The Amanda Todd aftermath
One year after a suicide that rocked the Tri-Cities, the story of Amanda Todd has spread internationally, a cautionary tale dealing with mental illness, the online sexual exploitation of children and cyberbullying. The Tri-City News speaks to Carol Todd about her life after her daughter’s death and what she’s doing to effect change. See stories on page 3 and editorial on page 10
THE WEDNESDAY
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
TRI-CITY NEWS
OCT. 9, 2013 www.tricitynews.com
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
Cory Sater trial continues
TV show channels 1958
SEE PAGE 7
SEE ARTS, PAGE 20
INSIDE
Tom Fletcher/10 Letters/11 Scary Story Contest/18 Sports/23
R’view rethink By Janis Warren THE TRI-CITY NEWS
DIANE STRANDBERG/THE TRI-CITY NEWS
Carole Pierce, Pearl Phillips and Laura Talbot are part of a new group called the Story Telling Elders who work with students in School District 43, sharing their stories and knowledge. For more on the group, which meets Fridays at Wilson Centre in Port Coquitlam, see article on page 15.
The future of a major part of Coquitlam’s past is up for discussion starting today (Wednesday). On Monday at the council-in-committee meeting, BC Housing outlined its plans to meet with health authorities, stakeholders and the public to hear views on the next steps for Riverview Hospital, a 244-acre site described by M ayo r R i c h a rd Stewart as “extremely precious to Coquitlam.” Its first presentation was to be this afternoon before the city’s Riverview Lands Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from TriCities’ Mental Health and Addictions, the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society and the Coquitlam River Watershed Society as well as former Riverview staff.
IN QUOTES
“People in Coquitlam have been waiting years now.” Coun. Terry O’Neill The launch of BC Housing’s “visioning process” comes two weeks after Premier Christy Clark told civic politicians at the Union of BC Municipalities’ convention that the government won’t reopen the shuttered, 101-year-old institution — not even in a modern form. The visioning study also comes a year after the province released its Heritage Conservation Plan for the lands, a process Coun. Craig Hodge, chair of Coquitlam’s Riverview committee, described as“rushed.” see ‘GREAT’, page 13
More beds for seniors, people with mental illness By Diane Strandberg THE TRI-CITY NEWS
Seniors with complex care needs and people with mental health and substance abuse issues will be treated in two brand new local facilities — one on each end
of the Tri-Cities — according to a Fraser Health announcement Friday. In Coquitlam, Société du Foyer Maillard has received funding from Fraser Health to redevelop its current facility at 1010 Alderson Ave. in Coquitlam. The redevel-
opment project will add 80 new complex care beds for high-needs seniors in addition to the 45 beds currently provided in the 44-year-old facility for a total of 125 beds at that end of the Tri-Cities. And in Port Coquitlam, Baltic Properties will
build a new complex at 770 Dominion Ave. that will provide 136 complex care beds for seniors and a 24-bed facility for people with mental health and substance abuse issues. The two facilities will be separate and stand-alone within the
larger complex. Keith McBain, executive director for Residential Care and Assisted Living at Fraser Health, said the Tri-Cities was targeted for new facilities, along with south Surrey and White Rock, because of the growth in
the seniors’ population. “When we looked over the three communities, they told us they were in the greatest need of residential care,” McBain said Friday. According to Fraser Health statistics, the population of the region is
expected to grow by 20% by 2020 and most of the increase will be seniors age 75 years and older. In all, four projects were announced for a total of 427 beds for a $34-million investment. see 2015 OPENING, page 9