THE FRIDAY
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
TRI-CITY NEWS CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
Moore’s remarks
Charity tree chipping
SEE FACE TO FACE, PAGE A11
SEE THINGS-TO-DO GUIDE, PAGE 18
JAN. 3, 2014 www.tricitynews.com
INSIDE
Letters/12 Green Scene/15 Brian Minter/26 Sports/27
ELAINE FLEURY PHOTO
TAKING THE PLUNGE: A man carries a young boy out of the icy waters at Port Moody’s Rocky Point Park on Jan. 1 as residents from across the region take part in the annual Penguin Plunge. This year had the largest turnout yet for the event, with more than 400 braving the cold. For more photos, see PAGE 4.
Most home values Record turnout for Penguin Plunge at Rocky Point Park remain the same By Janis Warren THE TRI-CITY NEWS
Tri-City homeowners will largely see the value of their properties on par with last year. But there are a few pockets in the community that will see their assessments rise 15% or more. Ye s t e r d a y, B C Assessment released its 2014 roll, show-
ing homes on Burke Mountain — especially in Partington Creek, a new neighbourhood on the eastern side that Coquitlam city council formalized with a master plan last year — as well as Belcarra rising above the norm. About 170 homes are now in Partington, which is expected to see 7,500 new residences over the next
20 years with the development of Burke. Zina Weston, deputy assessor for the agency’s North Fraser region, told The Tri-City News that “market forces” pushed values up in the waterfront village of Belcarra while Burquitlam is also strong with growth around the future Evergreen Line.
see SOME AREAS, page 6
More than 400 costume-clad residents braved the icy waters By Janis Warren THE TRI-CITY NEWS
The largest number of swimmers ever recorded for the annual Penguin Plunge in Port Moody welcomed 2014 with a splash — and screams — on NewYear’s Day. More than 400 partici-
pants of all ages — many of them sporting crazy costumes and some wearing almost nothing at all — signed up for the annual Jan. 1 dip in the Burrard Inlet under clear skies at a balmy 8C. Among those who dressed up for the Wednesday event included Port Moody Mayor Mike Clay, who donned loud 1980s garb, a curly wig and makeup, and longtime participant Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart, who
wore an animal hat, penguin tape on his pants and an “ugly” Christmas sweater — a nod to the Ugly Sweater Guys charity in Port Moody. There were also caped crusaders, bumblebees and a Braveheart. Nancy Scott of the Pleasantside community association, which hosts the tradition off the Rocky Point Park pier, said about $1,000 was raised for the organization through registrations and refreshment
sales. Scott said, as in past years, there was some confusion about the time the Plunge was scheduled to start and, as a result, a few revellers showed up an hour early. As well, because of the size of the crowd, Scott said her group will look at splitting the Plunge into two in 2015 to accommodate the number of people down the concrete — and slippery — boat ramp. jwarren@tricitynews.com