Vancouver Courier January 7 2016

PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS ON THE RISE... TO NO ONE’S SURPRISE 5 VPD CAMERA FOCUSED ON NEIGHBOURHOOD STREETS 6 DAL RICHARDS REMEMBERED 18 SPORTS PASS IT TO BULIS CANUCKS FANS FACE EXISTENTIAL CRISIS 31 THURSDAY

January 7 2016

There’s more online at vancourier.com

The year in stars

Local News, Local Matters

PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

Analysis 12TH & CAMBIE

Incessant din of real estate talk has become tiresome

Mike Howell

mhowell@vancourier.com

Happy New Year!

Now all of you get back to work, school or whatever it is you do…

I hesitate to begin 2016 with a bummer of a rant, but tell me if you haven’t reached the same conclusion I did on my drive into the office Tuesday: For far too long, we’ve had the same tiresome conversation about real estate and how much it costs to live in Vancouver and its suburbs.

It hit me as I listened to Burnaby city councillor Nick Volkow talk to CBC radio host Rick Cluff. They were discussing the property assessments homeowners have either received or will receive this week.

Yep, Volkow’s went up and he’s not happy about it because it means a spike in his taxes and possibly losing his homeowner’s grant. It’s a financial hit that many will face.

But here we go again, I thought, complaining about real estate prices, how the

Homelessness is still a major problem in Vancouver but talk about real estate continues to dominate conversations. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

cost of housing is unaffordable and that senior levels of government haven’t done anything to address it. So tiresome, so Vancouver.

For renters listening in, they must have had a good laugh, maybe turned the

dial to a rock ‘n’ roll station or punted their radio into the next room. That’s, of course, if they had another room to punt it to.

We’ve increasingly become a city of extremes, and I see no substantial

evidence to suggest that definition will change by the end of this year, or the next.

The guy sacked out Tuesday morning in a sleeping bag outside the Starbucks at the Main Street SkyTrain station is

proof. So is the fact Lululemon founder Chip Wilson’s waterfront mansion was assessed at $63.8 million.

We live in a free market, we don’t have rent controls and we have a relatively safe, warm, geographically beautiful city that continues to be desirable for winter-fatigued Canadians and investors.

I get that Vancouver has always had the rich and the poor. And I know that gap has widened. It’s also true the more people I talk to, the more I hear them say they’re tired of surviving in this city and just want to live in it.

A holiday sit-down with relatives who grew up around Main and 25th turned into a discussion about high rents, expensive homes and how Vancouver just ain’t like it used to be.

Some people call it progress, some call it change.

The transformation of Vancouver has apparently been good for the economy.

The Conference Board of Canada forecasts that Vancouver and its region will

lead the nation in economic growth from 2016 to 2019.

Some good news, perhaps.

But ask the average Vancouverite or suburbanite whether all this progress, all this change — while wages and salaries remain stagnant and commute times increase — has put them in a better place than they were a decade ago.

My limited research suggests you’ll get an earful.

So until the real estate market collapses or governments make some magical changes on the housing front, we’ll be left with more tiresome talk about property values and overpriced fixer-uppers.

We’ll also be left with politicians pointing fingers at each other over what to do about a city that is no longer affordable for many people who grew up here or want to live here.

It’s 2016, people.

Vancouver is what it is — a big, expensive city.

Deal with it or move out.

At least change the topic. @Howellings

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opeman Healthcare has written a powerful prescription for healthcare success. The innovative and award-winning company has developed a collaborative, team-based approach that places a strong emphasis on personalized, prevention-focused care and cutting-edge technology.

Founded as a family-owned business, the Copeman team has grown to a full complement of 170 distinguished care providers including physicians, nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, kinesiologists and Registered Dietitians.

Teams work across four locations in B.C. and Alberta and service a roster of clients that has grown steadily since the doors first opened on November 21, 2005.

Although the last decade has welcomed many exciting advances in the delivery of medicine, some things — like the company’s core values — have remained largely unchanged.

At the core of the Copeman philosophy is a steadfast desire to improve quality of life and deliver outstanding care. Since no two patients are the same, care must be personalized to the specific needs of each client. Medical expertise is delivered by a team of professionals who collaborate with the client’s best interests in mind to arrive at an optimal care plan.

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“We pride ourselves on being proactive. We work with each of our clients to help them understand their individual risks; we develop prevention plans tailored to their specific needs and reach out to them on a regular basis to provide ongoing support and encouragement. Our goal is to put our clients on the path to optimal health and keep them

there. That’s a powerful concept — seeing your care provider before you are ill”.

Copeman encourages its clients to focus on building resilience in physical, mental and brain health. While fundamentals such as sleep, exercise and nutrition can positively impact all three, targeted strategies to alleviate stress, anxiety and negative emotions can help with mental health and cognitive exercises can help stave off the onset of dementia.

Simply put, prevention works.

LES JICKLING, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Jickling draws a parallel between disease prevention and regular vehicle maintenance. Sometimes it is better to have a service check rather than wait until the engine light comes on.

“By taking care of yourself and maintaining your body, mind and brain in the same way that you might service your vehicle on a regular basis, it’s going to last you a lot longer and you’re going to get much more use out of it. Ironically, a lot of people take much better care of their vehicles than their own health”.

Copeman also places a premium on providing timely, professional and courteous service to each client — citing studies that have shown that better service results in superior health outcomes and clients that are more aware of their risks and personally invested in their health.

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

News

Single-family property assessments skyrocket Naoibh O’Connor

noconnor@vancourier.com

Assessed values of both Vancouver east and west side single-family properties climbed dramatically over the previous year, according to B.C. Assessment.

It released its annual assessment figures Jan. 4 and provided a few examples of some individual assessments including one for an East Side, single-family, 33-foot lot, which jumped by 28 per cent from $993,000 to $1,267,000, and one for a West Side, single-family, 33-foot lot that rose by 23 per cent from $1,575,000 to $1,940,000.

Assessed values for strata properties didn’t grow nearly as significantly.

In one example provided

by B.C. Assessment, a West Side low-rise strata unit increased by eight per cent from $615,000 to $662,000, while the value of an East Side highrise strata increased six per cent from $381,000 to $405,000.

“The real standout this year would be the market movement for single-family properties. You would probably have to go back — if you went back to 1980, there’s probably only two or three other times when single-family properties in Vancouver have moved by this much this quickly,” Jason Grant, regional assessor for B.C. Assessment, said.

“What really contrasts this year as well is the strata market would really be down in that five to 10 per cent range, so it’s not moving the same amount. It’s a significant contrast this year.”

Grant added that in any given year there might be extreme pockets of movement, but what’s notable this year is that the assessed value of the majority of single-family properties across Vancouver climbed by between 15 and 25 per cent — and some in excess of that figure.

The fact many East Side residential properties, on a percentage basis, outperformed West Side ones also

doesn’t happen very often, he said.

Property owners should note that the assessment roll reflects market values as of July 2015 and the value of many single-family properties have grown — in some cases significantly — since then.

“So the other big difference this year is people might open their assessment and it’s reflecting July values and their values might have risen fairly dramatically since then depending on whereabouts they’re located. That also doesn’t happen very often to that degree,” Grant said.

B.C. Assessment sent 37,000 letters, in a province of more than 2,000,000 property owners, advising of extreme changes in assessments — that is, if a property’s assessed value was going up more than 15 per cent above the typical [assessment] for the taxation jurisdiction.

Grant said 22,000 of those letters went to property owners in Greater Vancouver.

Continued on page 7

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VPD camera deployed in neighbourhoods Mike Howell

mhowell@vancourier.com

In plain view from her living room window, Leaa Both can see a slim 30-foot tower rising from a small trailer parked on the street in front of her house.

Four surveillance cameras attached to the top of the tower presumably capture any of Both’s movements as she leaves or returns to her house in the 6400-block

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Can the cameras see what’s going inside her house?

It’s a question she doesn’t have an answer to but trusts the people who rolled up with the trailer on Christmas Day have a good reason for its presence.

Those people are the Vancouver Police Department.

“I more or less trust the police to be doing what they’re doing,” she said

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from her doorstep Monday.

“It’s not really having an effect on my life.”

But what’s curious about the presence of the contraption is that Both can’t recall any one incident that would have triggered such a need for surveillance cameras.

Neither can four of her neighbours interviewed by the Courier, although one woman, who didn’t want her name published, said she heard something about police recently making arrests in the neighbourhood.

“I phoned the police to ask about it, but I was on hold for 10 minutes, so I hung up,” said the woman, who has questions about invasion of privacy and the storage of the footage captured by the cameras.

“If it’s for the safety of the neighbourhood, then I’m OK with it — maybe not 100 per cent because I do have some concerns.”

Sgt. Randy Fincham, a VPD media liaison officer, wouldn’t provide details of why the tower camera remains in the neighbourhood but confirmed it was parked there Christmas Day. “I can’t say specifically what [type of crime] it was but it was definitely put there as a crime deterrent in that neighbourhood,” said Fincham, noting the $58,000 tower camera has operated for about six months at various locations around the city. “We recognize that certain people in a neighbourhood may not want that camera there, but the primary goal is crime prevention or to act as a deterrent. So we weigh those privacy concerns with the potential that there could be harm caused in that neighbourhood.”

The VPD’s new crime mapping tool system, Geodash, doesn’t indicate any recent crimes along the strip of Sophia Street, although the categories captured in the system don’t include all crimes.

Micheal Vonn, policy director for the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, said she has concerns about the deployment of the tower camera — particularly whether they have the capability to see into people’s homes — but cautioned that the association hasn’t concluded such equipment is unnecessary.

“What we don’t want to start out by saying is that this kind of camera could never be justified — that’s not our position,” Vonn said. “But given the sensitivity of the information regarding the deployments, how can we know when it’s being appropriately deployed?”

Vonn suggested the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for B.C. consider an audit to determine whether the tower camera, which is also used by Abbotsford police and some other local police forces, is being used in a manner that doesn’t infringe on residents’ privacy rights.

“Because we can’t rely on individual complaints,” she added.

Jane Zatylny, a communications officer with the privacy commissioner’s office, said discussions are ongoing with the VPD about the use of the tower camera but she couldn’t share more information.

A document posted under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act on the VPD’s website in December indicates the gang unit requested the department buy the trailer camera.

The document says possible uses could include combatting gang activity and counter-terrorism and deploying it in areas experiencing high property crime. It could also be used when threats have been made against the public or cops, at emergency response team calls and for monitoring parades, demonstrations and public events. @Howellings

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The VPD has parked a tower camera in the 6400-block of Sophia Street, but neighbours can’t explain the need for the surveillance cameras. PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A7

www.BCBOTTLEDEPOT.com

News

Few owners appeal assessment Continued from page 5 “If the typical was 25 per cent in a particular jurisdiction, we would send letters to people who went up 40 per cent or above,” he explained. “... You probably wouldn’t get a letter in Vancouver unless you were going up more than about 40 per cent.

If you’re in the 20 to 30 per cent range or the 25 to 35 per cent range that, believe it or not, is fairly typical.”

Assessments for singlefamily properties in many Lower Mainland communities including North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Burnaby, Tri-cities, New Westminster and Squamish also saw large assessment increases in the 15 to 25 per cent range, but assessed values of single-family and strata properties outside the Lower Mainland didn’t grow as much. They ranged from zero to 10 per cent.

Overall, the Greater Vancouver region’s total assessments increased from $546.7 billion in 2015 to $636.2 billion this year.

Assessments are in the mail this week, but they can also

Assessments for single-family properties across Vancouver grew in the range of 15 to 25 per cent — and in some cases higher.

PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER

be found online. B.C. Assessments’ e-valueBC service went live Jan. 1.

It’s been overhauled since last year. Now it’s mapbased, so you don’t have to know the address of a property — you can simply click on it. The site allows users to check other properties’ assessed values and compare them to their own.

Typically, only one to two

per cent of property owners ask for a review of their assessment, a figure that usually doesn’t change even in years where assessment values rise significantly. A notice of appeal must be filed by Feb. 1.

Grant said changes in assessments don’t automatically translate into a corresponding change in taxes.

“It’s going to depend on where you are relative to the

average,” he said.

So, what should property owners expect next year?

“We are already, believe it or not, six months in towards our next valuation cut off of July 2016 and the market has moved significantly already since July. So if it keeps on this trajectory, there will be an increase again next year for 2017,” Grant said. @naoibh

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

News

Mayor Robertson says he will seek a fourth term Mayor discusses transit, housing, Trudeau in year-end interview Mike Howell

mhowell@vancourier.com

The next civic election is still three years away, but Mayor Gregor Robertson says he plans to seek a fourth term to keep his job at city hall.

“I’m keeping that as my game plan,” the mayor told the Courier in a recent year-end interview. “I’ll keep doing this as long as I can make a big difference to the city. I’ve got three years still to go but I’m definitely happy in my job. It looks more compelling with the Trudeau government sending positive signals.”

That’s Trudeau, as in Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada and friend to Robertson. The signals?

That would be the promises to invest in transit and housing, which are central to Robertson’s agenda.

The two leaders discussed those issues and others in a brief meeting when Trudeau visited city hall Dec. 17.

The next day, Robertson sat down with the Courier to discuss the Trudeau visit, Robertson’s globe-trotting climate change crusade, his failure to meet his goal of ending “street” homelessness and what he thought about all those character homes being demolished.

You heard the prime minister say at the city hall news conference that his government is trying to get money in place for transit projects to get started “as soon as we can.” Then he said, “But the projects are very much in the municipalities’ hands.”

Was he implying Vancouver has more work to do before the government makes any commitments?

It’s more that the Trudeau government isn’t going to decide the local priorities for transit investment. They’re leaving it up to us to work out our priorities. Obviously that includes the province, given they’re a partner in all of this. We’re pulling togeth-

In a year-end interview with the Courier, Mayor Gregor Robertson discussed seeking a fourth term, transit, housing and other issues central to his administration’s agenda. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

er our mayors’ 10-year plan to put that back on the table in its entirety, in partnership with the provincial government, so we bring a united case forward to the federal government.

So it’s not going to be every municipality in Metro Vancouver for itself in terms of identifying transit projects?

My focus is on advancing the entire 10-year plan for our region and making sure we get that comprehensive in-

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vestment rather than specific projects. We want to be sure we get the whole package.

We had a letter from a reader recently that asked this question: How can we allow the frenzy of real estate development and the accompanying demolition of perfectly good homes in many residential neighbourhoods in our city and claim to be on our way to being the greenest city in the world by 2020? What’s your answer?

It’s a tough predicament, given the pressure in the real estate market and buyers’ desire to upgrade or rebuild homes. It’s true that the greenest home is keeping the existing one intact and investing in improvements.

But many buyers like to start fresh, and with property ownership rules, it’s tough to constrict that. We’ve been working on the heritage and character home side to protect homes prior to 1950 — the latest steps this week were with the green demolition program and deconstruction being required for homes before 1950. That’s another approach to dealing with the waste side and discouraging people from demolition and materials going to the landfill. We’ve taken action in the Shaughnessy Conservation Area and that’s the first of its kind in Vancouver. There have been lots of concerns raised and I totally appreciate it. It’s sad to see old homes getting scraped away. That’s kind of the nature of cities in North America. They do turn over fast. You don’t see this scale of demolition in European

cities, but a lot of their homes are buildings built to last far longer.

You spent a lot of time in 2015 travelling the planet to talk climate change. You’ve been to Rome, New York, Washington D.C. and Paris.

Some have criticized you for your travels, saying more tangible issues for citizens like affordability, homelessness and transit need to be addressed 24/7. So, specifically, how have your trips directly benefited Vancouverites? Can you provide one tangible benefit?

The focus on climate change and the green economy in 2015, leading up to Paris, created a huge opportunity for Vancouver to be in the global spotlight and for our work to advocate for transit, in particular to be a federal election priority.

On both fronts, Vancouver’s green economy is booming and we want to maintain that economic growth and attract investment and talent to Vancouver to be the mecca of green enterprise. So this year, a lot of my travel was focused on promoting our city as the green capital and attracting

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A9

News

at city hall investment in this booming side of the economy.

But when you meet people on the street and they ask how your travels benefit them and their neighbours, what do you tell them?

Well, this creates jobs.

Affordability is partially addressed by creating higher paying jobs and we’re seeing that in the green economy and the creative economy.

We’re seeing the fastest job creation in the country now in these sectors. But we have to be out in the real world attracting the investment and talent. We’ve got to compete with other cities on this and we have great strengths but we can’t sit back at home and just hope people come.

Earlier this year, the homeless count revealed that you did not meet your goal to end street homelessness.

Your critics said you gave homeless people false hope and that this was never a f realistic goal. So was your promise just political bluster or did you actually think you could achieve your goal?

I absolutely felt that we

could achieve that goal — if all partners came to the table with enough support.

As a city, we’ve done more than any city in Canada to address homelessness. But we’ve had a federal government that wasn’t interested and a provincial government that did good work and made unprecedented investments, but we need more. There’s still people outside and the only way to fix this is more investment from provincial and federal governments. We’re putting land and dollars on the table like never before as a city.

We’ll keep doing that. This focus is still at the top of my list and I’m thankful to see a federal government that’s talking about more investment in homelessness across the country because it’s a national disgrace. I’m hopeful that the province will step up to the next level. I don’t think we shy away from setting that goal to ending street homelessness and making sure we’re doing everything we can. We need everyone at the table committed to that goal. We haven’t had a provincial or federal govern-

ment agreeing that the goal was to end street homelessness. I thought and hoped that would be a goal that others would take up with us. They’ve helped some but more is needed.

You made a commitment in the last election campaign to be more accountable, consultative and transparent to citizens. During one election debate, you apologized for not fully listening to residents. Here we are a year later, what has your government done to rectify that communication breakdown?

We initiated many of the steps to fully engage Vancouverites last term but they’re now starting to make a difference. We saw a lot less blowback in 2015 on the development front.

Several years ago we started pushing more engagement at an earlier stage in development and I think that’s starting to have its desired effect — that people feel like they had input on projects that are just starting now.

Note: This interview was edited and condensed. For a longer version, go to vancourier.com.

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A10

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

Opinion ALLEN GARR COLUMNIST

agarr@vancourier.com

Time running out for ‘slumlord millionaire’

A

new year may be dawning but an old battle rages on. The City of Vancouver is still in open combat with slumlord millionaire Abolghasem Abdollahi. Regular readers will know that he is the owner of the Lion Hotel. You will also know that this particular Lion in winter is one chilly spot.

It is a 70-room SRO on Powell Street where for the past several months (and not for the first time) tenants have been living with little or no heat or hot water.

While the city insisted the renovations required could be done without evicting the tenants, Abdollahi and his partners allowed the building to slide into disrepair to the point they were eventually evicted so the owners could renovate.

In November, while temperatures were plunging, the city issued three orders, delivered by hand to Abdollahi’s West Vancouver address, demanding that the situation be fixed immediately. Under the city’s bylaws, he would have 60 days to comply, or the city would move in, do

PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

the work needed and then charge him for it. (That 60 days is up on Jan. 26.)

Then on Dec. 1, the city issued an “Information Bulletin update,” which stated, “Today, heat and hot water were fully restored throughout the Lion Hotel.” Well, as I discovered from talking with tenants and as the city now admits, nothing could have been further from the truth.

Andreea Toma, the city’s director of property use inspection, explained earlier this week that her inspectors, in coming to that conclusion, only looked at the “common areas” of the building, not individual rooms, or they would have realized many of the tenants were still without heat or hot water.

The city also demanded that while Abdollahi was at it, he provide all the tenants in the unheated rooms with portable heaters. Well, that hasn’t happened either. Instead, a group of Downtown Eastside residents, calling themselves the SRO Collaborative and led by a fellow named Mohammad Valayati, put out a call to the public last month for any spare space heaters people could donate to the cause of keeping Lion tenants warm. He told me they collected some 20 heaters but could use more. (He can be reached at 604-500-3009.)

On Monday, to “keep pressure” on Abdollahi, as Toma explains it, there was another visit to the Lion by building inspectors and the Vancouver fire department. According to a copy of one report that I was given, this resulted in even more violations.

The pump for the sprinkler system needs to be serviced. There is a fire safety issue regarding the “egress and access to exits,” which should be “clear and free from any obstruction.” And there are not

sufficient fire extinguishers in the building.

A plumbing inspection indicated there are still problems.

Part of the reason the city is leaning on Abdollahi the way it is, is because this is not their first run-in with him. Toma is familiar with what she refers to as the “other experience and other behaviour.” His history as a recalcitrant slumlord first came to their attention a number of years ago when he was part owner of the Clifton Hotel, an SRO on South Granville. It was classified as the second-worst building in the city.

That building had 105 violations related to safety and maintenance.

While the city insisted the renovations required could be done without evicting the tenants, Abdollahi and his partners allowed the building to slide into disrepair to the point they were eventually evicted so the owners could renovate.

In light of that history, Toma says the city is now determined not to let the ten-

ants of the Lion suffer the same fate: “We do not want him to empty the building.

That is what we don’t want.”

So time is running out for our slumlord millionaire. If the building is not fixed up to city standards by Jan. 26, she says, “We will move in and take responsibility.”

Meanwhile Valayati and his buddies have organized some 20 Lion tenants to lodge a claim with the Residential Tenancy branch of the province, each demanding $1,200 in return for a failure to provide heat and hot water among other things.

By the way, it is not as if Abdollahi has not received government help in the past.

In 2010, three years after he purchased the Lion, he received a $1.2 million Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program grant from Canada Mortgage and Housing to bring the building up to city standards.

But it has been all downhill from there. @allengarr

A11

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

Inbox letters@vancourier.com

ONLINE COMMENTS

In defense of TransLink Re: “Trudeau, Translink, shakeups at city hall made for busy year,” Dec. 31.

Despite its negative image, TransLink had few problems with Jarvis in control.

Mayor not doing enough to protect heritage Re: “Mayor Robertson says he will seek a fourth term,” online Dec. 23.

I have to laugh at Robertson’s cop out on taking any action on putting any restrictions on our city being bulldozed before our eyes. As always, letting development run wild is Vision’s highest priority.

“It’s true that the greenest home is keeping the existing one intact and investing in improvements. But many buyers like to start fresh, and with property ownership rules, it’s tough to constrict that.”

Huh? The city has every tool to constrict that. During his frequent taxpayer funded travels maybe he should visit one of the many cities that protect their heritage with heritage protection and zoning. You won’t see character houses bulldozed in Boston or Paris or London, or other cities where adults are in charge (and developers aren’t).

Amazed100 via Comments section

And don’t forget ‘bamboozled’…

Re: “Civic beat 2015: Of Ballem, bromances and BMWs,” Dec. 29.

Well I would use other words that might better describe what happens in the chamber at city hall but swearing is not permitted in there. Although “bamboozled” is very fitting word for so many of Vision’s policy initiatives (failures) and how they are communicated: ie homelessness, affordability, spending, green jobs ... the list goes on. Happy New Year, Vancouver!

NPA Coun. George Affleck via Facebook

Poignant final quote Re: “2015: The year in quotes,” Dec. 29.

Last of “The Year in Quotes” compiled by @VanCourierNews is one by #DalRichards, on his longevity. Poignant.... @rodmickleburgh via Twitter

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Re: “Joo Kim Tiah — take down that Trump sign,” Dec. 17.

I want to say that I will be as brash and outrageous as Donald Trump and claim responsibility AND credit for any vandalism done to that #@$$$!$$$@# Trump sign advertising the “Trump International Hotel and Tower.” So, throw me in jail!!

I’m sorry Joo Kim Tiah. I don’t mean to be disrespectful to you... or, on the other hand, maybe I do... Still, I’m sorry.

Forgive me for being totally uncaring about your “contractual obligations” and any other legal jurisdictions that may be in your way of taking down this sign.

Absolutely, you will no doubt lose a lot of money. That is the possible nature of running any business.

Would we allow a “Hitler” structure to remain standing? Or any other “monument” dedicated to anybody who is despised by society? Surely, you are a smarter businessman than that.

Cut your losses! I honestly feel that you’ll survive and go on to rake in lots of dough on that building. It’s a beautiful piece of architecture and is sure to be a huge attraction even without that #@$$$!$$$@# name.

If you do not change the name, I will bet my last dollar that you will have plenty of problems! And furthermore, I am placing a curse on “That Place,” until THAT name is removed.

Frances Dietz, Vancouver ••• All the letter, column space and hot air spent by our sainted Vision politicians trying to get the name of Trump Tower changed is amusing in its naïveté. Especially when they think that the developer and the demographic they target will be swayed into selling off or avoiding Trump. The only people who care are guilt-ridden white liberals, very few of whom can afford to buy or stay there.

Peter Van Rienen, Vancouver

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

Community

Sam Rocha, assistant professor in UBC’s department of educational studies and a pastoral philosopher-in-residence at St. Mark’s College, says Christians and atheists are too often terrified of each other. PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER

PACIFIC SPIRIT

Theists and atheists have much to learn from one another ‘Atheism, Doubt and the Search for God’ series starts next Monday

Pat Johnson

PacificSpiritPJ@gmail.com

When I saw that a Catholic church was hosting something called “Atheism, Doubt and the Search for God,” I figured I knew the good-versus-bad message this three-evening series would impart.

Apparently I am too cynical for Sam Rocha, assistant professor in UBC’s department of educational studies and a pastoral philosopher-in-residence at St. Mark’s College, the Catholic college on the Point Grey campus.

Rocha is offering the program on three consecutive Monday nights starting next week at St. Joseph’s the Worker parish in Richmond.

“There is a general kind of allergic reaction in Christian communities, in the Roman Catholic Church as well, to atheism,” he says, yet both theists and atheists are frequently interested in

the same questions and have much to learn from one another.

He views atheism as a respectable belief system dating to pre-Christian times.

“It’s a very rich intellectual tradition going all the way back to the Greeks, which is also in some sense the same Hellenic line that you find a lot of Christian notions,” Rocha says. “The notion of the soul that Paul talks about in Romans, also at the end of Acts when he goes to Athens, that’s kind of a Greek idea that Plato came up with and it’s been Christianized.”

He refuses to see atheism as something necessarily antagonistic to Christianity or to religion.

“When we look at some of the more recent versions of atheism, in particular one of the most famous atheists, Friedrich Nietzsche, I think there are a lot of religious preoccupations that get expressed. Nietzsche had

a beautiful understanding of spirit,” he says. “And all the German idealists, atheists, had a feeling for something beyond the material but that nonetheless didn’t quite reach transcendence.”

This contrasts however, he says, with the so-called New Atheism, personified

by Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens.

“I think the New Atheists are probably the least interesting atheists,” Rocha says. “The New Atheism is built on a very particular doctrine of scientism… a creed you could say is a very strict kind of scientism that doesn’t leave a lot of room for discussion.”

Yet there is a type of contemporary atheist that Rocha enjoys spending time with and believes believers could learn from: people who are interested in the human condition but see religion as an easy out.

These are deep-thinking atheists who struggle with the same existential questions religious people address through their faith.

“They’re not trying to break outside of the big questions, they’re just trying to come up with different ways of answering them,” he says. These may be people who are philosophical descendants of the Romantics, of German idealism or of Rousseau, he says.

“These are people who see something like a religious principle, but they see it in the world,” he says. “They see it sometimes in nature, sometimes they see it in the intellect or in reason but, again, they’re interested in the really big stuff. Whereas, the New Atheists tend to laugh at the big questions … and reduce it down usually to scientific reductions.”

Still, why would fine, upstanding, believing Catholics spend three consecutive Mondays learning about atheism?

“Especially for Catholics, but I think this applies across the board for many religions, in many cases I think this allergic reaction we ascribe to atheism is out of a certain ignorance of the intellectual tradition,” he explains.

“The atheism that’s motivated by a skeptical attitude is in some sense fascinated with the world, it’s not afraid of it. To me, the Christian religious impulse to question and wonder is also motivated out of a similar principle.”

Believers and non-believers, if they are inquisitive and open-minded, he suggests, are both striving to confront the same big questions that have confounded every civilization since the dawn of time.

Yet Christians and atheists are too often, he says, terrified of each other.

Rocha suggests that a believer, instead of being repelled by everything associated with atheism, can

find a core characteristic within the atheist position that they can use to enrich their own beliefs.

“On the other hand,” he says, “should I get the fortune of having atheists in the group, I would say the opposite. It’s not so much to say the atheists should become theists, nor that the theists should become atheists, but I think there are [positions] that each side can use in a fruitful and practical way, within whatever their own journey is for their own search.”

Is he suggesting the crazy idea we should all, theist or atheist, ponder more? Rocha laughs.

“Why don’t you give your conscience a chance to think about this,” he asks, “and maybe you’ll find that there is a sense of doubt deeply instilled in the atheist disposition that is actually a great tool for finding and seeking the face of God?” @Pat604Johnson

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A13

Opinion

Is it time to redesign our property tax system?

Michael Geller Columnist

michaelarthurgeller@gmail.com

This week, Vancouver property owners will start receiving property tax notices in the mail. Most of us will focus on two numbers; the revised assessed value, and the total taxes to be paid.

However, it may be time to take a closer look at how our tax bills are calculated, and consider whether the current taxation system, based on property value assessments, is the best way to determine how much we should pay.

This year, assessed values for single detached properties in Vancouver have increased between 15 per cent and 25 per cent over last year. This does not mean everyone’s taxes will increase by this amount, since the total value of properties has increased.

However, many homeowners and businesses should be prepared to pay more than the 2.3 per centapproved City of Vancouver tax increase.

I first started to think about property taxation

This got me thinking. If we want to be a sustainable city and reward people for consuming less land and infrastructure, perhaps we should reconsider how Vancouver’s property taxes are determined.

After all, why should someone owning a highdensity townhouse or apartment pay the same taxes as someone living in a sprawling house in a sprawling subdivision, just because they have the same assessed market value?

If you look at your tax bill, you will find part of the answer. Firstly, a large portion of your taxes pay for schools. In 2015, my provincial school tax was more than a third of the total bill. TransLink received 8 per cent and I also gave money to B.C. Assessment (presumably to determine the value of my property) and Metro Vancouver.

The largest portion of my taxes (45 per cent) went to the City of Vancouver to pay for police, fire fighting, parks and community centres, libraries, bike lanes, roads, water and sewers,

If we want to be a sustainable city and reward people for consuming less land and infrastructure, perhaps we should reconsider how Vancouver’s property taxes are determined. when I discovered the tax bill for my downtown apartment was greater than the tax bill for my house, despite the fact that the apartment was located in a high-density downtown residential complex, and the house was in Southlands, literally at the end of the line.

I again thought about property taxation during a 2007 trip to Vietnam. There I was surprised to find tall, but extremely narrow buildings in and around Hanoi.

When I asked my guide why they were designed this way, he responded that it had to do with property taxes.

I subsequently learned that in Hanoi, taxes were not based on assessed property value or the number of windows, as they once were in medieval Europe, but rather on the width of a building.

While these “tube buildings” looked odd, the underlying taxation logic was not. After all, narrow buildings required less road, sidewalks and pipes than wider buildings.

and building social housing.

Since roads, water and sewers are only a few of the many services provided by the city, one might argue there is little justification to reduce taxes for multi-family structures. After all, if we are going to look at consumption of services as the basis for taxation, many of us no longer have children in school, yet we pay a lot towards schools.

Moreover, according to the Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition, business owners who cannot even vote, pay more than five times the taxes of residential property owners, for similarly valued properties.

Most of us might be pleased to learn businesses are subsidizing residents.

However, when you consider how few additional business licences were approved in the city over a 13-year period (it was 46), you will realize this may not be a good news story. There are many empty storefronts and offices in our city.

This brings me to empty houses.

Last year there was considerable discussion whether property taxation might be used to discourage residential property

owners from leaving houses and condominiums vacant.

While some questioned the fairness or effectiveness of this idea, noting that empty houses place less demand on city services, others ar-

Public Hearing: January 19 Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at 6 pm at City Hall 453 West 12th Avenue, Third Floor, Council Chamber Vancouver City Council will hold a Public Hearing to consider zoning and heritage amendments for these locations: 1. Amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law Regarding the RM-9A/9AN Districts for Norquay’s Apartment Transition Area To amend the Zoning and Development By-law by adding RM-9A and RM-9AN to the RM-9 and RM-9N Districts Schedule and Guidelines, and to rezone properties in the Apartment Transition Area from RS-1 (One-Family Dwelling) District to RM-9A/9AN (Multiple Dwelling) Districts to allow for apartments in Norquay Village.

2. 2024 West 15th Avenue To designate the exterior and the interior fireplace feature in the main floor living room of the heritage building at 2024 West 15th Avenue, known as the Ludgate Residence, which is listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register in the ‘B’ evaluation category. The application proposes variances to the Zoning and Development By-law, as set forth in Development Permit Application Number DE417169, to permit the rehabilitation and conversion of the heritage building to contain two dwelling units and the construction of a new infill dwelling on the rear of the site.

3. 1060 West 15th Avenue To add the existing building at 1060 West 15th Avenue, known as the James Northey Residence, to the Vancouver Heritage Register in the ‘B’ evaluation category and to designate the exterior of the heritage building as protected heritage property. The application proposes variances to the Zoning and Development By-law, as set forth in Development Permit Application Number DE418668, to restore the heritage building and construct a new infill building.

4. 225 Smithe Street To rezone 225 Smithe Street from DD (Downtown) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District to permit the development of a 26-storey, mixed-use building, comprised of market residential, office, and retail at grade. A height of 86.6 m (284 ft.) and a floor space ratio (FSR) of 11.39 are proposed.

4 2 5 3

gued it might be a deterrent.

We could go to Israel to find out.

Facing growing concerns about a rental housing crisis, the number of vacant apartments, and budgetary

shortfalls, property taxes on vacant suites in Israel are now two times the rate for occupied apartments.

Something else to think about! @michaelgeller

Development Permit Board Meeting: January 11

The Development Permit Board and Advisory Panel will meet:

Monday, January 11, 2016 at 3 pm Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue Ground Floor, Town Hall Meeting Room to consider the following development permit application: 49 East 1st Avenue To develop the site with a 14-storey, multipledwelling building (building 3) with 107 units and a 12-storey, multiple-dwelling building (building 4) with 70 units, all over two levels of underground parking with vehicle access from Pullman Porter Street.

Please contact City Hall Security (1st floor) if your vehicle may be parked at City Hall for more than two hours.

TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM: 604-873-7770 or lidia. mcleod@vancouver.ca 5. 1755 West 14th Avenue To rezone 1755 West 14th Avenue from RM-3 (Multiple Dwelling) District to CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) District to permit the development of a second residential rental building with 116 new market rental housing units, and the addition of two new rental units to the existing building on the site containing 134 unsecured rental units.

All units will be secured as market rental housing units.

A height of 36.6 metres (120 feet) and a floor space ratio (FSR) of 3.45 are proposed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE APPLICATIONS: vancouver.ca/rezapps or 604-873-7038 Anyone who considers themselves affected by the proposed by-law amendments may speak at the Public Hearing. Please register individually beginning at 8:30 am on January 8 until 5 pm on the day of the Public Hearing by emailing publichearing@vancouver.ca or by calling 604-829-4238. You may also register in person at the door between 5:30 and 6 pm on the day of the Public Hearing. You may submit your comments by email to mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca, or by mail to: City of Vancouver, City Clerk’s Office, 453 West 12th Avenue, Third Floor, Vancouver, BC, V5Y 1V4. All submitted comments will be distributed to Council and posted on the City's website. Please visit vancouver.ca/ publichearings for important details.

Copies of the draft by-laws will be available for viewing on January 8 at the City Clerk’s Office in City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue, Third Floor, Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. All meetings of Council are webcast live at vancouver.ca/councilvideo, and minutes of Public Hearings are available at vancouver.ca/ councilmeetings (posted approximately two business days after a meeting). For real time information on the progress of City Council meetings, visit vancouver.ca/ speaker-wait-times or @VanCityClerk on Twitter.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PUBLIC HEARINGS, INCLUDING REGISTERING TO SPEAK: vancouver.ca/publichearings

Visit: vancouver.ca Phone: 3-1-1 TTY: 7-1-1

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

Feature

Employment gains, romance, friendship

Courier astrologer Tim Stephens offers his take on what’s in store for 2016. PHOTO JENNIFER GAUTHIER

New year predictions feature the political and the personal Tim Stephens

timstephens@shaw.ca

Logic, practical goals, love of Mother Earth, precise analysis, photographic views and records, construction, forests, mines — these dominate and bring luck in 2016. Employment gains will be a pleasant surprise. Bumper crops around the world. Big sewage infrastructure and public health projects.

Scientists harness electricity in the earth. Optics (lens, movies, video games) promise big, de-

ARIES

March 21-April 19 The clouds of 2014/15 scatter: sunshine enters!

Your work load expands in 2016. Plunge in — a resultant pay raise or promotion is almost certain. Bosses favour you in January/February.

Be hands-on — delegate

liver little. Beware of another Jonestown. Phoney spiritualists and charlatan psychics abound. Steve Jobs’ and Einstein’s reputations are tarnished. Bad news for oceans. New nova discovered.

Nations cooperate wisely. Some very good judges are appointed, but the military and police still rule. The U.S. civil service will be revamped before 2024 — the legal side starts now. In July 2014, I advised all readers to sell stocks. At that time, the TSX was 15,500. Now it’s in the

low 13,000s. If investing in 2016, beware of pipelines, gases, fisheries, cruise lines, international shipping, hospitals and healthcare companies. In general, stock markets should be down or flat.

Deflation reaches its peak (nadir?), but not its end, in mid-September.

The problem is psychological, not financial — and that’s why governments can’t solve it.

I told you in 2015 that Trudeau would become Canada’s prime minister, but I won’t predict a Hillary win — yet. Her popularity

chores as little as possible.

Be strictly honest with the government, taxation authorities and your own “head office.”

You continue to be “electric” — unpredictable, idealistic and charming. You feel social and will attract new friends, especially in February, March to May and all autumn. Don’t invest or take on debt impulsively in January/ February and June/July.

These months, your sensual advances seem pretty persuasive to some!

Legal, far travel,

intellectual and cultural involvements move slowly yet importantly. (They speed up considerably this spring and August/September. Avoid law suits during these intervals.)

In September, your hard work ends. In its place come (for a whole year) exciting meetings and excellent chances to find a life mate. Fame, public dealings, contracts and negotiations and relocation — all are favoured. If you’re unhappily married, a “separation temptation” arrives late year. Romance is sweet in January, April,

remains high to September, then dives before the November election. A TrumpCruz (Hitler-Mussolini) ticket in 2016? Trump is the flip side of the deflationary anxiety.

Putin will have a disappointing year, lose the mass’s favour. Syria will be solved legally, not actually. Obama buys a house. His passion remains climate change.

We should all avoid starting new projects from Jan. 5 to 25, April 28 to May 22, Aug. 30 to Sept. 21 and Dec. 19 to Jan. 8, 2017. late July and September/ October.

TAURUS

April 20-May 20 Your love picture is huge but complex in 2016. You might wed someone whom you first plucked from another’s embrace (not totally recommended) or you could find that love flow-

ers much more physically than you anticipated. All year, light, friendly romance goes nowhere; but deep, vulnerable passion succeeds, especially in January, May and September.

You might be involved in a long legal case, or travel to foreign shores.

You could be immersed in a huge course of studies, or attend many cultural events (e.g., weddings). All are lucky until September, and all “deepen” you. Your relations with the government and other authorities (parents, judges, etc.) continue to be unpredictable. Your worldly status could rise or fall, depending on your empathy and humanity. If you’re good, you’ll be carried upward. You could enter management corridors. Your health is strong, but watch sugar levels, hips and thighs, bones, knees, teeth, gums and skin.

This is a pleasurable, creative, lucky and hauntingly beautiful year for you. But knuckle down September into 2017 — big chores face you — and big rewards.

GEMINI

May 21-June 20 2016 revitalizes your heart. Solid, new, quirky and intelligent friends welcome you!

This is a superb year (less so March to June) to buy and/or sell a home, to undertake major repairs/ renovations, or to find a much better rental.

Emotional rewards might outweigh financial ones.

A new or improved home will put a solid and bountiful “floor” under you, allowing you to expand happily in future years.

It’s an excellent time for family healing and soul matters. Landscape, garden; explore your neighbourhood. A baby for young couples?

In health, protect against nervous conditions and STIs. Practice safety with tools, chemicals January to early March, and June/July.

Your affection shines

toward your family until September. After midSeptember, into 2017, romance swells to a decade high. You could fall madly in love — and marry. March to May and August/September bring intense relationships, in love and war. Steer confrontations toward friendship, and everyone benefits. All year, you will feel a deep sexual attraction toward the right person. Loyalty counts.

Try not to change careers nor employers before May 2017.

CANCER

June 21-July 22 You will learn a lot this year, Cancer. You’ll take many short trips, hear much news (and gossip) and meet many new people. Be curious, ask questions. Avoid long international trips, law suits, higher education, publishing, and cultural venues. (All form a subtle, hard-to-see deadend.) Stay short, light, friendly — profundity is pomposity now.

If single, you could meet your true mate any time before 2025. A coworker might tickle your heart, and prove, eventually, to be a valuable life-mate. Cohabitation is favoured in 2016, but weddings are not. Your romantic courage soars January to early March and June/July. November/December bring lust — and impulsive desires to invest. Be cautious with both.

Protect yourself from rashes, eczema, quick changes of temperature and headaches.

Your career remains changeable, unpredictable — and a source of future wealth, if you invest in it. Work intensifies March to May and August/September. Be flexible and diplomatic, as raw nerves and temperamental sensitivities bother those you work with. September begins a year of sweet domestic reward — and possibly a new baby and/or a new home!

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A15

Feature

and travel on the horizon LEO

July 23-August 22 Your money luck soars, Leo, boosted by wise decisions and good karma.

You’ll obtain overtime, or sell a big item. Even better, you might gain a permanent pay raise, lifting you onto a new income plateau that can last for decades. However, this is a poor year for investments — remember this when asset-growth “opportunities” appear in February/March.

Higher-ups favour you in May. You love love. March to May and August/ September imbue you with romantic and sexual magnetism, courage and a conquering attitude. A “conquest” could lead to marriage.

These are energetic, innovative months for Leo artists. Make sure “hot romance” isn’t a reaction against a spousal argument or an excuse to run away from home.

You could romance a co-worker, or someone markedly younger or older. Don’t seduce someone you know you won’t love. Avoid extramarital affairs.

Your work load is slowly but deeply changing — you’ll keep up easily. Protect your bones, skin, teeth and gums, knees and lower back.

Avoid hospitals, swamps, contaminated food.

September starts a year of quickly-forming friendships, exciting conversations and travel.

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22 This is your year of great fortune, Virgo.

You’ll be more friendly, cheerful and attractive to others. Something will make you more secure — buying/selling real estate, renovating or landscaping your home, embracing

your family, healing old family ghosts, preparing retirement plans, or developing a personal philosophy. Affection fills your home. (But so might friction, March to May and August/September: be gentle with kids.)

Your good luck will attract some oddball or unsavory characters. Be sceptical of suitors in business or love. Delay wedding or cohabitation plans (and business partnerships) until mid-2017 onward.

Your romantic life forms a deep yet transitory adventure — or a series of them. Love fires flare in January, October and November. You can be physically attracted to a casual friend in January/ February and June/July.

Wise Virgos might let romance take a back seat to travelling and researching.

For best financial results, invest in the field you work in, and/ or in machinery, tools, non-prescription health aids, and industrial areas.

Avoid investing April through June. Your money luck climbs strongly this autumn into 2017.

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22 Relationships improve, old “heart prisons” dissolve. This year, love can lead to marriage. If you bond before Sept.

9, you’ll have a peaceful, mellow home life. If Sept. 9 onward, you’ll enjoy deep passion, but possibly an ongoing struggle over domestic issues. (HOW many kids do you have??) If you’re married, your mate abandons gloom, embraces joy. Avoid domestic friction October/November.

Romance is sweet (and saucy) April to June, September and December.

Until September, embrace solitude, peace and rest. Draw plans for a late year or 2017 launch. You’ll have fortunate dealings with civil servants, institutions and management people.

Join charities, be spiritual. Take up meditation,

yoga, etc. All year, avoid a hands-on role — delegate instead. You might be called to a management position or board.

In 2016/17, you’ll speak slowly, little speeches instead of spontaneous bursts — good.

Until 2025, avoid viral diseases, spoiled food, marshy places, alcohol and drugs. Money rushes toward you in January to March and June/July — DON’T spend it. Your energy and personal luck shoots to a 13-year high this autumn into late 2017!

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21 This is a wish-cometrue year, Scorpio! Your social desires will be fulfilled; your popularity surges. Optimism, entertainment, flirtations and simple, inexplicable happiness shine on you until September. You can join two of the best clubs/groups of your life. If you’re single, this is a splendid time to meet and love someone.

Friendly, light, laughing romance, especially with someone first met in a group, is powerfully favoured. But deep, heavy, blushing romance will promise much, yield little — and could even lure you into a honey trap.

Your sexual magnetism soars January to March and June/July — as fate would have it, these will also be your most intense work periods (April, too). This pressure-filled combo, heightened attraction and intensified work, could trigger your temper or “impatient cruelty.” Love melts your heart in June, July and September.

Though money rushes to you March to May and August/September, you should be fiscally conservative all 2016/17. Guard your health from stress, accidents and electricity.

Combine curiosity with your restlessness. If you want to rise in the world, elocution lessons would help.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21 This is the best career year in decades! Bosses, parents and VIPs favour you, are willing to listen to your proposals — including the one where you earn more. This is an excellent year to change careers or employers, but avoid doing so March through June. Bank a gush of money in October — spending will leave you poorer.

Your home continues to worry you, but treat this sector gingerly until May 2017 — buying real estate, quitting work, spending on renos, landscaping, etc., is the path to a dead end. If you must move, let your spouse find and negotiate the new home. Fix plumbing or water leaks a.s.a.p. Your health is great, but watch your digestion.

From 2012 to 2019 romance assumes a friendly, restless, unpredictable character — and might involve people you first meet casually, say at the supermarket. Friends could become lovers, but lovers might also devolve into friends. Your romantic courage, determination and magnetism surge March to May and August/September: you’ll be almost irresistible. Your creative and gambling instincts flare with fine fire, same periods.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19 There is nothing overwhelmingly romantic about 2016, yet single Capricorns could meet their true love, and wed.

Love now is stronger than romance. Your sexual magnetism glows October/November, and romantic notions melt your heart in May (perhaps with an old flame).

You are slowly evolving this entire decade — toward new goals and a vast new social circle. In January you can create a significant change in your life by using your imagination, increased energy and growing charisma.

May and September also help you advance. Some part of you yearns to withdraw all year — value periods of solitude as times to contemplate and form plans.

Your home life has been changeable, unpredictable and a bit stressful for several years. You can improve any household “mood” by inviting people over; friends make happy rooms.

All year, avoid timewasting chitchat, short, restless trips, unnecessary errands, and “busy work.”

This is a good time to sign contracts, travel afar, publish or advertise, attend higher learning, push a legal affair, attend court — and to love. In everything, be profound, not casual.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18 This is a year of deep and beneficial change, Aquarius — until September. A major investment, a mortgage, a physical love affair, a new diet, surgery or a new drug regimen — any of these can change your life in a lucky way, especially if you “commit” before March or after June. From September onward your good luck switches to legal matters, higher education, love, cultural rituals, travel and international interests. 2016’s sexual attraction could turn to wedded love this autumn into spring 2017.

Your social life is a bit sluggish, but the friends you do make now can stick with you for life.

Social joys will come in a rush March to May and August/September. Romance is sweet late February and May/June. In October your love charms

shine. Your sexual courage and magnetism swell November/December.

Higher-ups are impatient and temperamental in January/February and June/July. Smile, be diplomatic. All year, reject wasteful spending — instead, potentially huge, lucky progress lies in investments and shared money/assets.

Your career improves if you steer yourself toward management, government service, or institutional work.

PISCES

February 19-March 20 All your benefits, opportunities and luck will come from others now, Pisces, so join, merge, praise and support. You can make great, solid friends in foreign countries, in media companies, college or university — people who share your world view.

If single, you could meet the love of your life (August 2015 to September 2016). This person is unusually cheerful and accepting, well-travelled, well-schooled, with a love of sports or exercise.

Pairing up can boost your status/career. If you’re unhappily married, separation comes.

Romance excites you January/February and June/July. During these same intervals, avoid legal fights. Bosses and judges are temperamental March to May and August/September — grin and bear it. They’ll soon forget, forgive.

A major wish could come true all year, especially about marriage, relocation, dealings with the public, fame, and/or a business opportunity.

(Careful with “opportunities” March through June.) Your career will fare well if you lean toward socializing, group affairs and networking, and/or higher education, law, travel or information systems. Health-wise, there’s not a cloud on the horizon, unless you have a pre-existing condition.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

Community

At least 3,000 people braved the frigid waters of English Bay, Jan. 1, for the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club’s 96th annual dip. The popular event attracted the usual assortment of characters and costumes, including Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club president Lisa Pantages, who wore her grandfather’s wool swimsuit into the water. See photo gallery at vancourier.com. PHOTOS REBECCA BLISSETT

CITY LIVING

Polar Bear swimmers continue long, colourful tradition Annual swim has grown significantly since its first plunge 96 years ago

Rebecca Blissett

rvblissett@gmail.com

Lisa Pantages wore her grandfather’s swim suit for the Polar Bear Swim in English Bay last Friday, the first day of the year.

She had the century old suit on for two reasons — because her grandfather, Peter, started the swim in Vancouver 96 years ago and because she claims it keeps her warm.

The suit is in the shape of a deep-cut tank top that resembles a short dress on Pantages. It is black, has red racing stripes that loop the waist, and stitching across the abdomen to form the words “Eng Bay.” It is also made with the material of choice in 1920 when fashion trumped function — wool.

“You know what, I would recommend wool bathing suits to everybody in the world!” said Pantages after her first dip into the frigid waters under the cold sun at 2:30 p.m. The water was 8 C, and to put that into perspective, most people have showers at a temperature of 40 C. “I could actually stand here for a while without getting cold, it keeps me warm,” she added between receiving hugs from friends and family, chatting to out-of-towners, and giving out awards.

Pantages is the president of the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club, the oldest swim club of its kind in North America. Her grandfather, Peter Pantages, was said to have swam in English Bay every single

day and founded the club in 1920 when five people attended that year.

During the 1950s and 1960s, about 200 people did the swim every year, a reasonable amount to supply all with certificates of participation written in calligraphy and to fit into Peter’s restaurant, the Peter Pan Café at 1196 Granville St. where the Howard Johnson Hotel is now. Peter would give out prizes to swimmers during the post-swim party such as a tonne of coal, preplucked chickens, cases of eggs and free ice delivery.

“He would give out amazing prizes,” said Pantages. “That’s what people would get and they would appreciate it more than anything.”

Peter’s love of swim-

ming made him a local celebrity even though his surname was already familiar to most as his uncle Alexander Pantages opened the Pantages Theatres on Hastings Street. Peter’s mission to swim every day meant he would only agree to take a family holiday on a cruise ship that would let him dive from the ship’s deck into the ocean. Captains agreeable to the idea found their ship would tilt to whatever side Peter dove off as all passengers would clamour to watch.

He would then climb up the back anchor rope to get back on the ship.

Peter died in 1971 and the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club successor was his son, Basil, who established the 100-yard

swim in 1972 to honour his father. Gareth Jones, a 17-year-old water polo player from Burnaby, won the race this year and in 2015. With chattering teeth, Jones explained his secret to winning: “Ignore everything, focus on swimming and not drowning.” Rather than wearing a wool bathing suit from the 1920s.

The Vancouver Park Board has been a part of the swim since 1952 with a team of lifeguards surveying the waters from rowboats where some of Santa’s reindeer were seen doing the front crawl towards the race buoy and watching the shoreline from elevated chairs where more than 3,000 people, many in costumes, including Darth Vader, a

moose, Elvis and a shark, splashed, screamed and danced to, appropriately enough, Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” blaring from swim participant and local entertainer Spandy Andy’s boombox.

“I love the water, I love the ocean and I love the connection to the community,” said Pantages, who was contemplating going into the water for the sixth time that afternoon. “For me it’s a family tradition but, regardless of whether or not my family was associated with it, I would do this anyway because it’s just such a great thing to participate in.

“It’s a unique thing to where we live, or it was!

Until everybody caught on,” she said, with a laugh. @rebeccablissett

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A17

Opinion

It’s time we elected Metro Vancouver representatives Mike Klassen Columnist

mike@mikeklassen.net

What would happen if you undertook a massive project, and overspent your budget by 100 per cent?

Or, what would be the reaction of your boss if you told her that costly new office space was needed because your elevators were poorly maintained?

In either case you would likely be sent packing. But if you were a director on Metro Vancouver’s board, you would be unscathed.

That is because, as with Canada’s Senate, directors on Metro Vancouver’s board are appointed by their peers, not elected.

In addition to regional planning and managing our water supply and waste streams, Metro Vancouver — a.k.a. Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) — operates a housing society, maintains parkland and monitors our air quality.

It has an annual budget of $670 million, and an appointed board of directors.

And there’s the rub.

Metro Vancouver is fundamentally unaccountable to the citizens who pay for it.

It is a condition that SFU professor Patrick Smith — an expert on Canadian local government — argues is ripe for reform.

Because Metro Van-

couver is “vested with power to make decisions over service provision and taxation with little provincial supervision,” Smith wrote in his 2006 text on metropolitan governance, a case can be made for more accountability “through democratic reforms like direct elections.”

People pay attention to how city halls spend their money. When they are dissatisfied they vote for new elected representatives.

green light, and a new proposal for road pricing — $900,000 just to study it.

Another large expense was announced — some would argue cynically — just prior to the Christmas holiday. Metro Vancouver purchased the entire MetroTower III building, only two blocks from its present location, for $205 million.

Their new offices will occupy the top 13 floors.

Remember, these are the same folks who just

But even if we knew how Metro Vancouver spends its budget, there is little recourse for voters to drive change if they wanted to.

But even if we knew how Metro Vancouver spends its budget, there is little recourse for voters to drive change if they wanted to.

Few of us are aware, for example, how badly off track the Seymour-Capilano water tunnel project went. Its original $400-million budget wound up at over $820 million.

That costly debacle contributes to skyrocketing increases in our water rates.

There was also the recently cancelled half billion dollar waste incinerator plan, which nearly got the

last year pleaded poverty and urged us to support a sales tax increase to pay for transit improvements.

In a media interview, Metro Vancouver’s board chair Greg Moore (Mayor of Port Coquitlam) justified the purchase by pointing out their existing offices were 30 years old, and by trading up they could avoid maintenance costs for the buildings’ cladding and unpredictable elevators.

Hearing that the organization charged with maintaining our nearby dams and sewers let their own

office buildings fall into such disrepair does not instill much confidence.

For the fifth time since 2011, Moore was acclaimed as Metro Vancouver’s chair. The perks of the chair’s job include a $71,000 salary, approximately $15,000 for expenses, and a travel budget to attend global conferences.

(Moore recently made an appearance at the Paris COP21 climate conference alongside Mayor Gregor Robertson and his entourage.)

This is in addition to his $91,000 mayor’s salary — one-third of which is tax-free.

Moore and his PoCo council recently boosted his transportation allowance by 62 per cent — from $4,450 to $7,200, roughly on par with the Vancouver mayor — which will also be adjusted to CPI annually.

At the same meeting the council approved generous health and dental benefits for themselves.

Added up, Moore’s compensation makes him one of B.C.’s best-paid politicians, which given his responsibilities few would begrudge him.

However, when asked about this remuneration by reporter Janis Warren of the Tri-City News, Metro’s chair bristled.

Does the Virto V Replace Traditional Hearing Aids?

Whether at work, during conversations in small groups or when watching television, one in six adults experience problems when it comes to accurate speech comprehension and hearing in everyday situations. Although background noise and music can impair communication with friends and family, two thirds of those affected still do not use any hearing aids.

There are many reasons for this but for most people it’s that they are not convinced that hearing aids will significantly benefit them or it’s the unease they feel about attracting attention by wearing a visible hearing aid.

This is why the Swiss manufacturer Phonak has developed a world first: Virto V. These hearing aids are manufactured using a modern 3D printing process that provides a custom-fit miniature hearing aid that disappears into the ear canal, making it almost invisible to others. Despite its small size, the latest and most advanced Phonak hearing technology is still contained in the casing.

For some clients, the smaller design of the Virto V hearing aids might possibly replace the more traditional behind-the-ear hearing aids, and like many of our other products, these hearing aids can easily connect wirelessly with TVs and smartphones,” explains Prof. Stefan Launer, CSO of the Swiss manufacturer Phonak.

See how the virtually invisible Virto V fits into your daily routine.

Prof. Stefan Launer, CSO of Swiss If you are interested in finding out more manufacturer Phonak, presents about these new hearing aids, the first step is to book hearing evaluation and the new Virto V hearing aids.

Virtual function of the ear

“Thanks to a new operating system, these new hearing aids can provide a virtual alternative for natural hearing, as experienced by people with normal hearing. Through intelligent control, the software can improve speech understanding, even in loud situations and by utilizing the 3D printing process, these hearing aids fit the natural anatomy of the ear as closely as possible making them truly a custom-fit solution.

determine if the new Virto V technology is the right solution for you. For those who are hard of hearing, this can be particularly useful for finding out whether it is possible to hear and understand more clearly with discreet in-the-canal hearing solutions.

At Connect Hearing we offer you the chance to be among the first to try these state-of-the-art hearing aids.

Call 1.888.408.7377 to book your complimentary evaluation today.

“Do you know a vice principal at a high school will get paid a lot more than the mayor of Port Coquitlam?” Moore asked.

“Let’s not forget the Community Charter clearly indicates that the mayor is the CEO, so I’m the mayor/CEO of a $90-million organization that affects 58,000 people pretty much every day, and I think the

salary that we get paid is very justified.”

We can debate whether Moore and his fellow mayors are the equivalent of a “CEO.” But we can agree that the time has come for giving a stronger voice to citizens through direct elections of our Metro Vancouver representatives. @MikeKlassen

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A18

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

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Pharmacy

Dal Richards passed away just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, on what would have been his 80th New Year’s Eve gig, if ill health hadn’t prevented him from attending. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

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A fitting final note for Vancouver’s King of Swing Sandra Thomas

sthomas@vancourier.com

“This is the moment/ I’ve waited for/I can hear my heart singing/Soon bells will be ringing…”

It was during an interview at the home of big band leader Dal Richards in December 2012, when I spotted one of my favourite songs on an album he recorded in 1964 with his Hotel Vancouver Orchestra called Date Night with Dal. Without missing a beat, Dal began singing “The Hawaiian Wedding Song,” much to my delight, and I remember

thinking at the time, this is one of these days when I really love my job and a moment in time I’ll never forget.

It was also the first memory that came rushing back when I woke up early New Year’s Day to discover the popular musician had passed away.

My second thought was for Dal’s wife, Muriel, and the third was just how fitting it was that the King of Swing would leave us on New Year’s Eve, just minutes before midnight. Dal would have turned 98 this past Tuesday, Jan. 5.

This year would have marked Dal’s 80th year playing a New Year’s Eve gig, but ill health prevented him from performing at Hotel Vancouver where he and the band were booked for the night. Dal

Richards and the Hotel Vancouver Orchestra played at the venue from 1940 to 1965.

Sitting on the couch that day in 2012, chatting about grandchildren, stories from the past and the couple’s plans for the future, it was easy to believe Richards was going to be around for a very long time. Just this past June, I spoke with Richards about his participation in a research project focused on “super seniors,” which he began participating in at age 85.

In June, Dal told me, “I still sing and I’m still blowing my horn, playing the saxophone and clarinet, which is good for the diaphragm. And I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle.

I walk a mile every day and I still take singing lessons.”

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A19

News

played on…. Dal Richards remembered But I knew all was not well when Dal bowed out of performing at the Fair at the PNE later in August, a gig he’d loved playing for the past 75 years until his last performance there in 2014.

In an email to the Courier on Jan. 1, PNE president Mike McDaniel wrote, “Dal Richards was an icon who helped shape the landscape of Canadian big band music. His showmanship and talent will forever be his legacy.” That public outpouring of grief and condolences continued on social media. Dawn Chubai, Dal’s long-time friend who regularly sang with his big band, wrote on Twitter, “11:41 on New Years Eve - as you would expect. #RIP #DalRichards.” Chubai’s comment was only one of

hundreds left on Facebook and Twitter.

Over the decades Dal performed with such greats as Bing Crosby, Natalie Cole and Lena Horne. Ironically, Cole, whom Dal performed with at the River Rock Casino last February, also passed away Dec. 31.

The stories Dal shared with me about celebrities and concerts at the Orpheum Theatre and Hotel Vancouver were in sharp contrast to his early years. Born in 1918, Dallas Murray Richards was raised in Marpole and lived the life of a typical boy until an accident with a slingshot cost him his left eye at age nine. During his lengthy recovery, the family’s doctor suggested he take up an instrument, and once Dal had

that clarinet in his hands there was no looking back. Dal started his first band as a student at Magee secondary school in the late 1930s.

Besides rubbing shoulders with celebrities, it was Dal’s charitable work that will carry on and become his true legacy. The Dal Richards Foundation, founded to coincide with his 90th birthday, sup-

ports music programs for kids and young adults across B.C., promotes musical education and relieves some of the financial pressures most young musicians face. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Dal was also involved with Variety: The Children’s Charity and the B.C. Lions Society for Children with Disabilities, to name a few.

And while I’ve had the pleasure of watching Dal perform big band and jazz classics over the years, a personal favourite of mine will remain the B.C. Lions’ fight song, which the musician wrote and arranged, “C’mon and roar you Lions roar. We love the L, the I, the O, N, S…” It’s no surprise that besides the numerous honours

bestowed on Dal over the decades, he was also inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

A public memorial service takes place at 2 p.m. this Saturday, Jan. 9, at Christ Church Cathedral, 690 Burrard St., followed by a private reception for family and friends. @sthomas10

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Top photo: Big band leader Dal Richards was performing at the top of Hotel Vancouver in 1940, when a local nightclub promoter arranged to sneak TV actor/cowboy Roy Rogers and his faithful equine sidekick Trigger into the club for a photo opportunity.

Middle: Dal Richards and his late wife, singer Lorraine McAllister, pose with Bing Crosby at Oscar’s Steak House in 1950. Bottom: The Dal Richards Orchestra with young singer Juliette Sysak (“My Pet Juliette”) in the Palomar Ballroom in 1938.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

News OBITUARY

Another bright light of Vancouver entertainment community remembered Singer was a fixture of 1950s club scene, helped discover Loretta Lynn

Rob Howatson

rhowatson@shaw.ca

Sandra Wilson recorded under the name Sandi Shore and as a teenager performed gigs at the Cave, Isy’s, the Arctic Club and the Orpheum Theatre, where she opened for the likes of the Mills Brothers, the Four Lads, Mitzi Gaynor and, of course, Dal Richards.

While Vancouver mourns the passing of big band leader Dal Richards, many locals are unaware that the city lost another bright light from its entertainment community when singer Sandra Wilson died on Dec. 27. Wilson was a popular voice in Vancouver’s club scene during the 1950s and ’60s, and the diminutive redhead recorded under the name Sandi Shore for Canadian music producer Don Grashey.

Born in Vancouver in 1942, Wilson (née Loranger) was 13 when she won a CKNW talent contest by belting out “Wake The Town And Tell The People.” That victory led to a jingle spot in a Glenburn Dairy radio commercial, and soon Wilson’s mom was chaperoning her to gigs at

the Cave, Isy’s, the Arctic Club and the Orpheum Theatre, where she opened for the likes of the Mills Brothers, the Four Lads, Mitzi Gaynor and, of course, Dal Richards.

In the 1950s, Wilson

ter (Next Time)” — a big, brassy, girl band number, which was penned by Gary Paxton of “Monster Mash” fame. None of her songs struck gold, but some are sought after by collectors as nuggets from

Wilson also played a small role in helping discover country music star Loretta Lynn by inviting Don Grashey and his fellow talentseeker Chuck Williams to her aunt and uncle’s backyard jam session in Fraserview. was compared to jukebox darling Teresa Brewer (“Music! Music! Music!”), but by the 1960s she sounded more like Petula Clark (“Downtown”). Sandi Shore recorded “I’ll Know Bet-

rock ’n’ roll’s infancy. For instance, “Like a Madness” appears on the 1969 album Strictly Canadian (Birchmount Records), which has been described as one of the world’s first garage band compilations.

Wilson also played a small role in helping discover country music star Loretta Lynn by inviting Don Grashey and his fellow talent-seeker Chuck Williams to her aunt and uncle’s backyard jam session in Fraserview.

The two producers were impressed with the Kitty Wells impersonator who had come up from her Custer, Wash. home and promptly signed her to the Vancouver-based Zero Records label.

In the 1970s, Wilson put her music career on pause to raise her children, one of whom, Julie, continues in her mother’s footsteps as a singersongwriter and owner of the independent music company 12notes Music.

Wilson, who coped with polio as a child, fought a long battle with cancer and succumbed to it at the age of 73.

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A21

Health

Bringing your best to a new year Davidicus Wong, M.D.

davidicuswong.wordpress.com.

entrust me with their care, my colleagues who support me in our shared calling, the many good people I have worked with to improve the health of our community, my best friends and my family.

What have I survived?

How have I been helped?

How have I helped others? What have I learned?

How have I grown? The

answers are measures of a year and of life.

Entering this new year, what will we do differently? What activities should we do more of?

What should we reduce?

What should we cut out all together? What can we create?

This life and each moment are precious. We have nothing to waste.

This year, I’ll be continuing my work with the Burnaby Division of Family Practice in our free public health lectures. On Friday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m., I’ll be presenting, “What You Should Know About High Blood Pressure” at the Confederation Community Centre at 4585 Albert St. in North Burnaby (near the Eileen

Dailly Pool and McGill library). Register online with lcullen@divisionsbc. ca or call Leona at 604259-4450.

Davidicus Wong is a family physician and his Healthwise columns appear regularly in this paper. For more on achieving your positive potential in health, see his website at davidicuswong.wordpress.com.

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Y NL O

As we grow older, each year seems to pass more quickly.

When I was five years old, a summer seemed to last a year; now each season passes in a flash.

As we accumulate years in age, each year, month, week and day becomes a relatively smaller proportion of the time we have experienced. And maybe we’re not as attentive.

Yet with each new year, as I review the old calendar, I am always surprised with what has happened in the span of just one year. The media recapitulates the big world events with retrospective spins, but what matters most to you and me are our personal experiences.

There were birthdays, anniversaries and many other celebrations, time spent with family and friends and plays and musicals seen with my wife.

There were hard times too. I looked after two

dear patients who died from the most aggressive cancers. Though palliative care is a special opportunity to give my best in the worst situations and care for a whole family when they need it the most, each visit to home and hospice takes its toll. I die a little with each death.

Last year, my wonderful Aunt Cecile passed away in hospice. Though we miss her deeply, we were fortunate to have had the time to express our love and say goodbye.

There were changes in our relationships — meeting some for the first time, saying farewell to others, a deepening of some friendships, a drifting apart with others.

Taking stock of the old year is practice for looking back at one’s life.

Before moving on, I ask, “What am I most grateful for?”

I reflect on the good fortune not just the bad, the wonderful, kind actions of others, my gracious patients who

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

Garden ASK ANNE

Fungus gnats, bay trees and herbs Anne Marrison

amarrison@shaw.ca Q: Last year I bought potted herbs and repotted them in larger containers under a heat light. They were successful, but I was plagued by fruit flies to the point I gave up. I used milk and vinegar/soap solutions, but to no avail. I want to give it another shot and any help you can give me regarding soil and fly protection would be appreciated.

Bob, Burnaby

A: These flies are similar to fruit flies, but when they come from potted plants they are fungus gnats. The type of soil is no problem, but the moisture content is. Fungus gnats live and breed in moist soil. In dryer soil, they don’t breed and so die out.

The best solution I’ve found is spreading about a third to a half-inch (1 cm) deep layer of sand over the surface of the potting mix where the plants are growing.

Then let the soil dry out just a little before watering again.

Some people deal with fungus gnats by watering from the bottom and a few hours later

dumping the water and waiting a few days before watering again. Another alternative is dusting cinnamon powder over the soil surface.

Many Mediterranean herbs prefer soil that dries out periodically because welldrained soil and occasional droughts are the type of situation they’re used to in the lands from where they originate. Rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano are all Mediterranean herbs.

Parsley does best in fertile soil, but can handle dryness because it has a taproot where it can store food and moisture. Chives have storage in their bulbs.

Mint does better in moist soil, but prefers to be outside if you can manage it. Fungus gnats don’t survive long outside because pests of all kind are a free lunch for birds.

Q: My bay tree was damaged by cold temperatures last winter when I left it outside. I usually put it into my tool shed. Do you know the hardiness of this plant for our wet, cold winters?

Judith MacDonald, Vancouver

A: Your bay tree is a Medi-

terranean native. It’s a Zone 8 tree reputed to be hardy to 5 F (15 C), but this is in perfect conditions — warm south wall, excellent drainage.

This means that on the Gulf Islands, on Vancouver Island, on very sheltered south slopes and in Vancouver areas close to the sea, garden-planted bay trees usually survive. But even then they’re always susceptible to colder than normal temperatures or unusually chilly winds especially when cold combines with wet. So in our present climate their winter survival outside is always a gamble.

Since you put your bay tree in a shed overnight during winter, it’s probably in a container. Container plants need to be one zone hardier than those planted in gardens where their roots are sheltered in earth. Whenever temperatures dip below freezing, your bay tree should be in your shed day and night – hopefully by a window.

Don’t be surprised if it defoliates. This is a response to sudden, stressful changes.

Lemon trees do the same thing. Bay trees almost invariably leaf out again in spring.

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A23

Travel

Live from the 17th century: Bunraku puppetry

Peter Neville-Hadley Meridian Writers’ Group

OSAKA, JAPAN —The gorgeous front cloth shows green pines on a gold background.

It rises to reveal a bucolic scene that might have been lifted straight from a traditional woodblock print.

Multiple characters rhythmically plant rice, while to one side a figure swathed in black chants the performers’ thanks to the author of the play and introduces the narrator and the player of a three-stringed shamisen [Japanese] lute, who kneel together on a side stage.

The narrator begins to introduce the scene and its characters, while the shamisen player heightens the drama with plangent notes from the peculiarly deep-toned version of the instrument preferred in this type of theatre.

The bloody tragedy of The Vendetta by Two Sisters is about to unfold, based on a shocking true story of 1717. Amidst staging and costumes of an extravagance to rival any kabuki performance, the surprise is that the characters are puppets. For this is the National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka,

the home of bunraku puppet theatre.

Bunraku draws its name from one particularly successful mid-19th century troupe, but had its golden age during the 17th century when it became popular entertainment for the growing urban commoner class.

At that time Chikamatsu Monzaemon, bunraku’s Shakespeare, produced sweeping historical dramas and tragedies such as The Love Suicides at Sonezaki, also based on a notorious true story, in which a doomed love affair between a soya shop clerk and a high-class courtesan ended in a double stabbing.

The principal characters in the drama are about three-quarters the size of a human and are operated by three men each, mostly swathed and hooded in black, the colour of invisibility, although the gaudy costumes and painted faces of the puppets already draw the eye. The senior operator, one hand up the back of the puppet to control its head and the other controlling the right arm, remains soberly dressed with his features visible, but these are kept more wooden than those of the puppet itself.

Some of these men have been designated living national treasures and their skill is in conveying emotion through the simplest means. The narrator produces all the voices, including falsetto for the women, and the shamisen can produce a powerful sadness, but the lead puppeteer completes the emotion with a subtle dip of the puppet’s head enough

to bring a sympathetic tear to the eye.

In The Vendetta by Two Sisters, first performed in 1780, one girl witnesses the murder of her father by a samurai, finds her longvanished sister in a Tokyo pleasure-quarter brothel and together they track down their father’s murderer and take his life in turn.

A single-earpiece audio guide for English-speakers

provides a whispered translation and much background into Japanese culture of the time.

Samurai were licensed to take the lives of recalcitrant commoners. Selling oneself to a brothel to provide money for one’s parents was thought to show filial piety. Vendetta was expected, and failure to carry it out could bring punishment. But when

undertaken by women it was sufficiently sensational to ensure immortality in a puppet play.

For more information visit the Japan Arts Council website at ntj.jac.go.jp/english. html and click on “National Bunraku Theatre.” For information on travel in Japan visit the Japan National Tourism Organization at jnto. go.jp. For more travel stories visit culturelocker.com.

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A female bunraku puppet on display outside the National Bunraku Theatre’s performance hall in Osaka. The puppets, almost life size, are controlled by three men each and tell stories often both tragic and true. PHOTO PETER NEVILLE-HADLEY/MERIDIAN WRITERS’ GROUP

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A24

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

Community

IMPRESSIVE DEBUTS: Anyone who has ever attempted to open a new business or organize a new event knows about the incredible amount of time, energy and effort required to pull off a successful affair. Here’s a second look at those who made an impressive first impression in 2015 and who we will undoubtedly hear from again in the new year. Congratulations to everyone. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed.

Suzette Hernandez modeled De Beers Lotus Necklace. Consisting of 1,129 diamonds totalling 8.8 carats, the sparkler fetched $168,000 to go towards the $1.35 million haul for VGH UBC Hospital Foundation.

Front of house director Jeff Parr and owner/chef Michael Robbins are at the helm of Kitsilano eatery AnnaLena, cited as one of Canada’s 10 best new restaurants of 2015 by enRouge magazine.

Fraser Riverkeeper’s James Riley and Lauren Brown Hornor fronted Vancouver’s inaugural Waterkeeper Gala to support local and national efforts to protect the resource.

A REAL SHINER: Cecilia Tse and Aya Primbetove’s first outing was a real sparkler.

Their Time to Shine Gala, presented by De Beers Jewellers, for VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation, drew a well-heeled crowd to the Fairmont Pacific Rim Ballroom. The blacktie affair generated a jaw-dropping $1.35 million for much needed CT scanners for the hospital’s emergency unit.

LEADER OF THE PACK: Jeff Parr and owner/chef Michael Robbins’ new Kitsilano eatery AnnaLena, an ode to Robbins’ grandmothers, already had local critics singing its praises when the resto was named one of the country’s top 10 new restaurants in enRoute magazine. It’s one of the most prestigious culinary lists in the country.

HIGH WATERMARK: Water or our lack of it was a headliner in 2015. The inaugural Waterkeeper Gala, a fundraising initiative for Fraser Riverkeeper, drew attention to our precious resource. With acclaimed author Wade Davis in attendance, $100,000 was raised in support of B.C.’s swimmable, drinkable and fishable future.

2015 was a big year for celebrated mixologist Lauren Mote. She received Bartender of the Year honours from Vancouver Magazine and married her main squeeze, chef Jonathan Chovancek.

Susie Wall and Cause We Care founder Andrea Hill fronted the foundation’s inaugural fundraiser at the Equinox Gallery to help needy single moms and their children.

CHEERS TO LAUREN: 2015 was a banner year for celebrated mixologist Lauren Mote. Mentor to up-and-coming barkeeps and beverage consultant to restos including UVA and Yew Seafood+Bar, Mote picked up Bartender of the Year accolades from Vancouver Magazine and tied the knot with her main squeeze and Bittered Slings cofounder Jonathan Chovancek.

CARE GIVERS: Cause We Care Foundation is a Vancouver-based charity created by women for needy single mothers and their children. Founder Andrea Hill and stylist Susie Wall organized the foundation’s first cocktail party at the Equinox Gallery in support of after-school programs at inner-city schools.

BIG REVEAL: Canucks Autism Foundation founder Clara Aquilini and CEO Katy Harandi saw their first REVEAL Gala make known the challenges, possibilities and hopes of families and individuals living with autism.

The ice level luau at Rogers Arena generated an inspiring $785,000.

email yvrflee@hotmail.com twitter @FredAboutTown

Canucks Autism Foundation founder Clara Aquilini and CEO Katy Harandi saw their first REVEAL Gala at Rogers Arena generate $785,000 to support families and individuals living with autism.

Nordstrom Canada president Karen McKibbin and Vancouver manager Chris Wanlass made a grand entrance holding one of the year’s most impressive retail opening events. A party with a purpose, the launch celebrations supported four local charities.

Michelle Rupp co-chaired the inaugural GLOW Gala, which raised funds for CEO Laurie Clarke’s BC Women’s Hospital Foundation’s newborn intensive care unit. Armed with a $500,000 goal, Rupp saw the benefit dinner out-do itself with attendees raising a whopping $1.2 million.

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A25

Real Estate

Industrial space a bellwether for real estate in 2016 Peter Mitham

Business in Vancouver

A new year has dawned, bringing with it some old issues.

The past decade has seen repeated studies of Metro Vancouver’s industrial land base; now, another round of studies and statistics says we’re on the brink of running out of developable land.

The topic is set to be a hot one this year as Port Metro Vancouver inches toward the expansion of its facilities at Roberts Bank and elsewhere.

The port has been banking strategically located waterfront land along the Fraser River in recent years with an eye to its future needs, and it recently commissioned a study from Site Economics that underscores the limited supply of industrial sites in the region.

“The vacant logistics land supply is estimated to be 1,067 acres and absorption is well over 100 acres per year,” the study noted.

“Without land to develop, it will be very difficult for [Port Metro Vancouver]

and the gateway to support the growth in container handling within the region.”

Site Economics suggests that the economic impact of the constraints could be felt as early as 2020, culminating in 2025 with the exhaustion of the available supply of industrial land.

The study reiterates the conclusions of previous studies by the commercial real estate association NAIOP and Metro Vancouver, which in 2012 noted that the region had approximately 6,600 acres available for industrial development.

“There’s a finite amount that’s left,” said Gaëtan Royer, manager of metropolitan planning, environment and parks, for Metro Vancouver at the time. “If we continue to build singlestorey, tilt-up concrete warehouses we’re going to run out... somewhere between 2020 and 2024.”

Supplies are tight enough that land values have risen accordingly, so much so that demand for existing buildings has risen because developing from scratch

Debra Hewson, President and CEO, Odlum Brown Limited.

doesn’t pencil out given lease rates (something that could change as demand for space in the U.S. increases lease rates south of the border, giving landlords here the space needed to boost rates despite a soft market in Calgary, the region’s primary competitor).

“An owner-occupier is often willing to pay more for a building than a developer will pay for the dirt,” remarked Avison Young’s latest review of Vancouver industrial markets.

“There’s no such thing as cheap land,” said Russ Bougie, a principal with Avison Young who specializes in industrial sales and leasing. “It’s a tight land market across the board, and there’s just very little available for sale.”

Rating interest

Tight supplies of industrial land point to another major trend for 2016: blockbuster valuations for investment transactions.

With sale prices for sites such as the Molson property at the south foot of the Burrard Street bridge and a

property in the 400-block of Prior Street adjacent to the future St. Paul’s Hospital redevelopment outstripping assessments, year-end tallies for investment sales are likely to bust through records.

Sales of purpose-built rental properties are set to exceed $1.5 billion, and the momentum shows no signs of stopping in 2016. With low interest rates and even lower supplies of available product, off-market transactions fuelled by cash-rich buyers and cheap debt promise to keep the investment market on the boil.

Vancouver is the top market for lenders in 2016, according to CBRE Ltd., which found 80 per cent of the players have a strong appetite to lend here, and another 10 per cent have a moderate appetite.

The market is considered a safe bet, for many of the reasons that industrial space is seeing strong demand: a limited supply of assets available to purchase, limited space for new development, and the fundamental need for space that’s in short supply.

With businesses showing an abundance of caution, it seems likely that Vancouver will capitalize on

its reputation for safety in 2016 and be a safe haven for the world’s riches. pmitham@telus.net

MARTIN LUTHER CHURCH 505 East 46th Avenue, Vancouver (one block West of Fraser St)

604-325-0550

Pastor Manfred Schmidt Sun. Jan. 3,

German Service at 9:00 am, English Service at 10:30 am with installation of church council members

Mon. Jan. 4,

Prayer meeting at 8:00 am and yearly planning meeting at 9:30 am

Wed. Jan. 6,

Epiphany Service in English at 7:00 pm followed by coffee

Sun. Jan. 10,

German Service at 9:00 am and English Service at 10:30 am

Wed. Jan. 13, German Choir Practice at 12:45 pm; followed by church council meeting at 2:30 pm

Sat. Jan, 16,

SING ALONG in German at 6:30 pm

Sun. Jan. 17,

German Service at 9:00 am and English Service at 10:30 am

Mon. Jan. 18, Ladies Circle meeting at 1:00 pm Wed. Jan. 20, German Bible study at 11:30 am followed by German Choir practice at 12:45 pm

Sun. Jan. 24,

German Service at 9:00 am and English Service at 10:30 am

Wed. Jan. 27, German Choir practice at 12:45 pm Sun. Jan. 31,

English Bible Study at 9:00 am followed by our Combined service at 10:30 with Holy Communion

Every Thursday at 1:00 pm Friendship Circle Carpet Bowling in the lower hall of the church.

Odlum Brown Limited

O

dlum Brown Limited is an independent, full-service investment firm that has stood the test of time by remaining true to the same core principles on which the company was founded: putting the individual needs of clients first and providing them with disciplined, customized advice to help them create, preserve and grow their wealth over the long term.

Founded in Vancouver in 1923 by General Victor Wentworth Odlum and Colonel Albert Malcolm “Buster” Brown, Odlum Brown remains a private and wholly employee-owned company that today encompasses 250 employees with offices in Vancouver, Kelowna, Chilliwack, Victoria and Courtenay. The firm has also been an annual winner of the prestigious Canada’s Best Managed Companies designation since 1999.

Beyond the relationships they have built with generations of clients, Odlum Brown also firmly believes in building strong communities, sponsoring more than 100 charities and organizations throughout B.C. that support initiatives in such areas as healthcare, education, arts and culture, sports, environment and youth.

Building portfolios is our business, but building relationships is our strength. We put our clients first and always have.

DEBRA HEWSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO, ODLUM BROWN LIMITED

For President and CEO Debra Hewson, there’s no secret to Odlum Brown’s success: it begins and ends with a steadfast, personal relationship forged with each client.

“Building portfolios is our business, but building relationships is our strength. We put our clients first and always have,” says Hewson. “It sounds cliché, but I think the very fact that we’ve been in business and part of the financial landscape in B.C. for more than ninety years is a real testament to how we think about and approach our business.”

SUITE 1100 - 250 HOWE STREET, VANCOUVER, BC 604 669 1600 www.odlumbrown.com

“We want our advisors to build a relationship with their clients. There’s no cookie-cutter or one-size-fits-all approach here. The only way to meet the specific needs of each client is to build and nurture that relationship by understanding what’s important to them and what they are trying to achieve with their investment goals.”

That emphasis on corporate philanthropy has also spurred Odlum Brown’s employees to follow and personally invest in the communities in which they live and work, raising more than $400,000 each year for the past two years for a wide array of charities including the United Way, CIBC’s Run For The Cure and Movember.

Odlum Brown has weathered various economic challenges and stock market cycles for more than 90 years, carving out their own legacy as one of B.C.’s most dependable and trustworthy investment firms. True to this history, they inspire the same approach in their clientele, knowing that — much like the old fable — when it comes to investing, slow and steady wins the race.

A26

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

9

sleeps until voting Use the time to think of your favourites for Vancouver Courier’s Readers’ Choice Awards Voting starts January 16

starsofvan.com

START NOTHING: 9:39 a.m. to 12:23 p.m. Sun., 5:09 p.m. Mon. to 3:53 p.m. Tues., 8:31 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. Thurs., and 3:26 p.m. to 9:48 p.m. Sat.

Your popularity grows Sunday noon (PST) to Tues. afternoon, Aries. Other than a possible tiff Sunday suppertime, this interval blesses you – your optimism rises, and love might arrive via a friendly group meeting. International, cultural and intellectual affairs also thrive. Jump in Monday!

But avoid these things Tues. eve to Thurs. suppertime – instead, retreat, rest, be spiritual and charitable.

Start no new projects or relationships before January 25, Libra. The general emphasis lies on home, children, real estate, garden, nutrition, security, retirement. Spend a lazy Sunday morning. From noon this day (PST) to mid-afternoon Tues. romance, pleasure, creativity and risk-taking lure you – not too successfully Sun. pm, as arguments might occur – but a letter, call or conversation (or short errand) might bring you to love’s nirvana.

Sunday morning’s easy. But from Sun. noon (PST) to Tues. mid-afternoon, be ambitious, display your skills, butter up the boss (all best Monday). But remember, don’t start any projects or relationships before January 25. A sudden, lucky financial or management event might bless you. Happiness, popularity, social delights, light, flirtatious romance, entertainment, optimism and possible wish fulfillment – these tickle you Tues. eve to suppertime Thurs.

Remember, Scorpio, start nothing new, relationships or projects, before January 25. You’re generally tied up now in errands, messaging, paperwork and details. Carefully check addresses, figures, phone numbers, schedules, etc. Make a list before leaving home. Sunday noon (PST) to midafternoon Tues. features home, kids, parents, landscaping, garden, security, etc. Don’t be overbearing Sunday eve. Monday’s best.

Remember, start no new projects or relationships before January 25. Sunday noon (PST) to midafternoon Tues. brings a mellow, wise mood, and success (mostly Monday) with international affairs, legal, publishing and intellectual matters, far travel, and love. (Love, though, is colored with intimate yearnings and possible unethical urges, especially if a former “lust mate” is involved. But an innocent, friendly, marriage-capable love could also blossom now.

The general accent remains on money, earnings, possessions, memory, and sensual attractions.

Remember, start nothing, relationships or projects, and make no major purchases, before January 25. Sunday noon (PST) to Tues. midafternoon brings errands, trips, calls, visits, paperwork and details – be sure to check figures, appointments. Make a list before you set off on your errands.

The general accent lies on relationships – but don’t start any new ones (or any new projects) before January 25. You might wake Sunday morning with a smile on your face as you think of a recent encounter. This noon (PST) to midafternoon Tues. brings secrets, intimate clinches, financial actions/investments/debt, research and investigation, medical diagnoses, and life style changes.

Start no new projects or relationships before January 25, Cap – and avoid major purchases, too. Your charisma, energy and clout remain at a yearly high – but the best place you can put your energy is into projects already begun last year, or into something you can reach and grab from the far past. It’s an excellent time to correct old mistakes, a poor time to plan new things. You wake with strength and vigor Sunday.

Start nothing new before January 25, Leo. (That is just about when a whole month of new people, opportunities and horizons will appear, so waiting is, in a sense, a good thing.) The general accent this week lies on work, dependents, service personnel (e.g., the plumber) and daily health. Eat and dress sensibly. Relationships fill Sunday noon (PST) to midday Tues. Careful Sunday pm, arguments are possible, especially at or about home.

Continue to lie low and rest, Aquarius. Your interior world is undergoing a huge transformation, but a slow one – it takes from 2009 to 2024 to evolve. January, every year to 2024, will emphasize this interior change.

Eventually, it will “open” and grant you a new worldly standing, a leadership role big or small. (E.g., in 20242043, many powerful politicians will be Aquarian.)

Remember, don’t make any major purchases or start any new projects or relationships before January 25.

Start no new projects or relationships before January 25, no matter what I might write below.

Sunday morning’s romantic, or kids charm you.

This noon (PST) to mid-afternoon Tues., brings work and daily health concerns. Eat and dress sensibly. Drive carefully, seek no sex or invest Sunday afternoon/supper time. Otherwise, this interval flows productively and easily. If a former real estate bargain or other investment re-appears, jump on it, it’s a good one.

Remember, Pisces, don’t buy anything major, and start no new projects or relationships before January 25. (No matter what I say in the rest of this – the “don’t start” dominates.)

You remain in a happy, upbeat interval (until Jan. 20) so DO aim your life toward pleasure, adventure, love, friendship and entertainment.

Everyone needs a rest from cares and duties.

Now the universe is giving you a “pass” – take it, enjoy life!

Jan. 7: Kenny Loggins (68). Jan. 8: David Bowie (69). Jan. 9: Kate Middleton (34).

Jan. 10: Rod Stewart (71). Jan. 11: Amanda Peet (44). Jan. 12: Rob Zombie (51).

Jan. 13: Patrick Dempsey (50).

T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

Arts & Entertainment

A27

GOT ARTS? 604.738.1411 or events@vancourier.com

1

Jan. 7 to 13, 2016 1. The Cinematheque screens Vancouver filmmaker Mina Shum’s first featurelength documentary, The Ninth Floor, which looks at the Sir George Williams University riot of 1969, “when a protest against institutional racism snowballed into a 14-day student occupation at the Montreal university.” The film opens Jan. 8, 7 p.m. with an introduction by Shum and producer Selwyn Jacob, followed by a post-screening Q&A moderated by Sturla Gunnarsson. The film also kicks off the Cinematheque’s Canada Top Ten Film Festival, which runs until Jan. 17. Details at thecinematheque.ca.

2. Nobody puts baby in a corner, but you can put her on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre stage as Broadway Across Canada presents the musical Dirty Dancing Jan. 12 to 17. Tickets at ticketmaster.ca. Details at vancouver.broadway.com.

3. Screening Italian classics alongside contemporary films from the past two to three years, including the opening gala comedy Latin Lover, the Italian Film Festival takes over Vancity Theatre Jan. 8 to 14. For details, go to iffest.ca.

4. Start your new year on the right foot as Vancouver’s monthly live variety show Paul Anthony’s Talent Time aims to improve your life, Jan. 7, 8 p.m. at the Rio Theatre. Guests include pinball wizard Robert Gagno, comedian John Cullen, one of Yelp’s top 10 life coaches in Vancouver, a psychic, co-host Ryan Beil and a live house band. Advanced tickets available at riotheatretickets.ca.

2

3

4

A28

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

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K&K tends to welcome the new year much like rumours of a new Guns N’ Roses album: with a mix of excitement, morbid curiosity, confusion and ultimate disappointment. Which is why we’d like to take this time to reflect, not on the year that was but on the year that will be. Here’s what we expect will happen to us and humankind as a whole in 2016: • Like Icarus flying too close to the sun, Canada’s golden boy Justin Trudeau will fall back to earth. How? Why? When?

We have no idea. But we hope it involves 1980s Quebecois singer Mitsou, a wardrobe malfunction and/or an underground cockfighting ring.

• Tired of the daily grind of municipal politics, Mayor Gregor Robertson will take a two-month holiday on a remote gulf island to recharge, to borrow a Neil Diamond phrase, his “heart light.” While away, a handsome 18-speed

Brodie commuter bicycle with Promax V-brakes, Suntour alloy cranks and a pineapple sitting atop its Brooks leather saddle will take his place in council chambers. It won’t be until Coun. Tim Stevenson has a 10-minute long conversation with the bicycle over rezoning bylaws, pats it on the shoulder and accidentally knocks the pineapple on the floor that anyone will notice Robertson’s crafty charade.

• Oxford English Dictionary will finally accept “moose knuckle” into its hallowed pages.

• Vancouver’s love of all things “craft” will extend well beyond breweries to “craft bikini waxing,” “craft marijuana dispensaries” and “craft Canucks hockey games,” where once a month the team will wear handstitched selvage denim uniforms and use copper hockey sticks smelted and forged by a Strathcona blacksmith named Jebediah.

• The Vancouver Courier will start a new quarterly magazine called Meh, aimed at noncommittal, life-in-transition 30- to 40-somethings, maybe even people in their early 50s if they’re not too annoying, who aren’t totally secure in their jobs but want to do something fulfilling but aren’t exactly sure what, but totally think Making a Murderer on Netflix was awesome even though they totally feel bad for Brendan, and who like to eat, drink and outfit their homes with cool stuff even though they should really be saving their money if they are ever going to be able to buy a place to live, but who can’t afford anything in Vancouver unless their parents die and who wants to base their financial future on that, so maybe they’ll move to the island or something, but who knows? — it’s all a bit much to think about all at once, you know. @KudosKvetches

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T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

A29

Arts & Entertainment THE HIRED BELLY

Bacchus in the saddle Enduring room continues to reinvent itself

Tim Pawsey

info@hiredbelly.com

If I were the kind of guy who makes New Year’s resolutions, I’m pretty sure I would have broken most, if not all, of them by now.

Yet, we all make mental notes throughout the year such as “I really should try to eat more... fish/kale/ grains/chocolate etc. So I was intrigued to see famed chef Alain Ducasse has opted to go “meatless” at his Paris Plaza Athénée — although there’s still plenty of flesh, in the form of seafood.

I did briefly consider the merits. But then realized I’d have to forgo dining at the likes of Bacchus at the Wedgewood, which offers a paramount example of why fine dining — and all things French — is back with a vengeance in Vancouver.

First, there’s the room. Bacchus is one of those place that truly cossets. Walk in and it’s impossible not be seduced — by the colours, the fabrics, the fireplace. (What was once a prized cigar room is now a private dining room. Times change.)

But there’s substance here, in one of the city’s enduring rooms that never fails to reinvent itself. The newest incarnation comes courtesy of recently arrived Relais & Chateaux Grand chef Jonathan Cartwright, who switched coasts after a couple of decades at Kennebunk’s White Barn Inn. Cartwright’s attention to detail on the plate and creativity with small innuendos of ingredients is superb. The chef works wonders with the likes of venison with savoy cabbage; and Lois Lake Steelhead with scallop, IPA purée and warm bacon, plus a lively shallot vinaigrette. Beauti-

Chef Jonathan Cartwright’s “Pekin” duck, served with orzo and forest mushroom, confit risotto, is one of several menu highlights at Bacchus at the Wedgewood Hotel. PHOTO TIM PAWSEY

fully textured and flavourful “Pekin” duck arrives with orzo and forest mushroom, confit risotto. Equally irresistible, a delectable “Textures of chocolate” for dessert.

Smart wine picks roam from B.C. to Burgundy.

Think Foxtrot Vineyards Chardonnay with chilled Nova Scotia lobster, or Bouchard Père & Fils Gevrey Chambertin with the Pekin duck. All this and arguably the city’s most romantic room. Just a hunch, but I’d be booking early for Valentine’s.

Doing Dine Out

Speaking of reservations, now the largest event of its kind in Canada, this year’s edition of Dine Out Vancouver is a little over a week away (Jan. 15 to 31) and features hundreds of restaurants with three-course dinners at $20, $30 and $40, plus more than a few lunch offerings. (Taxes, gratuity and beverages extra).

While the focus is still on the (usually) affordable menus and optional B.C. VQA wine parings, the events side of the Dine Out Vancouver Festival continues to grow.

Some more unusual and

intriguing options include a Tea Gastronomy Experience, presented by the Urban Tea Merchant, with an eightcourse tasting menu matched with a wide variety of teas.

If you’ve been waiting for a chance to catch a deal at the much-celebrated (and pricey) Bauhaus, you’re in luck.

Even if it doesn’t fall into the realm of a classic Dine Out “deal,” the Bauhaus “Tribute” series is tempting, as Michelin-starred Chef Stefan Hartmann and team pay homage to Marco Pierre White (Jan. 20 to 22) and to Juan Amador (Jan. 28 to 30).

The $95 dinners, each with a menu inspired by the chef being saluted, includes six courses, taxes, gratuity and ticketing fees — but not beverages.

Other hot tickets range from Vancouver Craft Beer and Food Pairing Tours (several dates) to Side Dishes-Alla Famiglia, which is a chance to experience David Hawksworth’s cuisine but in a more rustic style, with seasonal ingredients served informally in the York Room. For booking and all event details, go to dineoutvancouver.com.

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THEATRE REVIEW

Rose shines in The Rivals

Jo Ledingham joled@telus.net

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As sparkly as a glass of Champagne, The Rivals bubbles over with wicked wit, silly jealousies, hilariously mangled language and mistaken identities. Nothing as déclassé as a gut-buster, it’s a well-bred rib-tickler from the opening scene with Miss Lydia Languish (luscious Emma Slipp) in her bubble bath right down to the little jig that Mrs. Malaprop (marvelous Gabrielle Rose) breaks into at the end.

Written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in 1775, The Rivals opened in London’s Covent Garden, closed the following day after being trashed by critics and audience alike. It was re-written and opened 11 days later to at least one rave review, written by Sheridan himself.

A brash 24-year-old, Sheridan claimed the play would “stand foremost in the list of modern comedies” and, his overwhelming self-esteem aside, he was right.

Directing for Blackbird Theatre, Johnna Wright shifts the action from the powdered, bewigged 18th-century stage to the Edwardian 1900s.

The Rivals is deliciously silly, but there are a few reminders of the now unacceptable way things were then: parents or guardians marrying off their daughters or wards to men not necessarily

Martin Happer and Gabrielle Rose appear in Blackbird Theatre’s production of The Rivals.

to the women’s liking. And mocking women’s literacy was common. “Her brain’s turned by reading,” scoffs Sir Anthony Absolute (Duncan Fraser) of Miss Lydia.

Lydia, a voracious reader of Harlequin-style novels, is a hopeless romantic. She has fallen for Ensign Beverley, a poor military man; Beverley, however, is actually Captain Jack Absolute (Martin Happer), the son and heir of wealthy, aristocratic Sir Anthony. Wanting to be sure Lydia loves him for himself and not for his money, Jack has been posing as Beverley.

Jack’s inheritance, however, is contingent upon marrying whomever his father chooses.

Lydia, too, forfeits her considerable inheritance if she refuses to marry whomever her guardian, Mrs.

Malaprop, sets her sights on.

Lydia fancies marrying Beverly: “How charming poverty will be with him.” Slipp’s Lydia is amusingly theatrical and given to feigning a cold shoulder or an icy glare.

Sheridan takes great pleasure in poking fun at everyone, not maliciously but fondly. Mr. Faulkland (John Emmet Tracy) is hopelessly in love with sensible Miss Julia Melville (Luisa Jojic), but he’s hilariously insecure. Faulkland is a mass of nerves and with a single look or an exquisite bit of timing Tracy has the audience in stitches.

Fraser, as Sir Anthony, also has the audience laughing. His description of Lydia to Captain Jack is a master class in comedy. “Her lips.

Her lips.” “Her cheeks. Her cheeks” are not funny, but

delivered by Fraser you can see lecherous old Sir Anthony getting himself hot and bothered as he rattles on.

Scott Bellis is the readyto-rumble O’Trigger, here portrayed as a southern U.S. gentleman rather than the Irishman Sheridan originally wrote; Kirk Smith is country bumpkin Bob Acres, the unwilling duelist; and Jenny Paterson-Wasko doubles as Lucy and David.

The star of The Rivals is always Mrs. Malaprop, and Gabrielle Rose joins the ranks of those who have completely charmed audiences with malapropisms. The best of these might be, “He is the very pineapple of politeness” or, speaking of Lydia, “She’s as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile.” Applecheeked and almost bursting her bodice, Rose shows again her amazing range.

With The Rivals, Blackbird Theatre Company, under the artistic direction of John Wright, celebrates its 10th anniversary and offers a delightfully frothy entertainment to banish the January cold and to warm the heart. To quote Mrs. Malaprop, “Lead the way. We’ll proceed.” To the theatre, to the theatre.

For more reviews, go to joledingham.ca.

The Rivals runs until Jan. 23 at the Cultch. For tickets call 604-251-1363 or go to thecultch.com.

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A31

Sports & Recreation

Canucks fans have long weathered the ups and downs of their beleaguered team. This year, armchair athletes find themselves torn between wanting their team to win, but likely exit the playoffs early, or tank and secure a higher draft pick. PHOTO DAN TOULGOET

PASS IT TO BULIS

To lose or not to lose? That is the question Vancouver Canucks fans enter 2016 in the midst of an existential crisis

Harrison Mooney

harrisonmooney@gmail.com

2015 was a difficult year to be a Canucks fan.

First there was all the losing. The Canucks went 43-33-11 in 2015, which may not look all that bad, but it’s important to consider that most of the wins came in the back half of the 2014-15 season, when the Canucks posted a 2718-2 finish on their way to a playoff spot.

Once there, the winning came to an abrupt end, as Vancouver was eliminated by the Calgary Flames in six games. And since this season began, they’ve shown nothing that indicates a stronger finish this year. They look even less likely to win a playoff round, let alone get invited to one.

Plus, if you add the regulation and overtime losses together, the

Canucks went 43-44 last year. They lost one more game than they won in 2015, which officially makes it a losing year.

Harder than all the losing, however, was knowing how to react to it. The proper response would seem to be disappointment or even anger. Lord knows Vancouver is practised at reacting angrily to Canuck losses, and I’m not just talking about those two unfortunate civil disturbances. All you have to do is listen to the local radio station after a game. You can practically hear callers frothing at the mouth.

Or at least you could before. Listen to the callers these days and you’re bound to notice a difference: a loss of conviction, mostly, as though most people aren’t quite sure how to react anymore.

Consider this comment on the Pass it to Bulis blog, left by reader Joan

Brown after the Canucks mounted their first thirdperiod comeback of the season, defeating the Anaheim Ducks in a shootout on Saturday. That’s a good thing, right? Brown seems to think otherwise.

“After watching [projected first overall pick] Auston Matthews rack up the points in the WJT,” wrote Brown, “I have frustrated visions of Canucks actually losing out on a potentially great draft pick every time they eke out one of these gutsy wins.

“In the weak [Pacific Division], this means they will likely stay ahead of the other bottom feeders, get into the playoffs, get smeared in the first round and miss out on draft day.

So personally, I liked the win but not the points.”

Therein lies the conundrum of this Canucks season. Each loss makes it clearer that they’re

pretty far away from being Stanley Cup contenders.

But each win puts distance between them and the teams vying for the first overall pick in next year’s entry draft. They’re treading water. Fans need to know which direction they intend to swim.

Practical fans are calling for the Canucks to throw in the towel. Forget about winning right now. Move veterans out, bring youngsters in. Get a head start on the future, as well as a core player for it, by tanking the season right away.

You can see the logic in it. If the best-case scenario for the Canucks is a first-round playoff exit, why aspire to that? Why not flush the season and focus on getting that high draft pick?

It’s not unreasonable. I just think it’s too optimistic. These fans seem to think the draft is a can’t-

miss proposition. Do I have to remind you of the man drafted ahead of Henrik and Daniel Sedin at first overall in 1999?

Probably, since no one remembers him. He wasn’t very good. His name was Patrik Stefan.

He’s now regarded as one of the greatest draft busts in hockey history.

People seem strangely confident that big-time busts like this are a thing of the past. (To them, I would ask, did you see Jake Virtanen at the World Juniors?) There’s always a risk. And when you think about the Canucks’ recent drafting record, it seems silly that there’s a segment of truly intelligent hockey fans thinking a high draft pick is a can’t-lose proposition for this club.

Sure, that’s fatalistic.

But I’ve been a Canucks fan for a long time. This is what I’ve become.

Furthermore, as a fan, the last thing I want to watch is a version of the Vancouver Canucks that couldn’t care less about winning. I don’t care if it’s part of some longer-term plan. Don’t waste my time. I tune in to hockey games to watch the Canucks try to win them. The moment they stop doing that, are they even a hockey team anymore? No surprise that Vancouver hockey fans enter 2016 in the midst of an existential crisis.

There’s still a lot of hockey left to be played this year. But if we don’t sort out our expectations, we’ll wind up spending 2016 just as bewildered and frustrated as last year.

And so, as we start another calendar year of hockey, we need to ask ourselves: What do we actually want from this team?

To read more of the Pass it to Bulis blog, go to vancourier.com.

A32

THE VANCOUVER COURIER THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

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Store and Department Management Positions Available!

Choices Markets is Western Canada’s largest local grocer of natural and organic foods, now with ten stores across the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan. We’re committed to the things that make food worth eating, and carry an extensive selection of natural, organic and local items. We value our customer above all else and always strive to provide the best in customer service and satisfaction. As a 100% locally owned and operated BC Company, we’re dedicated to fostering and supporting the communities that surround us.

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ANTIQUE SHOW January 10th 9am -4:30pm Vancouver Flea Market

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND OTHERS Re The Estate of PETER WILLIAM NOEL GRAHAM, also known as PETER W.N. GRAHAM, PETER W. GRAHAM, and PETER GRAHAM, Deceased, formerly of 1710 West 38th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6M 1R6, Notice is hereby given that Creditors and others, having claims against the Estate are hereby required to send the particulars thereof to the undersigned Executor, on or before January 28, 2016, after which date the Estate’s assets will be distributed, having regard only to the claims that have been received. Douglas Homer, Executor, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, 2900-550 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6C 0A3, Solicitors.

Create, review, adjust, tweak, resize, change font, add colour, tweak, review again, publish, sell, simple.

Create your own ads in in the Classifieds. it’s selling made simple.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

EMPLOYMENT

EDUCATION

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GENERAL EMPLOYMENT

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Administrative Officer Yellow Cab is looking to fill a vacant position for an Administrative Officer (NOC 1221). This will be a full-time, permanent position. Our address is at 1441 Clark Drive, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V5L 3K9.

The job duties: • Oversee and co-ordinate office administrative procedures and review evaluate and implement new procedures; • Establish work priorities, delegate work to office support staff, and ensure deadlines are met and procedures are followed; • Co-ordinate and plan for office services, equipment, supplies, forms, parking, maintenance and security services; • Conduct analyses and oversee administrative operations related to budgeting, contracting and project planning and management processes; • Assist in preparation of operation budget and maintain inventory and budgetary controls; • Assemble data and prepare periodic and special reports, manuals and correspondence; • May supervise records management and related staff.

This position is full time, 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri. Applicant may be required to work on weekends as per work demand.

Compensation is $23.00 per hour. 40 hours per week.

No benefits.

The position is only vacant for the location stated above.

Please send your resume by email to: yellowcabresumes@gmail.com Candidate must have the following experience: • Degree or diploma in business or public administration; • Completed secondary school; • Experience in senior clerical or executive secretarial position in office setting; • Candidate must be willing to work independently and manage work and projects with a high level of accuracy, have excellent interpersonal skills and display a high level of professionalism.

We thank all those who apply.

Only qualified candidates will be contacted.

classifieds.vancourier.com • classifieds.vancourier.com

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PETS

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TODAY'S PUZZLE ANSWERS

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RENTALS

APARTMENTS/CONDOS FOR RENT GARDEN VILLA

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.

FRANCHISES + &65#- %#A.-?6.#, '6#A7/.45 $<<?6-BA.-;

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#"/23 ";4 !2;20.3 "52 :9=72.+.+?2 >+.-+; .-2 +;4,3.5<6 -B$)>"-B4 ( =<>0/"(5 ;<0+ ;!!+ ;-C1 :!8-&)! .C(0C C-D!.3

$,!=+. <9,5 523,=2 +; :9;042;:2 .98 *4=+;+3.5".+9; &";"/25 11<)C'!0$<;<0)";-"!3$<D % *(8# 9E276 ?A? @A,,

BUSINESS SERVICES

**SWEDISH MASSAGE** 604-739-3998 Relieve Road Rage

TRAVEL REAL Estate. NW Montana.

Tungstenholdings.com 406-293-3714

Hi-Rise Apartment with River View & Indoor Pool.

1 BR & 2 BR Available.

Rent includes heat & hot water. Remodeled Building and Common area. Gated underground parking available.

References required.

CALL 604 525-2122

info@langaragardens.com Managed by Peterson Residential Property Management Inc.

One Call Does It All

604-630-3300

BAYSIDE PROPERTY SERVICES

VILLA MARGARETA

320-9th St, New West Suites Available.

All suites have balconies, Undergrd. parking avail.

Refs. req. Small Pet OK. CALL 604-715-7764

BAYSIDE PROPERTY SERVICES

OFFICE/RETAIL BRIGHT STREET Level office space at W. 37th Ave & East Blvd. avail Feb 1st, 2016, At the edge of Kerrisdale Business District, easy free parking 750 sf, $1,250+gst, Incl heat, ns, Peter 604-377-6677

HOME SERVICES CLEANING A.S.B.A ENTERPRISE. Comm/ Res. Free Est. $25/hr incls supplies. Insured. 604-723-0162 CLEANING SERVICE Reas rates, specializing in homes. Guar work. Refs.

Call 604-715-4706 EUROPEAN DETAILED Service Cleaning www.puma-cleaning.ca Sophia 604-805-3376

CONCRETE

Coastal Concrete .

• Placing & Finishing •Forming •Site Prep •Concrete Removal •Re & Re •Excavation Reinforcing 37 years exp • Free Est. coastalconcrete.ca

Rick (604) 202-5184 CONCRETE SPECIALIST Sidewalk, Driveway, Patio Exposed Aggregate, Remove & Replacing Reasonable Rates.

35 yrs experience For free est.

Call Mario 604-253-0049

Find all your renovation needs in Home Services 604.630.3300

A33

CONCRETE L & L CONCRETE, All types: Stamped, Repairs, Pressure washing, seal. 778-882-0098

DRAINAGE DRAIN Tiles, Sewer, Water,

Video Inspection, Jack Hammering, Hand Excavating, Concrete Cutting, WET BSMT MADE DRY

Tobias 24/7

604.782.4322 Drainage

@

Perim. drains, sewers, water lines. Fully Ins. 604.889.0251

place ads online @

classifieds.vancourier.com DRYWALL

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84957 > 84;2687 -1%- 7+=!'+/"33& 7@.# :=/.

•All Concrete Work

MASONRY AND REPAIRS •Stone Walls •Bricks •Chimneys •Fireplaces •Pavers •Drain Tiles

GEORGE • 778-998-3689

$?)(0<%(*),< Home Services cont. on next page

A34

THE VANCOUVER COURIER THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016

SUDOKU

HOME SERVICES ELECTRICAL #1 A-CERTIFIED Licensed Electrician, Res/Comm New or old wiring. Reasonable rates.

Lic #22774 604-879-9394 A LIC’D. Electrician #30582 Rewiring & reno, appliance/ plumbing, rotor rooter 778998-9026, 604-255-9026 All Electrical, Lic #105654 res/comm, renos, panel chgs Low Cost 604-374-0062 LIC. ELECTRICIAN

bf#37309 Commercial & residential renos & small jobs.

778-322-0934 YOUR ELECTRICIAN $29 Service Call. Lic#89402.

Fast same day service.

Insured. Guar’d. We love small jobs. 604-568-1899

EXCAVATING

GUTTERS

MOVING

GUTTER CLEANING ROOF BLOWING MOSS CONTROL 30 yrs experience

*%%96'*(!& ?91"<$ HHHC2<<GAB2+1?.GI?A>+)C)G.

+@BA#.

Simon 604-230-0627

Ken’s Power Washing Plus

#@(*# / #@!% '$85*!(&

WINTER SPECIALS ! Gutter & window cleaning ! Power washing ! WCB, Insured, Free est.

Call Ken 604-716-7468

HANDYPERSON AaronR Construction Repairs & Renos, general contracting.

Insured, WCB, Licensed.

D&M PAINTING .

%.28 ED 3D 9D ; / EF 5G, 5A0)4> #7)?,>?B - :?172+1? - E 6G 3 "?,

For Prompt Service Call

PAINTING/ WALLPAPER

%.)) &,=;8/=)A3)5;2. ';,-275= :?>7B?,6721-(G..?A)721-=72,G>

C4@>B:D>@0@4

Interior / Exterior Specialist Many Years Experience Fully Insured Top Quality, Quick Work Free estimate

604-724-3832

*"3./1*4!3"2'!,0

1PRO MOVING & SHIPPING Across the street, across the world Real Professionals. Reas. Rates.

Best in every way! 604-721-4555

? F77@D -7F 2<::8 < ;7!BD !=0 ;7C79F 1(/)C)=+ A "F)@ /3BF!. $F);/ )=;CD (C76/F5!C/ $F/@)9@ G9!C)B0 4!)=B, 53 1"-6!5/ #)$,+ 7(4 ,% 2(*'+.$.0& *DE 9D !>79B 79F &!@)=!B/ 'C77F)=+ A %!)5 #/F6);/D,

ABE MOVING & Delivery & Rubbish Removal $30/HR per Person• 24/7. 604-999-6020

PATIOS

&#+ )$%# )%-%( --'#%!!#!%-' &"+*$$)*(),)

TCP MOVING 1 to 3 men from $40.Lic & Ins local &

storage. Ca & US long distance 604-505-1386 604-505-9166

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

604-318-4390 aaronrconstruction.com

Any project, ($-+/363+, 5 %# '36$ '$)03%$: 5 !($* ()&3,&7$ 5 &" *&%1"3// 5 )'

9.852#!54..# FLOORING Hardwood Floor Refinishing Repairs & Staining Installation Free Estimates Century Hardwood Floors 604-376-7224

www.centuryhardwood.com

.

MPF Hardwood Supply & Installation

Hardwood & Laminate + Stairways + Reno’s.

10yrs. Refs. Best Rates!

604-653-7120

Supply & Install: • 12mm Laminate Pkg from $3.75sf

604-568-1878 ANYTHING IN WOOD Hardwood floors, installs, refinishing. Non-toxic finishes.

604-782-8275

$'!%" #&(&

84957 > 84;2687 -1%- 7+=!'+/"33& 7@.# :=/.

$?)(0<%(*),< AAA All types repairs, tiling, painting, plumbing, electrical, more. David 604-862-7537

or small...

Find all the help you need in the Home Services section

@ ;2!,',% @ 6,*& 9"(*=?+ @ 8(?0 .'%)A0 @ 9!<<'0) 9"(*=?+

@ 7"B%"0 @ :!AA"20 @ 4BB /*<0 @ .?,B0>?1',%

$-,(!).# '&"*+% )$$. " /$) "+

000*(1#&#,01!'*%TREES, HEDGES, SHRUBS Pruning, shaping, removal, fruits, topiary. Wolfgang, 778-848-7404

MASONRY

"961- 03+3

&*"$%#: 4 "!$%(=$#' 30;3 "?78B?6-,,5 "A./ @76.

D2C<E>;<+C)>

PLUMBING NAND’S PLUMBING & TILES LTD. Complete Renovations

.

(&!*+&

$&-%*'#( &"),

2-*/'*/( 1+#),/& . !0% "-$$/&

'5"4/- 2/-%5(/* 6?(" 3?$ 6"2='>"# -!++$ 5,0!2"B

3(++ !'&* %#('!$&'$%""

###*2/&),",$+(1/.-,%$+(*-,0

BBB member. 604-767-2667

LAWN & GARDEN

&$3. 10,$)#+!2

PUZZLE ANSWERS ON SEPARATE PAGE

•General Contracting • Plumbing • Heating Hot Water Tanks • Boilers •Gas Fittings - BBQ/Pitts

HANDYMAN Reno, kitchen, bath, plumbing, countertop, floors, paint, etc. Mic, 604-725-3127

A to Z CERAMIC TILES Installation, Repairs, Free Est. 604 444-4715, 604 805-4319 Golden Hardwood & Laminate & Tiles. Prof install, refinishing, sanding & repairs. 778-858-7263

BIG

: *+2)/<2) &!4/; (;0397 : $2<9;;)7 !<5 "/<5;.7 : *+2)/<2) %!/+/<176 #/<,+ '38-/<1

OIL TANK REMOVAL

ONIPKEIPRO <F0- A"%)DF+ H >#+ H A"E)%%"0H"H H ?06!:"H H A"F6)0FC+" AFG"6 GSQFLMQFDGLS

FLECK CONTRACTING LTD.

% (:4 52.7 9)1+824 % -+"7 ,+1$4:)!

6:;< ,:;0 /0426! % *4620! #2:" & BC Mainland ")2!+.2/4) "2;)! % '3,)44).; ")#)").,)!

( /93B4$& ( ;8D6 =8> ;6A?576 ( <B@ 98@6A :8CE ( 24*=9*@$ ,7$'5 =9 .$*; 2$1$'1=89

%#!'&$('%#&"

3 Licensed Plumbers 66 years of exp. 604-830-6617 www.oceansidemechanical.com

ACTUAL PLUMBING LTD

BBB, Visa/Mcard/Amex

604-874-4808

Licensed Plumber, Gas & sprinkler fitter, boiler installation. new renos. 604-723-2007 SAVE ON GAS FITTING & HOT WATER TANKS. Plumber /Gas fitter. Quality work. Free Estimates. Same day service, Insured BBB 604-987-7473

10% Off with this Ad. For all your plumbing, heat & reno needs. Lic Gas Fitter, Aman. 778-895-2005

For Free Estimates Call

Off: 604-266-2120 Cell: 604-290-8592 Serving West Side since 1987

Home Services cont. on next page

ACROSS

1. Cathode-ray tube 4. A leglike part 8. Old world, new 11. Sec. of Def. Panetta 13. Greek god of E or SE wind ws mei hdzg g zk} 16. In a way, bothers 19. Federal savings bank 20. Stout lever with a sharp spike 21. F.S. Fitzgerald’s wife Zelda vv mk y xzy g| 23. Scads 24. Prophet

DOWN

1. Applauds 2. Actress Zellweger 3. Obtained by addition t b|z ~ efzd j~ h 5. Flees 6. Murres genus 7. __ Wong, spy 8. Works well as a remedy 9. Tripod 10. A nautical unit of depth 12. Most populous Native Am. people 14. Genus Capricornis 17. Universally mounted spinning wheel 18. Spanish shawl

26. Former “Daily Show” star 31. Organized crime head ut ozx j f zk ~hjl j hg 35. 2X WWE Divas Champ 38. Brine cured Canadian cheese 39. Slow oozing 41. Volt-ampere 42. Phenyl salicylate 44. European defense organization 45. Anglo-Saxon theologian 46. Doctrine 49. Soviet peninsula 51. Large long-armed ape

55. Protects from weather 56. Mops 60. Bridge expert 61. Fabric woven from goat and camel hair 62. Capital of Honduras 64. Tell on 65. Wooden clog 66. Beloved 67. Fed 68. Decays rp mzk}x kg n

47. Milton’s Cormus composer 25. Macaws Henry 27. No (Scottish) 48. Sheep up to age one 28. Takes dictation 49. Green algae 29. Spanish appetizers 30. The Muse of lyric and love 50. Capital of Morocco 52. S.E. French city on the poetry Rhone 31. Romaine lettuce 53. Asian nation 32. Alias 54. Great No. Am. RV Rally 33. A way to beat 57. Culture medium and a 36. Son of Jacob and Zilpah food-gelling agent 37. Amount of time sq k l x li| kj 39. Most guileful swelling 40. Younger US political party 59. Native of Edinburgh 43. Electrical resistance unit 63. Belonging to a thing 45. Side way

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2016 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

HOME SERVICES PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

AUTOMOTIVE

RENOS & HOME IMPROVEMENT

ROOFING

Gutter cleaning, roof blowing, moss control. Prompt professional service, 30 yrs exp.

Simon 604-230-0627

RENOS & HOME IMPROVEMENT BATHROOM RENOS est. 2003

Tub to shower conversions tiling, plumbing, heated floors, vents. Local Co. We supply & install solid wood vanities & quartz counter tops.

Master Renovations Ltd

604-817-1749

allaboutbathroom.com

4*42)5") !,1/51-3 0+/,.1+-0 8 &!=2>)!= "15,-61 8 ")!++ 0; #!5/1 $;:3 8 %=015-;54 *?015-;5 8 (+;;5-=/ 8 9<<7 '.!5!=0112

% # (

%## ' ($#&

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')!#*%"($&

place ads online @

classifieds.vancourier.com

RUBBISH REMOVAL

DOMESTIC CARS

MINI BIN RENTALS

Best Rates A-1 Contracting & Roofing Re-Roofing & Repair. Concrete Tile, Paint & Seal & Maint. WCB. 25% Discount. Call Jag at:

$'!%" #&(&

84957 > 84;2687 -1%- 7+=!'+/"33& 7@.# :=/.

$?)(0<%(*),<

778-892-1530

(-$"., #$,+&% 0"/2%("/ '+!)-#+! /(".&*(/ )1+&.!1) *'2#

, 20-'$-'/ , !+(*$%-*0+ , 2+#).-'/ , 1-+-'/ , "!%&('$%# "0%&($-'/

*(#) .,&%"-!%'"'. *'#) ",!%&"&-( +'##) "$-%&-&" # )&!! !%$('"$!% # +(##) .,&%"$.%'.'"

Construction waste, rock & concrete.

Martin 778-868-4076 Glen 778-846-6601

‘03 Chrysler Intrepid 124K, dealer maint rec. some body work req. excel. mechanics $1950 778.997.3294

SPORTS UTILITIES & 4X4S

$'!%" #&(&

84957 > 84;2687 -1%- 7+=!'+/"33& 7@.# :=/.

$?)(0<%(*),< MCR Mastercraft Roofing Right the 1st time! Repairs, reroofing, garage, decks.

Hart 322-5517

LEAKY ROOF? We Repair! " New Roofs " Soffit Siding " Hardy Board " Patios " Great Rates " Quality Pays

604-358-7597

A35

2004 Kia Rio sedan $3950.

2003 Sunfire sedan $3950.

2004 Volvo V70 sw $5850. * ALL sales include Winters Auto Depot 604-727-3111

To advertise call

604-630-3300 Bath, Kitchen, Basement & More Grade A+, Licensed & Insured RenoRite.com, 604-365-7271 CONCRETE FORMING, framing & siding crews available. 604-218-3064 D & M Renovations.

Flooring, tiling, finishing.

Fully Insured. Top quality, quick work, 604-724-3832

FERREIRA

RUBBISH REMOVAL

*"+)/ '.!& "(#$-+%,!"#

1 %;<< "+E8B/+ $;6? #+938:< 7 '<+:6C@0 :A *))3E-:4<+ #:A+D 1 (33?+- *003B6A9+6AD 1 ":9+C&:5 "+E8B/+ 1 >2 =:E- (B6 !E;/?

1 #+DB-+6AB:< 7 '399+E/B:< $# ("03 !1) 02),"+. .-+"-&#' +- "%#& $ *,%! ()).

%#'&$$#&/*)- .'!$',

HOME IMPROVEMENTS All interior and Exterior Renovations and Additons Renovation Contractor Licensed and Insured Free Estimates “Satisfaction Guaranteed”

NORM 604-841-1855

Always Reddy Rubbish Removal

• Respectful • Reliable & • Responsible. All Rubbish, Junk & Recycling needs.

Res/Com. Affordable rates .

Johnson• 778-999-2803

W E N

(*"%$)!!&#' %')"),%, (! .5$-# &1*3+ /04-*3 213-*

@ <# 4#)+=# ?/% -'/B +! ."/- 8 4#>%>,'/& @ :#2'B#/A$ 7+))#4>'?,$ 6/B"2A4'?, @ (?2#)#/A$ ;?4?&#$ 9?4B 7,#?/*"3 @ 5,B 0"4/'A"4#$ 133,'?/>#2 $- & ,' !.*1 +#"0/*#%)(

DISPOSAL BINS starting at $219 plus dump fees. Call Disposal King 604-306-8599

classifieds.vancourier.com

STUCCO DC STUCCO Ltd 21 yrs exp.

Exc serv. All types of finishes.

Repairs. Ins’d 604-788-1385

Find all your renovation needs in Home Services 604.630.3300

AWD ‘08 Subaru Legacy 96Km AWD ‘07 Hyundai 7P Veracruz AWD’00 Lexus RX300 108Km AWD 2001 Ford Excape Limited * Winter tires included all Sales!

Auto Depot 604-727-3111

SCRAP CAR REMOVAL

/56 1!3",,63 1!3", !"3 * /3-!4 360.+"2

*+$' (#! +%% ")'&*%)$

%#)(&'#($'## &"% $)%!'* #(

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A36

THE VANCOUVER COURIER T H U R SDAY, JA N UA RY 7 , 2 0 1 6

Natural

Your Original

Food Store

B.C. Grown

Non-Medicated

AAA

Top Sirloin Boneless & Skinless Certified Organic Chicken Breasts Spartan Apples Roasts or Steaks

7

1

$ 25

$ 49

/lb 15.98/kg

/lb 3.29/kg

4

$ 98

/lb 10.98/kg

We carry a Huge Selection of Organic Products AAA

NON-MEDICATED

Short Ribs

4

$ 98

/lb 10.98/kg

ORGANIC

Bone-In Centre Cut Pork Chops

3

FROM THE DELI

MEXICO GROWN

CALIFORNIA GROWN

MEXICO GROWN

Certified Organic

Certified Organic

Certified Organic

B.C. GROWN

1

/lb 3.29/kg

2

/lb 6.59/kg

Green Onions

1

/lb 10.98/kg

Black Kale

2

/lb 17.62/kg

Grapefruit

1

$ 29

$ 19

$ 29

U.S.A. GROWN

ANNIE’S HOMEGROWN

MACKIE’S OF SCOTLAND

ORGANIC & VEGAN

Certified Organic

Pasta assorted

Potato Crisps assorted flavours

/100 g

Romaine Hearts

3

bunch

while supplies last

2 4

2

bunch

$ 99 $ 79-$ 49 $ 49 3 pack

170 - 340 g

150 g

1595 Kingsway • 604-872-3019 • www.famousfoods.ca

8 am-9 pm •

ea

Pranin f Purefood Powders

15

%

NON-ORGANIC

Black Mission Figs

Pitted Dates

8

455 g

Sale Dates: Thursday, January 7th - Wednesday, January 13th, 2016.

off

assorted plus gst

NON- ORGANIC

$ 49 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

7

$ 99

$ 29

$ 49

4

Beef Stir Fry

$ 98

$ 99 Gala Apples

2

Lean Ground Beef

ORGANIC

$ 99

/lb 8.80/kg

Hot Capicollo

7

Rib End Pork Chops

ANGUS

$ 99

Fast Fry Inside Round Steaks /lb 17.62/kg

NON-MEDICATED

4

$ 49 1 kg