Peace Arch News, April 20, 2023

VOICE OF WHITE ROCK AND SOUTH SURREY www.peacearchnews.com

Marketing plan:

The annual White Rock Farmers Market makes its return to Miramar Plaza this Sunday. In addition to 91 vendors, the market will also feature live music and a small-appliance recycling drop-off point.

› see page A20

A major, two-tower multi-family residential building planned for 1454 Oxford St., first proposed almost a decade ago, is back on White Rock council’s agenda for a zoning amendment, with a further $2.3 million community amenity contribution (CAC) to sweeten the pot.

The previously contentious development, planned for the hillside just south of the Evergreen Campus of Care and west of White Rock’s water utility plant on Goggs Avenue, will include two towers on a shared two-storey podium.

The amendment – given first and second readings at Monday night’s (April 17) council meeting – is necessary because the number of units in the second tower would increase by some 78 units, as a result of a smaller proposed unit size, even though the height and massing of the building would stay the same.

Staff must now schedule a public hearing for the change, however –which will give residents a further opportunity to comment on the project.

Mayor Megan Knight – who expressed reservations about the number of new people the revised project would add to the neigh-

bourhood – said Tuesday morning that she anticipates a large turnout of residents for the hearing.

But she said they should be aware the one thing that won’t change is the presence of the project itself on the hillside.

The project, formerly referred to as the Elegant development, currently under development by IOM Nautilus Views Ltd., already received the majority of required city approvals, including a phased development agreement, from the council of the day in 2017.

That essentially locked the city into the development, as members of the 2018-22 council observed when granting the project a development permit in July of 2021.

“I’m torn on this one,” Knight said during discussion on Monday.

“Because 78 units, to me, is a really big ask – that’s a huge jump in the density. But I do look at the other side of it, that big units aren’t selling anymore. The smaller units are more ‘affordable’ to more people.”

Knight asked planning and development services director Anne Berry to estimate how many more people 78 units might add to the area.

Berry said that, based on Metro Vancouver averages of 2.5 people

Artist’s rendering of a two-tower multi-family residential building planned for Oxford Street. A proposed increase in units for one tower is returning the project to White Rock council for a zoning amendment. (Contributed image)

Everyone has right to feel safe on transit: Locke

Tricia Weel Staff reporter

In the wake of three stabbings on Surrey transit in as many weeks, Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke has issued a statement saying everyone has the right to feel safe on our regional transit system.

“No one should have to fear for their physical safety or life when riding our transit system,” her statement, issued Saturday afternoon (April 15), said.

“In the last two weeks we have seen three shocking incidents that have caused serious bodily harm and in one case ended the life of a 17-year-old.

On behalf of Surrey City Council, my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Ethan Bespflug. As a mom, I cannot imagine the pain Ethan’s family is going through.”

On Monday (April 17) police announced that a charge of second-degree murder had been laid against 20-year-old Kaiden Mintenko of Burnaby in connection to Bespflug’s death.

Locke said there is no place for the continuing violent acts that are taking place on our regional transit system.

“What makes this situation all the more alarming is that it puts so many innocent people at risk, as the attacks are often perpetrated in a confined space of a SkyTrain car or a bus,” she continued.

“As it has been said, everyone has the right to feel safe on our regional transit

system.”

The latest stabbing happened early Saturday (April 15) morning, just after 1 a.m., on board a train at Surrey Central SkyTrain Station.

A transit police statement says a man in his 20s was found with a stab wound to his abdomen. He was taken to hospital for treatment and

has since been released. There are no suspects in custody.

And earlier this month, a man was stabbed on a bus in Surrey in an alleged terrorist attack.

Abdul Aziz Kawam is charged with attempted murder, assault causing bodily harm, aggravated

assault and assault with a weapon, all in association with terrorist group the Islamic State.

The victim suffered some vocal-chord damage, but doctors are hopeful he can make a full recovery.

In addition to the Surrey stabbings, there have also been several recent attacks on Lower Mainland transit.

Locke said she has been in regular contact with both the Surrey RCMP and the Metro Vancouver Transit Police as both agencies work together on increasing joint patrols on the transit system.

In addition to an increased police and security presence on transit, “we are looking at a range of sustainable, long-term solutions to ensure everyone on transit feels safe, and is safe,” she said.

“This includes the high-visibility police patrols occurring now; however, that is only part of the solution.

“We need to look at all potential tools at our disposal, including better use of technology, safety education and outreach, all forming part of a comprehensive approach.”

Locke said she will be reaching out to B.C. Premier David Eby, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside to ask for additional resources in policing and to make better use of technology to deter these crimes and identify the perpetrators. – with files from Lauren Collins

Surrey mayor called on to resign over policing press release

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke continues to stand by her read of a recent motion presented by Delta Mayor George Harvie to the Metro Vancouver Mayors’ Committee concerning the city’s policing transition, despite Harvie indicating that she has it wrong. Locke has found herself in a political storm after the City of Surrey last week issued a press release with a statement attributed to her that Harvie’s motion,

passed unanimously, was to “support Surrey’s decision to retain the RCMP as the police of jurisdiction.”

But Harvie’s explanation to Black Press Media on Friday (April 14) indicates that was not the case.

“The purpose of it was we’ve been waiting a long time. This is not only affecting of course Surrey but also affecting other municipalities including Delta insofar as its police operations,” Harvie said of his motion.

“The purpose of the motion was

to impress upon the premier and the solicitor general to make a decision forthwith. We have no mandate with regards to policing in other jurisdictions other than our own jurisdictions so it was not intended to do anything else other than say we need a resolve to this immediately.”

His motion reads: “That the MVRD Board provide the City of Surrey with a letter of support requesting a provincial decision forthwith on the City’s request to have the RCMP provide po-

licing services for the City of Surrey.”

At the outset of Monday night’s Surrey council meeting Coun. Doug Elford, of the Safe Surrey Coalition, called for Locke to resign, charging she made a “premeditated and false statement” on Harvie’s motion and “intentionally” misled the public.

“Metro Vancouver mayors have publicly disagreed with the mayor’s claims,” Elford said.

He accused Locke of violating the City of Surrey Council Code of

Conduct Bylaw and charged that she “violated her oath to carry out her duties with integrity and must resign from her position as mayor of Surrey effective immediately.”

This was met with yelling from the audience in council chambers.

“OK, finished? Great,” Locke replied, and then called the meeting of the regular council to order.

Later in the meeting, Locke doubled down on her interpretation of

Tom Zytaruk Black Press Media

Related stories online at peacearchnews.com

Metro Vancouver Transit Police and Surrey RCMP investigate after the third stabbing on the city’s transit in as many weeks. (Shane MacKichan photo)

Increased traffic a concern

Continued from A1

per dwelling unit, it would add approximately 205 people to the building, increasing the population of the building to around 312, with an overall site average of about 500.

“My concern is looking at this traffic, with that many more people coming in,” Knight said.

Coun. David Chesney confirmed with Berry that a public walking trail is still part of the site plan.

He said that while he shared some of Knight’s concerns, he was generally in favor of the project going ahead, and also appreciated the developer’s intention to market only to White Rock residents for 60 days after units go on sale.

“To be very honest, this has been going on for a long time, and has been approved, so I think it’s time to fish and stop cutting bait.”

Coun. Christopher Trevelyan said that while he would not have approved the project for that location, now that it is approved, he would prefer to support smaller units that have more chance of selling to locals who wish to downsize, as well as providing an additional CAC benefit for the city.

“I do want to hear what the public has to say, but, to me, I’m going to vote for it and push it forward,” he said.

“Having an empty tower sit-

ting there, I don’t think (there) is anything for the City of White Rock.”

The first phase, the 21-storey, 78-unit Tower A of the Nautilus building – which encompasses all underground work for the project, including a three-level parkade – is currently going through a building permit process with the city, following an application submitted in August of 2021.

A corporate report from Berry – and a letter of application from Nautilus’ development director Rick Mann – explained how the design of the 24-storey Tower B has been reconfigured, boosting the number to 125 from the 43 originally planned.

The changes will not require additional height, square footage or changes to the building massing, Mann noted, adding that reducing unit size to the 1,000- to 1,500-square-foot range is aimed at attracting White Rock owners planning to downsize from larger homes.

However, as Berry pointed out, since the current comprehensive development zoning for the site specifies no more than 121 units per building, a zoning amendment will be required for Tower B.

In return for the modification, Nautilus is proposing a CAC of $2,320,661. White Rock already received a

$3,600,000 CAC, plus a 1.1 acre public space from the project as part of the approval process in 2017.

All traffic access will be off Oxford Street the report notes.

An updated transportation impact assessment, commissioned by Nautilus from Bunt and Associates Engineering – based on observation of current White Rock traffic patterns and comparison with a Vancouver building including similar units – concludes that the Oxford Street intersections with Thrift Avenue and North Bluff Road have “adequate capacity to accommodate the existing, opening day, future background, and total future traffic volumes at satisfactory levels.”

It also notes that off-street underground parking already planned for the project will provide 286 spaces for Tower B, far exceeding the number required by city bylaw (the development will have 409 parking spaces in all).

Council also approved a suggested stipulation that third reading for the amendment, following the public hearing, should be contingent on the project meeting all engineering requirements and issues to the satisfaction of engineering and municipal operations director Jim Gordon, as well as council’s acceptance of the proposed CAC.

Police are investigating a shooting in Newton that sent a man to hospital Monday afternoon. Surrey RCMP and Surrey Police Services are working to determine if this burned van was involved. Police are asking anyone with more information –including dash cam footage if they were driving in the area at the time – to contact the Surrey RCMP.

Man sent to hospital after Newton shooting

police are trying to determine if a subsequent vehicle fire at 147 Street and 69 Avenue is connected to the shooting.

Surrey Mounties and Surrey Police Service are investigating a shooting in Newton that sent a man to hospital with injuries that weren’t believed to be life-threatening.

Police were called at 4:10 p.m. Monday to 76 Avenue and 148 Street on a report shots were fired at a vehicle.

A white van took off from the scene and

Police are canvassing neighbourhood, speaking with witnesses and trying to determine a motive.

Police ask anyone with more information, including dash cam footage, to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 and quote file 2023-59069, or to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.solvecrime.ca

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(Shane MacKichan photo)

This Earth Day, we’re being asked to envision the kind of planet we wish to live on.

Saturday, April 22, is Earth Day, a day when we should appreciate the place we live, and perhaps take action or make a commitment to try to make it better.

Earth Day Canada, a charitable organization with a mission to inspire and support individuals and organizations in reducing their impact on the environment, has launched a 2023 campaign asking people to ‘picture a better planet.’ It’s asking Canadians to take action on nature conservation and restoration, biodiversity

protection, oceans and rivers preservation, waste reduction and circularity, climate and environmental justice, food waste and local agriculture, and sustainable mobility.

There are opportunities to get involved individually or collectively – we can try to boost existing awareness campaigns, we can organize or join in on an environmental activity in the community, or we can consider donating to an organization that shares our environmental values.

Picturing a better planet is an interesting concept. After all, it’s springtime, the city is starting to come into bloom, the air is fresh, and while it might be a bit damp out,

there’s a great deal of natural beauty to enjoy.

Picturing a better planet might mean seeing past all this and thinking about a relentlessly warming globe, increasingly frequent extreme weather events, and dire warnings from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Some days it feels like our political leaders and their counterparts around the world are trying to put us in position to keep climate change in check. Other days, decisions are made that move us two steps back again. In between, there is Earth Day and a lot of other days when the rest of us can picture a better planet – take a good, hard look – and decide what we will do to help make a difference.

–Black Press

Bus attacks highlight lack of

The recent attacks on transit riders in Surrey, with one of them resulting in the tragic death of a 17-year-old teen, are horrific.

These attacks seem to be part of a growing trend, and mental health and a growing sense of despair among many people are at least partly to blame. Attacks on strangers have been increasing since COVID-19 restrictions were imposed in 2020 and 2021, and then were finally eased.

It appears that mental health was given minimal consideration when the restrictions were imposed, and as restrictions stayed in place for so long.

Ethan Bespflug was the young man stabbed and killed on the 503 bus on the evening of Tuesday, April 11, not long after he boarded it. He had moved from Surrey to Abbotsford last year with his family, at least partly because of concerns about crime. His death is a huge blow to his family. He is described as caring, hard-working and a wonderful big brother to two much-younger sisters.

One of the most heartbreaking things

about this crime is that he texted his mother over his concerns about some other riders on the bus. Shortly afterwards, he was attacked. She tracked his phone to Royal Columbian Hospital, where he lay dying.

Transit riders know there is virtually no security on buses. There never has been. While drivers have some protection, passengers have none. Unifor, the union representing most transit workers, is calling for a stepped-up and regular police presence.

Transit Police spend almost all their time at or near SkyTrain. It appears they don’t even board buses like the 503, even though another stabbing on another 503 bus on April 1 caused serious injuries to a man. The alleged assailant has now been charged with attempted murder and four terrorismrelated offences.

There was another less serious stabbing 1 a.m. Saturday at Surrey Central SkyTrain

station.

Provincial and municipal politicians and police agencies say that security will be stepped up, but bus and SkyTrain riders know that won’t last long. Transit Police has 184 officers – far too few to provide the security that would be necessary to stop such attacks from occurring. Considering that those 184 work in shifts throughout long days, there probably aren’t many more than 25 to 30 on duty at any one time.

If Surrey Police were fully in place, or if Surrey RCMP had more officers (we still don’t know which agency will be policing Surrey), it would not help. They patrol in cars and virtually never ride the buses.

Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor’s western regional director, said of increased police presence on transit, “Saying we can’t afford it is like saying we have to put buses on the road without tires — it’s part of the system.” The message that will endure for transit riders is “you are on your own.”

Some will accept that. Others will ride in fear, because they have no choice. A small number may stop using transit altogether.

One wonders what will happen when SkyTrain is extended down Fraser Highway to Langley by 2028. That is the route the 503 and 502 buses travel on. Clearly, travelling on that route has become much more unsafe in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, family members have set up GoFundMe accounts to help Ethan’s grieving family with funeral expenses and other major challenges. The help his family is getting may be the only positive thing to come out of this tragedy.

As of Monday, the two fundraisers – set up by two of Ethan‘s aunts, Daphni Miller and Andrea Van Der Gracht – had raised more than $46,000, with a goal of $55,000. Donations had come from 729 people. This incident has shaken a lot of people, and many are showing a willingness to help the family through this terrible time.

Frank Bucholtz writes twice a month for Black Press Media.

Copyright and/or property rights subsist in all advertisements and in all other material appearing in this issue of Peace Arch News. Permission to reproduce wholly or in part and in any form whatsoever, particularly by a photographic or offset process in a publication, must be obtained in writing from the publisher. Any unauthorized reproduction will be subject to recourse in law.

If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact: brenda.anderson@peacearchnews.com or 604542-7402. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163.

Brenda

Frank Bucholtz …and frankly

Little effort from council

Editor:

White Rock’s new City Council promised the electorate no new taxes or lower taxes, a onecontractor solid waste collection for multi-family homes and businesses and a solution to the disastrous permitting process here in White Rock.

So far, they have failed miserably. The proposed 2023 property tax increase is a record-smashing eight per cent-plus amount (10.9 per cent) if you’re a business property owner or lessee), they voted to continue abandoning multifamily solid waste collection and the permitting process has seen absolutely no improvement.

In fact, I recently came across a major tenant improvement that had a stop-work order posted on the doors because for some reason they decided to go ahead without a building permit, a plumbing permit or a fire alarm permit.

Is this out of sheer frustration with the City’s inability to issue adequate amounts of building permits?

Two other lessees have empty stores in the area and have been waiting for permits for approximately a year while paying full rent and triple net charges.

Looking at the City’s meetings calendar for the month of April, I see that council will meet for only a few hours for only one day this month.

How do you expect to solve any problems with such little effort on the part of this council?

It seems to me that White Rock is not business-friendly at all. Nor is it interested in economic development.

Certainly raising parking rates at the same time is going in the wrong direction in the current business climate if you are claiming to want to help the business community.

Garry Wolgemuth, White Rock

Exemplary care at PAH

Editor:

Words cannot express the gratitude I have for the exemplary care I received from all the ICU staff at Peace Arch Hospital. The care was above and beyond and I will be eternally grateful.

Jane Power, White Rock

Mixing faith and education Time for audit of Surrey

Editor:

I recently attended the ground breaking ceremony of St. John Paul II Academy, the new Catholic high school in south Surrey.

Religious organizations such as the Catholic church continue to provide social services for education, health care, housing, soup kitchens, the arts, church communities, etc.

Young people face a challenging future with a toxic social media spewing fake news and conspiracy theories, coping with pandemics, living with climate change, changing technologies and the rise of populism and world-wide authoritarianism.The word Catholic means universal, but I wonder how “universal” contemporary Catholic education can be.

As a former Catholic, it intrigues me how young Catholics will manage their faith while struggling with restrictive Catholic norms: no artificial birth control, same-sex marriage, abortion, divorce and remarriage, women’s ordination and assisted death among them.

It took Rome more than 400 years to admit that Galileo was right and 500 for the Vatican to recently repudiate its Documents of Discovery.

I can appreciate that religious organizations have the right to believe what they want.

Faith and science should try to complement and respect each other as much as possible to understand the complexities and wonders of human life.

Considering the above, however, how well can a religious education be compatible with the contemporary ‘empirical knowledge’ of the social sciences?

A. Leering, White Rock

Editor:

I just received a hand-delivered notice from the city of Surrey about our “new” garbage collection day, which is Monday.

Guess what, it has been Monday since I moved here 43 years ago.

The worst thing is that this new schedule was identical to the one they sent by mail in a pamphlet, giving us not just April, but the whole year.

So this is paid for by the taxpayer and my new notice will be in the recycle bin, which I have to pay for in my taxes.

The city of Surrey should take note of Vancouver and get an audit of their expenses.

I’m disgusted.

Lynda Rust, South Surrey

Roaming cats put in harm’s way

Editor:

Why do some people let their cats roam?

Yesterday, I saw a neighbour’s cat in my backyard. It had a bird in its mouth. About 10 minutes later, I found another dead bird in my backyard.

Today, it was another cat from another neighbour.

Several other neighbours leave out bowls of food for stray cats, but that food attracts more than cats — raccoons, dogs, coyotes, skunks, rats, etc.

Ask any vet, and they will tell you that, on average, indoor cats live three to five times longer than outdoor cats. Indoor cats don’t have to worry about cars, buses, trucks, other cats, dogs, coyotes, skunks, bird diseases (such as avian flu), and sickos.

One of my neighbours adopted two kittens. When I saw the kittens roaming, I warned him of the dangers he

was exposing his kittens to. Well, a car killed the male of the two kittens in front of their house (it was caught on another neighbour’s security camera). I felt terrible when I heard the news. And then I thought, “Hopefully now, they’ve learned a lesson, and will keep the other kitten in the house.” Wrong! The second kitten is still roaming, killing birds, and risking being killed. Or she’s dead, because I haven’t seen her in over a month. I asked my neighbour which of his four children is expendable. He bristled, and the conversation ended.

Birds eat insects, but roaming cats are reducing the number of birds, thereby increasing the number of insects. There is no justification for allowing a cat to roam. Ubiquitous “lost cat” posters are another reminder of that fact.

Jerry Steinberg, Surrey

Domestic cats that are allowed to roam outdoors kill many birds and are themselves put at unnecessary risk of a painful and premature death, writes Jerry Steinberg. (Unsplash.com)

TheABCsofinvestmentaccounts:

AcceleratedRRIFwithdrawalsarebetterforsome

Smartplanningcanmakeabigdifference

Onceyouretire,it’stimetostopcontributingtoyourRRSPandchoosewhentoconvert thoseinvestmentstoaRRIF(RegisteredRetirementIncomeFund).Decidingwhenand howmuchtowithdrawcanhaveasignificantimpactonyourlong-termtaxburden. Manypeopledon’tthinkaboutthetaxontheirRRIFaccountuntilit’stoolate.Then theyortheirheirscanbefacedwithadaunting53.5percenttaxratethatcouldhave beenavoidedwithproperplanning.

ThefirstthingtounderstandisthatmoneyinaRRIFaccountwillbetaxedasincomeon withdrawal.Moneytransferredbetweenspousesistaxdeferredbutisstilltaxedwhen withdrawnorpassedtochildren.Manypeopleunderstandthatnamingabeneficiaryon anRRIFbypassesprobate,butitisanexpensivemistaketothinkthisalsoaddressesthe muchlargercostofincometax.

Ifapersonhas$1millioninanRRIFwhentheypassaway,allofthatmoneywillcount towardstheirincomeinthefinalyear.Dependingonothersourcesofincome,the milliondollarRRIFmaybeworthaslittleas$465,000afterthegovernmenttakestheir share.Butifyouplan,youmaybeleftwithalotmoretospendorgive.

T IMINGISEVERYTHING IMING IS EVERYTHING

It’simportanttofocusongettingthetimingofwithdrawalsright,relativetoother decisionsandlifeevents.IdeallyyoustartRRIFwithdrawalsearly,andyoulivealong time.Thatgivesusalargernumberofyearstomakewithdrawalswithinlowertax bracketsandensureyoukeepasmuchofyoursavingsaspossible.

• AvoidingtheOASClawback: Ifyourtaxableincomeexceeds$86,912in2023,any additionalearningsresult in anadditional“recoverytax”—commonlyknownas theOASclawback. LargewithdrawalsfromyourRRIFafteryou’vestarted collectingOASmaytriggertheclawback,butwithdrawalspriortocollectingOAS mayhelpyoukeepmoreofyourpension.

• Anticipatinginheritance: Mostpeopleexpecttheirtaxleveltoremainsteady throughoutretirement,butifyoureceiveasizeableinheritance,youmayfindthat incomefrominvestingtheinheritanceresultsinahighertaxableincomeinyour midtolateretirementyears. ThismeansRRIFwithdrawalslaterinyourretirement yearscouldbetaxedmoreheavilythaninearlieryears.Ifyourtaxableincomeis goingtogoupduetoaninheritanceorsellingproperty,youmaywanttoconsider acceleratingRRIFwithdrawals.

YOUHAVEOPTIONS YOU HAVE OPTIONS

ItisimportanttonotethatearlyorincreasedwithdrawalsfromyourRRIFdoesn’t necessarilymeanyouhavetospendthismoney.Forsomepeople,itjustmeansyou’re movinginvestmentstoaTFSAoranon-registeredaccountwhereit’savailableincaseof emergency—withoutlargetaxpenalties.

TherecanbeotherbenefitstowithdrawingfundsfromyourRRIFearly:

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• Charitabledonations: Manypeopleincludecharitabledonationsintheirwill,but spreadingoutthatgiftoverafewyearsmayhaveabiggerimpact.Themoneyyou getbackfromthecharitabledonationtaxcreditmayactuallybegreaterthanthe taxyoupayonwithdrawalfromyourRRIF.Ifyoupull$100outofyourRRIFfor charitywhenyou’reinthe28percenttaxbracket,you’llpay$28intax.Atax receiptdonationisworth49percentforthesameindividual,soa$100gift provides$49back.Thatmeansyoucangive$100tocharityfromyourRRIFand stillendupwith$21inyourpocket!

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Presentation to Surrey council highlighted progress, challenges

Expansion of ICU ‘urgent,’ PAHF chair tells council

Alex Browne Staff reporter

The “urgent need” for an expanded intensive care unit, more support for the maternity unit and the necessity of boosting general health for all ages were among the topics Peace Arch Hospital Foundation board chair Grant Turnbull covered in a presentation to a recent Surrey council-in-committee meeting.

He and foundation executive director Stephanie Beck spoke at the April 3 meeting to update council on progress at the hospital.

Beck pointed out that, currently, approximately 80 per cent of those using PAH services are Surrey residents.

She also noted that the hospital serves a local health area – extending from the Langley border out to Crescent Beach and from the US border up to Highway 10 – that encompasses some 120,000 individuals.

Recently opened facilities at Peace Arch Hospital represent a $48.5 million contribution by the community through the PAH Foundation, which also continues to provide $2 million each year in medical equipment, research, staff education and special projects for the hospital, Beck said.

But that’s only part of the picture, council heard, as Turnbull went on to highlight future projects and the foundation’s other mandate, to promote a healthy community outside of the hospital campus.

Turnbull said a new master site plan is being prepared for the hospital by Fraser Health, expected at the end of April or the beginning of May, that will define 10 years of clinical needs and growth for the campus.

“Regardless of that, we’re already doing a bunch of things,” he said.

hospital would require 16 treatment spaces; the hospital currently has seven, with a lot of temporary measures still in place that were created during COVID-19 to keep the ICU operating.

“It’s in desperate need of redevelopment and we’re working now with Fraser Health to make that happen,” he said.

“We also understand that the new Cloverdale hospital will not have an ICU – if you combine that with the huge growth in our community in the Darts Hill and Grandview Heights area, we expect to see 10,000 to 15,000 new residents in that part of Surrey over the next five years…many of whom will use our Peace Arch Hospital.”

Turnbull said short-term measures have kept the hospital’s maternity unit open, despite widely-reported community fears, a year ago, that it would close.

Turnbull said the hospital is about to undertake a new upgrade to the production kitchen and cafeteria in the hospital, for which a feasibility study has been completed, with funding from the foundation, and the foundation is working closely with Fraser Health to get the final approval on the project.

Turnbull also described the foundation’s preventative measures to promote a healthy community, which began in 2012.

“We are leading the movement to help White Rock and South Surrey be the healthiest community possible by supporting projects and initiatives targeting mental, emotional and physical health,” he said.

❝The practice of being unhealthy and inactive costs our health-care system signficant dollars every year.❞

Grant Turnbull PAHF board chair

“But there is definitely a shortage of maternity spaces within Surrey and our neighbourhood as well,” he said.

“It continues to be a point of discussion with Fraser Health in support of recruitment and retention of pediatricians…that’s the fundamental issue that has to be tackled and we have made good progress on that.”

He noted that a rapidaccess pediatric clinic opened recently, on the same floor as the maternity unit, which is now operating three days a week.

“We’re also working on a pediatric observation unit in the hospital to accomodate children requiring longer care of six to 24 hours,” he said.

“The practice of being unhealthy and inactive costs our health-care system significant dollars every year (estimates are upwards of $5 billion) and increases everyone’s recovery time and length of stay when they do have to go into hospital…that inactivity covers all age groups.”

Children and youth are not meeting guidelines for physical activity, resulting in shorter life-spans “for the first time in modern history,” he said, “due to diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis.”

“This has all only been made worse by the pandemic, as we know.”

He said the foundation has partnered with an organization called Sport for Life to spearhead an all-ages ‘movement for life’ campaign, which addresses “physical literacy” in the community.

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604.535.4743

“Our most urgent need in the hospital today is the ICU (intensive care unit) – this was identified in the master concept plan 10 years ago as a critical situation and it’s even more so today, especially after the new ER and OR opened a few years ago,” he said.

Turnbull said the most recent plan indicated the

“The medical imaging campaign is underway – we’re putting in a new MRI, a fluoroscopy unit, X-ray, a digital mammography unit, a gamma camera and three ultrasounds.

“It’s a $10 million-plus project that the foundation is supporting; it also involves a lot of renovations to the hospital to put all of this equipment in.”

“This is a $625,000, seven-year investment for the foundation, and we are the only hospital foundation supporting such a preventative and upstream health care program in Canada.”

Among other recipients of foundation funding are the Generations Playground and the Horst and Emmy Centre for Active Living at Centennial Park, and also the South Surrey Athletic Park, as well as grants to other support organizations.

Dave Lee,CIM,® CFP, FCSI SeniorWealthAdvisor ScotiaMcLeod,® adivisionofScotiaCapitalInc.

the motion.

“It is evident that there are different interpretations and confusion of that motion,” she said.

“Mayors in the room heard it from their own perspective. As there was no discussion on the motion it is possible even though the vote was unanimous that there was not consensus in the room.

“It should also be noted that the Lower Mainland mayors, where the RCMP are the police of jurisdiction,” she said, “submitted a letter to the solicitor general in November 2022 that stated, quote, we continue to support the retention of the RCMP in Surrey, closed quote.”

“It was certainly not my intent to make a misleading statement, I made that in very good faith,” Locke said.

“The real issue is how the decision continues to be delayed and is costing Surrey residents $8 million per month. The lengthy silence from the solicitor general is just not adversely impacting Surrey but it is affecting other Lower Mainland communities as well.”

She said there will be an op-

Peace Arch Hospice Society

portunity on April 28 for members of the mayors’ committee “to clarify their position.”

“I would just like to add that it has been disappointing that some of this council prefer to play politics rather than work together in the best interest of Surrey taxpayers.”

At the end of Monday night’s council meeting, Elford presented a notice of motion calling for a press release on the city’s website titled “Statement from the Mayor: Metro Vancouver Mayor’s Committee Unanimously Supports Retaining Surrey RCMP” to be removed

because it “misrepresents the position of the Metro Vancouver Regional Districts Mayors’ Committee.”

Elford also asked council to instruct city staff to issue “a public correction acknowledging the misrepresentation”and for the city’s ethics commissioner to “conduct an investigation into this matter.”

Notices of motions are generally debated at the next council meeting.

The city is waiting on Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth to render a decision on the matter.

Brenda Locke photo by Anna Burns; Mike Farnworth photo by The Canadian Press/Chad Hipolito

…on the Semiahmoo Peninsula

Class tours at Little Campbell facility continue through May

Hatchery program schools students on salmon

Students from Richmond got up close and personal with some genuinely small fry in South Surrey recently, courtesy of volunteers at the Little Campbell Hatchery.

The students, in Grades 5 and 6 at Westwind Elementary, visited the 1284 184 St. property on April 13 to learn about ongoing efforts to boost and support salmon populations in local waterways.

The visit was part of the hatchery’s Salmonids in the Classroom Program,

an initiative that provides opportunities for elementary students to hatch and raise fertilized coho salmon eggs in their classrooms, then release them into the river once they reach the fry stage.

Through the program, students learn about the life cycle of the salmon and have opportunity to check out the inner workings of the busy hatchery firsthand. It’s where an average of 44,000 chinook, 35,000 coho and 10,000 steelhead are raised every year, essentially as “sacrificial fish” that will hopefully give genetically superior wild salmon a better chance at survival.

The students also learn about the fish

fence, how the salmon are netted and counted, and, get to feed the fish in the coho pond. And, during a guided tour along the 29-acre property’s nature trail, they learn about other wildlife that call the area home.

“We talk about beavers, turtles, that sort of thing,” Bill Ridge, the hatchery’s school co-ordinator, explained.

Ridge described the school program –which has been running for well over two decades – as “just a really neat thing,” and a great opportunity to showcase just how much unfolds at the volunteer-run hatchery.

By the end of this school year, some 50 or so classes will have taken part.

Pre-COVID, volunteers hosted more than 100 classes every year, from schools in White Rock, Surrey, Delta, Langley and Richmond. Ridge expects those numbers will get back to similar levels next year.

“We’ve had to obviously start again with new instructors and all that, but it’s up and running and doing well,” he said Monday (April 17).

Ridge said there is still time to arrange a school tour; they’ll continue through the end of May. There is a nominal charge of $100 per class.

Those interested are asked to email littlecampbellschooltours@gmail.com

Tracy Holmes

Staff reporter

Left: Hatchery volunteer Tim Everson speaks to Grade 5 and 6 students from Richmond’s Westwind Elementary, as part of an April 13, 2023 tour of the facility; top: students from Richmond’s Westwind Elementary participate in a fish release; above: Everson takes questions from the visiting students. (Sobia Moman photos)

NOTICEOFPUBLICHEARINGMONDAY,MAY1,2023

NOTICE isherebygiventhattheCounciloftheCityofWhiteRockwillholdanopportunity forpublicparticipationforaPublicHearingon MONDAY,MAY1,2023, at 4:00P.M. in accordancewiththe LocalGovernmentAct andthe PlanningProceduresBylaw. Allpersons whodeemtheirinterestinpropertyisaffectedbytheproposedapplicationshallbeafforded anopportunitytobeheard inpersonorbyforwardingwrittensubmissions reflectingmatters containedintheproposedapplicationthatisthesubjectofthePublicHearing.AtthePublic Hearing,Councilwillhearandreceivesubmissionsfromtheinterestedpersonsinregardto theapplicationlistedbelow:

APPLICATIONFORALIQUORPRIMARYLICENCEAT15165RUSSELLAVENUE(LL22-035)

CIVICADDRESS:15165RUSSELLAVENUE(SeeSiteMap)

PURPOSE: TheApplicantandprincipalsofGalaxieCraftBrewhouseLtd.(1122VidalStreet) haveappliedforanewliquorprimarylicencefortheirnewpremisesat15165RussellAvenue (civicaddressof1513JohnstonRoad).Theirproposedbusiness,"GalaxiePublicHouse," wouldoperateasacraftbeertaphouseandwouldnotinvolvemanufacturingliquoron-site. TheLiquorandCannabisRegulationBranch(LCRB)requiresaCouncilresolutionon applicationsfornewliquorprimarylicences.Theproposedhoursofliquorserviceinthe applicationarefrom10:00a.m.to2:00a.m.onFridayandSaturday,10:00a.m.to9:00p.m. onSunday,and12:00p.m.to11:00p.m.fromMondaytoThursday.Theproposedperson capacityis123persons(includingstaff).

Theproposedapplicationandassociatedreportscanbeviewedonlineontheagendaand minutespageoftheCitywebsite,www.whiterockcity.ca,underCouncilAgendas,from April18,2023untilMay1,2023.Ifyouareunabletoaccesstheinformationonline,please contacttheCorporateAdministrationdepartmentat604-541-2278,betweenthehoursof 8:30a.m.and4:30p.m.,orleaveavoicemailandstaffwillensureyouhavetheinformation madeavailabletoyou.

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FurtherdetailsregardingthesubjectofthePublicHearingmaybefoundonline: whiterockcity.ca/agendas

ContactthePlanningandDevelopmentServicesDepartmentforanyquestionsregarding thisapplication:604-541-2136|planning@whiterockcity.ca

VIEWTHEPLANNINGREPORT,BYLAWSANDRELATEDDOCUMENTS

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AllsubmittedcommentswillbedistributedtoCouncilandmustbereceivedby 12:00p.m.noononthedayofthePublicHearing.

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Southridge officials anticipate energy savings, environmental inspiration

Carbon-capture pilot aimed at reducing GHGs

Southridge School officials are hoping a new gadget being added to the facility this month will help reduce the school’s greenhouse gas emissions for the foreseeable future, and inspire its community to go the extra mile for the environment.

As part of a pilot program, FortisBC is installing a carbon-capture unit at the South Surrey school. The technology can enable commercial customers to reduce their CO2 emissions by up to 5,400 kilograms per unit per year, according to a news release.

“Our goal is to ensure our customers have access to technologies that can lower greenhouse gas emissions in sustainable and affordable ways,” Bea Bains, FortisBC’s manager of energy products and services, said in the release.

Attaching to the school’s

two natural gas hot water tanks, the unit captures CO2 emissions that would otherwise be vented into the atmosphere. Those diverted emissions are then turned into potassium carbonate; a mineral and solid byproduct that is used in making pharmaceuticals and soap, as well as in glass manufacturing.

Head of School, Drew Stephens, said the hope is that the unit will inspire students to learn more about ways to reduce the school’s environmental footprint. It will “provide a valuable learning opportunity for our K-12 students,” he said.

“As part of our school’s strategic plan, Southridge has developed a comprehensive Environmental Stewardship Plan that provides direction for our community to enhance its awareness of how our practices, routines, and habits impact our planet,” Stephens told Peace Arch

News by email.

“We’re very excited to add this pilot project with FortisBC to the list of our environmental initiatives.”

It’s hoped the first soap will be created “in the next few months,” he noted.

The carbon-capture unit will also save energy by capturing and redistributing heat around the building.

According to FortisBC, the total energy consumption can be decreased by up to 10 per cent, depending on the size of boiler, hot water tank or furnace it is attached to.

School officials say exactly what kind of cost savings Southridge will realize won’t be known until the unit has been running “for a few months.”

The unit at Southridge was 100 per cent funded by FortisBC. The school is the seventh Lower Mainland location to receive the technology through the pilot program.

SITEMAP:15165RussellAvenue whiterockcity.ca

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Tracy Holmes Staff reporter

• South Fraser Community Band welcoming new members, rehearsals every week 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Earl Marriott Secondary, email membership@sfcb.ca or visit website at www.sfcb.ca

• Mixed Singles Over Sixty active social group, golf, dinners, dances, more, monthly meeting April 20, call or text Ross at 604317-7412

Saturday

• White Rock Laughter Yoga on May 6 and June 3 from 11 a.m. to noon at White Rock Library (15342 Buena Vista Ave) call Carol Ann 604-536-9049

• Singles Social Walking Club for singles 55+ in South Surrey and White Rock, walks Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m., brunches, get-togethers, contact Marianne at 604790-5206 or email at marianne.emmerton@ gmail.com

• Lawn Bowling Open House at Mann Park (14560 North Bluff Rd.) April 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., wear flat-soled shoes, email games@ mannparklbc.org for more info

• Earth Day at Kwomais Point Park on April 22 at 1 p.m., speaker presentation

Sunday

• Crescent Legion live band afternoons, listening and dancing, weekly at 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., $10 for members, $12 non-members, info at www.whiterockjazz.ca or 604-5319259

• Indoor Flea Market/Craft Sale at White Rock Legion at 9:30 a.m. April 23

• Lawn Bowling Open House at White Rock Lawn Bowling Club at 1079 Dolphin St. April 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., bring flat soled shoes to play, call 604-536-2616 for more info

• Hike for Hospice fundraiser for Peace Arch Hospice Society on May 7 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Blackie Spit Park, go to peacearchhospice.org for more info

Tuesday

Speakers and various mini clubs to join, more info at www.probusforwomen.ca

• Jam Bread and Blessings Lunch for adults and seniors, April 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., cost $2.50 at the Salvation Army in White Rock, call 604-802-4302

• Meditation classes at Ocean Park Library, two guided meditations every week from 1:30-2:45 p.m., everyone welcome, located at 12854 17 Ave, $15 per class, more info at www.kmcfv.ca

• South Surrey Garden Club meets fourth Wednesday of the month except August and December at 7 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church (12953 20 Ave.) Speakers, workshops, garden tours, more. Everyone welcome, more info at www.southsurreygardenclub.ca

Ongoing

• Chess Club at White Rock Library, Thursdays 3-4:30 p.m. and Sundays 2-4 p.m., all ages and experience levels welcome, drop-in, guardian needed for children under 10, call 604-541-2201 for more info

date book

datebook@peacearchnews.com

• Spanish Conversation Group for intermediate and advanced speakers, 2 p.m. weekly at Java Express at 15090 North Bluff Road

• White Rock & District Garden Club meetings second Tuesday of the month at Cranley Hall at 2 p.m., speakers, tours, flower shows and friendship, email info@ whiterockgardenclub.ca

Wednesday

• Ukulele jam session, White Rock Library, April 26 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., all skill levels welcome, bring own ukulele, call 604541-2201 for more info

• Probus Club of White Rock and South Surrey for retired and semi-retired men meets second Wednesday every month from 10 a.m to noon, speakers, walking groups, etc. more info at probusclubwhiterocksouthsurrey.ca or call Bob Pedersen at 604535-0272

• Women’s Probus Club of White RockSouth Surrey for retired and semi-retired women meets last Wednesday every month from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

• White Rock South Surrey Newcomers social club for women new to the area or have experienced life changes in the last three years. Email wrssnewcomers@gmail.com

• Tutoring for adults by READ Surrey/White Rock oneon-one or online, reading, writing or math, trained tutors, free, contact 778-242-7323

• Gamblers Anonymous Has gambling taken over your life? Call Gamblers Anonymous at 1-855-222-5542 to speak to someone now

• Gam-Anon Is someone else’s gambling affecting your life?Family and friends are welcomed whether or not the gambler seeks help or even recognizes the existence of a gambling problem. For more info call 604626-9418 or email vancouvergamanon@ shaw.ca

• Book Clubs at White Rock Library once a month, night and morning, different genres, discuss books, more info at 604-5412201

• White Rock Legion entertainment every Friday and Saturday, darts and poker leagues, pool and more, membership not required, located at 2290 152 St.

• Senior Mixed Slo Pitch Baseball League looking for a few more players for season, recreational and inclusive, men 55+ and women 50+ players, practice begins April, most games played at Softball City on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., email chiroc@telus.net

The totems at Grand Chief Bernard Robert Charles Memorial Plaza, on the White Rock waterfront, are dramatically backlit at sunset on a recent evening.

(Geoffrey Yue photo)

.

Event will feature more than 20 organizations

Volunteer Fair coming to White Rock April 23

As National Volunteer Week approaches, the City of White Rock is running a free event for residents to get a feel for different area-organizations that are seeking helpful individuals who want to dedicate their time for the greater good.

The city’s Volunteer Fair is on Sunday, April 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the White Rock Community Centre.

Attendees can peruse the 22 different exhibitors and sign up for the one that suits them best, as they work to gain experience and develop skills.

“Volunteers’ time and commitment to our community are invaluable to its success. They are part of the foundation of what builds a healthy, thriving, and safe community,” said White Rock Mayor Megan Knight in a release.

“We hope you will join us at the White Rock Volunteer

Fair on April 23 to find a volunteer opportunity that interests you.”

The White Rock Volunteer Fair is being held in recognition of National Volunteer Week which celebrates individual and collective actions in creating a strong, interconnected, and vibrant community.

Volunteer opportunities range from spaces in child care, senior care and advocacy, the environment, furry friends, supporting women, mental health, those with disabilities and more. For more information, call 604-541-2199 or email whiterockcity.ca/ volunteerfair

The City of White Rock will host a volunteer fair Sunday, April 23 at White Rock Community Centre. (File photo)

Daytime rehearsals held weekly

Kent Street chorus seeks pianist, choral director

Mark your calendars. The Kent Street Activity Centre annual Plant and Bake Sale is on Saturday May 6, 9 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. Delicious homemade baking and frozen meals from the Kent Street Kitchen will also be on sale.

The Kent Street Seniors Society, the fundraising arm of the centre that is putting on this fabulous event, is looking for donations of extra outdoor plants, seedlings, herbs or bulbs that can be dropped off Friday, May 5 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Call 604-541-2231 if you are able to contribute to this event.

• The Kent Street Choristers presents their Spring Concert “Say it with a Song” on Saturday, May 13, 2-3 p.m. The concert will be held in the Kent Street Activity Centre auditorium, with light refreshments following the performance.

Tickets are only $10/ adults, $5 for children 12 years and under and can be purchased from the Kent Street Activity Centre or from Tapestry Music.

• The Kent Street Choristers are seeking both a pianist and an experienced, qualified choral director with strong leadership and

interpersonal skills for September.

The Choristers are an established SATB community choir who rehearse weekly during the day and have performed in local concerts and many Senior Chorfests over the years.

Please contact the Kent Street Activity Centre at 604-541-2231 for more information.

• The Kent Street Activity Centre invites all cribbage, bid whist and canasta players to their activity group every Thursday from 1 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. in the auditorium. Don’t forget that all newcomers are welcome to a three visit guest pass before purchasing a Kent Street Activity Centre membership. There is lots of room for more players so do not be shy to drop in and give us a try.

• The Kent Street Players present “Mother Goose, State Your Case” by Patricia Walker on Sunday, May 28 at 2 p.m. This Reader’s Theatre Performance is directed by Rita Humphreys. Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased at the Kent Street Activity Centre, White Rock Community Centre or Centennial Park Leisure Centre. Light refreshments are also provided.

What an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Call 604-541-2199 for more information or to purchase a ticket.

• Snooker is one of the most popular games at the Kent Street Activity Centre. Both men and women drop in regularly to play this exciting game.

Four snooker tables are available and all levels of play are encouraged. Come tryout snooker free three times with a guest pass before purchasing a membership. Snooker room hours are Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday from 6 p.m to 9:30 p.m and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Drop in to the Kent Street Activity Centre on Wednesday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for a fun night of dancing to live music.

Buy your tickets at the door (cash only). April 26 enjoy the great sounds of Greg Hampson and on May 3 dance to the music of Sweet Water.

Everyone 50+ welcome. Ticket cost is only $9, or $7 if you have a Kent Street Activity Centre membership.

The Kent Street Activity Centre located at 1475 Kent St. is open to persons 55 years of age or better. New members are welcome. For more information on activities, programs and volunteer opportunities please call the Centre at 604-541-2231.

Dianne Sawicki seniors scene

Cultural days embraced, celebrated in Surrey schools

Sobia Moman Staff reporter

Representation in schools is an aim of a group of educators and students from Surrey, which is why the past few weeks have been a time for diverse community

members to thrive, with Vaisakhi, Ramadan, Sikh Heritage Month, Easter and Passover all happening at the same time.

April has been recognized as Sikh Heritage Month in

B.C. since 2018. It is also the month when Vaisakhi – a Punjabi harvest festival – is held.

Gurpreet Kaur Bains, Punjabi teacher and head of Languages department at L.A.

Matheson Secondary has been celebrating Vaisakhi with her students for 19 years – since she first started teaching there – but over the years, the level of staff and student involvement has reached incredible highs.

“It started out in a classroom but it became so big that it’s now the whole school. It used to be a small celebration in our Punjabi classroom in 2004,” Bains recalled.

When the pandemic changed the way classes were taught for a couple years –and Bains was not able to celebrate Vaisakhi with her students as before – they shifted their focus.

“During COVID, we couldn’t celebrate Vaisakhi, like get together, hand out food. So we came up with the brilliant idea that the whole idea behind Vaisakhi and Sikh Heritage Month is to contribute to the community.

“We can keep the education piece and we can keep the making a difference piece.”

This led Bains and some of her students to begin fundraising for the building of a senior care home that prioritizes cultural sensitivity for older adults — the Guru Nanak Diversity Senior Care Home.

In 2021, they

committed themselves to four years, with a goal of raising $13,000 by the end. The group is already at $11,270 and Bains is confident they will pass their goal. Donations can be made online at surreyschools. schoolcashonline. com/Fee/ Details/55166/90/ False/True

Now, with restrictions in the rear-view mirror, L.A. Matheson and many other schools celebrate Vaisakhi with a day full of cultural foods, dance, mehndi (henna), guest speakers and musical performances while also covering the history and importance of the day.

Bains has transformed her Punjabi classes from the early days by working with

the Ministry of Education to include books from Punjabi writers that detail the real history, one she finds is not covered in standard textbooks.

“When we learn about the history of World War II, none of those images show up in our books. Where are the Black soldiers? Where are the Sikh soldiers? Not a single picture of a soldier with a turban,” Bains said.

“Our kids thought, or even I thought growing up, that we weren’t a part of this history (because) we are made to believe that.”

Changes have and continue to be made, she added, but even a few years ago, students would read through the textbooks and ask her “Where are we?”

“There’s so much more to Sikh history

than Komagata Maru… even that is half a paragraph in a book,” Bains said.

While Matheson has been celebrating Vaisakhi for nearly two decades, this year is the first time that Elgin Park Secondary has marked the day. It was organized by the school’s Anti-Racism Committee, headed by Grade 11 student Jasleen Sandhu.

Along with the common cultural pieces like mehndi and Indian foods, Elgin also invited a local Khalsa elementary school to perform Gatka, which is a traditional form of martial arts involving sword fighting.

“At my school, Elgin, and most of the other South Surrey schools, there’s not really a large South Asian population amongst

the students, so I felt that it was necessary to represent a minority culture,” Sandhu said.

“My main reason for doing this is I feel like schools should be a place where everyone feels seen and accepted.”

L.A. Matheson also hosted a community Iftar, which is the meal Muslims eat when breaking their fast during the month of Ramadan. It was the first time the school celebrated the month, on the heels of commemorating Eid for the first time last year.

Alaa Al Mawas, a student at L.A. Matheson shared how her own and other students’ identities “empowered” them to want to see their cultures represented more in schools.

“When kids come to you and say ‘I don’t see me in this school and I would love to see us celebrate this’ and they even tell you ‘If it’s small, that’s OK, we have to start somewhere.’ And I see that coming from every section of our school now,” Ohana said.

“Absolutely, at our school we celebrate Easter, there aren’t a lot of Jews but Passover, Ramadan, Vaisakhi and all of these things are happening at the same time and it’s absolutely beautiful.”

Free mehndi – a form of temporary body art which originated in Egypt – was available at Elgin Park Secondary’s Vaisakhi celebration on Friday, April 14. Find more photos at peacearchnews.com (Contributed photo)

With Earth Day just around the corner, organizers of a local event are gearing up to welcome urban forester Alexander Martin as a guest speaker to Ocean Park’s Sanford Hall.

Set for 1 p.m. on Earth Day (April 22), the presentation is part of Surrey’s 2023 Environmental Extravaganza lineup, and is an opportunity to “discover and learn how the public and urban foresters alike can help drive change in perceptions of urban forest management, aiding in preserving canopy cover and habitat for urban wildlife conservation.”

Karen Kilbride, with the host Ocean Park Beautification Committee, said Martin will talk “about sustaining the large, mature trees that we have in South Surrey and how it relates to our environment and our health.”

Martin is co-chair of the Canadian Tree Research & Education Endowment (TREE) Fund, a national charity that supports development in Canadian arboriculture and urban forestry.

Sanford Hall is located in Kwomais Point Park (1367 128 St.), an area of the Semiahmoo Peninsula that is rich with mature trees.

Kilbride said Tuesday (April 11) that the location chosen for Martin’s visit is no coincidence, and that she hopes those who turn out for his presentation will leave with an understanding of just how important the area’s trees are, including their role in protecting against the effects of extreme heat.

“We should be doing what we

can to protect the mature trees that we have… to save what we have,” Kilbride said. “It takes hundreds of years to replace them.”

Martin said Thursday (April 13) that a large part of influencing change comes in including everyone – not just those who work in arboriculture and urban forestry – in the conversation.

“Events like these are fantastic for kind of connecting our research from… the academic lens back to communities that have interest in putting it into action,” he said.

Martin said topics he plans to explore at the Earth Day event include the benefits of certain conservation techniques, what aspects have influenced a decline in urban wildlife and some of the ways that can be addressed in design and management.

There is a need to “revise what we consider the norms of managing greenspace” at the individual, city and regional levels, he said.

One of the challenges of urban wildlife conservation, he said, is that many features seen as a benefit to them – such as retaining decaying trees for habitat – are increasingly managed for risk or risk mitigation.

As that happens, “we lose those features, and those features are defining characteristics of a tree’s suitability for wildlife.”

“If it’s starting to rot, that’s when you’re starting to make an impact for wildlife, that’s when you want to have it around.”

Martin said he hopes attendees of his April 22 presentation – whether they are there for professional reasons or out of simple curiosity – will leave with broad takeaway messages, including around the importance of considering three categories of urban wildlife in development: urban avoiders (those that sense urbanization and start to leave, such as bears); urban adapters (those that are able to adapt

and sustain their populations in an urban situation, such as rabbits); and urban exploiters (those that are able to use the urbanization to their advantage, such as raccoons and rats).

Keeping all three categories around is important for diversity in the urban forest, he said.

“The best approach is maintaining large areas of natural habitat during development.”

Kilbride said Martin’s presentation is open to anyone interested. Those planning to attend are asked to arrive by 1 p.m.

There will also be display tables featuring the work of a local children’s author and Friends of Semiahmoo Bay Society.

Surrey’s Environmental Extravaganza continues through June 11, offering in-person, self-guided and virtual events ranging from bird walks and tree plantings to invasive-plant removals and more.

Other events planned this month for the Semiahmoo Peninsula include a shoreline cleanup and invasive removal on West Beach, from 10 a.m. till noon on April 23; and an opportunity to learn about turtles, frogs and butterflies that same day, from 2-3:30 p.m. at the South Surrey Recreation & Arts Centre. To pre-register for the afternoon event, email blueheron@ birdsonthebay.ca Events are also planned at Darts Hill Garden Park (April 29, at 1633 170 St.); Semiahmoo Library (April 29, at 1815 152 St.); and again at Sanford Hall in Kwomais Point Park (April 30, 2-3 p.m.). For more information, or to check out what’s planned for May and June, visit surrey.ca

A cyclist pedals along a tree-lined path in Kwomais Point Park. (Karen Kilbride photo)

Tracy Holmes Staff reporter

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Welookforwardtowelcomingyouand yourfamilyandprovidingyouwith YOURCHOICEofmanytreatmentoptions tofityourbudget.

Variety of ticket packages, prizes offered in Hometown Heroes Lottery

Two South Surrey prize homes are up for grabs

A pair of South Surrey homes are among 10 grandprize options in this year’s Hometown Heroes Lottery.

The annual fundraiser – which launched Friday (April 14) – benefits adult health services at VGH and UBC Hospital, GF Strong Rehab Centre, Vancouver Community Health Services and BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund programs.

“The funds from the Hometown Heroes Lottery help to ensure that medical teams at VGH, UBC Hospital and many other health care centres under our umbrella have the cutting-edge tools and equipment they need to save lives,” Angela Chapman, president and CEO of VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation, said in a news release.

Homes up for grabs on the Semiahmoo Peninsula are a four-bedroom, fourbathroom, 4,200-sq.-ft. residence at 16065 9A Ave., and a four-bedroom, 2,104-sq.-ft. townhome at 1871 165A St.

Both packages – valued at $2.4 million each – include a $50,000 LA-Z-BOY furniture gift certificate. With the townhome, $750,000 cash is also included.

In addition to South Surrey, prize homes are located in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan. The winner also has the option to take $2.2 million cash.

The deadline to purchase tickets is midnight July 13.

Burn Fund executive director Jeff Sauvé said

ticket proceeds help fund “vital survivor services, empowering programs, and enhanced care for burn survivors.”

Ticket buyers “are a burn survivor’s best chance for a full recovery,” he said.

Ticket packages range in cost from $75 to $500; there is also a 50/50 Plus Lottery (last year’s winner took home nearly $1.1 million), a Daily Cash Plus Game, Early Bird prizes and more. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.heroeslottery.com or call 604-648-4376.

PUBLICINFORMATIONMEETING

TheCityofWhiteRockhasreceivedanapplicationforaZoningBylawAmendment(CityFile Ref.22-002)which,ifapproved,wouldenablethesubdivisionofthepropertyat13706North BluffRoad.Therezoningwouldchangethezoningofthepropertyfromthe‘RS-1OneUnit ResidentialZone’toa‘RS-4OneUnit(12.1mlotwidth)ResidentialZone’toallowforthe constructionoftwonewsingle-familydwellings.BoththeRS-1ZoneandtheRS-4Zone allowforaregisteredsecondarysuite.ThegeneralprovisionsoftheZoningBylawwould needtobesatisfiedwithanyfuturedevelopment;therequiredparkingsupplyforaone-unit residentialuseistwospacesperunit,plusonespaceforasecondarysuite.

Citystaffwillbeinattendancetointroducetheapplicationandtheproponent,whilealso respondingtopolicy,regulatoryandprocess-relatedquestions.Theapplicantwillprovidean overviewoftheprojectandwillbeavailabletorespondtocommentsandquestions regardingtheirproposal.PleaseseethefollowinglinktotheeventscalendarontheCityof WhiteRockwebpagetoaccessthemeetingdetails:whiterockcity.ca/calendar.

Date:April26,2023(Wednesday)

Time:5:30p.m.to6:30p.m.

Location:LoungeroominCentennialParkLeisureCentreandArena (14600NorthBluffRoad)

13706NorthBluffRoad HostedbyAPPLICANT

Tracy Holmes Staff reporter

A home at 16065 9A Ave. in South Surrey is among nine grand prize options in the 2023 Hometown Heroes Lottery. (Contributed graphic)

Police, prosecutors, probation officers dedicated to tackling repeat offenders

Surrey one of 12 ‘hubs’ set to fight recidivism

Tom Zytaruk Black Press Media

Surrey will be one of 12 ‘hubs’ set up in the province, with a team of police, prosecutors and probation officers dedicated to tackling the problem of criminal recidivism.

This effort, according to a provincial government press release, will feature targeted enforcement, monitoring and “enhanced investigation.”

Called the Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative, it is tailor-made to participating communities’ specific needs. The provincial government has earmarked $16 million over three years, with the aim of strengthening investigations into repeat violent offending cases and improve the sharing of information between police agencies.

in repeat violent offending is top of mind for British Columbians” and is a “top priority” for the provincial government.

“We’re taking action by standing up 12 hubs throughout B.C. to harness the expertise and experience that will disrupt repeat violent offending and make a real difference in B.C. neighbourhoods.”

❝We know that repeat offenders cause distress to the public and to businesses, leading some businesses to shut down or relocate.❞

Mike Farnworth B.C. Solicitor General

“Ensuring safe communities means we need to work in a co-ordinated and determined way,”reads a quote attributed to Premier David Eby on a provincial government website.

“These new regional hubs will help prosecutors, police and corrections officials focus on addressing specific repeat prolific offenders to keep communities safe. This will deliver serious consequences for those who repeatedly break the law, while also making sure targeted services are available to those who are ready for them.”

A quote attributed to Public Safety Minister and Sol. Gen. Mike Farnworth states the “rise

In addition to Surrey, the “hubs” will be based in Nanaimo, Victoria, Vancouver, New Westminster, Abbotsford, Kamloops, Kelowna, Cranbrook, Prince George, Williams Lake and Terrace.

Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, in a press release noted the board has maintained a long-standing policy on repeat offenders, and welcomes Surrey’s selection as one of the 12 hubs.

“The economic development of any community relies upon its reputation to be a safe, viable region in which to locate and do business in, with supporting infrastructure, community assets and, most importantly, customers willing to go to businesses,” the statement reads.

“We know that repeat offenders cause distress to the public and to businesses, leading some businesses to shut down or relocate, and others choose not to open shop in certain areas.

“The initiative is structured to meet the unique needs of each community.

“Housing, counselling, rehabilitation programs, and employment skills are essential to reintegrating prolific offenders into society.”

“BUSINESSLICENSEBY-LAW, 1999,NO.13680,AMENDMENTBYLAW, 2023,No.20931”.

NOTICEISHEREBYGIVENoftheintentionoftheCounciloftheCityofSurrey, pursuantto Section59oftheCommunityCharterS.B.C.2003,c.26,toadopt“BusinessLicenseBy-law, 1999,No.13680,AmendmentBylaw, 2023,No.20931”(the“Bylaw”) ata futureRegular Council - PublicHearingmeeting.

NOTICEISHEREBYGIVENoftheintentionoftheCityCounciloftheCityofSurrey, pursuantto Section94ofthe CommunityCharter

ThisamendmenttotheBusinessLicenseBy-law, 1999,No.13680isproposedforthe purposeofamendingsection66oftheBusinessLicenseBy-law, No.13680,toincreasethe minimumandmaximumfineamountwiththeaimofenhancingthedeterrentimpactofthe bylaw, whilealsoprovidingconsistency withthepenaltyprovisionsofotherSurreybylaws, asmorefullydescribedinCorporateReportNo.2023-R045.

Section59(2) CommunityCharter requiresthat noticebegivenandthat anopportunity beprovidedtopersonswhoconsidertheyareaffectedbytheproposedBylaw tomake representationstoCouncil.Shouldyouhaveany concernsorcommentsyouwishtoconvey toCouncil,pleasesubmittheminwritingbymail(13450 - 104Avenue,Surrey, BC,V3T 1V8),fax(604)501-7578),oremail(clerks@surrey.ca)totheCityClerk,nolaterthan Friday,April28,2023 at 4:00pm.

Writtencommentsreceivedwillbesummarizedin a subsequentcorporatereporttoCouncil priortotheadoptionoftheBylaw.

Forcompletedetails,theBylaw andCorporateReportNo.2023-R045maybe viewedontheCityofSurreywebsite, at www.surrey.caalongwith thisnotice.

Youareinvited!

OurinauguralyearlongWhiteRockPromenade SculpturesCompetition,featuring10sculptures, grassysideofthepromenadefromthepiertothe whiterock(P’Quals)willlaunchSeptember2023 throughAugust2024.

Thepublicwillchoosethewinnerofthe “People’sChoice”award.

Viewerswillhaveachancetovotefortheirfavourite andbeincludedinadrawforaprizedonatedby alocalbusiness.

Ifyouareasculptororwouldliketojoinoursponsors inthisartisticdisplaybyBCArtists,pleasevisitour websiteformoreinformation.

www.whiterockeventssociety.com

Looking for few hopeful signs of spring? The return of the White Rock Farmers’ Market might just do the trick.

The market is back in uptown White Rock starting this Sunday (April 23) at Miramar Village (Johnston Road between Thrift and

Russell Avenues) – providing some 91 vendors selling a wide variety of products ranging from from fresh farm produce, bakery, specialty foods and treats to clothing, jewelry and other pieces by local artisans.

“The principle is that everything sold is something you make, bake or grow,”

said market manager Patti Oldfield. “We’ve kept away from vendors who are simply resellers.”

It’s a great place to browse, Oldfield said, or simply catch up with neighbours and friends over a coffee and a freshbaked croissant. And for White Rock and South Surrey residents it has the

advantage of being close by – walking distance for many in the uptown area.

“It’s a great family day,” added market board member Judy Prange.

“And one thing in which we’re a little bit different from other markets is that it’s dog-friendly, provided our canine friends are on a leash and well-behaved around people and children.”

The market will formally re-open for the 2023 season at 9:45 a.m. this Sunday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring White Rock Mayor Megan Knight.

The city is holding its own Volunteer Fair at the White Rock Community Centre (in Miramar Village) that day –but Oldfield said the market sees multiple events as an advantage, as they attract even more people to the area who may be likely to browse the goods on offer.

The market itself will run every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Oct. 15, and Oldfield said a few new wrinkles are being added this year to make it an even more familyfriendly destination.

One is a free-ofcharge drop-off for small appliances that can be recycled, something that has been provided by other farmers’ markets in the Lower Mainland, and which has been actively requested locally, particularly by seniors.

“We’re also starting a junior entrepreneurs’ stall for young people of all ages, up to 18, to showcase their creations – it might be a young guy who makes skateboards or little kids who are making cookies.” Also making the market more attractive in an era of changing diets, she said, is the variety of vegan and gluten-free options available from vendors.

“In the past we’d only have two vendors that sold anything vegan or gluten-free, but now its the majority,” she said.

As in previous years the market also features live music from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. While there have been issues in the past about keeping the music strictly acoustic, White Rock Recreation and Culture has intervened with the Miramar Village strata council committee to negotiate the use of microphones and amplifiers for vocal performers, Oldfield said – provided they are on the lower end of the decibel range.

The market,

said, which has actually worked well for the market.

for many years championed by its former manager, late White Rock councillor Helen Fathers, endured a dent in business during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oldfield said.

But it seems to have gone from strength to strength, even with having to assimilate shifting pandemic health rules and protocols.

“Last year in 104 operating hours, based on four-hour market days, we had approximately 85,053 visitors – an average of 3,271 per day,” she said.

“That has more than doubled the 35,273 visitors we had in 2011.”

Annual economic benefit to the White Rock and South Surrey community in terms of spin-off traffic to restaurants and other businesses was last estimated in 2012 ($1.3 million) and 2013 ($1.9 million), but Oldfield said that now – 10 years later – it’s likely to reach some $4 million.

One feature of pandemic policy that has been retained is the one-way pedestrian traffic flow pattern, she

“It means that everyone who comes in gets to see all of the stalls. That’s solved a problem for us, because in previous years people were competing for specific positions for their stalls – but now, they all have the same visibility.”

For those dealing with food security issues, the White Rock market, part of the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets, also participates in the nutritional coupon program, backed by the provincial government, which circulates coupons to those struggling to afford groceries.

“Last year we received $52,400 in coupons – almost double the $26,907 collected in 2021,” Oldfield said. Coupons are distributed locally by the SOURCES food bank, Oldfield said. “And we had a new partner last year, BRELLA, that specifically provides services for seniors, but we can still use another partner in the community.”

Oldfield added that the market also provides stalls, free of change, to community groups, such as Rotary clubs and the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary, whenever needed.

“To give back to the community is something we like to do – and it also helps our vendors sell their wares,” Prange said.

Alex Browne Staff reporter

A woman shops for a hat at the White Rock Farmers’ Market. File photo

The City of Surrey has awarded a contract of nearly $1.5 million to All Roads Construction Ltd. to repave 12.7 kilometres of municipal roads. Paving work also means the 32 Avenue Diversion and Highway 99 on-ramp and off-ramp will remain closed tonight and Friday. (Black Press Media file photo)

Work is to be done at various locations throughout the city

Surrey council approves road paving contract

Tom Zytaruk Black Press Media

Surrey council approved a city staff recommendation Monday night to award a contract of nearly $1.5 million to All Roads Construction Ltd. to repave 12.7 kilometres of roads at various locations throughout the city, including several in South Surrey.

The contract is $1,482,155.06 with a spending limit of $1,631,000, with the work expected to begin in May and be finished by August.

The road paving will be done on 12 Avenue between Highway 15 to 184 Street, at Christopherson Road and 22B Avenue, on 48 Avenue from 190 Street to 192 Street and 172 Street to 176 Street, and on 71 Avenue from

136B Street to 137A Street. Paving will also be done on 137A Street between 70 Avenue and 71 Avenue, on 179 Street between 22 Avenue and 23 Avenue and on Lien Road from Scott Road to 124 Street.

In addition, the 32 Avenue Diversion and Highway 99 on-ramp and off-ramp (Exit 8B) in Surrey will remain closed tonight (April 20) and Friday night (April 21) from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m.

The paving work, which started Sunday (April 16), is part of the Highway 99 and 32nd Avenue Interchange Improvements Project, according to a release from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

– with files from Tricia Weel

TheseapplicationsareatthePublicHearingstage,whichisacriticaltimeforpublicinput. Pleaseseesurrey.caforPublicHearingitemslocatednorthofColebrookRoad/52Avenue.

“SurreyZoningBy-law,1993,No.12000,Amendment Bylaw,2023,No.20925”

Applications:7920-0159-00and7920-0162-00

Location:1949-167Street;16621,16651,and 16663-19Avenue;16606,16620,16648,and 16674-20Avenue

PurposeofBylawandDevelopmentVariance

Permits: Theapplicantisrequestingtorezoneaportion ofthesubjectsiteshownshadedinsolidgreyand labelledasBlockAandBlockBonthelocationmapfrom One-AcreResidentialZonetoMultipleResidential30Zone, andtorezoneanotherportionofthesiteshownhatched andlabelledasBlockCfromOne-AcreResidentialZone toSingleFamilyResidential(13)Zonetodevelop 166townhouseunitsand1singlefamilysmalllot.The exactlocationandareadefinitionofthelandsbeingamendedcanbefoundintheSurveyPlan containedwithinthebylaw.

TheproposalalsoincludestwoDevelopmentVariancePermits,ApplicationNo.7920-0159-00— associatedwithlandsshownasBlockA:toreducetheminimumwestfrontyardsetbackforBuilding 4from4.5metresto4.2metresforaportionoftheprincipalbuildingface;toreducetheminimumsouth sideyardonaflankingstreetsetbackforBuilding5from4.5metresto4.3metrestoaportionofthe principalbuildingfaceandforBuilding14from4.5metresto3.0metres;toreducetheminimumnorth sideyardonaflankingstreetsetbackfortheindooramenitybuildingfrom4.5metresto4.3metres; andtovaryPart4oftheGeneralProvisionstopermitstairswithmorethan3riserstobelocatedinthe setbackforBuildings2,3,and4.ApplicationNo.7920-0162-00—associatedwithlandsshownas BlockB:toreducetheminimumeastfrontyardsetbackforBuilding1from4.5metresto4.4metresto aportionoftheprincipalbuildingfaceandto3.8metrestoaportionoftheprincipalbuildingfacefor Building24;toreducetheminimumwestfrontyardsetbackforBuilding8from4.5metresto4.4metres toaportionoftheprincipalbuildingface;toreducetheminimumnorthsideyardonaflankingstreet setbackfrom4.5metresto2.0metresforvisitorparkingstall1andto3.8metresforvisitorparking stall2;toreducetheminimumsouthsideyardonaflankingstreetsetbackforBuilding10from 4.5metresto4.2metresforaportionoftheprincipalbuildingfaceandfrom4.5metresto4.4metres toBuilding9foraportionoftheprincipalbuildingface;toreducetheminimumsouthsideyardsetback from4.5metresto4.3metrestoBuilding16andto4.2metrestoBuilding17;andtoreducethe minimumeastrearyardsetbackfrom6.0metresto3.0metrestoBuilding11.

“SurreyZoningBy-law,1993,No.12000,Amendment Bylaw,2023,No.20921”

Application:7922-0169-00

Location:1483KingGeorgeBoulevard

PurposeofBylaw: Theapplicantisrequestingto rezonethesiteshownshadedingreyonthelocationmap fromSingleFamilyResidentialZonetoSemi-Detached ResidentialZoneinordertosubdividethesubjectsiteinto fourlots.

“SurreyOfficialCommunityPlanBylaw,2013, No.18020,AmendmentBylaw,2023,No.20926”

“SurreyComprehensiveDevelopmentZone114 (CD114),Bylaw,2023,No.20927”

Application:7921-0082-00

Location:15513-28Avenue; Portionof2828CroydonDrive

PurposeofBylaws: Theapplicantisrequestingtoamend theOfficialCommunityPlan(OCP),Table7A:LandUse DesignationExceptionsbyaddingsitespecificpermission forthesubjectsiteshownshadedingreyandlabelled BlockAonthelocationmaptopermitadensityupto 2.48FARwithinthe“MixedEmployment”designation. Theproposalalsoincludesrezoningthesameportionof thesitefromOne-AcreResidentialZonetoComprehensive DevelopmentZoneinordertodevelopa10,230squaremetrebusinessparkbuildingonthesubjectsite. TheexactlocationandareadefinitionofthelandsbeingamendedcanbefoundintheSurvey Plancontainedwithinthebylaws.

“SurreyZoningBy-law,1993,No.12000,TextAmendmentBylaw,2023,No.20930”

Purpose: AbylawtoamendPart9oftheZoningBy-lawNo.12000,toincreasetheminimumfine amountwiththeaimofenhancingthedeterrentimpactofthebylaw,whilealsoprovidingconsistency withthepenaltyprovisionsofotherSurreybylaws,asdescribedintheCorporateReport2023-R045.

Move

Commissioner opposes end of mask mandate

By Jane Skrypnek Black Press Media

B.C.’s human rights commissioner says the province’s decision to end mask mandates in health-care settings is putting vulnerable people at a greater risk in the places they should feel most safe.

On April 6, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the end to compulsory masking in hospitals, clinics and long-term care homes, along with vaccination and rapid antigen testing requirements for visitors.

Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender says the move is a violation of the rights of vulnerable people to equal participation in their communities.

“Masks minimally impair those who wear them, but the impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable people are well-known and they vary from the mild to the deadly,” she said in a statement Wednesday, April 12.

She says she’s worked hard over the last three years to convince the province to approach their response to the pandemic with a human-rights lens, taking into account the impact of their decisions on marginalized populations. Removing universal masking in health-care settings does the opposite, Govender says.

She notes that while the risk of COVID-19 has been lowered for the general population, it remains for some.

“Marginalized people, including those seniors

and medically vulnerable people who are fully vaccinated, continue to die and face significant illness.”

Masking, she says, needs to be seen as a protection rather than a restriction.

“…the minor inconvenience masks cause for some must be balanced against the more profound harms to the rights of marginalized people to participate in society and, in this case, to access healthcare.”

She says she believes B.C.’s public health officials are trying to do their best, but that they need to take into better account the impact this particular decision will have.

Minister of Health Adrian Dix didn’t directly address the concern while speaking at a separate media availability, but said he is proud of the decisions they’ve made throughout the pandemic.

He also pointed to the fact that 100 per cent of provincial health workers are vaccinated.

“We were the only jurisdiction in Canada to do this and this action, which continues and which will continue, is an action…that provides protection in our health care system.”

B.C. has repeatedly adapted to the nature of the pandemic, he added.

“(This) is precisely what she (Henry) has done in this case,” he said.

Henry told British Columbians the mask mandate may come and go depending on the severity of future respiratory diseases.

-With files from Wolf Depner

arts & entertainment

…on the Semiahmoo Peninsula

‘Can We Cool the Planet?’takes a fresh approach to covering climate change crisis

Documentary finds reasons for optimism

Adocumentary on global warming is the next featured presentation of the Social Justice Film Society, April 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the South Surrey Recreation and Arts Centre (14601 20 Ave.).

But it’s not all gloom and doom. The 2020 Nova production answers its own rhetorical title – Can We Cool The Planet? – with a resounding yes.

Although global temperatures are rising, scientists – who have long been aware of the impending crisis – are actively engaged in pursuing geoengineering solutions, including everything from planting trees to sucking carbon out of the air.

In their own words, a diverse group of experts recount that there are reasons for optimism, if the human race takes the cue and starts working on it in earnest.

Society president Pat Higinbotham says Can We Cool The Planet? is interesting because it takes a fresh approach to covering the climate change crisis by investigating new technologies that may help delay the most devastating impacts.

The film joins scientists and skeptics alike to explore the controversial landscape

of geoengineering — the effort to build controls for Earth’s thermostat.

Among those interviewed are Thomas Crowther, a British scientist specializing in ecosystem ecology and the chief scientific adviser to the UN’s Trillion Tree Campaign, and Sandra Snaebjornsdottir, head of CO2

mineral storage at CarbFix, an initiative to capture CO2 from emission points or from the atmosphere and inject CO2-charged waters into geological formations. Also featured is Apoorv Sinha, founder and CEO of carbon utilization startup Carbon Upcycling Technologies, a clean-

tech entrepreneur who is focused on developing novel solutions to environmental challenges.

But Higinbotham says the documentary poses other questions worthy of discussion. As the calls for action become more urgent, can we be sure we understand the potential risks of these unproven technologies?

A question and answer session, following the screening, that will also explore the pragmatic basis for positive action.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the screening begins at 6:30 p.m.

Admission is by suggested donation, parking at the centre is free.

“No one will be denied entry for inability to donate,” Higinbotham noted.

But for those who feel able to contribute, a Lifetime Supporter Membership is also available for $20, she said, although this does not cover admission to each screening.

For those who want to get even more involved, “the society is looking for volunteers to assist our treasurer and secretary, ideally with some bookkeeping and administrative experience, respectively,” Higinbotham said.

Visit www.whiterocksocialjustice.ca for more information.

Six people transformed, one winner at ‘drag’ gala

A drag show of a different kind is planned in Surrey, where six people described as community leaders will be transformed and raise money for a charity of their choice.

The concept of Surrey Pride Society’s “So You Think You Can Drag?” gala was announced months ago, and this week the participants were revealed ahead of the May 27 event at South Surrey’s XBA dance studio.

They are: Surrey Board of Trade boss Anita Huberman, award-winning school teacher Annie Ohana, artist and workshop facilitator Lyn Verra-Lay, Prospera Credit Union branch manager Sayan Baidya, Pivot Theatre’s Makayla Leonard and also Maddy, who works with seniors in care homes. Their bios, chosen charities and drag names – “Miss Sassy-Pants” and “Delicious

Judicious” among them – are showcased on Surrey Pride’s social media channels, including Facebook.

“They’re all coming in and getting madeover by professional makeup artists,” explained Martin Rooney, event organizer.

“Some are doing what we refer to as bio drag, women doing drag, and one is doing non-binary, one is doing a female-to-male look. Then they’ll be presented in how they currently look in reference to how they ordinarily look, and the people in the room will then decide who they think is the best transformation (with) a vote.”

A winner will be crowned, and Surrey Pride will match the winning participant’s pledges to a maximum of $5,000.

“These people are encouraged to perform

“Our idea is to have community leaders who might not otherwise participate in something like this to stand up and show their support of the drag community, the rainbow community in Surrey, and also raise awareness of their specific charities.”

The chosen charities include the Mustang Justice program at LA Matheson Secondary, Surrey Food Bank, Surrey Pride’s seniors programming, It Gets Better Canada, White Rock Pride and Pivot Theatre Society.

Rooney, president of Surrey Pride, said the springtime fundraiser is timely, with recent examples of “dragphobia” making headlines in B.C. and elsewhere.

“What it’s become about over the past couple of months is a chance to stand with

Alex Browne

Staff reporter

Among experts interviewed in the documentary Can We Cool The Planet? are scientists Thomas Crowther, Sandra Snaebjornsdottir and Apoorv Sinha. (Contributed photo)

Anita Huberman of Surrey Board of Trade, left, and secondary school teacher Annie Ohana are among participants in a “So You Think You Can Drag?” fundraiser planned for May 27 in South Surrey. They and four others will be “made-over” during the charity-focused event. (File photos)

‘Addams Family’ musical and 40-year celebration for Surrey theatre company this spring/summer

Ghoulish family loves all things macabre

Fraser Valley Musical Theatre (FVMT) is switching gears to stage a musical-comedy production of “The Addams Family” in Surrey this summer, not “Mamma Mia” as originally planned.

The dates on Surrey Arts Centre’s Main Stage are from June 29 to July 9, with seven show times posted on Surrey Civic Theatres’ website (tickets.surrey.ca). Tickets start at $20 for opening week, until early-bird sales end May 7.

“The Addams Family” is helmed by Samantha Robbins, a longtime FVMT cast member directing for the company for the first time, with music direction by John Arsenault and choreog-

A poster for “The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy” production by Fraser Valley Musical Theatre features this family ‘photo. (Photo: Facebook.com)

raphy by Tamara Jaune. “This spring also happens to

be our 40-year anniversary as a society,” Jaune noted.

A performance-rights issue with “Mamma Mia” forced FVMT to back away from staging the ABBA-themed production in favour of “The Addams Family.”

The show is based on characters created by Charles Addams in his single-panel gag cartoons, which depict a ghoulish American family with an affinity for all things macabre.

Featured are teen Wednesday Addams, dad Gomez, mom Morticia, Uncle Fester and others.

The actors are Diana Carey, Tim Marron, Patrick Arnott, Cecelia Federizon, Ahnika

Airey, Rachelle Beaulieu, Oswald Pingol, Juliet MacEwan, Jerrett Schwartz and Kaden Burgart, with an ensemble. Rehearsals began in March.

For FVMT, “40 Years of Music, Magic & Community Theatre” will be celebrated during a fundraising event May 5 at Dublin Crossing Irish Pub, in Clayton.

Tickets are $25 each, or $40 for two. Details are posted on facebook.com/FVMTS.

In January, Fraser Valley Musical Theatre’s “Sleeping Beauty” won the Favourite Panto of 2022 during the Ovation! Awards, which celebrate achievement in musical theatre in the Lower Mainland.

chance to stand with the rainbow community’

Continued

the transphobia, homophobia and dragphobia out there. So these people are willing to stand up in support of the art and the culture of drag.”

Early-bird tickets ($108) are sold until month’s end, and there are

$50 tickets for people on limited incomes, on eventbrite.ca. Guests are encouraged to dress in “Met Gala” fashion, with a prize for most outrageous costume.

The event will include drag performers Myria Le Noir, Carlotta Gurl and Jolene Queen Sloan,

musician Richard Tichelman, appetizers, no-host bar and silent auction.

“We can fit around 100, 125 people, max,” at the venue, Rooney noted.

“We’re going to record it, and it’s the official kickoff to Pride Month, a couple days early.”

This year’s Surrey Pride Festival is planned June 24 at Surrey Civic Plaza.

pm

South Surrey home ice crowd packs arena: ‘It was electrifying’

…on the Semiahmoo Peninsula

Surrey Eagles take 2-1 series lead vs. Bulldogs

Tricia Weel Staff reporter

The Surrey Eagles are up 2-1 in the second-round of the British Columbia Hockey League best-of-seven playoff series between the Coastal Conference’s Eagles and Alberni Valley Bulldogs, after a loss in Port Alberni Tuesday night (April 18).

On Tuesday, the Eagles lost 2-1 to the Bulldogs in Port Alberni, with Game 4 set for Wednesday (April 19), also at the Alberni Valley Multiplex (after Peace Arch News’ press deadline.)

It was the Eagles who emerged as the winner of both Game 1 and Game 2, winning Friday (April 14) night’s game 3-1, as well as Saturday’s (April 15) 5-4, both on home ice at the South Surrey Arena. Fans showed up to cheer on their Junior A Eagles in force on Friday and Saturday, said Ron Brar, who owns the team with his brother TJ.

“We had two sellout crowds, back to back – so many fans came out – we’ve never seen this much energy in years! It was electrifying!” he said.

The Bulldogs opened the scoring in the first period of Game 1, with a goal from winger Will Elger, before the Eagles answered back with three goals in the third period, from Ryden Evers, Jacob Bonkowski and Ante Zlomislic; netminder Michael Sochan stopped 29 of 30 shots on goal.

It was Zlomislic who opened up the scoring in Game 2, not even four minutes into the first, followed by another from teammate Connor Schneider, before Alberni Valley came back to score three goals in the second, two from Dakota MacIntosh, and another from Brandon Buhr.

Buhr added another in the third period, making it a 4-2 game, before Savek Brar (also Ron’s son) scored to make it 4-3. Trent Wilson tied it up at 4-4 with less than four minutes left to play in the third.

While there was no scoring by either team in the first OT, the Eagles’ Wilson got the game winner about seven minutes into the second OT, assisted by Schneider and Aaron Schwartz.

“How we won the first game was

outstanding! Then, how we won last night was even more outstanding – we were down 4-2 with just a small amount of time left,” the proud Dad said Sunday, noting his son’s goal helped change the momentum of the game.

“That third goal changed the entire momentum… then we ended up taking the game to them.”

The two wins came despite the team losing two veteran players – Cole Galata and Logan Lorenz – to injury, Brar noted.

“Even with all that, our team persevered and dug deeper than I ever could have imagined and they pulled off this incredible double overtime victory.”

Still, knowing what tough opponents the Bulldogs are, the team isn’t resting on its laurels even after two wins, he said.

The Cam Keith-coached squad had a pretravel practice on home ice Monday before catching their ferry, then another practice in Port Alberni on Tuesday, before they played Game 3 Tuesday night.

“We’re hoping to have some success in Alberni as we know we’re up against monumental odds still – this is a phenomenal team that we’re playing against,” Brar noted of the Bulldogs.

“They have incredible skill and incredible depth and (the Eagles players) knew this was going to be a tough series. Hopefully we can do it for our fans and Surrey.”

The Eagles return home for Game No. 5 on Friday, April 21, at 7:15 p.m. at the 148th Street arena in South Surrey.

Come roll a bowl: weekend open houses in White Rock

Ever rolled a bowl?

Two White Rock lawn bowling clubs are hosting open houses for those interested in trying lawn bowling; one on Saturday and one on Sunday.

The Mann Park Lawn Bowling Club hosts an open house at their club, 14560 North Bluff

Rd. (in the northwest corner of Centennial Park) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., while the White Rock Bowling Club’s Sunday open house is the second one held by the club; 20 people attended the first one on Saturday, April 15, with 18 signing up for coaching classes. The April 23 open house runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the White Rock Lawn Bowling Club, located at 1079 Dolphin Street (at the corner

of Dolphin and Royal Avenue) in White Rock. Originally inaugurated in 1934 with a natural grass playing surface, the club switched to an artificial one in 2008, with the introduction of a special synthetic carpet imported from the U.K. A recent ‘facelift’ saw the old carpet removed and a new carpet installed, on top of a new,

The Surrey Eagles are now leading their second-round BCHL playoff series vs. the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 2-1, with Game 4 happening Wednesday night (April 19) in Port Alberni. Above right, Eagles player Rylan Bonkowski skates onto the ice and below, netminder Michael Sochan stays focused. (Tav Morrison Media photos)

Tricia Weel Staff reporter

The White Rock Lawn Bowling Club holds an open house Sunday, April

photo)

James (Chenrui) Qiu only player to beat par in Boys 9-10 division at Tsawwassen Springs

Surrey golfer finishes first at junior event

Tricia Weel

The rain didn’t stop nearly 100 young golfers from teeing off in the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) junior worlds qualifier at Tsawwassen Springs golf course on Sunday. Competing in six divisions in challenging weather, golfers aged seven to 12 played in conditions made more difficult by the heavy rain and winds.

“The kids did great to finish and play as well as they did,” said MJT mini tour director Lee J.H. Lee.

Surrey golfer James (Chenrui) Qiu, 10, finished first in the Boys 9-10 division with a score of 69, and was the only player to break par (70).

“I am very excited for the title because this is my first play this season,” said Qiu, in an MJT release.

“Today my putter was so hot, I got five oneputt birdies when I was on the green.”

Other top finishers include White Rock’s Stella Sun, seven, who placed third in the Girls

U8 division with her score of 86; Surrey’s April Zhang, eight, who tied for third in the Girls 9-10 division with an 88; Surrey’s Satnam Gill, 12 and Emma Kim, 10, who placed second (82)

and third (88), respectively, in the Girls 11-12 division; Surrey’s Minxing Matt Li, 10, who placed second behind Qiu with a score of 73; and Surrey’s Jackson Wang, 11, who tied for third in the Boys 11-12 division, with a 76.

Siblings Jack and Jenny Guo from West Vancouver were Low Overall Boy and Girl respectively.

Qiu, like every division winner, qualified for the season-ending MJT Mini Tour National Championship this August in Tsawwassen; he was also short-listed for the IMG Academy Junior World Championship this July in San Diego, CA.

In addition, the top two finishers in each division qualified for the upcoming MJT Mini Tour Order of Merit Invitational at Quilchena Golf and Country Club, to be held in Richmond on May 27.

Two more open houses set for May 6, June 3

Continued from A25

elastic layer.

“Now that the new carpet is installed, the club will have the benefit of a high-class surface to bowl on,” the club’s website says. “This will mean better instruction and training for new bowlers who are essential for the

continued success and growth of this amazing community asset.”

While the all-weather carpet allows members to bowl year-round, opening day celebrations are planned for this Saturday, April 22, when piper Kenneth Wright will pipe club members around the green to officially start the new season.

Members traditionally wear white or club colours, and the mayor – White Rock Mayor Megan Knight – will roll a few bowls, followed by a game amongst members, among other festivities.

The Sunday, April 23 open house is open to the public. Visit whiterocklawnbowlingclub. com for more information.

The Mann Park Lawn Bowling Club, where players bowl on a natural grass surface, is hosting another two open houses for the public: one on Saturday, May 6 and another on Saturday, June 3.

Both events run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit mannparklbc.org for more information about the open houses.

SEAN McCANN the“Shantyman’ formerly of Great Big Sea is touring with stops in B.C.

TODAY IN B.C with host Peter McCully

GLEN SUITOR the CFL Hall of Famer and TSN football broadcaster and analyst.

MOJ ON SPORTS

with “The MOJ” Bob Marjanovich

BUILDING SCIENCE looking for trends to help homeowners build and renovate.

MEASURE TWICE,

with host Jennifer-Lee Gunson

CUT ONCE

Staff reporter

Surrey’s James (Chenrui) Qiu, 10, was the only golfer to beat par in the boys 9-10 division at Tsawwassen Springs on Sunday (April 16) during the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT). (Maple Leaf junior Golf Tour/maplejt.com)

BARROS,Doriana(Urbani)

DorianaBarros(Urbani), abelovedmother, grandmother& partnerpassed awayonApril1, 2023,atLangley Memorialaftera longbattlewith dementia.She was74yearsold.

Dorianawasborn inValdagno,Italy, onNovember20th, 1948.Dorianawas predeceasedbyher parentsSilvanoandAnnaMariaUrbaniand herhusbandLeoBarros.

DorianaissurvivedbyherpartnerKevin Blake,sonRodMcCann(Emmy),daughterLia Barros(Blair),step-daughterLynnaeBarros (Mike),hergrandchildrenVincent,Gina& Brittany,andhergreat-grandchildren,her sisterMarilena(Ron)andniecesStephanie& Jennifer.Doriana'smemorywillliveoninthe heartsofthosewhoknewandlovedher.

ThroughoutDoriana'sdeclinewithdementia, Kevinlovinglycaredforher.Thefamilyis forevergratefulforhislove,compassion,and generosityduringthisdifficulttime.

Inlieuofflowers,thefamilyrequeststhatany donationsinmemoryofDorianabemadeto theAlzheimer'sSocietyofBC.Acelebration oflifewillbeheldatVictoryMemorialon May27that1pm.RSVPtoafamilymember

GROVER,GordonDouglas

Passedpeacefullyat home,onSunday, April16,2023,atthe ageof74.Beloved husbandofRosemary. DearbrotherofKaren (Dean),thelateMary, andthelateRobert (Rosemary).Cherished byhisnieces,nephews, manydearlovedones, andspecialfriendson thewestcoastandin Ontario.OriginallyfromtheLondon,ONarea, GordonandRosemarymadeWhiteRock areainBChomefor47wonderfulyears,full oftreasuredmemories.Gordonhadalong andfulfillingcareerwithGeneralMotors,as wellashisotherbusinesspursuits.Heloved hisworkingcareer.Hewasalwaysfairand honestinlifeandinbusiness.Gordonloved fishing,travellingwithRosemaryandpoker. Heappreciatedandcaredforallofhisfamily andfriends.Rememberedasawarm,caring andcompassionateperson;lovingandwellloved.Gordonwasalwaysupforthenext project;intheend,hereceivedabetteroffer thathecouldn’trefuse.

ACelebrationofLifewithfamilywillbe heldinLondon,ONatalaterdate.Inlieu ofafinancialdonation,pleasedoagood deedforsomeone,inGordon’shonour. Foronlinecondolences,pleasevisit www.westviewfuneralchapel.com

KathleenVilips (neeFletcher)

IntheearlymorninghoursofMarch19th,Heavenreceived anewAngel.“OurTreasure”KathleenVilipspassedaway comfortablyinhersleepatage93inthewonderfulcareof theAbbotsfordHospiceafterabriefillness.

Mary“May”Mackenzie

1927-2023

MayMackenziepassedawaypeacefullyathome,withfamilybyherside. Mourningherlossbutcelebratingherremarkablelifeareherdaughters Marilyn,LindaandIsobelalongwithhermanycherishedgrandchildren, greatgrandchildrenandsister-in-lawElizabeth.Maywaspredeceased byherbelovedhusbandAlexander(Sandy)Mackenziein2021.

MaywasthedaughterofJamesandLetitiaPaterson.Sheenjoyeda happychildhoodinPaisley,Scotlandwithhersisterandtwobrothers, spendingSundaysatGreenlawChurchandsummersinDunoon.Along withheridyllicearlyyears,Maylivedthroughthesecondworldwarand knewwhatitwasliketospendnightsinabombshelter,bakeacakeon eeklysugarrationsandreceiveatelegramfromtheWarOffice.Together theseexperienceswerewovenintocountlessstoriesthatweretoldoverthe yearstoherchildrenandgrandchildren-alivinghistorylessonnoneofuswillforget. MayemigratedtoCanadawhereshemetherhusband,ahighlanderknowntoallas“Sandy”,whohimselfhad emigratedfromScotlandafewyearsearlier.FromOttawatoEdmontontoVictoriatoWhiteRockandfinallyto OakBay,MayandSandyenjoyed60yearsofhappymemories.MayalsoenjoyedalongcareerwiththeRoyal BankofCanada,retiringin1987.ShewasactiveinSt.John’sPresbyterianChurch,herbookclub,theCanadian CancerSocietyandalongwithSandyspentmanyyearstravelling,enjoyingtimewithfamilyandwintersinthe Arizonasunshine.

k we these

Asawife,mother,grandmotherandgreatgrandmotherMaywasadoredbyherfamily.Herinfectioushumour wasreflectedinalmostanyconversationandweallhavememoriesofhermanyanecdotestoldinthenever-lost Scottishbrogue.ThevoidthathasbeencreatedwiththelossofMaywillbedifficultforherfamilytofill,butwe areallgratefulfortheamazing95yearsthatshelived.

Thefamilywouldliketothankourmother’sincrediblecompanions ShanaandCarriealongwithDr.TedRosenberg. Togethertheyprovidedexceptionalcareandcomfortforourmotheroverthepastfewyearsandallowedherto livetheentiretyoflifeonherownterms.

AgatheringoffamilyandfriendswillbeheldinthesummertocelebrateMay’slife.Ifyouwishtosendamessage tothefamilyorbenotifiedofthegatheringpleaseemailmaymackenzie1927@gmail.com.Ifdesired,donations canbemadetotheAlexanderandMaryMackenzieScholarshipattheUniversityofVictoriaoracharityofchoice.

EdnaMargaretAllan March29,1924–December14,2022

EdnawasborninNewbridgeWalestoJamesand MarthaLewis(Hay-on-Wye).Oneof10children,she outlivedallhersiblings.

m A 19

KathleenwasborninCoseley,Englandin1929.Sheleft schoolatage14toworkinafactoryinWolverhampton manufacturinghandgrenadesduringWWII.Aftermarrying AlbertBiltonatage18,sheemigratedtoNorthVancouverin 1957wheretheybegantoraisetheirdaughterSusan.

ShewaspredeceasedbyherhusbandAndrew(Andy2009)andsonMichael(2020)andissurvivedbyher daughter,Carolynandmanyniecesandnephewsin UK,AustraliaandNewZealand.MumandDadmet andweremarriedinHorsleyEnglandinJanuary1943, priortoDad’sdeploymenttoNorthEastEuropewith theCanadianArmy.MumlivedinHorsleyuntilshe cametoCanadain1946tojoinDadinLethbridge, Albertawheretheyestablishedthemselvesina managerialandcateringprofession.In1956,they movedtoLangley,BC,wheretheytogethermanagedtheLangleyHotelCateringServices. In1958,theyopenedTheChestnutsRestaurantinahouseontheFraserHighway,andlater movedontoGloverRoadnearthepresentBypassandKwantlenCollege.Manyoftheirpatrons becameclosefriendsoverthosemanyyears.

Whe Males O

WhenKathleenbecameasinglemother,shebravelyappliedtoa Onlyadforasalespositionintheladies’shoedepartmentat thedowntownHudsonBay.Sheconvincedthemtogivehera“chance” and afterherprobationperiod,provedtobeoneoftheirtopsalespeople.Sheservedinthispositionfor 33yearsuntilherretirementfromTheBayatage65.

KathleenmarriedEduardsVilipsin1977andspentmanyhappyyearswithhimuntilhisdeathin1998. Theysharedaloveofgardening,cooking,travelling,cardgamesandfamily.Kathleenlovedgoingto thecasinotoplaytheslots,playingtheLotto,andtheVancouverCanucks.

SinceEduards’passing,Kathleenhasfocusedallherloveandenergyonherfamily.Sheissurvivedby herdaughterSusanFonseca(StephenKemp),grandsonRyanFonseca(KatherineC.);great-grandson KadeRuiFonseca,brotherColinFletcher(Beryl),nieceLynneHale(Rob),nieceVioletLaurie(John Pike),step-granddaughtersCharleneFonseca(DuaneKnutson)and CindyWilliams(Lloyd),andmany extendedfamilymembersandfriendshereandinEngland.Kathleen verymuchenjoyedmakingnew friendsduringherlastfewmonthsattheLangleySeniorsVillage.Shelovedgoingoutforfishand chipswithson-in-lawSteveandlovedheryearslivingintheNico Wyndcommunity.

ThefamilywishestothankallthestaffattheLangleySeniorsVillageandtheHolmbergHouseHospice inAbbotsfordfortheirloveandcareforourbelovedmatriarchoverthepastfewweeksofherlife.

ThefamilywillplanaprivateCelebrationofLifeinthelatespring.Sincerethankstothosewhohave sentwishesofcondolence.Kathleenhasleftuswithherexampleof livingagoodandhonourablelife andshewillliveinourheartsforevermore.

MumandDadretiredtoCrescentBeachin1980andsubsequentlyenjoyedmanytripsto UKandHawaii.Mumwasanexcellentchef(self-taught)butherspecialtywasherpastry, piesandpasties.Ednawasanavidgardener,alsoenjoyingpainting,knitting,quilting,and golfingwhentimepermitted.Shehadagreatloveofanimalsandenjoyedwatchingbirds inthegarden.

InretirementMumandDadlivedinhomesintheareaandenjoyeddevelopingtheirgardens. Asowneroftherestaurant“ChestnutsbytheSea”inCrescentBeach,Michaelwasassistedby MumandDadduetotheirexperienceinthecateringindustry.Inthelateryears,Ednaresided inRosemaryHeightsSeniorsVillageinSurreywhereshediedpeacefullywithherdaughter byherside.Appreciationisgiventothephysiciansandhealthworkersduringherlifetime, especiallyinlateryearsatRosemaryHeights.

DuetoCovid,RSVandtheFluseason,aprivategoodbyewasheld.

AMemorialCelebrationforbothEdnaandMichaelwillbeheldApril27,2023(contact Carolynfordetails)

Thefamilyrequestsnoflowersbutrathergiveafriendabouquet.Acontributiontothe Alzheimer’sSociety,LangleyAnimalProtectionSocietyoracharityofyourchoicewould alsobeappreciated.

PHILLIPS,CharlesFrederick

InmemoryofCharlesFrederickPhillipswho passedawayoneyearagoonMarch22,2022 atPeaceArchHospital. Hewas63.Heislovinglyrememberedbyhis familyandhismanyfriends. “Sadlymissedalonglife’sway.Quietly rememberedeveryday”

RestinPeaceCharlie…wewishyoumany adventuresasyoucontinueonyourjourney.

PEET,ThomasDavid

Withgreatsadnessweannouncethesudden passingofThomasDavidPeet,attheageof 89years.Helovedandleavesbehindhiswife of65yearsRuby,daughterJanice(Brian), grandsonsGrayden(Karlee)andMason,and greatgrandsonCastle.Hewaspredeceased bydaughterJoanne,andsiblingsAnna,Bud, andEdna.

FamilyandfriendswereeverythingtoTom. BorninSydneyMines,NovaScotia,hewas theyoungestofMaggieandThomasPeet’s4 redheads.NiecesandnephewslivinginAlberta andNovaScotia,rememberhimasthegluethat heldeveryonetogether,andsometimesthesilly putty.HeleftCapeBretonin1954andhitch hikedasfarashisdollarswouldtakehim.With $20leftinhispocket,hesettledinEdmonton, Alberta,wherehemettheloveofhislife,Ruby.

Tomenjoyedasuccessfulcareerinsalesthat tookhimalloverCanada,andallowedTom, Ruby,andJanicetomovetothewestcoastand settleinTsawwassenin1967.

Tomwillberememberedbyallwhoknewhimas asingerofsongs,atelleroftales,amanofgrace andcharm,whoembracedlifewholeheartedly, madeeveryonefeelwelcome,andlivedbythe motto,“Youneverthrowoutajoke!”

AcelebrationofTom’slifewilltakeplaceon June17,2023at1:00pmatPeninsulaUnited Church,2756–127th Street,SouthSurrey. Inlieuofflowers,pleaseconsiderdonatingto TheJuvenileDiabetesFoundationorPeaceArch HospitalFoundationinhismemory.

ReginaMerkl

ReginaMerkl,aged102of WhiteRockBCwenthome tobewithherLordApril 10,2023.BorninSokolovac, CroatiaonMarch8,1921, shewaspredeceasedbyher husbandJosephandson Theodore.

Reginawassuchalovedandgenerous woman.Sheleavesbehindbeautifulmemories forherfamily.Herkidsandgrandkidsare eternallygratefultoReginaandJosephforthe courageouschoiceofescapingcommunist YugoslaviatocometoCanadaforabetterlife.

Inlieuofflowerspleasedonatetoyourfavourite charity.

FuneralmasswillbeApril25,11a.m.atGood ShepherdChurch,2250-150thStreet,SurreyBC.

It is agreed by any Display or Classified Advertiser requesting space that the liability of the newspaperintheeventoffailure to publish an advertisement shall be limited to the amount paid by the advertiser for that portion of the advertising space occupied by the incorrect item only, and that there shall be no liability in any event beyond the amount paid for such an advertisement. The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors thatdonotlessenthevalueofan advertisement.

bcclassifieds.com cannot be responsible for errors after the first day of publication of any advertisement. Notice of errors on the first day should immediately be called to the attention of the Classified Department to be corrected for thefollowingedition.

GarrygrewupinNewWestminsterwhileMarionbeganlifeonSeaIsland andthenBurnaby.

GarrybeganhisearlyworkinglifeontheCanadianFisheriesPatrol VesselLaurierandthentrainedasaRadarTechnicianwiththeRoyal CanadianAirForceworkingontheDEWLineintheCanadianArctic.

MariontrainedatVancouverGeneralHospitalasaRegisteredNurse andwentontoworkasheadnurseintheemergencyatVGH,Royal ColumbianandQueensHospitalinHonolulu.

GarryandMariongottogetherandbegantheirfamilyinBlueRiver,BC whereherantheCNCPTelecommunicationsstationandsheranthe outposthospital.TheythensettledinNorthVancouverwheretheyraised theirsonsMichaelandNorman.GarryworkedafullcareerwithTeleglobe Canada(COTC)whileMarionfocusedonmanagingthehouseholdand didpart-timeoccupationalnursing.TheyretiredtoWhiteRockandboth passedpeacefullyhavinglivedfulllives.

GarryissurvivedbyhissisterGretaandnieceJulieGriffiths.Marionwas predeceasedbyhersisterMay(Tinkham).

SonsMike&NormbothnowliveinChilliwack,BC.

Ashortceremonyforfamily&friendswillbeheldatVictoryMemorial ParkinSouthSurreyonApril24th,2023at11am.

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CEMENT Patios, sidewalks and driveways. Call Gary 604-218-7089

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Roofing & Skylights

A1 Top Canadian Roofing Ltd. Specialize in Reroofing, New Roofs, Repairs. All types of roofing. Free est. 778-878-2617 or 604-781-2094

GL Roofing & repairs. New gutters/facia brds. Gutter cln, $180. 604.240.5362

Rubbish Removal

Merchandise for Sale

Garage Sales

South Surrey

Huge Moving / Garage Sale - Multi Family Saturday & Sunday April 22 & 23, 8am - 3pm 16252 - 27A Ave.

All the goodies you would expect.Tent trailer, E bike, furniture etc. Rain or shine.

Misc. for Sale

DOG STROLLER excellent condition, only used 3x. Gen7 Pets Stroller, holds up to 50lbs, fully equipped, and collaspable. $165. Call 604-506-4559 or 778-285-4400

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Six

SENIORSSECTION Living 55 +

Peninsula women earn their Six Star Medals in Tokyo

Tricia Weel Staff reporter

For many people, running one marathon would be an amazing achievement.

But six women – all residents of White Rock and South Surrey – decided they wanted to run not only six marathons, but the six marathons: the six Abbot World Marathon Majors, to earn their much-deserved Six Star Medals in Tokyo, this past March.

The Six Star Medal honours runners around the world who complete all six Majors: Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York City and Tokyo. To date, more than 10,000 runners worldwide are Six-Star finishers after the March 2023 Tokyo marathon.

With 3,570 women worldwide having achieved this milestone, only 238 hail from Canada.

“Pretty amazing that six of us from the (Semiahmoo) Peninsula got it done in Tokyo this year,”said Brenda Ferris, 59, one of the runners who earned the prestigious award.

“It’s pretty incredible to be part of such an elite group of women! To be honest, I was shocked there’s only been that many who have accomplished this. It’s hard to wrap my brain around.”

Because many runners had to delay the Tokyo Major marathon due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the marathon achieved a Guinness

World Record for the most people to earn a Six Star Medal at a single marathon event, meaning Ferris and the other five local runners – Christina Ego (62), Sally Wong (60), Gayle Robinson (75), Kristin Catroppa (43) and Laurel van Zanten, 68 – also earned an

additional medal at the historic event.

On average, they each go through four to five pairs of running shoes every year when they’re training for marathons, with some listening to podcasts or music while they run, and others preferring to take in the sights and sounds

around them.

Some track their distance using their Apple watches or Garmins, others, like van Zanten, prefers to “run it from water station to water station.”

Each marathon presents its own challenges, they all agree – first, you have to run races to qualify, then there’s the entry fees, travel, hotel, and other expenses, as well as time zone differences and navigating your way around a strange city.

“Each marathon has its own personality. In Boston, there’s Heartbreak Hill, in New York it’s the Five Boroughs, Berlin had Brandenburg Gate, in London you’re running towards Buckingham Palace and Chicago is extremely flat,” Robinson, who ran all the Majors with Catroppa, explained.

All of the runners agree that the Tokyo marathon presented its own unique challenges –especially since they had all expected to run it earlier, but the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to those plans.

“Food is another challenge – finding food like boiled eggs, bagels and peanut butter in Tokyo was difficult,” Wong, who usually runs with Ferris, Ego and van Zanten, shared.

“Tokyo was the most stressful due to the COVID protocol requirements; all runners

Christina Ego, left, with Sally Wong, Kristin Catroppa, Gayle Robinson, Laurel van Zanten and Brenda Ferris with their Six Star Medals, pose at the South Surrey Athletic Field track. The runners earned the medals by completing the six Abbott World Major marathons, the last being in Tokyo March. With 3,570 women worldwide having achieved this milestone, only 238 hail from Canada. (Tricia Weel photo)

local marathon runners, aged 43 to 75, join elite worldwide group that includes only 238 women in all of Canada

‘Running is my happy place’

Continued from B2

had to start recording their temperatures Feb. 26 and record it on an app, then take two COVID tests two days in a row before the race and record it on the app,” she said, noting the fear of testing positive after spending all the time training and all the money on travel and especially, after waiting three years to be able to do it, was high amongst the runners competing.

“Race day, you had to carry your phone, show the app with the temp checks and negative tests to get into your race corral.”

Many of the women train for the 42-km (26.2 mile) races with Peninsula Runners, and Ferris even works there now.

“Every race I’ve done, I’ve trained with their programs,” she said, noting that she has never regretted a run, although some days can be tougher than others to get out there and do it.

“The best thing about my running ‘career’ is the people

I’ve met. My best friends I’ve met through running. And we’ve travelled all over the world because of running,” she said.

“Running a marathon was a singular goal way back when, and it just morphed into completing the Majors. What I enjoy about a marathon is the extreme high when you’re done. It’s a big accomplishment.”

Wong agreed.

“The best part of running a marathon is the finish line and that sense of achievement,” she said.

“My motivation is the medal at the end,”van Zanten echoed.

Ego, who dedicates every mile she runs to a family member during the race, also enthused about what a close-knit community runners are on the Peninsula.

“Running is my happy place! I never thought one foot in front of the other would take me to so many places,” she said.

“The world majors were incredible, these large races,

meeting and seeing people from all over the world. Crossing the finish line in Tokyo and getting the medal was surreal… definitely bucket list!” Ego said.

Catroppa, a mother of three who was determined to get her training in, said it was difficult to balance her and her kids’ busy sports schedules this time around.

“I quite often was up and out running by 3 or 4 a.m. in order to get my miles in before my son’s hockey or daughter’s volleyball,” she noted.

“Completing Tokyo and our sixth star was a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. I have so much gratitude that our health prevailed.”

While they all have their own reasons for running, all of the Six-Star finishers agree the Semiahmoo Peninsula is a great place to run, no matter what your level.

“I love the running community out here. Whether you run 5K or marathons, there’s a lid for every pot!” Ego said.

April is Parkinson’s Awareness month.

While it may be surprising to learn, research has shown that dancing is among the activities that can positively affect those living with Parkinson’s.

According to information published on Parkinson.ca, benefits of tripping the light fantastic include helping improve balance, gait and endurance, while relieving motor impairment.

Not only that, it’s a fun activity that brings joy and a sense of community to people’s lives.

Some of the cognitive improvements reported by individuals with Parkinson’s include having better executive and visuospatial function, reduced fatigue, and an overall

improved quality of life due to lower rates of depression and anger.

Dance is a great way to connect with people. That’s true not only for those living with Parkinson’s, but also for their caregivers, the site notes.

It’s exciting, great exercise and brings people together through music and movement, improving one’s well-being.

According to some of the most recent research, those with Parkinson’s who dance for one hour twice a week, for at least 10 weeks, benefit.

More research is still being done, and you can learn more by visiting dancepdnetwork. ca.

In Canada, about 100,000 men and women are currently living with Parkinson’s.

While symptoms are unique to each individual, people

MeetAPanelofExperts:

with Parkinson’s commonly experience tremors or shaking, muscle stiffness, slowed movements, walking and balance problems and a stooped posture.

Other issues, including sleep disturbances, depression and changes in cognitive ability, are present, too.

A timely diagnosis by a neurologist is important. While there is currently no cure for Parkinson’s, health practitioners are actively searching for one.

They are also working on ways to improve quality of life for those affected by Parkinson’s, including effective medication and lifestyle changes.

Parkinson.ca offers many resources for support, including connecting individuals with local support groups in person or online.

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Press

For good or ill, Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is dominating the planet, writes April Lewis.

Artificial Intelligence a genuine game-changer

‘Hi there! I’m TaxGPT, a friendly AI tax adviser.”

Well, thanks anyway, but I had a human file my tax return for me this year.

But of course, we know the world is changing as Artificial Intelligence – or AI – dominates the planet.

AI is now a hot topic as almost 77 per cent of devices today use AI technology.

There are more AI assistants today, a figure which will eventually surpass the number of people on this Earth.

According to

carbon60global.com the AI market is expected to reach $407 billion by 2027. By 2057, robots could replace or displace 2.7 million jobs in construction and engineering alone.

How many times have you said, “Hey Google, where is the nearest Italian restaurant?”

“Hey Siri, what is the population of Nunavut?”

“Alexa, play me my favourite Lionel Richie songs from the ’80s.”

AI is software meant to mimic a human mind and model human intelligence.

According to Reference. com, the general benefit of AI is that it replicates

decisions and actions of humans without human shortcomings such as fatigue, emotion and limited time.

I am thinking of adding a shortcoming such as stupidity to the list, which would mean we could replace the average politician with artificial intelligence. Machines driven by AI technology are being used to replace humans as they are able to perform consistent repetitious actions without getting tired.

They don’t need work breaks or work-life balance or time off due to sickness.

They are available 24/7 and reduce the need for human personnel.

There’s a reduction in human error.

Continued on B6

April Lewis savvy seniors

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

NEARLYALLCANADIANS45+YEARS WANTTOAGEATHOME,BUTONLY 1IN10(12%)SAYTHEYCANAFFORD THECOST!

Icanhelpyouageathomewhilemaintainingyour independence,comfort,anddignitywith LifestyleMortgages!

ALifestyleMortgageletsyouaccesstheequityinyourhomewithouthavingto makeamonthlypayment.Sincefundsarecomingfromtheequityinyour home–theyaretax-free.

LifestyleMortgageshavemanyuses:

•In-homecare

•Carefacilityforlovedone

•Healthcareexpenses

•Relievefinancialpressure

•Coverinflationaryexpenses

AI brings good with the bad

Continued from B5

Those are some of the advantages.

•Alleviatedebt

•Assistfamilymembers

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However, currently, the disadvantages are that machines are neither flexible nor creative, as robots can’t think outside the box. It stifles critical thinking as AI can’t be improved with experience like we can. Costs are high and it leads to unemployment and the risk of making humans lazy.

Is Artificial Intelligence improving the lives of seniors today?

Absolutely.

During the pandemic, research studies were done in Sweden and the U.K. where a chatbot, an interactive computer program using AI voice technology, was used to interact with isolated seniors.

The researchers used a chatbot called ChatGPT (Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) as a cure for loneliness. It replicated human conversation,

covering a wide array of topics. It can create human-like responses when prompted.

As visitors weren’t allowed to visit their elderly loved ones during the lockdown, ChatGPT could also help the isolated seniors answer questions, problem-solve as well as compose letters to their family.

That’s a good thing, but on the downside, chatbots could easily replace human interactions with all of their emotional baggage and drama.

At Drexel University in Pennsylvania, (drexel. edu) researchers say that using similar voice technology helps with early detection of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The chatbox program used was 80 per cent accurate in predicting early signs of dementia because language impairment affects between 60 and 80 per cent of dementia patients. The

program can detect subtle clues such as grammar and pronunciation mistakes, hesitation and forgetting the meaning of words.

As the AI creators strive to produce a machine with a human’s intellectual capacities, its billionaire executives such as Sam Altman fear that “superhuman machine intelligence is probably the greatest threat to the continuous existence of humanity.” Even Elon Musk is asking for a sixmonth moratorium on the development of advanced AI systems, including the latest version of ChatGPT.

But fellas, before you take a hiatus, could you develop me an interactive chatbot, who we’ll call George, to be at my beck and call?

“Hey George, “rub my tired feet. While you’re at it, peel me a grape!”

April Lewis writes monthly on seniors issues for Peace Arch News.

RICHULVILD TRUSTED MORTGAGEADVISOR VERICOXEVA MORTGAGESLLP

White Rock barber cut out for a long career

Tricia Weel Staff reporter

Back in 1965, there were no Teslas or electric vehicles on the road. No one had heard of ChatGPT or social media or smart phones or ear pods.

Hit songs, including the Rolling Stones’ (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, The Supremes’ Stop! In the Name of Love and the Byrds’ Turn! Turn! Turn!, were playing on radio stations everywhere, and colour televisions were still a relatively new luxury. Fashion started changing from the classic silhouettes of the 1950s to a more sleek, modern style, and with the invention of the miniskirt in 1964, dress and skirt hemlines started creeping upward, while the length of men’s hair went the other direction.

At Johnson & Thrift Barber in White Rock, 89-yearold Albert recalled how hair

styles for men started to change in the 1960s, right

Eighty-nine-year-old White Rock barber Albert has seen plenty of hairstyles come and go since he began cutting hair in the 1960s. (Geoff Yue photo)

around the time he graduated from barber school in Vancouver, in 1965.

The barber, who has been practicing his craft for 58 years, said the popular British band the Beatles were behind the longer hair trend

for men.

“Some barbers went belly-up when the Beatles were around,” he remembered.

Crew cuts still remained popular for men, as well as “ordinary, businessman” hair cuts.

“There was one

that was popular – it was a buzz cut on top, or brush cut on top, and longer on the sides and at the back, but I can’t remember what it’s called,” he said, while relaxing in the local barber shop between cuts.

Complete with

striped barber poles out front and classic, red padded barber chairs, the shop is located at 1383 Johnston Rd. and features plenty of natural light that streams through the many windows.

Born in South Africa, Albert moved to

B.C. with his parents when he was 16.

Having cut hair at barber shops throughout the Lower Mainland since 1965, including downtown Vancouver, West Broadway, Burquitlam, Surrey and Langley locations, Albert has

been at the White Rock location for 10 years. He didn’t start with being a barber, however.

“I was working at a car dealership for a while and then a warehouse… then I decided to go to barber school,” he said.

The fact that he’s still doing the same job, nearly six decades after he started, doesn’t surprise him.

Having lost his wife of 60 years just three years ago to a heart attack, he admits it can be tough to adjust to living

alone, after being with someone for so long.

“I’ve got to keep busy. I’ve got to have something to do. Everybody has to have a purpose,” he said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic – and afterward –Albert said some of the men’s hairstyles took him right back to the ’60s and ’70s.

“It’s like old times – they’re coming in with really long hair, long overdue for a cut,” he said.

“Some of them looked horrible! We had one guy who wanted a hair cut, but it was terribly long, so I told him to go to a beauty salon.”

The Johnston and Thrift barber shop still only charges $19 for a hair cut, where most other mainstream places start at $40, he noted.

He still enjoys cutting the hair of people of all ages, five days a week, although, when it’s a child’s first hair cut, it can sometimes be scary for them.

“Some of them are fine, then they get in the chair and literally turn red in the face from screaming,” he said.

“In that case, we’ll suggest they maybe try to come back on another day.”

For the most part, people are great to work with, Albert said, but he doesn’t tolerate rudeness.

“I’d say most people are pleasant. You get the odd guy in, maybe a bit on the rude side, but I know how to deal with everybody.”

For now, he’s happy to invite his next client into an awaiting chair, and perhaps, trim a beard.

“Coming here… is what makes me get out of bed every day.”