Music studio owner says his downtown business is at risk
TheresaMcManus
tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca
A downtown business owner is appealing to the city for help in keeping his music studio from going out of business
Rob Leishman, owner of Bully Studios Inc , told council the removal of parking around his business has scared away customers, who no longer have many places close to the studio where they can park The business is located on the lower part of Sixth Street, just around the corner from the Agnes Street Greenway and near a cannabis store both of which have created parking challenges for musicians trying to get to Bully’s
“My guys can’t bike a drum kit to the studio,” he said Leishman said he knows some of the bands who have played at Bully’s are jamming at a studio in Burnaby that has a parking lot
“It’s becoming harder and harder for me to keep paying my rent,” he
The death of a pedestrian who was hit by a semi-truck on East Columbia Street Sunday afternoon has renewed calls for work on the safety of that stretch of road
The NewWestminster Police Department is in the early
stages of investigating the Feb 19 collision, which happened at about 12:30 p m Police say investigators are looking at “all contributing causes” leading to the death, but few details have been released.
The news has sparked a call for action on the roadway around East Columbia and Debeck Street, which is the area just after the light
when westbound vehicles turn from Brunette Avenue onto East Columbia Street The stretch has been flagged as a safety concern for pedestrians in the past because of the narrow travel lanes, the speed and volume of traffic including heavy trucks and the lack of a divider between the road and sidewalk
Mayor Patrick Johnstone,who spoke to the Record Tuesday, said the location has been highlighted as a place in need of improvements even though it’s not considered a “high-danger location” compared to others in the city in terms of ICBC statistics
“For a variety of technical reasons, there’s no easy solution in that space,” he said
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Continued from page 1
said “And it’s a very hard business; there’s only six studios like this left in the Lower Mainland.”
At the Feb 13 council meeting, Leishman asked the city to try to do something to assist with the parking near his business He suggested that more spaces could be created by providing angled parking
“What would help me greatly is to be able to provide parking to my clients again, because I’m losing business,” he said
Along with rooms where bands can jam, Bully’s also has space where they can play shows.
Leishman said he’d also appreciate the city’s support in getting a licence that allows the business to serve beverages, without having to get individual permits for those performances
“It’s very hard to keep this place open with the pressures,” he told council “I know you guys hear this power’s going up, everything is going up. I need a liquor licence, if someone could guide me ”
According to Leishman,
the space at 67 Sixth St has been used for musical purposes for decades. He noted that venues like this are where touring bands like Mother Mother and BlackWizard get started.
“It’s been a music store since the ’50s Jimi Hendrix played in there,” he said “And I bought that place to keep it open I’m not making money there I do OK at some other studios, but with this, I’m literally pouring money into this place and I want to keep it viable ”
Coun Nadine Nakagawa asked staff to connect with Leishman about the parking situation and report back to council. She also suggested the city’s “business concierge service” employee could connect with him to discuss his desire to get a liquor licence
“Business owners are working hard and don’t always have time to find out all the processes,” she said Lisa Leblanc, the city’s engineering director, said engineering staff would reach out to Leishman to have a conversation about parking
“In that exact area, there were relatively few on-street parking spaces lost But it’s recognized that there was quite a change to the street as a result of the treatment that was done on the Agnes Street Greenway,” she said.
Staff told council there was extensive consultation done with the community
before the Agnes Street Greenway was built and while the interim treatment was in place
Leishman said Bully’s was not consulted about the changes in the area Coun Daniel Fontaine said it’s not the first time businesses said they weren’t properly consulted about projects in their neighbourhoods
He said Sixth Street merchants expressed similarly sentiments about the new NWSS bike connector
“I think it’s a good feedback for us as council that if we’re going to implement these major capital infrastructure projects that have potential to impact local businesses, we should really be considering as much consultation
as possible,” he said Following the meeting, Leishman said he was impressed to the city’s response to his concerns Within a few days staff in the engineering and licensing departments had contacted him, as well as Nakagawa.
Bully’s is 20 years old this year, but the space has a long musical history in NewWest.
“Well, Jimi played in the store in the late ’60s when the building wasTartini’s Music It was an acoustic set when he was living in EastVancouver,” Leishman said. “Tartini’s was the first store in the Lower Mainland to carry Fender and Gibson products and was a very popular destination store through the ’60s It changed hands to other music stores but it’s always been a music store ”
Anciients, which won a Juno Award for Metal/ Hard Music Album of the Year in 2018, is among the many bands that have rehearsed in the building
“If there was an easy solution, it would have been implemented already,” he said “So we do have money right now in the capital budget to find the solutions And it has been a longstanding gap ”
Johnstone said he’s asking staff to accelerate planning for the work that’s contemplated for the area. He also wants staff to consider interim measures that may be possible until a long-term solution is found for that area
“I think the long-term solution is going to be millions of dollars and a complicated realignment of the road,” he said “I
want them to find out if there’s any interim measures that we can safely do on that site ”
Johnstone said a number of technical issues make the site challenging
“The road isn’t wide enough for the amount of traffic that wants to go through it,” he said “The road lanes are only three metres wide and the sidewalk is only two metres wide, with a concrete wall on one side of it. So, if we try to expand the sidewalk or create buffer space, we can’t; there’s no room to go into the roadway there ”
Johnstone said that means the city would either need to reduce the
number of vehicle lanes on that section of East Columbia Street which would be a challenge because it’s part of the regional major road network or move a concrete wall along that stretch He noted the concrete wall isn’t located on city land
Some people on social media have suggested a guard rail should be erected at that location to protect pedestrians from the trucks rounding that corner as they come off Brunette Avenue
“Even if we try to install a barrier in that space, there is concern it doesn’t create enough space so the sidewalk then would not be wide enough to
provide accessibility, if we put the barriers there,” he explained “And if we put the barrier on the road, then it pushes the cars over into the oncoming lanes and increases the danger of impacts there ”
While it may sound like excuses, Johnstone said it a really complicated spot to try to fix
“It’s been identified for years now, and it’s in our five-year plan to do some work on that, but the solutions are not easy to find,” he said “They are really challenging ”
Johnstone wants the City of NewWestminster to find an interim solution and he wants to find out if TransLink and the Ministry of Transportation will help the city in finding that interim solution
“Because right now, throughput is prioritized through there on the major road network, and I think we need to prioritize the safety of people in the community,” he said Johnstone said safer transportation and safer pedestrian spaces are what got him involved in
local government, and pedestrian safety is why he’ll continue to call for modernization of the Motor Vehicle Act and better vehicle safety regulations for Transport Canada and for more tools from ICBC “I want us to have the safest streets in the Lower Mainland,” he said “I think that what we need to do right now in the city is, once the police have done their work and have determined what the causes are, we have to bring that engineering lens and fix the space so that the same sort of incident doesn’t happen again ”
Read more online at www newwestrecord ca
Take part in the bi-annual tree sale and help us reach the City’s goal of a 27% canopy coverage within New Westminster by 2030! There are six tree species to choose from, including balcony-friendly species such as European Strawberry Tree and Coral Bark Maple
What to know:
- An online account will be required, so be sure to have one set up and ready before the sale date
- $10 00 per tree, limit two trees per New Westminster household/business.
- All sales final, no refunds. Please ensure someone is available to pick up your tree before purchasing
- Trees not picked up during the designated pickup period will be sold for cash or donated to the City's tree planting program.
ONLINE SALE STARTS: March 9, 8:30 am
ORDER PICKUP: April 1, 9:00 - 11:00 am, Westburnco Sports Courts
See the species and find account setup information at newwestcity.ca/treesale
Whereas the Corporation of the City of New Westminster wishes to licence a building known as Queensborough Kids located on a 516 1 square metre parcel of land having a civic address of 490 Furness Street, New Westminster B.C., and which land and building is not available to the public for licensing; therefore, the Corporation of the City of New Westminster hereby gives notice subject to Section 26(3) and 94 of the Community Charter:
(a) The land is more particularly described as: Parcel Identifier: PID 030-654-548
Legal Description: LOT 2 DISTRICT LOT 757 GROUP 1 NEW WESTMINSTER PLAN EPP85642
(b) The City proposes to licence the above described property to: KOLUMBIA INN DAYCARE SOCIETY (K.I.D S.) (Society Number S-0020652), 236 Ross Drive, New Westminster, B.C., V3L 0B2
(c) The nature of the disposition: a non-exclusive licence for the purpose of carrying on a licensed child care facility from Monday to Friday between the hours of 6:00 am and 6:30 pm for three months commencing on March 1, 2023 and ending on May 31, 2023.
(d) The consideration for which the Licensee shall pay to the city is the sum of $1,650 monthly as the licence fee for a total of $4,950
For more information concerning this sale, please contact Tobi May, Manager, Civic Buildings and Properties, Department of Engineering Services, City of New Westminster at 604-527-4597 Jacque Killawee, City Clerk
Saturday, February 25 2:00 pm
Outside/In: Northern Canada OUTSIDE: Hyack Square
Saturday, February 25 7:00 pm
Outside/In: Northern Canada INSIDE: Anvil Theatre
Monday, February 27 6:00 pm
Council Meeting Council Chamber, City Hall and online
View the spring guide and find activities to keep your schedule full from AprilJune 2023. Outdoor aquatics are opening early once again, with leisure swimming and lessons starting April 22
Registration opens at 8:30 am
• March 2 for New Westminster residents
• March 3 for everyone
View online: newwestcity.ca/alg
Celebrate Canada and Northern Canada this Saturday, Feb 25, with Outside/ In at Hyack Square and Anvil Theatre. OUTSIDE at 2:00 pm, you will find an afternoon street social featuring local vendors, music, and more. INSIDE at 7:00 pm, enjoy an evening performance by New North Collective Online tickets are sold out, but rush tickets are available at the door!
Find out more at newwestcity.ca/outside-in
A new schedule is now in effect for the Q to Q Ferry, as noted below Visit newwestcity ca/qtoqferry for more information.
WEEKDAYS
• Leaving Quayside at 7:00 am, then every 30 minutes until 7:30 pm
• Leaving Queensborough at 7:15 am, then every 30 minutes until 7:45 pm
SATURDAYS
• Leaving Quayside at 10:00 am, then every 30 minutes until 8:30 pm
• Leaving Queensborough at 10:15 am, then every 30 minutes until 8:45 pm
SUNDAYS & STATUTORY HOLIDAYS
• Leaving Quayside at 10:00 am, then every 30 minutes until 7:30 pm
• Leaving Queensborough at 10:15 am, then every 30 minutes until 7:45 pm
A Queensborough mom can’t leave her home’s windows open or let her kids play outside because of sawdust generated by a nearby mill.
KatherineThomson was one of two Queensborough residents appearing at the Feb 13 city council meeting voicing concerns about a new application that MetroVancouver is considering for the site
“The amount of sawdust that comes in is crazy; it’s just crazy,” she said “It’s unacceptable ” Thomson said she bought her Port Royal home six years ago, after the developer indicated the nearby mill would be closing and a grocery store would be built on the property.
“It’s so bad that I’m not even exaggerating my kid cannot go outside,” she said. “He goes outside to play soccer, and he’ll run back inside, like, ‘Mom, I can’t, I can’t breathe; there’s dust in my eyes It’s so gross ’”
When their house flooded, the family stayed with family members who live a few blocks away in Queensborough Thomson’s son’s breathing was “totally fine” when they stayed at their relatives’ home.
“It just has to be the mill,” she said “We open our windows it’s on all of our floors, it is in our window sills ”
If she opens her windows in the summer, Thomson said sawdust lands on her kitchen island.
“It can’t be safe,” she said
Thomson said she’s been complaining to MetroVancouver about air quality concerns related to the mill for four years She said the air quality and the particulate from the mill are so bad that her family can’t use their backyard and she’s covered up their garden.
“There’s no point it’s just full of sawdust in the breeze,” she said
A Feb 13 staff report said MetroVancouver received an application for an air quality permit for Cedar Island Re-Manufacturing, a lumber remanufacturing facility at 320 Ewen Ave MetroVancouver, which is responsible for air quality, invited the city to review the environmental protection notice for the application and to pro-
vide comments to Metro Vancouver for its consideration
Cedar Island Forest Products Ltd is a remanufacturing facility that provides cut lumber and produces fence panels
nants from the two “process cyclones” controlling wood dust from various saws and planers and two “fugitive operations” and plant-wide fugitive emissions
ask MetroVancouver to delay making a decision on the application until information has been shared in a way that people know what is being proposed Coun. Nadine
In operation since 1994, the facility has two “active product cyclones” which both collect sawdust for resale, both of which exhaust particulate emissions
With its air quality permit application, the mill is requesting authorization to discharge air contami-
Port Royal residentVesna Stojanovic told council last Monday that there are “traumatizing statistics” about the impacts that inhaling particulate has on human health, including diseases and a shortened lifespan She noted she had previously appeared before council in 2021 to express concerns about noise pollution, rodents and air pollution impacts the mill was having on the Port Royal community
Mayor Patrick Johnstone questioned whether the public has had an opportunity to review the permit application He suggested council
Nakagawa said she’d also like the city to express concerns about the air quality impacts associated with the application, given what council has heard from residents living near the site
Coun Daniel Fontaine said he’d like to “take it one step” further and have council tell MetroVancouver that it doesn’t support any additional emissions beyond what’s already existing at the site Council unanimously supported a motion asking MetroVancouver to delay approval of the permits and expressing opposition to any additional emissions at the mill
606 Twelfth Street
The Thirsty Duck, located at 606 Twelfth Street, is applying to the City of New Westminster and the Province’s Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch to operate a patio with liquor service directly in front of the pub Up to 40 people may be located in the patio and the total maximum occupancy of the business remains at 107 people The proposed operating hours would be 12:00pm - 10:00pm Sunday to Saturday
Comments on this proposal are invited to be submitted by March 10, 2023 to: businesslicences@newwestcity ca or City of New Westminster Business Licensing 511 Royal Avenue New Westminster BC V3L 1H9
All comments received will be shared with City Council and LCRB LCRB requires a name and address to be provided with comments in order to be considered Names and addresses will be shared with LCRB Petitions will not be considered
FOOD SECURITY ACTION PLAN
UPDATE: PHASE 1 - FOOD JUSTICE
You’ve probably heard of food security, but are you familiar with the idea of food justice? Food justice recognizes that our current food system is unfair Some people benefit more, while others face greater barriers or burdens to accessing food.
With food security and food justice becoming even more important in recent months, the City is looking to update its 2018 Food Security Action Plan with a stronger food justice lens. As early input to start the process of updating the plan, we are collecting community perspectives on barriers to food justice and potential strategies to increase food security in our community.
We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences on Be Heard! Your input will help us identify actions to support a more equitable and holistic local food system. beheardnewwest.ca/food-security
“The amount of sawdust that comes in is crazy.”
*‘Yes’includes‘frequently’and‘occasionally’;‘No’includes‘not
It has been decades since a provincial Conservative party in this province carried any heft on the political scene, so the defection of former BC Liberal MLA John Rustad to the Conservative Party of BC will likely have little shortterm impact
However, Rustad’s decision has given his new party a shot in the arm that could translate into making trouble for his old party come the next provincial election
Then again, we could simply be watching a replay
of the last time a former BC Liberal MLA declared himself a BC Conservative That was John van Dongen a dozen years ago, and his political career quickly flamed out and the party remained obscured in the political wilderness, where it has essentially been since before the SecondWorldWar
The BC Conservatives last elected an MLA almost 50 years ago, back in a 1978 byelection It was thought to have a fighting chance of winning at least one seat in the 2013 election, when the
BC Liberals under thenleader Christy Clark appeared to be in trouble
But the election gave Clark an impressive majority win, while the BC Conservatives received a mere 4 75 per cent of the vote
So, there is no reason to believe that Rustad’s move will breathe serious life into a party that has been going nowhere fast for almost 100 years (he had been sitting as an independent after being expelled from the BC Liberal caucus for disagree-
ing with the party’s climate change policies)
However, there is a big “but” attached to this analysis While it is highly unlikely the BC Conservatives will do well on a provincewide basis, the party has a chance of playing a critical role in the outcome of elections in several key ridings
In other words, the party can cause a “split” of the centre-right voter base that, if significant enough, could cause some normally “safe” BC Liberal ridings (as well as ridings the party narrowly
wins) to slide to the BC NDP side
That certainly happened in the 2020 election In that contest, the BC NDP won four ridings with a victory margin that was less than the total votes received by BC Conservative candidates in those ridings
BC Conservative candidates may not only make it easier for the BC NDP to hang on to those four ridings, but they could also play a prominent role in the outcome of a handful of ridings where the BC Liberals
have won by narrow margins in recent elections: FraserNicola, Kamloops-North Thompson and SurreyWhite Rock
The BC Liberals are in rebuilding mode and are about to change their name Things are already complicated enough for them Rustad’s move may be the last thing that party needs as it tries to become competitive again in the crucial regions of suburban Metro Vancouver
Keith Baldrey is chief political reporter for Global BC
Editor: Now that our city council has, for years, said all the right things about pedestrian and bicyclist safety in New West, it’s now time to act instead of once again shrugging shoulders and waiting for somebody else to fix the issue
If there’s any steps to improve safety along the East Columbia Street section where the accident occurred, then that should be made a priority immediately barriers of some sort, perhaps, traffic enforcement, etc If the city needs to go through another body to get this done, then it should in a vocal, forceful manner, and as such, fight for the community it represents
Our city council has support and endorsement from the provincial and federal NDP and needs to leverage that support to help us out with bigger-scale issues like this
If this is truly TransLink’s responsibility, then I expect council to be calling them out today, not tomorrow, not a few months from now, not when it’s convenient; today, to get a solution in place
Bureaucracy, in the case of this accident, has proved deadly, and it needs to stop. We have a dangerous stretch of road that needs to be fixed Someone, somewhere needs to start
doing their job
Ted KnowlesEditor: I’ve cycled New West for 15 years In fact, when I moved here from Coquitlam, it was partly because of the support and infrastructure for bikes and pedestrians
I biked my kids to swim lessons and school starting in kindergarten, and as they grew they biked to middle and then to the old high school but it was awkward Even biking on sidewalks with little ones was scary when there weren’t always cutaways or ramps to do crossings and in many areas (like near the high school) not as safe as it should be
So I was thrilled when I saw there are now safe lanes being built and proper cages provided.
As more and more folks and families access e-bikes, we need to adjust and provide more bike lanes that include the hills that used to only be for keeners (although it’s not that impossible I huffed up Sixth many times, and I’m no Olympic athlete!)
This is about sharing and caring, about showing we can make space for everyone, not just those who choose or need to use cars.
There’s been options for feedback, plus a
lot of careful thought and good science behind the choices made Google it it’s proven that everyone is safer when separated bike lanes go in and within a year or two they promote increased cycling
These are facts, and I know, once we let them be finished (last I checked they’re still under construction, as my pictures show) and
once folks get used to trying them out, it will mean safer and healthier options for many New West residents and visitors
So this is me offering a sincere thank you to those with the vision and knowledge to build them. For the rest of you: Give it time. Anyone who’s open-minded will be convinced in a few years
J. Maureen CurranEditor: Yes! New West needs a connection to the Fraser River I have approached city council in the past with the concept of river access for commercial fish sales from boats like a Steveston concept This was well received but got no traction with COVID
I have also inquired with Metro Vancouver parks about increased usage of the Sapperton dock
Certainly the historical importance of the river to New West and its historical (First Nations) current and future inhabitants, is being lost I believe there is a way to collaborate with the city, Metro Van and the local First Nations to embrace water access and use Sign me up for helping.
Kevin Gould, local resident, commercial fisherman and river enthusiast
In the summer of 2017, Lena Gibson, a teacher at Skwo:wech Elementary in NewWestminster, resumed penning a novel that she had begun two decades earlier
Her return to the story, after a conversation with a longtime friend reignited her passion for writing, triggered a burst of creative energy that has shown no signs of fading. Gibson has spent practically ev-
ery spare moment since then writing, and she’s finished eight books since that summer day in 2017
Her debut novel, The Edge of Life:Love and Survival during the Apocalypse, will be released in April
In a conversation with the Record, the teacher-turned-novelist traces her passion for storytelling back to when she was eight years old, when she was a voracious reader, seeking books and fictional worlds to escape to
It wasn’t until her teacher gave her a copy of
Laura IngallsWilder’s Little House in the BigWoods that she became completely immersed in the world of books She said she eventually worked her way through the whole library in her elementary school, picking out books to read alphabetically
She comes by her love of books naturally, she said, recalling the voracious reading habit of her mother, who was always reading to Gibson and her siblings when they were little
“It was like magic,” she
remembered “It was like all this that I had never dreamed of I know I was little, but (reading books) was like a magic password or a key to get somewhere different,” she said
One summer, Gibson remembers, she ran out of things to read That’s when she started writing putting on paper things she wanted to read.
When she was 26, she started writing down her thoughts about what form her first book might take But despite working
More than 350 people are calling on the City of NewWestminster to install lights at the Queen’s Park skate park
Brian Cunningham said the local skateboard park is one of the best in the
Lower Mainland, but it isn’t living up to its full potential because it doesn’t have lights allowing for nighttime use The Port Coquitlam dad is among the more than 350 people who have signed an online petition on change org calling for lights to be installed at the Queen’s Park
“When winter comes, we can’t use the park,” he said. “Basically, at four o’clock, you have to go home ”
With skateboarding now an Olympic event, Cunningham believes the city should be doing more to support the sport.
Although he lives in Port Coquitlam, Cunningham said he’s been bringing his son, who is now nine, to the facility for the past three years Like his son, he said other skateboarders have said they’d welcome the opportunity to use the facility at night.
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“It would be ideal,” he said
The Queen’s Park skate park opened in early 2019, after the facility in Mercer Stadium had to be demolished to make way for construction of the new high school
Dean Gibson, the city’s director of parks and recreation, said lighting was among a number of “value add” items raised during the public engagement sessions leading up to the final design of the skate park
“Ultimately, not all wishes for the skate park could be accommodated within the available project budget,” he said Asked if there any particular issues that would make it challenging to install lights near the skateboard park, Gibson said a technical assessment by lighting engineers would be required to determine the ultimate feasibility of installing lights at this site, before he could provide a fulsome response.
“Notionally, the most significant challenge is likely related to the adequacy of the electrical supply to this area of the park,” he said in an email to the Record. “Project funding is also an important consideration, as lighting requirements for sport surfaces typically requires specialty systems that come as a cost premium as compared to conventional street lighting ”
For the past few years, the parks and recreation department has been prioritizing the maintenance and renewal of existing aging parks infrastruc-
ture as a priority over introducing additional new features into parks, Gibson said.
Gibson said the parks and recreation department has received some inquiries regarding lighting at the Queen’s Park skate park
“Inquiries and comments to our department have been infrequent,” he said. “Those who have expressed an interest in this issue are quite passionate about the topic Interest has been expressed by both residents and visitors to our community”
As the community emerges out of COVID, Gibson said a number of desired park infrastructure enhancements have been identified by local residents and organizations
“Recognizing that not everything can be done all at once, the parks and recreation department is encouraging residents to participate in the upcoming comprehensive planning work for parks and recreation services and facilities in NewWestminster This planning work will help to establish parks and recreation infrastructure, facilities and services needs and relative priorities for the next 10 to 15 years,” he said
“It is anticipated this work will commence in the spring of this year and will be widely promoted through all conventional city communication channels ”
You can check online at www.beheardnewwest.ca for chances to give input on city projects
THURSDAY, FEB. 23 TO SUNDAY, FEB. 26
Catch the Rain City 6 band live at the RedBar Lounge in Starlight Casino on Friday and Saturday nights at 9 p m to enjoy an evening of soulful live music Described as a high-energy, versatile dance band, theVancouver-based group aims to breathe life into the music and lyrics and move you inside and out (If you miss them this time around, save the date:They’re also on tap to play the weekend of March 31 )
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 24 and Saturday, Feb. 25, with music starting at 9 p.m. nightly
WHERE: RedBar Lounge at the Starlight Casino, 350 Gifford St., Queensborough
INFO: See www.starlightcasino.ca.
and Paul Minhas over a cup of coffee or tea for their latest Councillor Café.
MORE: See the events calendar at www. newwestcity.ca.
SATURDAY, FEB. 25
SATURDAY, FEB. 25
Outside/In returns this weekend and it has a Northern Canada vibe Although the inside entertainment performance by New North Collective is sold out, you may still be able to get rush tickets at the door at Anvil Centre (concert at 7:30 p m ) Plus, you can still head to Hyack Square to enjoy the outdoor street social from 2 to 5 p m , with local music featuringTorben Brown, plus local vendors and activities (including gold panning)
MORE: See www.tinyurl.com/ OutsideInNorth2023
SATURDAY, FEB. 25
COUNCILLOR CAFÉ
Want to talk politics or see a motion debated at city hall? Are you a concerned citizen who wants to raise a concern over a particular civic issue or meet and greet with your city councillors? Head toTake the Cake (1110 Ewen Ave , Queensborough) between 9 and 11 a m on Saturday and chat with city councillors Daniel Fontaine
Head to Fraser River Discovery Centre (788 Quayside Dr ) from 10 a m to 4 p m to test out your urban design skills with storm water bins and learn how to redesign communities to keep people and places safe during a flooding with Super Saturday on Feb 25 Test different surfaces to see what happens when it rains, and learn why, model a flood to answer the question “what is a flood, really?” and design a solution to your urban storm water flood This workshop is aimed at families with children over the age of six and requires parental involvement the cost of admission to the workshop is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, $3 for children under 12 and $15 for a family (two adults and up to four
children) This is a masked event
MORE: See fraserriverdiscovery.org.
Slow down, rest, heal and unwind with a 90-minute Sound Bath at Dancing Cat Yoga (704 Sixth St) Immerse yourself into a soundscape of gongs, crystal andTibetan singing bowls and more to relieve your stress and anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and enjoy other benefits The session is $60 for 90 minutes and starts at 7 p m Tickets can booked through Eventbrite No refunds are provided, and it is advised to pre-register as there are limited spaces
MORE: Buy tickets through Eventbrite; see www.tinyurl.com/ DancingCatSoundBathFeb.
– compiled by Abhinaya Natesh
Participating Employers:
Registration: workbcnewwest32.eventbrite.ca
Continued from page 9
on it on and off for two decades, she doesn’t intend to seek a publisher for it.
“I consider it my practice book,” she said “I learned a lot about writing I learned how to write a query letter to send to agents I learned how to make the summary or synopsis to send to them, and I learned how to edit and revise. But it’s not nearly as good as the (books) that came later.”
Event Partners:
Meet with employers committed to inclusive hiring & service providers who support people with disabilities This in-person event brings together employers who are open to hiring people with diverse abilities Free to attend Join us at the New West Public Library on Mar 2 from 11 - 2pm Registration is strongly encouraged For more information on our services, connect with WorkBC Centre New Westminster by email at info-newwestminster@workbc.ca or visit www.workbccentre-newwestminster.ca
SmartMove helps you hire qualified newcomers to BC and fosters diverse, inclusive, equitable workplaces
Still, “It mattered to me that I finished it ”
Gibson said that over the past five years she has regularly attended the Surrey InternationalWriters Conference to polish her writing chops Before then, her writing was based almost on instinct, drawing from what she knew as a lifelong lover of stories
Gibson puts herself in the story as a reader, feeling what the characters in the books feel
“Nice stories can carry you along,” she said. “You’re right there with (the characters) and get to see and experience things you wouldn’t otherwise ”
Her debut novel her fifth full-length story, she said is about two acquaintances who race for the safety of a bunker after an asteroid collision
The book is a sci-fi romance, said Gibson, who likes to mix multiple genres and who bases her characters on elements of her own personality.
Publishing her debut novel, which is set for release on April 6, hasn’t lacked challenges, she said
“I have about 700 rejection letters from (literary) agents for the last
three years,” she said “So I submitted to a small publisher instead.They snapped up my book right away in three days; they sent me a contract, which was incredible, considering I have threeand-a-half years of querying agents and several hundred records for five books combined ”
Her second book, The Wish, will be released in August 2023
“I believed in my story,” she said “I loved doing it
“And thought, if I love doing this much and I’m proud of what I make, somebody out there will like it too. I just didn’t want to give up It was important to me to keep going ”
Gibson hopes to publish two to three of her completed stories in 2024, and she is working on her next book
Looking for a way to spend some fun leisure hours as winter turns to spring?
Century House has a host of programs and activities on offer for adults aged 50 and up including many related to music and dancing
Here are some highlights of upcoming sessions For a full listing, check out www century houseassociation com, where you can find the Clarion newsletter to keep you connected.
JAZZ CAT SOCIAL
Put on your glad rags and join in for a night of live hot jazz Whether you feel like swinging out, joining the jazz jam, or just tapping your toes and enjoying the show, you’re welcome to spend a fun
and inclusive evening with the Uptown Swing Collective, in partnership with Century House. It’s $12 for members, $18 for nonmembers, including light refreshments and a free beginner lesson (no partner required) Catch the next sessions on Feb. 25 and March 25
AN AFTERNOON WITH FRANK
Enjoy an afternoon of your favourite Frank Sinatra songs with Danny, a Frank Sinatra tribute artist It’s on Monday, March 20 doors open at 3:15 p m , with performance in the Fir Room from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. followed by refreshments in the dining room
Fee: $5 members, $7 non -members. Register by
March 15
KARAOKE/DANCE
Do you like to sing or dance? Do you like to listen to other people sing or watch them dancing? Either way, this is the event for you Cal Donnelly is the karaoke host on the last Saturday of the month from 1:30 to 3:30 p m Sessions are coming up Feb 25, March 25 and April 29. Pre-register for $6 members, $7 nonmembers; $8/$9 at the door.
The Century House Singers are up and running again after a two-year pandemic closure, and they meet every Monday from 2 to 4 p m in the Oak Room Tenors
and basses are in particularly short supply, so male voices are especially welcome. For information, contact co-chairs Debbie (604-526-4776; email debbietommila@hotmail com) or Lesley (phone 604-520-5971; email lesleyh@shaw ca)
Learn modern square and round dancing with the Century House Squares Singles and couples are welcome. No experience is needed bring comfy shoes, a smile and a willingness to learn It runs Saturdays from 11:30 a m to 2 p m March 4, 11, 18 and 25
LINE DANCING
Registration is closed for the current session, but
you’ll soon be able to sign up for the next session, running April 3 to June 26 (no classes April 10 or May 22) It runs Mondays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Registration opensTuesday, March 28 at 9 a m
Century House is at 620 Eighth St , in Moody Park There’s an annual membership fee of $25.
You can check out the latest happenings at www centuryhouseassociation com or call 604-519-1066 to reach the front desk
Has a property-tax rebate for B C homeowners passed its best-before date?
Approaching $1 billion annually, the B C homeowner grant refunds a portion of property taxes to most owners of principal residences.
However, as home values continue to rise, there are renewed calls to cancel, or amend, the grant and redistribute the money to affordable-housing projects or other housing-related subsidies
The homeowner grant was created in 1957 by W A C Bennett to pro-
vide property-tax relief for principal residences.The grant has persisted since then, and the prospect of terminating it has long been considered “political suicide” for politicians
Economist Marc Lee of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives calls the grant “a pointless tax reduction to those with the privilege of home ownership,” and says it should be cancelled or at least redistributed in an income-tested form
“The people who don’t own homes are the most at risk and most vulnerable in our society I think that’s the area of the market where we are most concerned about in terms of public policy, and yet
we don’t provide any equivalent,” said Lee
Another idea, said Lee, is to take all or a large portion of the grant money and redistribute it to affordable housing projects
Lee thinks doing so is no longer political suicide given how real estate has become the primary driver of wealth in the province
“I think if you took that money and said, ‘Well, we’re going to spend it all
on developing non-market or social housing and addressing homelessness,’ I think people would probably buy that ”
Vancouver-based real estate developer Michael Geller is typically critical of property taxes that affect housing affordability, but says the grant is unnecessary for most recipients, and, given the state of homelessness and lack of affordable housing, the funds can easily be diverted
“This is one [grant] that’s outlived its usefulness I do sympathize with those who are renting and [see] grants going to homeowners,” said Geller Housing for low-income individuals is needed, in particular, said Geller, who estimates it costs about $500,000 per fully subsidized unit. So, a four-year political term would fully fund about 7,200 homes with the redistributed grant
Provincial housing ministers have long defended the grant, noting it assists seniors although, as Lee and Geller both note, property taxes can be deferred by seniors (over age 55) and the deferments are clawed back from the
equity upon sale or transfer. Families with children can also defer property taxes
In an interview with Glacier Media this month, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon defended the grant but suggested his government is considering changes
“It supports a lot of seniors, and certainly, in the future, we’ll have to look at it We have to find ways to ensure that it’s supporting the people who need the support the most,” said Kahlon.
From 2018 to 2021, homelessness increased 11.5 per cent, according to BC Housing’s 2020/21 report on homeless counts in B C
supports a lot of seniors, and certainly, in the future, we’ll have to look at it.”
Glacier Media
If our federal and provincial governments spent as much time supporting low-income seniors as they do designing new ways to inflict more hardship in their lives, there would be more elders leading longer independent lives and fewer ending their days in long-term care
And when one government initiative actually cancels the good work done by another, seniors pay the price The result is perpetual poverty for low-income elders, with no hope of ever getting ahead
Seniors received their federal Old Age Security payments on Jan 27, a five-week stretch from the last payment on Dec 21, putting a severe strain on older men and women already hurting from record-breaking inflation.
This inhumanity from Ottawa is easily averted by implementing a more reasonable schedule of payments
Unfortunately, it is always the most vulnerable people directly affected by these ill-conceived decisions who are hurt the most.
It is preposterous and beyond comprehension that some programs are
acting against and sabotaging others, nullifying their positive impacts to senior citizens, all within the confines of one bureaucracy, the Canada Revenue Agency.
I recently received a form letter from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. about the “onetime top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit” initiative that is administered by Canada Revenue Agency
The $500 payment “aims to help lower-income renters with the cost of rent,” but only if their income is $20,000 or lower (for singles). But here is the deal-breaker: The ruthless actions of the same CRA ensure that I do not qualify.
Since 2018, the CRA has been demanding that low-income seniors declare anti-poverty benefits and subsidies as “income” on their tax returns Each year, they add more to the list seemingly hellbent on making seniors’ lives as hard as possible.
First of all, it was the B C bus pass subsidy, then they added the B C Seniors’ Supplement. Last year, I learned that the CRA wanted me to declare my housing subsidy, B C Housing’s Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) grant
These amounts are not taxable, but I end up los-
ing a lot more: they falsely raise my income, disqualifying me from the incometested $500 housing benefit that I desperately need
Using one housing subsidy to cancel another one? Seniors are merely pawns in this Machiavellian conflict of interest within the CRA.
Supplements and subsidies are not “income” streams as opposed to employment or pensions and should be exempt from any declaration on income tax.They ensure that elders are housed and have transportation
Manipulating them to take things away from seniors, keeping us impoverished and in need, is unconscionable and cruel. Anything that is incometested is under the axe
The destructive fallout of these new CRA tax policies goes far and wide I have already lost my entire B.C.Tax Credit, enough for a week of food
Other valuable and beneficial programs that are suddenly inaccessible to seniors are private housing programs that offer subsidies based on income and legal assistance programs for financially eligible low-income citizens.The human cost of these ruthless tax policies is terrible
The physicians’ credo, “Do no harm,” should inform government pro-
grams for seniors
All legislation and policies that cause unnecessary hardship to elders should be axed
But only a public inquiry and investigation into the activities of all
branches within Canada Revenue Agency and their associations with B.C. government ministries will hold politicians accountable to the elders they serve.
The people who imple-
ment public policies that affect seniors’ lives must be held responsible for any negative consequences to those precious lives
Doreen Marion Gee is a seniors’ advocate who lives onVancouver Island.
Obituaries
Obituaries
February 19, 1945 - February 7th, 2023
E ven was born n Reading, England, February 19, 1945 He was named after his Dad Elven, who was k l ed n the Second World War, five months before he was born He and h s mother came to Canada when Elven was two They first vis ted Man toba farm country where his Dad grew up They then sett ed in New Westm nster, B C , where Elven ived the rest of his ife
E ven was always busy with many pro ects He oved h s flower garden and was an artist, pa nting beautifu mountain scenes and landscapes He oved music, the symphony and azz He was good at fixing th ngs and carpentry n h s home Where he had lived from the age of two unti h s passing H s l fe work was w th the Land Tit es Office in New Westm nster, where several of his co-workers became lasting friends A very smart man He was always nterested in other peop e and the th ngs happen ng n the r da ly ives He was so very kind and car ng He was very c ose to h s dog Kobo who sadly passed away from cancer
In later years he gallantly fought severa i lnesses and passed away February 7th, 2023, 12 days shy of h s 78th birthday
He s survived by h s wife Lea, sister and brothern-laws; Joan and Lance, Jim, John and Gwen and severa wonderful nieces and nephews
We w l miss him and h s wonderful smile very much!
A memorial serv ce for E ven will be he d on Friday, February 24, 2023 at 11:30am at Hoy Trnity Cathedra, 514 Carnarvon St New Westm nster with unch to fol ow in the r ha l Internment for Elven s ashes w l be March 21, 2023 at 1:00pm at Boal Chapel Memorial Gardens, 1505 Lilooet Rd, North Vancouver, BC
RYAN (nee Jones), Marilyn August 3, 1944 February 5, 2023
Marilyn passed away in Burnaby, where she lived her whole life. Predeceased by her husband, John, and son in law, Tom. Survived by her two children, Angela and Johnny (Meghan); grandchi dren John, Alex and Keira; and two sisters, Priscil a and Larraine.
Celebration of Life: Saturday, February 25, 1:00 4:00 at Lochdale Community Hall, 490 Sperling Avenue, Burnaby.
