Best of Richmond 2023

Garden City: 9100 Blundell Road, open 7am to 10pm, 7 days a week

Angie Lau

Angie Lau is a piano teacher who was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to Canada in 1990.

Lau has lived in Richmond for more than 30 years and her love of music inspired her to become a piano teacher Over the years, she has inspired many students to pursue their musical dreams.

Lau has a passion for photography and enjoys taking pictures of birds, landscape and especially sunrises and sunsets, as evidenced by her many contribu�ons to the

What do you like best about Richmond?

Richmond is a safe and peaceful area with lots of open space

How do you stay healthy in Richmond?

I go for daily walks at one of Richmond’s many scenic outdoor trails.

What’s your favourite area of nature in Richmond?

Richmond News’ daily online feature, Good Morning, Richmond

She loves to stay ac�ve by taking long walks in nature with friends and enjoys using the fitness ameni�es in Richmond including the Minoru pool and Richmond Oval

Lau loves living in Richmond because it’s a mul�cultural community with great ameni�es and easy parking She enjoys the diversity of cultures and the many opportuni�es to explore new things

West Dyke Trails

What song best describes Richmond?

What a Wonderful World

Where in Richmond do you to take out-oftown guests?

Steveston Village

What is one of Richmond’s hidden gems?

Iona Beach Park

Jaime Gusto

Jaime Gusto was born in Richmond and grew up in the fishing community of Finn Slough, founded by Finnish se lers who came to Richmond in the 1880s

She has a deep connec on to the local fishing industry as the men in her family have made their living fishing for salmon in the Fraser River for more than 60 years Gustospentmanyofherearlyyearsfishingwithherdad and grandpa on the Fraser.

Her love for fishing led her to apply for a job at the Steveston Harbour Authority (SHA) in 2000 and, a�er years of hard work and love for the job, she was named

What do you like best about Richmond?

I love that Richmond is surrounded by water and there are extensive trails along the waterfront to explore on foot or bicycle

How do you stay healthy in Richmond?

I normally walk along the dyke or into Steveston on my lunch breaks On the weekends, I love to ride my bike with my daughters and husband

What’s your favourite area of nature in Richmond?

The dyke that runs from No. 5 Road, through Finn Slough and right into Steveston This is my absolute

general manager in 2017 Gustoispassionateaboutensuringtheharbourremains a working harbour and was excited when the SHA board mandated that it become the hub of B.C.’s commercial fishing industry, bringing all the services a fisher could needintooneplace Sincethen,shehasoverseenseveral major projects: construc on of Fisherman’s Ice Plant and Cantrawl Nets, installa on of an archway at 6th Avenue, and reconstruc on of an offloading facility She is presently overseeing the building of a new crab and prawn processing facility.

favourite bike ride

WhereinRichmonddoyoutotakeout-of-townguests?

Steveston Harbour, of course I love taking guests down to Fisherman’s Wharf to interact with the fishermen. Then we usually walk down the 4th Avenue pathway to view the murals that Steveston Harbour’s Public Art Commi ee commissioned and into Garry Point Park for ice cream

What is one of Richmond’s hidden gems?

Definitely Finn Slough because every me I visit I feel like I am going back in me to what life would have looked like all those years ago

Steveston Harbour Authority’s general manager Jaime Gusto is about as passionate as they come down at the harbour Not only does she work in there, she also loves to spend much of her spare time in and around the area.

BEST BAKERY

1 Diplomat Bakery

2 COBS Bread Bakery

3 Steveston Bakery

BEST BBQ

1 Hog Shack Cook House

2 Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

3 Win Win Chick-N

BEST BREAKFAST

1 Cora Breakfast and Lunch

2 IHOP

3 Eggspectation

BEST BREWERY

1 Fuggles Beer

2 Five Roads Brewing Co

3 Britannia Brewing Steveston

BEST BRUNCH

1 Britannia Brewing Steveston

2 The Story Cafe Eatery & Bar

3 Cora Breakfast and Lunch

BEST BURGER

1 Britannia Brewing Steveston

2 White Spot

3 Cactus Club Cafe

BEST BUTCHER

1 Windsor Meat Co

2 Seafair Gourmet Meats

3 Heringers Meats

BEST CHEF

1 Bob Singh - Ginger Indian Cuisine

2 Nutcha Phanthoupheng – Baan Lao Fine Thai Cuisine

3 Cezar Taneo – Blue Canoe Waterfront Reestaurant

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT

1 Shanghai River Restaurant

2 Danny's Wun Tun Restaurant

3 No 9 Restaurant

BEST CHINESE BAKERY

1 Kam Do Bakery

2 Maxim's Bakery

2 Saint Germain Bakery

e s t p l a c e t o . . .

Instagram

Richmond is a city with many hidden loca�ons to take photos While there are popular spots that many people hit up, we are lis�ng a couple loca�ons that are more hidden

Greater Vancouver Sports Club

If you’re looking for colour then this spot is for you The Greater Vancouver Sports Club is a newly developed area, albeit far from city centre at Savage and River roads in east Richmond, with buildings covered in every colour possible and is the perfect backdrop for photos.

There is also a hidden corner with a beau�ful mural of flowers and bu erflies Richmond Olympic Oval

It’s no secret the Richmond Ovalisagreatspottotakepho-

tos, but have you tried visi�ng at night? Janet Echelman’s Water Sky Garden outdoor artwork lies above a boardwalk over a pond that sets a beau�ful backdrop for those looking to take some late night photos And because it is outdoors, it is free to visit any �me Bridge at Terra Nova Rural Park

If you’ve visited Richmond’s Terra Nova Adventure Play Environment, you most likely passed by this hidden bridge The wooden bridge can be seen across from the parking stalls on River Road. It connects the park to the Terra Nova Nature School in West Richmond.

If you’re feeling fancy, bring a long lens and take some photos from far away for a nature shot

Teaghan Collins

Teaghan Collins has been enthusias�cally delivering local newspapers in Richmond for the past 12 years

He started in June 2011 with the Richmond Review and in August 2015 with the Richmond News Collins loves his job and delivers the papers hoping to see and greet his neighbours with a giant smile and has become well-known in his delivery area for his efficient and careful service

Collins is 26 years old, was born and raised in Richmond and is a very proud graduate of Thomas Kidd Elementary and Ma hew McNair Secondary

schools.

He also works at South Arm Community Centre as a program assistant in out-of-school care and, as a proud au�s�c advocate, he works for the Vancouver Canucks Au�sm Network

Collins also loves to play basketball with the Richmond DCYBA Raptors and sing with the MayDay Youth Club Choir

In his spare �me he is a Disney aficionado, collecting DVDs and memorabilia and his favorite character is S�tch

What do you like best about Richmond?

I am very familiar and comfortable here

How do you stay healthy in Richmond?

I play basketball, walk along the river and golf with my dad

What’s your favourite area of nature in Richmond?

All the trees and the Nature Park

What song best describes Richmond?

Mr. Golden Sun by Barney and Friends

Where in Richmond do you to take out-of-town guests?

Walk along the South Dyke Trail and maybe go to O’Hare’s for a bite to eat.

What is one of Richmond’s hidden gems?

The South Dyke Trail and the dog park

BEST CHINESE BBQ

1 HK BBQ Master

2 Master Hung BBQ & Won Ton

3 Danny's Wun Tun Restaurant

BEST DESSERT

1 Icy Bar

2 Sinfully The Best

3 Village Books & Coffee House

BEST DIM SUM

1 Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant

2 Empire Seafood Restaurant

3 Continental Seafood Restaurant

BEST FILIPINO RESTAURANT

1 Kumare Restaurant + Bakery

2 Little Ongpin Restaurant

3 Tindahan Grocery

BEST FINE DINING

1 Baan Lao Fine Thai Cuisine

2 Steveston Seafood House

3 Ginger Indian Cuisine

BEST FISH N CHIPS

1 Pajo's Fish & Chips

2 Dave's Fish & Chips

3 White Spot

BEST FOOD COURT

1 CF Richmond Centre

2 Aberdeen Centre

3 Richmond Public Market

BEST GREEK RESTAURANT

1 Kisamos Greek Taverna

2 OPA! of Greece

BEST ICE CREAM

1 Dairy Queen

2 J Squared Ice Cream

3 Timothy's Frozen Yogurt

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT

1 Ginger Indian Cuisine

2 Ember Indian Kitchen

3 Tandoori Kona Restaurant

BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT

1 Ora Sushi

2 Ichiro Japanese Restaurant

3 Gami Sushi

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT

1 White Spot

2 McDonald's Restaurant

3 Boston Pizza

BEST KOREAN RESTAURANT

1 Daan Korean Cuisine & Restaurant

2 Cocoru Beer & Chicken

3 Sura Korean BBQ

BEST LATE NIGHT EATS

1 Icy Bar

2 Pizza Factory Steveston

3 No 9 Restaurant

Family-Owned Since 198

“Thank

Bring

Name

Lisa Cowell

Lisa Cowell is the Chair of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, a board member at the Richmond Olympic Oval and works as a communica�ons consultant at Apostrophe PR with a focus on helping non-profits. Cowell worked in fundraising and communica�ons in the non-profit sector for more than 20 years

She began her career in sales and marke�ng but quickly realized that contribu�ng to the community was her passion. She joined the team at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice in 2000 and since then has worked with sev-

What do you like best about Richmond?

Richmond has grown to be a strong independent city, while s�ll maintaining its small-town, personal feel I’ve lived in Richmond since 1998 Early in my �me in Richmond, I found myself going to Vancouver a lot for ameni�es and shopping But now, I get everything I need right here in Richmond

How do you stay healthy in Richmond?

I live in Steveston and my three favourite ac�vi�es are walking on the dykes, gardening in my community garden plot and training at True Condi�oning

What’s your favourite area of nature in Richmond?

I love the diversity of animals and birds I see along the

eral organiza�ons in the health-care and social service sectors Most recently, Cowell was the manager of Fund and Community Development for Aspire Richmond (formerly Richmond Society for Community Living), Richmond’s largest provider of services for people with developmental disabili�es

She lives in Steveston with her husband and two children For the past two decades, she has spent much of her spare �me at the many gyms, fields, pools and rinks in Richmond cheering on her kids and their teammates

dykes in Steveston

WhereinRichmonddoyoutotakeout-of-townguests?

I love to take my guests for dim sum Trying new restaurants every chance I get is part of the fun. Any of the fresh seafood items are a staple order What is one of Richmond’s hidden gems?

A lot of people perceive Richmond as the airport city, a food des�na�on or an agricultural producer. I don’t think many people know just how many great businesses have headquarters in Richmond, such as Western Canada’s largest Coca-Cola bo ling plant, and an incredible number of emerging technology firms that will change the way we all do business

The Richmond Chamber of Commerce ’ s new chair, Lisa Cowell, loves the fact that she can now get almost everything she wants in her home city, without having to travel into Vancouver

BEST LIQUOR STORE

1 O'Hares Gastro Pub

2 Terra Nova Liquor Store

3 BC Liquor Richmond Seafair

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT

1 Little Mexico Cantina

2 Taco Luis

3 Taco Del Mar

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

1 Baan Lao Fine Thai Cuisine

2 Toast to Coast Brunch Bar

3 Good Co.

BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

1 Pho 37

2 Obanhmi

3 Lotus Restaurant

BEST PIZZA

1 Steveston Pizza

2 Pizza Factory Steveston

3 Roundtable Pizza - Garden City

BEST POKE

1 Purpose Smoothie Co

2 Pokey Okey

3 Hoke Poke & Tea Bar

BEST PRODUCE STORE

1 Kin's Farm Market

2 T&T Supermarket

3 Urban Farm Market

BEST PUB

1 O'Hares Gastro Pub

2 Britannia Brewing Steveston

3 The Buck & Ear Bar & Grill

BEST RESTAURANT (OVERALL)

1 Baan Lao Fine Thai Cuisine

2 Anar Persian Cuisine

3 Steveston Seafood House

BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

1 Steveston Seafood House

2 The Jade Seafood Restaurant

3 Blue Canoe Waterfront Restaurant

BEST TAKEOUT

1 Pizza Factory Steveston

2 Best Bite Indian Cuisine

3 Obanhmi

BEST THAI RESTAURANT

1 Baan Lao Fine Thai Cuisine

2 Thai Kitchen

3 Thai Express

BEST WINERY

1 County Vines Winery

2 Steveston Winemakers

3 Lulu Island Winery

Thank

. . .

Romantic stroll

River Road near Olympic Oval

Enjoy a roman�c walk and beau�ful sunset on the Fraser River with your loved one on the River Road trail between Skyline Marina and the Olympic Oval There are seats on big concrete stairs designed for you to sit down and enjoy the moment or have a chat Some�mes the bank is visited by seals who make nests with the grass

Iona je�y

Do you want to go to the edge of the world with your other half and enjoy a moment for just the two of you?

The Iona Split Trail at Iona Beach Regional Park is close to that S�cking out of the land and going all the way to the sea, the trail is like a road that leaves the world and reaches a place for only you two, the sea and the sky

West Dyke Trail

Birds, clouds, reeds, sea, mountains, ships and trees all rush into the picture when you walk side by side on this trail. At the end of the trail, you can sit down and watch planes leaving from the Vancouver Interna�onal Airport, imagining your next trip B e s t p l a c e f o r a

You Richmond

The Iona Beach Jetty near Vancouver International Airport (main photo) is the perfect setting for a romantic walk, at any time of the day and is resplendent with nature, while the West Dyke Trail (inset) is well known to produce some stunning sunsets.

2023

THE BEST OF SHOPS & SERVICES

BEST AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP

1 Applewood Nissan

2 MG Collision Repairs

3 South Seas Auto Body & Painting

BEST APPLIANCE STORE

1 Trail Appliances

2 The Brick

3 Midland Appliance

BEST AUTO REPAIR (MECHANIC)

1 Applewood Nissan

2 Seppo's Auto

3 Carma Automotive

BEST AUTO SERVICES

1 Applewood Nissan

2 Cam Clark Ford

3 Dueck Auto Group

BEST BARBER SHOP

1 Steveston Barber

2 Seafair Barber

3 Gotti Cuts

BEST CAR DEALER (NEW)

1 Applewood Mitsubishi

2 Applewood Nissan

3 Signatuure Mazda

BEST CAR DEALER (USED)

1 Applewood Nissan

2 Dueck Auto Group

3 Columbbia Chrysler

BEST COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

1 Regional Animal Protection Society (R A PS )

2 Richmond Multicultural Community Services

3 Richmond Cares Richmond Gives

BEST CARPET CLEANERS

1 Green Dragon Services

2 Safewaay

3 Cleanworks Carpet & Upholstery Care

BEST DAY CARE/PRESCHOOL

1 Treehouse Early Learning Centre

2 Rothewood Academy

3 Generation Daycare

Wendy Tsui

Wendy Tsui has been with Gateway Theatre for almost seven years, currently holding the tle of marke ng manager, where she plans and leads the execu on of marke ng campaigns for all of Gateway Theatre’s ar s c offerings and youth theatre classes via the Gateway Academy

A graduate of SFU Beedie School of Business with a joint major in marke ng and psychology, Tsui was immediately cap vated by live theatre a�er watching her first show, Don’t

Dress for Dinner at Gateway Theatre as a young adult

Ever since she has been passionate about sharing the magic of the arts with others in the community.

Born and raised in Richmond, Tsui is committed to making a difference in the community. When she’s not working, you’ll find her walking at one of Richmond’s many dog parks and trails with her corgi, Chloe.

What do you like best about Richmond?

The delicious dim sum

How do you stay healthy in Richmond?

Walking my dog, strength training classes at Leapbodies, running, and biking!

What’s your favourite area of nature in Richmond?

With 360-degree views of the mountains and the water, it has to be Iona Beach.

What song best describes Richmond?

It’s My Life by Bon Jovi It’s an awesome place to live and I love seeing others just living their life in the city

Where in Richmond do you to take out-oftown guests?

Steveston! There’s nothing like Timothy’s frozen yogurt on a nice sunny day

What is one of Richmond’s hidden gems?

The amazingly produced shows at Gateway Theatre

Gateway Theatre’s Wendy Tsui can often be seen around the city with her corgi Chloe or paying a visit to her favourite frozen yogurt place in Steveston in her spare time

Leon Chew

A lifelong Richmondite, Leon Chew learned early on the virtues of volunteering from his parents, who immigrated from Singapore, and ins�lled in him the importance of contribu�ng to their new community.

Chew holds the posi�on of officer in charge of St John Ambulance Richmond Division 426. In this capacity, he leads a group of first responder volunteers who provide first aid services at various community events across the city, including the Steveston Salmon Fes�val, Richmond Night Market and Remembrance Day Parade

Beyond his involvement with St. John Ambulance, Chew

What do you like best about Richmond?

I really enjoy the diversity that the city brings Few places can match its combina�on of beau�ful parks and trails, access to rivers and farms, and the convenience of big city ameni�es, all within a 10-kilometre radius.

How do you stay healthy in Richmond?

I enjoy walking/running with my dog on the many trails you can find in Richmond My favourites are the shady Shell Road trail and the beau�ful views on the West Dyke Trail I’m also an avid dragon boater and enjoy training with teams paddling out of the

has volunteered with KidStart PLEA Community Services, mentoring at-risk youth, and has even established a charity aimed at providing care packages and meals to unhoused residents in need.

In recogni�on of his contribu�ons, Chew was awarded the 2023 Nova Star Award at Richmond Cares, Richmond Give’s Volunteers are Stars Award Ceremony

When he is not volunteering, Chew works as a senior scien�st specializing in stem cell and neuroscience research, andasareservistmedicwiththeCanadianArmedForces

UBC Boathouse in Richmond.

What’s your favourite area of nature in Richmond?

Garry Point Park, with lovely cherry blossoms in the spring and cap�va�ng sunsets all-year round, and YVR’s Flight Path Park.

What song best describes Richmond?

“Happy” by Pharrell Williams

Where in Richmond do you to take out-of-town guests?

Richmond Night Market for Chef James Xinjiang BBQ meat or on a tour of Richmond’s Dumpling Trail

Leon Chew is a scientist by day and a volunteer with many hats in his spare time, including leading a team of St John Ambulance volunteers and children’s charities

e s t p l a c e t o

View architecture

Richmond’s buildings might not be the tallest, but they sure do have a lot of architectural personality.

It’s impossible to list all the interes�ng buildings to look out for, but here’s a few to get you started on your summer stroll

The Paramount (Kel�c Place)

The Paramount is in the heart of Richmond, just next to the Richmond-Brighouse Canada Line sta�on. With an asymmetrical shape, geometric pa erns and big windows, the building is a great introduc�on to the city.

The Paramount is also home to the Sea to Sky public art peice by Musqueam ar�st Thomas Cannell, which was featured in last year’s compila�on of best public art in Richmond

Brighouse Fire Hall No. 1

Also in the city centre is Richmond Fire-Rescue’s flagship fire hall at

Gilbert Road and Granville Avenue

The 25,240-square-foot facility opened in 2018 and was designed to provide faster response �me and produce net zero carbon emission

If you’re in the area, be sure to check out the Richmond Firefighter sculpture by ar�st Nathan Sco , which commemorates and honours the legacy of Richmond Fire-Rescue

LingYen Mountain Temple

The LingYen Mountain Temple is just one example of the many beau�ful places of worship along Richmond’s No. 5 Road.

The road, also known as Highway to Heaven, is home to around 20 religious ins�tu�ons between Williams Road and Westminster Highway

The temple is currently under construc�on, but is expected to expand by more than 90,000 square feet with eight new buildings

Mountain Temple (main photo) sticks out on No 5 Road’s Highway to Heaven, while Richmond’s latest firehall (inset, left) has

admirers, as does The Paramount (inset, right)

BEST DOGGY DAYCARE

1 The Woof Walkers

2 Playful Pups Doggy Daycare

3 Pathfinder Pet Care & Dog Ranch

BEST DOG TRAINER

1 Shelley Smith Dog Training

2 Daisy Dog Training

3 Pooch Positive Dog Training

BEST DRUG STORE

1 London Drugs

2 Shoppers Drugmart

3 Pharmasave

BEST INDEPENDENT FASHION STORE

1 Jet-Lag Travel Fashion Boutique

2 Stepin Out

3 Seas On Shore

BEST FLORIST

1 Touch Of Class Florists

2 Super Grocer & Pharmacy

3 Elegance Flowers

BEST FURNITURE STORE

1 Paramount Furniture

2 The Spotted Frog

3 Leon's Furniture

BEST FINANCIAL INSTITUTION

1 TD Canada Trust

2 Vancity

3 Coast Capital

BEST FINANCIAL PLANNER

1 Richard Nash IG Wealth Management

2 Wealth Smart

3 Christina Chiu - RBC

BEST GARDEN CENTRE

1 Wong's Greenhouse & Nursery

2 Prickly Pear Garden Centre

3 Phoenix Perennials

BEST GIFT SHOP

1 RAPS Thrift Store

2 A Monkey Tree Emporium

3 Benson Awards & Engraving Services

BEST GROCERY STORE

1 Save on Foods

2 Safeway

3 Super Grocer & Pharmacy

BEST HAIR SALON

1 Ask Hair Studio

2 Lift Hair Shoppe

3 Collective Beauty Studio

BEST HOME CLEANING SERVICES

1 Go2Girl Services

2 iBell Cleaning Services

3 Sassy Sisters Clean Team

BEST HOME DECOR STORE

1 The Spotted Frog

2 RAPS Thrift Store

3 HomeSense

Caroline Sayson

A resident of Richmond for more than 40 years, Caroline

Sayson was the BC Regional Ministry Coordinator at OMF Interna�onal-Canada from 2011 to 2015 OMF Interna�onal is a Chris�an mission that serves the church and brings the gospel to countries in East Asia.

Sayson is a financial professional (CPA, CGA) with more than 30 years of experience in finance and management and was the supervisor of Budgets and Treasury for B C’s second largest school district, the Vancouver School Board Her responsibili�es included budget and finance opera�ons management and policy administra�on

What do you like best about Richmond?

Richmond is home! It’s where many of my family and friends live, and we enjoy the many restaurants and nature parks in the city

How do you stay healthy in Richmond?

Aside from regular birding and photography, I also register in community programs such as aquasize, Tai Chi and dancing

What’s your favourite area of nature in Richmond?

It’s tough to choose a favourite area of nature as I enjoy birding and photography at these places: Richmond Na-

She was also one of the mentors for the Immigrant Mentorship Program of the Filipino-Chinese Associa�on and currently provides volunteer services for non-profit organiza�ons During her free �me, she enjoys travelling to other countries such as Thailand, India, Japan and the Philippines for short-term outreach work

Richmond News readers may also be familiar with Sayson’s other passion, photographing the outdoors in the city, with her captures regularly featuring in the News’ daily online Good Morning, Richmond sec�on

ture Park, Terra Nova Rural Area, West Dyke Recrea�onal Trail and Iona Beach Regional Park

What song best describes Richmond?

What a Wonderful World

Where in Richmond do you to take out-of-town guests?

Steveston Village and Garry Point Park, Britannia Shipyards Na�onal Historic Site, Richmond Olympic Oval, and of course, the Golden Village for food and shopping. What is one of Richmond’s hidden gems?

I’m not telling! Ok, I will It’s Paulik Neighbourhood Park

Good Morning, Richmond photographer Caroline Sayson journeys around Richmond with her trusty camera, snapping wonderful nature images to share with Richmond News readers.

Winson Leung

Winson has been a carrier with the Richmond News for over six years, ini ally delivering with his kids in the neighbourhood twice a week

He finds that the job provides mul ple unique opportuni es, including gaining local work experience, doing physical exercise, building a closer rela onship with the neighbourhood and be er bonding with his kids

Every me they finish a delivery, they will read the Richmond News together and share some interes ng topics

When a subs tute is needed, he is always willing to help to support other routes and, in the

What do you like best about Richmond?

The mul cultural restaurants

How do you stay healthy in Richmond?

Enjoy the sunshine, especially during winter me.

What’s your favourite area of nature in Richmond?

peak period, he helped to deliver four routes, totaling over 200 papers.

Over the years, he has enjoyed seeing kids and plants grow up, to watching old houses demolished and new ones rebuilt

When his kids were young, some of them would give his kids chocolate during the holidays

With his kids now in their teens, they con nue to support this community job a�er school as they find that it is a meaningful and valuable experience

Dyke Road, from No 2 to No 5 roads Where in Richmond do you to take out-oftown guests?

Steveston!

What is one of Richmond’s hidden gems?

Rice Mill Road, over the George Massey Tunnel.

BEST HOTEL

1 Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel

2 Hilton Vancouver Airport

3 Steveston Hotel Cafe & H Hotel

BEST INSURANCE AGENCY

1 Harris Insurance Services s

2 BCAA

3 Johnston Meier Insurance

BEST JEWELLERY STORE

1 Juvelisto Design

2 Prestige Jewellery

3 Russell Jewellers

BEST LAW FIRM

1 Joe Peschisolido

2 Cohen Buchan Edwards

3 Kahn Zack Ehrlich Lithwick

BEST LANDSCAPER

1 Get Growing Landscaping g

2 Ben's Trees

3 A Plus Lawn & Garden

BEST MORTGAGE PROFESSIONAL

1 Michael Friedman

2 Alice Chan - RBC

3 Kelly Hudson

BEST NEIGHBOURHOOD SHOPPING CENTRE

1 Seafair Shopping Centre

2 Blundell Centre

3 Terra Nova Village

BEST NOTARY PUBLIC

1 Tammy Morin-Nakashima Notary

2 Alena Harelik Notary Public

3 Maida & Chen Notaries Public

BEST HEALTHY FOOD

1 Purpose Smoothie Co

2 The Juice Truck

3 12 Baskets Nutrition & Health Co

BEST HOTEL RESTAURANT

1 Bruno - Versante Hotel

2 75 West Coast Grill - Vancouver Airport M Marriott

3 Steveston Hotel Cafe & Hotel

BEST PET GROOMER

1 Doggie Doos

2 Doggy Six

3 Richmond Animal Hospital

BEST INDEPENDENT PET STORE

1 Companion Pet Food & Supplies Ltd

2 Faithful Friends Pet Food & Supplies

3 Pet Food 'N More

BEST INTERIOR DESIGNER

1 Sandra Flora

2 Cassidy Jarosinski AVRP

3 Mercedes Sanchez Garcia

BEST I.T. PROVIDER

1 CRDS Technology Group

2 MicroAge Richmond

3 Innovation Networks

We

THE BEST OF HEALTH & FITNESS

BEST DANCE STUDIO

1 Defy Gravity

2 Dancibaility

3 The Richmond Academy Of Dance

BEST DANCE TEACHER

1 Rishell O'Brien

2 Jennifer Vartiainen

3 George Pytlik

BEST DENTIST

1 Dr Michele Nielson

2 Dr James Cadigan

3 River Road Dental

BEST DENTURIST

1 Richmond Denture Clinic

2 West Coast Denture Clinic

3 Alex Hupka

BEST EYE DOCTOR/SPECIALIST

1 Dr Lloyd Ho

2 Dr Tod Mcnab

3 Dr Thomas

BEST GOLF COURSE

1 Mylora Executive Golf Courseve Golf Course

2 Quilchena Golf & Country Club

3 Richmond Golf and Country Club

BEST GYM

1 True Conditioning

2 Russel Sean Fitness

3 Thompson Community Association

BEST HEARING CLINIC

1 Connect Hearing

2 Expert Hearing Solutions

3 Steveston Optical

BEST MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO

1 Advantage Jiu Jitsu

2 Richmond Martial Arts

3 Sirota's Alchymy

BEST NATUROPATH

1 Brio Integrative Health Cenntre

2 Dr Romi Fung

3 Dr Helena Zurekova

BEST PERSONAL TRAINER

1 Sophie Manfredi - True Connditioning

2 Richmond Steveston Physiootherapy & Sports Injury Clinic

3 Pilar Bradshaw - True Conditioning

BEST PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINIC

1 True Physio + Pilates

2 Richmond Blundell Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic

3 IP Physiotherapy

BEST SPA/FACIAL

1 Tao Day Spa

2 Palms Day Spa

3 Raintree Wellness Spa

BEST YOGA INSTRUCTOR

1 Elle Terezakis

2 Nica Javadi

3 Mercedes Sanchez-Garcia

BEST YOGA STUDIO

1 True Yoga

2 Oxygen Yoga

3 Calla Prana Yoga

Enjoy park space

Did you know Richmond has a total of 140 parks adding up to more than 2,000 acres of land? It can be overwhelming to navigate the extensive list, so here’s a few to get you started.

Iona Beach Regional Park

If you’re looking for a nice walk on the beach and scenic view of airplanes arriving at Vancouver Interna�onal Airport in the sunset, look no further Visitors can enjoy a long leisurely (albeit windy) walk along the Iona Je y for unobstructed views of the sky, the sea and the mountains.

The park is also located in the middle of the Pacific Flyway and features a wetlands habitat restora�on area, which makes it the perfect spot for spo ng wildlife.

Richmond Nature Park

Located in city centre, Richmond Nature Park’s informa�ve Nature House is the perfect star�ng point

for nature enthusiasts

Regular contributors to the Good Morning, Richmond segment have also recommended the park for budding bird photographers, as the bird feeders make it the perfect spot to hone one’s skills

Garry Point Park

The popular park in Steveston is best known for its 255 Akebono cherry trees, which blossom into a sea of pink cherry blossoms during spring The park also serves as a popular picnic spot with a view of the shoreline, and it had hosted major events including the Pacific Rim Kite Fes�val in previous years

Paulik Neighbourhood Park

Also known as Richmond’s “secret garden,” Paulik Park’s stunning perennials are the cumula�on of joint efforts from local volunteers, many of whom belong to the Richmond Garden Club

Serena Lusk

A resident of Richmond since 2002 and married to a lifelong Richmondite, Serena Lusk is well-connected with the community and enjoys the diversity and culture it offers

Lusk joined the City of Richmond in 2005 and progressed through the organiza�on, embracing management roles and growing responsibili�es within the Community Services Division in both Parks and Recrea�on

She became a member of the City’s Senior Man-

What do you like best about Richmond?

The people, the diversity and the connec�ons Whenever I meet someone new, it is not long before we find wehavesomeotherRichmondconnec�onincommon

How do you stay healthy in Richmond?

Walking with my chocolate lab, Cali, on our many trails and in our parks.

What’s your favourite area of nature in Richmond?

Can I choose two? Terra Nova Rural Park the long history of the site combined with the new features like the play environment offer a day’s worth of enjoyment; Shell Road Trail I love the medita�ve nature of the straight path, along with seeing the foliage

agement Team in 2017, as general manager of Community Services, and took on further responsibili�es as the Deputy Chief Administra�ve Officer in 2020, primarily responsible for the City’s pandemic response

In July 2022, Lusk was appointed to the posi�on of Chief Administra�ve Officer and is grateful to have the opportunity to serve city council, the dedicated team of city staff and everyone who lives, works and plays in the community

change from season to season.

What song best describes Richmond?

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – Richmond is great any �me of year!

Where in Richmond do you to take out-of-town guests?

A whole day tour Garry Point, Steveston Village, Britannia Shipyards Na�onal Historic Site, the ROX and Richmond Olympic Oval, then dinner in the Golden Village

What is one of Richmond’s hidden gems?

Paulik Park – although it may not be hidden anymore

The City of Richmond’s newest CAO, Serena Lusk, has a not-so-secret hidden gem of a park in Richmond, Paulik Park She also has a chocolate Labrador called Cali to enjoy Richmond’s trails with her.