Friday, February 4, 2011 Golden Ears Bridge opens more recruitment chances for young lacrosse players in this community.
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Education
An artist’s rendition shows the new Pitt Meadows seniors complex that’s been three years in the making.
Pitt Meadows
New seniors digs proceed After an almost three-year delay, the seniors of Pitt Meadows are finally going to get a new housing facility. by Amy Judd
ajudd@mrtimes.com
The site of a proposed seniors complex has remained empty for the past three years. But on Tuesday night council announced plans are finally going ahead. “We have a space crunch for the seniors,” said Pitt Meadows Mayor Don MacLean. “They’re increasingly more active and they certainly need more space.” They are going to get that in the form of a housing complex, which will contain 102 units, including 71 independent and 31 assisted living suites, along with a 9,530square-foot public seniors centre. Pat De Luca, president of Allegro Properties Inc., started the project that fronts 190A Street before. But due to economic difficulties, he had to pull out. MacLean said De Luca should be given credit for not giving up. And now, with a new partnership, De Luca is back on board and excited about the development. “About five months ago we approached the City and opened up discussions about the project. The mayor, and staff, and council were very receptive,” De Luca said, noting they have now applied for development and building permits. They are expected to break ground again within the next 30 to 60 days. Allegro met with parks and leisure services, and said they, along with the Ridge Meadows Seniors Centre, are happy. Paddy Godbehere, the manager for the Ridge Meadows Seniors Society, said that local seniors “have been working for a long time to have this come about, so there is definitely excitement.”
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Kids engaging in native culture Medicine wheels have many purposes and meanings, according to a local Aboriginal support worker. by Troy Landreville
tlandreville@mrtimes.com
The wheels of First Nations cultural education in School District 42 continue to turn. Maple Ridge Elementary is one of two district schools in which medicine wheels have helped generate more Aboriginal awareness among students. Students used a hula hoop, yarn, and feathers to replicate traditional First Nation medicine wheels made by Aboriginal people. Doweling was added to the interior of the hula hoop to create four sections. The goal is to have medicine wheels at every school in the district, said SD42 principal of Aboriginal education Doug Hoey, “It’s the first step for creating awareness,” said Hoey, who added that, thanks to the efforts of Aboriginal support workers, students’ knowledge of First Nations gets “better and better every year.” “I think it’s important for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students to learn about the strong Aboriginal history and culture we have in this area,” Hoey said. During a recent presentation, Maple Ridge Elementary students volunteered to speak to their peers about the medicine wheels they helped construct. For First Nations people, a medicine wheel is many things on many various levels, and has many different meanings and uses. All First Nations have their own way of interpreting a medicine wheel. For Aboriginal support worker Lisa Adair, it’s a symbol of spirituality and teaches about Aboriginal culture. A medicine wheel has many facets, Adair explained. They include the four cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west), the life cycle from infancy to adolescence, and the four moon phases, among many other things. “With the four seasons, sometimes there are six, including Mother Earth
Albion future revealed:
A plan for the redevelopment of the Albion Flats is being presented to council Monday. Get a sneak peek.
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Maple Ridge Volkswagen
Troy Landreville/TIMES
Maple Ridge Elementary students, clockwise from bottom left, Terrance Bishop (Grade 6), Danny Waterworth (Grade 7), Evan Hargrove (Grade 7), and Michael Hayashi (Grade 5), all of whom have Aboriginal ancestry, held medicine wheels in the school’s common area. facing down and Father Sky being above. It is a circle which represents natural and personal power in complete balance, and which shows everything is interconnected as a cosmic whole,” Adair said. “I think the Lakota said it best. They call the medicine wheel ‘Wakan Tanka,’ meaning ‘The Great Everything’ and
Serenading for a cause:
Two different groups are offering singing telegrams on Valentine’s Day.
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that’s just it. It’s the sun and the moon, it’s the totem animals, it’s the elements, the air we breathe, the water we drink, it’s human… everything.” Adair said the medicine wheel can be used as a guide to help people find their way and “ground us when we embark on our inner journeys.”
Donna Telep
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www.sevillemortgage.ca 22718 Lougheed Hwy. Maple Ridge Fax: 604-466-5348 • Email: donna@sevillemortgage.ca
Don’t miss important information from School District 42 on page A16