Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Times, July 30, 2015

Thursday, July 30, 2015 Maple Ridge singer Madeline Merlo is up for a national ‘rising star’ award…

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28 pages with REW INSIDE

Summer smiles

New publisher The Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows TIMES welcomes community newspaper veteran Lisa Farquharson as its new publisher.

page A4

TIMES photographer Rick Moyer attended a Summer Serenade at the Pitt Meadows Spirit Square. It runs every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., until Aug. 19, featuring the Bruce James Orchestra. The recent event was enjoyed by two-year-old Noah Kurze, of Pitt Meadows, as well as his older brother Isaak and family.

ONLINE

Tribute to Hunter In a web exclusive, the memory of a 19-yearold girl who died from a rare form of cancer lives on through donations to charities that were near to her heart.

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> See more upcoming community events, page A15

Reckless act rankles readers The community was livid to learn that would-be thieves left a knife poking up through a child’s trampoline last week. Readers shared their outrage at the potentially hurtful act.

page A7 and

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Country-style fun Weekend raindrops didn’t keep visitors away from the Country Fest celebration.

page A5 and A6, and mrtimes.com

ONLINE Rick Moyer/TIMES

Doesn’t bug Bob Standing on a ladder while dealing with a persistent wasp was only slightly irritating for columnist Bob Groeneveld.

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MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS TIMES

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RESOLUTION SOUGHT

Camp can’t continue on ERIC ZIMMER ezimmer@mrtimes.com

Organizers of Caribbean Fest are excited to welcome everyone to this weekend’s festivities at the Albion Fairgrounds.

Eric Zimmer/TIMES

CARIBBEAN FEST

Island culture hits Albion

ERIC ZIMMER

ezimmer@mrtimes.com

J

ust one week after the Albion Fairgrounds hosted an event celebrating all things country, the grounds will be the celebration point of all things Caribbean, The annual Maple Ridge Caribbean Fest returns this weekend, but it won’t be in Memorial Peace Park, where people usually look for it.

Organizers have opted for the much bigger space that the Albion Fairgrounds provide.

The The annual CARIBBEAN FEST annual summer celeAugust 1 and 2 free event bration is • Albion Fairgrounds, “became a marking 15th 23448 105th Ave square peg year, and as • Free to all ages in a round the festival • More than 100 acts hole,” said has grown, so Deddy too has the Geese, the need for more festival’s main entertainment space and a better ability to organizer. accommodate attendees The need for a larger space Development near the park such as Club 16 Trevor Linden is “a statement to the festival’s Fitness as well as the presence success,” Geese explained, adding, “There was no chance of the now defunct Target to grow the festival any furStore, ate up parking the festher” at Memorial Peace Park. tival had used in the past.

> ONLINE EXTRAS

> More: www.mrtimes.com, search “Caribbean”

> More: mrtimes.com, search ‘Fleugel’

Go to www.mrtimes.com

Blood in demand

One reader asks TIMES columnist and Whonnockian gardening enthusiast Anne Marrison about preventing the spread of infection black knot, when burning is out of the question, while another reader asks about transplanting hydrangeas.

Heading into the August long weekend, Canadian Blood Services is hosting a blood drive at Maple Ridge Alliance Church Friday, noon to 7 p.m. They’re hoping to stock up on some much need blood donations. Donors are invited to walk ins, or book an appointment at www.blood.ca

Gardening

Burning: not an option

See more at:

www.mrtimes.com

“The Albion Fairgrounds has all the amenities and everything we need,” Geese added.

In general terms, he added, the response to the venue change has been “quite favourable,” particularly when it comes to resolving issues around parking.

“You do have people who don’t drive, but there are buses, and we’ve posted the schedule on our website, so that shouldn’t be a deterrent,” Geese said.

The tent city on Cliff Avenue creates “huge pressure for the residents of Cliff Avenue,” which the City is well aware of, said Mayor Nicole Read.

The mayor made the comments during an interview on Global BC’s show Unfiltered, where she appeared with Ridge Meadows RCMP Supt.

Dave Fleugel.

“We are in regular contact with people on the street, and working with all of our resources:” Read said.

Cliff Avenue has “always been a challenge,” the mayor Dave Fleugel added. “This has been RCMP an area where people superintendent have camped before.

They use the services of the Salvation Army Caring Place, which is just a stone’s throw away [from the camp.]”

These days, police are called to the camp “pretty frequently” Fleugel said.

“I would say the 22100 block of Cliff Avenue is the most heavily policed area in Maple Ridge.”

Working with BC Housing, the hope right now is to get a temporary shelter opened quickly, and “then we will be asking those on Cliff Avenue to move into the temporary shelter and we will not permit them to stay on Cliff Avenue any longer,” Read said.

Asked for a time frame on a temporary shelter, Read said “we’re hoping to be able to locate something or make some decisions about what that will look like in the next week.”

See more at:

ANNE MARRISON

Pedestrians struck Crime costs

Rick Moyer/TIMES

Mounties are still investigating.

www.mrtimes.com

Road upgrades and safety efforts are top of mind for Mounties after another serious pedestrian accident Tuesday on the Lougheed Highway.

See more at:

mrtimes.com

A pair of Maple Ridge property owners were hit in the pocketbook recently. In two unrelated civil forfeiture cases, a judge ruled a homeowner and a landlord benefited from crime and must pay.

See more at:

www.mrtimes.com

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Experience brought to bear at paper A new publisher brings a long history with newspapers.

Lisa Farquharson has been named the new publisher of the Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows TIMES, as well as sister paper, the Langley Advance.

“I’m thrilled to be working in this amazing community,” Farquharson said. “I’m anxious to connect with the business community and residents.”

Farquharson has been with Black Press since 1998, and

Lisa Farquharson is the new publisher of the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows TIMES. Eric Zimmer/TIMES

has served as an advertising sales manager at the Langley Times, as publisher of the South Delta Leader and of Boulevard Magazine, general

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COUNTRY FEST

Fair ‘exceptional’ Thousands came to enjoy weekend fair.

Official attendance numbers aren’t technically available Bates explained, because as the fair is free, the number of people who pass through the gates isn’t recorded.

ERIC ZIMMER Instead – as they ezimmer@mrtimes.com have in other years – A bit of rain on Country Fest officials Friday and Sunday use the number of didn’t dampen the cars they park as an spirits of indication to More online those who the number of checked out attendees.

Country Fest “I don’t have last weekend the official numat the Albion bers from that Fairgrounds. yet,” Bates said.

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Country Fest’s oldest volunteer, 102-year-old Dorothy Rouch, took a break from her duties and took a spin on the ferris wheel during the festival (above). There were smiles aplenty throughout the the weekend, even with the sometimes iffy weather (below.) And (right) a full lineup of entertainment and acts kept guests of Country Fest entertained throughout the weekend.

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Smell ‘n’ tell 1

Smell rotten eggs?

It could be natural gas.

2

Go outside.

3

Call FortisBC’s 24-hour emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 or 911.

BUY LOCAL

B.C. berries feted at Fest

Blueberries were front and centre for a funding presenation.

The new Blueberry Festival at Country Fest was the backdrop for agriculture minister Norm Letnick to give a $50,000-grant to the Blueberry Council for a buy local program.

The funding will be used to introduce an advertising campaign with eye-catching

Rick Moyer/TIMES

Eli Belcham enjoyed some blueberry pie at Country Fest. signs and displays, as well as in-store sampling for shoppers, he said.

“When you buy fresh B.C. blueberries, you are supporting local agriculture and local farmers. The funding from the buy local program will help the BC Blueberry Council thrive in a highly competitive market and put dollars back in to the economy,” Letnick said.

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows MLA Doug Bing was on hand for the presentation.

“The B.C. blueberry industry is booming,” he remarked.

Natural gas is used safely in B.C. every day. But if you smell rotten eggs, go outside first, then call us.

Learn more at fortisbc.com/smellandtell.

> More at www.mrtimes.com FortisBC uses the FortisBC name and logo under license from Fortis Inc. (15-015.13 05/2015)

MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS TIMES

A6 Thursday, July 30, 2015

Opinion

Published by BLACK PRESS GROUP LTD. Our offices are located at #2-22345 North Avenue, Maple Ridge, V2X 0R7.

The Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows TIMES has CCAB audited circulation of 29,950.

www.mrtimes.com

TIMES VIEW

Water: a special resource

T

he drought is not over, regardless of a good soaking for our plants on Friday and Sunday.

Metro Vancouver’s Stage Three watering restrictions remain in force, and restrictions of greater or lesser severity are also in effect in many parts of B.C., as we cope with one of the longest dry spells in living memory.

Metro Vancouver has been reminding everyone that two days of rain does not break a drought.

The lessons they are hammering home are mostly short term. If we conserve water now, we’ll be fine through to November. That means sticking to the watering ban, taking shorter showers, and not washing the car for a few weeks.

That’s all relatively simple stuff, and the vast majority of residents will be able to stick with it.

The long-term phase could be more important.

Global warming can’t be blamed for any one specific weather system, but we know that around the world, temperatures are rising and weather becoming more extreme. We will likely see more dry summers to come, and with a growing population, we’ll need to plan ahead.

That could mean expanding the sources of our water, tapping into more reservoirs. After all, even with lower water levels, we have a much smaller population and a lot more lakes than California.

It should also mean looking at permanent ways to save water, whether that’s offering more subsidies for water-efficient toilets and shower heads, to more money for repairing leaking water mains, to changing building codes.

We might also want to meter more water while we’re at it, including water that major industrial users take straight out of our aquifers. If, as we’re constantly told, we’re adding a million new residents, we need to think 25 or 50 years out into the future at a minimum. Saving water on a society-wide scale will cost a lot over time, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the costs of running dry.

– TIMES

Italians still undecided about Canadian singer’s sanity

S

Roses & Thorns

he was “just screaming and needles much of the trip, for a bunch of random waiting for word if she was a Italians to hear.” finalist.

Regardless of the That bus load of Italians all know she made the cut, and audience, Maple Ridge’s some are probably still quesMadeline Merlo couldn’t stop tion her sanity. hollering. She was on a bus Now, TIMES readers can ride from Tuscany to Rome also share in her delight. And, with her grandfather, her they can join me in bestowing older sister, and four of their one of my virtual bouquets of cousins when her cellphone roses on Madeline. finally came into range of serWin, lose, or draw – a vice. She was overjoyed.

Of course, it wasn’t the ROXANNE HOOPER nomination of this scale is a huge accomplishment, and fact that she reconnected to to say Madeline’s still overthe worldwide web that was the-moon-excited by the news would be a such a big deal, but that the 21-year-old massive understatement. up-and-coming singer was able to retrieve “Being a new artist, working hard her emails and subsequently learned all year, and getting the validation that she was in the running for a rising star people see that… It’s so incredible to award from the Canadian Country Music know people see potential in me,” she Association. shared.

“I didn’t have any service, and I needed Earlier this year I told you how Madeline to find out… then I did, and I just started went overseas to say thanks to Canadian screaming… To actually be nominated is soldiers through song. She was among a just crazy,” Madeline told The TIMES. handpicked team invited to perform for Prior to the trip, she knew she made members of the Canadian military who the initial shortlist. But she was on pins

The Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows TIMES, published by BLACK PRESS GROUP LTD., respects your privacy. We collect, use, and disclose your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Statement, which is available at www.mrtimes.com.

The Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows TIMES is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about conduct of member newspapers.

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were serving in Italy and the Persian Gulf.

She joked that two trips to Italy in less than a year makes her sound like a jet-setter. But that’s not the case, she insisted.

“Not at all.”

On this most recent trip, she was one of several grandchildren Grandpa wanted to take to Italy for a two-week family vacation.

“He really wanted to take us and we were able to see where he grew up… it was such an amazing trip,” Madeline recounted, thrilled by the experience.

But now, back home in the Ridge for a few days at least, all of her attentions have been refocused. She’s promoting the release of her new single, Honey Jack, which came out last week. She’s also concentrating on writing and recording songs for the release of her next album later this year. As well, she’s preparing for a tour of Eastern Canada in October with country stars Paul Brandt and Dean Brody. And now, she’s getting psyched up about the awards week in Nova Scotia.

For her local fans hoping to catch one of her shows before she becomes a star, the pickings are limited. She’s at SunFest

this weekend on the Island, she’s at the Harmony Arts Festival in West Vancouver on the holiday Monday, then at the PNE on Sept. 4. After that, she’s heading east.

Following some rehearsal time for the upcoming tour, she’ll join Brandt and Brody in Halifax for the CCMAs. Here’s wishing you a boat load of luck Madeline. May the fans see just how bright your star shines.

We grow ’em great here Must be something in the water here.

Just last week, we told you about the talented singer and songwriter DaniElle Severinski of Pitt Meadows, who was in the running – but later was beat out – to sing with country great Keith Urban.

Now, we’re telling you about Madeline, who is in fact opening for Mr. Urban in Duncan this weekend.

We also told you last week about Drew and Jonathan Scott of Maple Ridge – the famous Property Brothers – who are up for an Emmy for one of their TV shows.

And don’t get me started on all our local athletic superstars who keep bringing home the bling.

REACH US Visit our website: www.mrtimes.com Email us: editorial@mrtimes.com

Lisa Farquharson PUBLISHER lisa@blackpress.ca

Roxanne Hooper

Troy Landreville

Cole Wagner

Eric Zimmer

EDITOR

REPORTER

REPORTER

REPORTER

rhooper@mrtimes.com

tlandreville@mrtimes.com

editorial@mrtimes.com

ezimmer@mrtimes.com

ADVERTISING: Ralph DeAdder, Sheryl Jones ADMINISTRATION/RECEPTION: Denise Haywood

Our office and mailing address is: #2 - 22345 North Avenue Maple Ridge, B.C. V2X 0R7 Switchboard: 604-463-2281 Classified: 604-444-3000 Delivery: 604-466-6397 Fax: 604-463-9943

Our office is open Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS TIMES

Letters

COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

Thursday, July 30, 2015 A7

Time to shut Cliff Avenue’s Tent City down Dear Editor,

Enough is enough [Business owner angry about tent city, July 16, Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows TIMES].

I am so sorry for the residents of Cliff Avenue and suggest the new, inexperienced mayor do the right thing.

I was in the pool store one afternoon and observed a male shoot up his needle no more than 20 feet from us, and then pass it to his girlfriend who threw it over the fence.

I recommend everyone stay out of that field behind them.

These are the type of people who are taking advantage of our community.

Yet the mayor has used our valuable tax money to give these people garbage pickup, portable toilets, and regular police security.

I live in the rural area of Maple Ridge and

don’t get any of these services.

Wake up and smell the logic.

This is a federal and provincial responsibility.

Look at all the other communities in Canada – you allow a protest for a short while to voice their concerns, then you shut it down by all legal means.

Unless we change to a Totalitarian or Communist government, there will always be homeless people who refuse help, and others who suffer from mental illness.

Build it and they will come.

Having an established homeless camp will only invite more transients to come to Maple Ridge.

Hello, Hastings and Main (skid row) will start to move out to Maple Ridge.

And this will increase the property crime as

the drug addicted will do whatever they can to maintain their addiction.

Our police resources are being tasked to deal with a multitude of complaints of the homeless camp instead of providing proper police services to the taxpayers.

Their protest should be at MLA and MP offices as well as the social services offices.

I would suggest we all chip in some money to pay for their transportation to move the camp in front of the mayor’s house.

Hello city council, why are we not seeing this in West Van, North Van, Richmond, or Langley?

The residents of Cliff Avenue should not have to pay property taxes for as long as the City allows this illegal occupation.

Should they be allowed to set up in the

Good Samaritans step up to help Dear Editor, We live in a time when we get plenty of bad news.

Well, I have good news : We had some issues with our car, but as our car sat with the hood popped at the Petro Canada, at least six people wanted to make sure we were okay.

A guy pulling a beautiful boat went out of his way and tried to jump start us, a young couple had to walk over and make sure I was okay, they asked if I needed anything while I waited for my hubby to return from Lordco, and some other guys asked

my hubby if he needed help when he was installing the new battery, and a welder let him use a much needed tool.

So in a moment of need, our community offered to lend several helping hands, on a very, very hot and humid day.

I’m grateful for each one of them.

Sometimes I read that our town is falling apart, and even I question why I stay sometimes, but there is an abundance of kindness in our community, and we need to focus on the good around us.

Kassandra Kreutzer, Maple Ridge

Facebook feedback

During an attempted break in, someone stuck a large knife through the base of a trampoline belonging to Hunger Management food truck owner Dan Beitel and his family, and readers are reacting:

“I truly believe ever since the Golden Ears bridge opened we’ve had nothing but problems! No one really had access here prior if you think about it. Maple Ridge has just become the new Surrey.”

– Sonja Ogden “We are so sad to read about this happening. Dan is a fantastic guy we have had the pleasure to meet. We are so happy he was able to stop the break in though deeply disturbed his family’s property was treated this way.”

– Maple Washing “Awful.... Breaking into personal property is bad enough but intentionally putting harm in a child’s way.”

– Michelle Waite Wocknitz “Not cool. Dan is a very cool guy who had an awesome business. Hope this gets straightened out.”

– Joel Godfrey “My husband and I just prayed that they whoever was responsible for this would be caught quickly! AMEN” – Elisabeth Haase

Share your views. Like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/MapleRidePittMeadowsTimes

middle of the Lougheed Highway or in front of the police office?

And for all the sympathetic residents of our community who disagree with me, I encourage you to then adopt a homeless person and bring them to your home to help them.

Offer to let them camp on your front lawn, or go down and volunteer to convince them to seek help.

Enough is enough, time to shut down it down.

Our mayor and City Council are letting us down and our tax money is only being used to create a new Hastings and Main.

Michell Smith, Maple Ridge

Gov’t plays games with public trust Dear Editor,

In 1991, the people of British Columbia threw out the Socred government for playing games with the public trust.

In 2001, they threw out the NDP government for playing games with the public trust.

About three years ago, eight pharmaceutical researchers were fired by the Liberal government and falsely told they were under investigation by the RCMP for alleged criminal data breach.

The RCMP have stated that no investigation was either conducted or requested and the government has apologized to the researchers, but not before one of them committed suicide, unable to handle the stress of a fictitious investigation.

I would like to know why the RCMP has not charged the government of British Columbia with either public mischief or criminal negligence causing suicide.

If the government is stressing someone to the point of suicide, doesn’t that constitute playing games with the public trust, and would someone please advise the people of British Columbia what does?

Nigel Tucker, Maple Ridge

Letters on this page have been edited for space. For longer versions or more letters to the editor visit mrtimes.com and click on Opinion or search the writers’ names.

LETTERS POLICY: Copyright in letters and other materials submitted voluntarily to the Publisher and accepted for publication remains with the author, but the Publisher and its licensees may freely reproduce them in print, electronic, or other forms. Letters are also subject to editing for content and length. The Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows TIMES is published by BLACK PRESS GROUP LTD.

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MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS TIMES

Mark’s gets set to open doors

F

Down to Business

rom 7,000 square feet, to 20,000 square feet: The mantra “bigger and better” can certainly be applied to the new Mark’s in Maple Ridge, which is opening this weekend.

The July 31 opening is being billed as a soft opening, with a four-day grand opening event set to take place Aug. 14 to 16, including a ribbon cutting by the mayor on Aug. 11.

As staff prepares to show off their new digs, Mark’s owner Jeremy Bekar, said things are ERIC ZIMMER certainly busy right now at the 20758 Lougheed Hwy. location.

“We’ve shut down the other store and truck after truck has come in,” he said.

“There’s a few final things like signs being put up, the phone line are being put in, so yeah, all the fun stuff.”

The grand opening is also about community spirit.

“We always include local charities and groups with

Thursday, July 30, 2015 A9

2015 CAPITAL WORKS: ROADWORKS Roadwork Projects – Various Areas throughout Pitt Meadows The planned work is to start the week of July 27, 2015 and finish the week of September 21, 2015.

The contractor will endeavor to minimize any disturbances to area residents. Residents will be notified ahead of time by the contractor when they plan to start in their area. Watch for signs and contractor’s traffic control personnel.

Eric Zimmer/TIMES

Staff at the new Mark’s in Maple Ridge are ready to open their doors and excited to show people their new digs. events like this,” he explained.

“We’ll supply all the hot dogs, Tim Hortons coffee, all of that stuff, but the community group gets to keep all the donations, so it helps out different charities.”

And for the grand opening, it’s the Maple Ridge Community Foundation that is scheduled to handle grilling and beverage operations.

The opening will also feature some pretty sweet in-store specials.

“We’re going to have some huge door-crasher deals as part of the event,” said Bekar.

If you require further information on the projects,contact:

A floral celebration

T

his past weekend, Westgate Flower Garden marked 15 years in the community with a special celebration at Haney House Museum on Sunday.

Along with tea and scones served, complimentary workshops for children of all ages took place throughout the day as well.

The event also featured live musical performances, as more than 100 people checked out the day’s festivities.

Congratulations to Westgate.

Ike deBoer Engineering Services Coordinator 604-465-2426

HERITAGE

Graves cleanup slated

12007 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows • 604.465.5454 • pittmeadows.bc.cs

A ‘rewarding’ project awaits volunteers.

A unique opportunity to pay tribute to those who are no longer with us is around the corner.

From 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6, the Maple Ridge Historical Society welcomes volunteers to participate in what it dubs as a “rewarding” project: preserving headstones at the Maple Ridge Cemetery.

The cemetery at Dewdney Trunk Road and 214th Street was established in 1878 on land donated by pioneers George Howison and William Nelson.

The cemetery’s heritage value lies in its association with prominent Maple Ridge settlers, both as its developers and as their final resting place.

Many of the older headstones no longer have any one to care for them; therefore volunteers are needed to help preserve the community’s roots.

Email mrmuseum@ gmail.com to register or for more details.

LOOKING FOR A NEW STAFF MEMBER TO JOIN OUR TEAM. Qualification / Requirements

HARPER’S CONSERVATIVES ARE BLEEDING OUR PUBLIC SERVICES.

1) Must have completed: Responsible adult course: MUST have completed a combination of courses of at least 20 hrs duration in child development, guidance, health, safety and nutrition (or ECE Assistant) 2) Valid first aid and child CPR (Current First Aid Certificate an asset.)

3) Criminal record will be checked

The Harper Conservative government’s vision for Canada’s future? Cuts, cuts, and more cuts.

Canada’s border security services? Slashed.

Canada’s environmental protection services? Sliced.

Canada’s food safety services? Butchered.

Veterans Affairs? Nine Veterans Affairs offices shut down and front-line services gone.

Canadians who paid into Employment Insurance denied benefits.

Canada’s public search and rescue services? Systematically dismantled.

Essential public services threatened without regard for the safety and welfare of millions of Canadians.

Must be a good team player, over 19 years of age, with great leadership skills, related experience in this field, and naturally must love working with children.

VOTE TO STOP THE CUTS.

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Only applicants meeting the above requirements will be called for an interview. Thank you for your interest

MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS TIMES

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A12 Thursday, July 30, 2015

August 2015

Stage 3 Water Restrictions in Effect Metro Vancouver has initiated Stage 3 Water Restrictions for the region as of July 20, 2015. The hot, dry weather with very little rainfall, and high water use during these conditions has reduced our water reservoir levels considerably compared to past years.

Working together to reduce water consumption will help conserve our water supply to last during the summer months.

Under Stage 3 restrictions, lawn sprinkling is prohibited, as well as private pressure washing, washing of driveways, sidewalks and parkades for aesthetic purposes, washing of all cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats and other recreational vehicles (except for windows, lights and license plates), and filling, refilling or topping up of private swimming pools, hot tubs and garden ponds. Sports playing fields (including sand-based) and school yard watering is permitted at the minimum levels required to maintain areas in useable condition. Metro Vancouver member municipalities enforce the lawn sprinkling regulations with fines ranging up to $250 per violation. For more information about what’s restricted under Stage 3, visit our website at www.pittmeadows.bc.ca/waterrestrictions.

Council takes a hiatus during the month of August. Meetings will resume in September.

Watch Regular Council Meetings live online! Visit our website at pittmeadows.bc.ca and click on Council Meeting Videos under the Quick Links sidebar.

Community Development

Transportation

Governance & Policy Public Works &

Culture Days.

Transportation Referendum.

Citizen’s Committee on Open Government Report.

This year’s Culture Days weekend is taking place September 25, 26 & 27. Artists, arts organizations, heritage organizations, and cultural groups are invited to join Canada’s largest public participation campaign undertaken by the arts and cultural community.

Registration for Culture Days is possible until mid-September, but to be included in the provincial publicity campaign, activities must be registered before July 31, 2015. To find out more about creating a Culture Days activity, please contact Nazanin Shoja, BC Culture Days Coordinator at culturedays@allianceforarts. com or 604-681-3535 ext. 214.

A short survey on transportation in Pitt Meadows was available after the Transportation Forum on June 17. The questions asked respondents’ opinions on implementing a 30km speed limit in all residential areas, willingness to pay higher taxes for grade separation at the railroad tracks on Harris Road, and feedback on how to curtail speeding in the city. Of the 150 responses, the first two questions were divided between yes and no.

Feedback responses on speeding ranged from speed bumps to increased enforcement. The survey was available on our website and hard copies were available at City Hall.

Safety

Thanks to the work done by dedicated Pitt Meadows residents, the City of Pitt Meadows now has 23 recommendations to guide its steps towards more open government, including proactive, transparent and responsive communication and engagement in the community. The Pitt Meadows Citizens’ Committee on Open Government Report was presented to Council at the Council Meeting on July 21, 2015. A copy of the Citizens’ Committee on Open Government Report is available on the City’s website, including an Appendix with results from the community surveys, the Committee’s gap analysis results and the approved minutes for the meetings.

Summer Road Work.

Summer road work projects are getting underway for the season. The planned work is to start the week of July 27, 2015 and finish the week of September 21, 2015. The contractor will endeavor to minimize any disturbances to area residents, and residents will be notified ahead of time by the contractor when they plan to start in their area. Watch for signs and contractor’s traffic control personnel. Call the City’s engineering department with any questions at 604.465.2426.

Utilities projects continue throughout the summer in various areas of Pitt Meadows as well until August 24.

Council This Month Council Working For You. Council has been busy with several initiatives recently, including:

Go Green Due to the hot, dry weather with very little rainfall this summer, our water reservoir levels have reduced considerably compared to past years.

Stricter water restrictions have been put into place to conserve the water supply in the region and lawn watering is currently prohibited. Let your lawn go brown, it won’t die, it will simply go dormant and will grow healthy again next summer.

pittmeadows.bc.ca facebook.com/pittmeadows

@citypittmeadows 604.465.5454

What’s On

• Mayor and Council attended this year’s Canada Day celebrations in Pitt Meadows with hundreds of residents.

• The Citizen’s Committee on Open Government report was presented to Council on July 21, containing 23 recommendations for open government practices. The report is available on the City’s website at pittmeadows.bc.ca.

• After the transportation referendum results came in with a “no” result, Mayor Becker made a motion at the Metro Vancouver Mayor’s Council to request a report on alternate forms of governance for transit in the metro Vancouver area.

• Pitt Meadows resident and Korean War veteran Warren Byrnell visited Council to present framed documents acknowledging the Canadian effort in the Korean War.

Summer Serenade – Wednesdays in Aug The Bruce James Orchestra is back with Wednesday night performances, playing old and new music in Spirit Square! The music starts at 7pm. www. brucejamesorchestra.com

Movies in the Park – Aug 16 Bring your lawnchairs or blankets and enjoy the scheduled movie, “Epic” in Spirit Square. The event starts at 8pm.

MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS TIMES

Thursday, July 30, 2015 A13

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MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS TIMES

A14 Thursday, July 30, 2015

Faces & Places

WEST COAST

NISSAN

Come see why everyone is Choosing us!

1.866.910.8877

Got photos? Do you have a local photo of someone or some place you’d like to share with the rest of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows? Email it to us as a high-resolution JPEG to editorial@mrtimes.com. Please include a brief description, including everyone’s first and last name. Put “Faces & Places” in the subject line of your email.

Rick Moyer/TIMES

Hotel reunion: The old Maple Ridge Hotel

Jaqueline Neats and Bill Wood, both visiting from England, entered and won at the home, arts, and garden exhibitions at the Country Fest.

– best know as The Ridge – closed in 2007 and was demolished in 2009. But a couple hundred of its faithful patrons came together during a recent hotel reunion, sharing a day full of music and camaraderie at the Army, Navy and Air Force Unit on North Avenue. Among those in attendance was former hotel owner Marvin Owen (above left), local musicians (above) Lorne Trow (a.k.a. The Birdman), Kathryn Baird, and James Thorhaug, as well as Rick Mearns (above right). Also part of the festivities (below) was bartender Bill Delorme.

FIRST PLACE

English make strong showing at the fair The English have invaded!

They’ve invaded Maple Ridge, and in particular this past weekend’s Country Fest.

And “they,” being two unrelated travellers in town to visit family, both deciding to take part in the home, arts, and garden competition of the annual agricultural fair.

Bill Wood has travelled all the way from Hayling Island in the Hampshire area of England to visit his daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren in Maple Ridge.

In the days leading up to the fair, the woodworker showed some of his English prowess by produced a child-sized lawn chair – made from recycled wood – that earned him a first place ribbon this past weekend.

“The time and effort put into making the project a success can be shown through the rosette and first-place ribbon presented to Bill,” said Country Fest manager Lorraine Bates.

Wood is already planning to return next year, and once again plans to compete in the annual celebration – although he wouldn’t divulge any of his ideas, just yet.

Like Wood, Jaqueline Neats also walked away from the local fair with a specially inscribed rosette recognizing her international status.

Neats came from Manchester to visit family, and ended up showing off her talents in the kitchen.

She picked, washed, and was taught how to can cherry jam.

“This was a whole new experience for her,” Bates said. “Something she had never experienced in her 72 years… she was pleasantly surprised when she won first place at the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Country Fest for her efforts in her class.”

Neats said she’s happy to return home with her rosette, but more importantly her new found skills at making jam.

More online search ‘reunion’

TIMES Travellers:

Maple Ridge residents Lucille Desjardins and Diane Crittenden brought an edition of their hometown newspaper, The TIMES, along with them to Cuba. They visited Havana and enjoyed the old cars, hospitality of the local residents, beautiful white sandy beaches, and warm emerald blue waters. They even picked up some Spanish lingo along the way.

TALENT COMPETITION

Unicyclists, dancers bring mix to show ERIC ZIMMER

of fun, and that’s the whole point of it.”

And it wasn’t just singers For the seventh year in a who took the stage this year, row, a plethora of local perRansom said. formers took to the stage at “We had two unicyclists in Country Fest, during Ridge there, including Deja Arnold, who came second Meadows Got Talent (RMGT).

More online place in the youth category.” He pushed “We’ve received this year to get more fantastic response,” diversity in the talent said Phil Ransom, show, “so it’s more RMGT organizthan just a singing competier. “Everybody that was tion,” he said, noting there involved, from the volunwas also a dancer. teers to the performers, and A total of 17 performers those in the audience, everytook the stage this year. body loved it. It was a great show, everybody had a lot > More: mrtimes.com, search ‘talent’

ezimmer@mrtimes.com

Katrina BeckerGedge won third place in the youth category during this year’s Ridge Meadows Got Talent contest, held at Country Fest this past weekend.

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COMMUNITY

MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS TIMES

On

What’s www.mrtimes.com Send events by email 10 days in advance to: editorial@mrtimes.com

July 31 Hominum • Hominum Fraser Valley holds their monthly informal discussion and support group for gay, bi-sexual and questioning men at 7:30 p.m. Call Art at 604-462-9813, or Don at 604-329-9760 for more information, and meeting location.

July 31 Meditation • A free, self-guided meditation takes place on the last Friday of every month, from 9:45 to 10:45 p.m. at the Maple Ridge Art Gallery.

Aug. 1, 2 Caribbean Festival • Maple Ridge Caribbean Festival takes place this weekend at the Albion Fairgrounds. Festivities run from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday. Info: www.caribbeanfest.ca.

Concert series • Bring your lunch and enjoy free noon-hour con-

certs in Memorial Peace Park every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in August. Info: www. downtownmapleridge.ca.

to help clean headstones at the Maple Ridge cemetery, from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Email mrmuseum@gmail. com to register.

Aug. 4 Storyteller • Join Cree elder Lorre Gibson in Memorial Peace Park, at the Maple Ridge Bandstand at 10:15 a.m.

Hear traditional stories and be amazed by her Aboriginal artifacts and regalia.

Aug. 9 Auditions • SPECC-tacular productions are holding auditions for this year’s Christmas pantomime, Hansel and Gretel. 11 a.m. to noon: Dance/movement audition. 12 to 3 p.m.: 10-minute audition slots.

For info or to book, email: specctacularproductions@ gmail.com.

Aug. 5 Puppets • A puppet show takes place in Memorial Peace Park, at the Maple Ridge Bandstand, at 6:45 p.m.

Aug. 5 Summer Serenade • Everyone is welcome to attend the free Summer Serenade Series in Pitt Meadows, which takes place every Wednesday in Spirit Square, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Aug. 6 Heritage Thursdays • Pitt Meadows Museum and Archives hosts Heritage Thursdays, from 1 to 3 p.m. This year’s theme is From Moo to Pooh, which focuses on agriculture. $6 per session. Find info at: www.fvrl.ca, and follow the links.

Aug. 6 Cemetery cleanup • Maple Ridge Historical Society invites volunteers

Aug. 10 Ventriloquist • Entertainer and ventriloquist Kellie Haines performs at the Maple Ridge bandstand in Memorial Peace Park, from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

Aug. 10 Music on the Wharf • Musical act 5 on a String, performs during the Music on the Wharf series which takes place on the Port Haney Wharf, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Info: www.mapleridgemuseum.org, and follow the links.

Aug. 11 Story time • Storyteller Tiffany Stone presents a poetry-themed story time at the Maple Ridge Bandstand in Memorial Peace Park, beginning at 10:15 a.m.

Aug. 13 Heritage Thursdays • Pitt Meadows Museum and Archives hosts Heritage Thursdays, from 1 to 3 p.m. This year’s theme is From Moo to Pooh, which focuses on agriculture. $6 per session.

Aug. 13 HUB Cycling • Join the HUB Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows committee at their monthly meeting at the Maple Ridge Libray in the Alouette Room, from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m., to discuss cycling in the community.

Aug. 14 LEGO • Kids ages five and older are invited to LEGO club at the Maple Ridge Library, from 3 to 4 p.m.

Aug. 16 Auditions • SPECC-tacular productions are holding auditions for this year’s Christmas Pantomime, . 11 a.m. to noon: Dance/movement audition. 12 to 3 p.m. For info or to book, email: specctacularproductions@ gmail.com.

Aug. 19 Reading club wrap • The Teen Summer Reading Club wrap-up party takes place at the Maple Ridge Library from 3 to 4:30 p.m. > See the full list at www.mrtimes.com

Thursday, July 30, 2015 A15

Happy !

Y A D C B from all the staff at

Johnston Meier

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I N S U R A N C E AG E N C I E S G RO U P

22367 Dewdney Trunk Rd. Maple Ridge 604-467-4184 Mon-Fri 8:00am - 8:00pm Sat 9:00am - 5:00pm Sun 10:00am - 3:00pm

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HELP BUST CRIME… Ridge Meadows RCMP is looking for the following people. If you see any of them, do not attempt to apprehend them. Please contact the RCMP immediately by calling 604-463-6251 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. The warrants attached to these individuals were still outstanding as of 10 a.m.

Wednesday. Remember: all of the listed people are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

A message from your local MLA

DEADDER, Darren Paul

Age: 35 Wanted in connection with File #2014-7110 Wanted for failing to comply with a probation order.

GORING, Derek Edwin

Age: 32 Wanted in connection with File #2012-17305 Wanted for being unlawfully at large.

HAPPY B.C. DAY!

MACLEOD, Keith William

Age: 51 Wanted in connection with File #2015-9515 Wanted for impaired driving.

Marc Dalton, MLA Maple Ridge-Mission

TREMBLAY, Richard Myles

Age: 58 Wanted in connection with File #2015-3087 Wanted for assault and theft.

Phone: 604-476-4530 Email: Marc.Dalton.MLA@leg.bc.ca Website: www.marcdaltonmla.bc.ca

MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS TIMES

A16 Thursday, July 30, 2015

Sports & Rec

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WATER WORLDS

Team Canada picks local A Maple Ridge polo player is the youngest Canadian in the pool at world championships.

COLE WAGNER cole.wagner@mrtimes.com

It was only six years ago that Matt Halajian was ringing balls off of the windows at the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre during water polo practice, giving lifeguards and patrons alike Matt Halajian the impression his shot Team Canada was going to break right through the glass.

The former Haney Neptune may have had a humble introduction to the sport, but as of last week, Halajian’s meteoric rise through the ranks of Canadian water polo culminated in his biggest achievement thus far – being named to the senior national team competing at the FINA world aquatic championships in Kazan, Russia.

The news followed the disappointment of narrowly missing out on being named to the team which represented Canada at the Pan American games earlier in July.

“I was hopeful – I really wanted to make the Pan Am team,” admitted the 20-year-old.

But Canada’s results at Pan American games were not as stellar as the team had hoped – and a loss in the semifinals meant the Canadians missed out on a rare opportunity to qualify for the upcoming summer games in Brazil in 2016.

The response was to inject a little youth into the Canadian core, with the addition of a couple young players, including Halajian.

Two days before flying out to Russia, Halajian was told he made the team. > More at: www.mrtimes.com, search ‘Matt’

SWIMMING

Neptunes preparing for test The swim club tunes up its skills before regionals.

COLE WAGNER cole.wagner@mrtimes.com

Members of the Haney Neptunes are back in the pool this week, training hard after surviving wind, rain, and thunder at their

final regular swim meet of the summer season this past weekend in Abbotsford.

The team is gearing up for regional championships in early August, which is the qualifying meet for provincial championships two weeks later.

Strong results from a number of Neptunes this past weekend suggest that Haney might be in line to make history at this year’s regional championships.

Competing against other clubs in the Fraser Valley – Mission, Langley, Abbotsford, Aggasiz and Chillliwack – the Neptunes haven’t won the overall points title at the regional meet in over a decade.

Unlike previous years, the Neptunes seem to boast strong swimmers across a number of divisions, in both the boys and the girls events.

Particularly impressive finishes from Div. 1 swim-

Royals take top at provincials

Federal field money received

The Ridge Meadows Royals Midget AAA baseball team capped off its season this past weekend by winning the 2015 provincial championships, held in Nanaimo. The team went a perfect 6-0, and the title is the team’s second in the past five years.

The federal government has committed half a million dollars towards refurbishing two field at the Albion Sports Complex. The grant money will help cover the cost of refurbishing two gravel fields.

Search “Royals” at:

Search “Kamp” at:

www.mrtimes.com

mers Laina Hyland (first in the 50m freestyle, 100m IM, and 50m fly, and second in 100m freestyle) and Ewen Patrick (first in the 50m freestyle, 100m IM, 50m breaststroke, and 100m freestyle) helped the Neptunes claim second overall in total points at the Abbotsford meet.

A full list of results can be found on the Neptunes website, by following this link: http://neptunes.squarespace. com/meet-results/.

Go to www.mrtimes.com

www.mrtimes.com

The hottest paint jobs.

On the Fly: History carries on

On the Fly

> SPORTS EXTRAS

David Sivertsen-Neale/ Special to the TIMES

Andrew Cowie of the Haney Neptunes flew to the finish at the Abbotsford swim meet this past weekend.

TIMES columnist and fishing enthusiast Jeff Weltz continues his series on the history of flyfishing throughout North America.

JEFF WELTZ

Search “Weltz” at: www.mrtimes.com

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MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS TIMES

A20 Thursday, July 30, 2015

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