Vancouver Courier October 16 2013

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 Vol. 104 No. 83 • Established 1908

Heart of the City Festival

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MIDWEEK EDITION

THE VOICE OF VANCOUVER NEIGHBOURHOODS

NEWS: Fleeing families 7/ OPINION: Pot talk 11

Nativesmake up30percentof city’shomeless

BUT ABORIGINAL PEOPLE MAKE UP ONLY TWO PER CENT OF CITY’S ENTIRE POPULATION MIKE HOWELL Staff writer

T

photo Dan Toulgoet

POWER OF PADDLING: Paddling helped put Kits secondary twins Aidan (l) and Shamus Menard on a

healthier path where their hard work and dedication paid off with a recent gold medal in the Junior Open division at the Canadian National Dragon Boat Championships. See related story page 24.

Kits Beach bike path a done deal CONSULTATION INADEQUATE, SAYS KITSFEST ORGANIZER SANDRA THOMAS

Staff writer

A

Vision Vancouver park board commissioner says a controversial 12-foot wide paved bike path for Hadden and Kits Beach parks is a done deal.

The $2.2 million path, approved by the park board Oct. 7, will run from Hadden Park along Kits Beach and west to the outdoor pool.

“The process was solid and the results were positive,” said Vision Vancouver park board vice-chair Aaron Jasper.

“As part of the public consultation [staff] went down and spoke with nearly 400 people, which is

above and beyond anything they’ve done before.”

Jasper said while the board would be willing to meet with residents, stakeholders and beach users to talk about their concerns, the bike path will go ahead.

On Friday the route for the bike lane was mapped out using white paint.

“To be clear,” said Jasper, “this decision will not be reversed.”

KitsFest cofounder and two time Olympian Howard Kelsey disagrees the public consultation was thorough. Kelsey noted many of the stakeholders affected by this bike path were in attendance at a special ceremony Sept. 29 for the official park board opening of 10 tennis courts they helped pay for.

See KELSEY on page 4

he news, again, is not good for the city’s aboriginal community: 30 per cent of homeless people quizzed about their heritage in the City of Vancouver’s annual homeless count identified themselves as aboriginal.

The percentage, however, could be higher since 364 of the 1,600 homeless people counted by city workers and volunteers in March did not respond to a survey or information wasn’t available about their background.

Of 1,236 people who reported their heritage during the count, 30 per cent, or 369, said they were aboriginal. It’s a statistic that Patrick Stewart, chairperson of the Aboriginal Homeless Steering Committee, said doesn’t reflect the true number of homeless aboriginal people in Vancouver.

“We’ve always maintained those counts are a slice in time and an undercount,” said Stewart, who is troubled by the fact two per cent of the city’s population is aboriginal but continue to comprise a significant percentage of the homeless.

City council heard last Tuesday that 480 formerly homeless people who resided in the city’s shelters moved in to permanent housing in the past five years. But city staff didn’t track what percentage of the 480 people were aboriginal.

“We’re going to certainly work towards doing more detailed information gathering in the future,” said Brenda Prosken, the city’s general

manager of community services.

Over the past few years, the Courier has interviewed aboriginal tenants in new social housing buildings.

Some of those tenants were formerly homeless and moved into the eight buildings that opened under an agreement involving the city, the provincial government and Streetohome Foundation.

Six more buildings are scheduled to open under the agreement.

Stewart said he would expect homeless aboriginal people to get priority when the units become available.

The statistics, he said, support his recommendation.

“If the homeless count says 30 per cent are aboriginal, then we should have access to 30 per cent of the units,” Stewart said.

The non-profit operators of the eight buildings “work to find the appropriate tenant mix for each building, taking into account the needs of the residents and the capacity of the non-profit to manage the operation,” according to B.C. Housing, in an email response to the Courier.

The City of Vancouver and B.C. Housing signed an agreement requiring 50 per cent of tenants in all 14 buildings to be from the street or shelters, 30 per cent from singleroom occupancy hotels and 20 per cent considered low-income.

“The aboriginal population is reflected in that mix,” B.C. Housing said.

One of the city’s homeless shelters at 201 Central St. is operated by the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society.

See HEALTH on page 4

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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news Old complaint about buses surfaces onVPD website 12TH & CAMBIE with Mike Howell

H

ow has your experience been with bus drivers? Mine has been pretty good. Most are good with directions, courteous and skilled behind the wheel. But the Vancouver Police Department apparently has an issue with some Coast Mountain Bus Company drivers.

Or, should I say, had.

I came across a letter dated Dec. 6, 2006 addressed to Stephen Hayes, supervisor of service delivery for Coast Mountain Bus Company, from Insp. Andy Hobbs, who was at that time in charge of the VPD’s traffic section.

The letter was posted recently on the VPD’s website under the department’s Freedom of Information releases. As I’ve reported previously, the VPD posts the releases simultaneous to their release to the person or group that requested it.

So why the heck would someone be interested in a letter from 2006?

The cops couldn’t tell me.

But I’m guessing maybe a lawyer is representingaclientwhogothitbyabusorsomethinglike that and wants to get her hands on documents to help her case. Or maybe somebody was simply

photo Dan Toulgoet

Somebody wants to know more about the VPD and its concern about bus drivers, according to a letter posted on the department’s website. on a fishing expedition for documents related to bus drivers and cops and this is what he found on the end of his line.

I dunno. But let’s have a look at what Hobbs wasconcernedaboutbackin2006.Didn’tsomebody once say understanding the past helps understand the future? I guess I could Google that but I’m too lazy. Anyway, here we go, beginning with a quote from Hobbs: “Our concerns are by no means intended to be critical of all of your drivers and I believe that in the context of our conversation, that would have been clear to any observer,” he said, referring to an earlier meet-

ing with Hayes. “The majority of drivers are in compliance with the regulations with respect to road use and I hope that our perspective provides additional opportunities to enhance your in-service training for drivers.”

Hobbs laid out six concerns: Traffic lights: “Based on our observations and publiccomplaints/comments,anyfailuretostop for traffic lights combined with the practice of honking the horn through yellow and red lights is dangerous.”

Blocking intersections: “There is a need to accurately judge the available distance through

an intersection when entering on a green so as to not ‘plug’ the intersection, particularly in the congested downtown core.”

Lane straddling: “I recognize that in some cases, due to road design and some other factors, this practice is necessary to avoid collisions. However, it should be kept to an absolute minimum.”

Safety triangles/equipment: “When a bus is broken down on the side of the road, safety triangles should be used to supplement the fourway hazard lights that can dim over time.”

Signals: “The correct use of signals when approaching or leaving a stop. The hazard lights can create frustration and confusion to other driver and road users.”

Speeding: “While it may seem obvious, I believe that speeding is a significant contributing factor in collisions and I would appreciate your support by including the obvious — obeying speed limits — in your training.”

So because those concerns were raised seven years ago, I contacted Const. Brian Montague of the VPD’s media section to get an update. He replied with an email. This is what he said: “The letter is seven years old, but we continue to have an open dialogue with Coast Mountain so that if there are any concerns that arise, they can be addressed.”

Can’t wait for the next FOI releases from the VPD concerning cabs, cyclists and all those road hogs in pick-up trucks. mhowell@vancourier.com twitter.com/Howellings

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

news

photo Dan Toulgoet

Kits residents James Goodman (left) and Garry Wolfater at Kits Point where painted white lines allegedly mark where a controversial paved biking path will be installed.

Kelsey‘blindsided’ by path plan Continued from page 1 “We were right there and no one said a word to any of us,” said Kelsey, who chairs Canada One Athletic Foundation and is executive vice-president of Canada Basketball.

“We were completely blindsided.”

Kelsey, speaking on behalf of more than 3,000 basketball, tennis and volleyball users, said he only knows of one regular beach user who was approached to take part in the survey, which included 370 beach users.

He is concerned cyclists will naturally pick up speed as they come down the slope near the caretaker’s house at the north end of Arbutus to where thousands of beach users converge on sunny days. He noted the bike path will run directly adjacent to an accessible playground on one side and the busy basketball courts on the other, which he said creates a dangerous situation.

Jasper said the park board consulted with both the city’s persons with disabilities and seniors advisory committees prior to mapping out the bike route.

In an Oct. 11 email to the Courier, Kelsey wrote in part, “We totally support bike lanes — not just this ridiculous paved route through green space… Our thousands of sports and community–related constituents tell us that

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a GRAVE error is being made by our elected park board/city officials — on several levels.”

Kelsey and others want to meet with the park board to discuss creating a bike path along the roads bounding Hadden and Kits Beach parks.

Kits resident James Goodman is concerned because the route cuts through a family picnic area “First I would declare that I am fully in favour of a separated bike path around Kits Beach Park,” said Goodman, who emailed the Courier photos of paint marks through Kits Beach Park. “I do not support the unnecessary routing and the demolition of the heavily used family picnic area on the slope at the north end of the park as you can see by the white line markings in the photos attached.”

Goodman wants the route of the path changed to have less impact on park green space and to be safer.

“If any park commissioner would visit this park on a busy summer weekend it would be obvious that to demolish this area for a high speed bike route (yes it is on a slope so bikes go faster down hill) is totally disrespectful of the families who use this area.” sthomas@vancourier.com twitter.com/sthomas10

Health survey noted‘unique challenges’ for aboriginal people Continued from page 1 It is located near the intersection of Main and Terminal and the majority of its 100 spaces are occupied by aboriginal people.

Susan Tatoosh, executive director of the Aboriginal Friendship Centre, said shelter staff connect tenants with various service agencies and housing providers. The goal is to address a tenant’s need —whether it be treatment for an addiction or finding employment — and place that person in housing linked to services.

“We have our network in place,” said Tatoosh, who urged the City of Vancouver to continue giving the aboriginal community a

voice when planning and making decisions to eradicate homelessness.

“They should continue doing what they’re doing now which is much more than they were doing five years ago.”

The B.C. Health of the Homeless Survey authored by Dr. Michael Krausz in 2011 said aboriginal people face “unique challenges and have specific health care needs as a result of colonization and the residential school system. Many have been victims of abuse and neglect and many are vulnerable and exposed to high-risk environments.” mhowell@vancourier.com twitter.com/Howellings

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

news

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Trout Lake park master plan is in the works with Sandra Thomas Many Courier readers recently told me they felt caught off guard by the 12-foot wide, separated bike path approved for Kits Beach and Hadden parks last week.

So here’s a heads up. If you live near John Hendry (Trout Lake) Park, the park board is developing a long-range master plan regarding the future of this popular green space, which includes several recreational fields, multi-use trails, an off-leash dog area, community centre and ice rink. The mater plan is expected to be approved by next summer, so if you have an opinion or something to add, now’s the time to start paying attention.

The park was created in the 1920s and expanded over 40 years to the 27.3 hectares it is today. Trout Lake is at the heart of the park, which attracts about 750,000 visitors a year.

The plan will lay out how the park is going to evolve and grow during the next 10 to 15 years and to that end, the park board wants to hear from park and community centre users and residents of the Trout Lake neighbourhood.

According to a park board report, opportunities lie in and around the off-leash dog park,

RALLY AGAINST EVICTION

A rally is planned Oct. 19 at the Killarney Community Centre to protest the park board’s intended eviction of six community centre associations. Just three days later, the lawyer representing Hastings, Riley Park-Hillcrest, Killarney, Kensington, Kerrisdale and Sunset associations will ask a B.C. Supreme Court judge to grant an injunction against the termination notices. The Killarney association is hosting a free BBQ during the rally to celebrate what it says is the community’s ongoing support of the non-profit society. The rally is at noon at the Killarney Community Centre, 6260 Killarney St. at East 49th Ave. sthomas@vancourier.com twitter.com/sthomas10

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an expansion of the popular farmers market, and improvements to better accommodate small and large events and festivals.

At the same time, a parallel study on storm water quality will assess treatment options, watercourse enhancement, storm water inflows and enhanced recreational use of Trout Lake, which in recent years has suffered from high fecal counts. The master plan will support the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan goals to enhance biodiversity, improve ecological health, reduce combined sewer overflows and increase access to nature. A master plan open house takes place Oct. 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Trout Lake Community Centre.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

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icked out of his family home at 17 for being transgendered, Eireann Day struggled to find a stable place to live and dropped out of high

school.

He spent time homeless and battling schizophrenia on the streets of Vancouver. All he wanted was a place to stay where he would be accepted but found that hard to come by.

“For a trans guy like myself if I were to access a shelter [… ]I would be forced into a woman’s room and I would be really uncomfortable and they face a lot of violence and bullying in regular shelters,” said Day. According to Aaron Munro, manager of community development at RainCity Housing and Support Society, Day’s experience is not uncommon. “Studies in the U.S. and Canada have found that LGBTQ2S+ youth make up 30 to 50 percent of homeless youth in major urban centres, that is significant when research also tells us that people who identify as LGBTQ2S+ only represent 10 percent of the general population,” Munro told the Courier by email.

Both Munro and Day are speakers at Invisible Night:Aneveningofart,filmanddialogueabout youth homelessness Oct. 17. The event is part of Homelessness Action Week and a joint venture by the social justice film-screening group Reel Causes and the City of Vancouver. Proceeds will support RainCity’s two-year pilot project to provide housing, support and employment for LGBT youth between 18 and 25 years old.

Now 23 years old, Day turned his life around when he moved into his own apartment, which he got as part of a mental health research project in 2011. He is now finishing school and his schizophrenia has stabilized because he has a safe home where he can rest and take his medi-

photo Dan Toulgoet

Eireann Day is a member of the city’s Housing First Speakers’ Bureau. Scan page with Layar to see a movie trailer.

cation on a schedule, he said.

Judy Graves, the longtime City of Vancouver homeless advocate who recently retired, will also be on the Invisible Night panel. She recalls a time when youth homelessness wasn’t a big issue in this city. “In 1967 it was very easy to find housing if you were young because for a quarter of minimum wage you could rent a housekeeping room in the West End or Kitsilano or Commercial Drive area,” she said.

She blames the cost of land and zoning restrictions that favour single-family homes for locking youth out of the rental housing market.

Prior to the panel there will be an exhibit of art by both homeless youth and established artists followed by the screening of the film Sugar, which is based on filmmaker Rotimi Rainwater’s own experience of homelessness. For Invisible Night information see reelcauses.org. thuncher@shaw.ca twitter.com/thuncher

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

E7

news VSB says student population declining as families flee city CLASS NOTES

with Cheryl Rossi

W

hat the Vancouver School Board suspected appears to be true. In June, board staff reported enrolment in Vancouver’s public schools is declining in tandem with the decline of the school-aged population in the city and that the number of school-aged children in Vancouver is dwindling because families with children are moving away.

According to results of an exit survey administered by the board last spring, 56 per cent of respondents were moving from Vancouver for reasons of affordability, employment, family circumstances or they were leaving the country.

“It just confirmed things that [staff] already knew from the data analysis,” said acting associate superintendent Valerie Overgaard.

The results of the exit survey were presented to the board’s management coordinating committee Oct. 2.

The school board sent an online survey to 522 caregivers who were withdrawing their children from Vancouver public schools — 177 of the surveys were completed.

Of the 177 respondents, 108 — or 61 per cent

photo Dan Toulgoet

More than 900 fewer students entered kindergarten this year (3,836) than the number leaving Grade 12 (4,760), not including international students.

— were enrolling their children in schools outside of Vancouver, 62 were enrolling their child or children in independent or private schools and four per cent were switching to home or online schooling.

Forty-one respondents said they were moving their children because they were dissatisfied with their learning experience, 18 said their kids were being moved to pursue enriched or alternative opportunities not available in Vancouver’s public schools, and 11 respondents were

moving their charges to a faith-based school.

Forty-seven respondents specified what they were dissatisfied about. Only 14 of the 47 said they were dissatisfied with educational programming, which Overgaard says raises additional questions. “If there are a number of people going to independent schools and yet they’re still very satisfied with the public school system, what are their reasons?” she said.

The board plans to conduct another exit survey in spring 2014 and is considering asking re-

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spondents for their contact information so staff can follow up on responses.

The board will continue its plans to promote awareness of the various programs, services and options offered in Vancouver’s public schools and to target this strategy to parents of preschool children.

The board will implement an online registration system for its international baccalaureate, Montessori, French Immersion and Mandarin bilingual kindergarten programs this year as part of a more systematic method of tracking students. “One of the anecdotal pieces of information we have is that if people don’t get into their program of choice then they move on to a private school,” Overgaard said.

Associate superintendent Scott Robinson reported last December that enrolment in Vancouver’s public schools had declined over the past five years and would not return to its peak numbers because fewer school-aged children live in the city.

The board, which serves 54,000 elementary and secondary students, reported a drop of 788 pupils last fall. Preliminary data for 2013 reports a decline of about 400 students. More than 900 fewer students entered kindergarten this year (3,836) than the number leaving Grade 12 (4,760), not including international students.

Slightly fewer than 84 per cent of students in Vancouver study in public schools, a rate that remains steady, according to the board. crossi@vancourier.com

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Youth parliament seeks members JENNIFER THUNCHER Contributing writer

A

mbrose Yung is not your average 20-year-old. He loves watching Parliament’s question period on TV. Instead of staying up all night partying like some of his peers, he prefers a night of debating whether Barack Obama should have gotten the Nobel Peace Prize or how to reduce tanker traffic off the B.C. coast.

Given his passion for current affairs, the Simon Fraser University political science student seems perfectly suited for his role as premier of the upcoming session of the British Columbia Youth Parliament — a non-partisan and nonprofit organization for youth between the ages of 16 and 21 that gathers every year at the Legislature in Victoria just after Christmas to debate local, national and international importance.

“We learn so much about each other. We are all interested in politics,” said Yung. “It is great to sit with a bunch of like-minded people.”

The group’s registrar, Dora Turje, said being involved in the organization allows for debate that translates into action. There are no party affiliations and members are free to vote their conscience. Some of the past issues the youth have debated include graduated licensing for teen drivers and lowering the voting age to 16. The results of votes are passed on to local politicians for consideration.

Yung said while the topics are serious, it is also a lot of fun. “It is so exhilarating for me,” he said, adding he has made lifelong friends over his last

three years with the group.

During the week they also form regional youth parliaments to debate and decide on activities they would like to carry out throughout the year. “It is a totally unique way to combine learning how the parliamentary process works with community service,” said Turje.

For Yung, being involved in putting on Camp Phoenixhasbeenoneofthebestoutreachactivities he has been involved with. Phoenix, paid for by money raised by the members of the youth parliament, is a weeklong summer camp aimed at kids aged 8 to 12 who might not otherwise get to go to camp because of financial or social pressures in their lives.

“Seeing these kids having fun, singing camp songs and doing camp activities is really fulfilling,” said Yung.

The organization started in 1924 as the Older Boys Parliament, but Turje said the gender bias is long gone and the 2012 session was made up of 75 per cent young women.

For at least one high profile female former member, involvement in the group has led to a life in official politics. Linda Reid, MLA for Richmond-Eastsince1991anddeputy speaker inthe B.C. Legislature, was one of the organization’s first female premiers.

British Columbia Youth Parliament is funded through community donations, grants and registration fees. Youth interested in politics are encouraged to apply for the upcoming session by Oct. 23. For more information go to bcyp.org. thuncher@shaw.ca twitter.com/Thuncher

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

E9

CANADA’S PREMIERE ONLINE GUIDE TO THE GOOD LIFE

Four Questions with Elizabeth Hurley

Anya Georgijevic

October marks the national Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and no brand has been '#;< $;2$3./ 6# 67< +976 .9.3%86 67< "38<.8< as Estée Lauder, in its relentless campaigning and fundraising over the last two decades. The exquisitely beautiful Elizabeth Hurley has played a vital part in the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign since signing as the company spokesperson back in 1995. Intelligent and articulate, Elizabeth Hurley gave us an update on the company’s crusade against the agonizing disease, and even found time to give us a couple of valuable beauty tips.

You’ve been an Estée Lauder spokesperson for almost two decades -- a rare thing in this industry. When you signed in 1995, did you think it would become a role of a lifetime?

I couldn’t have dreamt it. I think my initial contract was two years. I was thrilled beyond belief when it was picked up again, after two years. It’s really been like having a second family.

You’ve personally been affected by breast cancer; you lost your grandmother to the disease. Was that one of the reasons why you’ve been so passionately involved since the beginning? ,7<% 51</&% :*.2"<;4 6#/" '< .-#26 7<; $.'!.39%) "2;3%9 '& +;86 6(# #; 67;<< (<<08 at the company, I suppose my ears did perk up a bit more because of my grandmother.

It was so sad the way she hadn’t told anybody about her lump, for the very reasons Evelyn went on to explain why she was doing the campaign. Because she said, “women are dying all over the world and nobody is talking about it.” She was so inspired by the AIDS activists, who, at that time, were very active.

You also live and promote a healthy lifestyle, as part of the breast cancer prevention. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?

I love living in the countryside, and I’ve always loved feeling healthy. Evelyn Lauder always said to me, “Don’t put on weight. It is not good for you in any way. Not because you won’t look as good, but it could be dangerous for your health.” It’s great for us that doctors and research scientists are now speaking out and saying that they really do believe that we can make a difference by following a healthy lifestyle. They know that we really have to go out of our way to deliberate exercise. I know I don’t step up so much on that one. I’m very active, but I don’t really do exercise regime, and I should. Eating-wise, I’ve eaten pretty well in the last 30 years, so I feel okay in that aspect.

What are the goals of this year’s “Let’s Defeat Breast Cancer. We’re Stronger Together” campaign?

We know we’ve succeeded in some way with the awareness, and we’ve helped raise a huge amount of money. The Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign itself has raised $48 million US dollars, most of which they’ve donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, also started by Evelyn Lauder, which has raised nearly half a billion dollars for research. What we’re trying to do this year is encourage people to get together and make a difference themselves. Small scale, big scale: it doesn’t matter. It might be getting a couple of your friends together, and all of you making a pledge to do something about it. It’s all about our “Circle of Strength” and all of that can be seen on BCAcampaign.com, and as well as Facebook, which you’re all on, so no excuses!

Elizabeth Hurley photographed by Phillip Chin in Vancouver

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

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B.C. needs strategic overview of LNG

N

orthern B.C. residents who are so inclined could fill up a fair chunk of their calendars just going to information meetings about different liquefied natural gas proposals, a Smithers lawyer said this week.

Richard Overstall, a director of a small group called the Northwest Institute for Bioregional Research, outlined the extent of the LNG “gold rush” now underway in northern B.C. “You’ve got some 20 environmental-assessment processes or potential environmental processes going on, each one pretending that none of the others exist.

“This is virtually impossible for the public to keep up with. In this town, we see almost weekly open houses and notices from the environmental-assessment office.”

The group has a handy chart showing all the liquefied natural gas plants and pipelines that are being talked up.

But Overstall is the first to admit parts of it are inaccurate. “It’s so hard to keep up,” he said in an interview Friday. They count 11 LNG proposals, not counting competing complementary pipeline proposals. (He said the proposed pipeline routes look like a dish of spaghetti.)

Only a handful of the ideas being floated will likely proceed. But the job of sorting them out is proceeding case-by-case, with no overview of the cumulative impact, he told the legislature finance committee.

Governments have any number of review requirements, but Overstall said the cumulative impact of all the proposals isn’t being addressed. “Each company is acting as if none of the other proposals exist. They’re not talking to one another.

They’re being assessed individually as if none of the other proposals exist.”

He said the B.C. government recognizes cumulative impact as an issue in other spheres, but not so far in LNG. The finance committee is touring B.C. collecting ideas for next year’s budget. Overstall pitched the idea of a strategic environmental assessment that would look at the big picture.

He said the group is not for or against LNG at this point. It wants the federal and provincial governments to put together an overarching look at all the concepts.

He told MLAs an experience in Australia has some bearing on B.C.’s current situation. Three different companies built three LNG plants in western Australia, but “everyone admitted after they were built that probably only one or at the most two were necessary.”

Overstall said Friday that a strategic look could produce a common energy corridor. That would provide a generally approved idea of where any or all of the natural gas pipelines from the northeast to the coast might run. There could be a similar understanding on the siting of all the LNG plants.

Another member of the research group, Nadia Nowak, warned MLAs about the impact on greenhouse-gas emissions. The government’s upcoming LNG tax regime should be structured to encourage GHG reductions, by recognizing carbon capture and use of electricity at the plants, rather than gas.

The presentation echoed a letter the University of Victoria’s environmental law centre wrote in August on behalf of the group.

The law centre wrote to the federal and provincial environment ministers stressing the way each project is being developed and considered in isolation from the others, with ad hoc reactions from governments.

The 60-page brief is consistently dubious about LNG proposals and skeptical of the overall benefits.

“The risk is that current environmental-assessment processes will miss the forest for the trees. Government and the public are considering individual pieces of overall LNG development, but no strategic assessment is being conducted on the big picture.”

Just So You Know: MLAs also heard about another piece of the LNG puzzle this week: The skills training needed to support the thousands of jobs to be created by the projects.

College of New Caledonia faculty told the committee that two welding instructors were laid off this year, ending training in that field.

NDP MLA Mike Farnworth said: “Last time I checked ... pipelines are built by welders. So we need welders to build a pipeline in this part of the province, yet we’re laying off welding instructors. That doesn’t make sense to me.” lleyne@timescolonist.com twitter/com/LeyneLes

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letters

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

WE WANT YOUR OPINION

Hate it or love it? We want to know... really, we do!

Reach us by email: letters@vancourier.com

It’s time to really talk about pot,say educators

T

wo weeks ago in the Chilliwack school district, news broke that 10 Sardis secondary students were suspended for six months for breaking curfew and smoking marijuana on a school soccer trip. Anger and debate immediately flared up over the severity of the punishment.

Somesuspensionshavesincebeenoverturned while that school district reviews its zero-tolerance policy on drugs and alcohol.

In the ensuing widespread media coverage of the story, a telling comment from a parent of one of the suspended students caught my eye. “Scare tactics don’t work anymore,” a father told the CBC. “These kids are smarter than that. And that’s what we had when we were young: scare tactics. I think there’s got to be more dialogue and better education on the drugs.”

The last sentence caught my eye: “There’s got to be more dialogue and better education on the drugs.”

Really? Aren’t kids inundated with information about drugs and how dangerous heroin, cocaine, crystal meth and MDMA (ecstacy, molly, mandy) are?

Probably. But when it comes to marijuana, I agree with the dad on the need for more dialogue surrounding cannabis. Our society is so lax about weed I wouldn’t be surprised if most kids thought every adult smoked pot.

Barbara Moffat also wants more dialogue. She’s a project director at UBC’s School of Nursing who contacted me after she read my column “Do kids get lost in pot advocate’s smoke?” “It’s simply not being discussed openly in schools and in a consistent manner,” Moffat said. “That could be due to a lack of confidence in being able to talk about it and not having the correct information. And just saying no simply does not work. That silences any constructive dialogue.”

Moffat is hoping a short film called Cycles — produced in partnership with UBC’s School of Nursing — can be a vehicle for meaningful dialogue on why teens use marijuana. She’s hoping it gets into high schools across the province if not beyond. The 30-minute locally shot film is based on qualitative research conducted in Vancouver, Nelson and Port Alberni, areas known for permissive attitudes towards pot. “It doesn’t come without its faults, but if nothing else it generates conversation,” she said. “Two students from North Vancouver who’ve seen it said it’s kind of like a fable. It makes you think.”

Moffat says polarized views on marijuana contribute to confusion about it.

Although it’s illegal, marijuana is easily accessible, widely used, beneficial for alleviating symptoms for adults in pain and could be on the cusp of being legalized here. “The absence of consistent messages and harm reduction strategies has implications as young people encounter opposing information and make personal choices regarding marijuana,” she said. “It’s a substance with a confusing status.”

Where harm occurs, said Moffat, is from early initiation and frequent use, which “is certainly riskier and problematic.” Problematic indeed. Adolescents (13, 14, 15) experience a brain spurt in the frontal lobe, where executive decisions are made, and studies in mice (which have similar brain spurts as humans) show brain damage from marijuana use. Similar studies show no changes in adult brains, according to research conducted by Dr. Asaf Keller at the University of Maryland.

According to Keller, the effects include a high incidence of schizophrenia and attention deficit disorder. Needed now, of course, is a study of youth with ADD and a schizophrenia diagnosis to find out if and how many of them smoked pot and at what age. (It’s estimated that by Grade 12 in B.C., 50 per cent of students have tried pot.)

What is also concerning is that some adolescents — according to research Moffat and her colleagues have conducted — use marijuana to deal with medical conditions (physical and psychological.)

Art Steinmann, manager of substance abuse prevention at the Vancouver School Board, has viewed Cycles and hopes to screen it in Vancouver schools soon, especially to students who use cannabis. The film shows how marijuana use influences other people, like a younger brother, a girlfriend and its impact on the user trying to hold down a part-time job.

“It’s an important topic for young people, even the ones who do not use it but are confronted with it and will have to make decisions. Even a decision not to use requires ongoing commitment and thought. Virtually every young person in my opinion does well to become more literate in cannabis and other substances.”

Like Moffat, Steinmann thinks a lot of young people are confused about marijuana. “Most young people I encounter think it’s legal and harmless,” he said.

“They are far more knowledgeable about alcohol and tobacco.” fhughes@vancourier.com twitter.com/HughesFiona

FIONA HUGHES

VISION LOSES ANOTHER SUPPORTER To the editor:

Re: “Scale questioned for Oakridge redevelopment,” Oct. 9.

As a former Vision supporter I feel a huge sense of anger and betrayal at the way in which the mayor and his cohorts on council have turned the fate of our city over to developers and real estate agents.

It is now virtually impossible for ordinary residents to have any meaningful input into the decisions which affect our lives.

Instead, we are treated to useless platitudes about how density is good for us, or how development IS the future. Where is their mandate to make such important decisions on such a scale as they envision. Are we, who also live here, not entitled to a voice in making such plans.

It appears we are not.

The creation of whole neighbourhoods where none existed before has done little to assuage the ravenous appetite on the part of the mayor and his friends for more development.

A look at the proposal for “redevelopment” of the Oakridge Centre, with towers reaching 41 storeys makes me pause to consider the sanity of those who advocate such a venture.

It may come as a rude shock to our elected officials, but there are many more important and meaningful ways to measure the greatness of a city.

I would suggest the first among these is the willingness of those who govern it to be mindful and respectful of the wishes of those whom they were elected to serve.

Mayor Robertson, are you listening?

Kenneth Friedman, Vancouver

HERITAGE EXPERT TAKEN TO TASK To the editor: Re: “Ridge’s stained glass windows shattered,” Oct. 4.

Don Luxton of Heritage Vancouver says, “… communities are just becoming… less interesting…” Well, Luxton and other members of his little group have certainly contributed to this disease by supporting the proposal to build a 21-storey tower at Broadway and Kingsway in Mount Pleasant. This node is loaded with authentic historic character that could be developed in a way that is both profitable and esthetically pleasing, but Luxton and Heritage Vancouver are promoting a tower for the site under the guise that it will benefit the transit system.

What a load! One wonders how Luxton and his developer lackeys masquerading as heritage activists will benefit from this.

Luxton can blather on blaming various levels of government for lack of support for heritage but he and his band

of dilettantes are part of the problem, not the solution.

John Davis, Vancouver

PARKING LOSS WILL LEAD TO BUSY SIDE STREETS, ALLEYS

To the editor: Re: “Loss of parking on W. 4th worries shop owners,” Oct. 9.

What Mr.Dobrovolny does not tell you is that the anticipated benefit (e.g.decrease of traffic short-cutting onto residential roads) of the proposed left turn bays at Fourth Avenue and Macdonald will be offset by both Fourth Avenue customers and residents travelling onto nearby residential roads (and alleyways) looking for parking.

What Mr. Dobrovolny also does not tell you are the details of pedestrian/vehicle collisions at this intersection, some of which are due to right hand turning and motorists running red lights.

Without a doubt, parking is at full capacity in this immediate area and either way, whether it is an advanced left-turn green light or left-turn bays, the anticipated dangerously high levels of increased traffic to the immediate area due to the Point Grey Road closure will result in more than just a nightmare for all who live, work, and travel through here.

When did you say the next election was?

Ilona Mate-Shirreff, Vancouver

ON YOUR MIND ONLINE COURIER STORY: “Central Park: NPA park commissioner questions bike path plan,” Oct. 7 Elvira Lount: 12 feet does seems rather excessive for the proposed new bike path for Kits Beach/ Haddon Park. That will really be out of sync with the character of Kits Beach. And I’m also concerned that it will be ugly white concrete. like in front of Kits Beach Restaurant. I’ve suggested to the PB that a gravel path like there is in Vanier Park would be best - keep it as natural as possible. We all need to see more details about what is proposed. Dimensions, materials etc.

Buffy: Great! The Park Board is succeeding in paving over more of our green space. What is a park for? PAVING - for a cost of a mere 1.6 million.

ArnoS: So it’s OK to have walkways, roads, parking lots, tennis courts, a restaurant and swimming pool at Kits beach park, but not a safe and convenient bike path? The bike path will be a great way of accessing the park and also a great tourism resource and a good route for those in the area wishing to take their next trip by bicycle. Kudos to Park Board for agreeing to provide this great amenity.

Christopher Porter: Typical anti-cycling NPA. What a bunch of dinosaurs. The twinned sections of the seawall through the Olympic Village and Yaletown are much more pleasant than the narrow, gravel sections in Kits Beach. I’m glad work is going into upgrading it. The seawall is the jewel of Vancouver.

COURIER STORY: “Vancouver 2014 budget to include ‘moderate’ property tax hike,” Oct. 7 CityHallWatchVAN @CityHallWchVAN: Council may like to finish 2014 budget by Dec, but really have until early next year. Line by line breakdown is long gone Follow us on Facebook: The VancouverCourierNewspaper and Twitter: @VanCourierNews

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news Laneway tour focuses on retaining older homes

DEVELOPING STORY

with Naoibh O’Connor

T

he two-storey home owned by Mike Roberts is just over a century old.

“It originally sat here on a larger piece of property and was one of the original south Granville farmhouses built in 1912. It would be one of the very few surviving houses in the neighbourhood,” said Roberts, who’s owned it for about five years.

An old, dilapidated garage of the same vintage was at the back of the house and needed to be replaced, so Roberts decided to build a laneway home, which created both garage space and a rental suite.

It was recently finished and is being rented for about $2,400 a month to a young profes-

sional couple beginning in November.

Before then, it will be among seven Vancouver laneway homes included in the 2013 Vancouver Heritage Foundation Laneway House Tour.

The tour is meant to showcase how older homes can be retained while density is added to neighbourhood in a way that complements the original heritage structure, according to Judith Mosley, executive director of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation.

The popular laneway tour is in its fourth year.

“For the Vancouver Heritage Foundation, our focus is on retention of, and repair and restoration of, Vancouver’s historic buildings and structures and that can take many forms,” Mosley said. “There is pressure for density in the city, for adding new forms of housing and more housing, and we see laneway housing as an opportunity for homeowners to add accommodation on their lot without demolishing the existing home.”

The appearance of his laneway home was important to Roberts.

“One of the things that we really wanted to do for our sake, but also for our neigh-

photo Dan Toulgoet

Mike Roberts outside his laneway home in Marpole. His heritage home is in the background. bours’ sake is make sure the laneway house blended well with this house and with the neighbourhood,” he said. “So the basic construction of the laneway house — the colour, the shape, the style — is all very much in keeping with the original house.”

The interior of the laneway

home, however, is modern with high-end furnishings and appliances.

Homes included on the tour will reveal a variety of styles and floor plans. “[The tour] gives ticket holders an opportunity to get inside some quite different homes, get some ideas and

see how this can work within their neighbourhood,” Mosley said. “There are some good examples of thoughtful design that has been done. Certainly, we tried to find ones that represented that.”

In 2009, the first year the City of Vancouver allowed laneway homes, 18 permits were issued. That jumped to 192 in 2010, 232 in 2011, 354 in 2012 and 269 in 2013 as of the end of September, for a total of 1,065 permits.

Since 2009, 633 final inspections have been completed. It can take time for some owners to book an inspection, so the number of completed laneway homes is probably closer to 700, according to the city. It gets about eight complaints a year, which is far less than when the program was introduced at which time about

60 complaints were lodged.

City council approved amendments to the laneway home program in July, which among other things allow for single-storey laneway homes.

The city hasn’t seen an increase in applications for permits since then, but it is monitoring the situation to find out if more singlestorey structures are being built.

Tickets for the self-guided laneway house tour, which runs from 1 to 5 p.m., Oct. 19, are $30 plus tax and can be bought online until Oct. 18 at vancouverheritagefoundation.org. On the day of the event, tickets can be purchased at an information booth — details are posted on the VHF website. noconnor@vancourier.com twitter.com/naoibh

vancouver.ca

Development Permit Board Meeting: October 21

The Development Permit Board and Advisory Panel will meet: Monday, October 21 at 3 pm City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue First Floor, Town Hall Meeting Room

Put your funds in a safe place with a cashable 1-year term deposit, and get guaranteed returns with cashable flexibility.

to consider this development permit application: 1045 Robson Street: To develop the site with a two-storey retail store including a heritage density transfer of 714 square feet from the donor site at 53 West Hasting Street and the securing of offsite parking located at the neighbouring site at 1025 Robson 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 AN ITEM: 604-873-7469 or lorna.harvey@vancouver.ca

Find out how to guarantee your returns at vancity.com/cashableterm *All or part of the deposit may be withdrawn at any time, but deposit must be held for at least 30 days to earn interest.

Interest rate is per year and all interest is paid at maturity. Interest rate is as of August 27, 2013 and may change without notice. $500 minimum deposit (must remain invested after partial withdrawal). Non transferable. TFSA eligible.

Make Good Money (TM) is a trademark of Vancouver City Savings Credit Union. ® HANDS & GLOBE Design is a registered certification mark owned by World Council of Credit Unions, used under license.

THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

community

MorethanjustpumpkinsatSouthlandsFarm UNIVERSITY OF B.C.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

The University of B.C. Botanical Garden Apple Festival takes place Oct. 19 and 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.This family-friendly event offers an opportunity to learn about the diversity of apples and sample heritage apples once common to this region. Look for more than 70 varieties of heritage, new and “tried and true” varieties for sale. One of the most popular activities at the festival is the tasting tent where curious event-goers can try up to 60 varieties of new and heritage apples grown in B.C. A main stage, children’s activities and food fair round out the event at 6804 Southwest Marine Dr. Visit applefestival.ca for more information. Entry is $4 and children under 12 get in for free.

with Sandra Thomas

SOUTHLANDS The Southlands Farm Pumpkin Patch is open seven days a week now through Oct. 31. Take the kids to see the horses, pet the lambs and pick a pumpkin from the Old Apple Orchard ($5 per pumpkin). Visitors to the farm are asked to drop by the office and pick up a brochure for the self-guided tour.

Group tours are also welcome but must make a reservation by calling 604-2611295. Some of the pumpkins are grown at the farm, while others are supplied by Westham Island Herb Farm and spread across the orchard for easy picking. The pumpkin patch is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 6767 Balaclava St., at West 51st Ave.

GASTOWN Anyone working in Vancouver media, marketing or advertising is invited to meet for drinks, dancing and plenty of prizes in support of the National Advertising Benevolent Society, a non-profit support system for Canadian professionals in the marketing and communications industry facing personal, career

SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY...

photo Dan Toulgoet

Three-month-old Andrew Mah makes his first visit to the Southlands Farm Pumpkin Patch, which is now open daily until Oct. 31. and family challenges due to illness, injury, unemployment or financial difficulties.

Paranormal Ad-Tivity is a Halloween party so break out those scary costumes — as though working in media in 2013 isn’t frightening enough. Tickets include admis-

sion plus a complimentary beverage and appetizer. The action takes place from 5 p.m. to late at the Portside Pub, 7 Alexander St. Costumes are optional. For more information visit ParanormalAdtivity.com and the Facebook event page.

The Parade of Lost Souls is back. The 2013 event is being co-produced by mainstay Public Dreams Society and newcomer Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret, a regular contributor to the East Side cultural scene for the past six years. As in keeping with tradition, the parade’s location will remain secret until 12 a.m. Oct. 26 when it will be announced on the Public Dreams website. The parade is from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Also check out the website for costume making and flash mob workshops. The Parade of Lost Souls Dance Party also returns and kicks off after the parade at the Hanger, 577 Great Northern Way. For more information, visit publicdreams.org. sthomas@vancourier.com twitter.com/sthomas10

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

Body moves

Vancouver yoga program for over-50’s not such a stretch

COMPILED BY HELEN PETERSON

Ladies, if your physique doesn’t resemble that of a lithe ballerina with killer abs, or maybe a healthconscious vegan who abstains from any vices, don’t despair. And if you’re past the mid-point of life and ‘not getting any younger’ – Vancouver’s fitness studios have taken notice, and are here to serve you specifically.

YYoga West Sixth has just opened an innovative location inside the new 6th & Fir development by Westbank.

Located in the South Granville district and steps away from Granville Island, guests will enjoy a full service YYoga centre with mat service, an infrared sauna, complimentary tea and lush bamboo garden.

Class styles include: Pilates, Boomer Yoga, Ashtanga, Flow, Yin, Meditation and Hatha. “Boomer Yoga” takes place on Fridays, midmorning. Crafted for guests over 50, this smart, strong hatha practice is designed to safely support joint mobility and stability, improve balance and coordination, and increase strength and vibrancy.

Smaller class sizes ensure personalized attention, and this class supports greater functionality in life activities as well as in sports performance. Go

to yyoga.ca to find out more and to register.

Yyoga offers these tips for beginners: • Do your best to stay for the entire duration.

• Learn by watching and listening to the teacher and to your body.

• If you need to rest, it’s okay. Listen to your body and take a rest.

• Should you feel dizzy or out of breath at any point, take a deep breathe, sit down, and relax.

• Be patient. It usually takes about ten classes before you get into the flow of the class.

More boomer options: Open Door Yoga has several locations around Vancouver. In Kerrisdale’s studio on East Boulevard, you can partake in “Restorative Yoga” – this gentle class focuses on breathing, relaxation, gentle movements, and supported poses. This class is ideal for people with injuries, chronic pain, or limited mobility, but open to all people who are looking for a gentle, relaxing practice. The slow pace of Restorative Yoga is the perfect antidote to the

stressful daily rhythms of modern, urban living. Classes are held in the afternoon or evening on several days.

Go to opendooryoga.bc.ca for details.

Creekside Community Recreation Centre features “Yoga for Older Adults” in the dance studio on Tuesday or Thursday mornings from Nov. 5 to Dec. 17. Designed to increase mobility, stamina and vitality, this interactive class will be tailored for the participants, addressing health concerns to improve their quality of life. Participants are guided through the postures, using props if required to ensure stability and correct alignment. Each session ends with a relaxation pose. Reserve a space at Vancouver.ca. Cost is $84 for seven sessions. Instructor website: yoga2go.ca.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

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Breast cancer myths Have you heard that bras cause breast cancer? In recent years, information about bras causing breast cancer surfaced through various sources online. The fact is there is currently no scientific evidence that shows a link between wearing a bra and developing breast cancer.

While the Internet is a great source of information, the Canadian Cancer Society wants you to be careful when evaluating any medical information or claims online. It is a source of reliable information that helps ensure that cancer patients and caregivers are armed with the facts.

So before you make any health decisions based on claims you have

read or heard about, here is a list of claims that are not associated with breast cancer.

Breast cancer myths debunked • A pregnant woman cannot pass breast cancer cells to her baby through breastfeeding.

• A fetus (developing baby) cannot get cancer from its mother (who’s diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy) while in the womb.

• Wearing a bra does not cause breast cancer. Nor does: • Use of antiperspirants.

• Physical blow or injury to the breast.

• Breast implants.

• Stress.

• Abortions or miscarriages.

Your best defense against breast cancer is to understand your risk, know what you can do now, while you’re in good health, to prevent or detect the disease early, when it’s most treatable. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends that women aged 50-69 get a mammogram every two years.

To read more about cancer myths and controversies, visit cancer.ca or call 1-888-939-3333.

CENTRE HELPS WOMEN FIND ‘NEW NORMAL’ IN FACE OF CANCER COMPILED BY HELEN PETERSON

Support for women with cancer is a necessity.

Lonely seniors die sooner.

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TransLink and United Way are preventing senior isolation.

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Compassionate Beauty’s Vancouver centre owner, Catherine Easdown wishes her business wasn’t needed, but she knows that her centre will be making a difference in the lives of women and their families affected by a cancer diagnosis.

Local women can now expect to have more resources to help them get through the devastating sideeffects of their cancer treatment.

Compassionate Beauty has been providing women with products and services during their cancer journey and beyond since 2005.

Founder, Saundra Shapiro realized that someone needed to be there for these women - to help kids see mom looking like mom, and feeling self-assured and confident with

their husbands.

Easdown, who’s been personally affected and moved by the disease, welcomes clients to her comforting, spa-like environment.

Compassionate Beauty offers medical hair-loss solutions, mastectomy products and lingerie, medical tattoos, and a full-service spa.

“In the face of their cancer, women will find the tools they need to find their new normal and confidence again,” says Easdown. “To-date, Compassionate Beauty has assisted over 7,000 women through their cancer journey.”

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Compassionate Beauty gives back by supporting the Cancer de Mama program with its ‘Mastectomy Day’ on Oct. 23, a sales event centred around mastectomy products – breast forms,

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Chronic Pain Management Workshop Based on the Arthritis Self-Management Program, our workshop will teach you effective arthritis self-management skills and the principles of pain management.

Date: Saturday, Oct. 19 Time: 1 pm to 3 pm Venue: Hillcrest Community Centre at 4575 Clancy Loranger Way Register: In person at Hillcrest Community Centre or call 604-257-8680 (Course #54912.402HC)

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Date: Tuesday, Oct. 22 Time: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Venue: Mary Pack Arthritis Centre at 895 West 10th Ave.

Tips, Tricks and Tools to Manage Arthritis Featuring Morag Crocker, Occupational Therapist, learn about the many tools and gadgets available to help make daily tasks easier.

Get some tips and tricks to help manage arthritis symptoms and take the pressure off your joints.

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 30 Time: 7 pm to 9 pm unity Hall at 480 Broughton St. Venue: Community For more information about arthritis or to find other education programs and services available ou, contact Joanna Li at jli@arthritis.ca jli@arthrit to you, or 604-714-5550 call 604-714-5550.

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THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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GOT ARTS? 604-738-1411 | events@vancourier.com

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OURPICKS OCT. 16 - 18

For video and web content, scan page using the Layar app.

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1 2 3 4

Vancouver’s JAPANDROIDS return home like conquering kings from what seems like years of plundering overseas night clubs, festivals, indie rock dojos, even the Canucks pre-game entrance music at Rogers Arena. Why are they playing a small room for their triumphant return? Will they be testing out new material?

Do they have custom embroidered leather pants for sale at the merch table? Do I dare eat a peach? Find out when JAPANDROIDS rock the Biltmore Cabaret to its Pabst Blue Ribbon-soaked foundations with guests Tough Age, Oct. 17. Sadly, this one appears to be sold out. More details at biltmorecabaret.com.

Whenever we see how ripped BALLET BC dancers are in publicity photos it makes wish we took up the graceful art instead of becoming connoisseurs of Cool Ranch Doritos. BALLET BC kicks of its 2013-14 season with TILT for three evening performances, Oct. 17 to 19, 8 p.m., featuring two world premieres and the return of Walking Mad, an audience favourite from the 2012 dance season. Tickets at all Ticketmaster outlets. For more details, go to balletbc.com.

Take the sting out of life’s bitter disappointments with the human salve known as KRIS ELGSTRAND’S SOCIAL ANXIETY HOUR. Paying homage to TV variety shows of yore, the ninth episode in sad sack Elgstrand’s oeuvre promises “no less than 60 minutes of music, comedy, love and gloom” with help from Christina Sicoli and David Milchard, Arabella Bushnell, Brad Dryborough, The Bill Costin Trio and the return of the Social Anxiety Dancers. Let your heart light shine Oct. 16, 8 p.m. at the ANZA Club. Tickets $20 at brownpapertickets.com or $25 at the door.

New theatre company NeverYouMind Productions bares all for its debut show, A PARTICULAR CLASS OF WOMEN. Set in an imaginary strip club called The Cabaret Circus, the story of eight “brave, hilarious, quirky and sometimes crass” women who take their clothes off for money runs Oct. 16 to 20 at Waterfront Theatre. For tickets and more info, go to neveryoumindproductions.com.

THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

arts&entertainment KUDOS& KVETCHES HOLD THE BACON

It’s no secret that bacon has become a pop culture phenomenon. From a food, design and kitsch stand point, bacon and consumers’ enthusiasm for it knows no bounds. Which of course means it was just a matter of time before the ebb of bacon’s flow commenced.

According to a recent study by the killjoys at Harvard University, researchers have found that men who consume a regular-sized serving of bacon or a small sausage on a daily basis are at risk of significantly harming their sperm quality.

For the study, which was reported on by the Globe and Mail, researchers examined the eating habits of 156 men undergoing in-vitro fertilization treatment with their partners. Turns out men who ate a half-portion of processed meat, such as bacon or sausage, every day had 5.5 per cent “normal” shaped sperm cells, compared to 7.2 per cent in those who ate less. Those who ate more fish — cod and halibut in particular — saw an increase in “normal” shaped sperm cells. Although K&K cannot claim to be scientists or even getting higher than a C+ in any high school science class, we’re assuming “normal looking” sperm cells resemble George Clooney and Brad Pitt, while abnormal ones look a lot like Abe Vigoda or Mickey Rourke after his various surgeries.

Of course researchers neglected to investigate the correlation between dudes who eat bacon and/or sausage on a daily basis and the amount of hours they spend with a nard-baking laptop on their crotch as they play Call of Duty Black Ops 2.

However, what’s most confounding is that despite the fact that their investigative subject was processed meat’s effect on fertility, researchers didn’t name their study “Bacon and Eggs.” If that’s not a sign of questionable science, we don’t know what is.

PAGE 3 LESS PUNS As some of you may know, the Courier gave up its pun-heavy page 3 index recently in order to provide our news stories some added real estate. It was a terrible blow to at least one letter writer and those of us at K&K whose lives feel less bleak when we have a regular outlet for 1980s pop culture references, song titles and immature wordplay.

Which is why, from time to time, we will list potential headlines for the page 3 index that no longer exists, just to help us get through the darkness.

• For the Class Notes story about student population declining as families flee the city, “Dilated pupils” would have been a no-brainer.

• For Fiona Hughes’ column about educators calling for increased discussion with students about the effects of pot, “Higher education” tops our list. But we’d also accept “Toke up and deliver” or, even better, “J-school.”

•CherylRossi’sStateoftheArtscolumnabout an event at the Ukrainian Hall for the Heart of the City Festival, we’d go all Glen Frey on that one with “U (krainians) belong to the city.”

• And for Jennifer Thuncher’s profile on twin brothers who compete in both dragon boat and flatwater canoe racing, we’d go full ’80s, with either a subtle Dire Straits reference (“Brothers in arms”) or dig deep into our hazy arcade memories with “Double dragon.” Then again, there’s always the tried and true: “Twin propellers.” twitter.com/KudosKvetches

Start. Grow. Thrive.

Congratulations to our finalists Finalist Name/Business Name Carley Struve/SewGood Lena Jerabek/Beesafe Solutions Ltd. Peter Wang/CanBright Enterprises Brian Timmins/Orange Frog Creative Shauna Magrath/BeautyINK Todd Stephenson/Upstart Battery Dave Sviatko/ Sivey’s Lawn & Order Landscaping Susan Boras/Squarehole Coaching Inc. Niusha Nassiri/ Ideal Immigration Services Inc. Helen Raven/Ocean Breeze Homecare Inc. Debra Agostino/Agon Insurance Services Cera Rivers/Fairy Cakes Cupcakes Justin Johnson/JJ’s Custom Plumbing Urszula Petrykowska/ZULA Jewlery + Design

Matt Farrell/Nitro Pipe Freeze Inc. Guy Avidan-Shavit/Walker Heavy Duty Zahra Majzoubi/Zara Custom Curtains Ltd. Leann Fox/BackPAC Fundraising Ashlee Coulthard/Revive Hair & Body Lounge Ltd. Mehrnaz Bassiri/MyGradeBooster Deborah Prince/ ApexMed Transcription Services Tasia Pona/Sewaholic Patterns Inc. Zainab Bernard/Miscellany Finds Sergey Shevchenko/ View Review & Eye Training Center Inc. Craig McDowell/ Zoomies Dog Daycare & Training Center Inc.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23

Registration at 5:30pm at the Executive Plaza Hotel on North Road, Coquitlam Do you have a great business idea?

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THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS!

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 THE VANCOUVER COURIER

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arts&entertainment

Production celebrates 85-year history of Ukrainian Hall 10TH ANNUAL HEART OF THE CITY FESTIVAL SERVES UP MUSIC, ARTS, BREAD & SALT STATE OF THE ARTS with Cheryl Rossi

T

he neighbourhood around the Ukrainian Hall at East Pender Street and Hawks Avenue used to be dense with Ukrainian-Canadians.

“Some of the [Ukrainian] elders that I knew and that I interviewed for this talked about how if you needed to have a meeting you would just step out Pender Street in front of the hall and snap your fingers and everybody would come out,” said Beverly Dobrinsky, who directs the Barvinok Choir at the hall and researched the building’s history for a new production, Bread & Salt, that celebrates its 85th anniversary.

Now third and fourth-generation Ukrainian-Canadians return to the hall to participate in or listen to the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians’ folk orchestra, choir, dance school and troupe.

The hall’s history will be highlighted with special anniversary shows Nov. 8 and 10, which follow the 10th annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival (Oct. 23 to Nov. 3). Bread & Salt, a multidisciplinary production that tells the story of the Ukrainian experience in the East End of the city, weaves oral history with theatre, choral singing, music and high-energy Ukrainian dance.

Ukrainians from the prairies and Europe built the Ukrainian Hall, formerly known as the Ukrainian Labour Temple, in 1928.

“People built that out of their own blood, sweat and tears,” said Dobrinsky, who interviewed Ukrainian elders and searched through the hall’s archives and music library to co-write the show with Savannah Walling, artistic director of Vancouver Moving Theatre, which produces the Heart of the City Festival.

“Coming out of war and interment camps [after the First World War], we knew we needed a meeting place for mutual support,” says one of the storytellers quoted in the program guide to Bread & Salt. “There

was no welfare or social services — we had to do it all for ourselves… We didn’t know how to build a hall, we just did it — built it with our own hands in 1928, then paid off the mortgage in three years, paid it off in pennies, nickels, dimes.”

The association immediately sponsored a full slate of cultural, educational and social activities. Then the Great Depression hit and the hall became an organizing hub for labour struggles. After Germany invaded Poland during the Second World War, Canada invoked the War Measures Act and the Ukrainian Hall was padlocked under Defence of Canada Regulations, which broadened the government’s powers. During this time, Ukrainian dancing and language schools carried on at the Italian, Finnish, then Croatian, now Russian, halls, and the Ukrainian-Canadian community continued to raise money for the war effort.

“After the Soviet Union allied with Canada in the war against the Nazis, the ban against the association [of United Ukrainians] was lifted. But we had to petition the federal government to get back our halls,” a storyteller in Bread & Salt says. “There was a six-and-a-half-block parade when the Ukrainian Hall reopened… We were coming back to our home.”

More than 60 professional and community actors, singers, dancers and musicians will perform in Bread & Salt, a two-hour extravaganza directed by James Fagan Tait, which includes 24 songs and six dances executed by multigenerational dancers.

An ensemble of professional musicians will play the standup bass, accordion and mandolin, with the Vancouver Folk Orchestra backing some numbers to create a bigger sound.

The Heart of the City Festival aims to profile and foster the development of community arts in the Downtown Eastside. It involves a wide range of professional, community, emerging and student artists and lovers of the arts, More than 1,000 artists participated in the festival last year.

The Nov. 10 matinee performance of Bread & Salt includes a Ukrainian dinner. For more information, see heartofthecityfestival.com. crossi@vancourier.com twitter.com/Cheryl_Rossi

photo Dan Toulgoet

Beverly Dobrinsky interviewed Ukrainian elders and researched the history of the Ukrainian Hall at East Pender Street and Hawks Avenue for a new production called Bread & Salt, which celebrates the building’s 85th anniversary.

Highbury Interceptor Air Management Facility

PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 6:30 - 8:00 pm Marineview Chapel 4000 West 41st Avenue, Vancouver, BC The Highbury Interceptor is a large sewer that conveys the majority of Vancouver’s wastewater to the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment. During recent years, odour complaints related to the sewer have been increasing. To address long-term odour management needs, Metro Vancouver is planning to construct an air management facility near the interceptor within Musqueam Park. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2014 and be completed in spring 2015.

You are invited to this open house to learn more about the project and to provide feedback on the design and appearance of the facility. Staff will be available to answer questions and receive your feedback.

For more information, please call the Metro Vancouver Information Centre at 604-432-6200 or email icentre@metrovancouver.org.

Project information can also be found online at www.metrovancouver.org by searching “Highbury Interceptor Air Management”

A24

THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

GOT SPORTS? 604-738-1411 | mstewart@vancourier.com

Vancouver twins find focus on the water JENNIFER THUNCHER Contributing writer

B

y the time most teenagers are wiping the sleep out of their eyes, Aidan and Shamus Menard have paddled for an hour on False

Creek.

By all accounts, the 17-year-old twins and Kitsilano secondary students are extraordinary paddlers, competing in both dragon boat and flatwater canoe racing.

While maintaining above average grades at school, they train up to seven days a week for two hours a day with either their Eric Hamber secondary dragon boat team or their flatwater coaches at False Creek Racing Canoe Club on Granville Island. If they have any extra time they go out on the water just for fun.

But the boys weren’t always so dedicated and athletic, says their father. Christian Menard said a few years ago his sons, whom he describes as inseparable, were heading down a path that worried their parents.

“Just the usual stuff. Looking for something to belong to and hanging around with some kind of bad kids who, we were told, the police were watching... There was no indication our kids were getting in trouble, but they were headed down that road,” he said.

Getting involved with dragon boating set

photo Dan Toulgoet

Shamus (left) and Aidan Menard paddle on False Creek in their spirit canoes. them on a more positive path, Menard said.

The boys started with the West End Community Centre dragon boat team but soon transferred to the more competitive Eric Hamber team. Now, Menard said, they are focused on fitness and nutrition and hanging out with other people who have the same focus.

For Aidan, the rush he gets out on the water has been irresistible.

“I like that you can feel the water and the

pressure against your blade and how the power of each stroke can propel you forward,” he said.

Their Eric Hamber dragon boat coach, Judy Chan, has nothing but praise for the soft-spoken boys.

“They have fit in like a glove and actually have become, I would say, respected leaders of the team. They have great sportsmanship and are committed to improving their paddling and wanting to be competitive,” she said.

In August their team won gold in the Junior Open division at the Canadian National Dragon Boat Championships in Victoria and qualified to compete in the 2014 Club Crew World Championships in Ravenna, Italy next year.

Shamus said his daily inspiration comes from his dragon boat coaches.

“They do both dragon boat and they do canoeing … so they prove that it is possible to do very well in many fields,” he said.

Both boys are dedicated to C1, C2 and C4 flatwater sprint canoeing and were in their first regatta, the Pacific Cup, in Maple Ridge in September. They placed in the top four in each of their 200 and 500 metre races and look forward to more competitions in the coming spring. Their first love remains with the sport they started with. Shamus has set representing Canada internationally in dragon boating as his ultimate goal while dragon boating is Aidan’s favourite water sport.

“There is more of a team spirit to it and you get to encourage your teammates and you get the feeling of working together and of success as one,” he said.

Whichever sport they wind up pursuing, Shamus is confident about the power paddling can have. “I hope more people do water sports because it can change their lives,” he said. thuncher@shaw.ca twitter.com/@thuncher

FUTURE SHOP - CORRECTION NOTICE NEWSPAPER RETRACTION FOR THE FUTURE SHOP OCTOBER 11 CORPORATE FLYER

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A28

THE VANCOUVER COURIER WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013

Colour this Halloween picture.

Prizes valued over $300.00 in merchandise and Gift Certificates courtesy of SUSSEX INSURANCE and Kingsgate Mall Merchants.

AGE CATEGORIES: 5-8 years and 9-13 years.

CATEGORIES: Best Overall, Most Creative.

Pickup & Drop off entries at Sussex Insurance at Kingsgate Mall.

Winners will be notified by phone.

ENTRY DEADLINE NOON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30th

ENTRY Name: ____________________________ Age: ____ Postal Code: ________ Phone: __________________ FORM

HALLOWEEN EVENTS Thursday, October 31st Mt. Pleasant Elementary School

will hold their 12th annual GREAT PUMPKIN WALK starting at 9:30 AM. The pumpkins will be on display until 11:00 AM on Thursday, October 31st.

Thursday, October 31st - Halloween Centre Court 3:00 - 4:00pm

Candy will be handed out to all ghosts and goblins in costume.

Thursday, October 31st 9th Annual Mt. Pleasant PUMPKIN CARVING CHALLENGE 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Judging: 1:00 PM

Vancouver City Police has challenged their fellow emergency service personnel and community groups to have some fun and to show who has the best Pumpkin carving skills in the City of Vancouver.

Email leyda.molnar@kingsgatemall.com if you would like to participate – pumpkins are supplied or you can delivered your pumpkin to centre court by 11:00 am on October 31st.

Corner of Kingsway @ E. Broadway 604-879-0144 • www.kingsgatemall.com

Regular Mall Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed & Sat 9:30 - 6:00 pm • Thurs & Fri 9:30 - 9:00 pm • Sundays & Holidays 11:00 - 5:00 pm Buy-Low Foods - Open 7 days a week 8:00 - 9:00 pm • Holidays 8:00 - 6:00 pm • Shoppers Drug Mart: Open 7 days a week 8 am to midnight Extended hours at: B.C. Liquor Store, Kingsgate Smoke Shop, Sussex Insurance • Other stores may have extended hours.

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