maple ridge pitt meadows times february 18 2014
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Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Times February 18 2014TRANSCRIPT
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Tuesday, February 18, 2014
• LOCAL NEWS, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT • mrtimes.com • 604-463-2281 • 16 PAGES
A play, conceived and acted byyouth, delves into the
experiences of new Canadians.
Page A4
Fatal shooting
Ridgemanshot withcrossbowA young Maple Ridgeman is recoveringfrom an unusualshooting in Missionon Valentine’s Day.by Roxanne [email protected]
A Maple Ridge manwas shot with a cross-bow before an allegedshooter turned the bowon himself.
Police say one man isdead and another is inhospital after an attackin downtown Missionon Valentine’s Day.
The 23-year-oldMaple Ridge man wasstruck once with acrossbow bolt, but wastreated in hospital andexpected to survive,said Mission RCMP Sgt.Shaun Wright.
In the meantime, theother man has died ofwhat’s described asself-inflicted wounds.
Shortly before mid-night Friday, MissionRCMP received reportsof a man being treatedat Mission MemorialHospital for injuries toboth his right arm andside of his torso, Wrightexplained.
The victim had appar-ently been attacked in aparking lot in the 7200block of Horne Street,Wright explained.When police attend-ing, Mounties found anunconscious 59-year-old Nanaimo man, alsosuffering from “severeinjuries,” which a fewhours later claimed hislife.
• More at www.mrtimes.com
For George Lacny and thegang at SKY Helicopters,it’s all about presenting adifferent experience of flight.by Eric [email protected]
Bryce Westlund has a cool joband he knows it.
Westlund is a pilot for SKYHelicopters, a Surrey-basedhelicopter company, with anoperations base at Pitt MeadowsRegional Airport.
The mellow, easy-going pilot,who has been with SKY since2011, said he likes seeing the reac-tion of people who have neverbeen in a helicopter before.
For George Lacny, sales andmarketing director for SKY, giv-ing people that experience is thewhole philosophy behind the com-pany.
And recently, thecompany was atGolden Eagles Golfand Country Club,putting on its dis-cover flights, wherepeople could experi-ence about fiveminutes of flight ina helicopter for lessthan $50 –$39.95 tobe exact.
“We get people upin the air, experien-cing what all the funand excitement of what helicopterflight is all about,” Lacny said.
“We’re redefining how people flyand the kind of experiences theycan have.”
The experience was one thatAnne Kennedy, a Coquitlam resi-dent who – before participatingin one of the SKY discover flights,had never been in a helicopterbefore, called “so awesome.”
Though the discover flights wereonly five minutes long, Lacny saidthe company has the ability to flythroughout the Lower Mainland, toVancouver Island, and even to theB.C. Interior, noting that Westlundflew a businessman to Vernon andback one time.
Of course, longer flights costmore, but Lacny explained that thecost is for the helicopter – not forthe person. This means that peoplecan get together and split the costof a trip to the Island, for example,rather than being charged individ-ually.
The discover flights from GoldenEagles took clients up around PittLake and the surrounding moun-tain range, offering views of thePitt River, Golden Ears Bridge, andeven Mount Baker.
The chopper used for discoverflights was a Robinson R-44– Raven Class, a comfortable,smooth flying machine.
Using Golden Eagles as the take-off and landing site was no mis-
take, as the golf course –whichalso happens to be a popularwedding facility – has part-nered with SKY to offer thingslike sightseeing tours, directlyfrom the golf course.
Lorae Brickwood, director ofsales and marketing for GoldenEagles, as well as the FallsGolf Club in Chilliwack, saidthe partnership with SKYbegan in 2013.
“I started looking for dif-ferent options to get bridesin helicopters, and try andfind something unique,” sheexplained.
“SKY Helicopters is fantas-tic because they’ll think out-side the box.”
That “outside-the-box” thinkingincludes offering things like wed-ding photos on a glacier and quickheli-tours for wedding guests.
SKY, which began in 2011, is
still a relatively small company,with only three full-time pilots.
Lacny said the company is grow-ing and expanding, as they getbusier, they’ll bring in more pilots.
“The last year, we’ve seenincredible growth,” he said.
Lacny added that the companygets involved in the com-munity through sponsorshipof events, as well as simplyoffering their services to addto an event.
“What we do, is bringhelicopter flight to thoseevents,” he said. “It givesthe event kind of that ‘rock-star factor,’ and that’s some-thing that’s fun and it’s areally good opportunity to
give people that experience.”For more information on SKY
helicopters, people can visit www.skyhelicopters.ca.• More at www.mrtimes.com, search “SKY”
Aerial tours
Chopper tours redefine flying
www.m
rtim
es.co
mViewvideo &photoswith
or online
Eric Zimmer/TIMES
Bryce Westlund, a pilot for SKY Helicopters, flew over the approach to Pitt Lake (inset)and much of Pitt Meadows during a recent discovery tour.
A2 Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times
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UpFrontMaple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times Tuesday, February 18, 2014 A3
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Clickfor community
Costs calculatedThe Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows school
district has estimated it will cost $5.48million to bring staffing levels back towhat they were in 2002. This informa-tion was calculated for the Ministry ofEducation after a recent court ruling torestore levels back to 2002.
• More at www.mrtimes.com
Guess who I am?This Who Am I? Facebook feature is
part of a twice-weekly TIMES giveaway,where readers are asked to identifypeople from this community’s distantand recent past. For instance, answercorrectly on our Facebook page with thename of this week’s subject, before 9 a.mFriday, to be entered. Last week’s picturewas of former Maple Ridge mayor andcouncillor Kathy Morse. Congratulationsto last week’s winner, Alvin Cohen.
• More at www.mrtimes.com
Fat is a foodie’s friendTIMES columnist Chef Dez explains in
his latest column how fat is a good thingin moderation.
• More at www.mrtimes.com
Chef Dez is a food columnist and culinary instructorin the Fraser Valley. Visit him at www.chefdez.com.
Send questions to [email protected] to P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 6R4
On Cookingby Chef Dez
TIMES files
Who is the man with his hands up?
This is part two in a serieslooking at taxation: wheredoes the money come from?
by Maria [email protected]
Anger at residential taxesresulted in a petition askingfor zero tax increases in PittMeadows for the last two years.
And, in Maple Ridge, onecouncillor, Corisa Bell, votedagainst the Maple Ridge budget,saying she thought it wouldhave been possible to keep taxincreases lower.
But many business owners willsay the amount they are taxed– about three times more thanhomeowners in Maple Ridge andPitt Meadows – has an impacton their bottom line.
Terry Becker, who is the officeadministrator at Becker andCompany, a law firm in PittMeadows, and president of thelocal chamber of commerce,calls business taxes a “jobkiller.”
The property where Beckerand Company rents wasreassessed last year, resultingin a $2,000 increase in propertytaxes per month, said Terry.
“When we’re paying three anda half dollars for every dollar aresident does and consumingvery few ser-vices, that’s atoo huge pillto swallow,”she said.
JohnBecker, aformer PittMeadowscouncillorand owner ofBecker andCompany,pointed out that businesses don’tuse the same level of services asresidents do, yet they are taxes3.5 times higher.
“It’s a question of fairness andreducing the burden on businessowners,” John said. “With moremoney in their pockets, businessowners can invest in their busi-ness and hire more people.”
John said he believes the rea-son municipalities tax businessesso high is because businessowners don’t have a vote.
“The tax load is being shiftedfrom the voting resident to thenon-voting resident,” he added.
Historically, Pitt Meadowshasn’t had a large commercialbase, but this has improved inthe past few years, he pointedout.
Todd Farina, owner of DiverseFlooring in the Maple MeadowsBusiness Park, is annoyed atthe high taxes, and he can’t seewhere the money goes, sayingthe District is “definitely lacking”
in servicescomparedto othermunicipal-ities.
“I don’tknow whatwe’re pay-ing forexcept...policeand fire,”Farina said.
He can’t understand why thereis such a huge spread betweenbusiness taxes and residentialtaxes, Farina added.
“I don’t know how they justifyit,” he said, adding, “I’d like tosee lower taxes and/or have asay in how our taxes are spent.”
Maple Ridge revenuesThe total Maple Ridge budget
for 2014 is expected to be $124.6million. Of this, $68 million, or55 per cent, is property taxesfrom residential, business, farm-ing, and other classes.
Residential taxes account for
almost 78 per cent of all prop-erty taxes in Maple Ridge. In2013, that brought in about$48.9 million.
Businesses, on the otherhand, account for 6.6 per centof assessed value, but they paid16.1 per cent of all propertytaxes, bringing in about $10 mil-lion. Light industrial propertytaxes in 2013 were about 4.2 percent, or $2.6 million.
The District of Maple Ridgecollects other fees, and these areestimated to total $36 million in2014.
Maple Ridge will charge a flatfee of $502 in 2014 for water– which works out to $1.38 perday per household. Of the $502,$302 goes to purchasing waterfrom Metro Vancouver, $114 isfor local operating expenses, and$84 is for capital projects or ratefluctuation.
The District will charge a $322fee per home for sewer, of which$206 goes to Metro Vancouverfor waste water treatment.
Pitt Meadows revenuesIn Pitt Meadows, property
taxes are estimated to bring inabout $16 million in 2014.
Residences make up 85 percent of the assessed value in theCity, but will bring in 62 percent of the revenue.
Businesses make up almost 12per cent of assessed value, butthey will make up almost 28 per
cent of revenue.For example, in 2013, a house
worth $500,000 paid $1,886.20in property taxes.
However, a business prop-erty assessed at $500,000 paid$5,838.80 in taxes.
In 2013, residential propertytaxes brought in $10 million,while business paid $4.4 millionin taxes. Light industry contrib-uted $800,000 in taxes.
In 2014, water will cost eachPitt Meadows household $438,sewers, $283, and garbage, $253.With diking fees and stormdrainage fees, each householdwill pay $1,072 in utilities.
Transit fees standardEach property tax notice also
includes a fee for TransLink, theregional transportation authority.
The rate for TransLink is setby the transit authority and allmunicipalities covered in theSouth Coast British ColumbiaTransportation Authority, whichincludes Maple Ridge and PittMeadows, pay the same rate.“Therefore, a taxpayer in Pitt
Meadows pays the same as anyother municipality within thisregion,” said Pitt Meadows dir-ector of finance, Mark Roberts.
In 2013, the mill rate was.3252, which meant a houseassessed at about $430,000 paid$140 to TransLink.
• More at www.mrtimes.com,search “Becker”
Translating taxation
Business: taxes affect bottom line
Todd Farina,owner of DiverseFlooring in MapleRidge, wouldlike to see moreservices for thetaxes he pays asa business owner.
Maria Rantanen/TIMES
“With moremoney in theirpockets, businessowners can investin their businessand hire morepeople”John Becker
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A4 Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times
A play will tell the storiesof young people and thestruggles they face.by Maria [email protected]
Eleven youth will put on anedgy play this Wednesday atThe ACT, based on their ownpersonal experiences.
The performance of Just Us!is free to the public and is partof the Welcoming Communitiesinitiative.
Leanne Koehn and JamesRowley, both with extensive the-atre experience themselves, havebeen leading the group of young
people in the development of theplay, meeting twice a week sinceNovember.
The play was written byRowley, but it is completelybased on what the youth haveexperienced, eitheras new Canadiansor First Nations orother diverse groups.
It is “their wordsand their stories,”Koehn said.
She was surprisedat how powerfulthe experience hasbeen, and she is impressed bythe courage the kids have shownin stepping up and telling theirstories.
“It gets into some deep places,
but the joy of the show is thekids getting together,” Koehnsaid. There is also a lot ofhumour and creative staging,with the kids posing as all theprops.
The first perform-ance is scheduledat The ACT onWednesday, Feb. 19.The play will alsobe performed at PittMeadows Secondaryon Feb. 26 for PinkShirt Day.
The last perform-ance is on March 14 at TheACT for the finale of the largerWelcoming Communities initia-tive.
• More online at www.mrtimes.com
Multiculturalism
Youth create theatre to highlight diversity
Maria Rantanen/TIMES
A group of youth have created a play that deals with multiculturalism and diversity.
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RCMP found chemicalsand equipment used forcreating illicit drugs at ahome off Fern Crescent.
A combined forces unitraided a home on 130thAvenue near Maple RidgePark Thursday afternoon.
Investigators wearinghazmat suits worked insidea garage in the large home,after the Combined ForcesSpecial Enforcement Unit(CFSEU) executed a searchwarrant.
It was part of a largerinvestigation, Sgt. LindseyHoughton from VancouverPolice told The TIMES.
The home was recentlysold, but unoccupied,Houghton said. But policedid discover “a small quan-tity” of chemicals andequipment inside, indicat-ing people were creatingillicit drugs.
Houghton didn’t call it a“huge” lab, but said CFSEUcalled in the hazmat andclandestine lab teams tohelp clean up.
This was the first visitto Maple Ridge in connec-tion with the case, andHoughton said, it is expect-ed to be the last.
“It’s the first step in whatwe believe to be manysteps,” he said the investi-gation is ongoing.
The CFSEU consistsof not only RCMP mem-bers but also policeofficers from citiesincluding Vancouver,New Westminster, andAbbotsford. The group ismandated with investigat-ing gang conflict in B.C.
Chopper nab thiefA car thief’s joyride came
to an end just before mid-night Thursday, when thesuspect was arrested inthe Haney area of MapleRidge.
A 24-year-old, believed tobe a Maple Ridge man, and“extremely well known
to police,” was taken intocustody at about 11:44p.m. Thursday night, saidCpl. Tony Vanags of RidgeMeadows RCMP.
The suspect is facingthree counts of possessionof stolen property and onecount of driving while dis-qualified.
It’s believed the suspectstole a mid 1990s HondaCivic on Thursday after-noon in Surrey, Vanagsexplained.
The suspect then drovethe car to Maple Ridge,where he dumped it inthe 12200 block of GeeStreet, and apparently stoleanother vehicle.
Again, he picked a mid-’90s vehicle, but this timeit was a Acura Integra.
There was “no realchase,” Vanags said, butan arrest finally tookplace not long after thesuspect parked the Acuraon Dewdney Trunk Road,close to McIntyre Court.
In total, it was a two-and-a-half hour “surveil”by police and the use of aRCMP helicopter that ledto the suspect’s arrest.
While only two vehicleswere apparently stolen, theyoung man faces a thirdcount of possession ofstolen property that stemsfrom items found insidethe car during the arrest.
The suspect is believedto have acted alone,Vanags said, noting thiscase is not believed tohave ties to any criminalorganization.
Police blotter
Mounties raid rural drug homeOfficerswearinghazmat suitsinvestigatedinside agarage of ahome in ruralMaple RidgeThursdayafternoon.
Troy LandrevilleTIMES
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times Tuesday, February 18, 2014 A5
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OpinionA6 Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Our View
Oppositesjoining battle
Here’s a first worth noting: JordanBateman of the Canadian TaxpayersFederation announced last week thathe would be in the B.C. Legislature onMonday morning to support a motionby… wait for it… the NDP.
Although it would take a prettykeen set of eyes to find commonground between the CTF and the NDP,Bateman’s announcement was not asearth-shattering as it may have seemedat first blush. The federal NDP hasplaced itself at the head of the paradethumping the drum for abolition ofCanada’s senate, and the provincialwing of the party is picking up the beat.
The CTF has been loudly bangingthat same drum. Indeed, they got thedrumbeat going before federal NDPleader Tom Mulcair picked up his drum-sticks with both hands.
The CTF started its call for a nationaldebate and a referendum to push forthe end to the Senate. They attractednational attention with a centrepiecefor their campaign: a 30-foot-tall bal-loon that happened to bear a remark-able resemblance to a senator whoseexpense claims, along with those of sev-eral others, have been under investiga-tion – and brought to light an apparentculture of largesse that seems to perme-ate the Upper Chamber.
The Senate has painted itself into acorner, and some of the dirtier coloursare rubbing off on all of Parliament.
In light of the loud noises emanatingfrom the senate expense scandal, it’seasy to understand why there is suchdeep-in-the-gut impulse to simply abol-ish the body. But is that the best wayto deal with abuses? Are we preparedto drop the chamber of “sober secondthought” completely?
Whether or not it is worth trying tofind a middle road instead, the call forabolition from both the CTF and NDPshould getting people talking.
And that’s not a bad thing.– B.G.
If you had $51 billion, whatwould you do with it?
If you made a stack of $100bills, it would reach high enoughto obstruct international flightpaths. Laid end to end, your $51billion in $100 bills would circlethe world twice.
But really, what would youdo with it? After all, $51 billionwould make you the world’s fifthrichest person, according to theForbes list of billionaires – just acouple of billion behind WarrenBuffet, and two and a half times as wealthy asDavid Thomson, Canada’s richest citizen.
Let’s say you’ve decided you’ve spent enoughtime making money, and now you want to spendit. Would you follow Buffet and Bill Gates (whois second on the Forbes list, and about $16 bil-lion ahead of you)? Would you spend it on fight-ing world hunger, poverty, and disease?
Or would you use it to finance an extravaganzafor pampered elite athletes? The anticipated pricetag for the Sochi Olympic Games is $51 billion.
Right now, the world aid community is lookingfor $15 billion to fight AIDS throughout Africa.You could foot that bill and still have enough leftover to re-run the 2012 London Olympics twice– and if you do it the way the Brits did, you’llsnag yourself a tidy 100 million pounds profit.
Of course, defining “profit” in Olympic terms isa bit of a tricky business.
The 2000 Sydney Olympics broke even… aftertaxpayers kicked in about $2 billion. The operat-ing budget was $5.6 billion.
The same year, while all that was going on,the U.S. offered a $1 billion loan – spread overfive years – to Sub-Saharan countries… to buyU.S. medicine. Three countries were lambastedfor declining the offer on the basis that the loanwould further increase their debt and depend-ency on foreign aid.
The initial budget for our own 2010 VancouverOlympics was $2.3 billion.
Our estimated final cost of $6.4billion is listed as a “break-even”result… but that’s not includingthe billion-dollar security tab,$2.5 billion for transportationinfrastructure improvements,or nearly another billion dollarsfor the Vancouver ConventionCentre.
And then there’s the half-bil-lion dollars spent on the cam-paign to bring the Olympics toVancouver/Whistler. That’s notincluded, either, in the final
“break-even” accounting.By the way, in 2010, global efforts to secure
essential HIV, TB, and malaria services fell short$4 billion.
Greece planned to spend $9 billion in Athensin 2004 – and lost more than $15 billion.
Until Sochi’s anticipated $51 billion price tag,the gold medal was secured with Beijing’s $44billion budget. Of course, we don’t know howmuch was spent in Nagano in 1998, beyondabout $10 billion for infrastructure, since thebooks were ordered burned.
Something to consider: whether the Olympicsend up with a profit or a loss, all that moneygoes somewhere – and mostly to large corpora-tions and the richest segment of society – mostcertainly not to orphans whose parents have diedof AIDS.
I’m not suggesting that we kill the Olympicsand turn all the money over to saving human-ity. In fact, striving for the best in any humanendeavour is a step towards saving humanity.
But the Olympics have become an exercise ininternational excess, with flags and anthems andmedal counts taking precedence over the individ-ual achievement touted in all the brochures – notto mention the one-upmanship that has bloatedcosts for a couple of weeks of athletic partyinginto tens of billions of dollars.
A little restraint could be shown… and maybea little compassion.
Opinion
Odd Thoughtsby Bob Groeneveld
A bit rich for an athletic party
Opinion
Yes, it’s worth getting a friend home.
Sorry, pal, find another way home.
They can ride in the trunk.
I’m usually the one who drinks.
Change the law, quick!
This Week’s QuestionHave you been consumed by watchingOlympic coverage?
■ Your ViewLast week’s question, results…
Would you be a designated driver if you aren’tinsured for an accident caused by a drunk pas-senger?
Vote online at: www.mrtimes.com
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Dear Editor,Councillor Cheryl Ashlie wants to create
affordable housing to stop the “brain drain”of young adults seeking cheaper housingand jobs elsewhere [Maple Ridge studyassesses housing stock, Jan. 6, TIMES].
People come to Maple Ridge because thehousing is the most affordable in the LowerMainland, but they travel elsewhere to workbecause of the lack of jobs in Maple Ridge.
The lack of vision in the planning depart-ment over many years has contributed tothe development of a bedroom community,where we live here but work and spend ourmoney in other communities.
Young people just out of high school can-not afford to purchase a house at any price.
They need jobs, and many would do quitewell if there were any.
Grover Telford, Maple Ridge
Youth leave for education, jobsDear Editor,
Young people are moving out of MapleRidge because there are no jobs for them.
Young adults attend school outside ofMaple Ridge because we do not have a col-lege or a university.
Those intelligent, innovative peoplemove because they can’t get jobs here, notbecause of the over-abundance of cheapreal estate in Maple Ridge.
If there are no jobs in their own commun-ity, why would they buy real estate here?
Sonja Ogden, Maple Ridge[Note: Fuller versions of these letters are
online at www.mrtimes.com. Click onOpinion/Letters, or search the writers names.]
Maple Ridge
Cheap homes no substitute for jobs
• Police nabbed a suspected car thiefin downtown Haney Thursday night,involving Ridge RCMP and Air 1. TheTIMES asked readers what they saw:
“All we saw was it doing circles in the skyfor a couple hours.” – Janessa Munz
“Yes, saw it near my house, circling withspotlight on last night. Heard it for overan hour, then finally stopped just after11:30, when they must have caught theguy.” – Jodi Statham
“The choppers circled for at least onehour over the bypass-Lougheed area lastnight.” – Jason Martin
What you’re telling uson Facebook
Share your views.Like us on Facebook at:
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For What It’s Worth
Beatles still the bestDear Editor,
Thanks to Tim Tyler for bringing backa few memories [The day pop musicchanged, Jan. 30 For What It’s Worth,TIMES]. I was part of the packed AggieHall audience who came to see the Beatleson the Ed Sullivan show on a big screen.Thanks to whoever thought of the idea, asthey may still be around today.
Beatles music still the best around.Annette Code, Pitt Meadows
Dear Editor,We in Whonnock are proud of our post
office and of our postmaster, Sue Schulze,who provides the best postal services any-where in the Lower Mainland. Sue goesout of her way to helppeople.
Rather than weepingcrocodile tears, KevinJones [Whole day lostto pick up parcels,Feb. 11 Letters, TIMES]should have calledthe Whonnock postoffice, and he wouldhave learned that Suehands out parcels onSaturdays to peoplewho, like him, can’t goto the post office dur-ing the official hours. Shewill also transfer the parcels– or any item – to another postal outlet, ifasked to do so.
We are amused by Jones calling ourWhonnock post office “a shack in themiddle of nowhere.” And even more abouthim calling the place where he lives “some-where.”
Miranda Barker entertained us by defin-ing our beloved post office as a “dilapi-dated garden shed” [Post office joke, Feb.13 Letters, TIMES]. We understand thatuninformed city slickers might see it likethat, and we forgive both Jones and Barkerwholeheartedly.
We in Whonnock keep that little build-ing in high esteem. Whonnock had a postoffice years before Vancouver was evenplanned, and the current building, dating tothe 1920s, is recognized by the Maple RidgeCommunity Heritage Commission as a sig-nificant heritage building.
Lastly, regarding the trials and tribula-tions of Miranda Barker at the Whonnockpost office: parking on the road shoulder…
cars zipping by… U-turn. Horrible! Yes, lifeaway from the shopping mall is rough!
Fred Braches, Whonnock
Nowhere nice place for friendsDear Editor,
I feel for Mr. Jones.But it is Canada Posthe has the issue with.
I live in the middleof nowhere, as he putsit, and have no troublespeaking with myneighbours and friendsto help me out.
We have Mr. Jonesand Ms. Barker [Postoffice joke, Feb. 13Letters, TIMES] cuttingdown our post office,
but it’s a personal place to chat and runinto neighbours. How about what the com-munity wants and likes?
Cathie Pii, Maple Ridge
Appreciate ambiance, cultureDear Editor,
I suggest that Ms. Barker look past herexperience and consider that the post officeis an icon in Whonnock, with service pro-vided by staff who are friendly, courteous,and personal – a throw-back, if you will,to a simpler time when people came to thepost office to meet and chat with friends ina rural setting.
Ms. Barker needs to slow down and takein the values and cultures of the area. Thisplace is important to the greater commun-ity, just as it is. She could buy one of thewooden post cards depicting the buildingand send it on to someone who will appre-ciate the ambiance of the area.
Bruce Carrie, Maple Ridge[Note: Fuller versions of these letters are
online at www.mrtimes.com. Click onOpinion/Letters, or search the writers names.]
Response
Post office pride of Whonnock
Kevin Jones photo
Whonnock Post Office.
LettersLetterstothe
Editor
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Our provincial legislature openedlast week, and so far theyhaven’t raised our taxes.
There actually seems to beprogress on numbers of fronts, but whatis noticeably missing is the shrilling cryof the NDP opposition.
The NDP under Adrian Dixappears to still be in shockfrom the results of the lastprovincial election.
They have scheduled theirleadership convention forSeptember. The problemseems to be, no one whoappears like a winner, wantsto run.
Golden Boy David Ebydropped out of the race lastFriday. He announced thathe recently discovered hisfiancee was pregnant, and so his prioritieshave changed.
Dix, when he announced his intention tostep down as leader, stated his replacementshould come from within caucus.
That pretty much leaves Mike Farnsworthas the leading contender. He is already incaucus, and a new baby certainly won’t beone of his concerns.
Vaughn Palmer, last week on his showVoice of BC (on Shaw TV), had an interest-ing discussion with Paul Ramsey, formerNDP cabinet minister and now politicalpundit, about the state of affairs in the NewDemocratic Party.
Ramsey said, “Here is the want ad for thejob of the NDP leader:
“You’ve got an eternal party that is frac-tured over resource development, overenvironment, and a whole bunch of otherthings. It’s won exactly – what is it? – threeof the last 20 elections it’s contested.
“It’s a couple of million dollars in debt,and its membership is stagnant.
“Sign up here? I mean that’s a dauntingchallenge,” Ramsey said.
Vaughn went on on Saturday’s VancouverSun editorial page to give a much moreeloquent and well-written piece on the NDPstate of affairs.
One of the things he points out is, afterwhat a bitter internal revoltdid to Carole James, whywould any sane personenter into that shark pit?
The causes of the prob-lems and divisions insidethe NDP are still there.
Most of the unions areinterested in getting thou-sands of more membersif we develop the naturalresources of the province.
The Kinder Morgan appli-cation to double the line to
the refinery where most of our gas comesfrom is an issue that still divides the NDP.
So it is an interesting dichotomy for thenext NDP leader. Does he go “Green” andlose the possible support of pipe fitters, boil-er makers, and other industrial unions – ordoes he move to support the Kinder Morganapplication and lose his “Green” caucus?
If he goes too far in that direction, someof the NDP caucus would probably moveover and sit with Andrew Weaver, the GreenParty MLA from Oak Bay.
Actually, it is Doctor Andrew Weaver whohas been recognized as a leading scientist inclimatology and is currently the house leaderof the Green Party.
If you want to make a productive phonecall tomorrow, call your MLA and tell him tostop burdening property owners with moretaxes. We can’t take anymore!
Just saying…
Gordy Robson’s column appears Tuesdays in the printand/or online versions of The TIMES.
Reactions can be emailed c/o [email protected].
Provincial politics
Leader dilemma plagues NDP
A8 Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows [email protected]
Just SayingJust Sayingby Gordy Robson
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How can you share?Do you have a local photo of someone or some place you’d like to share with the rest of Maple Ridge and PittMeadows? Email it to us as a high-resolution .JPEG to [email protected]. Please include a brief description– including everyone’s first and last name. Put “faces & places” in the subject line of your email.
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows
Showcasing someof this community’speople and happenings
Roxanne Hooper/TIMES
Dog groomer, trainer, and pet store owner Dina Popadiuk of Maple Ridge, owner
of Canine Connection, took part in this weekend’s Pet Lover Show in Abbotsford.
But her Doberman, Schultz, was the one that stole ths show. The dog from
Marley & Me movie fame starred in the doggie fashion show. Catch the full story
at www.mrtimes.com, search “Schultz”.
&facesplaces
February 18-21: Musical• Garibaldi’s arts program pres-ents a musical at 7:30 p.m. Ticketsare available at Little Cricket GiftGallery, #102-22347 Lougheed Hwy.
February 18: Writers• Golden Ears Writers Club presentsauthor Denise Jade in the lobbyof The ACT from 7 to 9 p.m. Info:Katherine at 604-467-7198.
February 19: Theatre• Just Us! Youth theatre perform-ance celebrates Canada’s culturaldiversity. This free play is at TheACT at 7 p.m.
February 19: Garden club• Maple Ridge Garden Club meetsat 7 p.m. at Fraserview CommunityCentre at 116th Avenue and 227thStreet with guest speaker EileenDwillies from the Haney FarmersMarket. Info: 604-467-2956.
February 19: AGM• An AGM will be held at 7p.m. in the Maple Ridge Library,Alouette Room, for the RwandaPrefer Society, which supportCathy Emmerson and her work inRwanda.
February 20: Dementia• Alzheimer Society of B.C. presents“Caring about caregivers” as partof the Aging Gracefully series at theMaple Ridge Library from 6:30 to8:30 p.m. Register at 604-786-7404or [email protected].
February 20: Business info• A BusinessSTART information ses-sion will be held from 10 to 11 a.m.Register: www.investnorthfraser.com/events.html.
February 20: Cycling advocacy• HUB Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadowsmeets in the Alouette Room, MapleRidge Library from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m.
February 20: Cinema• Cinema Politica Ridge Meadowspresents End of Immigration atMaple Ridge municipal hall, 7 p.m.,council chambers, 11995 Haney Pl.Info: www.cinemapolitica.org.
• Full list: www.mrtimes.com
Post events 10 days in advanceby email to:
What’s Onwww.mrtimes.com
Mayor Ernie Daykin and fire chief Dane Spence recognized assistant fire chief MarkSmitton (top left) as well as Capt. Art Lilley (top right) for 30 years of service duringthe recent Maple Ridge fire department annual awards night.
Maple RidgeMayor ErnieDaykin anddeputyfire chiefHoward Exnerrecognizedcaptains DaveNorman (topleft and left)and MikeStewart (topright) for25 years ofservice tothe MapleRidge firedepartment,during theirawards night.
Maple Ridge fire chief Dane Spence (right) was touched to recognizehis friend and long-time comrade, recently retired fire chief PeterGrootendorst, for his 30 years of service to the local fire brigade.Grootendorst recently retired to pursue a leadership role with theJustice Institute’s fire and safety division.
Oliver Rathonyi - Reusz photos
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Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times Tuesday, February 18, 2014 A9
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If you cannot attend the open house in person, please visit ourwebsite, www.renewingriverview.com, where you can participatein our online open house starting February 28, 2014.
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An MMA fighter and pugilistwho grew up in Maple Ridgewill vie for the B.C. amateurtitle on Feb. 28.by Troy [email protected]
Oliver Vajda has a zeal fortwo sports that involve gettingpunched in the head or torso,having limbs stretched to placesthey’re not supposed to be, andgetting choked to the point whereoxygen is sucked from the brainlike a vacuum.
An amateur mixed martialarts fighter and boxer, Vajda’scombat sports of choice have anatural tendency of causing someathletes to resort to their naturalfight (get mad) or flight (becomeoverwhelmed by nervous anxiety)defence mechanism.
But Vajda has a different men-tality when it comes to combatsports.
The 20-year-old, who is study-ing behaviour neuroscience atSimon Fraser University, does hisdarndest not to let his emotionsget the better of him, before andduring a fight.
“I don’t get angry,” he said,bluntly. “Once you place emo-tions into the situation, then itjust clouds your judgment, yourreaction time. Any kind of emo-tions like that will just affect yourperformance, for sure.”
The one feeling that Vajda bringsto the ring is: “Joy.”
“Just being passionate aboutthe sport,” he said. “I love doingwhat I do and that’s why I go outthere.”
Vajda – who has lived in MapleRidge most of his life, attendingGolden Ears Elementary beforegraduating from Thomas HaneySecondary in 2011 – is an MMAfighter first and foremost, and hisresume shows this to be true.
He captured a gold medalat the 2011 BC Open Jiu-JitsuChampionships and won thebantamweight title at the Quest forGlory amateur MMA event.
And while he now resides inBurnaby near SFU, Vajda routinelymotors east to his hometown sohe can train at Carlson GracieBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu MMA gym indowntown Maple Ridge, where hegot his start five years ago.
“I’d say I’m an MMA fighter, forsure,” he said. “When I started,I did all the martial arts at once.I didn’t just start at one specificone.”
And while Vajda sports animpressive 9-1 amateur MMA rec-ord, he’s also establishing an ama-teur boxing career.
By stepping into the squaredcircle, Vajda is following the pathof his dad John, an accomplishedboxer who was a HungarianOlympic prospect, and his olderbrother Gergo, who also boxed atthe amateur level.
Vajda will be competing for theB.C. welterweight title next Friday,Feb. 28 in Langley when he takeson Josh Wright for the vacant belt.
It is part of the Clash at theCascades amateur boxing serieshosted by the Langley City BoxingClub.
Clash shows are usually heldmonthly at the Coast Hotel ball-room next to the Cascades Casinoin Langley City.
“Boxing is one of the branches
of MMA obviously. You alwaysneed your hands,” Vajda said.“Doing boxing fights only comple-ments my mixed martial artsgame. That’s why I do boxing andI find it fun.”
In some aspects, boxing is moreof a one-dimensional sport forVajda who doesn’t have to con-cern himself about the wrestlingand martial arts elements of MMAwhen he’s in the squared circle.
“I don’t have to worry aboutbeing taken down or submissionsor anything like that,” Vajda said.He won his two previous amateurboxing matches, both by decision.
Looking back on his first ama-teur boxing bout, Vajda said heentered the ring with confidenceafter a what he called a “prettygood run” of MMA fights.
“I was already pretty experi-enced, and I already had highstress fights where I was goingfor titles,” he said. “I felt prettyrelaxed, and I felt at ease.”
Whether it’s boxing or MMA, forVajda, competing is all about test-
ing himself.“You are going against yourself
in a sense because you are try-ing to test out your abilities,” saidVajda, who has a goal of compet-ing in some form of combat sportsevent every month in 2014.
“You are putting all this hardwork and dedication into yourtraining and it’s nice to finally getin there and try out your techniqueat 100 per cent speed, pace, andpower.”
He continued, “It’s more of aconquering yourself, kind of thing.When you’re in there, yeah, you’refighting an opponent, but the big-gest thing is overcoming thoseobstacles.”
On the topic of opponents, Vajdahas little to go on when it comesto taking on Wright, who repre-sents Dragon’s Den Elite MMA andFitness in White Rock.
He’s fished around for videofootage of Wright’s bouts throughYouTube, but said he hasn’t comeup with much.
MMA lingo crept into Vajda’slanguage when he described hisfuture foe: “I’ve heard he’s apowerful striker and he has goodhead movement. But if you’refighting for the title, you’ve got tobe expecting to fight the best.”
Looking past Feb. 28, Vajdais vying for the Battlefield FightLeague bantamweight title onMarch 29 in Coquitlam.
SportsMaple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times Tuesday, February 18, 2014 A11
Recreation Reach The TIMES' sports desk: Phone: 604-463-2281 or email: [email protected]
by Eric [email protected]
A win, a loss, and a wrap to the regu-lar season.
That’s the story after this weekend forthe Ridge Meadows Flames.
On Valentine’s Day, the Flames defeat-ed the Abbotsford Pilots 5-0 in theirfinal home game of the season.
“That was interesting game,” saidcoach Jamie Fiset.
“We were playing with a very deplet-ed lineup.”
Fiset added that he was proud of theeffort shown by his team, resulting inthe victory.
On Sunday, during the last gameof the season, the Flames fell to theGrandview Steelers 4-2.
Fiset called the game “boring.”“Both teams played very flat,” he said.
“I think they recognized it was the lastgame of the season and played as such.”
Fiset said it wasn’t until the third per-iod, when the Steelers pulled ahead witha 3-0 lead, that his team “woke up.”
However, despite the late effort, theSteelers emerged triumphant.
With the regular season over, Fisetsaid he believes the upcoming playoffsare “exactly what we need right now.”
The playoffs, which begin tonight(Tuesday), will see the Flames start theseries against the Pilots, in Abbotsford.
• More at www.mrtimes.com, search “Flames”
Hockey
Flames wrap season with win and lose – head into playoffs
www.m
rtim
es.co
mViewvideo &photoswith
or online
Mixed martial arts
Pugilist targets welterweight beltOliver Vajdatrained at CarlsonGracie BrazilianJiu-Jitsu MMAgym in MapleRidge last week,as he preparesto take on WhiteRock’s JoshWright for theB.C. amateurwelterweightboxing title. Thebout will be partof the Clash atthe Cascadescard held Feb.28 at the CoastHotel ballroom inLangley.
Troy Landreville/TIMES
Basketball
Maraudersall head into playoffsby Eric [email protected]
They’ve all made theFraser Valley playoffs.
With all of theirbasketball teams in theFraser Valley tourna-ment, and not a singlegame at home, the PittMeadows SecondaryMarauders will playthroughout the regionthis week.
Now the real workbegins for each of thesquads, said coach RichGoulet.
“This has been atough season,” he said.
But, Goulet notedMonday, it’s also been aseason of vast improve-ment.
“Our juniors haveshown great composureand improved unbeliev-ably,” he said.
Goulet noted thejunior boys team wentfrom being basicallynon-existent at thebeginning of the year,to finishing first in theirdivision, by beatingWestview Secondaryduring the weekend.
He explained thatwhen he was lookingat all the teams at thebeginning of the season,it was hard to say howwell they’d do.
“We didn’t knowwhat we would have inour Grade 8s and 9s thisyear,” he said.
Though Maraudershave maintained theirposition as a strongplayoff contender, thesenior teams havestruggled the last coupleof years.
Now, at the end ofthe season, Gouletsaid, all the teams havereached a respectablepoint where they areable to compete againstanybody.
• More at www.mrtimes.com
TIMES files
Rich Goulet
Jamie FisetHead coach
A12 Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times
February is here and although theweather has been cold, the flowersare poking through the soil and petowners once again should be turning
their attention to their pet’s teeth. Yes, Feb-ruary is national pet dental month.
Although I like to emphasize that petsneed dental care all year long, often veterin-arians offer discounts on dental proceduresin February.
So, if you have been postponing your pet’streatment, now is the time to get it done.
If your dog or cat requires a dental proced-ure, here are some things to expect.
Speaking for what we do, pre-anestheticevaluation will be performed on the day ofthe procedure, and this may involve bloodtests and a physical exam to reduce anyrisks with anesthetic.
The pet should be evaluated and a cleartreatment plan and estimate of costs may beprovided.
Some dental procedures can be hard toestimate until the pet is asleep so we mayhave to call with an update during the pro-cedure.
The pet will be safely anesthetized to com-pletely assess the oral cavity, which includesa detailed probing and charting of abnormal-ities and possibly dental X-rays if needed toassess roots and surrounding bone.
All tatar and plaque will be removed fromthe crowns and below the gum line by scal-ing and polishing.
If any teeth require removal, pain medica-tion may be given in addition to the generalanesthetic.
Antibiotics may also be needed if there isinfection.
At the time the pet is discharged, all prob-lems and treatments should be reviewedwith you, as well as a detailed plan forongoing oral health care and prevention.
If your pet has bad breath or is showingany signs of pain chewing, lift the lip andhave a peek at the teeth.
If they are brown and gums inflamed thenhe or she probably should be checked.
Remember, February is often a good timeto ensure your pet is not suffering from den-tal disease.
Tooth care
Discolouration a warning sign
Pet Pauseby Dr. Michael Orser
Veterinarian andowner of
Alouette AnimalHospital
Call it Pupcake Day.Maple Ridge SPCA is taking part in this year’s national
Cupcake Day aimed at raising money for the local shelter.Even though the national day is on Feb. 24, Maple Ridge
branch manager Jennifer York said the local shelter willhost the event locally on Sunday, Feb 23.
The event, similar to a giant bake sale, begins at noon,and York said it’s a “fun and tasty way” to support the cause.
• More at www.mrtimes.com, search “pupcake”
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Closed Christmas & New Years Day
TIKKI was transferred to us from another shelterbecause she was quite shy and they hoped we couldfind her a home. So far we haven’t. Her previousowner described Tikki as easy to handle, sweet, andcuddly. Well that may have been true in a home whereshe felt safe and secure, but at the shelter Tikki hashad a hard time adjusting. It has taken her a long timeto accept the volunteers. More and more often shechirps and runs over to get some pets, but for a verylong time she would shy away from any contact. Theshelter was just too much for this gal. She probablyneeded time to mourn the loss of her home. But nowwhen she bounces over to greet you it’s clear that theold Tikki is somewhere in there. We are pretty certainthat in the right home Tikki would once again be easyto handle, sweet, and cuddly. We would prefer to sendher to a home with no small children and ideally noother cats. She’s not aggressive with the other cats inher pen but you can tell they make her nervous. Tikkikeeps to herself for the most part.
OCCULUS is cooler than the average cat. This guy hadan accident and the pupil of his right eye is not centered.This gives Occulus a really interesting look. There isnothing medically wrong with the eye, it just gives hiscoolness more weight. Occulus is a riot. If he can’t findsomeone to play with, and pretty much anyone will do,he will play by himself. You seriously would not need atelevision if you had this guy in your home. He’s a goofball.And sometimes when he sits up higher, with his front pawsbetween his rear ones, his head slightly tilted, and hisback hunched, you know he’s just coming up with somenew great game to spring on the rest of the cats. Occulusrarely sits like a normal cat. He’s usually chilling like inthe picture. Occulus has tested positive for FIV so he willneed to be kept indoors, and be an only cat or with otherFIV positive cats. Occulus would definitely benefit fromhaving a feline buddy. That would also give you some timeoff from the fun and games. Occulus can be adopted asa permanent foster and in general he’s in great health.Occulus could have a very long and happy life in front ofhim, he just needs that special human to share it with.
BUTTERCUP is one of the youngest residents atKatie’s Place. She is only about three years old. She’s apretty much the perfect cat. Buttercup gets along withall humans and seems just fine with the other cats.She’s not pushy or demanding. She likes to play but alsoenjoys lounging on her favourite chair. She’s friendly,and sweet, and pretty. We have no idea why this catended up in a shelter. She has absolutely no medicalor behavioural issues. Buttercup is the kind of animalthat would fit into your home within hours, and withina week you’d be convinced that she had always beenthere. We can tell, as the days go by, that she gets a bitmore and more depressed. This girl is obviously supperlonely and although she gets a lot of attention from thevolunteers she really needs a family. She must have hada pretty loving family before but obviously somethinghappened for them to send Buttercup away. So we arehoping before this feline really unpacks her bags atKatie’s Place that someone will scoop her up before sheeven knows what’s really going on.
Member of
also
had
Bring in your dog and cat for dentaland receive 10% OFF teeth cleaning.
Examinations ...................................... $40Cat Neuter from.................................. $50Cat Spay from..................................... $60Basic Cat Vaccine (FVRCPC) ................. $28Dog Neuter from ................................ $70Dog Spay from.................................... $85Basic Dog Vaccine (DA2PP) .................. $32
NOW AVAILABLEIN CLINIC
Laser surgery,Digital Xray &Ultrasound.
• All medical & surgical proceduresperformed in clean, modernclimate controlled facility
February is Pet Dental Month
10255 JACKSON ROAD, MAPLE RIDGE (BEHIND THE SPCA) • 604-463-7917Hours: noon-2:00 Saturdays & Sundays • www.katiesplace.comKATIE’S PLACE
WHITMAN had been living on the streets for a longtime and it shows. This guy was in rough shape when hefirst came to us. He was filthy, his teeth were rotten, andhe had scars all over his body. We actually thought hemight be a feral cat. When Whitman got his dental donehe needed medicine on a daily basis. We were worriedabout our body parts being bitten off while we tried to pillhim. But Whitman surprised us all. Not only did he takehis medicine without any issues it was soon obvious hewas actually a very friendly, mellow, loving guy. Well he’sstill not the best looking cat around but he sure is a sweetboy. He purrs and cuddles and gives kitty kisses. This guyis going to be a great addition to any family. Whitman isFIV positive, which is common for the street fighters, andwill need to be an indoor only cat with no other felinecompanion, or ones that also have the disease. FIV is onlycontagious to other cats. They can live very long, happy,and healthy lives despite this disease. Because of the FIV,Whitman can be adopted as a permanent foster, and youdon’t need to worry about any medical costs that mightarise due to his illness. Although in a real home many ofthese cats live without any issues.
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times Tuesday, February 18, 2014 A15
online @mrtimes.com
It’s AboutWine!
On Premise Winemaking2-20306 Dewdney Trunk Rd., Maple Ridge
604.465.9988Love Your Wine ... Guaranteed
COUPON MUST BE PRESENTED AT TIME OF PURCHASE ANDCANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER
LOUGHEED HWY
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www.itsaboutwine.ca*See store for details on offer
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Delivery Charges will apply
PacificPilsner6 cans
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Golden GateChardonnayor CabernetSauvignon
750ml
+ DEPOSIT
$699
VALID ONLY AT:IN MAPLE RIDGE:• 22838 Lougheed Highway• 20522 Lougheed Highway• 23981 Dewdney Trunk Road
IN PITT MEADOWS:• 12473 Harris Road
IN PORT COQUITLAM:• 1475 Prairie Avenue• 1069 Nicola Avenue (Inside Home Depot)• 2160 Hawkins (Next to Walmart)
WE CATEROrder by phone or online
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Substitute onion rings or sweet potato fries - $2.50
Monday - The Canuck Burger........... $11.49• A classic bacon cheeseburger
Tuesday - The Stinger............................ $11.49• Single patty, jalapeno bottle caps & cheddar
Wednesday - The BBQ Burger........... $11.49• Single patty, provolone, bacon, onions & BBQ sauce
Thursday - The Big Chick .................... $11.49• Chicken, provolone, bacon, frieds onions & BBQ sauce
Friday - PICK ANY ONE OF THE ABOVE ... $11.49
T 604-466-6555 ext. 20320575 Thorne Ave, Maple Ridge, BC
(2blocks southof LougheedHwybetween203rd&207th)
Registering now...
Check out our websitefor courses available!www.rmcollege.ca
The Centennial Celebration Committee will review the nominations and select 100individuals that will be honoured as a “Citizen of the Century”.The following itemswill be taken into consideration when reviewing the nominations:
• Historical significance
• Length of service to the community
• Legacy and impact created in the community
• Enhancement of the community
• Breadth of impact
The individuals selected will receive a certificate of recognition from the City andwill also be acknowledged in a Centennial publication.
Future Leaders
In addition to the Citizens of the Century, ten individuals under the age of 25 whoare demonstrating a commitment to leadership and community service will also berecognized. Please use the Citizen of the Century nomination form for the FutureLeaders program.
Completed nomination forms will be accepted until 4:30pm on February 28 and can bedropped off at City Hall or emailed to: [email protected]. Please include aphoto of the nominee if possible.
Thank you and Happy Centennial!Questions? Please email [email protected] or call 604-465-5454.
Centennial Project Funding Provided by:
A16 Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Times
dfkjalkfj
atour times square cut it out
or see more atmrtimes.com
MAPLE RIDGE & PITT MEADOWS
2-20306DewdneyTrunkRd.,MapleRidge
Gift CertificatesAvailable
Love yourWine. Guaranteed.Visit us at www.itsaboutwine.ca
AUTHORIZED RETAILER
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It’s About Wine!On Premise Winemaking
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WE CATER
Pitt Meadows Centennial GalaSaturday, April 26, 2014Meadow Gardens Golf Club
Cocktails 6 - 7pm Dinner & Dancing 7pm - 1amDance to the sounds of Canada’s Top Party Band, March Hare,
with a variety of music from across the decades
Tickets $100 each (only 250 available)Purchase tickets at City Hall Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm
For tickets by mail, send cheques to:
12007 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows V3Y 2B5
(Be sure to include return address to mail your tickets)
Formal dress; period costume encouragedFormal dress;