Issuu

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

City asks $5.5M for rezoning DAISYXIONG Staff Reporter

DXIONG@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

What’s inside:

NEWS: Public wants TransLink to explore late night train service 3

n It’s the most hectic time to travel and Richmond’s snowy forecast is poised to only make it worse. With a 40 per cent chance of wet snow and flurries expected Thursday — one of the busiest travel days of the year — airport officials are likely prepping for busy taxiways, runways and social media mentions a’plenty. As many as 83,000 people are expected to stream through Vancouver International Airport on Dec. 21, up from the usual holiday average of 78,000. If Thursday is anything like Tuesday morning’s snowfall, expect for some flights to be delayed or outright cancelled. Travellers were reporting up to five-hour delays due to late baggage, fuel issues and de-icing procedures, despite the airport having fully-staffed snow operations and crews working to deice aircraft and clear snow.

ichmond city council has decided $5.5 million is the sum developer Onni Group needs to contribute towards community amenities in order to have its Steveston boardwalk site rezoned from mixed maritime use to commercial use. Council also turned down the company’s proposal to donate a portion of that total to local groups as part of the deal. Councillors, except for Couns. Chak Au, Harold Steves and Carol Day, voted in favour of the proposed amount at the public hearing Monday night. The $5.5 million is the increased value assessed by consultant Richard Wozny, who was hired by the city and who spoke at the public meeting to support this assessment. Onni, however, stuck to its $4.75 million offer made at the last public meeting , which is the midpoint of the increased value assessed by the city’s and Onni’s consultants. Coun. Bill McNulty, who proposed the amount, said he is pleased with the decision. “...we have a consultant who gave this his best shot, analysed it, and he is one of the most recognized consultants in North America; he said that it is fair,” said McNulty. “If we don’t make a decision tonight, we will never make a decision. I think we have to do it,” he added. Day, however, said she is very angry about the result. “It’s a joke; it’s an embarrassment,” said Day. “The amazing village and community we wanted to see… it’s all gone. What have we got? $5.5 million. I think we have short-changed the people of Richmond.” In a letter to council, Onni president Rossano De Cotiis said the company will not offer more than $4.75 million for community amenities but will make a donation of $250,000 each to Richmond Hospital Foundation and the Steveston Historic Society, as part of the deal. This was strongly opposed by a number of councillors, including McNulty who said bringing third parties into the discussion was “an unethical way to do business.” See McNulty page 3

COMMUNITY: Sally Ann kettle donations down from last year 12

SPORTS: Burnett senior boys basketball back in business 30

A2 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

NEWSin the City

Mountie fired for TransLink to study texting teen victim late-night trains Stephanie Ip Postmedia

Richmond RCMP officer has been fired after it was found he had misused police files to contact a 17-year-old sexual assault victim and share flirty texts and a photo of a man in bed with an erection. Const. Brian Eden also used police records to track down the contact information for a woman — who had been issued a speeding ticket by Eden and his partner — in order to ask her out to coffee. “The powers granted a police officer are considerable; the public justifiably expects members of the RCMP to observe the highest ethical and professional standards,” John A. McKinlay of the RCMP’s conduct board said a written decision. The incidents occurred in January and February 2015, while the hearing took place earlier this fall. The written decision was issued last month and obtained by Postmedia this week. According to a summary of the allegations, Eden was assigned to interview a sexual assault complainant in January 2015. After conducting the interview, he used his personal cellphone to text her, “advising her to stay safe and be careful.” About a month later, Eden continued to text the teen, exchanging nearly 300 messages with the girl, including a number of flirtatious messages and inappropriate images. Among those were photos of a shirtless man and another of a man with an erection covered by a bed sheet accompanied by “shhhh.” Among the texts sent by Eden were messages asking the girl to share photos, what she wore to bed, whether she was working and if she wanted to go swimming or to the

gym. Eden’s communications with the girl stopped after the teen expressed suicidal thoughts. Around the same time in early February, Eden and his partner pulled over a vehicle for speeding and issued a ticket to the female driver. During the traffic stop, the driver mentioned a coffee to which the officers declined. Eden then asked about her husband’s work and she said he was an acupuncturist. After returning to the detachment, Eden looked up the driver’s home phone number and called asking for a cell phone number. The individual who answered shared the cellphone number which Eden then used to ask the woman out for coffee. When she declined, Eden attempted to ask about acupuncture services for a previous shoulder injury. During the conduct hearing, the board was told that Eden had previously been diagnosed with depression in 2010 and that he was going through a relationship breakdown at the time of the 2015 incidents. However, the board did not accept that either of those factors “influenced his deficient moral judgment to any significant degree.” “I do not find these factors to have imposed such significant stress upon the (officer) that he experienced mental impairment involving compromised moral judgment, as he continued to perform his duties satisfactorily despite these factors,” read the decision. The board also noted that Eden’s contact with the female driver was unnecessary as he could have easily looked up an acupuncturist via other means. Eden has since been ordered to resign from the RCMP with two weeks of the decision being issued or be fired. The decision is open to appeal.

n TransLink is looking into putting on a latenight train service on the weekend. File photo

Alan Campbell

Staff Reporter acampbell@richmond-news.com

n response to public pressure, TransLink will explore the feasibility of providing extended Canada Line and SkyTrain service on Friday and Saturday nights. TransLink and its operator — the BC Rapid Transit Company — will undertake the following three steps to review the options: Best practice research into how other systems worldwide have managed the introduction of late-night service; Study how extended service can be provided while retaining the necessary maintenance hours that are required to keep the system running safely and reliably, and study the potential financial costs associated with providing extended service; Gather a group of community leaders — including municipal officials, downtown businesses and police — to consider all implications of extended late night service. These discussions will also include other options that could be available to customers such as bus, ride-hailing and enhanced taxi

service. TransLink anticipates early findings will be ready for review mid-2018. However, TransLink says that maintaining a safe and reliable train system will continue to be its top priority and this requires ongoing maintenance, either overnight or during other times of the day. “We have heard there is demand for SkyTrain to run later on weekends and we are taking a fresh look at what would be required to make that happen,” said Kevin Desmond, TransLink’s CEO. “While it has always been technically possible to operate SkyTrain later at night, it would have a significant impact on maintenance. “We are committed to operating a system that is safe and reliable. We want to find out if we can keep that commitment while offering another option for customers who travel late at night.” Meanwhile, Gregor Robertson, Mayors’ Council Chair and City of Vancouver mayor, said it’s time to also help people who are working in Downtown Vancouver late at night.

McNulty accuses Onni of embarrassing him From page 1 “When I got your letter, and I was absolutely rocked,” said McNulty to Onni’s representative, Chris Evans, at the meeting. “You offer $500,000 more but not to the city. You are trying to embarrass me by going through that rout...to a third party to offer other members of the community money.” Coun. Derek Dang also opposed the idea of bringing third parties in to the conversation about zoning and compensation. “There are processes and policies set by the city. Now they [Onni] try to change the rules to suit their own needs because they can get a tax benefit from it. It is just

wrong,” said Dang. (If the $500,000 is claimed as a donation, a significant portion of it would be returned to Onni.) “And they put pressure on councils. If we don’t agree, the third parties don’t get those donations, and we look like the bad guy,” Dang added. Evans responded that the company is doing it as a “creative way to improve our application.” “Our proposed amenity contribution of $4.75 million already represents 100 per cent of the agreed increase in value. We struggle to rationalise a further increase above that,” said Evans. “So we tried to come up with a creative way to improve our application, and we felt

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exact rental rate Onni is going to charge for tenants after the new zoning, which the assessment is based on. Evans said that can’t be known without putting the buildings up for sale. For that, resident John Roston proposed an idea to calculate the actual value increase in the property values three years later, when most units are filled, and ask Onni to pay the difference. But this suggestion was not taken forward by the council. Another resident brought up her concerns about the hotel, which according to Onni, will include kitchenettes. She worried it could attract birth tourism, a phenomenon that’s already occurring in Richmond.

we did so by adding more donations. If the council doesn’t believe in it, that’s 100 per cent their problem.” Past chair of Steveston Historical Society, Loren Slye, who spoke in favour of the rezoning in a previous public hearing, told the Richmond News that he had asked Onni to donate funds to the society, but Onni never approached him or tried to buy his support, and his opinion is not affected by the company in any way, but for the community. “I have asked them to donate funds to our society, as a way for them to give back to the community. But they have not tried to buy me,” said Slye. Discussions also took place around the Regular

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RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

NEWSin the City

Chinese strata proceeds to BCHRT GRAEMEWOOD Staff Reporter

GWOOD@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

case of alleged discrimination by Mandarin-speaking strata council members against their English-speaking neighbours will be heard at a B.C. Human Rights Tribunal hearing. Former Richmond resident Andreas Kargut — who moved to the Interior following what he describes as strenuous living conditions for his family, after his Tribunal claim was filed against the strata — expressed relief in the decision to have the case heard. “I’m very happy about this,” said Kargut. He and eight other owners at Wellington Court, on Heather Street, made national headlines after the Richmond News broke the story in December 2016. They claim racial discrimination from the Mandarin speakers who refused to conduct strata council meetings, including an Annual General Meeting (AGM), in English. The case is unique in so much that ethnic Chinese people are a visible minority in Canada but a majority in Richmond (52 per cent). “Where it occurs, discrimination by the minority against members of the majority group is no more acceptable just because that group has obtained a majority in a particular enclave,” stated Tribunal member Walter Rilkoff in a written statement.

The Mandarin-speaking strata claimed the need to speak Mandarin only because its members were all Chinese and some didn’t speak English (11.2 per cent of Richmond residents cannot communicate in English — by far the highest rate in Canada). Wrote Rilkoff: “Wellington Court is not, and cannot be, a closed community open only to people of one ethnic group. Any owner is free to sell their unit to anyone and anyone is entitled to purchase a unit. That buyer in turn is entitled to meaningfully participate in the Strata’s governance.” Because a small minority of owners cannot speak English at all, Rilkoff suggested “the Strata may be under an obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to the Mandarin speakers.” The Tribunal will explore such matters at a hearing date to be determined.

n MLA Reid calls case isolated

Kargut said he initially had the verbal support of his then MLA, Linda Reid, to change the Strata Property Act to require English in council meetings. “When I first met with her she agreed changes need to be made. The Strata Act was revamped in 2014 and language wasn’t part of that. Linda Reid told me it wasn’t a matter of if a Caucasian person would file a case against Mandarin speakers, it’s a matter of when. That’s what she said. In other words, this kind of stuff

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n Andreas Kargut has taken a Chinese-speaking strata to the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal. File photo

is happening all over Richmond,” said Kargut. But when the News asked Reid this month about changing the Act, she said it wouldn’t be necessary and Wellington Court is an isolated incident. “It didn’t require it and we have no other ongoing complaints at the present time, so we’ll work our way through that process,” said Reid, nevertheless noting that “to be a non-Asian speaker and have the meetings conducted in Chinese puts you at an enormous disadvantage.”

Prior to the May election Reid was Speaker of the House and said she must remain neutral on matters. When he filed his claim in 2016, Kargut contended: “This is Canada and we have to preserve our official languages. We have to be vigilant about this as Canadians. “They are trying to build a monocultural community and are hoping that people who don’t speak their language, and don’t have their cultural background, will move out.”

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RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

NEWSin the City

Poignant parade for Capt. Kongus Hundreds of first responders turn out in honour of fallen firefighter Alan Campbell

Staff Reporter acampbell@richmond-news.com

colourful, yet poignant procession of firefighters and fellow first responders paraded through the streets of Richmond Monday morning to honour Capt. Donald “Bryan” Kongus. Led by a firefighting pipe band, the fullhonours parade for the longtime Richmond firefighter marched to the skirl of Scotland The Brave the short distance from Shellbridge Way in east Cambie to the Fraserview Mennonite Church on Mellis Drive. On arrival at the church, the procession flowed under the arch of two fire department ladders, linked together by the Maple Leaf. Emotional family members of Capt. Kongus wiped away tears as they watched the parade enter the church grounds, alongside members of the public, who had turned out to pay their respects to the fallen firefighter. “I’m here to show support for the firefighters and first responders,” said one woman, who asked not to be named, while choking up. “They go through a lot. My son is a Richmond firefighter and I have two cousins in Delta that are also firefighters.” Another longtime Richmond resident said

he felt it was his duty to make an appearance for the parade. “I know some of the firemen, so I’m just paying my respects,” said the man. “I read about (Kongus) in the Richmond News, so I thought I should come out. I’ve been a Richmond resident since 1969, so I appreciate what these guys do for us.” After the procession, a private service was held inside the church for family members and emergency personnel. The Richmond News reported last week how Kongus was being recognised with a full-honours procession and funeral after being the first firefighter on record in Richmond to have died of work-related PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Kongus, a 44-year-old husband and father-of-four, died in August, after being off work for more than a year. The IAFF Local 1286 — the Richmond firefighters’ union — the Richmond fire department and Kongus’ family wanted to delay any memorial until WorkSafeBC had given its final assessment on the cause of his death. And, recently, after Kongus’ passing was eventually determined to have been caused by PTSD as a result of his work as a firefighter, he was given the reverence of the full-honours service.

n A firefighter pipe band (above) led the procession through Richmond Monday morning in honour of Capt. Donald “Bryan” Kongus, who was the first firefighter in Richmond to have died of work-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Photos by Alan Campbell/Richmond News n More photos and video and online at Richmond-News.com

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A6 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

NEWSin the City

Drivers urged to deter car B&E

Let’s trim our waste!

Alan Campbell

Staff Reporter acampbell@richmond-news.com

HOLIDAY HOURS REMINDER RECYCLING DEPOT

The Recycling Depot is closed on December 25 & 26, 2017 and January 1 & 2, 2018.

CURBSIDE COLLECTION

(City Garbage Cart, Blue Box and Green Cart Collection)

ith Christmas shopping at its peak this weekend, Richmond RCMP is reminding vehicle owners to be cognizant of opportunistic thieves breaking into vehicles. The vehicles can be parked on the street, in a parkade, in your driveway, or shopping mall. The common denominator is the presence of something in plain sight that would tempt the thieves. It is imperative to safeguard your valuables and that means taking the extra few moments to double-check to make sure there is absolutely nothing visible to tempt thieves. “It takes very little time to break a window, reach in, and steal the contents,” said Cpl. Dennis Hwang. “A shopping bag, purse, wallet, backpack, personal electronics, loose change. It could be stolen in the time it takes you to read this sentence. “Thieves are not going to waste their time breaking into a car if there is nothing for them to steal. Don’t make it any easier for thieves. “Make sure your vehicle is secured, locked, and valuables kept out of sight.”

n The busiest shopping time upon us and Richmond RCMP is warning residents to safeguard their valuables while their vehicle is in an unsecured public space. Photo submitted.

If you notice anyone suspicious looking into vehicles, Hwang advises contacting the police immediately.

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RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

NEWSin the City

Ilich donates fees Graeme Wood

Staff Reporter gwood@richmond-news.com

ne of Richmond’s most prominent developers, who believes the free market should dictate where people live, announced he is making a significant contribution to the City of Richmond’s reserve account for subsidized, affordable housing. Rick Ilich, founder and president of Townline Homes, is drawing a line on how his company is to directly profit from speculation, by donating the company’s assignment fees of pre-construction condo sales from Calla at the Gardens, a new development in southeast Richmond. In total, Ilich is giving $46,485 to the City of Richmond and more is expected to be given to community groups, from future assignment fees. “I feel these are fees we don’t need to be profiting from,” said Ilich. Assignment fees are typically charged by developers when a person buys and then sells (assigns) a unit before construction is completed. Pre-construction sales contracts are initially offered to finance developments. But if market rates go up, the buyer can flip the contract and reap the net profits. Since the market is heavily speculative at the moment, numerous flips may occur, thus driving up housing costs. Ilich explained that Townline charges a 1.5 per cent fee for assignments. He said the fees are meant to discourage flipping. And, “it is our policy to continue this

practice and distribute the assignment fees collected to the community that they were generated in,” said Ilich by email. Ilich noted there have been five assignments at Calla. Richmond’s affordable housing reserve is dedicated to providing subsidized housing for low-income people. This year the city increased the contributions it is to charge developers for the reserve, in order to keep up with rising land values. Calla and its adjacent townhouse development, Jasmine, are advertised as “luxurious indoor and outdoor living.” This year, at a Richmond Chamber of Commerce event, Ilich weighed in on affordable housing, stating that the solution to affordability may rest with building smaller units. He also said: “I don’t buy it when people say ‘my family is here, so I have to live here.’ Economics is economics. Some people have to move to other places because that’s where they can afford, which is not necessarily a bad thing.” When asked to clarify his position on affordable housing, Ilich explained that his biggest issue is with the speculation occurring. He maintained that there is a “sense of entitlement” amongst development critics. “And entitlement isn’t a word I like,” he said. Mayor Malcolm Brodie said council welcomed the contribution from Townline. “I think it’s a generous gesture. There are lots of people in our community who choose not to make contributions,” said Brodie.

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A8 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

LETTERSto the Editor Published every Wednesday and Friday by the Richmond News, a member of the Glacier Media Group.

200-8211AckroydRd.Richmond,B.C.V6X3K8 Call:604.270.8031Web:richmond-news.com

n JN Burnett secondary hosted a brunch for seniors in the community. Principal Wennie Walker said students canvassed businesses to donate prizes for the special, annual event. Photo submitted.

Editor Eve Edmonds

EDITOR@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

604.249.3343

Reporters: Alan Campbell

ACAMPBELL@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

604.249.3342

Graeme Wood

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604.249.3329

Daisy Xiong

DXIONG@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

604.249.3348

Sports: Mark Booth

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Director of Advertising Rob Akimow

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604.249.3340

Integrated Media Consultants: Collin Neal CNEAL@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

604.249.3341

Garry McLellan

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604.249.3330

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Digital Sales Manager Kali Andre KALI@GLACIERMEDIA.CA 604.249.3325

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604.249.3336

Advertising Sales: 604.249.3340 advertising@richmond-news.com Delivery: 604.249.3132 distribution@richmond-news.com Classified: 604.630.3300 classified@van.net The Richmond News is a member of the Glacier Media Group. The News respects your privacy. We collect, use and disclose your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Statement which is available at www.richmond-news.com. The Richmond News is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please contact the editor at editor@richmond-news.com or call 604-249-3343. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the web site at mediacouncil.ca or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163.

Brunch blends young and old Dear Editor, On Thursday, Dec. 7, students from JN Burnett secondary’s Leadership Club hosted our annual Seniors’ Brunch. It was a fabulous holiday celebration for 130 seniors from the Richmond community. They enjoyed entertainment from the Jazz Band under the direction of Ms. Freeman, the Glee club and Ms. Zuccolo, a visit from Santa and student

MCs. The students spent the morning serving soup, sandwiches and dessert, while also getting to know the seniors through conversations, singing, and even some dancing! A big thank you to Ms. Musani, Ms. Cain and Mr. Thompson who worked with the leadership students to organize this wonderful event. Elizabeth Li, Grade 12 stu-

Dear Editor, In the Dec. 13 edition of the Richmond News there were two interesting articles concerning Richmond schools. One article concerned the possible closure of the school for special needs students. The school might have to close because of lack of funding from the government. The other article in your paper quoted a prominent B.C. Liberal leader candidate, Mike de Jong and MLA Teresa Wat stating that they are in favour of “expanding Mandarin in the public education system.” How can we ignore our obligations to the special needs children in our community while spending more money on teach-

ing children Mandarin? Mandarin is not one of our official languages. If a parent thinks their child might benefit from speaking Mandarin, let them do so privately. Our priority must be to the basic needs for all of our children — not to a group that seems to think they must have their needs taken care of — even at the cost of others. I hope that our school board and our government are aware of the priorities in our community. How can anyone be in favour of ignoring the needs of the special needs students while catering to elite groups? Where are our Canadian standards in this issue? Eleanor Hamilton Richmond

dent, and a team of dedicated students canvased our local businesses for donations of door prizes for our seniors. We would like to thank all of our sponsors who helped make this such a great morning for the seniors. At the end of the brunch, the seniors received a snowman ornament prepared by Ms. Taylor and her Art students. Meanwhile, photographers

from our JNB Photography class captured moments from the day. Well done and a big thank you to everyone who participated and helped! We are looking forward to continuing this fabulous Burnett tradition in years to come! Wennie Walker Principal J.N. Burnett Secondary

Wat ignores core needs

n Letter writer Eleanor Hamilton points out that while schools are strapped for cash and special needs students are being left behind, Richmond North Centre MLA Teresa Wat’s priority is creating a Mandarin immersion program in B.C. Photo by Daisy Xiong/Richmond News

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

LETTERSto the Editor

It’s the most PC Dam critics lauded time of the year Dear Editor, Christmas is a time for families coming together and promoting the message of peace, love and harmony. Recently, I had an opportunity to attend the Christmas concert/celebration at my grandchildren’s elementary school. The children seemed to be very enthusiastic and proud to put on this event for their, parents, grandparents, guests and school officials. It was a very enjoyable occasion. I would like to commend these children, their teachers and parents for putting it on. However, during the past few years, the political correctness seems to have gone too far. Sometime, people appear to be rather hesitant to wish each other merry Christmas. Often, they tend to substitute it with happy holidays. Christmas is not only a religious celebration for Christians, but also a mainstream celebration. Multiculturalism doesn’t mean that we take away from our traditions but rather add to them. If we can convey greetings to each other on other religious occasions why not on Christmas? Often, minority communities get blamed for such political correctness. However,

most of the time, it is certain over enthusiastic individuals/organizations from the majority /mainstream communities who get carried away and engage in this practice. A vast majority of immigrants are very respectful of our traditions with very few exceptions. We should feel proud to wish each other merry Christmas around Christmas time as we do for other religious occasions. Inclusiveness is one of the most cherished ideals of this nation. As such, we should make every effort to be inclusive and respectful of all of our traditions including Christmas greetings. Merry Christmas! Balwant Sanghera Richmond

Dear Editor, Re: “Site C decision riles New Democrats,” News, Dec. 13. Your recent article regarding Coun. Harold Steves, Jack Trovato and Kelly Greene’s opposition to the Site C dam deserves comment. In respect to the comment about Muskrat Falls, “fiscal mismanagement” was not the issue so much as geotechnical problems, similar to those experienced at Site C, which caused costs to balloon. Like Muskrat Falls, this project should never have been started in the first place (thank Christy Clark for her photo-ops,

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and political posturing.) Recognizing this, history is sadly repeating itself. In closing, I have a lot of respect for the integrity of Steves, Trovato, and Greene for speaking up. Never once have I heard our Liberal MLAs do anything other than kowtow the party line, regardless of the issue. It was John Yap, Linda Reid, Teresa Wat and Jas Johal who supported the Site C circus. Remember that every time you pay your BC Hydro bill in the years to come. I will. Jon Westerley Richmond

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ew research conducted by Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) shows that almost one in five Kindergarten age children in Richmond has visible tooth decay — the highest rate in the VCH region. Researchers said redundant and conflicting information might be the root of the high tooth decay rate. “It’s important to know more about Richmond parents’ beliefs and practices around baby teeth, because tooth decay in baby teeth has significant health impacts,” said Christina Salgado, the manager of Community and Family Health in Richmond. She said for a lot of parents, there was perhaps too much information, from VCH providers and the industry, which can be conflicting and confusing. “Most parents have a clear understanding that they should avoid giving young children

y r r Me as m t s i Chr nd! o m h Ric www.consumersnutritioncenter.ca

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sugary drinks. However, many were uncertain about a lot of basic dental care, such as whether fluoride toothpaste can be used for children or when to start brushing and how many times a day to brush,” said Salgado. “Some parents thought their pre-schoolers were capable of doing a good job of brushing on their own — they aren’t.” She added that many infant and children’s toothpastes purchased locally come from the U.S. and recommendations on the container are not applicable to Richmond. “For example, children here need fluoridated toothpaste at all ages because our water is not fluoridated,” said Salgado. “We have to have a simpler message about oral hygiene.” She and her colleagues will be crafting simple key messages for sharing with all parents and health and dental care providers through Richmond’s innovative website RichmondKids.com. Salgado is hopeful that, by the next survey of Kindergarteners in 2018, tooth decay rates will go down in Richmond’s Kindergartners.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

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A12 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

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ichmond’s Salvation Army is once again feeling the pinch, as storefront kettle donations are down less than a week before Christmas. “We’re down about 10 per cent from last year and, I think, the Salvation Army is, overall, experiencing a little bit of a drop; but we hope to pick that up,” said Major Kathie Chiu, a pastor and corps officer. The losses have recently been compounding year over year. Last year, the Sally Ann hoped to raise $150,000 from its ubiquitous kettle drive but fell short by $10,000. Thankfully, the organization recovered operating costs to ease the burden, said Chiu, however they still sent fewer kids to camp and had less food to distribute during the year. “We really need the support this year,” said Chiu. Last week, Chiu hosted two, annual Christmas community meals for the likes of shut-in seniors, low-income families, new immigrants and anyone else in need of a night out in the community. Helping Chiu serve meals and distribute donated toys last week was Alana Leary, 61, who has lived in Richmond since 1961. She has both given to and received from the

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Salvation Army. It was later in Leary’s life that her daughter fell ill and Leary needed to take care of her grandson. “They really mean it when they say come as you are. They kept asking me, ‘what do you need?’” said Leary, who now rents an apartment in a co-op, and is hoping to help her grandson, now 17, enrol in university. “Churches are nice but the Salvation Army, they’re just there for you. Even when I did kettles for a few years, I had so many people approach me and share their stories — either how their grandparents told them how much the Salvation Army helped, or I had refugees and immigrants saying, ‘you know what, when we came here we had nothing and it was the Salvation Army that came and found us food and clothes and even a home.’ So it was wonderful. “They don’t judge . . . The Salvation Army is the epitome of let me help, let me give, let me take care of you. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’re like, what colour you are,” said Leary. Leary observes that in Richmond there are more people who are homeless and cold, or couch-surfing. Chiu said the growth in homelessness in the city has risen beyond normal population growth in the past few years. The Salvation Army is one of several organizations in Richmond providing services

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From page 12 to low-income and homeless people. Across Canada, according to Charity Intelligence, it is the largest non-governmental social service provider. Charity Intelligence states that across Canada the Salvation Army received $189.6 million in donations in 2016 (roughly 81 cents to the dollar ends up with recipients). Unlike in Richmond, nationwide donations remained stable. Chiu said donations largely “depend on how the economy is going.” Another consideration locally is reaching out to those who may be unfamiliar with the kettle drive. Per census data, Richmond’s new immigrant community is slightly more than twice the provincial rate (7.7 to 3.8 per cent, respectively) and largely from mainland China. And nonpermanent residents also account for 3.3 per cent of the population whereas the provincial rate is 0.2 per cent. “The greater community is learning. Oftentimes the Chinese newspapers will also talk about what we do. So it’s a matter of educating people,” said Chiu, noting the Army’s Chinese congregation is helpful. As well, because the kettle drive deals with cash donations, Chiu said a tap system for credit and debit cards is in the works.

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n L-R: Lena Goto, Erick Solis, Alana Leary, Stephen Peng and Leo Goto served up meals and toys at the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas community meal, for those in need of an extra hand this holiday season. Photo by Graeme Wood/Richmond News.

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hree city councillors are petitioning Premier John Horgan to commit funds towards Richmond Hospital’s proposed acute care tower in the next B.C. budget in February 2018. Richmond First Voters Society, a political group represented by Couns. Derek Dang, Bill McNulty and Linda McPhail, started the online petition at Change.org, recently with an initial goal of 1,000 signatures. To date, it has received more than 500 signatures. “We’ve had governments pay lip service to our needs in Richmond for years and we’re calling on the public to tell the Premier to finally make a commitment,” said McNulty. The councillors listed a few reasons why the project cannot wait any longer in a letter to the provincial government. “Richmond Hospital has one bed available per 1,000 people living in Richmond, the fewest of any hospital in British Columbia,” said Dang. “And our population continues to grow.” Today, stated the petition, with 233 beds, Richmond Hospital serves a city population of nearly 220,000 residents, not including the hospital’s role in servicing YVR airport.

McNulty added that the old acute tower is more than 50 years old and falls woefully short of current seismic standards and “does not meet current health standards.” The letter also pointed out that the $27 million in donations that Richmond Hospital Foundation has raised to build a new tower is at risk without a commitment from the B.C. Government. “Half (of the donations) is tied to a construction start date Time is of the in 2020 and may be revoked if that deadline essence. passes without action,” – Linda said the letter. “Time is of the esMcPhail sence to advance the acute care tower and capitalize on the substantial donations being raised in our community,” said McPhail. “The public has clearly spoken with their philanthropy and now we want them to add their voices, too.” A concept plan for a new acute care tower was delivered by Vancouver Coastal Health to the B.C. government early in 2017. The previous BC Liberal government committed to advancing planning in September 2017, and the BC NDP supported advancing the hospital tower as quickly as possible, prior to the May 2017 election.

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RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

A15

COMMUNITYin Focus

They’re not just in it for the beer Last-minute Steveston shopping promo could be hit with the guys

n Could these four, upstanding Steveston gents, AKA “The Shopping Guys,” be among the last-minute deal hunters in the Village this week? Photo submitted

ALANCAMPBELL

Staff Reporter

ACAMPBELL@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

t might be more by default than design, but a bid by the Steveston Merchants Association (SMA) to attract last-minute Christmas shoppers could end up being a winner for local men. With only a handful of shopping days left until Christmas, the association came up with the idea to convince 22 retailers in the village to stay open until 8 p.m. each night, from Wednesday, Dec. 20 to Saturday, Dec. 23. And to sprinkle some holiday spirit onto the last-minute Christmas shopping cake, three Steveston restaurants are offering beer/food discounts on those four nights to those producing proof of purchase on that day from one of the participating retailers. Although it’s not specifically targeted at the stereotypical male shopper, SMA administrator Carolynne Palla admits the promotion may end up getting their attention. “It’s not exclusively for men, the same way as the Steveston Girls’ Night Out (in November) is aimed at women,” Palla told the Richmond News. “We were just thinking of a way to get people out for later shopping in the last few days before Christmas. “It is very much something for the last-minute shopper and, I guess, many of them just happen to be guys.

“I have to say, the four local guys we used for the photoshoot – we now call them “The Shopping Guys” - were doing some serious shopping and having quite a bit of fun, so maybe we’ve started something.” Just like the Steveston Girls Night Out event, however, many of the participating retailers will be offering deals to go with the discounted beer or food at Britannia Brewing, Blue

Canoe and Little Mexico Cantina. “Women are going to come out, too, I’m sure,” added Palla. “If you show your shopping receipt, you’ll be entitled to a discount at one of the three restaurants.” For the full list of retailers involved and some of the deals on offer, go to the SMA’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/ StevestonMerchantsAssociation.

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A16 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

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VOICESon Gardening

Garden Club members leave Santa a message Lynda Pasacreta Gardening

FROM YOUR RICHMOND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

JOHN OHN YAP, YAP MLA LINDA NDA REID, MLA JAS AS JOHAL, JOHAL MLA TERESA ERESA WAT, WAT MLA RichmondRichmond RichmondRichmond Steveston South Centre Queensborough North Centre 604-241-8452 604-775-0891 778-792-7473 604-775-0754 johnyapmla.bc.ca lindareidmla.bc.ca jasjohalmla.ca teresawatmla.ca

EVENING HOLIDAY SHOPPING Shop local in Steveston Village (until at least 8pm) Wednesday, Dec 20 ~ Thursday, Dec 21 ~ Friday, Dec 22 ~ Saturday, Dec 23

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• • • • • • • • • •

Prickly Pear (Wed-Fri only) Serendipity’s Backyard (Thursday only) Shoppers Drug Mart Sinfully The Best (both locations) Splash Toy Shop Stepin' Out (Thursday-Saturday only) Steve’s Board & Apparel Steveston’s Best of British Treasures Boutique Violet Hill Boutique (Wed - Friday only)

After Shopping Food & Drink Specials • Blue Canoe Waterfront Restaurant* (open ‘til 11pm) • Britannia Brewing Co* (open ‘til 10pm) • Little Mexico Cantina* (open 'til 9:30pm) *Drink or food specials with shopping receipts from listed stores

ear Santa, Our Richmond Garden Club members have been very good this year. There has been so much giving back to the community with our ongoing work in the gardens in the most beautiful park in Richmond, Paulik Park. We gave back with healing and meditative gardens at the Peace Labyrinth at St. Albans Church. Our little roof top urban farm at the Richmond Cultural Centre provided ongoing education to children and adults alike. We planted butterfly gardens in our gardens alongside the Richmond Butterflyway Rangers. We have become stewards of our environment by teaching our garden skills at the Richmond Public Library. For this Christmas, our list is not long but is essential to help us continue our work: n Help us to engage young people to continue working in the field of horticulture, to become garden designers, protectors of our environment and help beautify our community; n Help us to get our community to care about their neighbourhoods and neighbours by planting and caring for trees and flowers, picking up garbage on their boulevards and streets; n Get rid of the chafer beetle. Increase the number of trees in Richmond. We love how they give back to us with increased oxygen, cooling systems for our homes in the summer and beautiful colour all year round; n Help us teach people to grow their own food, no matter how big or small

n The Richmond Garden Club has just a couple of Christmas wishes for Santa this year. Photo submitted

their yard. Help us to teach people to use organic fertilizers and no pesticides for healthy living; n Oh yes, and we would each love to have some lovely pruning shears for all 160 garden club members! We know, Santa, that you care very much for our environment because you travel around the world and see some places where the people struggle to stay warm and find food. We are very blessed to live

in Canada and our beautiful city of Richmond, but we know that we have to think of sustaining our environment so that our children can continue to enjoy our magnificent gardens in places like Paulik Park, continue to reap the harvests of giant blueberries and local farm produce. Merry Christmas to Mrs Claus, your elves and reindeer, Santa. Lynda Pasacreta is the current president of the Richmond Garden Club

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

A17

COMMUNITYin Focus

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embers of Gilmore Park United Church (pictured) took to the streets last Sunday to partake in some old-fashioned Christmas carolling. Rev. Maggie Watts-Hammond told the Richmond News a handful of church leaders, dedicated vocalists and acoustic guitar players circled around Richmond to visit seniors and other church members who are shut-ins. “We just love to sing, so we get out there one Sunday every year,” to visit those who would most appreciate the songs, said Watts-Hammond. Carolling isn’t something

you hear much of these days, said WattsHammond, adding it brings her back to “that time when we were more of a community; when people went to their neighbours and visited that way.” Many of the songs were of the old, classic biblical variety, she said. “It’s a way of reclaiming the carols from the commercialism — to reclaim them for the way they were,” she said. Gilmore Church (8060 No. 1 Rd.) will hold a Christmas service on Christmas Eve at 7 p.m. followed by communion.

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Annual Christmas Kettle Campaign ampaign 2017 20 Goal: $150,000

Kelly* works hard but her minimum wage job is the sole income for her and her children. She does her best to provide for her family but some months she falls short - and that’s where The Salvation Army can help. We provide compassionate, hands on help to people like Kelly every week. When you donate at one of our Kettles you help us help others.

Your donation helps provide:

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Christmas closures

ichmond City Hall will be closed from Monday, Dec. 25 to Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 and will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 8:15 a.m. While city hall is closed, many city services will be accessible through the city’s website. These online services include a variety of transactions, interactive services and data searches. City services such as parks, recreation, cultural centres and the city’s works yard will continue to operate during most of the holidays. The holidays are also an ideal time to visit arts, cultural and heritage venues or spend time outside at one of Richmond’s many parks. For a list of things to do in Richmond over the winter break, visit Richmond. ca/WinterBreak. For those looking to work out during the holiday season, there are eight fully-equipped city fitness centres with holiday hours. Call each facility directly for holiday hours:

n The City Centre Community Centre will be open for business on Christmas Day. File photo

Cambie Community Centre; City Centre Community Centre; Hamilton Community Centre; South Arm Community Centre; Steveston Community Centre; Thompson Community Centre; Watermania; West Richmond Community Centre. The City Centre Community Centre (5900 Minoru Boulevard) is also open on Christmas Day to all ages from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Admission is free. As always, most information, forms, bulletins and flyers are available on the city’s website at Richmond.ca. For emergencies, such as broken water mains, sewer problems, downed trees, traffic lights out, icy roads, or other problems of this nature, call the city’s 24-hour emergency line at 604-270-8721.

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A19

Wishing Everyone Happy Holidays!

Saddle up

fell in love with photography from a young age. I used to carry a film camera with me everywhere, even on my bike. These days I always carry a camera with me when cycling and try to take at least a photo a day. I love sharing with other cyclists, local and elsewhere, in the world. I can’t get enough of taking photos of our local mountains, nearby stretches of road, and especially areas such as Finn Slough. I know a lot of people put their bikes away for six months, usually in October because it gets cold and wet. I understand that, but so far, this December has been fantastic, and I love taking photos in the fog, which we’ve had plenty of lately. A side effect of this is that the air is cold, damp and the roads are always wet, which again will turn off many people from cycling. But the scenery along our rivers is fantastic. If you’re a person who has put your bike away for the winter, or you know someone who has, let me ask you this: Will you be going up to any ski mountains this year? Spending a day out in sub-zero weather, in the snow and ice and having fun? Many people I know will be. Yet, they say it’s too cold and wet to ride their bike. The difference is simply what you wear. People who ski or snowshoe dress for the cold. Fleece jackets, proper gloves, snow pants, goggles and boots. Likewise, these days when cycling I’m

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wearing fleece-lined wind and water resistant cycling tights and gloves, a thinly fleeced shirt and jacket, glasses, shoe covers and a small cap under my helmet. You can still go out and enjoy a sunny day this winter on your bike if you just dress appropriately. I encourage you to think about going for a nice ride along the river this winter, even if it’s cold, or even if the roads are wet. Just make sure the temperature has been above freezing so there won’t be any ice. So why not just take a few minutes to dress appropriately, grab your bike, walk out your door and start riding. Get some fenders for your bike, make sure you have your lights and take a camera and go explore outer Richmond and have fun. Stop in at a local restaurant or cafe and warm up before heading out for more. Geordie McGillivray is an avid Richmond cyclist. His column appears regularly in the Richmond News.

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Best Wishes and Happy Holidays to all! Lo ve from Deb, Pepper an d Soot too xoxo

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Merry Christmas

Wishing all my Clients, Friends, and Colleagues a wonderful Holiday Season. May the coming year bring you Health, Happiness and Prosperity. Thank You for your personal referrals and continued business this year.

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A20 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

business Proﬁle A “Plus 2 of Santa” and a supporting cast of parents stirred up joy at the Children’s Christmas Party at ANAF 284. Photo submitted

Medical Clinic is fully licensed with extended In his 29 years as a Naturopathic Physician, health benefits coverage so if you Dr. Jheeta has helped many are tired of feeling sick, think of an patients with variety of health alternative approach at Richmond concerns. One common factor in Naturopathic Medical Clinic. most of his patients is the impact They include: of diet on health. Dr. Jheeta offers a • Weight Loss simple comprehensive blood test to • Arthritis help determine the impact of food • Diabetes sensitivities on your health. From • Skin Conditions his experience, he’s determined • ADHD that the elimination of food sensitivities can help resolve many Dr. Raj Jheeta ND offers • Migraine Headaches health issues. Richmond over 29 years • Irritable bowels of Naturopathic expertise • Depression/Anxiety The Richmond Naturopathic

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.....at the ANAF 284 that is................. Steveston’s best-kept Entertainment secret!

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teveston Unit No. 284, a private veterans club of the Army Navy and Air Force (ANAF), was founded by 30 veterans from the Steveston area, and has been supporting the community since 1946. Today, 71 years later, it’s still there, serving delicious food to the community, and more importantly, raising funds for much-needed services. Last month, ANAF donated $15,000 to the Citadel Canine Society. This is part of its nearly $50,000 annual donations to the Richmond community. “We are here for the community, for the veterans and for all the functions we do or are involved in. The money we make basically goes back

to the community,” said Ian Parker, president of ANAF 284, who joined the club as a volunteer more than 40 years ago. As one of the top contributors to the Richmond food bank, ANAF also plays a pivotal role in feeding those in need in the local community, by donating up to $10,000 in cash and goods every year. “We were the No.1 donor at one time. We used to go to wholesalers, drive up with a truck, drop off the goods and food at the food bank,” Parker recalled. “Now we mostly donate cash so they can arrange it themselves.” Most of the funds come

from the club’s traditional weekly meat draw, when nearly 200 people gather in the spacious hall on Friday and Saturday afternoon; whoever has the winning number can pick their cut of meat. There is also a Ladies Auxiliary (LA) fundraiser on Sunday afternoons. “People enjoy spending time here. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming,” said Parker. “What you get from a liquor store, you can get here. We have a large selection of craft beer, which is very popular, and a selection of wine as well,” said Parker. The club also offers a variety of delicious food, at an See Special page 21

Christmas Eve Carvery Dinner

Adults: $69.25 Seniors: $62.25 Children (6-10) $35.25

Christmas Day Carvery Brunch Adults : $55.25 Seniors: $49.25 Children (6-10) $ 28.25

Christmas Day Carvery Dinner Adults: $69.25 Seniors: $62.25 Children (6-10) $35.25

New Year’s Eve Carvery Dinner

Adults: $69.25 Seniors: $62.25 Children (6-10) $35.25

Christmas hours: Dec 24 6PM close. Dec 25 closed, Dec 26 Close 6PM (No Kitchen), New Year’s Eve close 3PM (no Kitchen), Re-Open 6:30 Tickets ONLY! New Year’s Day-Closed

New Year’s Day Carvery Brunch

Glad Yuletidings to ALL

New Year’s Day Carvery Dinner

www.anaf284.bravesites.com • Check us out on FB!

ARMY NAVY & AIR FORCE 284 Unit 105 - 11900 No. 1 Road, Steveston Ofﬁce: 604-277-5444 Club: 604-277-7350

Adults : $55.25 Seniors: $49.25 Children (6-10) $28.25

Adults: $69.25 Seniors: $62.25 Children (6-10) $35.25

All prices are subject to a 15% gratuity & applicable taxes.

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RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

ADVERTISING FEATURE

A great smile begins with healthy teeth and gums.

business Proﬁle

Dr. Low is now accepting new patients for general dentistry. Treatment is available in English and Cantonese. Translation is available for Mandarin speaking patients on Saturdays.

Special events galore at ANAF 284 From page 20 affordable price. The kitchen menu varies throughout the year to accommodate different taste preferences and seasons. “For example, we have more comfort food in winter, and we also have brunch on Sunday. People come here for good food; no need to do dishes,” said Parker. There are also live performances every Friday and Saturday night, when a variety of musicians are invited to perform, including rock, country, etc. Special events include bingo and line dancing. Pool, darts and soft/electronic darts are also available here for those who want to play. There are seasonal perks to membership as well: December began with the members’ Children’s Christmas Party, with a capacity attendance of 64 children and a supporting cast of parents and volunteers with a “Plus 2 of Santa” and his Help-Elf; Krampus was conspicuous in his absence. Mid-December brings the addition of turkeys and hams to the meat draws and LA funders - ham/turkey draw occurs at Easter as well. Wrapping up the year is the New Year’s Eve (Ticketed) event which is open to members and public (cash/ chq only); tickets are limited. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., dinner starting at 7 p.m. and music kicking off at 9 p.m.; this year’s band is Midnite Eagles. People can join the club by paying a membership fee of $40 per year, and gain full

A21

Dr. Christopher Low, DMD, MSc., BSc.

劉家文醫師

一個漂亮的笑容由健康的牙齒和牙齦開始劉家文醫師現正接收新診症如果您不方便使用英文，我們的診所能够提供粵語和國語服務。每星期四和星期五我們提供粵語服務。每星期六我們提供粵語和國語服務。如果您需要用粵語或國語來預約，請在星期六與我們的前台 Elsie黎小姐聯絡。

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Mike Harjung (right), (then) head of meat draws, hands a $15,000 cheque to a representative from Citadel Canine Society, as part of ANAF’s near $50,000 in annual donations to the Richmond community. Photo submitted access to the place anytime during business hours, or join as a guest, by signing up at the door, in the traditional way. Be sure to check out the Facebook page (@AnafSteveston284) and website (ANAF284.Bravesites.com) for updated notices, activities and bands or entertainment! Back in the days, the Steveston ANAF club was one of only two establishments licensed to sell liquor in Steveston, and used to have one of the largest city licenses in the Lower Mainland. Now, although clubs have opened on almost every block in the city, Parker believes that the ANAF sets itself apart for its dedication to the community, and it’s important to keep it going. “The whole atmosphere

changed, you can go anywhere in Steveston to have a drink. We serve a particular part of the community, but how to grow beyond that is a challenge,” said Parker. “But if this place goes away, what goes away is donations to the community around $50,000 a year.” Now the Steveston branch of ANAF is going through a transition time, hoping to expand its membership and volunteer base, and attract more young people. “When you eat here, you enjoy the good food and drinks, served by friendly staff, and you are also helping our community,” said Parker. To ﬁnd out more, stop by the club and check it out. Chances are, you won’t want to leave.

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A22 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

KUDOSin the Community

n The Richmond Chamber of Commerce raised $5,300 for Pathways Clubhouse at its annual Christmas lunch. Photo submitted

n The Richmond Devils Senior AA Women’s team once again participated in the Santa Breakfast at Richmond Family Place. This year, Santa was none other than coach Tony Cheema along with some elves from the team (Brynley Ross, Natalie Korenic & Kaarina Swinburnson). Earlier in the week, other players set up and decorated the venue to welcome many new families to Richmond. Photo submitted

n This photo of a coyote on the prowl near the West Dyke Trail was taken by Richmond News reader Chris Alnutt.

Submit your pictures To Editor@Richmond-News.com with The Pulse in the subject line.

n The Koinonia Evangelical Church presented a cheque for $25,000 to the Richmond Hospital Foundation’s president and CEO, Natalie Meixner (third right). Photo submitted

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RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

VOICESon Books

Wednesday,December April 27, 2016 Wednesday, 20, 2017

Night circus will round you up CHRISTINEMcCREA Book Review

rin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus is a spellbinding fairy tale of a novel. Jumping back and forth through time, and moving from London to Cairo to Boston to Montreal, The Night Circus makes you feel as though magic is everywhere, if you just know where to look. Hector Bowen makes his living as a magician. But unlike other magicians of the 1870s, his performances go beyond the usual sleight of hand. Hector, or Prospero as he is known, enchants his audience like no other. When Hector is presented with his estranged five-year-old daughter Celia, he realizes that she has the gift of magic as well, and vows to train her. But Hector is an arrogant man. He binds Celia to an unbreakable vow; Celia, as an adult, will have to compete in a magical contest she knows little about. And Hector, as “coach,” wants her to win. But what will be the venue for this magical showdown? Enter the Night Circus. This is a circus the likes of which the world has never seen. The Night Circus will suddenly appear in

random cities during the overnight hours, making residents feel as though it has appeared by magic. The circus is open each night from dusk to dawn. Each tent is more mesmerizing than the next, with acts that include the incredible tattooed contortionist, a vertical labyrinth with a trapdoor exit at the top, a room full of bottles containing scents that transport visitors to other lands, and of course, the magic of Celia. At the Night Circus, Celia meets Marco, and their romantic connection causes the earth to move – literally. But Marco is revealed to be Celia’s competitor, and the two must navigate an epic romance that seems doomed from the start. Which one will be the victor? Can there be a winner in a scenario where the competitors fall in love? The Night Circus will draw you in just as the fictional Night Circus draws in followers. Many of the novel’s characters can think of nothing else after they attend. Morgenstern’s writing is magical realism at its best; you always feel that you’re teetering on the edge of fantasy and reality, but you can never decide which is best. For more popular reading suggestions visit Richmond Public Library’s website at YourLibrary.ca/GoodBooks.

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A23

Natalie D. Meixner,

President & CEO Richmond Hospital Foundation

Pulse The

of Richmond Hospital

Supporting local health care this season With the holidays now upon us, we reflect on all of the precious relationships we have in our lives. As we visit with loved ones and share in holiday traditions like exchanging gifts, we are reminded how good health truly is the most precious gift we can have. It’s also a gift we can give. The stories of patients and families who are grateful for lifesaving care at Richmond Hospital provide powerful testimonials and inspiration to give with joy to help other patients and families at Richmond Hospital so they too can continue to live healthy lives. I’d like to introduce you to Mel Goodwin, who has lived in Richmond since 1952. In many ways, Mel represents the dramatically growing number of seniors requiring complex care in Richmond, which is one of the many reasons Richmond Hospital urgently needs a new Acute Care Tower now. Mel, who is the husband of Barbara Goodwin, a Richmond Hospital Foundation Honorary Director and lifelong champion for our hospital, spent his lifetime working as an electrical contractor, consultant and project manager throughout Canada and the rest of the world. He shares his personal story how his mobility, independence and ultimately his health were all saved at Richmond Hospital: “I am incredibly grateful to be up and walking, but without the expert care at Richmond Hospital, I could have lost both my feet. “I didn’t fully retire until I was 82 years young, and all of those years wearing steel-toe boots definitely took a toll on my feet. “One day, I noticed that my toe was very swollen and had turned yellow, but strangely I hadn’t felt any pain all day. When I got home, my wife, Barbara, was concerned and took me straight to Emergency at Richmond Hospital

where Dr. Jerry Vortel assessed my feet and discovered I had a very aggressive infection that could spread if it wasn’t treated quickly. “Over the next few weeks, I had to go for an IV every morning. While the swelling had gone down, the infection moved into the bones of my little toe. It was extremely serious but thankfully one of the hospital’s orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Erik Calvert, was able to perform surgery right away and I count my blessings that I only lost one toe. “Without the expert care of Richmond Hospital’s doctors and nurses, the fastmoving infection could have caused me to have my entire foot amputated and I would have lost my ability to get around on my own. “After a second equally serious infection occurred and was cured, I received a series of x-rays, CT scans, and blood tests. My doctors at Richmond Hospital discovered that I have peripheral neuropathy, which impairs sensation and movement. Having an accurate diagnosis was an incredible relief. It explained why I hadn’t been feeling foot pain that would have warned me of infections earlier on. The doctors carefully explained the effects of neuropathy and helped me adjust my lifestyle accordingly. “Now that I’m back on my feet, I am enjoying life to the fullest. My wife, Barbara, and I are looking forward to taking a cruise together, where I plan to dance with her until we can’t dance anymore!” Improved local health care relies on your support. Richmond Hospital Foundation welcomes your donation AND your voice to ensure care now and in the future.

A24 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

COMMUNITYin Focus

Recycle the Christmas tree n The Richmond firefighters’ annual tree-chipping for charity event will again be held at Garry Point Park after Christmas. File photo

hen the Christmas celebrations wrap up, Richmond residents can recycle their tree to help support fire prevention, reduce waste and turn waste into resources. The City of Richmond is offering multiple tree recycling options, but is reminding people to remove all tinsel and decorations before recycling. Options include: Residents with curbside Green Cart

collection may cut up, bundle the pieces and place it at the curbside on their regular collection day. The tree should be cut and bundled to a maximum size of three feet by two feet and four inches in diameter; The city’s Recycling Depot, located at 5555 Lynas Lane, accepts trees between 9 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday. Note the depot is closed on Mon-

days, Tuesdays and statutory holidays; You can also keep the holiday spirit going by bringing your tree as well as a donation to the Richmond Firefighters Association’s annual Christmas tree chipping event. Firefighters will be accepting trees from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6 and Sunday, Jan. 7 at Garry Point Park.

Big rate. Tiny commitment.

Get rid of gadgets after Christmas

ore than 80 per cent of British Columbians have at least one end-of-life electronic device at home. If you’ll be giving or receiving high-tech gadgets this Christmas, you might be wondering what to do with those obsolete items. The Electronic Products Recycling Association of BC wants you to bring old devices to an authorized drop-off location to ensure they get recycled safely and securely. Since the program started in 2007, approximately 190,000 metric tonnes of electronics have been recycled. That means every year, more than three million devices are diverted from landfills and our environment. Recycling also allows valuable materials to be used in the manufacturing of new products. So, what types of consumer electronics can be recycled? Just about all of them: Computers, phones, televisions, printers, typewriters, DVD players, home stereos, video cameras and keyboards. See Reuse page 25

Correction Notice In the ad beginning December 26, 2017, the two Gift with Purchase offers on page 2 were printed with incorrect valid dates. The correct valid dates are 12/26 – 12/28/17. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

BEST BUY - CORRECTION NOTICE NEWSPAPER RETRACTION FOR THE BEST BUY December 15th CORPORATE FLYER

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Contact us today. Call: 1.888.517.7000 Visit: coastcapitalsavings.com/bigrate Interest rates are subject to change without notice and are calculated on a per annum basis. Minimum investment of $5000; eligible for non-registered, TFSA, RRSP, RRIF, and RESP contributions. Offer ends December 30, 2017. Offer available for new money only which must come from non-Coast Capital sources.

Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine In the December 15th flyer, page POP 1, the Nespresso Vertuo Coffee and Espresso Machine (Web Code: 10564675) was advertised with incorrect price and savings claims. Please be aware that this product is available for $319.99, no savings. Please see a Product Specialist for complete details. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our valued customers.

BEST BUY - CORRECTION NOTICE NEWSPAPER RETRACTION FOR THE BEST BUY December 15th CORPORATE FLYER Hamilton Beach Thermal Coffee Maker In the December 15th flyer, page POP 1, the Hamilton Beach Thermal Coffee Maker (Web Code: 10425529) was advertised with incorrect price. Please be aware that this product is available for $69.99, save $20. Please see a Product Specialist for complete details. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our valued customers.

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

COMMUNITYin Focus

Giving the perfect gift is hard.

Reuse, donate your electronics From page 24 Even electric guitars, large ride-on toys, point-of-sale terminals and certain types of medical equipment are recyclable. A handy list of accepted items is available at RecycleMyElectronics.ca/bc. E-recycling tips for Christmas: 1. Recycle your old electronics – No matter how old, most products with a battery or plug can be recycled. To find an accredited drop-off centre near you, visit RecycleMyElectronics.ca/bc and enter your postal code. Ninety-eight per cent of B.C.’s urban population is within 30 minutes of a recycling depot. In fact, there are over 250 collection locations throughout the province; 2. Reuse – If your electronic items are not at the end of their useful life, consider giving them to family and friends. For instance, an old computer might still serve as a functional web browser, and an outdated mobile phone could be repurposed as a music player or gaming device; 3. Donate – Your old desktop or laptop computer might be useful to a non-profit organization. EPRA recommends the BC Technology for Learning Society, which runs the Computers for Schools program. They are an EPRA-verified non-profit that distributes refurbished IT equipment to schools, charities and libraries. A short video “What happens to end-of-life electronics?” tells the story of how devices are recycled – from initial drop-off to audited processing and materials harvesting.

A25

Purchase a $50 White Spot gift card and get a $10* bonus gift certificate redeemable at White Spot in January. *While quantities last. $10 bonus White Spot gift certificate valid from January 1 – 31, 2018. One certificate redeemable per party of two. No cash value. Not valid with any other promotion or online ordering.

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SCHOOL REGISTRATION FOR THE 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR !"# %&'"()*+ ,'"))- .&/01&'0 )22#1/ 3 13*4# )2 51)413(/ 3*+ #+6'30&)*3- /#17&'#/8 9-#3/# 1#4&/0#1 :; <51&- =>? @>AB? @5( 0) :# 46313*0##+ &* ;)61 C*4-&/" '30'"(#*0 /'"))- 2)1 @>ABDAE? 51)7&+#+ 0"#1# &/ 5";/&'3-? /0322&*4 3*+ 51)413( /53'#8 9-#3/# /## 0"# &(5)103*0 +30#/ 3*+ 0&(#-&*# :#-)F! "#$%&'"('%)*

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KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATIONS Parents register at Central Registration at District Board Office

Dec. 2017 9:00am-2:00pm

LATE FRENCH IMMERSION (GRADE 6) January 10, 2018 James Whiteside Elementary 9282 Williams Road

GRADE 1-12 STUDENTS Parents register at Central Registration at District Board Office

Jan. 8, 2018 9:00am-2:00pm

January 11, 2018

'"(*&,#" (++-%.('%)*& Transfer Applications will be received at the requested schools. !Closes February 2, 2018 at 3:00pm.

/%&'"%.' +")$"(0 )+'%)*& EARLY FRENCH IMMERSION, LATE FRENCH IMMERSION AND MONTESSORI applications !Closes January 16, 2018 at 4:00pm. LATE APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER DEADLINE are not entered in the placement process, but added to the waitlist generated from the placements. Applications available at catchment schools and Central Registration and must be delivered by the parent to Central Registration at District Board Office.

)+#*&

Jan. 11, 2018 9:00am-3:00pm )+#*&

Nov. 1, 2017 9:00am-4:00pm

John Diefenbaker Elementary 4511 Hermitage Drive

Registration forms must be completed in person by the parents or legal guardians with all the required documents For more information about Registration for School and District Program Options please go to our district website at www.sd38.bc.ca or call Central Registration at 604-668-6058.

CENTRAL REGISTRATION OFFICE 7811 GRANVILLE AVENUE, RICHMOND, BC V6Y 3E3 OPEN FOR REGISTRATION: 9am – 2pm

A26 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WHAT'SOn

n Everyone is welcome to take part in the pre-Christmas Olympic Parkrun this Saturday along the Middle Arm Dyke Trail. Photo by @JeremyHopwood

n Until Dec. 24:

Skate through a Winter Wonderland: At various times throughout the week, get along to Minoru Arenas, 7551 Minoru Gate to skate to festive music surrounded by thousands of sparkling lights, real snowbanks, decorated holiday trees and more. Regular admission rates apply. Group rates for groups of 10 or more. For more information, call 604-448-5366, email Arenas@Richmond.ca or go online to: Richmond.ca/Arenas.

The Dream Project | $10,000

made to feel very welcome. Each week, they have a tail-walker, so no-one is ever left behind. To receive a time for your run or walk, you need to register for your parkrun barcode. More about our event, and how to register online at ParkRun.ca/RichmondOlympic

n Sunday, Dec. 24:

Steveston Santa Claus Parade: Steveston Village will come alive on Christmas Eve from 6 to 8:30 p.m with the magic of Santa Claus and his annual parade. Come join Santa, Mrs. Claus n Until Dec. 24: and many friends around the streets of Gateway Theatre Presents: A Christmas Steveston on Christmas Eve. This is a free Carol: and family-friendly event. Ebenezer Scrooge is a greedy miser who Non-perishable food donations are despises Christmas. One Christmas Eve, appreciated and he is visited by will be donated the ghost of a to the Richmond deceased busiFood Bank. The ness partner parade begins at and the Spirits 6 p.m. at 3211 of Christmas Regent Street and Past, Present runs up and down and Future. Pleasant, Georgia, Scrooge is given Garry, Richmond the opportunity and Broadway to reflect upon streets, largely behis life, examine tween Second and his heart, and Sixth avenues. The be transformed parade ends at the by the spirit of corner of Sixth Avthe season. enue and Chatham Like all of Street (next to the Gateway’s holiLittle Cantina and day shows of the Mega Sushi). Note past, A Christthat there may be mas Carol will n The annual Santa Claus Parade in Steveston takes last minute tweaks be a fun-filled place Christmas Eve. File photo to the route, due spectacle with to construction. live music for the whole family to enjoy together. For more information, call 604-270n Upcoming: 1812, email: BoxOffice@GatewayTheatre. New Year’s Day 5km at Richmond Olympic com or go online to GatewayTheatre.com. parkrun: Get out for a run on Monday, Jan. 1 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. near the Waterdrop n Saturday, Dec. 23: statue, Fraser River Middle Arm Dyke Trail. Christmas 5K Olympic Parkrun: Get a head start on those 2018 fitness Kick off the Christmas weekend in style goals and sweat out the previous night’s at the free, festive run in Richmond from overindulgence with a free, timed five8:45 a.m. to 10:45 am. Christmas ackilometre walk, jog or run. Whether you’re cessories are encouraged but not obligaold or young, male or female, an Olympian tory. Exercise-induced festive endorphins or you’ve never walked five kilometres guaranteed! The run is a free, timed before, you’ll be made to feel very welcome five-kilometre walk, jog or run which takes at parkrun. Each week, there is a tail-walker place every Saturday on the middle arm so no-one is left behind. Make it a part of dyke trail, close to Aberdeen Canada Line your weekly routine. If you want to receive a station. Whether you’re old or young, male time, you need to register with a barcode at or female, an Olympian or you’ve never ParkRun.ca/RichmondOlympic. walked five kilometres before, you’ll be

Rubina Hope for Kids | $5,000

Richmond RCMP | $11,130

Granby Group of Companies | $6,130 Another program of

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

Richmond Auto Mall | $36,275

Richmond Realtors | $16,000

O’Hare’s GastroPub | $11,480

Opacity Design Group | $12,000

Richmond Hotel Association | $10,000

Bekins Moving & Storage | $7,200

Sirota’s Alchymy | $20,000

Another program of

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A28 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

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RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

A29

THEPULSE WE’VE GOT OUR FINGERS ON IT VICTOR GHIRRA TOY DRIVE

n The Annual Toy Drive in Memory of Victor Ghirra took place Saturday at Riverside Hall, where thousands of unwrapped, new toys were collected en route to charities such as: BC Children’s Hospital; the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau; Canuck Place; the Richmond Christmas Fund and underprivelaged Richmond schoolkids. This was the 11th year of the toy drive, which was started to carry on the work of the late Victor “Secret Santa” Ghirra who, along with his friend, used to fill his car full of new toys and take the lot down to BC Children’s Hospital to make an anonymous donation before Christmas. Photos by Boaz Joseph/Special to the News

Submit Your Pictures To Editor@Richmond-News.com with The Pulse in the subject line. For more photo galleries, visit RichmondNews.com

LONGEST NIGHT AT RICHMOND NATURE PARK

n Richmond Nature Park hosted a Longest Night celebration on Saturday afternoon, where attendees created lanterns to light up the night sky, wrote their wishes on paper to then toss in the fire to set them free. There was also face-painting, seasonal crafts and marshmallow roasting. There was also the new Jingle Bell craft market. Photos by Boaz Joseph/Special to the News

A30 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

SPORTS Beyond the Scores

Got Sports?

Contact Mark at mbooth@richmond-news.com or 604-998-3615

Sports Shorts SCOREBOARD PACIFIC JUNIOR HOCKEY Tom Shaw Conference W L T OTL Pts Delta 25 2 0 1 51 Richmond 19 5 1 2 41 North Van 18 8 0 3 39 Grandview 18 10 1 2 39 Port Moody 8 19 0 1 17

■ Burnett Breakers Theo Galano-Tan drives to the hoop in his team’s 93-80 home floor win over the Hugh Boyd Trojans on Monday night. The result improved their Richmond Senior Boys Basketball League record to 2-2. They are back in the city circuit after a one-year hiatus.

Burnett Breakers back in business Mark Booth

Sports Editor mbooth@richmond-news.com

The No. 2 ranked McMath Wildcats are taking aim at their first-ever B.C title. The Richmond Colts and McNair Marlins are top 10 teams hoping their season goes well into March. The Burnett Breakers are just happy to be playing again. The Breakers improved to a 2-2 in the Richmond Senior Boys Basketball League after holding off a young Hugh Boyd Trojans team 93-80 on Monday. It was hardly a marquee all-city match-up but given where the Breakers were a year ago, the spirited battle in front of an energetic crowd added up to a great night for Richmond high school basketball. Losing had taken its toll on a program that one time challenged for league bragging rights and featured future Langara star Elliot Mason. Following its second straight winless league campaign, the Breakers did not floor a team last season. There still was a hunger for hoops in the school. A promising junior team finished with a 7-3 city record while the adjacent Thompson Community outdoor courts were always busy with pick-up games.

Vaughn Gordon was one of eight players hoping he got a chance to play basketball again in his Grade 12 year. That was confirmed when outside volunteer coach Kirk Bullough agreed to oversee the senior team back in September. “It is really nice being able to play finally,” said Gordon. “I didn’t play much at all last year, just mostly focused on school. It’s great to have a coach like Coach Kirk and also have some great guys around me too. We have been working hard all season so it’s nice to come out and showcase that to the fans.” It’s not even January yet and the Breakers have already made some significant gains. Last week’s triumph over McRoberts was their first league win since the 2013-14 season. Now they are taking aim at ending a four-year playoff drought. The victory over Boyd went a long way towards accomplishing that. Bullough is also making sure the future is being looked after too. His roster features a whopping 17 players, including seven Grade 11s and two more in Grade 10. Forward Alex Hsiao is among the talented players from last year’s junior team and led the Breakers with 23 points Monday. Burnett can shoot the ball and loves to run too. That has been Bullough’s game plan since day

one. “It’s nice when you get athletes. I have been at schools where don’t have a bunch of them,” he explained. “They told me right from the beginning that they didn’t have the organizational strength because they hadn’t played organized basketball for a while. I told them I could teach them a system that didn’t require a lot of organized plays. It’s just run like crazy. That’s all we are trying to do. We are using that to our advantage.” Even bigger than the wins are the smiles on players’ faces, especially the Grade 12s. They are playing senior basketball again with their classmates while others are cheering them on in the stands. “I didn’t think we would be doing this well,” smiled Gordon. “I’m impressed with everyone on our team and coach Kirk is doing a really good job. We were just hoping to have a team this year. That was it.” At the buzzer… The Wildcats enter the holiday break with a 5-0 league record. The city’s only other unbeaten team is RC Palmer (3-0) thanks to an 87-65 win over longtime rival Cambie last week. The Griffins earlier slipped past StevestonLondon 76-75.

Harold Brittain Conference R. Meadows 20 9 1 0 Abbotsford 18 9 1 3 Mission 12 17 0 0 Langley 9 18 1 1 Aldergrove 8 15 1 2 Surrey 1 28 0 1

41 40 24 20 19 3

Sockeyes Scoring GP T. Andrews 26 B. Gelz 27 N. Bizzzutto 27 N. Wozney 23 A. Badh 27 T. Paterson 27

Pts 50 29 28 25 23 22

G 22 10 18 6 8 11

A 28 19 10 19 15 11

SOUTH COAST WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE GP W L T Pts Fraser Valley 14 10 1 3 23 Meadow Ridge 13 7 4 2 14 Richmond 11 5 4 3 13 South Fraser 13 6 6 1 13 TWU 8 3 3 2 8 Island 13 3 8 2 8 Kamloops 11 2 6 3 7 North Shore 10 2 6 2 6 SENIOR BOYS BASKETBALL GP W L Pts McMath 5 5 0 10 Palmer 3 3 0 6 Richmond High 4 3 1 6 McNair 3 2 1 4 MacNeill 3 2 1 4 Burnett 4 2 2 4 Cambie 3 1 2 2 Steve-London 4 1 3 2 McRoberts 4 1 3 2 Boyd 3 0 3 0 Rmd Christian 4 0 4 0 SENIOR GIRLS BASKETBALL McMath 1 1 0 McNair 1 1 0 Cambie 1 1 0 McRoberts 0 0 0 Richmond High 0 0 0 Steve-London 1 0 1 Boyd 1 0 1 Rmd Christian 1 0 1

2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0

JUNIOR BOYS BASKETBALL MacNeill 3 3 0 Richmond High 4 3 1 Steve-London 2 2 0 Boyd 2 2 0 Cambie 2 1 1 McNair 2 1 1 McMath 4 1 3 McRoberts 3 0 3 Rmd Christian 3 0 3

6 6 4 4 2 2 2 0 0

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RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

A31

SPORTS

British Columbia

Top ranked Seafair Bantams capture Victoria tournament Mark Booth

Sports Editor mbooth@richmond-news.com

he Seafair Islanders sure know how to deal with a little adversity. Coming off their first loss of the season, the province’s top ranked Bantam rep hockey team captured Victoria Racquet Club’s 45th annual Rick Lapointe Memorial Tournament on the weekend. The Islanders capped an unbeaten run with a dominating 6-0 victory over the Camrose Red Wings. The teams had met earlier in the tournament and battled to a 1-1 draw. This time, the Islanders were in complete control, outshooting their Alberta opponent 36-13. Michael Abgrall led the way with two goals and one assist. Linemate Jayden Uy also enjoyed a three-point game with a goal, while Jacob Bonkowski scored twice. Dominic Passalacqua had the other Seafair tally. Goaltender Dylan Tsang earned the shutout. Uy led the tournament in scoring with 13 points, including seven goals. Abgrall finished with six goals. The Seafair roster also featured: Josh Wessels, Davis Sato, Austin Kofler, Jacob Bonkowski, Carson Bigras, Thomas Tien, Ethan Riesterer, Tate Taylor, Tyler Matsuo, Ethan Yodogawa, Joshua Mori, Nico Fromm-Delorme, Ryan Bal, and Ajeet Gundarah. The Islanders opened with a 7-2 win over the Saanich Braves and also slipped past Chilliwack 4-3 before defeating Langley 6-2 in the semi-finals. That was a rematch of the Seafair Icebreaker final back in October that saw the hosts win in a shootout. Since then, they had been on a major roll that included 10 straight wins in PCAHA

Tier One League play. That was until they were surprised 4-1 on home ice by Semiahmoo, three days prior to the Victoria tourney. It was the first loss dating back over 20 games, including pre-season and tiering play. “I could feel the erosion coming in our game,” said head coach Steve Robinson moments after the loss. “We played a game a few nights ago in Langley where we ended up winning 6-4 but I was driving home wondering how did we win that game? We were down 1-0, 3-2 and 4-3.” Robinson felt the loss would serve his players well moving forward and that was certainly evident in Victoria. They also returned to league play Tuesday with a dominating 7-1 win over fourth-place Ridge Meadows. Two more PCAHA regular season encounters this week will be followed by the Pat Quinn Classic in Burnaby over the holidays where the Islanders have been asked to move up to the Bantam Elite Division after initially entering the “AAA” tier. They will see a steady diet of academy programs and are the only public association entry at that level. Academy teams are considered to have a distinct advantage with no player boundary rules. Defending champion Delta Hockey Academy Greens, for example, have a roster that features talent from Oregon, Edmonton, Vancouver Island and five Metro Vancouver cities. “The AAA Division is no push over but at the same token most of these guys are here trying to aspire to something and figure we would do it,” added Robinson. “We might end up 2-2 or whatever, but at the end of the day the kids will get more from it.”

Photo by Robert McDonald

■ Seafair Bantam A1 Islanders continued their outstanding season to date by capturing the 45th annual Rick Lapointe Memorial Tournament in Victoria. The Isles are ranked No. 1 in B.C.

JOIN our team

Experience the power and joy of sport Special Olympics changes lives, hearts, and minds through the transformative power and joy of sport. Through our year-round sport and youth programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities and our work in health, Special Olympics fights inactivity, injustice, and intolerance. Our athletes become accepted and valued members of their communities, and help lead the way to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Starting in 2018, SOBC will offer a basketball program in Richmond that caters to the Chinese community. Instruction will occur entirely in Mandarin and Cantonese. Please contact us to learn more!

Our thanks to these valued provincial partners for making a difference with Special Olympics BC:

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Sockeyes looking for 9th straight win T he Richmond Sockeyes will be looking to enter the holiday break with their ninth consecutive win when the Mission Outlaws visit Minoru Arenas on Thursday at 7 p.m. The hottest team in the Pacific Junior Hockey League rolled to a 10-5 win over the Surrey Knights last week, outshooting the hosts 62-26. Arjun Badh led the way with five points, including a pair of goals. Tyler Paterson and Noah Wozney also scored twice. Paterson added two assists. Other goal scorers included Marcus Sihota, Andrew Kemp, Shakeel Ebrahim and captain Tyler Andrews who also had two assists. Andrews sits

second in PJHL scoring with 50 points in 26 games. The Sockeyes currently own the league’s second best record at 19-5-1-2 and enter this week 10 points back of the Delta Ice Hawks with a game in hand. After hosting Mission, they will be idle until the PJHL Winter Classic comes to Minoru Arenas for the second straight year from Jan. 5-7. Richmond takes on Grandview Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. then face Langley two nights later. Interim head coach Brett Reusch remains in charge behind the bench after the club parted ways with Steve Robinson prior to a 6-5 overtime win against Delta on Dec. 7.

Volunteer | Donate | Participate www.specialolympics.bc.ca | Email info@specialolympics.bc.ca Facebook & Instagram specialolympicsbc | Twitter @sobcsociety

A32 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017

RICHMOND-NEWS.COM

SPORTS

Panther Cheer in fine form at Olympic Oval T

he B.C. Cheer competitive season kicked off at the Richmond Olympic Oval with the 18th annual PINK Cheer Championships. The event is the longest running competition in Western Canada. A total of 79 teams, comprised of over 1,100 athletes, were in attendance including clubs from Kamloops and Vancouver Island. Hosted by Pinnacle Cheer Events (www.pinnaclecheerevents.com) it is a favorite among many of the programs in the Lower Mainland

who choose it to kick-off their competition season. Panther Cheer Athletics co-owners, Stephanie Kennedy and Dawn Silver choose to attend as it helps their coaching staff push teams to get ready before Christmas and to get valuable feedback from judges before the new year. Panther Cheer Athletic teams will be travelling to the US early in January. “We strongly believe that those programs that take advantage of this early season event have a def-

■ All nine Panther Cheer teams had top three finishes at the 18th annual PINK Championships held at the Richmond Olympic Oval with six of them winning champions’ banners.

inite advantage moving forward. It gives our coaches a chance to take the feedback from the judges and upgrade and modify the routines as needed,” says Kennedy. “Attending this event is what gives us a strict timeline in developing our routines and guiding our training. We know that three weeks before the event all of our teams must be running full routines. “By the week before, all the teams are running ‘clean’ routines, meaning anything that coaches

CHURCH

feel is not working has been changed and modified to ensure our athletes have success and feel proud of what they accomplished at this event.” Their results speak for themselves. All nine Panther Cheer teams had top three finishes. Six of them brought home the championship banner. “This event is also the first competition for many of our “new to cheer” athletes who are on