the richmond RICHMONDREVIEW.COM
Milestone in eatery examinations 3
REVIEW FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012
36 PAGES
Potatoes pilfered from plots $5,000 theft
Matthew Hoekstra photo Richmond’s Ron Mercer has built what he believes to be the largest backyard ramp in the country.
Backyard boasts ‘ramp paradise’ BMX ramp facility the size of hockey rink took three years to build by Matthew Hoekstra Staff Reporter Ron Mercer describes it as a private backyard ramp paradise. This is the Woodyard, a place where wheelies, alley-oop grinds and ice picks reign on the plywood. The 44-year-old Richmond father of three built the ultimate bicycle motocross ramp course on his rented half-acre property. All this BMX bless-
edness is sandwiched fence-to-fence in the home’s backyard—the location of which Mercer prefers to keep a secret—about the size of a hockey rink. It took three years of long days to build, and it’s still a work-in-progress. He used salvaged wood to construct the masterpiece, a good chunk courtesy of the scrapped Saskatchewan pavilion from the 2010 Winter Olympics. Mercer’s built other ramps in the past, but build-
ing this one still took plenty of trial-and-error. “It’s very complex. It’s like Leonardo da Vinci stuff. I wasted a lot of wood.” Building the ramp—and riding it every day—is a thrill he shares with his kids, and neighbours of the secluded lot don’t seem to mind. “This is like 10 years in trying to set a precedent—that something like this should be allowed, accepted and encouraged,” he said. See Page 6
Potato thieves have dug up an estimated 2,250 kilograms of a Richmond farmer’s crop. Bill Zylmans said he noticed the vegetables missing from three of his South Richmond fields 10 days ago. The stolen crop is about the size of a football field. “We’re really at a loss,” said Zylmans. “It could have been a large family, it could have been a group of people, it could have been for personal use, it could have been for resale. We have no idea.” In the past, local berry farmers have reported small quantities of fruit disappearing from their fields, and Zylmans himself has seen the odd bunch of vegetables swiped from his land. But this is the first time he’s been hit by a crop theft of this magnitude. “We’ve had small thefts in the past... but this one was over the top.” Zylmans estimates the theft at $5,000 in damages and lost revenue. Anyone with information regarding the theft is asked to contact Richmond RCMP at 604-2781212 or Crime Stoppers. —Matthew Hoekstra
Active family? We’ll help keep you that way. A chiropractic assessment can pinpoint the cause of your discomfort and give you long-lasting relief naturally. Call us for a complimentary consultation.
Minoru Chiropractic 604-207-9050
Have a
SAFE
Long Weekend
Dr. Bonnie Chuter • Dr. Carol Reddin
#230-7480 Westminster Hwy. (across from the Bay) www.minoruchiropractic.com Try Chiropractic. It Works.
facebook.com/richmondreview
NEWS@RICHMONDREVIEW.COM
OFFICE: 604-247-3700
DELIVERY: 604-247-3710
CLASSIFIED: 604-575-5555
NEWSROOM: 604-247-3730