New Westminster Record March 2 2023

Academic Foundations

Accounting (includes bachelor’s degree)

Accounting Studies

Asian Studies

Associate of Arts

Associate of Science

Behaviour Intervention

Business

Business Law

Child and Youth Care (includes bachelor’s degree)

Classroom and Community Support

Commerce and Business

Administration

Community Mental Health Work

Criminal Justice Studies

Criminology (includes bachelor’s degree)

Disability and Applied Behaviour Analysis

Early Childhood Education

Earth & Environmental Sciences

Economics

Education Assistance and Inclusion

Engineering and Fabrication

Technologies

WHAT YOU LOVE. BE GOOD ATIT.

Engineering Foundations

Environmental Science

Environmental Studies

Finance

Financial Services (includes bachelor’s degree)

Future Professional Pilots

Future Teachers

General Studies

Geological Resources

Global Banking and Economics

Health Care Assisting

Health Information Management

Hearing Instrument Practitioner

Hospitality Management

Hospitality Marketing

Hospitality Services Management

International Supply Chain Management

Legal Studies

Management (includes bachelor’s degree)

Marketing (includes bachelor’s degree)

Modern Languages

Music

Music Technology

Music Therapy Studies, Foundation

Musicianship, Basic Nursing (Academic Foundations and bachelor’s degree)

Opticianry

Physical and Health Education

Physical Education and Coaching (bachelor’s degree)

Professional Communication

Proficiency in Academic College

English

Psychiatric Nursing (Academic Foundations and bachelor’s degree)

Psychology (includes bachelor’s degree)

Sales

Social Work (bachelor’s degree)

Sport Science

Stagecraft and Event Technology

Teaching English as a Second

Language

Theatre

Therapeutic Recreation (includes bachelor’s degree)

Veterinary Technology

Youth Justice

THURSDAY

CITY HALL

A Year of Truth in NewWest

TheresaMcManus

tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca

NewWestminster is poised to proclaim March 2023 to March 2024 as AYear of Truth

Council has directed staff to prepare a proclamation for AYear ofTruth and to make a presentation at a future council meeting to launch this initiative

“AYear ofTruth is an initiative that will connect both city staff and the community to the City of NewWestminster’s truth and reconciliation journey by establishing that truth needs to come before reconciliation,” said a report to council

According to the report, NewWestminster’s reconciliation efforts are motivated by a responsibility to recognize and to honour the deep original connections to this area by Halkomelem-speaking Nations, some of whom lived here along the banks of the Fraser River, and others who passed through by land or water to travel between the territories

“NewWestminster is also the birth place of colonization in British Columbia, as it was the colonial capital,” said the report “The city acknowledges that its very Continued on page 12

Rare tree moved to Moody Park

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 9

Shrek the Musical onstage

EVENTS 11

Your guide to weekend fun

There’s more online at NewWestRecord.ca

New pool opening now one year away

TheresaMcManus tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca

This time next year that’s when the new $114-million təməsewtxʷ Aquatic and Community Centre is set to open in New West

On Monday, city council received an update from staff about the project and directed staff to provide ongoing updates on its progress

The 10,644-square-metre təməsewtxʷ Aquatic and Community Centre will include aquatic facilities (including a leisure pool, lap pool, adult hot pool, family hot pool, diving boards, steam room and sauna), fitness areas, a cycle studio, two gyms, multi-purpose rooms, a lobby where people can gather, a child-care facility for up to 37 children, café food services and outdoor spaces

Mayor Patrick Johnstone said the opening is a “good news story” as təməsewtxʷ will open within a couple of months of the original plan despite a labour dispute in the concrete industry and the massive supply chain issues that have occurred over the last couple of years

“I’m not quite counting our chickens yet, but it’s so good to

Continued on page 5

FAIRY-TALEFUN: Shantei Leal is Donkey, Rebecca Vander Zalm is Shrek and Scotia Browner is Princess Fiona in the New Westminster Secondary School musical theatre production of ShrektheMusical, onstage now at Massey Theatre See page 9 PHOTO JEFFMEVILLE/COURTESYNWSS

‘It is the city’s responsibility to correct the wrongs of our colonial history’

Up Front Rare tree finds a new home in Moody Park

A loquat leaf oak that was transplanted from a West End traffic circle to the west park entrance may be the only tree of its kind in Canada

TheresaMcManus tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca

A tree now taking root in Moody Park may be the only one of its kind in Canada

NewWestminster parks and recreation and engineering staff recently teamed up to relocate a rare loquat leaf oak (Quercus rysophylla) from a traffic circle at 13th Street and Seventh Avenue to the west entrance of Moody Park, near the outdoor pool The city had to move this tree due to underground works being done on utility infrastructure

“We understand from former city staff that the sapling was purchased at a nursery in Portland, Ore , and was grown in our greenhouse, until it was transplanted to the traffic circle between 13th Street and Seventh Avenue,” said Sylvain Martel, the city’s senior arborist “The rare oak tree was planted by city staff approximately 10 years ago, with a hunch that it might be adaptive to

the anticipated change in climate ”

Martel said the tree was moved to the west entrance of Moody Park because it’s a prominent site and is located just a few blocks from the original site’s favourable conditions which could assist with the long-term survival of the tree

“Quercus rysophylla (loquat leaf oak) is native to Nuevo Leon,Tamaulipa, and San Luis Potosi regions of Mexico, in the mountains at mid to low elevation,” Martel said “The known populations are small and fragmented, resulting in a conservation status of the loquat leaf oak as ‘near threatened.’ To the knowledge of staff, local tree nurseries and regional tree experts, it is the only specimen of this oak species known to exist in the region, and possibly in Canada.”

Since being planted in NewWest a decade ago, the loquat leaf oak has taken a liking to local conditions

“Although the tree was planted in a constrained location, it has doubled in size over a 10-year period and proven resilient to long periods of hot, dry weather,” Martel said “It also survived some of our coldest winter temperatures.”

When relocating the tree to its new home in the first week of February, city staff took steps to ensure it thrives in its new location

“Staff have utilized best practices for tree transplanting, including time of year and methodology,” Martel said “We have done what we can as tree professionals to ensure the long-term success of the tree in its new home.”

Martel said the city relocates small trees, but it’s a rare occurrence to transplant a tree of this size.

“The trunk is 33 centimetres in diameter at 1.4 metres above ground, 14 metres tall, and a canopy spread of six metres,” he said “The tree was lifted using a 2.8-metre tree spade mounted in the

back of a specialized tandem truck ”

To avoid conflict with overhead utilities, it was leaned on special truck bed for transportation to its new home Once at its destination, the tree was lifted and placed in a predug hole and adjusted to its final position using a large spade

Given the summer drought and weather conditions experienced in recent years, the city relies on a list compiled by MetroVancouver and the experience of its staff and tree nurseries when selecting tree species to plant in NewWestminster, Martel said “With our findings, it

is believed the loquat oak may be a good candidate for success in our changing climate,” he said “In addition to our efforts to transplant and preserve the tree, staff are also collaborating with the UBC Botanical Garden and local nurseries to collect plant tissue for reproduction ”

Ten hazardous trees cut down at Sapperton Landing

Beaver-damaged cottonwoods are being replaced with oaks,paper birch,hawthorns and lodgepole pines

JulieMacLellan

jmaclellan@newwestrecord ca

Stumps and partial trees some of substantial size are all that remain of 10 cottonwoods that used to keep watch over the Fraser River at Sapperton Landing Park.

MetroVancouver has removed 10 cottonwood trees from the park, staff confirmed after a recent inquiry from the Record Steven Schaffrick, division manager for the central area with MetroVan-

couver Regional Parks, said the trees, which ranged in age, were removed because they posed a hazard to park users and the nearby SkyTrain guideway

Schaffrick said the trees were assessed by arborists and found to have signs of decay and beaver damage Compounding the issue was the fact that the majority of the trees were along a part of the riverbank that had been weakened by erosion

Two of the trees were cut to a height of three

metres and left as wildlife trees for animals such as woodpeckers, owls and squirrels

“Replanting on a onefor-one basis has already taken place, with two oaks, two paper birch, two hawthorns and four lodgepole pines replacing the cottonwoods,” Schaffrick confirmed via email

“As invasive species such as blackberry are removed on site, MetroVancouver will continue to plant native shrubs and trees ”

MetroVancouver re-

ceived permits from the City of NewWestminster to remove the trees, he noted

“The ecological health of our parks and the safety of park users and neighbours are very important to MetroVancouver, and we appreciate the public’s understanding and cooperation as we do essential work in our parks,” Schaffrick said Sapperton Landing Park can be accessed from the foot of Cumberland Street, next to East Columbia

REACHFORTHESKY: New Westminster may be home to the only loquat leaf oak in Canada The rare tree was moved from a traffic circle at 13th Street and Seventh Avenue to take up residence in Moody Park, just outside the pool

PHOTO THERESA MCMANUS

Regrowth: Ten cottonwood trees have been removed from Sapperton Landing Park PHOTO JULIE MACLELLAN

SPRING TREE SALE - ONLINE MARCH 9

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

NEW WESTMINSTER TOWING AUCTION

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Monday, March 6 No Council Meeting

Saturday, March 11 & 18

Outside/In

Hyack Square and Anvil Theatre

newwestcity.ca/outside-in

YOUTH AWARD NOMINATIONS

Do you know an outstanding New Westminster youth, 11 - 18 years old? Honour and celebrate their accomplishments, or an adult ally, by submitting a nomination in one of these categories:

• Leadership

• Community Service

• Athletics

• Arts & Culture

• Sustainability

• Adult Ally

Nominations close March 24 Visit newwestyouth.ca/youthawards for details.

REGISTER FOR SPRING PROGRAMS!

Registration is now open for spring programs running April - June 2023. Outdoor aquatics are opening early once again, with leisure swimming and lessons starting April 22 Login to register now: newwestcity.ca/register

NOTICE OF PATIO APPLICATION WITH LIQUOR SERVICE

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

The public auction will be conducted on Saturday, March 25th, at the City of New Westminster Towing & Storage compound located at 420 Boyne Street Auction will be conducted by All City Auctioneers Ltd. www.allcityauctioneers.com 604-514-0194

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.

By virtue of the Warehouseman's Lien Act, the City of New Westminster Towing and Storage Service will dispose of the following vehicles, by public Auction, to recover the towing, storage, legal and other costs associated with the disposal of each vehicle

City‘Soft opening’ set for Family Day 2024

Continued from page 1

know that we’re really close to getting it done and it’s so close to time on such a complex project,” he said. “I really appreciate that ”

A report to council outlined the phased opening of the new community centre and the closure of Centennial Community Centre (see information box at right)

According to the report, the closure of Centennial Community Centre in November is “vitally important” to the opening schedule of təməsewtxʷ Aquatic and Community Centre and to completing Phase 2 of the project in the summer of 2024.

To address the disruption of programs between the closure of Centennial Community Centre in November 2023 and the opening of təməsewtxʷ in

February 2024, city staff are working on plans to add community programs in other facilities and to offer some programs in other spaces in the city

Coun Daniel Fontaine noted the gap between the closure of Centennial and the opening of the new facility and questioned whether the city is factoring potential delays in the opening into its planning for community programs.

“We’ve factored in a potential delay already,” said Corrinne Garrett, senior manager of recreation services and facilities “We’ve given ourselves six weeks to onboard staff and get them trained and ready for the facility We have already planned in that potentially, we will actually try to start planning those programs sooner So we want to over-deliver and under-promise ”

PHASED WORK

Phase 1 which is expected to be complete in January 2024 includes the new facility and the surrounding parking lot and landscaping works on the East Sixth Avenue and McBride Boulevard sides of the building The report says this will be a “significant milestone” and is effectively the time when the contractor hands over the keys to the city

Phase 2 targeted for completion in July 2024 will begin with the closure of Centennial Community Centre It will include demolition of that building and parking and landscaping works on the side of the site near Cumberland Street and the Royal City Curling Club.

When the city broke ground on the project in April 2021, it projected the new aquatic and commu-

nity centre would open in October 2023.

The council report says the “three-month adjustment” is due to extensive ground improvement required that was beyond the original design, as well as industry-wide concrete shortages caused by a labour dispute from a major supplier

Key dates

First week of November 2023: Last day of programs and services at Centennial Community Centre and a farewell celebration to the facility

November: The city will relocate items to storage at təməsewtxw

Early January 2024: The city takes possession of təməsewtxw Aquatic and Community Centre

Coun Tasha Henderson acknowledged the challenges the project has faced during the pandemic

“It’s a real feat,” she said “And so I think staff should be really congratulated for keeping us going. And we’re all on countdown until we can get in there ”

February: A phased start-up of community recreation programs will begin at təməsewtxw (such as Discovery Playtime, registered drop-in sports and cycle classes, fitness centre and group fitness, arts)

Family Day weekend – Feb. 18, 2024: Soft opening of programs at the facility, including aquatics, youth and senior services and Hyack Swim Club

March: Grand opening

April: Facility rental services will begin

On track: The new təməsewtxw Aquatic and Community Centre is taking shape on the old Canada Games Pool site on East Sixth Avenue PHOTO CITY OF NEW WESTMINSTER

Last Week ▼

MY VIEW KEITH BALDREY

New cancer care funding sorely needed in B.C.

Two health statistics were released by the B C government last week, and they were somewhat startling

One was that the number of people getting a cancer diagnosis would increase by one-third over the next decade, going from the current 30,000 people a year to 40,000 people annually

The other was that one in two British Columbians will be diagnosed with some kind of cancer at some point in their life

The two statistics helped

lay the foundation for the government’s announcement that $440 million would be the initial investment in a 10-year cancer “action plan ”

The funding is sorely needed as there appears to have been a steady downward slide in the quality of care over the years Critics say the decline began after a change in the governance model of the BC Cancer Agency in 2001, shifting the agency’s priority from top cancer care to fiscal management

Part of the new funding will make B C oncologists the highest paid in the country, getting a $62,000 raise for an annual salary of $472,000 (this follows an earlier move by the government to make family physicians the highest paid in the country)

In making the announcement of the $440 million in new funding, Health Minister Adrian Dix said the cancer treatment system was underfunded for a decade before he became minister Funding arguments aside,

the inescapable fact is that our population is aging rapidly, and with that will come more demand and need for treatment and early detection of cancer

There is no question the new funding will help About $270 million will be spent over three years for better screening for cervical, lung and hereditary cancers as well as expanded care hours

Another $170 million is a one-time grant (out of this year’s huge budget surplus) to the BC Cancer Foundation, to be used for

more clinical trials, genomic testing and new diagnostic approaches and treatments

Given our changing demographics and huge increase in cancer cases, this research money may prove to be the most effective kind of spending of all

Dr Kim Chi, the chief medical officer at the BC Cancer Agency, said the cancer plan is the “most significant investment in cancer care the province has ever seen” and said it will save lives and meet rising demand

Let’s hope so Another 10,000 people a year getting cancer (which likely means an additional 3,000 to 4,000 deaths, based on current statistics) will put a tremendous amount of pressure on a system already facing enormous challenges

The new $440 million covers the first three years of the 10-year plan Don’t be surprised if another big funding lift occurs again to fight the inevitable rise of an insidious disease

Keith Baldrey is chief political reporter for Global BC

East Columbia Street ‘terrifying’to walk

Editor: An open letter to Mayor Patrick Johnstone and New Westminster city council: My husband, our new daughter and I often walk through the section along East Columbia to access the riverfront park It is nothing short of terrifying to have the stroller only inches from the semi-truck traffic flying along the roadway, but there is no other option to access this park without a 1.2-kilometre detour up a significant gradient to Richmond Street, which is a significant challenge while pushing a stroller With the recent news of a man losing his life in this extremely dangerous section of roadway, we no longer feel safe to use this park

There is only one solution that can resolve the pedestrian safety issue on East Columbia, and that solution is space: space to reconstruct the intersection, space to realign the roadway, space to expand the sidewalk and create a physical barrier to protect pedestrians To achieve that space, it will require bold action the expropriation of four properties of 120, 124, 130, 140, 146 East Columbia These properties are inappropriately isolated, inadequately serviced by proper road access and using pedestrian areas for vehicle storage

The expropriation of these lands would

allow for a modern intersection with appropriate safety measures to keep pedestrians and vehicles safe

This would also allow for two lanes to travel north on Brunette towards Highway 1, which aligns with the road dedication taken from the Brewery District development and avoid the constant backlog of traffic in this area that impacts residence and causes rat running

through the neighbourhood.

A man has lost his life How many more people will need to die before the City of New Westminster starts implementing traffic improvement measures instead of constantly trying to “calm” these critical thoroughfares and pedestrian pathways to our local parks

I urge the city to investigate the expropriation of these properties to appropriately

address this deadly problem before more lives are lost.

B Beuerlein

East Columbia sidewalk needs a safety fence

Editor: I drove by this minutes after it happened It was horrific

This area of sidewalk is so dangerous A suggestion for a barrier: how about the same safety fence they built in the Stanley Park causeway?

Tracy Dixon

‘Scary sidewalk’the only route for biking with kids

Editor: I bike with my three children on this scary sidewalk because I am not able to easily ride up the very steep bike path, but this is how we get to and from school

I hope that with the thought of expropriating those properties and adding extra driving lanes that it can also have some safe space for all who need to see change in this stretch

Stephanie Hsu

Got an opinion to share? Email editorial@ newwestrecord ca

Dangerous corridor: This stretch of East Columbia Street needs a major rework to make it safe for pedestrians, this letter writer says MAP B BEUERLEIN

Arts & Entertainment

Fairy-tale fun onstage in ShrektheMusical

JulieMacLellan

jmaclellan@newwestrecord ca

RebeccaVander Zalm is clearly not a large green ogre with a Scottish accent, and Scotia Browner is patently not a princess with a deep, dark secret

ter,” she explains.

Rebecca agrees

Onstage

What: Shrek the Musical, presented by NWSS

When: Thursday, March 2 through Saturday, March 4. Evening shows at 7 p.m.; Saturday matinee at 2 p m

Where:

But they admit to finding pieces of themselves in the characters they’re playing in Shrek the Musical New Westminster Secondary School’s musical theatre program is bringing the family-friendly production to the stage March 1 to

4 at Massey Theatre.

Tickets:

For Scotia, the musical resonates because of its core message of being true to who you are a message as important in the hallways of a high school as it is in the land of Far, Far Away

“It’s actually OK to be the theatre kid, to be odd, because you will be loved by the right people, you know, the people that mat-

“It does feel kind of personal the message of ‘What makes us special makes us stronger,’” she says “People that do theatre, they also get made fun of for doing it But going on the stage and doing it anyway is sort of proving the message: Even if we’re made fun of, it’s not going to stop us from pursuing it and making this creation ”

And, just like the fairy-tale creatures in Shrek find their own group of “weirdos” well, so too have the cast and crew of this production

A chat with five of the students over their lunch hour is full of easy banter, laughter and obvious camaraderie

It helps that Shrek and Donkey Rebecca and Shantei Leal are close friends in real life, so it wasn’t a stretch to become an inseparable duo on-

stage

“I think for us the challenge was because we’re not very touchy people, and Donkey and Shrek, they have these moments that are supposed to be really genuine and serious, but because we’re not touchy people we tend to giggle and laugh,” Shantei says with a laugh.

“Shrek hates it and so do I, so it’s all good,” Rebecca adds wryly

Their natural chemistry

has expanded to include their castmates including Christian Duarte, playing the villain Lord Farquaad (yes, he has to play the vertically challenged character while kneeling, and, yes, he’s adapting just fine to the knee pads that are part of his costume)

He’s clearly unfazed by the ribbing of his castmates, who joke that Duarte is exactly the same in real life as he is in his onstage evil persona.

“I really do love it,” Christian says “I just think that being a villain allows me to be just so ”

“In your element?” interjects Scotia, as the students laugh in a way that suggests they may have had this conversation before

“I just think it allows me to express myself in a very different way that I personally do like,” Christian continues “I feel that as Farquaad I can just not

be me, per se, but also have more of a punch than other characters, and I just like that ”

Scotia, too, has embraced the chance to play her character, the princessturned-ogre who finds an unconventional happily ever after.

“She’s such a firecracker,” Scotia says “Yes, she’s a princess who wants to be saved, and she wants a happy ending But she’s

HAPPILYEVERAFTER: Shantei Leal plays Donkey and Rebecca Vander Zalm is Shrek in the New Westminster Secondary School production of Shrek the Musical, onstage at Massey Theatre tonight through Saturday PHOTO JEFF MEVILLE/COURTESY NWSS

Arts & Entertainment

NWSS students bring ShrektheMusical to life

Continued from page 9

also a very strong female character I’ve just never played a character who was so quirky and uplifting and just so fun to play with It’s been really cool finding little nuances in her performance and in the script to see Fiona and see the similarities between me and the character ”

The appreciation the students have for each other extends beyond the cast Crew member Owen Ross is easily absorbed into the group dynamic as he explains how the school’s musical theatre program has helped him find his passion in life

He’s a student in the school’s carpentry apprenticeship program, where he’s honing skills that he puts to good use as a crew member He’s officially the mic tech, but he can also be found helping with the construction of set pieces, flies, drops, painting props “a bit of everything, really,” as he puts it

He’s planning to pursue a career in technical theatre, specifically carpentry for the stage, and that starts with getting his Red Seal in carpentry.

“And then just using that knowledge and those skills to create and keep creating, keep building, keep learning, because

at the end of the day, it’s what I love You know, it’s tiring, and it makes me sore, but I love it. And I would happily do it every single day for the rest of my life,” he says, to nods of agreement from the other students

The supportive group dynamic that’s evident during the conversation didn’t happen by accident

All the students give credit where it’s due: to the team of teachers who lead them

The more than 85 students involved 48 cast and crew, 15 hair and makeup artists, and 23 members of the orchestra are led by five NWSS staff members

The trio of drama teacher Frances Monteleone, vocal teacher Kelly Proznick and dance teacher LindsayWald-

ner “three very powerful women,” as Scotia describes them are in charge of the spectacle that will unfold on stage.Working closely along with them are band teacher Steve Clements, plus teacherTraci Cave on hair and makeup a particularly large undertaking in a musical that features ogres and other magical beings (The prosthetics and makeup for Rebecca alone take at least an hour each time.)

“There’s so many different things to learn from all of them,” Rebecca says, “whether it’s just the information that they’re bringing about the musical and how to go about that, or just how to present yourself in life and how to live life to the fullest and be a good person and have respect for others ”

Far, far away: NWSS students take audiences into the land of fairytales with Shrek the Musical, onstage this week at Massey Theatre PHOTO JEFF MEVILLE/COURTESY NWSS

735EighthAveNewWestminster

Please

THURSDAY, MARCH 2 TO SUNDAY, MARCH 5

COASTAL DANCE FESTIVAL

Here’s your chance to be part of a four-day festival that celebrates Indigenous stories, songs and dance The 16th edition of the Coastal Dance Festival, produced by the B C -based Indigenous dance company Dancers of Damelahamid, will bring together not only artists from the northwest coast of Canada, but also the U.S., New Zealand and Australia. Some of the performances will include those by Saskatchewan’s award-winning Métis fiddler Adam Daigneault and Australia’s intergenerationalWagana Aboriginal Dancers.The festival, hosted by Anvil Centre (777 Columbia St.), includes free and ticketed segments.

WHEN: Ticketed evening shows Thursday, March 2 and Friday, March 3 at 8 p.m.; buy through www.ticketsnw.ca Free festival performances Saturday and Sunday starting at 1 p.m.

WHERE: Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia St.

THURSDAY, MARCH 2

TO SATURDAY, MARCH 4

SHREK THE MUSICAL

The towering green ogre who is familiar to us as an animated character in the blockbuster movie series is coming to the Massey Theatre (735 Eighth Ave ) stage in musical form thanks to NewWestminster Secondary School’s new musical theatre project. Besides offering a generous load of dance, comedy and peppy music, Shrek the Musical aims to convey the important lesson that the classic tale is primarily about:

Photo: Chris Randle/contributed

“what makes us different makes us strong ” Attend the show at 7 p m on March 2 and 3, or at 2 p m or 7 p m on March 4 Limited tickets available: $20 regular, or $18 student/senior/child

MORE: Buy tickets at ticketsnw.ca.

FRIDAY, MARCH 3

SPRING MARKET

It may not be cherry blossom time yet, but spring is not too far away as the Uptown Business Association has already scheduled its spring market for this weekend The one-day event will have local

makers and artisan vendors from the Arts Council of NewWestminster display their works both inside and outside of the Royal City Centre (610 Sixth St ) andWestminster Centre (555 Sixth St ) Get ready to enjoy some street entertainment and live music between 5 to 9 p m while you shop

MORE: See www.myuptown.ca.

ONGOING

LANDSCAPE OF TRANQUILITY

ArtistWenyan Xu has turned the Burnaby Art Gallery into a striking work of art According to Xu, her Chinese ink paintings of a secluded building in the town of Jasper and of the many views from the Burnaby Mountain, besides the Burnaby gallery, convey “beauty, peace and calmness ”To experience it yourself, head to her show on till the end of March at the Plaskett Gallery at MasseyTheatre

(735 Eighth Ave ) It’s open between 1 and 4 p m Tuesdays through Fridays, during performances at the theatre, or by appointment at 604-517-5900. It’s free.

MORE: The show runs until March 30. See more at www.masseytheatre.com

ONGOING

FLEETING MOMENTS

What do you do when fragmented and fleeting memories come to you?Two artists, Julia Di Sano andVictoria Klassen, used these thoughts as inspiration to create beautiful artworks. Head to their ongoing show at the Anvil Centre’s Community Art Gallery (Third Floor, 777 Columbia St.) between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. until March 22 It’s free

MORE: Find out more at tinyurl.com/ FleetingMomentsNW

– compiled by Naveena Vijayan

PRESENTED

27

November 29 A Night of Oscar Peterson

December 6 A Jazz Christmas

January 24 A Night in Rio

February 14 A Night in Havana

BY Schedule of Performances at the Anvil Theatre

21 A Night in New Orleans

Tickets available online at www.pivarestaurant.ca/piva-presents P e r f o r m e d b y s o m e o f t h e t o p j a z z m u s i c i a n s i n C a n a d a

Find more events online: www newwestrecord ca/local-events your editorial@newwestrecord.ca

WEEKEND

City

‘Seeking the truth first makes reconciliation

Continued from page 1

existence was built upon the destruction of the land and river connections of the original inhabitants, and of their lives and livelihoods.Therefore, it is the city’s responsibility to correct the wrongs of our colonial history”

The report says the city

has been engaging with multiple First Nations since 2018 on a variety of issues, such as seeking input around amendments to the official community plan, including First Nations representation on civic committees, having council-to-council meetings and mayor-to-chief

meeting with several First Nations, and signing a sister community agreement with theTsilhqot’in National Government A number of staff-based education and learning opportunities have also been taking place, including monthly medicine wheel workshops and an el-

der-in-residence program

Having laid the groundwork of education and relationship-building, the report said the next step that’s needed is to more clearly understand what truth and reconciliation means

This year will be AYear ofTruth notTheYear of

Retirement and Estate Planning Strategies Seminar

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Topics on the Agenda include Preparing for Retirement, Estate Planning Priorities, Transitioning Wealth to your Beneficiaries, Wills, Trusts, Taxes, and more

Truth, said the report, as it may take several years to develop a deep enough understanding of the truth before reconciliation acts can be undertaken.

Christina Coolidge, the city’s Indigenous relations advisor, said one of the most common comments she receives from non-Indigenous community members is that they believe “in this thing called reconciliation” but they don’t know how to do it

“I think part of the reason why we don’t know how to do it is we don’t really know what we’re doing it for and why we’re doing it individually,” she said. “And I think that that’s what the truth piece is ”

Truth must come before reconciliation, Coolidge told council

“We’re so quick to jump into reconciliation, but that makes it a little bit performative when we don’t know why we’re doing it,” she said “So seeking the truth first makes that reconciliation really meaningful, because we know why we’re doing it ”

Some of the actions proposed for AYear ofTruth include continued professional development for city staff, economic development actions (including the launch of a program for Indigenous-owned businesses), and initiatives in the library and heritage services departments

Coun Nadine Nakagawa said she fully supports the initiative

“I think it feels really

right to have that truth,” she said. “As people have told me, truth comes before reconciliation And we can’t sweep the history and the truth under the rug if we want to move forward in a good way with reconciliation and decolonization ”

Nakagawa said the initiative will include art and public events and will provide an opportunity to bring the community together.

“That’s nothing but opportunity And community building, I think, is really the intention here,” she said “So I’m really looking forward to this and am very supportive of this work ”

Mayor Patrick Johnstone said he’s looking forward to initiatives offered in AYear ofTruth

“It’s going to be uncomfortable work at times in the community, but I think it’s very valuable,” he said “I think it’s going to make us a stronger city for having done it So I just appreciate this plan and I am looking forward to seeing it done ”

Coun Ruby Campbell said she’d like AYear ofTruth to include an opportunity for artwork related to this initiative to be placed inside NewWestminster City Hall

“I’d love to see some unique ways for us to really look at city hall, all over city hall, upstairs, downstairs, as being a place that we curate, and maybe convey this message of the year,” she said

New West gets a winter blast to see out February

JulieMacLellan jmaclellan@newwestrecord ca

Just as February turned to March, Mother Nature decided to turn on the winter weather one more time.

NewWestminster and the rest of the Lower Mainland saw a major blast of winter for the final weekend in February,

as a heavy snowfall Saturday night left more than 20 centimetres of snow on the ground in NewWestminster

Much of it melted during a sunny Sunday, but winter wasn’t about to give up that easily

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement warning of impending snow on Monday

night andTuesday morning and, sure enough, the promised flurries arrived as a small-scale lowpressure system moved across the Lower Mainland.

In fact,Tuesday’s snow saw somewhat more than “flurries,” as snow fell steadily well into the afternoon

As to what the rest of the week has in store?

Well, at press time, Environment Canada had issued yet another special weather statement warning of snow overnightWednesday, so you may well have woken up to five more centimetres of snow today (Thursday)

At press deadline, the Weather Network was calling for showers today and tomorrow (Friday, March 3), with mixed precipitation again on Saturday But, as we’ve already

seen, anything can happen in March so be

City scene: Queen’s Park was a winter wonderland under brilliant blue skies on Sunday morning, after a Saturday night snowfall dumped more than 20 cm of snow

PHOTO JULIE MACLELLAN

Pigeon poop causes damage to historic Samson V sternwheeler

TheresaMcManus tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca

Pigeon poop is making a mess of the roof of the SamsonV

The City of NewWestminster’s draft five-year capital plan includes $60,000 in 2023 for repairs to the vessel in part to repair damage caused by pigeon droppings.

Located on the city’s waterfront next to the Inn at the Quay and River Market, the SamsonV was the last steam-powered sternwheeler to operate in Canada. It now operates as a museum

Rob McCullough, the city’s manager of museums and heritage services, said the $60,000 is for doing some repair work to the SamsonV’s roof, so the city can avoid having any leaks and prevent further damage.

“The pigeon problems that we’ve had on there were due to rotting of the canvas roofing that is on there right now,” he told council at a recent budget workshop. “I’m looking into a different type of product that is no longer canvas that won’t respond or react to the pigeon droppings in the same way”

In addition to this year’s proposed $60,000 for repairs, the draft five-year plan proposes $35,000 annually for ongoing maintenance of the vessel, McCullough noted

“We had a contractor that had been working with us to do ongo-

ing maintenance on the vessel, and that work does need to continue happening,” he said “Some of the other items on there, such as the grid decking… is just a regular repair

There’s also some painting work that needs to be done on the exterior of the vessel and some wood repair work that needs to be done in order to be able to make it a little bit more presentable ”

The draft 2023 to 2027 capital plan includes $38,000 in 2023 for dredging around and beneath the Samson, which needs to be done every three years to allow the vessel to remain afloat without becoming lodged in the sand and silt that is

constantly deposited by the river In 2025, $37,000 is earmarked for repair and replacement of decking on the SamsonV

Built in 1937, the vessel served a number of roles during its career on the water, including clearing debris. It was retired in 1980 and sold to the City of NewWestminster for $1, with the understanding that it would be preserved as a museum showcasing the province’s and city’s maritime heritage

McCullough later told the Record that the SamsonV has been closed this winter, as is always the case during the winter months

“This is largely due to the fact that it is not hospitable to be in the vessel in

the winter, and foot traffic along the boardwalk is much lower,” he said. “As usual, we will be opening again this spring for the summer season.”

According to the Government of Canada’s website, pigeon droppings are acidic and can erode metal and stonework McCullough said the shrink wrapping currently on the SamsonV was triggered by the leaking, but it’s not an uncommon practice to do this to marine vessels to winterize them

“The degradation of the roof is predominantly a rotting of the canvas,” he added. “It’s evident in all the places where the droppings have landed ”

QMy New Year’s Resolution is to get more knowledgeable about personal finance Where should I begin?

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QWhat happens if I break or chip my dentures?

The best solution is to return to the Denturist who made your dentures and have the cracked denture repaired professionally It may seem easy to fix, but it is important that the repair is done correctly to prevent problems with chewing and to avoid any sore spots The Denturist also needs to check the denture and adjust it after it is repaired The denture may be too old and may no longer fit closely to your gums, and you may need a new denture Do not try to glue it together yourself, it can be toxic as well it can displace your bite if done incorrectly

Protection: The Samson V is currently shrink-wrapped, in part to prevent further damage to the roof from pigeon droppings PHOTO THERESA MCMANUS

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