Tri-City News February 16 2023

New fees will cost the average homeowner about $20 more this year

DIANE STRANDBERG dstrandberg@tricitynews.com

Water and sewer rates will be a little more expensive in 2023, if Port Coquitlam council approves a bylaw setting fees for the year

This week council was expected to approve a water and sewer bylaw that calls for a combined increase of 2 46 per cent for the two important utilities

The proposed 2023 utility budgets represent a 2.81 per cent increase in water and

1 97 per cent in sewer rates over 2022 or about $12 to $13 more for water and about $6 to $7 more for sewer

Those living in a singlefamily home, for example, will pay $857.60 for the year, up about $20 from $837 04 According to the city, most of the hike comes from increases in charges from Metro Vancouver, which provides the service

“Charges from Metro Vancouver for bulk water purchases and sanitary sewer discharge constitute the largest portion of the utility budgets (approximately 61 per cent and 66 per cent),” a staff report

Wendy Chisholm and Brittany Timko-Baxter take up a familiar position for Chisholm’s daughter, Reese Mueller, who played goal for the Port Moody Soccer Club until she suddenly died last July 26 at age 15 They’ve co-organized

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GettingPortMoodyreadyforadisaster

City was the largest municipality in provincewide drill

MARIO BARTEL mbartel@tricitynews com

An earthquake half a world away is bringing an extra sense of urgency to Port Moody’s own preparation to handle a natural disaster

Last Wednesday (Feb 8), more than 50 staff, representing a range of city departments from fire and police to finance and human resources, participated in a provincewide exercise to test its response capabilities to a simulated catastrophe five days earlier

Port Moody was the largest municipality in the scenario, which also involved agencies from the federal and provincial governments as well as Metro Vancouver

Kirk Heaven, deputy chief at Port Moody Fire Rescue, said the earthquake Feb 6 that devastated parts of Turkey and Syria brought home the reality of a disaster that could strike B C’s South Coast at any time

“It adds impetus,” Heaven said, adding live news coverage from Turkey playing on monitors in the city’s emergency response centre set up in a boardroom on the fourth floor of the Inlet Fire Hall provided a reminder that last Wednesday’s simu-

lation was “about learning”

Heaven said planning for the exercise started last September with the goal of furthering knowledge city staff have gained from previous simulations as well as recent real-world scenarios like the heat dome and atmospheric rivers of 2021 and the annual threat of wildfires

RECOVERY MODE

Last Wednesday, Port Moody was already in recovery mode five days after a 6 8 magnitude earthquake in the Juan de Fuca Strait

That meant rescue efforts were now shifting to support, making sure displaced residents and their pets have someplace safe to stay, as well as access to food and water, and getting critical infrastructure like water, sewage and electricity, along with transportation, back up and running

“It’s about trying to get back to normal and getting people back to their homes,” Heaven said

Such an effort presents huge logistical challenges, from just getting around to ensuring there’s enough staff

available to cover shifts at facilities like emergency shelters to making sure everyone gets paid

Coordinating all those myriad details and the communication efforts required to run a recovery effort smoothly takes lots of practice, so when a real disaster hits, wheels are set in motion quickly and automatically

“It’s imperative we keep it up,” Heaven said “You have to know your strengths and identify your gaps

Joji Kumagai, Port Moody’s manager of economic development, said

the exercise forces him to look at the city “through a different lens

“You have to understand who is responsible for what so you can act quickly”

Kumagai said though last Wednesday’s exercise was his fourth, the learning curve is huge

“You really start to understand what a concerted effort it takes,” he said

BACK ON ITS FEET

In addition to the emergency operations centre packed with people coordinating Port Moody’s recovery effort, a smaller group of about 12 was in another office in the fire hall planning for the next steps of getting the city back on its feet, like bringing in equipment to clear rubble and where to put it

Over at the Inlet Theatre and Galleria, another team

was responsible for registering displaced residents and getting them into temporary shelter at the recreation complex next door

Even a representative and volunteers from Canadian Animal Disaster Response Team were available to care for pets, although they did forget to pack a bowl for the stuffed Nemo awaiting refuge on a window ledge

In an alcove, comfortable chairs were set up where traumatized victims could get emotional support

Heaven said the exercise is funded by a grant from the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM)

But bringing together all the disparate players in Port Moody’s disaster response effort is invaluable

“We don’t want to meet people at the party, we want to see them before the party”

Left, cots are set up in the Galleria at Port Moody City Hall to accommodate overflow from a temporary shelter set up in the recreation complex during an earthquake preparedness exercise last Wednesday Above,Port Moody firefighter Jeff Scallion dispatches emergency services to locations on the map. MARIO BARTEL/TCN

Don Drysdale Richard Rainey Alexander Huxtable

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Heatpumpincentivesaves$

heater

A new program could put more money back in Coquitlam residents’ pockets if they choose to heat their home in a more energy-efficient manner

As of Feb 9, property owners in the city are being offered rebates of up to $1,200 for swapping out their current gas heating pump to an electric model as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

This includes homes that have a heating system run by natural gas, oil or propane

However, the campaign is only offering funds on a first-come, first-serve basis “depending on the scope” of a residence’s retrofit, said Coquitlam environment manager Caresse Selk

“Heat pumps are the most energy-efficient way to heat or cool a home in B C , ” she said in a news release

“They can replace both a heater and air conditioner, and are more climate-friendly than systems that use fossil fuels and release greenhouse gases into the environment”

Selk said the municipality’s rebate is a top-up to the CleanBC Better Homes fund that local homeowners can apply for after conducting an electric heat pump service upgrade

To qualify for any or all of the $1,200 in rebates, the new pump(s) must be

installed on or after Jan 1, 2023, and residents must show an invoice as proof

The money you can potentially earn, broken down, is as follows:

• $500 for an electrical service upgrade top-up that is available to eligible participants upgrading their electrical service to 100, 200 or 400 amp service and switch from a fossil fuel (oil, natural gas, or propane) space or water heating system to an electric air source heat pump or heat pump water

• $350 for an electric heat pump top-up that is available for eligible participants switching from a fossil fuel space heating system to an electric heat pump

• $350 for electric heat pump water heater top-up available to eligible participants switching from a fossil fuel water heater system to an electric heat pump water heater

As well, Selk said local property owners that make the switch, and complete an EnerGuide home evaluation, could also receive grants and interest-free financing loans through Canada’s Greener Homes initiative

Coquitlam’s heat pump rebate is funded through the city’s allocations from the provincial Local Government Climate Action Program, Selk added

For more information, you can visit the energy efficient upgrades page of the City of Coquitlam website at coquitlam ca

Seniorscouldget a50%discount

WATER FEES

states “For a number of years, Metro Vancouver has been forecasting significant increases to its rates to offset borrowing costs related to capital construction”

Port Coquitlam will also be setting aside contributions of $3 2 million for water and $1 5 million for sewer for a reserve to pay for future repairs, maintenance or to upgrade infrastructure costs that are not part of regular operations

The fees are being set now so the city can send out utility bills in February, for payment by March 31

Here’s what the new fees will be:

Single-family: $497.95 ($13.61 increase or 2.81%)

Secondary suite: $497.95 ($13.61 increase or 2.81%)

Townhouse: $466.40 ($12.73 increase or 2.81%)

Apartment: $443.10 ($12.10 increase or 2.81%)

SEWER FEES

Single-family: $359.65 ($6.95 increase or 1.97%)

Secondary suite: $359.65 ($6.95 increase or 1.97%)

Townhouse: $337.30 ($6 50 increase or 1 97%) Seniors whose income meets a threshold of $28,630 per person or $35,645 per household get a 50 per cent dicount

Calendar

Friday,Feb.17

FamilyDayPirateParty atLightsatLafarge 5:30–8:30pm TownCentrePark coquitlam.ca/parkspark

Saturday,Feb.18

BlackHistoryMonth FamilyDay 12–3pm VictoriaCommunityHall coquitlamheritage.ca

Monday,Feb.20 FamilyDaySkate 12–1:30pm & 1:45–3pm FamilyStick,Ring&Puck 3:15–4:15pm PoirierSport& LeisureComplex coquitlam.ca/dropin

Public Hearing Details

SeePagea31,32and33

coquitlamca/calendar

Celebrate FamilyDay inCoquitlam

February16–22

CelebrateFamilyDayinCoquitlam

Whetheryouchooseskating,swimming,sports,movietime,brunchorapirateparty,create specialmemorieswithyourfamilyoverthelongweekendaswecelebrateFamilyDayin Coquitlam

FromFriday,Feb 17throughtotheholidayMonday,Feb 20,theCityisofferingavarietyof activitiesforthewholefamilyFindallthedetailsaboutCoquitlam’sFamilyDayactivitiesat coquitlamca/familyday

WegratefullyacknowledgethefinancialsupportoftheProvinceofBritishColumbiaforsomeof theseactivities

CelebrateFamilyDayatCoquitlam’sCommunity Centres

Saturday,Feb 18

ExploretheforestecosystemalongsideyourlittleoneinEco TrekkersatMundyPark(courseID#116257),playbadmintonwith yourfamilyatCentennialActivityCentre(*courseID#110018)and MaillardvilleCommunityCentre(*courseID#114443),orwatcha movietogetherasafamily(TheCroods:ANewAge(PG),courseID #115188)

Sunday,Feb.19

Getontheindoorcourtforagameofbadmintonwithyourfamily atMaillardvilleCommunityCentre(*courseID#113958)

Monday,Feb.20

Ifyouhaven’thadachancetocheckout Coquitlam’snewestcommunitycentre,we’ve gotafundayofactivitiesplannedatMaillardville CommunityCentre(1200CartierAvenue) This includesfamilybrunch(courseID#114940), drop-insports(*courseID#114926and #114927),familymovietime(Encanto(PG), courseID#115186),aFamilyDayEventwithfuncrafts,games, facepaintingandtwosessionsofFamilyZumbainthe gymnasium(courseID#114931)andmore

ignupfortheseregisteredprogramsandactivitiesonlineat oquitlamca/familyday,phone604-927-4386orregisterin ersonduringrecreationfacilityoperatinghours

Theseactivitiesrequireregistrationandareavailabletoregisterfor 8hoursinadvance

Facility HolidayHours

Coquitlam’scivic facilitieshavespecial operatinghoursormaybe closedovertheholidays Visit facilitywebpagesfordetailsat coquitlamca/holidayhours

SwimmingandSkatingforAllAges

FamilieslookingtoskateorswimhavearangeofoptionsatCity CentreAquaticComplex(1210PinetreeWay)andPoirierSport& LeisureComplex(633PoirierSt) Enjoyaswiminthepoolorget ontheiceforaFamilyDayPublicSkateorStick,RingandPuck Viewdrop-inschedulesandadmissionratesat coquitlam.ca/dropin

CelebratewithParkSpark

CelebrateFamilyDaywithafunPirateParrr-ty onFriday,Feb 17from5:30–8:30pm at LafargeLake DropinandjoinParkSparkstaff attheTDCommunityPlazaforpirate-themed activities,musicandfungames

Thengrabamapandgoona treasurehuntaroundLafargeLake Formoreinformation,visit coquitlamca/parkspark

GetOutside

Checkoutthe illuminatedpirateship floatingonLafargeLake!

Youcanalsogetactiveoutdoorsbyexploringoneormoreofour CoquitlamparksovertheFamilyDayweekend Forparklocations andtheiramenities,visitcoquitlamca/parks

CelebrateatHome

Ifyou’relookingtostayclosetohomethisFamilyDayweekend, wehavesuggestionstobringthefuntoyourlivingroom Addabitofmovementtoyourfamily’sroutinewithourFamily DayWorkoutvideo,ledbyfitnessinstructorNikiandherfamily Visitcoquitlamca/spiritandclickontheFitnessatHometileto getstarted

#SupportLocalandenjoytakeoutfromoneofyourfavourite restaurants Gotovisitcoquitlamcaforalistoftakeoutand deliveryoptions

LearnaboutCoquitlam’shistoryandheritagewiththeCoquitlam Archivesatcoquitlamca/onlineexhibit

Homeownerstopay$185moreintaxes,utilities

Proposed operating budget includes five more Mounties

JANIS CLEUGH

jcleugh@tricitynews.com

Coquitlam homeowners will pay about $185 more in property taxes and utilities this year

That means the owner of an “average” home a combination of a condo, townhouse and single-family dwelling, valued at $1,044,700 will get a bill in the mail this summer for about $3,834 for a range of new and expanded programs and services, including five more Mounties

Here’s the breakdown for increases:

• property tax: $123

• water (single family/ multifamily): $25/$15

• sewer: $23

• garbage: $14

On Monday, city council gave first, second and third bylaw readings to the 2023 operating budget, with Coun Dennis Marsden opposing and Coun Brent Asmundson absent for the vote Council is expected to give fourth and final bylaw reading at its next meeting on Feb 27

In his speech, Mayor Richard Stewart said council realizes taxpayers’ pinch with the current cost of living “and, for some people, it’s causing real hardship”

But, he said, those pressures are also being felt by the municipality, which on the heels of the pandemic is struggling with higher inflation rates, as well as supply chain issues and a tight labour market

Still, “no matter what is happening around us, we can’t set aside our obligation to provide the many services our community our residents relies on while also continuing to plan and prepare for the future

“At all times, cities have to keep in mind not only today’s residents, but future generations as well,” the mayor said

Besides the five new po-

lice officers, the $398-million financial plan also includes money for, among other things:

• extreme weather response

• transition for city staff to a hybrid workplace

• a fire prevention officer

• a business growth manager

• a digital strategy manager

Stewart said Coquitlam

3

sits “in the middle of the pack” among Metro Vancouver municipalities for property tax and utility hikes

However, city staff warn, Coquitlam homeowners should brace for more hikes: about six per cent annually from 2024 to ’27

One of the pressure points in this year’s budget is infrastructure sustainability to replace aging buildings and

roads In response, council created a Sustainable Infrastructure and Asset Renewal Funding Strategy to fill the gaps; this year’s amount is $900,000 the equivalent of a tenth of the tax increase

Marsden, who was away for last month’s department head presentations, nixed the tax hike for asset replacement, saying the city could source that cash elsewhere and pressing for “more fulsome discussions” on the topic

But other councillors, including Stewart, said the city has to address the current infrastructure shortfalls, especially as the city booms

“The roof can’t be patched anymore,” the mayor quipped

Coun Teri Towner also talked about Coquitlam’s growing demands that include issues that municipalities haven’t dealt with in the past such as climate change

Meanwhile, council unanimously gave first, second and third readings to authorize staff to borrow up to $90 million from the Municipal Finance Authority to build the Northeast Community Centre and its park and plaza money to be recouped through developers’ revenues

MaillardvilleCommunityCentre: 1200CartierAve

Coquitlam city council (left to right): Councillors Dennis Marsden, Robert Mazzarolo, Trish Mandewo and Steve Kim, Mayor Richard Stewart, and councillors Craig Hodge, Teri Towner, Brent Asmundson and Matt Djonlic. CITY OF COQUITLAM PHOTO

Inspection of Documents

To view copies of the supporting documents (staff reports and bylaws) visit

In

Giftshopownerhasbigideasforabigspace

Co-warehouse space will also be used for workshops

DIANE STRANDBERG dstrandberg@tricitynews.com

Go big or go home that should be the motto of Jessica Skuk

The Port Coquitlam woman has just rented a massive 6,000 sq ft warehouse off the busy Mary Hill Bypass (7B) in a gritty light industrial area and is turning it into a boutique marketplace for handmade, sustainable artisan goods

Industry Haus, located at 101-1320 Kingsway Ave , is in a strip mall next to Tim Hortons and is mostly empty

But Skuk has big plans for the space, including starting a café she hopes will become a community hub for local artists and artisans

She also plans to rent out the top floor for special events, and is looking for a like-minded tenant to rent a 1,000 sq ft office and display space

Meanwhile, the warehouse is being used for hands-on workshops, such as a cookie decorating class

where participants are learning how to make adorable Valentine's Cookies, some of them raunchy

"The idea of co-warehousing is starting to take off," explained Skuk, who has been developing the idea of Industry Haus over the past few months since she rented the space

Most small businesses don't need 30,000 sq ft of space straight off, but they might need a space

to work, store or box their goods, shelves to showcase their products and help with advertising

Industry Haus hopes to offer those services to local businesses while also running a gift shop and online business Skuk started five years ago

"We're a place for small business to come to solve problems that are holding them back from growing "

Skuk knows what it's like

to start from nothing

In 2018, she started her online artisan gift box business From: Us Gifting Company from scratch out of a simple idea: Creating gift boxes without plastic, throwaway items and mass-produced food

From: Us gained an appreciative following for its unique collection of Canadian products, from personal care products to chemical-free, refillable

cleaning supplies, paper products, vegan, gluten-free and keto-friendly foods and specialty coffees and teas

Now it's become a brickand-mortar store, where people can choose their own gifts or buy a curated box

From: Us occupies the other half of the showroom of the Kingsway Avenue building

In a whimsical touch, there are two entrances to the shop, one for From: Us Gifting and the other for Industry Haus Walk around the shop, and you can see the potential

There are so many unique gift ideas that it's clear some creative individuals have been outdoing themselves making products for Canadians hungry for something personal, thoughtful and good for the environ-

ment

Skuk said the products on the shelves are all made by Canadian female artisans, crafters and entepreneurs, like herself, and she's excited to take on this new challenge

Besides her family, including husband, Tony, much of her support comes from other local female entrepreneurs; they egg her on sometimes while also urging caution at others

"We're a bunch of bad-ass ladies," said Skuk, proudly She hopes she can grow her own business while supporting others just getting started, with a spring marketplace accepting new Canadian artisans

"It's a great way to get exposure to products other than attending markets "

For more information, you can visit from-us ca

Jessica Skuk, above, is hoping her new artisan work space, Industry Haus, will become a community hub Top right, Skuk checks out the interior with her son, Isaac. DIANE STRANDBERB/THE TRI-CITY NEWS

Up to the minute business news at your fingertips.

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CityneedsmorefromCoronationParkproject

Affordability, child care and job spaces among concerns

MARIO BARTEL mbartel@tricitynews.com

Rezoning for the massive redevelopment of Port Moody’s Coronation Park neighbourhood will go to council with a mixed assessment from the city’s land use committee

The committee, which includes two members of council along with several volunteers from the community, said the project that would be home to 5,000 new residents is appropriate for its location across from the Inlet Centre SkyTrain station

But the city needs to realize more benefits from the project by Vancouver-based Wesgroup Properties Inc

Currently comprised of 59 aging single-family homes on 14 8 acres at the corner of Ioco Road and the Barnet Highway, the new master planned community would include 2,665 residential units in six towers up to 31 storeys, as well as a rental building, a four-storey office building, two daycares, a

central park and a 2,000 sq ft amenity space to be owned and operated by the city

But several members of the committee said the project lacks sufficient affordable housing options, daycare spaces and job opportunities

It “doesn’t meet the needs of Port Moody,” said one Currently Wesgroup is

proposing all 101 rental units in the project be part of a rent-to-own program to address concerns about affordability and the two daycares combined will accommodate up to 194 children

As for job creation spaces, Wesgroup said in a letter the project will provide 24,000 short-term jobs as well as 1,075 long term jobs in its 114,000 sq ft of commercial

space that includes a retail strip along Ioco Road with a grocery store and drug store as anchor tenants

In a report, senior planner Wesley Woo said that’s not enough He suggested doubling the office building from four to eight storeys would bring the development more in line with the city’s expectations for job creation

“There is a preference for more jobs in Port Moody,” Woo told the committee

Already years in the making and the subject of several contentious debates as the previous council considered and ultimately approved amendments to the city’s official community plan to accommodate the project, some members of the land use committee expressed ur-

gency at its meeting Feb 6 to move the project along

“It’s a major project that has gone through so many hoops already,” said one “It’s time to move this forward and council can take it from there”

In its letter, Wesgroup said its proposal addresses all of the city’s goals for the project, include providing a range of housing types, density, public amenities, transportation improvements and employment spaces

Meanwhile, Polygon Corporation’s redevelopment plan for the Coronation Heights neighbourhood right next door in Coquitlam is going to a public hearing on Feb 27

The project, to be constructed on the site of a former elementary school at 135 Balmoral Ave and 2506 to 2548 Palmer Ave , includes nine residential towers with homes for about 5,500 residents, a 27,000 sq ft amenity building with 3,600 sq ft of retail space and two childcare facilities

Suggestions made by Port Moody's land use committee are non-binding, but can serve as a guideline for council as it considers whether a development proposal is appropriate for its location

A rendering of Wesgroup Properties' Coronation Park development, as seen from along Ioco Road, which will feature a retail strip anchored by a grocery store and drug store. WESGROUP PROPERTIES

LastWeek t

NewopinionpollsdelivergoodnewsforBCNDP

When David Eby became B C premier back in November, it was widely assumed he would have a hard time coming even close to the popularity levels enjoyed by his predecessor, John Horgan

However, two polls released last week indicate that (for now anyways) Eby is doing just fine when it comes to job approval ratings

In fact, the polls one by Research Co and the other by Leger both suggest Eby and his BC NDP government enjoy considerably more support

among voters than either of the opposition parties

The Research Co poll pegs

Eby’s approval rating at 59 per cent The Leger poll has it at 49 per cent

Both are relatively high numbers

Despite the BC NDP government fending off controversy after controversy a lack of family doctors, crowded emergency rooms, closed ERs, public safety incidents, the ongoing toxic drug crisis the public appears to have little interest in any other party running the

province

The Leger poll gives the ruling NDP a whopping 16point lead over the BC Liberals among decided voters (47 per cent to 31 per cent) The Research Co showed a smaller gap of eight points, but still a significant lead for the NDP (44 per cent to 36 per cent)

All in all, the polls are encouraging news for the governing party and its new leader, and very discouraging findings for both the BC Liberals and the BC Green Party BC Liberal leader Kevin

Falcon, in particular, must be disappointed and frustrated by how Eby seems to be connecting with the public with greater success than his own efforts

Research Co asked respondents to rate the leaders on eight separate issues

Eby beat Falcon by small margins of four to six points on three issues: crime and public safety, energy and the economy and jobs

However, Eby scored more decisive advantages (13 to 19 points) on five other issues, including two key ones health

care and housing/affordability

The polls show the BC Liberals have considerable work ahead of them if they want to be competitive with the BC NDP

Of course, polls are simply snapshots in time, and the next election is not for a long time yet (currently set in law for October 2024 unless Eby calls an early one, which he has promised he will not do)

The new guy seems to be off to a surprisingly good start

Keith Baldrey is the chief political reporter for Global BC

Graham REGIONAL PUBLISHER publisher@tricitynews.com Newspaper Excellence 2020 - FIRST PLACE FundedbytheGovernmentofCanada

Vicki Magnison REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR vimagnison@glaciermedia.ca

Millie McKinnon CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER mmckinnon@tricitynews.com

Seguin DISTRIBUTION MANAGER circulation@tricitynews.com

Parkcanbe cleaner,happier

The Editor:

It remains baffling how irresponsible many dog owners can be whilst taking a stroll with their dog(s) around Blakeburn

Lagoon

Three issues come running at me:

First, pick up after your dog; whether spring, summer, fall or winter, pick up your dog’s business and dispose of it into the trash bins

Not near, next to, under it or onto it

Climatechangehastenscrisis

The Editor: Re: Gentle density must be in plan (The Tri-City News, Letters, Feb 2)

Second, leash your dog and have control over your pet

Not all dogs are friendly nor enjoy having other dogs prancing and dancing about

Lastly, if on a retractable leash, don’t be 15 feet behind your dog

Please people, just follow these three simple rules and the lagoon will be a cleaner and happier place to be

Ray Yule Port Coquitlam

I agree that the density which appears to be in our future will probably make our cities much more crowded and put pressure on our parks and other public spaces

But the problem is not as simple as investigating alternate possibilities

We have put off the problem of population and the carbon load that puts in our atmosphere too long for us to pursue simple solutions

We will be faced with simultaneously trying to adapt to climate change, trying to remedy the cause of climate

change and coping with tens of thousands of climate refugees from various parts of the world which are already close to uninhabitable

It sounds apocalyptic, but if you look at the climate

Monday,Feb.20

CentennialActivityCentre Closed coquitlam.ca/cac

CityCentreAquaticComplex

8–10a.m.Womens-onlyswim. 10:30a.m.–10:30p.m. coquitlam.ca/ccac

CoquitlamAnimalShelter 10a.m.–4p.m. coquitlam.ca/animalshelter

CoquitlamCityHall Closed coquitlam.ca

DogwoodPavilion Closed coquitlam.ca/dogwood

GlenPinePavilion Closed coquitlam.ca/glenpine

MaillardvilleCommunityCentre 9a.m.–5p.m. coquitlam.ca/mcc

PinetreeCommunityCentre 9a.m.–5p.m. coquitlam.ca/pinetree

PoirierCommunityCentre 9:30–11:30a.m.FamilyDay

Event coquitlam.ca/poirier

PoirierForum

Rentalsonly coquitlam.ca/poirierforum

| coquitlam.ca/holidayhours

Townhouses under construction in Port Moody A letter writer says the challenge of climate change is bringing extra urgency to solving the housing crisis.

projections and the already significant flow of climate refugees, I don’t believe I’m exaggerating

I don’t believe that new technology alone will solve this cluster of problems

It will require governments and populations to act cooperatively, and with the urgency the situation calls for

Richard Hollins Coquitlam

ManyofCoquitlam’sfacilitieshavespecialoperating hoursormaybeclosedonFamilyDay.Visitthe individualfacilitywebpagesforspecificdetails. Ifyourequireimmediateassistanceregardingwater, sewerorroads,pleasecall604-927-3500.

PoirierSport&LeisureComplex 8a.m.–8p.m. coquitlam.ca/pslc

RobinsonMemorialPark Cemetery Open:daily,dawntodusk CemeteryOffice Closed coquitlam.ca/cemetery

SmilingCreekActivityCentre Closed coquitlam.ca/smilingcreek

SummitCommunityCentre Closed coquitlam.ca/summit

TheGetawayYouthCentre Closed coquitlam.ca/youth

TheLandingYouthCentre Closed coquitlam.ca/youth

TheLoungeatMCC Closed coquitlam.ca/youth

TownCentreRecyclingDepot Closed coquitlam.ca/recycling

VictoriaCommunityHall Rentalsonly coquitlam.ca/victoria

Galleryseekstomakeconnectionsthroughart

Informal setting helps lower the barrier to enjoy art

MARIO BARTEL mbartel@tricitynews.com

Cezar Salaveria believes art is as much about creating community as the creative process

That’s why, two years ago, he opened Grit Studio and Café in a heritage building on Port Moody’s Clarke Street

Since then, he’s seen people come through the front door musing out loud about their coffee or snack choices, then, an hour later, leave chatting excitedly about the art that adorns every wall and shelf in the place

Even most of the tables and chairs are crafted by Salaveria, who makes liberal use of reclaimed and recycled materials

Now he wants to kick that connection up a notch

Recently, Grit hosted Culture Pop, a curated show and sale of works by five local artists who were in attendance to talk with visitors about their art

Some of the work included paintings on old plastics, tote bags crafted

from recycled materials, a live portrait artist, a silversmith and a woodworker

Salaveria said while the café has held little bazaars in the past, this was his first

attempt at a curated event

It won’t be his last Salaveria said he has

plans to expand on the concept, perhaps spreading to an outdoor space when the

weather is more conducive

He said it’s important artists get opportunities to mix with each other and the community and vice versa

“Art is not just for visual spectacle, it is to facilitate personal engagement,” Salaveria said

He added the stories that are often shared at such gatherings bring further dimension to the works on display and help fire the creative energies of the artists as well as deepen engagement with the community

“You need to be able to share,” he said

Salaveria said informal settings like a café or bazaar help lower barriers that might make people hesitant to enter a more formal gallery; they’re there to get a coffee and croissant or shop for a gift and end up learning about an artist’s creative process or technique

In turn, artists learn about their audience

That can be liberating, Salaveria said, as often artists work in isolated pockets, creating in back rooms or studio spaces, the only measure of their efforts whether pieces sell

“That’s the way community pulls toward us,” Salaveria said “Making art more accessible is a catalyst”

For more photos follow us on Instagram #tricitynews

Cezar Salaveria relaxes in a back room of his Grit Studio and Gallery in Port Moody where he’s welcoming other artists to share their work and connect with each other and the community MARIO BARTEL/THE TRI-CITY NEWS

New year, financially stronger you

Salariesboostbudget

DIANE STRANDBERG dstrandberg@tricitynews com

A combination of higher than expected enrolment, illness and inflation has bumped up the cost of running Coquitlam district schools

At the Feb 7 board meeting, trustees approved

an amended budget of $447,473,144 for the 2022–23 school year, which includes operating as well as capital and special purpose funds

But it was the higher operating costs of $19 2 million over last year’s preliminary budget of $324 7 million for salaries, benefits, supplies, utilities, insurance and transportation that was the focus of a staff report

Most of the higher costs are for increased salaries, contracted wage increases and benefits

SD43 superintendent Patricia Garland said the fall brought “multi-faceted challenges,” including an “exponential growth” in the number of students, as well as more illness, caused by the end to pandemic restrictions

Last fall, 700 more newcomer students not including international education students joined SD43, bringing the enrolment to 1,635

To help them improve their English language learning (ELL) skills, the district has hired ELL specialists, including a teacher at Summit Middle School

As well, the district is piloting a new digital report card, called an annual instruction plan, that sets students’ goals and strategies for learning

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5. You don’t feel as safe on your own.

6. You wish you had more cash on hand.

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geted

Gartland told trustees that international education is opening up again with the easing of pandemic restrictions and more international flights

“That’s all really opened up this year,” she said, noting 1,200 international students are currently studying in K–12 schools, generating more than $17 million in revenue

Investment income is also trending above budget due to higher interest rates and has been increased by $781,000

However, the district has had to top up the budget with its own reserves by more than $17 million while it waits for the provincial government to confirm money for wage increases and fund teachers necessary to address enrolment pressures

The amended budget includes the following staff increases; all positions in FTEs (full-time equivalency):

TEACHERS

• 27 for enrolment increases

• 20 classroom enhancements

• 15 permanent substitute teachers to help reduce number of unfilled absences

• 10 for increase in international enrolment

Trustees were told that teachers are getting special training to learn the system, and other supports, so they can help their newcomer students

In recent months, respiratory illnesses, including colds and flu, has resulted in illness throughout the school district

FLYING SQUAD

To ensure that classes are covered when a teacher is ill, the district hired a flying squad of 15 permanent teachers on call (or substitutes) who fill in where needed

However, only nine of the positions are filled because the demand for teachers is so high and teachers are being placed in other jobs

Helping improve the school district’s bottom line is international education revenue, which was nearly $2 million more than bud-

• 1 for Indigenous Education (sans one FTE teacher coordinator position for trades and transition who converted to vice principal)

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS

• 16 for increase in special needs students

• 2 temporary Indigenous Education Youth Workers

• 1 temporary youth worker for supervision on bussing required for Coast Salish Elementary students

SUPPORT STAFF

• 1 temporary district secretary position to assist with a maternity leave coverage

PRINCIPALS AND VICE PRINCIPALS

• 1 vice principal position in the information services department

• 0 85 FTE for Trades and Transition principal position

Local food festival ‘Taste of the Tri-Cities’ is back – andyoudon’twanttomissit.

Participating local eateries in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody will have exclusive offers for customers from Feb 17 to March 12

“In 2021, I remember participating in the Taste of the Tri-Cities festival as a consumer. My favourite part of it all was just discovering all these new places that I had no idea existed,” says Brown. “I encourage everyone to keep an eye out for these one-off, unique deals that would otherwise not be available anywhere else”

And whether you ’ re looking to get 15 per cent off delicious Mexican food at Loz TaKos, peruse Fairways Grill & Patio’s special set menus for $32 lunch or $38 dinner or enjoy Cannoli King’s 2-for-1 pastries from Monday to Friday, there’s certainly something for everyone.

“For every $100 spent at an independent business, $63 is recirculated back into the local economy, while only $14 trickles down from the multinationals. This money is

Investing in the strength of your local community couldn’t be simpler – or tastier – with food and drink festival

Taste of the Tri-Cities making its four-week return to Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody eateries this month. All you have to do is dine locally

From Feb 17 to March 12, an eclectic mix of participating restaurants, breweries, distilleries, fast food joints, cafes and eateries will be offering exclusive deals to customers, including special menus, tasty take-out features and discounts.

It’s the perfect opportunity to explore and highlight our excellent local cuisine, all while investing dollars into our own community, says Christina Brown, operations manager of festival partner, the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce

“A lot of people tend to look to downtown Vancouver, or even Burnaby or New West, if they want a fancy dinner out, but we have so many great places right here You don’t have to drive all the way to Granville Island!” she says. “So, we ’ re hoping to bring more awareness to our local businesses.”

More than 45 local businesses are registered to participate this year Among these restaurants are bakeries, coffee spots, cake shops, pizza places and even vegan havens waiting to be explored

The Taste of the Tri-Cities festival has been running since 2021 It was launched by the community partners group, the Tri-Local Collective, to support the local business community that was struggling to thrive during the pandemic and the typically-slower winter months.

reinvested into the community through charitable donations, taxes, job creation and supply-chain management,” explains Brown.

“Overall, money spent on our local economy impacts our community 4.6x more than money spent elsewhere We believe that by showing our neighbours how their money is making a difference, it will encourage them to continue supporting the Tri-Cities.”

Tri-Local, itself, also began in response to the COVID-19 pandemic back in early 2020. When the Tri-Cities Cham-

ber of Commerce saw local businesses were struggling amidst the lockdowns and capacity restrictions, they reached out to their partners and formed a group dedicated to engaging with, educating and motivating the local community to help local businesses survive

Since those dark days, Tri-Local has adjusted that goal to helping these businesses thrive – and Taste of the Tri-Cities is one of the ways they’re doing this

“Anytime that consumers can support local businesses, it really ends up helping the community as a whole – and this festival, in my opinion, makes that fun and delicious. Shopping locally has never been so easy and delicious!” says Brown

For more information on the Taste of the Tri-Cities

food and drink festival, please visit Tri-Local’s website at https://www.trilocal.ca/taste-of-the-tricities You can also follow their Instagram page at @trilocalnow

TasteoftheTri-Citiesisafoodanddrinkfestivalthat highlightstheamazingrestaurants, eateries,pubs, breweries, distilleriesandcafesinCoquitlam, PortCoquitlam andPortMoody Runbythelocalcommunitypartnership, Tri-Local, includingtheTri-CityNews, thisyear’sfestival willrunfromFeb. 17toMarch12.

Enjoyspecialmenus,tastytake-outfeaturesand discounts PhotobyGaryBrar

Morethan45localbusinessesareregisteredtoparticipatethisyear. PhotobyCathyCena

Catalyticconverterthiefiscaughtintheact

Suspect in court today to answer for several charges

KYLE BALZER

kbalzer@tricitynews.com

A 26-year-old Burnaby man is scheduled to appear in court today (Feb 16) after

he was caught red-handed by police as he was stealing a catalytic converter from a vehicle near the Coquitlam–Port Moody border

Coquitlam RCMP spokesperson Cpl Alexa Hodgins said officers from the department’s property crime team were investigating a series of related thefts in the area on Sunday, Feb 5, when they

CelebrateFamilyDay withParkSpark

CelebrateFamilyDaywithafunPirate Parrr-tyonFriday,Feb 17from5:30–

8:30p.m.atTownCentrePark Jointhe ParkSparkteamattheTDCommunity Plazaforpirate-themedactivities, musicandfungames Thengrabamap andgoonatreasurehuntaroundLafarge Lake Formoreinformation, visitcoquitlam.ca/parkspark

TheLightsatLafargewillremainonfor everyonetoenjoyuntilFeb 21

saw a man stealing the catalytic converter

As the man tried to flee in another vehicle, he crashed into the responding police cruisers

“Police located a stolen catalytic converter inside the vehicle following the arrest of the driver,” said Hodgins in a news release, adding the suspect also had a false

piece of ID with him and he was breaking his probation orders

Christopher Gagne is charged with:

• Two counts of mischief to property over $5,000

• One count of theft under $5,000

• One count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle

• One count of flight from

ThankYouLightBrigade Volunteers

Thisweek,wewanttorecognizeallofthevolunteers thatwereinvolvedinthe2022LightsatLafarge winterlightdisplay.Over1,000LightBrigade volunteersnotonlycreatednewdisplayelements butalsohelpedinstallmillionsofLEDlightsaround TownCentrePark.

police

• One count for possession of the false ID document

• One count for breach of probation order

• One count for breach of undertaking

The incident occurred just a week after Coquitlam RCMP issued an alert to local drivers of an increase in catalytic converter thefts in the area

On Jan 15, a man was caught on home security camera in Austin Heights stealing a catalytic converter only needing a minute to pull up to the residence, cut off the device and flee in getaway vehicle

“Catalytic converter thefts can be done relatively quickly by thieves,” Hodgins said in an earlier statement, adding that parking a vehicle in a way that’s accessible from all angles make a thief’s job easier

Catalytic converters contain metals that have increased in value in recent years, making them a prime target for thieves

PREVENTION TIPS

Mounties are strongly encouraging vehicle owners to take every precaution necessary to prevent possible theft, including:

Catalytic converters contain valuable metals that are a lure to thieves.

• Park in a secure garage, underground or behind a locked fence, or if that’s not possible in a well-lit, populaed area

• Park your vehicle in a manner where it may be difficult to gain access under your car like against a wall or near another vehicle

• Install theft deterrents like wire cages, straps and alarms

• Speak with your mechanic regarding prevention measures like welding bolts or engraving an identification number on valuable components to deter their resale

• Install theft prevention measures around your home like motion activated lights and security cameras As well, ensure shrubs and hedges are trimmed to enhance visibility

We’relookingforvolunteerstojoinusattheendof themonthtohelpustakedowntheLightsatLafarge winterlightdisplay Thisvolunteeropportunityis availabletopeopleofallagesandabilities

Forinfoaboutthisopportunityortofindouthowto getinvolvedwithParkSparkthroughouttheyear, emailparkspark@coquitlam.ca.

NewartshowatECC,DessertNightinPoCo

Friday, Feb. 17

LIGHTS AT LAFARGE

It’s the last weekend for Lights at Lafarge, the free annual show at Town Centre Park featuring nearly one million lights Tonight, the City of Coquitlam’s Park Spark crew will host a pirate party that includes a treasure hunt around the lake (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) And on Saturday, also between 5:30 and 8:30 p m , there’s a farewell celebration at the TD Community Plaza

MORE: coquitlam.ca/ parkspark

TOMATO TUNES

Based on a true story about overcoming obstacles, Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me but Banjos Saved My Life is at the Evergreen Cultural Centre (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) tonight and Saturday The show, which begins at 7:30 p m , was selected for the Fringe Encore series in New York in 2019

MORE: evergreenculturalcentre.ca

Saturday, Feb. 18

FAMILY WEEKEND

Coquitlam’s community hubs are filled with games and activities leading up to the stat holiday on Monday: BC Family Day Today, Eco Trekkers (ages 3 to 5) is on from 9:45 to 10:45 a m at Mundy Park (641 Hillcrest

St ) while family badminton (ages 6 and up) is from 1:30 to 3:30 p m at Maillardville Community Centre (1200 Cartier Ave ), as well as at the Centennial Activity Centre (578 Poirier St ) from 1:45 to 3:45 p m Or, you can take the kids to see The Croods: A New Age, a movie that rolls at the Maillardville Community Centre from 3:30 to 5:30 p m

REGISTER: coquitlam.ca/ familyday

TACKLE WEEDS

Slip on your boots and old clothes to help the City of Coquitlam remove invasive plants around Como Lake. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., city staff and Burke Mountain Naturalists members will be around the lake; meet in the northern parking lot (730 Gatensbury St., Coquitlam). Tools will be supplied. No experience is necessary.

REGISTER: kleko@telus. net

TURKEY BOWL

Try to get three strikes in a row in a single game at PoCo Bowl (2263 McAllister Ave , Port Coquitlam), which is taking part in the inaugural Turkey Bowl across Canada

MORE: canadianturkey. ca/turkeybowl

OUR HERITAGE

For the fourth year, Coquitlam Heritage celebrates Black History Month Family Day with African dance, crafts and food at Victoria Community Hall (3435 Victoria Dr , Coquitlam) The event from noon to 3 p m is free and includes music from Tropical Breeze and Okey Osman

MORE: coquitlamheritage.ca

BOARD GAMES

Families with kids ages eight and up can pop over to the City Centre branch of the Coquitlam Public Library (1169 Pinetree Way) from 2 to 3:30 p m to play a board game with a new friend The event takes place in rooms 136 and 137 Registration is not required

MORE: coqlibrary ca

MEET THE ARTIST

Stop by the Art Gallery at Evergreen (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) at 2 p m to hear a conversation between artist Jin-me Yoon and Euijung McGillis, assistant

curator of the photographs collection at the National Gallery of Canada Yoon opens her solo exhibit at the Evergreen Cultural Centre, titled Long Time So Long, from 3:30 to 5 p m

REGISTER: evergreenculturalcentre.ca

SWEET TREATS

Taste cakes, sip on hot beverages and shop for handcrafted Uganda jewelry at the Abetavu Dessert Night fundraiser hosted by Port Coquitlam residents Carli Travers and Robert Birungi The event takes place from 7 to 8:30 p m at Riverside Community Church (2329 Fremont Conn , Port Coquitlam) Tickets are $15

MORE: abetavu. eventbrite.ca

SWEET JANE

BC Entertainment Hall of Famer Jane Mortifee performs with a band as part of the Inlet Theatre Music Series at Inlet Theatre (inside Port Moody City Hall, 100 Newport Dr ) at 7:30 p m

Tickets are $33 57

MORE: eventbrite ca

MERENGUE

Dance beginners can take a merengue lesson with Alberto Gonzalez and Teresa Szefler of the Hot Salsa Dance Zone at the Port Coquitlam Legion (2675 Shaughnessy St ) at 8 p m

The dance floor opens up at

9 p m and goes until midnight Admission is $15

MORE: hotsalsadancezone.com/events

Sunday, Feb. 19

SHOP LOCAL

Golden Meadows Honey Farm, Mile Earth and Twins Donuts are some of the vendors at this week’s Port Moody Winter Farmers Market, on from 10 a m to 2 p m in the parking lot south of the Port Moody Recreation Complex (300 Ioco Rd )

MORE: makebakegrow. com

HELP WITH HARP

Harpist Bess Lu and narrator Rob Muir present The Night Circus, an evening of music and readings to raise funds for the homeless shelter at 3030 Gordon Ave , Coquitlam The show starts at 7 p m at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (1504 Sprice Ave , Coquitlam) Admission is by donation

MORE: gslcc ca

BALLET JORGEN

Dance For All is the title of Ballet Jorgen’s show at the Evergreen Cultural Centre (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) at 7:30 p m featuring excerpts from classical ballets

MORE: evergreenculturalcentre ca

Untitled [Lion] is an image from "Long Time So Long," a solo display by Jin-Me Yoon that opens Saturday at the Art Gallery at Evergreen. JIN-ME YOON VIA EVERGREEN CC

MLAbattlingcancer

KYLE BALZER kbalzer@tricitynews.com

Coquitlam–Maillardville

MLA Selina Robinson is fighting again

Not for re-election, though Robinson announced Feb 7 that the cancer she thought she’d defeated in 2021 has returned Robinson was diagnosed with a rare form of intestinal cancer in 2006, but after 15 years of chemotherapy treatment, doctors said she had “no evidence of disease” two years ago

Robinson told her fellow MLAs at the B C Legislature a recent scan revealed a small tumour and her chemotherapy treatment is to begin anew She said she received the news Jan 27 and acknowledged it was difficult for her to tell her family

Following her announcement, Robinson received an outpouring of support from

politicians and the public

“Selina Robinson is the smartest, strongest, fiercest woman I’ve had the honour to know and look up to,” said former Coquitlam–Burke Mountain MLA Jodie Wickens

“I have no doubt Selina Robinson will kick cancer’s ass again,” said Coquitlam Coun Matt Djonlic

“I am, in my way, sending healing white light for you to kick cancer’s butt again,” said a supporter

“I’m sorry, Selina But one thing I know is that you are tougher and stronger than cancer and you have all of us in your corner,” added another

In a social media post, Robinson said she was “touched by the love and support”

As a result of her 2006 diagnosis, Robinson had to have six inches of her small intestine and “other small parts” removed

She said she’s “confident” in the treatment that lies

ahead for her, noting there are five other treatment options available if the current one doesn’t work

During her announcement to the Legislature, Robinson urged members to join her in the B C Cancer Foundation’s Tour de Cure cycling fundraiser, reminding them she’s still alive because of research done to discover additional cancer treatments

The annual two-day ride from Cloverdale to Hope is scheduled for Aug 26–27 Robinson will be doing the ride with her husband, Dan, as part of team Team Way Hey Hey!

As of Tuesday (Feb 14) Robinson had raised more than $9,900 of her $15,000 goal

Monday, Coquitlam Express general manager Tali Campbell announced the team will donate $2 from every ticket sold for the team’s game Feb 26 against the Nanaimo Clippers to her effort

Hubisgettinganewlife

The innovation hub at Coquitlam’s Town Centre Park is getting new life as a community centre

Recently, city council approved final plans to convert the hub into a larger, more inclusive civic space to host public events, arts and cultural exhibitions, lectures and other day-to-day activities

Ted Uhrich, project manager for strategic and capital projects at the City of Coquitlam, said when the conversion to a community centre is finished by spring, 2024, it will help alleviate pressure and overcapacity issues at other nearby civic facilities like the Pinetree Community Centre and Glen Pine Pavilion He said upgrading the 11,250 sq ft facility is more cost-effective than building a new one altogether

Among the features in the new facility will be:

UPPER LEVEL

• a large open space that will function as a community living room

• concession area

• multi-purpose rooms and flex space

• covered deck for outdoor programming

LOWER LEVEL

• studio/maker’s space

• exterior plaza for indoor/outdoor programming

• lounge area

• meeting rooms and

multi-purpose spaces

As well, local artists will be invited later this year to submit designs for a largescale mural on the south and east exterior walls of the upgraded building

The Innovation Centre, located behind the Evergreen Cultural Centre at 1207 Pinetree Way, originally opened in 1996 The city took over its operation in 2004 and has been using it for office and meeting space for staff

Construction for the conversion is scheduled to begin in April

A rendering of the new community centre at Town Centre Park. CITY OF COQUITLAM

Notice of Public Hearing

The City of Port Coquitlam will be holding a Public Hearing to receive input from all persons and interested parties who wish to address Council regarding the following proposed bylaws

Date & Time: Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 6 pm

Location: Council Chambers, City Hall - 2580 Shaughnessy St., Port Coquitlam

Immediately following adjournment of the Public Hearing the Regular Council Meeting will reconvene and Council may give consideration to bylaws on the Public Hearing portion of the Agenda

Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 4300, 2023 – 3688 Hamilton Street

The Intent of Bylaw No 4300, 2023, is to amend City of Port Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw No 3630, 2008 to rezone the subject property as outlined in black on the map marked Schedule “A” to Bylaw 4300 from RS1 (Residential Single Dwelling 1) to RD (Residential Duplex)

If approved, the application will allow construction of a duplex on the site

Inspection of Documents

Bypassspeedernabbedtwice

Driver issued $564 in fines and vehicle was impounded

KYLE BALZER kbalzer@tricitynews.com

The odds must be astronomical for a driver to get pulled over twice in the same day and on the same road let alone within the same hour

Schedule “A” to Bylaw No 4300

To view copies of the supporting documents (staff reports and bylaws) visit portcoquitlam.ca/publichearings

Submit Your Comments

In order to afford Council the opportunity to review your comments in advance of the Public Hearing please forward your submission prior to noon on the day of the Public Hearing by: Email: publichearings@portcoquitlam.ca OR Mail: Corporate Office, City of Port Coquitlam 2580 Shaughnessy St., Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 2A8

*Written submissions, including names and addresses (Street and City only) will become part of the public record and will be published on the City’s website and available at the Corporate Office for public inspection.

Speaking at Public Hearing

Participate in person at the Public Hearing on/at the date, time, and location noted above

*Video recordings of Public Hearings are streamed live and archived on the City’s website at portcoquitlam.ca/council

Please note: Council cannot receive new or additional information on these applications after the public hearing

For

But that was the case for one Port Coquitlam commuter that chose to speed excessively along the Mary Hill Bypass (Highway 7B), a stretch local traffic cops are patrolling more actively these days in hopes of breaking motorists’ speeding habit

In a span of 15 minutes the night of Feb 3, a driver clocked 49 km/h over the posted speed limits on two separate occasions

The first took place just before 11 p m when they

reached 109 km/h in a 60 zone near intersection of the 7B and Coast Meridian Road

Then, at exactly 11:13

p m , the driver was pulled over again for speeding to 119 km/h in a 70 zone at Shaughnessy Street and the Mary Hill Bypass about four kilometres west of the first infraction

RCMP issued a total of $564 in fines and impounded the person’s vehicle for a seven-day period under the B C Motor Vehicle Act (MVA)

If the same driver is caught excessively speeding a third time within the next two years, they’ll be subject to a 30-day impoundment, which would lead to a price tag in the thousands to get the vehicle back

“Being caught twice in the same night, let alone within 15 minutes apart is rare,” spokesperson Cpl Alexa Hodgins told the Tri-City News

“The goal of traffic enforcement is to maintain road safety and reduce harm”

Hodgins said the driver also received six demerit points against their license, and hopes this can be a valuable lesson for the public in knowing police are cracking down on excessive speeding

Over the next year, Coquitlam RCMP is tracking enforcement as well as the number of accidents on the Mary Hill Bypass to see if the effort results in a reduction in accidents

Called High Accident Zone Enforcement (HAZE) and High Visibility Enforcement (HVE), Mounties are directing as much as 25 per cent of its traffic resources to Highway 7B

RCMP are also reminding the public to never put stickers on their lights after another driver was fined $109 for having flower decals across their tail lights

THE ARMS PUB

DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS

Constructionworkerawardedafterracialslurs

Abuse at Coquitlam concrete company occurred in 2019

DIANE STRANDBERG dstrandberg@tricitynews.com

A construction worker who identifies as having Mayan and Black heritage has been awarded

$2,500 by the BC Human Rights Tribunal for racial slurs he faced while on the job

Raul Martinez Johnson was working for Whitewater Concrete, a Coquitlam concrete forming company, in 2019 when he was called a monkey and an ape in Spanish by a co-worker, according to evidence provided in a recent tribunal decision posted online

Originally from Honduras, Martinez Johnson was a carpenter working with a team on a high-rise building

He told the tribunal that a colleague called him a “mono” or “simio” (monkey or ape) at work instead of calling him by his name comments that made him feel “little” and “like a dog,” and also contravened the BC Human Rights Code Evidence provided by co-workers, and substantiated by an interpreter, agreed that the terms were used as an insult, not as a joke or simply to indicate

Martinez Johnson was “careless”

In the decision, tribunal member Amber Prince said calling a person a monkey or an ape is often a way to “dehumanize” them

“Calling a Black person a monkey or an ape resorts to and reinforces the stereotype that Black people are subhuman and not equal to others,” Prince states

“This stereotype is especially harmful because it has been exploited by Europeans for centuries to justify colonial rule over people deemed as ‘primitive,’ less ‘civilized,’ and therefore less human

“This a stereotype that has functioned as a rationale for Black slavery and the seizure of Indigenous land,” she wrote Prince stated that while Martinez Johnson was an “active participant in much of the conflict,” stemming

missed Martinez Johnson’s claim that the company failed to take action on his complaints and that he was “constructively dismissed” when he quit his job

Information provided during the hearing showed the company responded to Martinez Johnson’s original complaints about racial slurs in September, during

a meeting in which grievances were aired, and later conducted an investigation following a further dispute

On Nov 4, a supervisor was called to a heated argument on the 18th floor of a high-rise building, in which Martinez Johnson claimed he was assaulted when “one of the guys” put their hands on his chest

“All of the witnesses, except Mr Martinez Johnson, confirmed that yelling took place but no physical touching,” the tribunal states

A supervisor offered to separate the workers, and have Martinez Johnson work on another project; however, he left the job site

Whitewater held an investigation and reviewed

its bullying and harassment policy with staff, but Martinez Johnson had left the company by then

Still, the tribunal said the company properly followed up the complaints and “took reasonable steps to ensure that Mr Martinez Johnson could return to a safe and non-discriminatory workplace”

over disagreements on how to do the job, there was no exchange of racial slurs and that comments directed toward him had a “particular harmful impact”

“I accept his evidence that being called a monkey and an ape made him feel embarrassed, mocked and disrespected The slurs were an inherent affront to his dignity and intersecting identities,” the tribunal decision states

Whitewater and Nicholas Pacheco are jointly responsible for paying compensation plus interest to Martinez Johnson for the racial slurs

However, the tribunal dis-

Being called a monkey and an ape made him feel embarrassed

Human Rights Tribunal

FormerPoCosupervisorwinsdismissalsuit

Fired for washing his truck using city facilities

DIANE STRANDBERG dstrandberg@tricitynews.com

November 2020 has won a wrongful dismissal suit against the city

In a Dec 1 BC Supreme Court decision posted online, Justice Bruce Elwood ruled that the dismissal of Marco Stevens was out of proportion with his wrongful use of city facilities to wash his truck and recreational trailer

Stevens will receive nearly $58,000 in compensation in an agreement reached with the city prior to the Nov 16–18 trial

However, the city won’t have to pay punitive damages, the judge decided, because the city acted in “good faith” in response to misconduct by a senior employee “from whom it expected

LearnHowtoSafely Co-ExistwithCoyotes

better”

In trial testimony, it was revealed that Stevens was promoted to supervisor of water, sewer and construction in October 2018, after a copper-theft ring had been uncovered

At the time of his promotion, the city was restructuring and endeavouring to reinforce policies about the

Coyotebreedingseason(JanuarytoApril)isunderway,and minimizingconflictsbetweencoyotes,humansandpetsis importantinordertoprotectthesafetyofourcommunity andoururbanwildlife.

Signuptoattendaninformationsessionandlearnaboutthecoyote breedingseason,aswellastipstohelpkeepyourfamilyandpetssafe Discoverwhattodoifyouencounteracoyoteandwaystomanage attractants.PresentedbyStanleyParkEcologySociety(SPES).

Saturday,Feb.25 | 1–2:30p.m.

atPoirierSportandLeisureComplex,633PoirierSt. Room2/3

Registeratcoquitlam.ca/urbanwildlife

Friday,March3 | 7–8p.m. atGlenayreCommunityCentre,492GlencoeDr. CourseID#31326

Registeratportmoody.ca/signmeup orcall604-469-4556

importance of not using city facilities for private use

Stevens had risen up the ranks from the post of a tradesman over five years, and was encouraged to apply for the non-union supervisor job

However, a few months prior to his promotion in 2018, Stevens used city washing facilities for his

dent during a performance review, and the information was provided to Stevens’ manager, David Kidd, who expressed “utter disappointment” in the news

When Stevens learned of his manager’s disapproval in the 2020 truck-washing incident, he acknowledged via text that his behaviour was wrong

“I had a lapse of judgments [sic] and I was wrong I’ll take whatever comes from it on the chin My bad guys,” Stevens wrote Kidd subsequently spoke to Stevens, as well as the human resources manager and a section head, before he provided Stevens with a letter teminating his employment

Marco Stevens

Fired PoCo employee

vehicle, and was warned not to, the judge was told

In the 2020 incident, for which he was fired, Stevens was washing his truck, which he used for work, to make it “presentable,” as well as a recreational trailer, both of which were dirty from a hunting trip

However, he was spotted by a bylaw officer, who questioned him about it

Stevens reportedly told the employee: “You probably shouldn’t do that,” and, “It’s frowned upon,” which is what he told the judge he was told in 2018 when he used the public washing facilities the first time

The employee reportedly told a human resources manager about the inci-

According to the judge, Stevens’ conduct was a breach of city policy, which states “with limited enumerated exceptions, employees are not permitted to use municipal facilities, equipment, supplies or resources for their own private or personal use”

As well, a conflict of interest policy states that “employees must not take undue advantage of their position to derive benefit for themselves, their families or any outside business with which they are associated”

Stevens told the judge that he had limited understanding of city policies, which he read in 2013, when he was first hired and was “given four hours to review the entire policy manual on the city’s intranet”

However, the judge said Stevens was aware of the policy to not use city equipment for personal use

“He specifically understood that washing a per-

see STAFF, page 29

A former Port Coquitlam water operations supervisor who was fired in

I wasn’t too happy with how I was treated as a relativelylongstanding employee.

Staffonedgeaftercoppertheft

theft, Justice Elwood said

sonal vehicle using municipal equipment was against city policy,” the judge said, adding later that Stevens “failed to lead by example”

“Having said this, the nature of his misconduct was not inherently dishonest or deceitful Mr Stevens did something he knew was wrong His misuse of the municipal wash facility only became known because someone saw him do it However, he did not steal from the city, and he did not lie to his supervisors”

POLICY CLEAR

The judge said that while the policy was clear, there was a lack of explicit consequences if the policy was breached, and Kidd could have done more to investigate the bylaw officers’ story about what Stevens said to him and how it related to the 2018 incident

Still, the decision to terminate Stevens instead of disciplining him, such as by suspension without pay or other means, was likely an after effect from the copper

“In my respectful view, Mr Kidd put undue weight on the previous dismissal of six employees and a perceived need for consistent application of the city’s policies,” the judge stated

“Washing a truck at a municipal wash station is simply not analogous to a nefarious and long-running scheme to use municipal equipment and vehicles to steal city property

Reasonable employees would not think it was a double standard to apply an appropriate, but lesser, penalty for washing a personal vehicle as opposed to summary dismissal for stealing copper”

Stevens, who has moved on and has a job as a supervisor at another city, said he feels “vindicated” by the wrongful dismissal suit

“I wasn’t too happy about how I was treated as a relatively long-standing employee,” said Stevens, who will receive $57,910 56 in damages in an agreement reached before the trial

The issue of court costs still has to be resolved

Newyouthcouncil

A new council has been created by Metro Vancouver to solicit teenagers for their thoughts on community growth

In hopes of empowering the next generation, the regional district’s youth and education advisory group will provide input on the issues that matter to them

Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra are all members of Metro Vancouver

Five youth aged 13 to 18, potentially from any of the local municipalities, as well as five post-secondary students (18 to 25) and five K–12 educators make up the 15-person panel

Though voluntary,

Meanwhile, the City of Port Coquitlam isn’t commenting on the results of the suit

“The City of Port Coquitlam does not comment on personnel matters and we continue to follow the advice of our legal counsel,” a spokesperson for the city stated in an email to the Tri-City News

the panel will meet four times a year to discuss topics related to Metro Vancouver’s regional development

Panellists will also be encouraged to pose questions, comments and concerns about shaping future plans and policies

“This panel will support Metro Vancouver to engage, educate, involve, and empower youth in the region,” the district said on its website

“The panel will share comments and present recommendations to Metro Vancouver staff”

The group meets in person weekdays after school at Metro Vancouver’s head office in Burnaby

MontroseSquarenearsfinish

Master-planned project includes shops and services

DIANE STRANDBERG dstrandberg@tricitynews.com

A new rental apartment will soon be constructed close to the Port Coquitlam Community Centre

Quantum Properties is seeking approval for the final phase of Montrose Square a master-planned community, that has been rising with homes, shops, services and a café

The company is seeking Port Coquitlam council approval for the final phase a five-storey apartment with 52 rental units atop oneand-a- half levels of parking

The project is located at 2388 Mary Hill Rd and will include:

• 13 studios

• 21 one-bedroom

• 5 two-bedroom

The final phase of Montrose Square will be rental apartments. DIANE STRANDBERG/TCN

• 3 three-bedroom homes

The rental apartments will vary in size from 470 sq ft to 1,023 sq ft , with the main resident pedestrian entrance at the corner of Mary Hill Road and Kelly Avenue

Cars can access the underground and first-floor parking from the rear lane

While the project is heralded in a council report for its heritage-style design, the developer is seeking a vari-

City of Coquitlam NOTICE OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION

ance to allow balconies to project into the side yard to provide more living space

However, the variance isn’t expected to create issues for nearby properties

Montrose Square currently includes 353 apartments and 11 live/work units in four six-storey buildings, with the live/work units facing Terry Fox Plaza

The third phase, currently under construction, includes 56 seniors-oriented apartments and a small restaurant/café located on the northeast corner of Kelly Avenue and Mary Hill Road

If approved and constructed, the final phase will mark the conclusion of a lengthy development that began with public consultation in 2017, according to the city

Currently, the property houses the Montrose Square sales centre and two trees, which will have to be removed to make way for development

This notice describes a revision to the proposal that was advertised between November 14 to December 2, 2022. Specifically, the proposal has been revised to reduce the number of below-market rental units from 23 to five, and to add six fully-accessible market rental units. The proposed revisions comply with the provisions of the Zoning Bylaw

The City has received an application to amend the Citywide Official Community Plan relating to the properties located at 820 and 826 Dogwood Street and 615, 617 and 633 Lea Avenue. The application proposes an amendment to the land use designation of the subject properties to change the designation from Medium Density Apartment Residential to High Density Apartment Residential.

If approved, the amendment would facilitate the development of 199 market rental units (previously 181) of which six are fully accessible, and five belowmarket rental units (previously 23) in one 12-storey apartment building and one seven-storey apartment building

You are invited to provide input to Council with respect to the above-noted application.

The City of Coquitlam will be receiving input up to February 23, 2023 Written correspondence can be provided in one of the following ways:

• Email: clerks@coquitlam ca with “Section 475 – PROJ 21-145” in the subject line;

• Regular mail: City Clerk’s Office, 2nd Floor, 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC, V3B 7N2;

• In person: Attn: City Clerk’s Office – please place in one of two City Hall drop boxes (3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam), located at the underground parking entrance or by the main entrance facing Burlington Drive;

• Fax: to the City Clerk’s Office at 604-927-3015

Additional information about this application can be accessed by contacting Kerry Thompson, Planning and Development Department, at kerry.thompson@ coquitlam.ca.

Written submissions provided in response to this consultation, including names and addresses, will become part of the public record which includes the submissions being made available for public inspection at Coquitlam City Hall (at the Planning and Development counter) and potentially on our website as part of a future agenda package at www.coquitlam.ca/agendas.

Should Council decide to approve this application going to a Public Hearing, notification for the hearing will be completed in accordance with the Local Government Act

City of Coquitlam NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The City is continuing to facilitate electronic participation for all meetings. Those wishing to listen and/or participate remotely at the Public Hearing can visit www.coquitlam.ca/publichearing or call 604-927-3010 for details and instructions.

If you do not wish to provide input, but would like to view the proceedings, watch online: www.coquitlam.ca/webcasts

Notice is hereby given that the City of Coquitlam will be holding a Public Hearing to receive representations from all persons who deem it in their interest to address Council regarding the following proposed bylaws. This hearing will be held on:

Date: Monday, February 27, 2023

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: City Hall Council Chambers, 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7N2

Immediately following the adjournment of the Public Hearing, Council will convene a Regular Council Meeting during which it will give consideration to the items on the Public Hearing agenda.

Item 1 Addresses: 3594, 3596, and 3598 Sheffield Avenue Item 3

The intent of Bylaw No 5297, 2023 is to amend City of Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw No 3000, 1996 to rezone the subject properties as outlined in black on the map marked Schedule ‘A’ to Bylaw No 5297, 2023 from A-3 Agricultural and Resource to RS-8 Large Village Single Family Residential.

If approved, the application would facilitate the creation of seven onefamily residential lots for future development

SHAYSTREET

Addresses: 135 Balmoral Drive, 2506, 2508, 2512, 2518, 2524, 2530, 2538, 2540, 2544, 2545, and 2548 Palmer Avenue

Item 2

The intent of Bylaw No. 5289, 2023 is to amend City of Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw No 3000, 1996 to rezone the subject properties as outlined in black on the map marked Schedule ‘A’ to Bylaw No 5289, 2023 from RS-1 One-Family Residential to RM-3 Multi-Storey Medium Density Apartment Residential.

If approved, the application would facilitate the development of 120 apartment units (30 studios, 51 one-bedrooms, 27 twobedrooms, and 12 threebedrooms) in two buildings over a shared parkade.

MITCHELLSTREET

. SCHEDULE 'A' TO BYLAW 5297, 2023

SHEFFIELDAVENUE 5 0 M

Addresses: 634, 636, 640, 642, and 644 Tyndall Street

RS-8

The intent of Bylaw No 5280, 2023 is to amend City of Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw No 3000, 1996 to rezone the subject properties as outlined in black on the reference map from RS-1 One-Family Residential, RT-1 Infill Residential, and P-1 Civic Institutional to CD-38 Comprehensive Development Zone – 38.

If approved, the application would facilitate the creation of a master planned, high density residential mixed use development, consisting of nine towers (with a total of approximately 2,835 market and rental units), local serving retail, child care, and a public park

How do I find out more information?

For copies of supporting staff reports and the bylaws, please visit www.coquitlam.ca/publichearing

For additional information and any relevant background documentation, contact the Planning and Development Department by email at planninganddevelopment@coquitlam.ca or by phone at 604-927-3430. You may also visit the Planning and Development Department in person at 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC, during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday excluding statutory holidays. Please note: while City Hall is open to the public, and physical distancing measures are in place, the City continues to encourage the use of remote means to obtain more information on these applications.

3598 3596 3594 Appica onNo:PROJ 21-038 2 5 0 8 2 5 4 8 2 5 4 5 2 0 6 2 5 1 2 2 5 1 8 2 5 2 4 2 5 3 0 2 5 3 8 2 4 0 2 4 4 1 3 5 F A L C O N D R V E RAVEN COUR GUILDFORD DRIVE RUNNELDRIVE PALMERAVENUE B A L M O R A L D R V E BARNETHIGHWAY 1158 2550 2560 115 2 5 4 2 5 5 7 2 5 8 2 5 5 8 2534 2561 2551 2 5 5 0 1 1 4 5 2 5 5 1 2 553 2 5 5 1154 2 5 6 1 2555 1 0 9 0 2 5 5 2 2 5 4 2 5 5 5 1 0 8 9 1 1 3 8 1155 2573 2 5 5 6 2 5 5 7 2 5 5 9 5 5 9 2 5 6 0 2565 2574 2561 2 5 5 3 1 1 2 5 2544 2565 1153 1151 2 5 5 2 5 6 2 5 6 0 2575 2590 1 1 4 0 2575 1156 2 5 6 1 1 1 5 1 1 5 0 PROJ 21-038 CLRKS LOC FE Map Da e: 2022-10-28 NOTTO SCALE C I T Y O F P O R T M O O D Y Subject Properties (135 Balmoral Drive & 2506 - 2548 Palmer Avenue) 8 2 1 8 1 507 6 2 4 4 6 4 646 2 8 6 3 653 6 2 5 8 3 4 0 513 644 6 8 6 3 2 501 504 509 6 3 2 6 4 6 3 6 2 1 8 2 8 2 7 6 3 5 503 505 6 2 6 2 6 3 6 1 7 6 9 6 3 7 6 2 2 642 4 0 8 2 5 3 1 6 2 4 6 2 9 6 3 6 6 3 4 6 1 3 4 6 3 8 1 6 9 8 3 500 6 3 3 6 3 0 4 3 652 6 3 9 8 647 6 6 651 655 8 1 2 3 6 2 6 7 6 3 5 511 648 6 2 657 21-088 SCHEDULE A RZ 2 . SCHEDULE 'A' TO BYLAW 5289, 2023 RM-3 TYNDALL STREET JEFFERSONAVENUE CLAREM ONT STREET NORTH ROAD

Date: Monday, February 27, 2023

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: City Hall Council Chambers, 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC, V3B 7N2

Notice of Public Hearing continued from previous page

The City is continuing to facilitate electronic participation for all meetings. Those wishing to listen and/or participate remotely at the Public Hearing can visit www.coquitlam.ca/publichearing or call 604-927-3010 for details and instructions. If you do not wish to provide input, but would like to view the proceedings, watch online: www.coquitlam.ca/webcasts

How do I provide input?

Prior to the Public Hearing written comments may be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office in one of the following ways:

• Email: clerks@coquitlam.ca;

• Fax: to the City Clerk’s Office at 604-927-3015; or

• In person: Attn: City Clerk’s Office, City Hall at 3000 Guildford Way:

• To the City Clerk’s Office front desk, which is located on the second floor of City Hall; or

• Place in either one of two City Hall drop boxes located at the underground parking entrance or by the main entrance facing Burlington Drive.

To afford Council an opportunity to review your submission, please ensure that you forward it to the City Clerk’s Office prior to noon on the day of the hearing Please note that the drop boxes will be emptied shortly after 12:00 p.m. and not checked again prior to the hearing

Written submissions provided in response to this consultation, including names and addresses, will become part of the public record which includes the submissions being made available for public inspection at Coquitlam City Hall and on our website at www.coquitlam.ca/agendas. If you require more information regarding this process, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 604-927-3010.

Instructions for how to participate remotely are available at www.coquitlam.ca/publichearing

If you want to provide a verbal submission, please register as far in advance of the meeting as possible. Registration for remote participants can be found at www.coquitlam.ca/publichearing If you wish to participate via telephone, please call 604- 927-3010 to register Please note, you may also register to attend the meeting remotely without signing up to speak to an item. The City Clerk’s Office will compile a speakers list for each item. Everyone will be permitted to speak at the Public Hearing but those who have registered in advance will be given first opportunity

Please also be advised that video recordings of Public Hearings are streamed live and archived on the City’s website at www.coquitlam.ca/webcasts

Please note that Council may not receive further submissions from the public or interested parties concerning any of the bylaws described within this advertisement after the conclusion of the Public Hearing

Katie Karn

City Clerk

PoCopurchasescorner

Acquisition was funded by city’s land reserve

DIANE STRANDBERG dstrandberg@tricitynews.com

Port Coquitlam now owns a prominent corner of the city’s downtown

A commercial building with seven tenants, located at 2604 Shaughnessy St , is now in the hands of the city after it concluded a deal for $4 3 million

Funds for the sale came from the city’s land reserve, and the purchase is considered a “strategic” acquisition, according to deputy chief administration officer Karen Grommada

“The city is working to bring a new life and energy to the downtown by creating a much more animated mixed use downtown and a vibrant hub for arts, culture and festivals”

Purchasing the building last June is part of the strategy, and although no timeline has been set, the aim is to redevelop the entire block, Grommada confirmed

RECENT UPGRADES

The 34-year-old, 8,000 sq ft building occupies a strategic corner of Shaughnessy Street and McAllister Avenue, which was recently upgraded with wide sidewalks, planters and lighting

It currently houses the Sun Mart convenience store, Tip Thai restaurant and the Tri-City School of Music

According to sold information for the building on the online realty site Zealty ca, the property generates more than $35,000 a year in taxes

When listed for sale, the low-rise commercial building was touted as an investment property and offered for sale for nearly $4 6 million

The city purchased it after

the property sat on the market for 27 days

Located near the new Quarry Rock Development on McAllister, the commercial building is an entry of sorts to the newly developed area

Quarry Rock

Developments is in the midst of constructing a five-storey building with 63 apartments and commercial space on a city parking lot and an empty commercial lot at 2241 and 2251 McAllister Ave

Construction is underway on the Quarry Rock building on McAllister Avenue in downtown Port Coquitlam

By City of Port Coquitlam

Grommada, meanwhile, told the Tri-City News the acquisition of the Shaughnessy Street property is part of the city’s PoCo Downtown Action plan to enhance the Downtown and support the community’s vision as well as offering the right incentives to promote its growth

City of Coquitlam NOTICE OF INTENTION TO DISPOSE OF LAND OR IMPROVEMENTS

TAKE NOTICE THAT pursuant to Section 26(3) and 94 of the Community Charter the City of Coquitlam (the “City”) hereby gives notice of the intention to sell the following City lands to Polygon Coronation Heights Ltd. (BC0973407):

Civic Address: 2545 Palmer Avenue

Total Size: 21,045 square feet

Sale Price: $9,785,925.00

Legal Descriptions: Parcel “B” (Bylaw Plan 53584) Except: Part Dedicated on Plan 71911; District Lot 238 Group 1 New Westminster District Plan 2270, PID 004-261-551 and Parcel “D” (Bylaw Plan 53584) District Lot 238 Group 1 New Westminster District Plan 1147, PID 004-261-658.

The City Lands are not being made available to the public for acquisition, and the property transaction is associated with the City of Coquitlam Zoning Amendment Bylaw No 5280, 2023, to rezone the above-mentioned site from P-1 Civic Institutional to CD-38 Comprehensive Development Zone – 38 (High rise).

For further information, please contact Mr Greg Hamilton, Manager Real Estate 604-927-6958

THIS ADVERTISEMENT IS FOR THE PURPOSES OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE ONLY, NOT SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER

coquitlam.ca/publichearing

PoMominiaturistpreparesforbigpremiere

Second season of CBC reality show begins on Sunday

BARTEL

The show, which premieres Feb 19 at 7 p m on CBC and the network’s streaming service, CBC Gem, challenges artists expert in designing and crafting 1:12 scale furniture pieces and dioramas to show off their skills against the clock and against each other

The best miniaturist wins

$15,000

Whiteley started making miniature furniture about four years ago when she found commercial pieces for a dollhouse that she’d refurbished for her son, Max, and daughter, Millie, lacking in style and quality They were mostly plastic, garish and pink

Whiteley said she wanted to bring a sense of decorative panache to the two-storey

dollhouse that the kids could play with Whiteley said she favours the simple, clean lines of mid-century modern, so she started researching full-size pieces and sketching out how to scale them down 12 times to the recognized standard for dollhouses

She taught herself a computer program to aid her creative process, assembled the tools and experimented with materials to find just the right combination of ver-

satility and durability

Whiteley settled on 1/4-inch plywood which she now cuts with a laser Individual components are assembled with glue and little tabs

Striving to make her pieces look as realistic as possible, Whiteley said she also relishes the challenge of making them functional, with drawers that pull out from dressers, cabinet doors that swing open on tiny hinges

Recently, Whiteley acquired and taught herself to use a 3D printer that transforms thin filaments of non-toxic plastic into scale countertops, stove elements, decorative vases, kitchen sinks and even a bathtub

Max, 7, and Millie, 5, are Whiteley’s product testers If they like one of her prototypes and it can endure their playing, she adds it to her website, as well as her social media channels

Whiteley said her busi-

ness evolved from a previous side hustle she’d started refurbishing old dollhouses that had seen better days The hobby was an escape and a way to reconnect with her own childhood growing up in London where she cobbled together her dollhouses from boxes

Customers for Whiteley’s dollhouse renos found her on Facebook Marketplace She said she was amazed from how far afield they shipped their little homes to be gussied up with minor repairs, new paint and even wallpaper

Whiteley said putting her miniature furniture online was a little intimidating at first

It may be a niche hobby, but practitioners are very devoted to their craft, attending conventions and trade shows around the world to catch up on the latest technology and survey new trends

“I had no idea such a community existed,” she said

Whiteley said she loves that her craft caters to both adults who can appreciate her design and construction, as well as kids who just want to play

She said a single piece can take weeks of development, honing its assembly

technique, burnishing edges charred by the laser cutter so they’re clean and smooth, determining the details that can be miniaturized to give it pizzazz and personality

While a tiny couch costs $40 and a scale sideboard goes for up to $48 on Whiteley’s website (minterior-designs com), she said dollhouse enthusiasts can design and decorate entire rooms for a fraction of the amount it would take to make over a full-size room

“If you can’t afford it in real life, you can have it in miniature,” she said

Girding for the possibility of new customers discovering her work once the TV show airs, Whiteley’s been busy putting together DIY kits, with all the individual components for items like a tiny Windsor bed, kitchen cabinets and range, Eleanor sideboard and a double vanity that can be flat-packed with instructions for assembly

Whiteley said participating in the TV show and meeting other miniaturists from around the world has energized her to explore the possibilities of her craft

“It’s made me feel if I can work under that kind of pressure, I can do anything,” she said “The sky's the limit”

Gabrielle Whiteley checks out the decor she designed for a dollhouse in her Port Moody workshop. MARIO BARTEL/THE TRI-CITY NEWS

Stylegavearockconcertatcityhall

A longtime Coquitlam resident who rubbed elbows with some of the world’s biggest music stars in the 1980s and ‘90s recently died

Bobbi Style was 58

Born in Exeter, England, Style lived his life to the fullest, his friends said

He toured as a musician, but later became a record producer, working with artists in a variety of genres from punk and goth rock to drum ’n bass

In 1997, Style immigrated to Canada and moved to Burns Lake, where he and some colleagues started a technology company to bring the internet to remote communities In the Lower Mainland, Style spent time with the Vancouver Adapted Music Society (VAMS) to help musicians with disabilities

Fuji Mooney told the Tri-City News that Style, who was born with cerebral palsy and died from stroke-related complications, “always had a quick wit and a very dry British sense of humour

“He was extraordinarily intelligent and perceptive, and did his best to cheer those around him Also, his mixes were legendary”

And before he died, Style finished an album called Midnight, which can be heard via bobbistyle bandcamp com

Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart said Style was both a music and disability champion

Demandforlocalhistory

It’s been a decade since Coquitlam Archives started

And the thirst for local history has never been stronger, the city archivist told council-in-committee on Monday (Feb 13) while presenting last year’s results

In his annual report, Jamie Sanford said online traffic to Quest the Archives’ search tool rose 11 per cent in 2022 with more than 293,000 page views by 43,000 unique viewers from as far away as Russia, Brazil, Japan and Australia

As well, division staff fielded 160 reference re-

quests remotely or from the Archives office, which is located in the same building at the City Centre library branch

Sanford said many of their questions related to the history of a family home, genealogy or information for an academic assignment

Last year, staff uploaded three exhibits online, which also contributed to the increase in eyeballs

Staff also made 15 acquisitions of archival material from such contributors as

• Club Bel Age

• Riverview Horticultural Centre Society

• Hoy–Scott Creek Watershed Society

Sanford said a social media post about a Tri-City News’ story featuring an Elvis mural on an Austin Avenue house was the Archives’ most popular outreach in 2022

He said the division continues to be busy with digitizing film negatives and images

Do you have records or pictures of Coquitlam from years ago? You can make a donation to the Coquitlam Archives by visiting 1171 Pinetree Way or emailing archives@coquitlam.ca.

“A few years ago, Bobbi showed his drive to overcome the limitations of his disability when he and his band gave us a quick rock concert in city council chambers,” Stewart said

“Bobbi introduced me to his favourite local coffee shop, demonstrated for me an off-road electric wheelchair, showed me his in-home recording studio and when I presented him a ‘guitar’ tie, he pretended to like it (I suspect he never wore it )

"An enthusiastic and

optimistic gentleman with an infectious zeal for life, [Bobbi was] one who chose to not be defined by his disability So sorry that he has left us”

Style is survived by a son, Tempest

A memorial will be held at St. Clare of Assisi (2888 Delahaye Dr., Coquitlam, at 10 a.m. on Feb. 24. In lieu of flowers, you can make a donation in Bobbi Style’s name to VAMS (vams.org) or St. Timothy’s Anglican Church (st-timothy.com).

Longtime Coquitlam resident Bobbi Style, a music and disability champion, with Mayor Richard Stewart at Coquitlam City Hall. PHOTO SUBMITTED

‘It’sonemistake,andyoudon’tgetado-over’

Event also features a silent auction and food trucks

MARIO BARTEL

mbartel@tricitynews.com

Wendy Chisholm doesn’t want the brief life of her daughter, Reese Mueller, to be reduced to a statistic

A new tournament named for her, to be hosted by the Port Moody Soccer Club on Saturday (Feb 18), will help

Reese was just 15 when she died last July 26 The Grade 10 student at Heritage Woods Secondary School was one of nearly 2,300 lives lost last year to British Columbia’s poisoned drug supply

But set those numbers aside, asks Chisholm Reese was a talented athlete and beloved teammate with a big heart and indomitable spirit whose motto was, “I got you”

Those were often the words Reese called to her teammates from her position guarding the net on PMSC’s U15 Metro team And when a match was over, she was usually the first player to pitch in to help gather equipment and roll

the nets back into position, said the club’s technical director, Brittany TimkoBaxter

Chisholm said Reese took to every sport she tried She played basketball and volleyball She surfed and

skateboarded By the time she was 11, she’d already earned her black belt in taekwondo Just weeks before

she died, she got her St John Ambulance first aid certificate

Reese started playing

soccer when she was nine At that age, coaches like to give players a chance to try every position When it was her turn to go in goal, she just never left, recalled Chisholm

In her five years playing at PMSC, Reese’s acumen for goaltending eventually earned her a spot on the club’s Metro team, its highest level of competitive play

SUDDENLY ADRIFT

But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, shutting down all organized sports for months and sending kids home from school to do their learning online, Reese was suddenly cast adrift

Denied the structure and discipline she got from athletics and school, Reese struggled, Chisholm said

“She felt disconnected She was just a little lost”

Reese started spending time at a nearby park, hanging out with a crowd Chisholm said might not have been the best friend group for her daughter Reese experimented with marijuana, then escalated to other drugs

One bad dose cost her her life

Wendy Chisholm and Brittany Timko-Baxter check out a poster for the Reese Mueller Memorial soccer tournament that will be played Saturday at Trasolini Field in Port Moody MARIO BARTEL/THE TRI-CITY NEWS

More local Sports coverage at your fingertips.

Silentauctionfor scholarshipfund

continued from page 32

Chisholm can’t shake the anguish of losing her daughter to such an insidious, random killer

“It’s heartbreaking,” she said “You wonder, what’s the right thing to do in this situation It’s one mistake, and you don’t get a do-over”

Timko-Baxter said she was devastated when she heard about Reese’s sudden death But she also knew it was important the young player’s contribution to the club and the players around her shouldn’t ba allowed to just fade away

Timko-Baxter reached out to Chisholm and they began planning a special tournament to honour Reese

At first it will only involve about 170 players from the club’s own U8U12 boys and girls teams, but there’s hope it will grow in stature in coming years

Matches will be played in a festival style, four players to a side with four games happening simultaneously on the pitch at Trasolini Field There will be medals awarded and an opening ceremony at 9 a m and closing ceremony at 3:30 p m Two food trucks will be on hand for refreshments and a silent auction of items like gift cards for local businesses, Vancouver Whitecaps

tickets and even a signed jersey from the Canadian men’s national team that recently played in soccer’s World Cup, will help raise money for a scholarship in Reese’s name as well as PMSC’s program to assist families who can’t afford its registration fees

Chisholm said a day filled with soccer matches and smiling faces will be the best way to honour Reese’s memory But it will also be hard

The lesson Chisholm hopes families will learn from the banners and posters proclaiming the Reese Mueller Memorial Tournament that will be hung around the pitch is that the toxic drug crisis is “tragic and real If it can happen to Reese in this circumstance, it can happen to anyone”

Timko-Baxter said the tournament will be an opportunity to bring Port Moody’s soccer community together in a way it’s never had to before, to show how much they care for one another

“It’ll be a big day,” she said

GETTING HELP

If you think your child might be struggling with their mental health or drugs, Fraser Health has an office for its START program located in Port Moody Call 1-844START11 (1-844-7827811)

Worldsuccess

Coquitlam’s Natalie Winter helped Canada’s national women’s indoor field hockey team to its best-ever finish at the 2023 World Cup in Pretoria, South Africa

Canada finished eighth, after it lost its quarter-final match to the Netherlands, 6-1, last Friday

In two previous appearances, Canada finished ninth in 2007, and 10th in 2015

Winter, who attends York University in Toronto, scored one point during preliminary round play, where Canada finished fourth in its pool with a record of one win, three draws and a loss

Coquitlam Centaurs forward Jordan Reed tries to move around a New Westminster Hyacks defender in the first half of their BC High School Field Lacrosse League game, last Wednesday at Centennial’s turf field. The Centaurs won, 14-7 Nathan Chalmers scored four goals and added three assists to lead Centennial’s attack, while Malcolm Richardson scored three times. The provincials will be played at Town Centre Park Feb. 27–March 2. MARIO BARTEL/ THE TRI-CITY NEWS

REMEMBRANCES

Obituaries

COMMUNITY

LOst

White Gold Earring

Lost between Marpole/ Whyte Avenue in January of 2023 a wh te go d p erced hoop earr ng of sent menta value. Reward is offered. 778 212 0192

ABMA, Thelma Cornelia (nee Sieswerda)

‘spread your tiny wings and fly away ’

It is with great sadness that the fam ly of The ma Cornel a Abma announces her pass ng on February 1, 2023 The ma was born in Fries and in the Nether ands on January 6, 1931 She often shared stor es of her childhood growing up n the v llage of Pingyum In her early years, she surv ved the war, the oss of her home after a bomb ng and the tragic loss of her mother not long after In 1954 she emigrated to Canada with her first daughter to oin her husband Sidney Abma in Wi l ams Lake, B C The fam ly l ved in various other communities n B C nc uding Vancouver, Powe l River and Port Alberni before finally sett ing in Coqu tlam and Port Coqu t am

She had an active life raising her fami y work ng as an insurance agent and vo unteer ng her t me to causes that were important to her She was a volunteer at Wi son Centre for many years where she was known for her soups and scones She oved to keep busy, knitt ng, sew ng, and cooking for her oved ones Her flourishing flowers and plants showcased her passion and aptitude for gardening She was an av d reader w th a br ght mind, and she always kept up with current events and po itics

Predeceased by her husband S dney, daughter Joyce and brother Douwe Thelma s surv ved by and w l be dear y missed by her daughters Ingr d (Amole) and Sonja (Co in); grandch ldren Ju ian (Sheena), Remy (Scott), Trav s (Cherr l ), Chésa (Er c), Kurt and Kat e; great-grandch ldren Em ly, Hannah, Li y, Stel a, Annika and A lison; great-greatgranddaughter Sask a and her nieces and nephews n Fries and and Denmark

Her family and friends wi l remember her for her strength, persistence and constant support She is loved by many and wi l be dear y m ssed

Burkeview Chape

604-944-4128 firstmemor alportcoquitlam com

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