New Westminster Record June 29 2023

Canada Day Event Schedule

Thursday, June 29

Discover Woodland Art

James Groening is Cree from the Kahkewistahaw First Nation and a Woodland artist. Woodland Art explores the relationships between people, animals, and plants and is rich with spiritual imagery and symbolism. Join us for an artist talk and a performance by Indigenous Hoop Dancer Eli Gosselin.

The Gallery at Queen’s Park

6:30 - 8:30 pm

Concert in the Park

Enjoy live musical performances in a stunning retreat-like forest setting Experience a warm summer evening in the park enjoying familyfriendly concerts featuring local musicians

Queen’s Park

7:00 - 8:00 pm

Friday, June 30

New West Craft Summer Market

Shop over 70 handmade vendors! Enjoy live music and food and drinks from amazing River Market restaurants and more River Market

5:00 - 9:00 pm

Saturday, July 1

Yoga in the Park*

Start your morning with yoga in the park What better good morning than with an a-ha moment? Participants should come dressed and ready to go, bring a towel or mat, and a pre-filled water bottle

Queen’s Park

9:00 - 9:45 am

Drumming Workshops with Rhythm Resources*

Celebrating Diversity, Unity & Community together on this Canada Day, in an immersive, fun hands on Afro-Peruvian drumming workshop.

Westminster Pier Park

10:30 am or 11:30 am

Canada Day at Westminster Pier Park

Westminster Pier Park will be activated with a variety of activities including live music, food trucks, a kids zone, circus activities and more.

Westminster Pier Park

1:00 - 600 pm

Family Sports Drop-in

Share the gym with other families to enjoy sports like soccer, basketball, and games. Chosen sport may depend on demand and space.

Queensborough Community Centre

1:30 - 3:30 pm

Canada Day Drop-in

Drop by with your family and participate in a variety of activities from lawn games to board games or get creative and make one of the crafts All Ages

Queensborough Community Centre

11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Sunday, July 2

Summer Dance Practice*

Celebrate Canada Day weekend with social dancing Practice your dance skills, observe other people dancing, and socialize Some of the common dances are the tango, waltz, foxtrot, and cha-cha

Centennial Community Centre

11:30 am - 1:30 pm

Concert in the Park

Enjoy live musical performances in a stunning retreat-like forest setting Experience a warm summer evening in the park enjoying familyfriendly concerts featuring local musicians.

Queen’s Park

7:00 - 8:00 pm

June 29 - July 2

Learn and discover at The Gallery at Queen’s Park and Anvil Centre exhibitions.

*Registration is required

CITY HALL

Housing project approved

A 30-unit supportive housing project at 422 Sixth St.will move ahead

JulieMacLellan jmaclellan@newwestrecord ca

Plans for a supportive housing project on Sixth Street are moving forward after NewWestminster city council gave three readings to a zoning amendment bylaw on Monday night.

The Lower Mainland Purpose Society is proposing to create up to 30 housing units for people who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness The proposal is to allow supportive housing on the top two floors of the existing four-storey commercial building at 422 Sixth St , with 24-7 staff support and catering services provided on-site.

Following a lengthy and often

Continued on page 8

DEVOTION: The Nagar Kirtan procession winds through Queensborough on Sunday, June 25

The procession started from the Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar on Wood Street and made its way to Ryall Park, where community members enjoyed kirtan (devotional song) and katha (storytelling), along with kids’ activities and food stalls. For more photos from the annual event, see page 16 and visit www.newwestrecord.ca.

PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER

UpFront

Schooldistrictseeks$300Mforland,schools

Capital plan submission spells out need for new west side middle school,downtown elementary schools

JulieMacLellan jmaclellan@newwestrecord ca

The NewWestminster school district has put a price tag on its school building needs, and it’s a big one: $302 million

School District 40 trustees approved the district’s capital plan submission for 2024-25 at their June 20 board meeting.

The submission sets out the district’s five-year capital funding requests to the B C Ministry of Education and Child Care

One of the biggest-ticket items in the capital plan submission this year is the need for a new middle school in the Fraser River zone, on the west side of the city

The district also listed the need for that school as a top priority last year, when it asked for $65.1 million.This year’s plan pegs the cost at $83 4 million.

School district secretary-treasurer Bettina Ket-

cham said the cost increase is driven by both soaring building costs and the fact that the district is now proposing a 600-student school, rather than the 500-student school it requested last year

The new middle school is one of two schools the district needs in the Fraser River zone to cope with rapidly escalating enrolment at schools in the city’s fast-growing core where École Qayqayt Elementary School, Lord Kelvin Elementary School and Fraser River Middle School are all bursting at the seams

Ketcham said work is “well underway” at finding a place to build the middle school, and the district anticipates identifying the site during the 2023-24 school year.The district received ministry support for that land acquisition this past March, which Ketcham said was a “really significant win” for SD40

DOWNTOWN NEEDS

Hand-in-hand with the new middle school, the NewWest school district also previously identified the need for a new, 600-student elementary school, which will be built on the Fraser River Middle School site adjacent to Simcoe Park

That school hasn’t yet received funding. However, because the province has already approved that project to move to the business case stage, it’s not included in this year’s capital plan submission.

New to the district’s capital plan this year is a request for land acquisition for yet another school site to accommodate growth in the downtown core.

Ketcham said the new Fraser River elementary school will serve the district well for the short and medium term, but projections show the area will continue to see a high level of growth

In anticipation of that growth, the district is asking for $24 million for land acquisition for another school to serve the downtown area.

QUEENSBOROUGH NEEDS

Outside of the Fras-

er River zone, the district’s capital plan submission also targets funding for another high-growth area of the city: Queensborough

The district is looking for $6 9 million to add eight more classrooms to the forthcoming Queen Elizabeth Elementary

School expansion, plus $14 4 million to acquire land in Queensborough and $95 6 million to build an expansion to Queensborough Middle School that would accommodate a secondary school wing

(See more details in info box below.)

Alternateprograms,Sappertonlandacquisitionalsoonthelist

What would School District 40 do with $300 million?

Here are a few more highlights from the school district’s capital plan submission to the B.C. Ministry of Education for 2023-24

RCAP/POWER

The district is asking for

$10 million to acquire a site for its alternate high school education programs, Royal City Alternate Program and POWER.

The district had originally proposed locating the programs in a stand-alone building on the Fraser River Middle School site, but that plan didn’t get ministry

go-ahead. Now, SD40 is looking for a chance to buy a building that it can renovate to provide a permanent home for the alternate programs. (The $10-million estimate is for both purchase and renovations )

LAND ACQUISITION IN SAPPERTON

The district is acknowledging the need for a future school site to accommodate future growth on the east side of the city; it’s pegged the land value at $11.6 million.

HUME PARK ELEMENTARY

The school district is continuing to ask for future

funding for the Hume Park Elementary site in response to the Sapperton Green development. It pegs replacement costs at $44.6 million.

The district is also looking for $509,000 for seismic upgrades to the existing elementary school building, which currently houses its

Home Learners Program.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

You can find a full report on the School District 40 capital plan submission for 2024-25 in the agenda for the June 20 school board meeting at www.newwest schools.ca.

FULL HOUSE: Fraser River Middle School is overcrowded, and SD40 is looking for another middle school to serve the west side of the city

PHOTO JULIE MACLELLAN

CANADA DAY ACTIVITIES START TODAY

Canada Day activities start today and run until July 2 Find a schedule of activities for all ages, the City’s acknowledgement of truth and reconciliation, and the story behind Randall Bear Barnetson’s artwork at newwestcity ca/canadaday Activity highlights include:

• New West Craft Summer Market: June 30, 5:00 - 9:00 pm at River Market

• Concerts in the Park: June 29 and July 2, 7:00 - 8:00 pm at Queen’s Park

• Canada Day at Westminster Pier Park: July 1, 1:00 - 6:00 pm

• Learn and discover at The Gallery at Queen’s Park and Anvil Centre exhibitions

QUEEN'S PARK CONCERT SERIES

Thursdays, 7:00 - 8:00 pm & Sundays, 2:00 - 3:00 pm

Experience warm summer evenings in the park with commanding performances by local musicians. Each date features live musical performances in a stunning, retreatlike forest setting to create a relaxed environment to enjoy the company of your family and neighbours. Find the schedule: newwestcity.ca/queens-park-concerts

PET OWNERSHIP AWARENESS MONTH – LAST CHANCE TO WIN!

Last chance to get your name in for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to Bosley’s for your cat or dog! Dog owners, ensure your dog has a current dog licence A name will be drawn at random from the licence registry Cat owners, email proof of your cat’s microchip or tattoo to Animal Services along with your contact details The deadline is June 30! For more info, and to find out more about your responsibilities as a pet owner, visit: newwestcity.ca/pet-ownership

BUDGET 2024 ENGAGEMENT

The City of New Westminster is starting the process to develop its financial plan for 2024 to 2028, which includes the capital and operating budgets for 2024 Community input is one of several factors that inform the development of the City's annual budget, and we are asking for the community’s input on some key questions from City Council and staff. Visit the Be Heard page by July 10 to take our online survey and participate in a discussion forum on how you think the City should allocate any unexpected funding such as grants. beheardnewwest.ca/budget2024

REGISTER FOR SKATING LESSONS

Looking for a cool, physical activity this summer? There is still room to register in twoweek long summer skating lesson sets! Skate daily Monday to Friday for two weeks for maximized improvement These sets are excellent for children trying to pass a repeat level, or who want to level up before fall registration Class time is 25 – 40 minutes, between 9:45 am – 12:00 pm Dates options for sets are: July 10 – 21; July 24 – August 4; August 8 – August 18; and August 21 – September 1. Register online: newwestcity.ca/skating Questions? Call Moody Park Arena 604.525.5301.

CITYPAGE

THE LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS IN OUR CITY

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

June 29 – July 2

Canada Day Weekend

newwestcity.ca/canadaday

Thursday, June 29

7:00 pm

Queen’s Park Concert Series

Queen’s Park Bandshell

Sunday, July 2 2:00 pm

Queen’s Park Concert Series

Queen’s Park Bandshell

Monday, July 3 No Council Meeting

Foster community life and connect with your neighbours in a safe, fun, and respectful way by hosting a block party on your street! Each local street is eligible for ONE FREE street occupancy permit per year Visit newwestcity.ca/block-parties for all the info on how to organize a block party

2023 PROPERTY TAXES – FINAL REMINDER

Property taxes must be received by the City no later than July 4, 2023. Bills can be paid online or in-person Please note City Hall is closed on July 3, 2023 For more information on how to pay your bill and how to apply for the Home Owner Grant, please visit: newwestcity.ca/2023/06/12/property-taxes-due-july-4-2023.php

COMMUNITY GROUP STORAGE RENTAL

In the ongoing commitment to supporting local sport clubs and anticipating future need, additional storage space has been installed at Queen's Park East Artificial Turf Field. Two secure, climate-controlled 8' x 10' bays are now available for rent to qualifying groups. Learn more: newwestcity.ca/parkstorage

WATERING RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT

Stage 1 watering restrictions are in effect until Oct 15 for both residential and nonresidential areas, regardless of weather conditions. These restrictions help prepare for potential water shortages during dry periods. Watering outside the allowed times requires a permit Visit newwestcity.ca/lawnwatering for details on when you’re permitted to water your lawn and garden, and how to apply for a permit For lawn care and outdoor water conservation tips, visit welovewater.ca

ADOPT A STREET TREE

Help us increase our urban tree canopy by caring for newly planted City trees. As a Tree Steward you’ll water and weed young trees from June to September Find a map of 600+ adoptable trees, and learn how to volunteer on our website. There are many trees in need in the Brow of the Hill and Queensborough! Learn more at newwestcity.ca/adopt-a-street-tree

SUBSCRIBE TO CITYPAGE: newwestcity.ca/citypage

FREE STREET OCCUPANCY PERMIT FOR BLOCK PARTIES

News

Ethics commissioner coming to New West city hall

JulieMacLellan jmaclellan@newwestrecord.ca

NewWestminster city council is moving forward with plans for a new code of conduct and a municipal ethics commissioner.

Councillors gave first reading Monday night to a draft code of conduct for city council.

The new code of conduct will set out the rules that council members are expected to abide by while carrying out their duties as elected officials. It will also result in the creation of a new municipal role: an ethics commissioner, to ensure those rules are abided by and enforced

The code of conduct would not apply to council members’ behaviour in their lives outside of their elected role, except to the extent that such conduct “reasonably undermines public confidence in city governance ”

What it would apply, to, though, is social media: both personal and professional social media accounts would be covered by the code.

“If you say something offside on social media, you should be taken to task for that,” Harding said

The code covers a range of areas of council behaviour, including general conduct; there is to be no “abuse, bullying, intimidating or derogatory behaviour” by an elected official

It also includes specific sections covering areas such as conduct at meetings, interactions with the public and media, handling of confidential information, conflicts of interest, and use of public resources.

justice or mediation) or a formal investigation

The bylaw sets out timelines for each stage of the process and also allows for remedies that could be imposed by council for violations of the code of con-

duct such as a letter of reprimand, a request for an apology, public censure, or a recommendation that a council member attend specific training or counselling or make a charitable donation.

Harding reminded council that the code of conduct bylaw can be revised at their suggestion.

“This is your code.

These are your expectations of each other as to what behaviour expec-

tations you want to impose upon each other as a group of elected officials,” he said.

Councillors gave first reading to the bylaw at their Monday night meeting (June 26).

Reece Harding, with the law firm ofYoung Anderson, made a presentation to council at their meeting Monday night. He said the proposed code of conduct is based on the foundational principles of “integrity, accountability, leadership, respect, openness and collaboration ”

What it’s not intended to do, he said, is stifle debate “We do not want codes to stifle democracy,” he said. ‘We do not want codes to interfere with, in the words of this code, the ‘vigor, flair and freedom’ of a typical, well-functioning democratic institution ”

ETHICS COMMISSIONER

The proposed new bylaw would make New Westminster one of only three municipalities in B C with a dedicated ethics commissioner Currently, only the cities of Surrey andVancouver have such positions

The idea is to create a position, separate from staff and elected officials, to handle complaints about elected officials.

The commissioner would review complaints, with the options to pursue informal resolution processes (such as restorative

If you say something offside on social media, you should be taken to task for that.

AFTER 30 YEARS, OUR COQUITLAM STORE LEASE HAS ENDED

LOW

MY VIEW KEITH BALDREY

BC Conservatives could spell trouble for BC United

On one level, it is easy to dismiss the outcomes of the two B C provincial byelections this past weekend as entirely predictable and even inconsequential because they had no impact on the make-up of the legislature

And after all, as I noted in this space a few weeks back, the two ridings of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant and Langford-Juan de Fuca are historically very strong BC NDP ridings so the outcomes in each were never really in doubt

However, a closer examination of the contests reveals the NDP government continues to chug along without much public pushback against its performance, while its political opponents appear to be in a holding pattern just 16 months before the next scheduled election.

Perhaps the most surprising result from

the two byelections was the out-of-nowhere rise of the BC Conservative Party in the Langford-Juan de Fuca riding Its candidate there, Mike Harris, received almost 20 per cent of the vote, more than double the support for the BC United candidate.

This in a riding where the Conservative Party has not even fielded a candidate in an election for more than 20 years.

This strong Conservative showing, combined with the tepid BC United support, must be of concern for the party that is trying to rebuild the so-called “free enterprise coalition” that was the BC Liberal Party and before that the Social Credit Party for more than 60 years (47 of them in government)

It seems obvious the BC United brand has not resonated with the voters yet,

which is not the least bit surprising. Rebranding a major brand whether it is a political party or any major company takes time, and BC United has been in existence as a political brand only for a few months The byelections marked the first time that BC United appeared on a ballot, giving voters a choice to vote for it Just 2,266 voters opted to do that between the two ridings, a decline of about 4,500 voters from what its precursor, the BC Liberal Party, received in the 2020 general election.

Voter turnout was quite low (26 per cent in Langford and 17 per cent in Mount Pleasant), so it is important not to overanalyze the results. Nevertheless, given that such contests are a good opportunity to give a government the old boot in the backside, the NDP must be pleased

so few people opted to do just that.

It is not just the BC United Party that should be concerned about the outcomes The BC Green Party could not motivate voters, either, and saw its total vote between the two ridings decline by about 5,400 from the 2020 election.

Clearly, there is much work to do for the two opposition parties between now and the next general election, scheduled (for now) for Oct. 19, 2024.

BC United needs its name recognition to drastically improve, and the Greens need to break through a level of support it has been hovering at for years now

In the meantime, the BC Conservatives may be on the verge of making life even more difficult for them

Keith Baldrey is chief political reporter for Global BC.

Opinion

Housing discussions need to include everyone

Development for whom?

Tensions arose at the June 12 New Westminster city council meeting during an exchange between councillors Daniel Fontaine and Ruby Campbell about a townhall forum, organized by Fontaine, which took place April 25 at the Queensborough Community Centre on the topic of densification in Connaught Heights.

Campbell expressed reservations about real estate involvement in the forum, but Fontaine maintained that his forum was a legitimate form of public engagement, and that the event was neither hosted nor co-hosted by any real estate group.

I attended this forum, and I agree that it is legitimate for Fontaine especially as council liaison to the Connaught Heights neighbourhood to organize events to discuss densification with residents of the city

But although Fontaine objected to the use of the term “hosted” at council (and I have little interest in a debate over semantics), theVallee Real Estate Group was clearly involved in promoting and managing registration for the event, as my own experience shows

I first looked for information about the forum through the city’s event page, which noted the date, time and location, but provided no instructions for advance registration.

I wanted to be sure of securing a spot to attend, so when I also saw the event advertised in the 22nd Street SkyTrain Station Master Plan Facebook group (administered by theVallee Real Estate Group), I followed the advertisement’s instructions to register with EricVallée. I then received confirmation of having a spot at the forum

At the event itself, there was a sign by the entrance advocating for moving ahead with the master plan for the area, with Vallee Real Estate Group branding on it

Upon entering the room, I provided my name and contact information on a registration list at the door

After the meeting, I was contacted by

a representative of theVallee Real Estate group through e-mail to sign a petition asking the city to increase density around the 22nd Street SkyTrain station.

The deeper issue here, however, is not who was or was not hosting the forum, but whose interests are represented in our collective discussions about housing and development in the city

At the forum, I appreciated hearing different points about development and housing market dynamics, and I found the vision of sustainable design, attractive streetscapes, and walkable neighbourhoods replete with amenities compelling But it was clear that real estate and private development interests were foregrounded in the discussion, including the market-driven New Urbanist philosophy espoused by the invited panelists

A moment of moral clarity came as the forum was nearing its end. A woman who arrived late interrupted the discussion and loudly asked the room, “You’re all rich You own homes. Are you going to build low-income housing?”

I support densification, but the central question we need to ask is, for whom are we building these neighbourhoods?Who will get to enjoy these spaces and who will be excluded?

For densification to be just, it must be equitable: development should include a mixture of tenure types and income levels so that neighbourhoods are livable, healthy, and inclusive places for everyone.

We must therefore ensure that public engagement processes are representative of the community as a whole.

This means prioritizing the perspectives of those who face the greatest housing challenges and ensuring that they play a meaningful role in shaping the development of our city, including around 22nd Street SkyTrain station

Elliot Rossiter is a resident of NewWestminster, a faculty member at Douglas College and director of the Changing the Conversation project

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.

City Good Neighbour Agreement sparks debate at council table

Continued from page 1

contentious discussion at their June 26 meeting, councillors voted in favour of having staff work with Purpose Society to draw up a Good Neighbour Agreement and come up with the terms of reference

Moving

PARC

for a community advisory committee for the facility

Councillors were split along party lines over whether that Good Neighbour Agreement should be a voluntary agreement as is the city’s current practice or whether it should

be a formal agreement tied to the organization’s business licence.

The two NewWest Progressives councillors, Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas, argued in favour of tying the Good Neighbour Agreement to the

business licence

Fontaine questioned how the city could enforce a voluntary agreement

“We need the Good Neighbour Agreement to work, and we need this project to work for the community, and we need

Say goodbye to surprise rent hikes and secure your future with PARC

to take the time to get it right,” he said “Because if we don’t get it right tonight, you won’t be able to fix it ”

Fontaine said tying the agreement to issuance of a business licence would provide some comfort to neighbours after what he characterized as a “rushed” public input process

Fontaine and Minhas put forward numerous proposed amendments to the agreement, including a suggestion by Minhas that the business licence to operate the property be reviewed if there are six or more infractions to the agreement within a 12-month period

“I won’t support this. Where would these people go?They would lose their housing,” Coun Nadine Nakagawa objected. “We are borrowing so much trouble here We are presupposing so much about this type of housing.This is just a recipe for stigma, and I don’t support it ”

Also prompting objections from Nakagawa and her Community First New West colleagues was a proposed amendment by Minhas that called for 24hour security at the facility

Mayor Patrick Johnstone

said the suggestion wasn’t in keeping with the idea of Good Neighbour Agreements being voluntary and based on mutual respect

“I find the idea of us requiring 24-7 security inside people’s homes abhorrent,” he said “People living in affordable housing are not criminals and should not be criminalized and should not be treated as people who can’t be trusted to live in their own homes without security”

In the end, Minhas’ and Fontaine’s motions were voted down 5-2, with Nakagawa, Johnstone, Jaimie McEvoy, Ruby Campbell andTasha Henderson voting against them

One of Fontaine’s amendments that minutes of community advisory committee meetings be available to council members on request passed.

Councillors said the project will help the city to meet its goals around affordable housing

“I believe community is expecting us to find safe, supportive ways to house people,” said Campbell

In the end, the related zoning amendment bylaw that paves the way for the facility received third reading by unanimous vote.

can bring uncertainty. It’s comforting to know that one thing is certain: your rent.

puts peace-of-mind back at the top of your checklist Our SECURE FUTURE® program guarantees your rate will not increase more than 3% annually for your first four consecutive years.

Community From Dewey to Deer: Decolonizing the library

JulieMacLellan

jmaclellan@newwestrecord ca

It started with a pair of shoes It led to a mission to decolonize the NewWestminster Secondary School library

That journey isn’t as roundabout as it might sound, if you happen to be SarahWethered

The longtime NWSS teacher-librarian is working with colleagues Jenny Chang and Lisa Seddon on an ambitious project: to transition the library’s non-fiction catalogue away from the Dewey decimal system to a more inclusive method of classification

The project has its roots in an unexpected item: a pair of Fluevog shoes

Wethered is a shoe aficionado, with a particular fondness for the footwear ofVancouver shoe designer John Fluevog.

Fluevog has a line of shoes known as the Biblio family, which pays tribute to notable librarians past and present. A couple of years ago, a new design was introduced as Melvil, for Melvil Dewey, a founder of the American Library

Association.

“That name stuck around for exactly one day,”Wethered said, telling the tale at the New Westminster school board meeting on June 20 “The Fluevog community was outraged and said, ‘You

know, maybe you need to look at some background information about Melvil Dewey. He was kind of sketchy, and you may not want to put your name on a shoe with his name ’” Why?Well, Dewey may have created the famous li-

brary classification system that bears his name (he copyrighted it in 1876) But he also got kicked out the very American Library Association he helped to found for “sexual impropriety,” in 1905.

“He was also racist, ho-

mophobic, misogynist, anti-Semitic,”Wethered said

Even the American Library Association has distanced itself from Dewey, renaming its highest honour from the Melvil Dewey Medal to the ALA Medal of Excellence in 2019

“So this made me think, so why do we perpetuate the use of the system within our schools?”Wethered said.

As she sees it, there are other compelling reasons to ditch the Dewey decimal classification, too.

Wethered notes that, under the Dewey system, information about equity-seeking groups tends to be classified within a “very narrow and very overcrowded” designation.

“So, for example, women get less than one full number We are 305 4 We don’t even get the full 305,” she said “The 300s in the Dewey decimal system, which is social science, is kind of like that junk drawer that we have in our kitchen, where you have the old soy sauce packages, that takeout menu, with some rubber bands, a pen that doesn’t work, some batteries that may work, and for some odd reason I always have one plastic fork. And that is the 300s ”

Seddon noted all the issues with Dewey

Continued on page 12

DECOLONIZING THE LIBRARY: The teacher-librarian team (from left) of Lisa Seddon, Sarah Wethered and Jenny Chang are undertaking a year-long project to reclassify the NWSS library’s non-fiction collection from the Dewey decimal system to the Brian Deer system

PHOTO JULIE MACLELLAN

This community event is proudly sponsored by:

City Six-storey mixed-use project proposed in Sapperton

TheresaMcManus

tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca

A six-storey mixed-use development is being proposed for East Columbia Street in Sapperton.

At its June 12 meeting, council received a preliminary report about a rezoning and development permit for 145 to 209 East Columbia St The project proposes 92 secured-mar-

ket rental units, 1,686 square metres (18,149 square feet) of office space on the second floor and 1,338 sq m (14,402 sq ft.) of at-grade retail space.

The project is proposed on five lots between Alberta Street and Strand Avenue on East Columbia Street, as well as on a rear lane The properties are currently home to a small

commercial building and vacant lots.

“This development would provide the benefit of additional secured market rental units for the community in close proximity to transit, as well as streetscape improvements along East Columbia Street,” said a staff report “The provision of office on the second floor

supports the OCP’s vision to locate employment-generating uses that support the hospital (e g space for medical offices) within a five-minute walk of the hospital.”

Council directed staff to work with the developer to prepare a plan for the subject property that’s suitable for consideration of first and second readings.

Upcoming steps include interdepartmental review of the application by city staff, applicant-led public consultation, a presentation to the NewWestminster design panel, the creation of a Be Heard New West webpage and a comprehensive report to council, which would be followed by consideration of the rezoning bylaw and

zoning amendment bylaw

The report to council had included a recommendation that council endorse in-principle that no public hearing be held for this application, in accordance with the Local Government Act

However, Mayor Patrick Johnstone suggested that decision be made further into the process.

Continued

from page

himself racism, sexism, homophobia are “hardbaked” into the classification system.

“It shoves women, BIPOC people, 2SLGBTQ people, into very tiny categories, and because of that, it takes them out of the context of everything else around them, and it doesn’t always make sense,” Seddon said

Then there’s the Eurocentric nature of the system, whichWethered noted forces information about Indigenous peoples into a small historical section and doesn’t acknowledge any of its complexities or current realities.

Likewise with languages and religions Seddon

pointed out that if you’re producing a dictionary or thesaurus in aWestern European language, you get a full number all to yourself; every other language is crammed into one section Similarly, Christianity dominates the classification categories in religion

“If you’re Jewish or Sikh or Hindu or Muslim or anything else, you’re crammed off into this one number on the side,” Seddon explained.

So the question remains:

If not the Dewey decimal system, then what?

That’s where the Brian Deer classification system comes in

Seddon noted Deer isn’t a widely known or widely taught figure in

North American library schools. But once she and Wethered started investigating alternatives to Dewey, they found Deer: a Mohawk librarian who developed a system to classify books based around Indigenous content and Indigenous ways of knowing and disseminating information, starting in the 1970s

“As we’re including more and more authentic Indigenous texts in our libraries, we need to find new ways to classify them so that students can find them,” Seddon said With the Deer system, they’re able to be flexible with their collections and prioritize Indigenous content.

The Deer system allows

the library to develop its own flexible approach to cataloguing based on letters, rather than numbers, starting with A for reference materials and working through broad and adaptable classifications based on local needs.

For instance, their goal is that the first item in the languages section will be an Indigenous language dictionary

“Indigenous people were here first.This is their land that we’re on.Their language takes precedence over ours,” explained Seddon.

The NewWest librarians note the system is already in use in a few places: at the Xwi7xwa Library at UBC and the Indig-

enous Curriculum Resource Centre at SFU. It’s also being used by some schools in Surrey, though only for their Indigenous content thus far.

They aim to have New Westminster become the first school district where a library’s entire non-fiction collection is catalogued under the Deer system

It’s no small undertaking.

This spring has seen them firming up subject headings to be used in the new catalogue and creating a manual for implementation.They’ll work throughout the next school year, from September 2023 to June 2024, to re-catalogue their non-fiction collections, with an

anticipated finish date of June 30, 2024

As for whether the change will confuse the students?

Wethered laughs and says the Dewey decimal numbers are just “witchcraft” to most students anyway.

“Numbers or letters, it doesn’t really matter,” she said.

Seddon agrees.

“Really basic, base level? It’s just an address ”

On a broader philosophical level, though, it’s much more

WEEKEND

FRIDAY, JUNE 30

SUMMER NIGHT MARKET

Spend your Friday night shopping for unique art and décor items at the New West Craft Summer Night Market.The annual craft event, organized by Arts New West, is a one-stop shop for food and drinks, pet items, ceramic and pottery, jewelry and fashion, and more. Drop by to check out more than 60 vendor stalls while also listening to a live music performance by classical music artist Royce Rich.

WHEN: Friday, 5 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: River Market, 810 Quayside Dr

DETAILS: www.instagram.com/ newwestcraft

SATURDAY, JULY 1

TO MONDAY, JULY 3

HABITAT HAPPENINGS

This weekend, sign up for a class to learn all about the ecosystem that the Fraser River supports. Home to a variety of animals from salmon to zooplankton, the river watershed sees a balance between predators, prey and plants. Through fun sessions that include an ecosystem jenga game, find out what makes the river a thriving habitat for a bunch of species.The registration fee for a family of two adults and up to four children is $15; individual tickets are $6 for adults, $3 for children, and $5 for seniors and students

WHEN: July 1 to 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Fraser River Discovery

Don’t miss these weekend events & activities!

Find more events online: newwestrecord ca/local-events

Please send your information for inclusion on to calendar@newwestrecord.ca

SATURDAY, JULY 1

CANADA DAY CELEBRATIONS

Watch a series of multicultural performances by local artists, partake in circus activities by theVancouver Circus Zone and treat yourself to a variety of snacks all as part of the Canada Day celebrations at theWestminster Pier Park. Let this be the day you learn about the Indigenous woodland art that blends traditional legends with contemporary mediums and have your kids enjoy a special yo-yo performance by a pro (See more details in the Canada Day section in today’s paper )

WHEN: Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m. Food trucks will be open by 11 a.m.

WHERE: Westminster Pier Park

DETAILS: www.newwestcity.ca/ canadaday

FRIDAY, JUNE 30 TO SUNDAY, JULY 2

ART SHOW

Centre, 788 Quayside Dr. DETAILS: fraserriverdiscovery.org

SUNDAY, JULY 2

SUMMER CONCERT IN THE PARK

Extend the Canada Day celebrations to a weekend-long party with this live openair concert.The family-friendly drop-in

event presented by Arts NewWest will take place at the Queen’s Park Bandshell and feature Jada Mckenzie-Moore, a “one-woman show” with voice, guitar and looper It’s free for all

WHEN: 2 to 3 p.m.

WHERE: Queen’s Park Bandshell

DETAILS: www.newwestcity.ca/ canadaday

After a successful show in April 2023, NewWest Artists are back for their next art exhibition at the I Heart NewWest community space this month end. Here, art lovers can browse through a diverse collection of works including paintings, photography, drawing, cards and more, and even pick one made by a local artist.

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday

WHERE: I Heart New West, Unit 103, 78 10th St. in Columbia Square (where the dollar store used to be, opposite Cockney Kings)

– compiled by NaveenaVijayan

HAPPY CANADA DAY: Steven Zhang and five-year-old Austin dance at last year’s Canada Day concert in Westminster Pier Park Canada Day weekend festivities are set for this weekend

PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER/RECORD FILES

COMMUNITY GATHERING: New Westminster residents and members of the Sikh community around the Lower Mainland turned out under sunny skies for this year’s Nagar Kirtan procession in Queensborough The Sunday, June 25 procession started from the Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar on Wood Street and made its way to Ryall Park, where community members enjoyed kirtan (devotional song) and katha (storytelling), along with kids’ activities and food served up free for everyone Nagar Kirtan “nagar” means a suburb, town or city involves the singing of holy hymns throughout a community, with community members processing behind the Sikh holy scriptures

PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER

City

Townhouses, towers among upcoming New West projects

TheresaMcManus tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca

Townhouses and towers are among the projects making their way through the approval process at city hall.

In recent weeks, council has received reports on a number of projects being reviewed by the city’s climate action, planning and development department

Here’s a few of the projects that are in the works:

DUPLEX PROPOSED

The city has received a rezoning application to allow a duplex to be built at 926 First St Each of the proposed side-byside stratified duplexes in Glenbrooke North would contain four bedrooms

“Each unit would be family-friendly, with three bedrooms located in the upper storey and one bedroom in the basement,” said a staff report. “Both units would have access to outdoor space in the form of front and

rear porches, plus rear patio”

At the June 12 meeting, council directed staff to work with the applicant to prepare a plan of development for the subject property that’s suitable for consideration of first and second reading A decision has not been made on whether a public hearing would be required

units to be built While the proposal is consistent with the residential-ground oriented infill housing designation in the city’s official community plan, it’s not consistent with the site’s existing zoning, so a rezoning is needed.

No public hearing will be held

According to a staff report, 75 per cent of respondents who completed a survey about the project fully or partially supported the project Staff say the applicant has made some changes in response to community feedback

HIGHRISE APPROVED DOWNTOWN

ported the project.

A staff report noted the application had been revised from the stratified condo development that was proposed by the property’s previous owner

The report stated the property’s new owner has agreed to provide the “key in-kind amenity contributions” included in the original proposal, including the design and construction of a commemorative community park on the adjacent city-owned site and a universal public washroom for park users

INFILL

TOWNHOUSE PROPOSED

A 12-unit townhouse project is proposed in the Brow of the Hill neighbourhood.

The city is considering an application to rezone 1032 and 1036 St Andrews St , which would allow 12 family-friendly, stratified, infill townhouse

A 33-storey rental building is planned next to a future park in downtown NewWest Brookfield Development applied for a rezoning for 810 Agnes St. and 815 to 821Victoria St as part of its proposal to build 352 secured market rental housing units in the highrise. At its May 29 meeting, council sup-

“The city-owned site at 824 Agnes St. was a historic focal point for the Chinese community in NewWestminster and was gifted to the city by the Chinese Benevolent Association,” said a staff report “It is currently used as a temporary off-leash dog area.Through a Chinese reconciliation process, it was identified that this site should be used as a park commemorating Chinese history and contributions.”

TOWNHOUSES PROPOSED: A 12-unit townhouse project is proposed on St Andrews Street in the Brow of the Hill neighbourhood.

PHOTO CITY OF NEW WESTMINSTER

27TH ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

ROTARY POT OF GOLD

Proceeds to support youth programs in our community $625,000

Raised to date

MAYFAIR LAKES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

TUESDAY, JULY 11, 2023

5460 NO. 7 RD, RICHMOND, BC

McBride Plaza

HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSORS

Journey Volkswagen at Coquitlam, Key West Ford, IMPACT Parkinson’s, New Westminster Rotary Clubs

CONTEST HOLE PRIZE SPONSORS

Inn at the Quay • Creative Embroidery • Kruger Products

• BC Lions • GULF & FRASER

FOOD HOLE SPONSORS

The Boathouse (New Westminster), Inn at the Quay, Kelly

O’Bryan’s Neighbourhood Restaurant (New Westminster), Me-N-Ed’s Pizza (Burnaby) • Salvation Army

HOLE SPONSORS

Basran Industries Ltd., Birds Nest Properties, Boathouse (New Westminster), Canadian Linen & Uniform Service, Carole Albertson, Columbia Integrated Health, Connect Hearing, Dependable Brake & Muffler, Engman & Gunther, Notaries Public, Frankie Gʼ s Boilerhouse Pub, Garbutt + Dumas Real Estate Team, Gerda Suess, GULF & FRASER, Hyack Tire (2012) Ltd , IMPACT Parkinsonʼ s, IMPARK: Part of REEF Parking Network, Inn at the Quay, Insureline Brokers, Journey Volkswagen of Coquitlam, Kastelein Stout Insurance Agencies Ltd., Kearney Funeral Services, Kelly OʼBryanʼ s Neighbourhood Restaurant, Key West Ford, Longevity Compounding Pharmacy, McDonald & Company, Me-N-Edʼ s Pizza, Minuteman Press (New Westminster), New Westminster Notary Public, New Westminster Record, Nurse Next Door, OK Tire-Coquitlam, Oxygen Yoga & Fitness, Prospera Credit Union, Rand & Fowler Insurance, Safeway (McBride Plaza), Sage Construction Ltd , Salvation Army (New Westminster), Starlight Casino, Susan Cowling DLC Homeline, TD Wealth and Commercial Bank, Harmeet Dhillon & Harpreet Rosodi, The Paterson Family, The Pope Team at CIBC Wood Gundy, Vallee McLennan Real Estate Team, Vancity New Westminster Branch

4 HOLE-IN-ONE PRIZES

of up to $50,000 cash or cars.

Registration Only $250/golfer

Includes: golf, shared cart, lunch, buffet dinner, prizes contests & photos with BC Lions

UPROAR Dance Team on the tee box

PROCEEDS GO TO SUPPORT NEW WESTMINSTER ROTARY CLUBS, SALVATION ARMY AND PURPOSE SCHOOL

If you have any questions, please contact Rick Molstad at 604.831.1821 or molstad.rick@gmail.com and we would be pleased to answer your enquiries. Hoping to see you on July 12th.

Media Sponsor

Community

Sponsor

Lunch Sponsor

Wine Sponsor

Golf Cart Sponsor Plaza

RICK MOLSTAD, CHAIRMAN, POT OF GOLD CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE

In support of New Westminster Rotary Clubs, Salvation Army and Purpose School

AS WE AGE Celebrating Seniors

Century House marks 65 years

NewWestminster’s seniors’ centre is about to mark its 65th birthday.

Save the date now for festivities at Century House, coming up on Monday, July 24.There will be cake served in the dining/lounge area starting at 12:30 p m to mark the occasion

It was July 23, 1958 when Princess Margaret was on hand for the official ribbon cutting for the facility

The city owns the building and the land and pays for maintenance, upkeep and operations of the building, as well as staff, the Century House website notes The Century House Association works with the staff to provide activities and programs for members, with volunteers running dozens of drop-in activities every week at 620 Eighth St., in Moody Park. See www centuryhouseassociation com

ROYAL OCCASION: Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret cut the ribbon to open Century House on July 23, 1958. The centre is hosting a 65th birthday party on July 24 this year

ARE YOU READY TO PUT PAIN IN THE PAST?

Are YOU Tired of Living with:

• Tight muscles? • Chronic pain? • Restricted movement? • Poor posture?

Pain Doesn’t Have to Be Your Normal

Our team of health professionals are here to help if you’re suffering from chronic pain Following a comprehensive assessment, we will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan From there, a combination of supervised exercise, massage, and manual therapy will be used to help you recover faster and get back to living you life!

Get back to the active, healthy life you want and deserve!

PHOTO: NEW WESTMINSTER ARCHIVES IHP8051

AS WE AGE

Seniors’ society a shines spotlight on elder abuse

TheresaMcManus tmcmanus@newwestrecord ca

Elder abuse is an issue in NewWestminster and around the world.

Alison Silgardo, CEO of

the Seniors Services Society, was in NewWestminster city council chambers on June 12 to accept the city’s proclamation of June 15 asWorld Elder Abuse

Awareness Day.

“It is the day that is recognized globally to acknowledge the significance of elder abuse as a public health and a human

rights issue,” she said. “As we age, we often face stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination because of age.”

Silgardo said that often erodes older adults’ confidence and serves as a justification for abuse

“The Ministry of Health in B.C. reports that as many as 10 per cent of B C seniors will experience some form of abuse in their later years,” she said “And one out of 12 seniors will experience financial abuse by close family members and trusted friends ”

Silgardo spoke on behalf of the NewWest-based Seniors Services Society of B C , as well as the New Westminster Community Response Network, which works to raise awareness about elder abuse issues

Silgardo shared the story of “Elizabeth” as an example of the types of situations seen by folks at the Seniors Services Society.

“Elizabeth was referred to us a few weeks ago to help with housing,” she said. “She’s 72 years old and has lived with her daughter and son-in-law

for just over six years. Her daughter persuaded her to sign a power of attorney, and following that she took away her ID and access to bank accounts and claimed that she was no longer capable of making and managing her own affairs.”

Silgardo said Elizabeth was “fortunately” taken to hospital for some blood tests, and while there, she had some cognitive testing done.

“The results showed that without a doubt, Elizabeth was totally capable of managing her affairs and showed no signs of dementia or deterioration,” she told council. “Elizabeth did not want to go back home and reached out She was sent to a safe house where, with the help of workers and police, she was able to get back her ID and her bank account, and is now finding a place to live independently Elizabeth was being financially, psychologically and physically abused by her daughter and son-in-law”

Noting that NewWestminster is an age-friendly city, Silgardo said the society is grateful for the sup-

port it receives from the city and the community.

“However, elder abuse is alive and well, and it shows no signs of slowing down,” she said “ThisWorld Elder Abuse Awareness Day, we would like to ask for your help to let us know what’s working and what is not working in our city with regards to elder abuse.What else can we do together to shape an environment that does not tolerate elder abuse? And how can we make elder abuse prevention a priority to educate everyone in NewWest to learn and recognize the signs?”

The City of NewWestminster’s proclamation says abuse of older adults is “an ever-increasing issue in our society that crosses all cultures and socio-economic boundaries ”

IF YOU NEED HELP

Anyone who is in an emergency situation should call 911. Anyone wishing to talk to a trained intake worker about abuse or mistreatment can call the Seniors Abuse and Information Line (SAIL) at 1-866-437-1940

REMEMBRANCES

Obituaries

Obituaries

MATOUSEK, Alois (Alan) Josef

It is wth great sadness we announce the passing of Alois (Alan) Josef Matousek A os s survived by his loving daughter Katherina, her husband Vince and grandsons and spouses Joseph and Amanda Taylor and Benjamin Taylor and A yssa Hami tonMessenger

Alan was born in 1934 in Bechary, a smal town in the Czech Repub ic A ois, Kather na and h s wife of nearly 70 years Helena, mmigrated to Canada in 1968 leaving everything beh nd to start a new ife in the r beloved New Westm nster Searching for a better lfe in Canada than communist Czechosovaka, Alan worked hard to make sure his fam ly had everyth ng they needed Alan was a trained metalurgst and even worked on the Sputnk space program n the 50’s and 60’s He transferred those ski ls to both Bart e and G bson’s and then to Singer Va ve

In the early 80’s, he fu fil ed h s Canadian entrepreneur al dream by open ng the very wel known and loved He en’s De i, in Sapperton For almost 20 years, both A an and He en treated the customers to great food - especia ly the soup!great stor es and created last ng fr endships that he cherished for the rest of his life

They retired to a qu et l fe and were the best grandparents anyone cou d ever ask for

He will missed very much

BOHART, Richard Harry and Helen Louise (Gullback)

It s with heavy hearts that the Bohart and Gi bert famil es announce the passing of Dick (February 2022) and Louise (March 2021), longtime res dents of Vancouver and Burnaby

Devoted to each other for 60 years, they leave Dick’s s ster Peggy and Lou se’s sister Karin, three generat ons of n eces and nephews, and some very good friends with many endear ng memor es

A gathering of fami y and friends was he d last summer after an nterment ceremony at Pac fic Her tage Cemetery in Burnaby, BC

Dick and Louise wil be forever in our thoughts and n our hearts

604-230-0627

A-1

HanDyperson

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