The Olympics are now only 2 weeks away, and the Olympic Torch is winding its way across the province towards Vancouver. On its route towards its final destination, the flame will pass through all 5 municipalities in the V3H in the early morning on Thursday, February 11. This is a momentous occasion, and there are many special events being held to commemorate it.
The flame will travel across the Burrard Inlet to Belcarra in the very early morning hours, and then travel on to Anmore. The Village of Anmore will welcome the Olympic Torch with a Torch Relay Celebration and Pancake Breakfast. From approximately 6-6:15am (I told you it was very early!) the flame will travel along Sunnyside Road, from the convenience store to the elementary school. At 7am, a pancake breakfast will be held at Anmore Elementary School. All are welcome and the event is free, but registration is required to guarantee space. Finally, at 9am a special assembly will be held at Anmore Elementary for school children and community members.
From Anmore the Torch will travel to Port Moody. It will start at the intersection of Ioco and April Roads, and travel east on Ioco to Knowle Street, stopping for one minute at City Hall sometime between 6:30 and 7:30am. Everyone is invited to come to City Hall to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and cheer on the Torchbearers. The Torch will then travel through Newport Village onto Ungless Way and on to Guildford Way and into Coquitlam.
If you are not an early riser, Port Moody will be holding some events later in the day. A Free Family Skate runs from 4:30-5:30pm at the rec centre. There will be lots of family entertainment including face painting, and light refreshments. Then the Minnesota Twin Cities Northern Lights Junior Hockey Team takes on the Port Moody Black Panthers in the free Canada vs USA Friendly Match at 6pm. There will be tons of prizes and give-aways at the game, and of course some great hockey.
The Torch will travel through Coquitlam towards Port Coquitlam, where the Torch Run Relay will pass through Leigh Square sometime between 7:30-9:30am. Wear red, and enjoy the pancake breakfast. Or if that’s a touch early for you, attend the Spirit Week Kick off at Leigh Square from 6-8pm. There will be a Community Dinner, more entertainment including Fire Dancers and a screened replay of the Torch Relay.
From Port Coquitlam the Torch will make its way towards Coquitlam’s Mackin Park, where Coquitlam’s Community Celebration will take place from 8-10am. There will be entertainment, a visit from Olympic athletes, a chance to win Olympic street banners and, of course, the chance to witness the arrival of the Olympic flame in Coquitlam. This event is free, and you are welcome to stop by at any time. Olympian Chris Wilson will light the cauldron at Mackin Park for the celebration.
The fun will continue at Mackin Park throughout the afternoon with Celebrate Coquitlam. This event runs from 12-10pm and features musical entertainment, children’s activities and and evening show. The event is free up until 8pm, when the evening show featuring the Time Benders starts. Other performers include Les Jammers, Norden the Magician, Shin Myung, Khac Chi Bamboo, Andrew Allen and the ever-fabulous Bobs & Lolo. Place des Arts will be getting in on the fun, too, with Celebrate Place des Arts from 12-4pm. You can experience local art and have something light to eat at the Local Flavour Café.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so seize this chance to get out and see the Olympic Torch as it passes through our community!
And, even if you don’t take the chance, keep in mind that there will be rolling road closures as the Torch makes its way through our region. If you need to get someplace, your best bet is to steer well clear of the Torch route on the morning of February 11, if at all possible.
It’s Wednesday again, which means that I am about to run through the many exciting ways you can spend your week here in the Tri-Cities. So read on, and just see if there isn’t something that tickles your fancy.
An Olympic-themed Family Fun Night will be taking place on Wednesday, January 27 from 6-8pm outside the Toy Jungle in Coquitlam Centre Mall [map]. Children aged 3 to 10 and their parents are invited to join local librarians for this free Family Play and Learn Night. Imagine, play and learn through stories, songs arts and more. No registration required, please drop in.
Port Moody needs a new Fire Hall, and they will be holding a Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, January 27 at Inlet Theatre [map]. There will displays put up at 6:30pm, and the presentation starts at 7pm. The Fire Hall is the top priority City-funded capital project for 2009-2014. This meeting is the first step in gathering public feedback for the construction of a new Fire Hall #1. If you can’t make the meeting, you can also submit your feedback using the online comment form.
The Tri-Cities Literacy Committee is running a ‘Lunch and Learn’ series beginning on Thursday, January 28. The first session will be all about the Read-a-ma-Tazz! family literacy program, and it runs from 12-1pm in the Elm Room at Winslow Centre [map]. This exciting program is designed for families with children ages 0 – 5. Everyone is welcome, and RSVP is requested. A microwave is available on site, and coffee/tea will be provided. For more information or to register, please email jrioux@sd43.bc.ca or call 604.817.6462.
The City of Port Coquitlam is holding a Climate Action Plan Open House on Thursday, January 28 from 2-4pm at Hyde Creek Recreation Centre [map]. Find out how the city is reducing greenhouse gas emissions, learn about the emission targets, view displays, speak to staff and provide feedback. The Virtual Open House, including comment forms, draft plan and project info boards will be posted on January 26th. For more information call 604.927.5424 or email jensena@portcoquitlam.ca.
We’ve already shared the info about the Save the Golden Spike Days fundraiser on Friday, January 29 with Barney Bentall and Nikki Werner. I hear tickets are going fast!
The Coquitlam Public Library is offering a Beginner Internet Class on Saturday, January 30 from 10-11am at their Poirier branch [map]. Participants will learn the basics of the Internet, and must be able to click and scroll using the mouse. The program is free, but registration is required. For more information, or to register, call 604.937.4144.
(Aside – I toyed with whether or not to add this event, since if you are reading this information you probably don’t need a beginner’s internet class. But maybe a friend or family member does, so I included it. These are the issues that keep me up at night as I try to keep you informed.)
The Tri-Cities Spelling Bee takes place on Saturday, January 30 from 2-4pm at Inlet Theatre [map]. Students in grades 4 and 5 will be competing to see who comes out on top. Register in advance at the Port Moody, Terry Fox or Coquitlam library, or just come out and see the spellers in action.
Comedian Roman Danylo is bringing his hilarious comedy show to Evergreen Cultural Centre on Saturday, January 30 at 8pm [map]. Danylo is ‘Roman around the country’ with his quick witted, interactive sketches, high energy observational stand-up, and improv. Topping off the night with a little comedic chaos, Danylo will invite local improvisers to join him onstage for a short jam. Danylo’s partner for the evening will be Vancouverite Ellie Harvie. For more information, or to buy tickets, call 604.927.6555.
Port Coquitlam’s Sunday Coffee Concert Series kicks off with Latin Explosion on Sunday, January 31 at 1:30pm at Terry Fox Theatre [map]. Rumba Calzada will perform a powerful blend of Latin Jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms with drums, percussion, congas, timbales and trombones. They have an original sound that is guaranteed to make you move! After the concert, stay and meet the performers over coffee courtesy of Tim Hortons. Admission is pay what you can, and children 12 and under are free. For more information call 604.927.8440 or email chuiy@portcoquitlam.ca.
Have a great week!
The devastating earthquake in Haiti has brought an outpouring of generosity from our community. From text message donations to our firefighters collecting donations to salsa dancing for the cause, the Tricities have come together to help.
Tomorrow evening (Tuesday, Jan 26th), Pasta Polo will be doing a fundraiser for Haiti from 5pm to 9pm. It is a Mediterranean buffet dinner with complementary glass of wine at $20.00 per guest with all the proceeds going to the Red Cross for the Haiti earthquake. The Red Cross will be at the location to collect any additional donations.
On Saturday, February 6th, Our Lady of Fatima Church in Coquitlam will host a dinner and dance to raise funds for earthquake relief. The event will take place in the Fatima Hall, doors open at 6pm and the party goes to midnight. Three bands; Now and Then, Union Jack and the Retrosonics will be performing. Child minding will be available by donation. Tickets are $40 and available at the Church, or call Lorna de Zilva at (604) 931-3180. For more info visit www.notredamedefatima.org
Remember that all donations to a charity overseeing Haitian relief will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the federal government.
If you have any other Haiti relief events or fundraisers, let me know at jon@thev3h.com or on Twitter at twitter.com/thev3h, we’ll be sure to pass it along.
This past week, the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce had one of their swankiest events of the year. The annual Business Excellence Awards Gala was held at the Red Robinson Theatre at Boulevard Casino. Every year, the Tri-Cities Chamber honours the best of the local business community. The winners for 2009/2010 are…
- Newsmaker of the Year Award
Local political rabble rouser and Tri-M Group of Companies owner Doug Stead won, but he then repatriated the award to fellow nominee Ernie “Punch” McLean of Golden Bear Mining Ltd. While Doug made plenty of news this year, former New West Bruins coach McLean walked out of the woods after being missing for 4 days in northern BC. He had previously survived a plane crash in the 70s, so the fact he was around to pick up his award is quite amazing.
- Not for Profit of the Year
PoCoMo Youth Services, with their sweet Project Reach Out Bus, have been serving the youth of the Tri-Cities since 1992.
- Small Business of the Year
Beyond the Grape of Port Moody is the place to go to make your favourite wine. They have a great, up to date website, and you can follow them on Twitter for all kinds of wine goodness.
- Business Leader of the Year
Greg Barnes of Barnes-Harley-Davidson Buell opened their Port Coquitlam location in 2008 to satisfy the call of the open road.
- Business of the Year
It’s The Coquitlam Centre. For Tricities residents, the mall really needs no introduction. It’s the place to go for pretty much anything, and they have the best Mall Santa anywhere. Between you and me, in my family we have a soft spot in our hearts (and our tastebuds) for Togo Sushi.
For more information about the Tri-City Chamber, visit www.tricitieschamber.com
There are a lot of talented folks of all ages here in the V3H. We have singers, dancers, actors, artists and athletes. This week there are more than a few chances to check them out, and maybe participate yourself.
The Coquitlam Public Library will run the information session Healthy Brain and Memory Loss: What You Need to Know on Wednesday, January 20 from 7-8:30pm at the Poirier Branch [map]. Katherine Guilbride, Support and Education Coordinator from the North Fraser Alzheimer Resource Centre, will discuss ways to reduce your risk factors for developing brain disease, how to keep your brain healthy, and when to be concerned about memory loss. The event is free and space is limited. Please call 604.937.4155 to register or for more information.
Emerging Talent XIII, an annual exhibition of works by local grade 12 students, opens on Thursday, January 21 with a preview from 4-6pm at Evergreen Cultural Centre [map]. All of the exhibiting students are committed to continuing their art education at a post secondary institution following graduation. Works on display range from paintings to photography to sculpture to mixed media and more. This exhibition offers a surprising look inside the psyche of our freshest crop of emerging artists. The show runs from January 22 – March 13, and the opening reception will take place on Sunday, January 24 from 4-5:30pm. For more information on the show or the gallery you can contact Evergreen Cultural Centre at 604.927.6550.
The always fabulous Jelly Bean Dance is happening again on Friday, January 22 from 6:15-9:15pm at Hyde Creek Recreation Centre [map]. Students in grades 4 through 6 can enjoy a night of fun-filled activities including door prizes, carnival games, a professional DJ and supervision. Tickets are available at Hyde Creek Recreation Centre or the Port Coquitlam Recreation Complex the Sunday prior to the dance for $5, or for $7 at the door. For more information call 604.927.7946 or email kulhanekj@portcoquitlam.ca.
The Crossroads Coffeehouse presents Doug Rolling and “Blues Got the Dog” on Friday, January 22 at the Gathering Place in Port Coquitlam [map]. Doors open at 7pm, and the open stage starts at 7:30. At 9pm, featured performer Doug Rolling takes to the stage – we realize he is scheduled for March 12, but we have it on good authority he swapped dates with Tony Prophet. Doug describes himself as having his “heart in the country, but his soul in the blues”. Admission is $5 at the door. For more information email info@crossroadshospice.bc.ca.
The Port Moody Public Library will be offering How to Submit Magazine Articles in the 21st Century on Saturday, January 23 from 9:30am-12:30pm in the ParkLane Room [map]. Local author and trainer Julie Ferguson has written five books for writers and twelve other non-fiction books. Ferguson has guided hundreds of aspiring authors towards publishing success. The session is free but space is limited. Please call 604.469.4577 for more information or to register.
By popular demand the Terry Fox Library presents Game Overload with Dave Strutt on Saturday, January 23 from 12-4pm [map]. Join the folks at the library for hours of fun, games and snacks. Dave Strutt, the mastermind behind the games at Imperial Hobbies, will present and demonstrate a variety of cool games to patrons aged 13 and up. For more information or to register call 604.927.7999.
Port Coquitlam is holding a Webkinz Swim on Sunday, January 24 from 1-3pm at Hyde Creek Recreation Centre [map]. There will be Web Ginz-themed fun, games and prizes throughout the event and you can enter to win a Web Kin. For more information call 604.927.7946 or email parksrec@portcoquitlam.ca.
If you have a budding essayist between the ages of 9 and 13 you might be interested in Port Moody Public Library’s Olympic Torch Celebration Essay Contest. The City of Port Moody and the Minnesota and Port Moody Rotary Chapters are hosting an Olympic Torch Relay Celebration Night on Thursday, February 11. The evening will be filled with free family fun, including a hockey match between our local Junior B Black Panthers and the Minnesota Twin Cities Northern Lights. Winners of the essay contest will receive a prize pack containing 4 tickets in the VIP Section for the hockey game, a book prize bag from the Port Moody Library, signed memorabilia from the teams as well as a chance to meet the players. To enter, kids are invited to write an essay of 1000 words or less on “What Peace Means.” Include your name, age, telephone number, address and school and email your submission to OlympicEssayContest@gmail.com by January 24, 2010. For more information email maryn.ashdown@cityofportmoody.com or call 604.469.4635.
Canadian acapella group HOJA performs on Sunday, January 24 at 7pm at the Evergreen Cultural Centre [map]. HOJA has recorded five CDs and has performed in over 3000 concerts from BC to Ontario. Their repertoire is filled with favourite songs from the 50s to the present that span every style of music, from doo wop to rock to country to disco. For more information, or to buy tickets, call 604.927.6555.
Have a great week! Now I’ll leave it to HOJA to sing us out:
The 2010 / 2011 school year is still more than 7 months away, but School District 43 (which serves Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Anmore and Belcarra) is already planning ahead. This is the time of year when registration happens, for kindergarten and special programs such as French Immersion. If you will have a 5-year-old headed to public school in the fall, or if you’re considering a special program or attending a school outside of your catchment area, you will want to read on for some very important information.
A new Mandarin bilingual program will debut in September, 2010 at Walton Elementary School in Coquitlam [map]. For the first year, spaces are available to kindergarten and grade 1 students. The information session has already happened, but registration is ongoing until Tuesday, January 26 at 4:30pm. To register, complete the registration form and mail or hand deliver it to the Coquitlam School Board Office at 550 Poirier Street. Alternately, you can submit it by email to Ms. Robbie Clement at rclement@sd43.bc.ca.
School District 43 has been offering a Montessori program in local schools for more than 30 years. Students usually enter in kindergarten or grade one, although there are also spots for late entry in grade 6. Information sessions for parents of kindergarten or grade one students will take place on Monday, January 18 from 3:30-5pm and again from 7-8:30pm in the Gallery Room at Winslow Centre [map]. If you opt to enroll your child in Montessori a completed registration form must be mailed or hand delivered to the Coquitlam School Board Office at 550 Poirier Street no later than 4:30pm on Tuesday, January 26. Parents of students who will enter grade 6 in 2010 are also invited to attend an information session on late entry Montessori on Monday, February 1 at 7pm at Montgomery Middle School [map].
French Immersion remains a very popular choice for many parents. Much like Montessori, there is the option of enrolling in the early program in kindergarten or the late program in grade 6. 5 information sessions on early immersion are being offered in the next two weeks. They are:
There are also two information sessions on late-entry French immersion. They are:
For more information on the French Immersion program contact Sophie Bergeron at 604.937.6392.
Parents of grade 8 students who are interested in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme at Port Moody Secondary [map] can attend one of two information sessions at the school to learn more. The sessions will be held on Wednesday, January 20 and Thursday, January 21, from 7-8:30pm. IB is an internationally renowned district program offering a challenging curriculum for talented and highly motivated students in grades 9 through 12. For more information contact Mr. Laurie Saucier, IB Coordinator, at 604.939.6656 or at lsaucier@sd43.bc.ca.
Children born in 2005, like our own daughter Hannah, will be entering kindergarten in 2010. This year full-day kindergarten is a hot topic amongst parents. The program is rolling out for the first time in 2010, and will be offered at 20 of the district’s 45 schools. For the full list of schools offering full-day kindergarten, refer to the detailed information on full-day kindergarten registration. The district anticipates that full-day kindergarten will be rolled out in the remaining schools in September, 2011. To register for kindergarten, visit your local neighbourhood school (use the school locator if you’re not sure which one it is). All students must register there, first, from February 2-4.
If you do not want your child to attend the local neighbourhood school, you can participate in the cross-catchment process. The cross-catchment application period for kindergarten students is from February 8-17, and for all other students it is from February 18-March 18. Requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and will depend on the availability of space in the school. School District 43 encourages use of the electronic form. Parents will be notified in writing of the status of their request by March 5 for kindergarten students, and by April 1 for all other students.
No matter what option you choose for your kids, one thing is clear to me as I contemplate sending my first child to kindergarten: this is all much harder on parents than it is on children. My daughter is excited and eager to start school, and I am just wondering where the time went.
The Tri-Cities fall inside the Metro Vancouver region, which I think is one of the best places in the world to live. The natural beauty alone is unparalleled. And I am not alone in my views – Vancouver constantly ranks as one of the most liveable cities in the world. But if we want our region to continue to be the fabulous place that it is, we need to plan and grow mindfully. Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy strives to do just that.
The growth strategy’s goals include items such as the creation of compact urban areas (one of which would be the Coquitlam Centre neighbourhood) and sustainable transit choices, environmental protection, and sustainable economic growth. The region released the latest draft of its Regional Growth Strategy, Metro Vancouver 2040: Shaping our future in November, which discusses the goals and actions in detail.
Now Metro Vancouver is holding public meetings to discuss the region’s growth. These meetings are a great chance to make your voice heard, and share your vision for our region with our policy-makers. Visit Metro Vancouver’s site for the complete list of meetings or to register for one of the events. The meetings began on January 12 and continue through to January 26. You can also read up on the initiative at the City of Port Moody’s website.
It is a rainy, rainy January so far in the V3H. We hope that you’re all staying dry, and that your ark construction projects are progressing smoothly. When you get a break, here are a few things you might want to check out this week.
Coquitlam’s Mackin House Museum is launching two historical literature book clubs, one the afternoon and the other in the evening. The clubs are open to the public and interested history and literature buffs. Everyone is invited to attend the organizational sessions, which will both take place in the parlour at Mackin House [map]. The first session is on Wednesday, January 13 at 6:30 pm and the second is on Thursday, January 14th at 2pm. Titles for discussion will be chosen as a group. For more information, or to register call call 604.516.6151 or email info@coquitlamheritage.ca.
Beginning on Thursday, January 14 Stage 43 will be presenting Hobson’s Choice at Evergreen Cultural Centre [map]. Three daughters, one drunken father, a shy shoemaker and an ambitious woman make for plenty of laughs in this treasure of a play. Performances run from January 14-17, and then again from January 21-23. For more information, or to buy tickets, call 604.927.6555. You can also enjoy a fabulous 3 course pre-dinner show for $30 at Port Moody’s Saint St. Grill [map]. The dinners run from from 6-8pm on show days. Call 604.937.7477 in advance to reserve and let them know your are coming for the HOBSON’S dinner.
Here’s a promotional clip from the show…
The Port Moody Public Library is running Poetry Planet on Monday, January 18 from 7-9pm in the ParkLane room [map]. This open reading is a great opportunity to hear new poetry and share your own writing. No registration is required. For more information call 604.469.4575.
And remember, the rain may be dreary, but at least you don’t have to shovel it. 
One of the highlights of the year here in the V3H is the Golden Spike Days Festival, held every July at Rocky Point Park. With music, food, and plenty to do for the kids; Golden Spike is going into its 34th year in 2010. That being said, not all is Golden at the festival these days. Government funding has been cut and financial support from other sources has been on the decline . The festival instituted a required admission fee last year, but more is needed in order to keep the yearly event alive.
So this year, the Festival Society will be hosting a string of events leading up to the festival. It all begins on Friday, January 29th with a concert at the Evergreen Cultural Centre featuring Canadian favourite, Barney Bentall.
Barney has been a fixture on the Canadian music scene for over 20 years. With his band the Legendary Hearts, they had a string of 5 studio albums that reached Gold or Platinum status in Canada between 1988 and 2000.
Here’s “Something to Live For” from their debut album in 1987.
The concert will take an acoustic journey through Barney’s career highlights, right up to his latest album “The Inside Passage”
The concert also features local country artist Nikki Werner. You may recognize Nikki from her gigs at the Festival as well as the Point Pub here in Port Moody. I am completely biased, as I went to high school with her husband Kris, so I’ll let her incredible voice speak for itself (Kris is the guitar player in this video)
So here are the details of how you can enjoy a great evening of music, as well as support one of our favourite local events.
When: Friday, January 29th. Doors, Bar and lobby entertainment at 7:30, music begins at 8:15.
Where: Evergreen Cultural Centre. 1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam
Tickets: $30 (taxes included), from the Evergreen Box Office or through members of the Golden Spike Days Festival Committee.
Throughout the month of January artwork by local photographer Helen Daniels is on display at the Port Moody Public Library.
Helen’s longtime interest in photography got a jump start a few years ago when she encountered Lomography, a worldwide movement of artistic experimental photography that started in Europe in the early 1990s. It features spontaneous shots, light leaks welcome, and you never know quite what you’ll end up with. Helen describes it as ‘basically go with the flow analog photography’. Lomography has provided Helen with a somewhat quirky means of creative expression, and the sense of serendipity particularly appeals to her.
Fourteen pieces are on display, showing a cross section of Helen’s work. The photographs were taken on a variety of cameras, including an aging Canon Sureshot and 3 Lomos: a Holga, a fish-eye model and a Supersampler. The Supersampler takes 4 pictures at once – pull string to advance film. Inspiration for the images comes from the everyday as seen while walking her Chocolate Lab, Moksha and travelling, with some architectural detailing and self-portraits added to the mix.
Daniels has exhibited her work, primarily photography, in 10 group shows in the Tri-Cities, Vancouver and most recently in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
Helen Daniels is also known to many locals as the arts administrator for ArtsConnect, a position she has held for 10 years. In that capacity she has promoted arts and culture in the Tri-Cities, and worked to support local artists. The Tri-Cities is lucky to have Helen as an ardent advocate for our community, as well as a talented artist in her own right.
