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TO DO: Due to a production error, Page 3 in Wednesday’s edition of the Richmond News contained articles from a sister publication, the Delta Optimist. The News would like to apologize for any inconvenience or confusion and has published on Page 3 today the omitted information.
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the weather Friday high..................6 low ...................1 Sunny Saturday high..................5 low ................. -1 Sunny Sunday high..................4 low ...................0 Sun and cloud
on this day December 2 1988 — Benazir Bhutto is sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first woman to head the government of an Islamdominated state..
quote of the week
“On some level, everyone understands the struggles a family goes through on a day to day basis...” — Director Christopher McGregor explains his take on The Sound of Music.
N E W S
Upfront
The Richmond News December 2, 2011 A3 Editorial enquiries? Please contact The Richmond News 5731 No. 3 Road V6X 2C9 Phone: 604-270-8031 Fax: 604-270-2248 E-mail: editor@richmond-news.com
Another ‘temporary’ artwork may stay Biennale organizers ask city to hold onto the piece until next year
BY ALAN CAMPBELL
acampbell@richmond-news.com
Another unwanted Biennale artwork looks set for an extended stay in Richmond. Organizers of the “temporary” public art exhibition have asked the City of Richmond to hold onto Wind Waves at Garry Point Park until the end of next summer. The piece — which resembles a giant wavy, red ball — has been a fixture in the park since the 18-month exhibition kicked off in the fall of 2009. But since the event ended in the spring of this year, Vancouver Biennale has been unable to sell the artwork, which has been valued in the past at around $400,000. If they do find a buyer between now and the end of August 2012, the piece will move on. Until then, Biennale has requested the people of Richmond enjoy Wind Waves for the time being and it be included in the organization’s educational program, “Big Ideas,” for the remainder of the school year. “An extension to the exhibition at Garry Point Park would continue to be a benefit to the artistic and cultural enrichment of the city,” wrote the city’s public art planner, Eric Fiss, in a report which will be presented to the parks and recreation committee this week. “The extended temporary exhibition … will continue to offer many opportunities to enrich the city’s cultural fabric, promote tourism, advance art education and provide a legacy of community engagement.” Wind Waves, along with the other temporary Biennale works of art, are due to be removed at the end of this year. Should city council agree to allow Wind Waves to stay a little longer, the Biennale will be responsible for all maintenance and insurance coverage for risk of loss, release and indemnity. The Biennale will also be responsible for all
CHUNG CHOW/RICHMOND NEWS
Wind Waves, a piece from the 2009 Biennale, may stay at Garry Point Park until next summer. costs associated with the removal of the work from the site. The News reported last month that the new owner of another Biennale piece — Water #10, at River and Cambie roads — asked the city to hold onto the artwork for another year or two until a new housing development in north Richmond is ready to receive it. Developer David Chung, who bought the piece for an undisclosed price, told the city he won’t be ready to relocate the artwork to his new Parc Riveria development on River Drive until 2013. Like Wind Waves, all costs associated with keeping the artwork in its location will be borne by the owner.
Despite publicity, good and bad, surrounding the 18-month long Biennale, only Water #10 out of the 15 exhibits in Vancouver and Richmond has been sold. The controversial Lenin/Miss Mao piece at Alderbridge and Elmbridge ways was valued at $700,000. Organizers of the Biennale also had to cancel their prestigious wrap-up gala auction due to poor ticket sales. It later issued a statement saying Vancouver perhaps wasn’t the right place for the type of artwork on show, insisting a more international market would have been a better fit. It’s now trying to flog the artworks on the aforementioned international stage.
Former street racer helps anti-racing program BY ALAN CAMPBELL
acampbell@richmond-news.com
As he tore along the road in his modified Honda Civic, 17-year-old Danny didn’t give a second thought for anyone but himself. So when he eyeballed the driver of a similarly suped-up Subaru, the Richmond teenager had no hesitation when he slammed his foot to the floor to engage in a deadly street race. Seconds later, at a speed of
around 160 kilometres per hour, Danny’s Civic suffered a blowout. Fishtailing and completely out of control, the reckless youngster’s car flipped over and skidded until it came to a stop, upside down. Incredibly, he got out of the car and walked away without so much as a scratch. “I was very lucky. I came out totally unscathed. I didn’t have a mark on me,” said the driver, who would only identify himself as
Danny. “But because I wasn’t injured, I thought I was invincible. At that age, what didn’t kill me, just made me more obnoxious.” Fast forward more than ten years and Danny, now 28, shakes his head when he looks back at his sheer “stupidity” of years of street racing. To this day, he still doesn’t know why he entered the world of racing cars through residential streets. “A lack of good common sense
I guess. I’d like to say someone pushed me into it, but they didn’t. I just wanted to do it,” he told the News. “I admit, it was exhilarating, especially not getting caught. I had a lot of attitude and bravado.” Danny spoke after stepping up to help raise awareness for the Resist the Race (RTR) anti-street racing initiative. RTR — formed by RCMP Sgt. Rob Quilley after his colleague see Guilt page 6
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