TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2011
GET THE SKINNY ON KNIVES, 10 ❚EDUCATION
Kids, staff celebrate school’s opening
Driving hard to the hoop
Vigil held for twin who died after fire
Marisa BABIC Staff Reporter
SURREY – Staff and students at Adams Road Elementary are celebrating the New Year in a special way – the opening of their new school. The Cloverdale-area school named after Gertrude Adams, a Surrey newspaper reporter in the 1930s, opened on Monday. “It’s wonderful, everyone’s here and happy,” said principal Joanne Berka.
SURREY – A candlelight vigil was held Sunday night after the death Saturday of one of a pair of twin girls injured in a Surrey apartment fire on Jan. 4. The vigil was aimed at supporting the family of Ava Elizabeth Keddie, who died in B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver early Saturday morning. The B.C. Coroner’s Service had advised police that Ava Keddie succumbed to her injuries shortly after midnight, Surrey RCMP Cpl. Drew Grainger said in a news release. Her twin sister Samantha was in critical but stable condition, RCMP said Saturday. On Thursday, Grainger had said the condition of the two girls had been upgraded to “serious but stable.” Both girls suffered burns to 30 per cent of their bodies. The two 20-montholds were rescued by their neighbours, brothers Simon and Matt Gallant, who live across the hall in the apartment building in the 9500block of 127th Avenue in the Cedar Hills neighbourhood. It is believed the fire broke out when a lamp fell on the bed, igniting the blankets in the bedroom where the girls were, said Surrey Deputy Fire Chief Jon Caviglia. – Postmedia News
JOANNE BERKA/ “It’s wonderful, everyone’s here and happy. We got right to work.”
“We got right to work.” Adams Road Elementary began operating as a school in September 2010 in portable classrooms on the grounds of Don Christian Elementary and one wing of the school. The two schools shared the gym and library. The new school, a twostorey building with green features, is a wireless campus with the latest technology that includes computers in every classroom and smart-boards. The school site features an all-weather playing field and play area, and the lucky students will also get to use the grass soccer field and baseball diamond at the adjacent park. The school has 262 students from kindergarten to Grade 7. For now, Adams Road Elementary has a couple of classrooms to spare, but as it’s located in rapidly growing east Cloverdale, an area that is attracting young families, those classrooms likely won’t be empty for long. The school was slated to host tours Monday night to celebrate the opening. mbabic@thenow newspaper.com
❚SURREY
Lord Tweedsmiur Panther Michelle Clarke drives past Elgin Park Orca Leena Walia during semi-final action Thursday at the Surrey Firefighters Goodwill Classic in Cloverdale. The Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers knocked off the defending champs 56-49, to advance to the finals, where they lost to Holy Cross on Saturday. See full story on page 12. ❚PHOTO/Lisa King/For the Now
SIMON GALLANT