THE WEDNESDAY
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
TRI-CITY NEWS CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
The Christmas light list
Coquitlam man is magic
SEE LIFE, PAGE A13
SEE ARTS, PAGE A20
DEC. 18, 2013 www.tricitynews.com
INSIDE
Tom Fletcher/A10 Letters/A11 A Good Read/A17 Sports/A23
Lots of help for Mossom ‘Within minutes’ of news of fire, offers to help began By Gary McKenna THE TRI-CITY NEWS
DAN EBENAL/THE TRI-CITY NEWS
Joan Bartlett looks over some Christmas wreaths on display at the Greendale Herb and Vine booth at the Port Moody Farmers Market on Sunday at the PoMo recreation complex. The next Moody winter market is set for Dec. 29, and markets run on alternating Sundays. More info: www.makebakegrow.com.
(Xmas) lights, action, cameras in the Tri-Cities
Throughout its 37year history, the Mossom Creek Hatchery has given hundreds Tri-City students an education in fisheries and the environment. Now, many of those students are giving back. Since fire destroyed the facility last week, hatchery founder Ruth Foster said she has been inundated with offers of support. The emails and phone calls have come from former students, volunteers, Tri-Cities residents and even contractors offering their help to rebuild the facility. “I always knew we had incredibly strong support,” Foster said. “I am really touched by the
people who have never even been to Mossom. I feel that the community is waking up to something that they lost that they almost didn’t realize they had.” Foster and the volunteers at Mossom will need all the help they can get. Last Wednesday’s blaze wiped out the main building, which was constructed in 1992, along with the education centre, which was added in 2001. A shed and the outhouse were the only structures that survived the blaze. Incubation trays containing coho eggs and 110,000 chum were also destroyed in the fire — along with 37 years of records, photographs and press clippings — and Foster said Mossom will likely have to rely on surplus eggs from other hatcheries to rebuild its stocks. see 4,400 COHO, page A3
Be safe during season This festive time of year can present a unique set of hazards. Fire departments in the Tri-Cities are asking residents to be careful with Christmas trees, decorations and wrapping paper, as well as heat sources such as lights, candles and extension cords. Other tips from firefighters: • Extinguish candles when leaving a room or going to sleep. • Keep candles at least 30 cm away from anything that can burn, including clothing, bedding, books, curtains or Christmas trees. • Keep combustibles away from Christmas trees. • Check all lights and discard damaged strings. • Use proper clips instead of staples to put up Christmas lights. Residents should also make sure they have working smoke alarms.
■ CP Rail Holiday Train (right) hit Port Coquitlam and Port Moody on Monday. See photos on A8 and A9 ■ Plenty of Tri-City homes boast big Christmas lights displays. Check out the light list on page A13 ANDRE CHAN PHOTO