Coquitlam
Port Coquitlam
Port Moody
City puts on a blooming good show for competition
Seniors feeling unsafe in downtown underpasses
Andrés Wine redevelopment plan gets more time
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2022
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Lottery win is ‘life-changing’ + Local athletes bring back medals + PoCo bear is a master locksmith
C A R I B B E A N D AY S
CIVIC ELECTION
Vagramov won’t seek second term Tenure was clouded by sexual assault charge MARIO BARTEL mbartel@tricitynews.com
Marco Esccer (in purple) and Camber Isaac (in black) dance at the Caribbean Days Festival at Town Centre Park last Saturday. The two-day celebration of Caribbean culture, food and music moved to Coquitlam after 32 years in North Vancouver. For more photos, see Page 18. JENNIFER GAUTHIER FOR THE TRI-CITY NEWS
Port Moody will be getting a new mayor. Incumbent Rob Vagramov confirmed to the Tri-City News he won’t be seeking a second term in the upcoming municipal elections on Oct. 15. Vagramov, who ascended to become the city’s top elected official in 2018 after just one term as a councillor, said he’s moving on “due to changing priorities in my life.” He wouldn’t elaborate on his future plans, but he did say he’ll be “providing
a proper statement in due time.” Vagramov added he will finish his current term in office. Just 26 years old when he defeated incumbent Mike Clay in 2018, Vagramov was one of the youngest mayors in Canada. But he got off to a rocky start when, just months into his tenure, he was charged with a single account of sexual assault stemming from an incident that is alleged to have occurred in Coquitlam between April 1 and July 10, 2015. While the charge was ultimately stayed after Crown Counsel and the victim agreed to “alternative measures,” the acrimony it created in council and the community lingered.