time soon

This fiscal year’s mammoth budget surplus notwithstanding, I expect new Finance Minister Katrine

Conroy to deliver a huge deficit when she introduces her first budget in February.

The current fiscal plan had projected a $4.2 billion deficit next year, and it is hard to see how that figure will be much lower The economy is slowing down and may be headed for a recession, which could do huge damage to revenues

I do not expect the many challenges in the health-care system to disappear any time soon because our population is increasing and also aging, which means more people are seeking more health care

I expect the BC Liberal party will find that changing its name (to BC United) is going to be a far trickier thing to pull off than many

party members may think. Changing a brand is not done overnight, and I am not sure there is enough time left in the current election cycle to successfully pull it off.

I expect we will experience at least one extreme weather event in the coming year, be it massive flooding, wildfires, an atmospheric river or a heat dome While not political in nature, these events are starting to have political implications as governments are being viewed more critically in how they respond to them

Finally, I expect to be wrong about at least a few things in the coming year But I hope to be more right than wrong!

Keith Baldrey is chief political reporter for Global BC

Lucas Charlston via Facebook ColeBee JSpence via Facebook

Topic: Does downtown New West need more

Thanks to kind strangers who helped in the snow

Editor: On Wednesday, Dec 21, at the entrance to the Safeway parking lot off Eighth Avenue at 10:20 a.m., I slipped and fell into a mound of snow I couldn’t get up as there was nothing to grip onto (i e lamppost, railing etc ) A very kind gentleman stopped his vehicle, crossed over and helped me up. Another gentleman also stopped to offer assistance I really appreciated the help Such kindness and I sincerely thank these caring drivers

Roberta Hartfeils

That wasn’t debate that was a‘tantrum’

Editor:

Re: Embrace it, don’t hate it debate is good for city, Letters to the editor, Dec 22

I feel like Ms. North and I were watching two different meetings If it was a marathon, it was one of grandstanding and time-wasting by a single member of council who seemed to have no respect for any of the other people in the room, except his cheering and jeering acolytes in the audience He centred himself in the middle of every discussion, never listened to the points made by others, and wasted everyone’s

time with clearly rhetorical questions meant to score political points, not inform better decision-making

I also saw the other councillors (except for the one who was silent all night) patiently wading through the rhetoric to find common values and supportable ideas in a barrage of clearly uninformed motions They sought collaboration and compromise, and amended some motions to make them not just more palatable, but operational Far from flatly opposing the opposition ideas, they worked with them to find common ground. In return, they were mansplained, had their impartiality challenged and were heckled by a partisan gallery for having opinions at all

It was a long night, but they rose above. Like patient parents of a child with low blood sugar, they saw the tantrum for what it was, tried their darnedest to reason with it, and only let the occasional rolled eye betray their grace Jen Huntley

Parallel side streets are best for cycling routes

Editor: As a cyclist commuter for over 60 years, my preference is never to ride on main motor vehicle streets, whether or not they have a bike lane that is not separated by a

barrier The best approach is to designate parallel side streets as bike routes, impose lower speed limits on them and block through access to motor traffic Examples in New West are: London/Dublin bike route and Seventh Avenue at 20th Street Colin Dover

‘Community First’not living up to its name

Editor: First off, I would like to thank Coun. Daniel Fontaine and Coun Paul Minhas for voting against the utility rate hikes at the Dec 12 council meeting

I am sure many others would also want thank them for being a voice at the council table for the citizens of New Westminster, as those who sit as Community First members are not I was appalled to read in the Record that the Community First members voted in favour of the rate increase I was more appalled to read that Coun Tasha Henderson said the city has limited opportunities to build reserves and she cannot support Coun. Fontaine’s proposal for a rate freeze

To me what she and other Community First members are saying is that they cannot support giving relief to the citizens of New West She is also saying that Community First cannot think outside to box to build up

reserves Very narrow-minded, if you ask me Keep in mind this also includes the new mayor

Any idea to help those on low income, single mothers or fathers, seniors on limited incomes, families who struggle to put food on the table due to the high cost is not a “willy nilly decision,” as the mayor believes In my opinion, this shows how Community First council members are out of touch with how many people living in New Westminster are struggling to get by If they did, they would have jumped on Coun. Daniel Fontaine’s proposal to freeze utility rates

Time to get out of your ivory tower and take a look around you, Community First council members and mayor. Other levels of government are helping; Community First council members and the mayor are not Why?

I want to remind Patrick Johnstone that 9,133 voters (total of votes cast for other mayoral candidates) did not vote for you. That’s the majority of voters who did not want you as mayor Now is not the time for any increases, for any city services It is the time for all citizens of New Westminster to voice their opinion When Community First council members refuse to put our community first, then in my opinion they are Community First in name only. Their true colours are showing. Sad, is it not?

Don Doyle

THE NEW WESTMINSTER RECORD WELCOMES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We edit for taste, legality and length Please include a contact phone number Send letters to: The Editor, #201A–3430 Brighton Ave , Burnaby, B C , V5A 3H4, email to: editorial@newwestrecord ca (no attachments please) or fax to: 604-439-2694 Letters to the editor and columns may be reproduced on the New West Record website, www newwestrecord ca

Community

Mobile café hits the streets of New Westminster

Little Miss

Coffee Company offers coffee,tea and freshly baked goodies in locations around the city

AbhinayaNatesh anatesh@burnabynow com

If you happened to be walking or going for rainyweather drives in the Sapperton area in the past few days, you might have caught a glimpse of a small peach-coloured trailer

Next time you're there, it might be worth your while to stop and visit

The trailer, the Little Miss Coffee Company, is NewWestminster’s newest mobile café, and it has everything from coffees and teas to freshly baked banana breads

Burnaby-based owner Michelle Lougheed has worked in cafés since she was 19 starting with a seven-year stint as a Starbucks barista. Realizing her love for more aesthetically pleasing small-café environments, she began managing small coffee shops, moving fromVicto-

ria to Penticton

After having a daughter, she said, she decided to begin her own small venture to have more flexibility The Little Miss Coffee Company a name inspired by her daughter, she said was born

“Having a coffee shop is always something that I wanted to do,” Lougheed said “The smaller trailer seemed like kind of a neat option as opposed to brick-and-mortar cafés So I thought I'd give it a go”

Plans for the mobile café were in the works for about a year, she said Though she'd made up her mind last fall to go into business for herself, getting the trailer built, obtaining permits and reworking electrical and plumbing all took about a year, she said.

The mobile café is a one-woman business, owned and managed by Lougheed. How-

ever, the best-selling freshly baked delicacies are supplied by a baker friend, ConnieWan. She sources all her coffee from Oughtred Coffee &Tea in Delta, and all the tea comes from Granville IslandTea Company

"I tend to move around quite a lot," Lougheed said "So having a brickand-mortar café seemed a bit too permanent for my liking, as well as, costwise, it was a lot more cost effective than having a whole building

"And I kind of like the idea of being able to take it to events or go to a different city if I want to move and I like that it's something different "

Lougheed has been finding new spots for her café since she opened late last month.

The first two days, her café found a home at East Columbia and Braid, then she parked by the Royal

Columbian Hospital on Thursday, and the next day was in business uptown, opposite the Legion

Earlier this week, Sapperton passersby found her outside Chan’s Garden on East Columbia

The mobile café will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p m on weekdays, weather permitting

Although Lougheed might expand her operations to Port Coquitlam in the next couple of years,

Paint the Train exhibit rolls into Gallery at

An artistic journey into the history of trains is rolling into the Gallery at Queen’s Park this week

The Arts Council of NewWestminster, in partnership with the Arts Council of Surrey, the FraserValley Heritage Railway Society and the Langley Arts Council, is presenting the juried exhibition Paint theTrain, running Jan 6 to 29 The travelling exhibition

features work by artists who were invited to submit entries that represent their artistic view of the impact of railways in the region including electric, steam and diesel since 1886

Artists entered work in a a variety of mediums, and winners were selected in four categories: drawing and painting; mixed media; photography and digital art; and junior

Entries were judged by Scarlet Black, a professional photographer; Marc Pelech, Arts Council of Surrey director and retired visual art teacher; and Brian Croft, a recognized Langley visual artist

Winning pieces from an exhibition at the Newton Cultural Centre in November then travelled on to theTownship of Langley Civic Centre from Dec 9 to Jan 4 and are

now set to round out their journey at the Gallery at Queen’s Park from Friday, Jan 6 to Sunday, Jan 29

The exhibition is open to all, and admission is free Donations to the ongoing operations of the gallery are encouraged

The Gallery at Queen’s Park is in Centennial Lodge It’s openWednesdays through Sundays, 10 a m to 2 p m

See www acnw ca

for now, she intends on sticking around NewWest.

For the location, visit her Instagram page @littlemisscoffeeco, where it will be updated every morning

COFFEEONTHEGO: Michelle Lougheed in her mobile café, the Little Miss Coffee Company The newly opened coffee cart can be found on the streets of New West, with its location posted daily on Instagram. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

On the rails: Artists share their view of the impact of railways in the travelling exhibition Paint the Train, coming to the Gallery at Queen’s Park this week PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Community Fitness program helps people with cancer

TheresaMcManus tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca

An exercise program for folks who have or have had cancer has been so well-received that a second session is set to start this month

Judi Clark, a certified group instructor and weight trainer with specialized training in leading exercise groups for those living with a cancer diagnosis, launched the Stay Strong program at Century House in September It’s a self-paced, circuitstyle program followed by relaxed stretching all geared to the abilities and needs of participants.

“Great program! Like that I can work at my own pace,” said one par-

ticipant in feedback provided to Clark. “Helped me increase my stamina and decrease my fatigue Feel more confident going back to work and my daily activities ”

Stay Strong is designed to support people’s physical and emotional well-being throughout their cancer journey. It aims to reduce fatigue, to help lessen depression and anxiety, and to decrease the chance that some types of cancer will come back Clark said more and more research shows the benefits of exercise once people have received a cancer diagnosis.

“Good variety of exercises that works every muscle in the body

that worked every muscle I found it beneficial in helping with problems I was experiencing,” said another participant “I liked the music background and Judi’s smile and laughter making it a cheerful experience while working out ”

The next 12-week session starts Jan. 10. It will run onTuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Century House Stay Strong is open to anyone over the age of 18 who has had a cancer diagnosis

Based on feedback from participants in the program that ran from September to December, the Tuesday session will be followed by a mindfulness group support session for

those who are interested There is no additional cost for this

“It was heartwarming to see not only the physical progress of the participants but their support of one another,” Clark said. “Feedback from partic-

ipants was very positive Despite the wide range of people’s abilities and varying energy levels, participants commented on not feeling judged and really enjoying the classes. To see their support of one another was always the

high point of my week ”

Registration for the 12-week program is $52 To register, call Century House at 604-519-1066 (Century House membership is not required to participate in the Stay Strong program )

Gaining strength: Judi Clark is leading a low-impact fitness class for anyone who has or has had cancer The new session of Stay Strong starts on Jan 10 at Century House, running on Tuesdays and Thursdays

PHOTO THERESA MCMANUS

Find more events online: www newwestrecord ca/local-events

FRIDAY, JAN. 6 TO SUNDAY, JAN. 8

FRIDAY, JAN. 6

& SATURDAY, JAN. 7

HOUSE OF COMEDY

Watch stand-up comedian Chris Redd a cast member of NBC’s Saturday Night Live perform right here in New West’s Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy (530 Columbia St ) You might have seen the multi-talented actor in the cult-classic series Wet Hot American Summer, or in the Comedy Central roast of Alec Baldwin in

2019 The rapper who won an Emmy for his SNL song Come Back Obama will perform at 7:30 and 9:45 p m on Jan 6, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 7.Tickets are priced at $30 per person.

MORE: See bc.houseofcomedy.net

SATURDAY, JAN. 7

LUNAR NEW YEAR DECOR

The NewYear’s Eve party bash might be in the past now; but the Lunar New Year celebrations have only just begun.

Jazz at theAnvil

PRESENTED BY

editorial@newwestrecord.ca

editorial@newwestrecord ca

HIDDEN WONDERS SPEAKEASY MAGIC EXPERIENCE

Head to a secret venue in downtown NewWest and watch two-time world champion of magic, Shawn Farquhar, serve up a sleight of hand and a curio cabinet full of illusions.The world-class magician has previously performed for the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela and JustinTrudeau, and for audiences as large as 60,000 in China The show is at 7 p m Friday through Sunday Tickets are priced at $50, or $130 for aVIP couple The interactive show is suitable for adults and children (as long as the child is old enough to sit through a 75-minute show)

WHEN: Ongoing; booking now for January, February and March.

WHERE: In a secret location in downtown New West (you’ll be told where once you book your ticket).

INFO: Find out more and book your tickets at hiddenwonders.show

Join in the fun by learning how to make a DIY festive decoration for the big day that falls on Jan 22, at the NewWestminster Public Library’s (716 Sixth Ave ) free craft workshop this Saturday between 11 a m and noon. At the event, which is open to all ages, you get to make a pretty décor piece and take it home Register for the event by calling 604-527-4677 or sending an email to youth@nwpl ca

MORE: Find out more at www.nwpl.ca/ events-calendar

SATURDAY, JAN. 7

PAINT NIGHT

Always wanted to paint but didn’t know where to start? Join a casual BYOB paint night session at Arrieta Art Studio (707 Front St.), where you can either follow the brush strokes of the art instructor or simply let your creativity flow For a registration fee of $40, you’ll get all the necessary materials, and a complimentary soda beverage (if BYOB is not your thing).The session is

between 5 and 8 p.m.

MORE: See www.arrietaart.ca.

SATURDAY, JAN. 7 & SUNDAY, JAN. 8

TREE CHIPPING

It’s time to remove all the baubles and trinkets off your Christmas trees, and finally accept that the season of cakes and carols is over Agreed, it’s not easy, which is why the NewWestminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society is offering to chip your Christmas trees if you bring it to them in front of New Westminster City Hall (511 Royal Ave )

The donation-based event, which is part of Shine Bright NewWest, is between 10 a m and 3 p m

MORE: www.newwestcity.ca/shinebright – compiled by Naveena Vijayan

Schedule of Performances at the Anvil Theatre

September 27 A Night of Dave Brubeck

October 18 A Night of Ella Fitzgerald

November 29 A Night of Oscar Peterson

December 6 A Jazz Christmas

January 24 A Night in Rio

February 14 A Night in Havana

March 21 A Night in New Orleans

Tickets available online at www.pivarestaurant.ca/piva-presents

Photo contributed

Catch a night of illusions from two-time world champion of magic Shawn Farquhar at Hidden Wonders Speakeasy Magic Experience in downtown New Westminster

Don’t miss these weekend events & activities!

How one New West resident found friendship in a storm

NaveenaVijayan nvijayan@newwestrecord ca

While the Nov 29 snowstorm brought traffic snarls, crashes and power outages to many, for New West resident Margaret Vegt, it brought two new friends.

Vegt, a resident of Queens Avenue, vividly recollects how the particular evening unfolded it was aTuesday; the weather forecast included 10 to 15 centimetres of snow and a windchill making it feel like -9 C

At around 5 p.m.,Vegt looked out her windows to see cars stuck in gridlock on the street

“Every 20 minutes, I’d look outside, and all these cars were standing there, and they didn’t move!” she said

It was an upsetting sight

The lane behind her house was “just a stream of cars,” and every street was backed up, she said From her house, she could also see that Royal Avenue was all blocked

“Nobody was moving,” she said.

“At around 7 p m , I got really antsy and I thought, ‘I’ve got to do something ’”

Vegt took bottles of water that were in the trunk of her car, and walked up and down the road outside her house offering them to commuters “and just chatting with them, and checking to see if they needed to use the bathroom ”

“I said to them, ‘There’s my house Just go ahead and go to the bathroom.”

Some did Among them, Vegt said, were two women (“maybe in their 30s”) who raced into the house, used the washroom and went back to their car

“That was it for a while,” she said

GOING THE EXTRA MILE TO HELP STRANGERS

An hour later,Vegt went out again to check the situation “The same cars were still there It was driving me crazy. So I brought some apples and all the food bread, crackers and so on I could find at home ”

Some were really hungry, some weren’t; most just needed water, she said.

In hindsight,Vegt said, she feels “kind of silly” about her impulse to just go out and help strangers in the bitterly cold night

But later, she learned that it wasn’t just her. “The arena in Queen’s Park was open, and some religious groups in Queensborough had opened up their temples for people to come in

“So, more people did what I did That made me really happy because I kept wondering why nobody else was doing it,” saidVegt, who has been doing refugee work with World Renew (the humanitarian aid arm of the Christian Reformed Church) since 2000.

Three hours went by, and the traffic didn’t move an inch. At around 10 p m , she heard a knock

At the door stood the two women whomVegt had earlier allowed to use her restroom

“They asked: ‘Is it OK if we crash in your house? Floor is fine ”

Vegt learned that SummerWang and Carrie Sun didn’t have enough battery power left in their electric car to make it back home to Maple Ridge.

“So we just said, ‘Sure, we’ve got several beds upstairs ’ And they stayed the night ”

A FRIENDSHIP IS BORN

Though she is generally wary of letting strangers into the house, that evening,Vegt said the stranded motorists “seemed genuine and real ”

Also, that night was unlike any other she had seen before Vegt, who had immigrated from Holland when she was four years old, had never seen snow bring traffic chaos like that in the 30 years she has lived in NewWest, or in Richmond or Surrey before that.

“Some of them [who were stuck in traffic] said they were in the lineup for about four hours. I could imagine what was going

through their minds,” said Vegt

The strangers thatVegt had welcomed in soon became friends their brief time together was enough forVegt to realize, “They’re the nicest ladies ever!”

The following morning, Sun andWang were out by around 7 a m , and had a smooth drive back to Maple Ridge

Vegt, a teacher associated with John Knox Christian School in Burnaby, went about her routine

But the three kept in touch, texting back and forth, saidVegt

More recently, about three weeks after the storm had forged their friendship, Sun andWang dropped byVegt’s house on a weekend to catch up as friends

“They came with this load of Chinese apples, pomelos, cookies, and just so many treats,” saidVegt

After that evening of sharing conversations and laughs,Vegt was convinced that she had indeed made new friends

“We got along with each other really well,” she said

“I think we’ll have a little relationship going ”

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MargaretVegt opened her home to strangers stranded in the snow

From strangers to friends: Margaret Vegt (middle) with her new friends Carrie Sun and Summer Wang

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

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January 27, 1926 - December 23, 2022

Doug passed away peacefu ly at Carlton Gardens Care Home, Burnaby, one month short of h s 97th birthday

Predeceased by his father Tommy, mother Susan, sister Mary (John) Steads and brother Bob (Jeanette) For 68 years Doug was devoted, caring and supportive husband to his w fe May (Wilson) and to his be oved daughters Cath e, and Jean (Don) Fre tas He is a so survived by his sister-in- aw Pear Wilson and his many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews

Doug was born n New Westminster in h s grandparent’s house then ived in Burnaby with h s parents until going nto the army Returning after the war he worked at Riverv ew Hospita as a cooks helper, advancing to cook Eventual y transferring to Marpole Corrections unti ret rement The fam

McCALLUM, Douglas Thomas