Residents living in areas where bears travel are reminded to keep any garbage securely stored on their property and not to put out garbage until the morning of collection day to keep bears or other wildlife from being tempted. Under Bylaw No. 6533-2007, the District of Maple Ridge's Untidy and Unsightly Premises Bylaw, every owner or occupier of property in Maple Ridge must ensure that all standard containers and special containers are to be kept lidded or closed when not being emptied or filled, and at all times secured against disturbance by animals.

Outdoor enthusiasts have a wealth of activities to indulge in here in Maple Ridge. To reduce the chance of meeting a bear while hiking, cycling, mountain biking, horse-back riding or any other outdoor activity, it is recommended that individuals travel in a group, make noise or carry something that makes noise, such as a bell. During the fall fish spawning season, it's not unusual for park visitors to encounter bears along local creeks and rivers, as fish are a plentiful source of food for bears. Be aware that bears fishing for food may not hear you over the noise of the creek water. If you see a bear, give it plenty of space and stay well away from it.

If you see a bear in a municipal park, please report it to the District's Parks Department at 604-467-7346. Staff will post a sign at the park notifying visitors to exercise caution.

To report an aggressive bear (bluff charging, damaging property, etc) please call the Ministry of Environment Conservation Officer at 1-877-952-7277. For more information on how to "Get Bear Aware", please visit the Province's Ministry of Environment's website.

For more information, please contact:

Ceri Marlo
Manager of Legislative Services
District of Maple Ridge

Tel: 604-467-7482
Email: cmarlo@mapleridge.ca

The award represents a significant achievement by the District. It reflects the commitment of the District and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. To receive the budget award, the District had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as:

• A policy document
• A financial plan
• An operations guide
• A communications device

Budget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four categories, and the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories to receive the award.

When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual or department designated as being primarily responsible for its having achieved the Award. This has been presented to the District's Finance Department.

For budgets including fiscal period 2009, 1,214 entities received the Award. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.

"Although the public may not see all of the hard work taking place behind the scenes at the District such as what takes place in our Finance Department, citizens of Maple Ridge can be assured that they are being well-looked after as demonstrated by having received this prestigious award," said Paul Gill, General Manager of Corporate & Financial Services.

"I am very pleased with the level of recognition our municipality has received in so many areas," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "Sound financial management is a cornerstone to any successful operation which is exactly what we have here in Maple Ridge."

The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving 17,600 government finance professionals throughout North America. The GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting.

For more information, please contact:

Paul Gill
General Manager: Corporate & Financial Services
District of Maple Ridge

Tel: 604-467-7398
Email: pgill@mapleridge.ca

The two communities were touted by the REIN report as being, "prime locations [in the Metro Vancouver area] for those wanting to access the amenities of the larger city without the constant activity and commotion a larger city creates. A decade from now, as the transition begins to take hold, this area will become known as the, The Place to Live for Lifestyle."

"We have been planning for this growth by making strategic development decisions drawing investment to the communities while maintaining unique character that we have on the north side of the Fraser," said Mayor MacLean.

"We are working hard to attract commercial and industrial investment to create even more high value local jobs," said Mayor Daykin.

With the completion of the Golden Ears and Pitt River bridges, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows are now easily accessible from the US, other Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley communities. This new found ease of access is expected to drive demand for commercial/industrial and residential property which is plentiful and amongst the most affordable in the Metro Vancouver.

The complete report can be viewed at www.reincanada.com/ and further economic development information is available on www.investmapleridge.ca/ and www.pittmeadows.bc.ca/.

The popular Caribbean Festival has traditionally been more heavily attended on Sundays, but this year both the Saturday and Sunday were popular days with thousands attending to enjoy the Jamaican food, reggae music, colourful costume displays and artisan markets.

Regrettably, the Maple Ridge Jazz and Blues Festival opted to take a one year break and cancelled their 2010 event in order to regroup and review their current operating model. "The jazz and blues festival organizers are a marvellous group of creative and enthusiastic event planners who have always hosted popular concerts for people of all ages. They have retained their dedication to support jazz and blues music," said Kathryn Baird, Parks and Leisure Services Recreation Coordinator - Events and Volunteers.

Other opportunities to support the growth of community festivals in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows include new grassroots grants available for new event organizers planning start up events. The new Downtown Business Association's Lunchtime Concert Series in Memorial Peace Park is a recent recipient of one of these Parks and Leisure Services event grants. These concerts take place Tuesday through Thursday throughout the summer beginning at noon.

Pitt Meadows Christmas in the City began as a grassroots event in 2009, but the popularity of the event has the organizers considering the addition of Santa parade for their 2010 December festival.

Next on the local festival schedule is the annual Breastfest celebration on August 29, 2010. This event, being organized by a new generation of young and enthusiastic festival organizers, is focussed on a goal of fundraising and heightening awareness of breast cancer research. This musical event will include youth-oriented bands, an art auction, informative displays and fundraising games.

For more details about upcoming festivals and resources available to event organizers, please call Parks and Leisure Services at 604-467-7459 or visit:

www.mapleridge.ca/event-calendar/search.aspx

www.pittmeadows.bc.ca/events-calendar/search.aspx

Museum curator Val Patenaude helped identify the topics for the initial installations."When we considered our options for these artworks it became clear that we needed to distill the entire community's human history to a few main themes.I hope that when people see the mosaics, they'll want more so that we can explore other elements of our community heritage."

The first mosaic [JPG, 5.3MB], in front of the Europe Bakery, represents Thomas Haney, a pioneer who gave his name to the core of our community and started the street system that we still have. The Haney family made major contributions at all levels to the development of the community. Features of this tile mosaic include Thomas Haney in the foreground and Haney House in the background, the old Port Haney waterfront with a paddle wheeler and historic buildings (Billy Miner Pub) that are still there.

The second mosaic [JPG, 5.2MB], in front of the BingoPlex, is a tribute to Maple Ridge's long history of service in the Canadian Military. The Royal Westminster Regiment was the primary service regiment, but Maple Ridge also had pilots that flew with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Home guard groups like the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers and air raid patrols are also represented in the mosaic. This tile mosaic features a poppy in the centre symbolizing Remembrance Day and a series of maple leaves in the form of military crests and insignias that spiral around it. In the top left corner is the "Peace Bird", taken from the bronze weather vane on top of the Memorial Peace Park Bandstand. Behind the Peace Bird is a camouflage background consisting of Canadian Disruptive Pattern material representing the modern army, and an image of a soldier taken from a 1941 poster. Represented crests are from the Royal Westminster Regiment, the RCAF, and the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers.

Maple Ridge's spectacular scenery is well represented in both mosaics. The maple leaves in the four corners of each mosaic represent the trees that gave the community its name. The wavy gold line around the edge of each mosaic represents the Golden Ears Mountains, the green trees represent our magnificent green spaces and forests, while the two-tone blue rope represents the mighty Fraser River.

Mayor Ernie Daykin commented, "The mosaics are a thoughtful and colourful way to showcase and remember Maple Ridge's history."

Artist Bruce Walther has done similar works in New Westminster and Vancouver, and came recommended from both parties.

For more information, please contact:

Andrew Wood
Municipal Engineer
District of Maple Ridge

Tel: 604-467-7496
Email: awood@mapleridge.ca

The event will be held at the Cam Neely Arena, part of the Planet Ice facility, located at 23588 105 Avenue, Maple Ridge, BC.

There will be a brief presentation at noon after which area residents are welcome to get their photo taken with the Stanley Cup and to meet Andrew. The event will wrap up at 2:00 pm so that Andrew can spend time with family and friends at a private function.

When contacted by the community Andrew expressed his wishes to be able to come back to the place that holds many important memories for him, the Cam Neely Arena at Planet Ice in Maple Ridge. "That's where I played the game as a kid, and I am really looking forward to sharing my day with the Cup with the community," he said to the event organizers.

Andrew's career took him from the Cam Neely Arena and the Pitt Meadows Arena in our community to a stint with the Coquitlam Express and eventually to the WHL. In The WHL Andrew played with the Giants for one game and then was traded to the Calgary Hitmen. He distinguished himself in his Rookie year, and his play caught the eye of NHL scouts. He was drafted 4^th overall in the 2005 Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes.

In November of 2005, Andrew was called up from Carolina's farm team, the Lowell Loch Monsters and by the time the season had ended he and his teammates were hoisting the Stanley Cup. Andrew's tenacity and tough play were an important part of that run to the Cup. In August of 2006, Andrew brought the Stanley Cup home for a community celebration attended by over 5,000 area residents. He cheerfully signed autographs, posed for photos and participated in a Q&A with young hockey players in the Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey Association.

Just a month ago, Andrew's toughness and skill, along with all the members of the Chicago Blackhawks, were put to the test as they ended a 49 year drought for this "original six" team. At only 24, Andrew had won his second Stanley Cup.

For more information, please contact:

Gary Manson 
Tel: 604-465-1558
email: gmanson2@telus.net 

Fred Armstrong
Tel: 604-551-0210
email: fredarmstrong@shaw.ca 

Spencer Levan
email: slevan1304@shaw.ca

Ms. Swift has worked for the District since 1990; rising steadily through the ranks from front-line customer service, to recreation coordinator, to recreation manager and, in the last two years, to recreation director. In addition, during Kelly's tenure with the District she has completed three educational programs; a Diploma in therapeutic recreation, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal and Business Studies and a Master of Business Administration. Kelly's appointment to the position is effective June 28, 2010.

"I am absolutely delighted that Kelly has been appointed to lead the parks and recreation division" said Mayor Ernie Daykin, "she is a marvellous example of how an employee can take advantage of the educational and career opportunities available at the District. Kelly has provided terrific service to the citizens of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows throughout her career and now she will have an opportunity to have even greater impact in her role as leader of the division."

Ms. Swift was appointed to the position following a thorough recruitment competition.

The Community Development, Parks & Recreation Services Division provides services to both Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

For more information, please contact

Jim Rule
Chief Administrative Officer
Tel: 604-463-5221
email: jrule@mapleridge.ca

These neighbouring communities north of the Fraser River are forecast for unparalleled growth in the coming years. As their population grows, they're seeking to attract commercial and industrial investment to balance the economic base, and to create high value local jobs. As a result, how and where businesses locate and their impact on the local economy is of high interest to these communities.

Mr. Kevin Moroso, a 2011 MBA Candidate from the Sauder School of Business at UBC, has been chosen for this assignment that begins June 1, and is slated for completion at the end of August 2010. He'll be working from the Maple Ridge office of Strategic Economic Initiatives. His work will culminate in a report to the EDOs outlining his findings and recommendations.

Being able to meet the needs of growing businesses is a cornerstone of a business retention and expansion strategy. As a business grows, if they are unable to find a suitable location they're faced with a difficult choice - either settle for a less than ideal location locally, or move their businesses to another community. If they leave, it's unlikely they'll return, so this work is timely as the municipalities anticipate future demand.

Rather than simply accepting the traditional approach of developers building a 'typical' business park on any available land, this project seeks to identify the building/real estate needs of businesses in each of the primary investment attraction sectors as they grow, and identify the 'ideal' attributes and location the business desires. The result of Kevin's work this summer will help inform the communities, developers and investors about the specific type of investment preferred by those who will locate or expand their businesses here.

Working with regional industry associations, business organizations, commercial real estate, financial institutions and a range of municipal departments, this project will explore a range of factors to determine the future needs of business and the dynamics of today's evolving workforce.

For more information, please contact:

Sandy Blue
Manager Strategic Economic Initiatives
District of Maple Ridge

Tel: 604-467-7319
Email: sblue@mapleridge.ca

"The Accessibility Awards recognize individuals, organizations, and business doing things right," says Greg Turnbull, the committee's chair. Awards are presented in four categories including: Customer Service, Leisure and Recreation Access, Architectural Access, and Volunteer Access. "Being accessible to everyone creates an inclusive community, and also makes good business sense," says Maria Nobleza, owner of the Vitamin Centre and one of last year's recipients for Customer Service. Other award recipients from 2009 include Sagres Restaurant for Customer Service, Jersey Joe's for Architectural Access, Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion for Employment Access, as well as Happy Heart Fitness and the 2009 Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Disability Games Board for the Leisure and Recreation Access category.

The Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility Committee is a joint committee of the District of Maple Ridge and the City of Pitt Meadows that advises, informs and educates the Councils, municipal departments, community agencies and general public on accessibility and disability issues. The Committee is comprised of five local residents, eight representatives from government and community agencies, as well as two Municipal Councillors. Collectively, MACAI members strive to remove the social, physical, and psychological barriers that prevent people from fully participating in all aspects of community life.

For more information please contact:

Greg Turnbull
Chair, Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility Issues
Tel: 604-895-8202
Email: turnbull27@shaw.ca

WildPlay Element Parks is coming to Maple Ridge in time for summer, thanks to an overwhelmingly positive response to creating an outdoor adventure park for kids of all ages.

"We are pleased to welcome a WildPlay park to Maple Ridge," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "This initiative will support the community's tourism, Parks & Leisure Services, and Strategic Economic Initiatives goals, and will serve to generate positive awareness of the community across the Lower Mainland, enhancing its reputation as a destination for outdoor recreation adventure, family fun and fitness. This park is a key addition to the community, promoting a healthy, safe and sustainable region with a wide range of recreation and cultural activities while protecting natural assets."

WildPlay Maple Ridge will be located in the old Maple Ridge Park Campground, located approximately three kilometres from the entrance to Golden Ears Park. "The support we have received from the District of Maple Ridge and surrounding community has been overwhelmingly positive," said WildPlay's CEO, Tom Benson. "Maple Ridge is an exciting, youthful region, dedicated to sustained growth and family-friendly community development. We couldn't be more thrilled to be joining Maple Ridge at such an exciting time."

Expected to take between six and eight weeks to build, it will feature a Monkido course, a name that comes from "monkey see - monkey do". Features include a combination of Tarzan swings, zip lines, scramble nets, swinging logs and other elements between six and 60 feet above the ground. Like WildPlay's parks on Vancouver Island and in Whistler, WildPlay Maple Ridge's Monkido course will be integrated into the forest environment. Each course is designed to conform to the landscape, rather than modifying the landscape to fit the course. Monkido is attached to trees using a compression system that allows sap and tree nutrients to flow, so it is sustainable and supportive to the natural environment that surrounds it.

In July and August, WildPlay Maple Ridge will be open seven days a week, with activity departure times from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Prices will be $39.99 for the youth/adult course and $19.99 for the kids' course (7-13 years of age) for hours of fun in the outdoors. Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Parks & Leisure Services Participation Program, which strives to ensure every recreation program is available to all, will benefit from $6,000 worth of free passes annually as part of the agreement with WildPlay Ltd. Passes will be used to benefit local community programming. WildPlay Maple Ridge will also take part in WildPlay's Charity of Choice program which provides complementary activity passes to a non-profit group every two years. A recipient for the program has not yet been selected for the Maple Ridge park, but is expected to be announced before the park's opening.

This will be the fourth of BC-based WildPlay's wildly successful element parks. WildPlay Ltd. was created to make exciting outdoor experiences more accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels and aims to reinvigorate the concept of play for children and adults, encouraging families to play together. WildPlay's first park, WildPlay Nanaimo, opened in March 2006, and in 2008 was awarded the Nanaimo Economic Development Group Leading EDG Award and the Tourism Vancouver Island Raising the Bar Award.

For more information please contact:

Brandon Williams
Director of Marketing & Sales
WildPlay Element Parks
Tel: 250-888-1500
bwilliams@wildplay.com

Mayor Ernie Daykin said, "I am very excited about this project which is an important part of the Our Spirit…Our Town initiative which builds on the work done last year to create Spirit Square and includes the contributions of previous Councils. This project strengthens the foundation of our town centre and significantly enhances the heart of our community and our goal to create a vibrant downtown that is safe, livable, clean and inviting. As well, this project is a great example of the District's partnership with the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada through the Building Canada Fund to enhance our town centre."

The development focuses on creating a more pedestrian-friendly town centre by adding streetlights and street furniture, tripling the number of trees with species appropriate for an urban environment, and upgrading the sidewalks. The infrastructure improvements include replacing aging road sections and underground infrastructure. It also includes the installation of left turn bays on Lougheed Highway at 223 Street and 224 Street.

As well, the District has created a Project Liaison Committee. Chair of the Committee, Lori Graham says, "The roles and responsibilities of the committee members include providing project-related advice and feedback to the District of Maple Ridge, as well as utilizing their own networks to distribute and share project information with downtown businesses, staff, customers, and residents. The diverse ten-member committee has representation from downtown business owners, employees and residents and has been meeting monthly since February. The more citizens the District can reach and keep informed during the construction process the better."

Imperial Paving Limited is preparing to begin construction later this month. The District of Maple Ridge will communicate information about the project over the duration of the construction schedule through its website and by providing regular updates to area businesses and residents. This stage of the project is scheduled to begin towards the end of April and conclude in October.

Without a champion, the on-site composting program would not have been established. Adam Rieu, Youth Leader from the Parks and Leisure Services Division and Chair of the Workplace Waste Reduction Team, is just such a champion and was recently recognized with a Communitas Award, an international award that is given to people or organizations who demonstrate exceptional leadership in making a difference in their community or organization.

For more information on how to obtain a composter or to set up a workplace composting program, contact the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society at 604-463-5545 or visit their website.

As well, this Saturday, April 24, 2010, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, the public is invited to participate in the Celebrate Earth Day festival at Memorial Peace Park. This community event for Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and Katzie will feature exhibits, performances, activities food and fun - all to celebrate and acknowledge the earth and the environment. For more information on this family oriented festival, visit www.mapleridgeearthday.org. The Farmers Market will open its first market of the year this Saturday during the Earth Day celebrations.

"I recall the first time I went to a fundraising seminar. It was like a light went on. I had been working for many months in a fundraising capacity trying various tactics but not in an organized fashion. Once I saw that there was a strategic way to look at fundraising, it was like I was given a road map to my destination. I am hoping that Laura Butler and I can help to provide the information in this seminar that I found so helpful in the beginning of my fundraising career" says Sandra Rankin, one of the workshop's guest speakers.

The aim of the workshop is to provide volunteers and board members with tools and strategies for non-profit fundraising initiatives. This includes building capacity to apply for grant funding, providing tools and strategies for fundraising, and the opportunity for volunteers to network.

To register for this free event, please call 604-465-2470. Upcoming workshops for volunteer development can be found in the Parks and Leisure Services program guide, available at the Pitt Meadows Family Recreation Centre and the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre. This workshop is in conjunction with Parks and Leisure Services' ongoing volunteer recognition program and follows a variety of events planned for National Volunteer Week, April 18 to 24.

For more information, please contact:

Sandra Rankin
Executive Director, Ridge Meadows Hospital Foundation
Tel: 604-463-1801
Email: sandra.rankin@fraserhealth.ca

The first step, scheduled to be completed by Summer 2010, includes establishing and evaluating baseline information, and notifying the community. Immediately following this step, the second step, which includes a community charette and a public open house, will commence. This is scheduled to be completed by January 2011. The final step in the process, scheduled to be completed by March 2011, includes two aspects: following the public open house in the second step, the concept plan will be finalized for Council's review; and following Council's review, the concept plan may require submission to the Agricultural Land Commission for consideration.

"In 2004, the District of Maple Ridge partnered with Smart Growth on the Ground to facilitate the Maple Ridge Town Centre Concept Plan using the charette process, a similar process is planned for the Albion Flats Concept Plan. This will provide the community with the opportunity to provide input on what they would like to see in the future of this key area of our community," explains Mayor Ernie Daykin.

Daykin continues, "Council understands and shares the desire of residents for more shopping options in our community. However, we are encouraging everyone in the community to be open to consider all options for the Albion Flats Area. Should the concept plan identify the Flats as an area for shopping, Council will ultimately be looking for a project that reflects Maple Ridge's natural assets and character."

The public can provide input concerning the Albion Flats Concept Plan Process. As the District receives information on this project, it will be posted to the District's website. Hardcopies of this information will also be available at Municipal Hall. As well, the public can visit the District's booth at this year's Home Show.

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For more information, contact:
Diana Hall
Planner
District of Maple Ridge
Tel: 604-467-7402

During Earth Hour 2009, over 10 million Canadians turned off their lights. Through the community's participation in last year's event, Maple Ridge reduced electricity consumption by 3.1%, which is enough energy to power approximately 39 homes for a day. During Earth Hour 2008, energy reduction in Maple Ridge was 2.0%. "The District of Maple Ridge is committed to reducing our energy consumption," says Mayor Ernie Daykin. "This will be the third year Maple Ridge will be participating in Earth Hour and we hope to continue to build momentum and surpass last year's decrease. I encourage everyone to turn off all non-essential lights on March 27 at 8:30 pm."

Join together with your neighbours, friends and family on March 27 to show support for action on climate change by participating in Earth Hour 2010. Consider celebrating Earth Hour with candle-light parties, moonlight walks or a family games night to commemorate the hour power down. Information for individuals and toolkits for businesses looking to participate in Earth Hour are available at the Earth Hour website - www.earthhourcanada.org/

Make every hour Earth Hour - consider what else you can do to at home and in the workplace to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gases. For more information on what the District is doing, what you can do, and additional details on Earth Hour, visit www.mapleridge.ca/sustainability

For more information, please contact:
Laura Benson
Manager of Sustainability and Corporate Planning
Tel: 604-466-4338

The Society is asking British Columbians to join the fight for life by wearing the new daffodil pin on April 9^th to demonstrate their support to people on a cancer journey.

"Two in five Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and one in four will die," says Mary-Ellen Smith, CCS volunteer. "The new pin is a badge of courage. Wearing it is a way for all of us to unite and demonstrate that support to our loved ones."

"The District of Maple Ridge is proud to recognize April 9^th as Daffodil Day," said Ernie Daykin, Mayor of Maple Ridge. "We encourage all of our residents to show their support and wear a daffodil pin. I know I will be wearing mine!"

Donations for every pin go towards supporting people living with cancer, funding research to outsmart cancer and preventing cancer before it starts. The Canadian Cancer Society delivers caring, practical and personal support to people with cancer through the Cancer Information Service, CancerConnection, Camp Goodtimes, patient lodges throughout BC and the Volunteer Driver and Freemasons Cancer Car Program.

Daffodil pins can be found at various locations throughout Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. For a full listing visit daffodilday.ca

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. The Society is the largest charitable funder of cancer research in Canada. Through public support, on average, the Society invests $48 million in cancer research each year and currently funds more than 500 researchers.

The District has also received the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting (PAFR) for its Citizens Report. "I am very proud of the work done by our Finance Department and obviously their efforts are recognized well beyond the boundaries of Maple Ridge," said Paul Gill, General Manager: Corporate & Financial Services.

The District has been granted the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting Achievement 19 years in a row and for the past 13 years, it has received the Popular Annual Financial Report Award. "I am used to hearing about the great achievements of our Finance folks," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "I appreciate the sense of pride that they put into their work and recognize their ongoing efforts and due diligence."

The Annual Financial and Citizens Reports were judged by impartial Review Committee members to meet the high standards of the program, including demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" designed to clearly communicate the municipality's financial story and to motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving 17,300 government finance professionals in the United States and Canada with offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, DC.

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"This is an exciting opportunity for Maple Ridge. Hosting the Paralympic flame just two days before the Opening Ceremonies is a once in a lifetime event," said Kyle McLellan, Co-Chair of Maple Ridge's Paralympic Torch Relay Committee. "The spirit of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games is evident in the hearts of Maple Ridge residents. We witnessed them show their community and nation's pride over the last month, and the Paralympic Torch Relay will build on that excitement and passion."

A fire creation ceremony led by the Kwantlen First Nation at Fort Langley precedes the Paralympic Torch Relay kick off at 6:30pm at Memorial Peace Park in Maple Ridge. As the Paralympic flame has no ancestral home, the flame is created for each celebration event and is extinguished at the end of the community event.

The torch relay takes place around Memorial's Peace Park's ring road. Thirty-one torchbearers will carry the flame, culminating with the lighting of the cauldron.

While the torch relay is underway, the park will be filled with fun family oriented activities. Participants will have the chance to try wheelchair curling, courtesy of the Golden Ears Curling Club, as well as sledge hockey at the RBC activation tent. Presenting partners RBC and the Province of BC will have activities such as an eco home, and an opportunity to get your picture taken with the Paralympic torch. The local Kiwanis Club and Salvation Army will be on hand to provide event refreshments. Activities for children include sport related crafts, and a special visit from Sumi, the Paralympic Mascot.

Throughout the torch relay, live entertainment from local performers such as Danielle Foulds, Tiller's Folly, the Joe Fernandes Band, and West Coast Contortionists and Acrobatics will take place on stage.

This spring break, bring the whole family to enjoy the festivities of the Paralympic Torch Relay as it makes its way to Vancouver.

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Media Contact:
Kyle McLellan
604-377-4027
ksmclellan@gmail.com

Background - Event Entertainment Bios

Danielle Foulds is a 20 year old singer and song writer with a gift for heartfelt lyrics. People have described her originals as being wise beyond her years and easily relatable. Danielle has recorded alongside Keith Scott and performed at numerous fundraisers and high profile events, including the 2009 BC Disability Games Opening Ceremonies.

Tiller's Folly are the Pacific Northwest's internationally traveled, virtuosic ambassadors of song. For thirteen years they have spread their memorable blend of energy, history, musicality, romance, and just plain fun. With seven CD's to their credit, Tiller's Folly continues to expand and refine their potent mix of Celtic influenced Canadiana, Americana 'and beyond'.

The Joe Fernandes Band also known as "Dr. No", has been entertaining crowds for over 10 years now. Whether you want to rock and roll to your favourite hits, or pull out those cowboy hats and do a little two steppin' this band will get the party going.

West Coast Contortion & Acrobatics is a professional performance troupe based out of Vancouver, B.C. Canada. Their unique shows offer one of a kind live entertainment featuring contortion, dance, acrobatics and aerial silks through the use of original music, visuals and costumes.

Torchbearers for the Paralympic Torch Relay were selected through an online application process that ended on January 6, and each celebration community had the opportunity to select five local torchbearers to participate in the March event, including a local media person.

While the relay recognizes the extraordinary commitments and abilities of Paralympic and high performance athletes, torchbearers comprise of a wide variety of Canadians who embody the International Paralympic Committee's values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality. In addition to Paralympic Games alumnus, coaches, and athletes with a disability; Maple Ridge's torchbearers include a soldier, teacher, reporter, and community volunteer.

The Paralympic Torch Relay takes place from March 3 to 12 in fourteen celebration sites across the country. In total, 600 torchbearers will participate in the events. The relay kicked off in Ottawa, Ontario, where representatives from each of the thirteen provinces and territories participated as torchbearers. Rick Mercer represented British Columbia.

For more information on the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay, visit www.vancouver2010.com/torchrelay

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Media Contact:
Kyle McLellan
604-377-4027
ksmclellan@gmail.com

BACKGROUNDER

Meet the Some of Thirty-One Torchbearers

(The first five were selected by the local celebration committee and the rest were selected by VANOC.)

Community Selected Torchbearers

Ed Kleisterlee

Ed has volunteered for over 15 years to coach for Special Olympics. Ed coaches 5 pin bowling, soccer and curling along with anything and everything else he can do to help out. He is currently a volunteer driver for the 2010 Paralympics and volunteers for other community events such as Tournament of Hearts, Youth Bowling YBC, the Ridge Meadows Home Show, parades, and is an Eagles member.

Kathy Marshall

Kathy Marshall is a passionate and giving person in our community who dedicates herself to public service in many ways. Whether it is through her various community groups she is involved with, the school board as trustee, or the recent BC Disability Games, Kathy has more than shown her sacrifice to help those who are less fortunate.

Jennifer McKenzie
McKenzie started riding and swimming from a young age, but when she was 10, she decided to focus on riding. She trained at the Maple Ridge Equisport Centre, which was around the corner from her home, under the direction of coach Zoltan Sztehlo. By 16, she was the youngest rider in the North American Continental Competition, which was held in Maple Ridge in 1982.
In 1983, however, she fell off her horse causing a hemorrhage in her brain stem from which she was not expected to survive. She spent a year at Vancouver General Hospital and G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre. Jennifer was paralyzed on the right side of her body, had double vision and had lost her speech in the accident. Over the years, she regained a lot of her mobility and speech.
 Tilly Muller of the Maple Ridge Pacific Riding for the Disabled - now the North Fraser Therapeutic Riding Association - encouraged her to get back in the saddle.
 In the late 1990s, she started riding again and in 2000 was back in competitions. In 2003, she travelled to Belgium and was part of a four-member team competing in the World Dressage Championships for Riders with a Disability. That same year, she was named Athlete of the Year by the Horse Council B.C. She was also named Pacific Sport Athlete of the Year for the Fraser Valley for 2007/08.
In 2008, McKenzie qualified for the Paralympics and attended the equestrian portion, which took place in Hong Kong with her horse Valentine II. The Canadian team came seventh overall.
"I was proud to represent my country and community," she said.


Valerie Moore

Valerie is a Special Education Assistant with School District 42 and she is an inspiration to all the students that cross her path. Her personality is welcome and opening to everyone regardless of ability and she brings a warm feeling when times are rough. She deals with students with both mental and physical impairments as well as mainstream students and treats them the same. Students' seeing someone so positive creates the best possible learning environment. Not only does she focus on educational growth but personal, social, and spiritual growth of all of her students.

Maria Rantanen

Maria Rantanen is a reporter with the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Times. She has worked tirelessly in the community to seek out the positive stories and write them with style, class, and charisma. She has worked hard to maintain a high level of involvement in the community events she attends and her stories focus on the hard work of others.

Paralympic Torchbearers Selected through VANOC

(Please note this information was received from VANOC)

Brian Bell

No write up provided

Sandra Bennett
Serving as a torchbearer is seen as an opportunity for Sandra to honour the Paralympic athletes. During her 15 years of coaching wheelchair athletes, Sandra was able to witness the self-sacrifice, the team loyalty, and the commitment and dedication to sport so characteristic for the Paralympic athletes.

Karen Brain

Karen Brain was an accomplished rider, coach, and trainer in the Equestrian Sport of Three-Day Eventing, representing Canada at many competitions, until an unfortunate riding accident in 2001 left her partially paralyzed with a spinal cord injury. She spent three months in the hospital in London, Ontario and almost four more years doing rehabilitation at Parkwood Hospital as an outpatient. Karen's strengths as an athlete were her strengths in recovery - positive attitude, self-determination, dedication, and perseverance. Karen won two Bronze Medals at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games and two Silver Medals in 2005 at the Dutch Open International Dressage competition for disabled riders in Helvoirt, Netherlands.

Walter Brodowski

Walter Brodowski was born a full two months premature, and as a result, his lungs never fully developed. As a young boy he endured eight bouts of pneumonia, and this combination of factors resulted in permanent lung damage, reducing his lung capacity by a full 25%. But Walter did not allow this disability to change his love of athletics, and he became quite an accomplished athlete in swimming, track and ice skating. As a teenager in Germany, he swam across the Rhine River, and back, on a dare from a friend. In high school, he was awarded a National level Silver medal for a Decathlon type event. Upon immigrating to Canada in the early 1950s, he took up figure skating and had dreams of competing. Unfortunately, in his senior year of high school, he suffered a significant knee injury and was unable to continue that dream. Walter's passion for life can be seen by his many accomplishments. He has been married for over 40 years, and has 3 children and 6 grandchildren (with a 7th on its way). In his career as a Professional Engineer, he has worked on significant Hydro Electric projects, municipal projects, and was instrumental in implementing the first municipal recycling program in Lethbridge Alberta. As the past international President for SWANA, Walter has been a leader throughout North America in providing standards and training for environmentally friendly landfill practices and procedures. Walter demonstrates a can-do positive attitude and is a champion of fair play and tolerance.

Tracy Cramer
Tracy is a mother of two and studying to be a kindergarten teacher. She thinks being a torchbearer in the Paralympics would show her future students what determination and hard work can do for anyone. Tracy is a great believer in having children strive to whatever dream they want to reach, whether it be an Olympic athlete or a police officer. The youth of today need to know that dreams can come true, and this opportunity is a dream come true for Tracy. She hopes that being able to talk to youth about being involved in such an important milestone in Canadian history will inspire them to reach for the stars.

Michael Edgson

No write up provided

Chloe Gendron

No write up provided

Claire Giallonardo
Claire was the winner of the Panasonic Paralympic Torchbearer Selection Contest.

Paul Gill
Paul pledges to help create a better Canada by inspiring people of all abilities to be the best that they can be.

Lisa Grixti

Lisa believes that being a torchbearer in the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay is an important role to show support for our athletes who demonstrate inspiring abilities despite their obstacles. In her own life, Lisa struggles every day with a chronic illness but with determination she keeps moving and doesn't let it get in the way.

Christopher Harding

Sgt Christopher Harding is by all standards an outstanding soldier. He has served in numerous overseas deployments including Bosnia (three times) and in Afghanistan (twice) and was recently awarded the Meritorious Medal of Valour for his outstanding efforts in Afghanistan. He approaches all he undertakes with quiet professionalism and without complaint. He is an extremely fit soldier, and is widely respected and admired by his all subordinates and all with whom he serves. He consistently puts his best foot forward with all he undertakes and balances his many responsibilities both at home at work. Sgt Harding epitomizes the sacrifices a soldier undertakes in his daily duties and would be an excellent representative of 2VP and the Canadian Forces as a Paralympic Torch Bearer.

William Hinchey

MWO William Hinchey is a remarkable performer with a seemingly endless capacity to take on and master any task related to transportation. He manages a fleet of over 500 vehicles and handles all of the associated challenges. His work ethos is beyond reproach and his leadership drives his section to success, even with the additional workloads and time constraints place on his team. The additional workload has been accepted and met with the utmost professionalism and dedication from all his staff, owing greatly to his leadership. He is a firm, fair and a considerate leader that epitomizes the Logistics motto "Service Second to None". He is physically fit and is an avid runner and he provides a clear example to his team regarding health and fitness.

Sylviane Jones

Sylviane wants to support the Paralympians in any way she can. Their courage in the face of adversity make Sylviane appreciate all that she has. Sylviane is proud to be a Canadian and proud that Canada supports these special people.

Leotta Elsie Kozak

Leotta Elsie Kozak is a BC Metis woman. She is a trapper, hunter and fisher by trade. Her great grandfather was John Baptiste, who came to British Columbia from Manitoba and was a packer for the Hudson's Bay Company. Leotta was born with damaged lungs, and has always used oxygen. She suffered a broken collarbone in a logging accident in 1970, and had surgery in 1971. Following her recovery, she was able to go back to work as a hunting and fishing guide in 1988. Leotta also suffered another severe injury when she worked in a camp north of Williams Lake and caught a barrel from falling on a camp cook. She is very artistic in wood, bones, and stone carving, as well as oil painting, beading, moccasins, and ponchos for ladies. Leotta spends most of her spare time beading, oil painting and making beautiful Metis art pieces admired by many. She still hunts by quad or boat.

Lilo Ljubisic

Lilo had the honour of representing Canada for 20 years at the international level of elite Paralympic sport, but fulfilling this privilege on home turf is an exciting task. Throughout Lilo's career as an athlete and an advocate for sport for athletes with a disability, and having fought for the recognition and awareness of the magic of the Paralympic games, it is be a special gift to participate in the victorious presence of the games in Vancouver. As a retired Paralympic athlete the opportunity to carry the flame will somehow put the final sparkle to Lilo's very long, happy and rewarding career as an athlete, leader and Canadian.

Dean MacKinnon

Dean has been a BCWSA Board Member for over 10 years, Official, Wheelchair Basketball, National Level since 1982, Allocator of officials in BC and active in Officials Training & Certification, Official, Wheelchair Rugby, National Level, Recipient of the BCWSA Builder Award at the Millennium Celebration, BC Wheelchair Basketball Official of the Year, BC Wheelchair Sports Volunteer of the Year

Courtney McKenzie

No write up provided

Ting Pan
Ting had the opportunity to be Olympic Games torchbearer at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and has been working for the Olympics for more than three years at different companies and countries.

Wayne Phillips

Wayne has been participating in endurance sports for over 35 years. Prior to becoming paraplegic after being injured in a hit and run accident while competing in a cross-USA bicycle race (RAAM), Wayne enjoyed participating in cycling, roller & ice skating, cross-country skiing and kayaking. Wayne has cycled coast to coast across Canada three times in 1974, 1977 & 82. The 1977 & 1982 rides between Vancouver & Halifax set new cross Canada cycling time trial records of under 20 and 15 days respectively. The 1977 record (solo & unassisted) still stands. Post injury, Wayne has completed 48 marathons. Wayne trains 4-6 times a week, year round (weather & health permitting) in his racing wheelchair. In 1997 Wayne wheeled between Portland Oregon and Vancouver BC (610 km) in four days. He has also completed a loop from Richmond through Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, Lillooet, Lytton, Hope and Fraser Valley back to Richmond in a racing/touring wheelchair. Wayne has also sailed competitively with the Disabled Sailing Association of BC since 1995. While Wayne has never been able to compete in the Paralympic Games, he feel the torch relay would be the best way to be a part of the Paralympic experience.

Joan Reid

Until this past March Joan was training to participate in the 2010 Paralympic Games in Para Nordic sit skiing. Her training was interrupted the year before by an injury and this was the start of several things that didn't allow her to compete. Joan won two World Cup silver medals the year prior to this injury. Since Joan will be unable to participate at the competition level, she would love to be able to carry the torch instead.

(Dustin and Larry are father and son who will be participating in the touch relay.)

Dustin Walsh

A Canadian citizen, Dustin is an active Senior National Team (Athletics) athlete who is committed to training and competing for Canada in the upcoming year. Dustin's dedication to his athletic career has taken him to the Paralympic Games in Athens Greece, the International Blind Sports Association World championships in Quebec City in 2003 and in Sao Paulo Brazil in 2007, to the World Blind Youth Championships, and to numerous other events. Dustin is doing exceptionally well athletically, and I am confident that he will achieve the goals he sets out for himself with respect to competing internationally over the next few months. Dustin makes himself available (training schedule permitting) to correspond with, speak to, and encourage younger individuals who are blind or visually impaired about the many rewards of participating in physical activity. He presents an excellent role model to these youth. Dustin was also selected to represent the youth of the province at a conference on Sport, which provided important input to the federal and provincial governments in their development of policy on sport and physical activity.

Larry Walsh
Larry is an active member of BC Blind Sports and Recreation Association. A long time member and director, Larry is currently serving as Officer at Large on the Board of Directors. Larry began with BC Blind Sports as support for his son, Dustin. For many years, Larry was a guide runner for Dustin, enabling him to participate in numerous athletic events. As Dustin has grown and become an accomplished athlete, Larry has continued his work with BC Blind Sports. He was an integral contributor to our Early Intervention Project that has been developed as a resource guide for parents of children with visual impairments. Larry is a valuable source of support for families with his first hand knowledge of raising a child with a visual impairment. Larry attended the IBSA World Championships in 2003 as a member of the Canadian Blind Sports mission staff.

Spencer Williams
Spencer is a student from Voices Village.

Norman Wong

Norman's five year old son is profoundly deaf on both ears. He now wears a cochlear implant on one and is developing considerably. Norman thinks that this once in a lifetime experience will give him the opportunity to share with his family that anything is possible even if one is slightly different. The inspiring moment will be shared for years to come. Norman represents the Shaw Multicultural Channel, therefore he understands the importance of inclusion within our community. The diversity that makes up Vancouver gives all of us a rich and colorful knowledge of one another.

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Media Contact:
Kyle McLellan
604-377-4027
ksmclellan@gmail.com

Pedersen is a former teacher of grades one to adult and has also organized programs for large First Nation's schools in Vancouver, as well as teaching English, Math, L. A., Resource Room, etc. at the secondary level. She is primarily a ceramic artist, who also works with fabric and other forms, creating and selling her work in local galleries for the past number of years on a part time basis. "I am so grateful to begin a new and exciting chapter in my life," Pedersen explains. "I look forward to the challenge of raising awareness of the arts in my new community and exploring my own talents as an artist. I am eagerly anticipating the support and new friendships that I expect to enjoy in Maple Ridge."

The community of Maple Ridge has seen a great benefit from the Artist in Residence program. Mayor Ernie Daykin explains, "The District of Maple Ridge is pleased to continue to partner with the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Arts Council and support the Artist in Residence program through the provision of a municipal residence for the new artist. Kjaer possesses a wealth of creativity and over a decade of experience engaging communities through her medium of ceramic art. Undoubtedly, she will continue to shape the Artist in Residence program into a valued asset benefitting many members of our community."

While in the position of Artist in Residence for Maple Ridge, she will pursue her clay creations, as well as experiment with her new art form, art to wear, along with various other artistic pursuits including watercolour, charcoal, acrylics, fabric exploration, ATC's, etc. Gordon Kirkland, Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Arts Council's Artist in Residence Committee Chair explains, "One of the great benefits of having an Artist in Residence program is that it gives the community an opportunity to experience art of all types, and it gives exposure to a particular artist that he or she might not otherwise receive. Kjaer is a unique talent, and I believe she will bring a great deal to our community through her proposed programs, classes, and the development of her own work in the coming year."

Meet Kjaer Pedersen and learn more about ceramic art during Celebration of the Arts week at The ACT Family Art Jam, Saturday April 24 from 1-4pm.

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Media Contact:

Nick Sartore
Marketing & Development Coordinator
Tel: 604-476-2781
nicks@mract.org

On March 10, residents of Western Fraser Valley and Tri-Cities are invited to join in the 10-day celebration and be a part of Paralympic and Canadian history by joining in the relay and celebration at 6:30 pm at Maple Ridge Memorial Peace Park.

"We're honoured to be a celebration community as part of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay," said Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin. "Paralympic athletes are true heroes ― they persevere when the odds are against them and we're proud to celebrate their success in our community. We encourage everyone to come out and experience the inspiration of the flame as it travels on its way to Vancouver for the Games."

The Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay, which heralds the opening of the first Paralympic Winter Games in Canada, will visit 11 communities in 10 days and culminate in the lighting of the Paralympic Cauldron at BC Place in downtown Vancouver on March 12, 2010. The relay is presented by Coca-Cola and RBC and supported by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.

The community celebration sites are: Ottawa, ON (March 3), Quebec City (March 4) Toronto (March 5), Esquimalt and Victoria (March 6), Squamish (March 7), Whistler (March 8), Lytton and Hope (March 9), Vancouver (Hillcrest) and Maple Ridge (March 10), and Vancouver (March 11 and 12) in British Columbia.

"These celebrations are sparks across this great land that shed light on and honour the remarkable athletic achievements of Paralympians and their triumphs over adversity," said John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). "As the Paralympic Flame approaches Vancouver, this light will only grow stronger as Canadians and people around the world join together with us in a celebration of what is possible if you dare to dream."

Over 600 torchbearers will carry the Paralympic Flame during the relay celebrations, which will start at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, ON, on March 3. A special Aboriginal-themed lighting ceremony with a uniquely Canadian flair will spark the Paralympic Flame, which has no ancestral home.

The torch relay will make a special stop in Maple Ridge for a free, family-friendly celebration that will feature local talent such as Danielle Foulds, Tiller's Folly, the Joe Fernandes Band, and the West Coast Contortionist & Acrobatics.

There will be 31 torchbearers in Maple Ridge who will carry the Paralympic Flame, each with unbelievable stories that will inspire the community and the country.

One such story belongs to Jennifer McKenzie. Jennifer is a lifelong Maple Ridge resident who spent her school years participating in swim and pony Club. McKenzie participated in the first North American Young Riders Competition which was hosted by the Maple Ridge Equi-Sports Center in 1982. After a life altering equestrian accident, Jennifer was able to returned to her favorite sport and started competing again. She credits this return to tremendous community support and the North Fraser Therapeutic Riding Association. Jennifer became a member of Para Equestrian Canada in 2000 and remains as a short listed rider who has represented Canada many times. Most notably, she represented Canada at the 2003 and 2007 World Championships and at the 2008 Bejiing Paralympic Games.

In March 2010, approximately 1,000 athletes and officials from more than 40 countries will take part in five sports (alpine and cross-country skiing, ice sledge hockey, wheelchair curling and biathlon) at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler. The big international sporting event comes just 12 days after the region hosts the Olympic Winter Games.

Tickets for all Paralympic events, including the magical Opening Ceremonies, are available for purchase at www.vancouver2010.com/

For more information on the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay, visit www.vancouver2010.com/torchrelay

About VANOC

VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Please visit www.vancouver2010.com/ for more information.

About the Government of Canada

The Government of Canada is proud to make 2010 a celebration for all Canadians. Through strategic investments in programming and funding, the spirit and excitement will be felt far and wide and leave lasting legacies for future generations. Through the Olympic Torch Relay and Paralympic Torch Relay, the Government of Canada is supporting citizen and community participation, as well as the inclusion of Aboriginal, ethnocultural and official language communities. For more information on the Government of Canada's contribution to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, visit www.canada2010.gc.ca/

About Coca-Cola and the Olympic and Paralympic Movements

The Coca-Cola Company has been associated with the Olympic Games since 1928 and is the longest continuous corporate supporter of the Olympic Movement. Through the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Coca-Cola encourages people to create their own path of "positivity" in everyday life by believing that anything is possible. The Coca-Cola Company is the exclusive non-alcoholic beverage provider to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. For more information about Coca-Cola Canada, please visit our website at www.cocacola.ca/ or our parent company's website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com/

About RBC

As part of our commitment to help create a better Canada, RBC sponsors amateur sport, from grassroots programs in local communities to national sport associations that support the development of amateur athletes who compete at home and abroad. As a long standing supporter of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Teams, RBC continues itssponsorship through the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and is proud to help showcase Olympic and Paralympic sport as presenting partner of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays. RBC is also a premier sponsor of Hockey Canada, the Canadian Snowboard Team, the Canadian Freestyle Ski Team, Athletics Canada and the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Visit www.rbc.com/sponsorship

About the Government of British Columbia
The Government of British Columbia is the proud Host Province for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Paralympic Torch Relay represents a significant opportunity to create understanding and awareness about people with disabilities and the Paralympic Movement. Through the Paralympic Torch Relay, the Government of British Columbia is promoting healthy communities, healthy lifestyles and individual excellence. For more information on British Columbia's contribution to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, visit www.gov.bc.ca/themes/2010olympics

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Media Contact:
Kyle McLellan
604-377-4027
ksmclellan@gmail.com

Following a thorough inspection of all but one of the units by District staff in the Spring of this year, the owners of the units were issued with remedial orders to repair the units in order to bring them to a standard where they would be safe to live in. Orders were also issued to the strata to remediate some aspects of the common property that were deemed unsafe. The one unit that did not get inspected was vacated soon thereafter and has been secured since then.

In July, 2009 the District received permission from the courts to demolish one "pod" of four units owned by Mr. Athwal that had been vacant following a fire a number of years ago. The costs of the demolition have been charged to all of the owners of Northumberland Court.

By the end of July, the owners of five of the units complied with the District's orders. The single owner of the remaining ten units, Mr. Jack Athwal, did not comply.

In September, Council reaffirmed the remedial orders on the ten units. The District also notified Mr. Athwal that in order to safely perform the repair works the units needed to be vacated. The cost of any repairs will be charged to Mr. Athwal. Five of those units are now vacant and the District has been advised that four more units will be vacant by December 11^th. The remaining unit is involved in a tenancy arbitration that is expected to be heard in the near future.

The works on the common property were started but have stalled.

Mayor Daykin noted that "thanks to the resolve of Council and the tenacity of our staff, very soon, there will be no one living in intolerable conditions in this complex." "The pace of change is slower than all of us would like, but over the course of the past year the burned-out pod has been demolished, the minority owners have made repairs to their units and by the end of this week we anticipate that all but one of the Athwal's units will be vacant." "I want to thank the community's Outreach workers who have been assisting those who occupied the units to find alternate accommodation."

"I am always pleased when the District is recognized for its good work," said Mayor Ernie Daykin, "but to receive international recognition for our efforts in such a critical area as communicating with and engaging our citizens is extra satisfying." Added Jim Rule, the District's Chief Administrative Officer, "We are proud of staff accomplishments and what better way to receive recognition by getting four awards and an honourable mention from industry peers. Materials produced by our Communications Department are well done and in this case, award winning."

The Citizens Report, distributed each year in May, provides an overview of the District's activities from the previous year highlighting accomplishments with photos, charts and write-ups. The "Vote - It's Important" initiative was designed to bring greater awareness of the importance of voting in municipal elections and to increase voter turnout. This project was an excellent example of communities working constructively together.

The District will be receiving award certificates along with platinum and gold statuettes produced by the same company that makes the Oscar^®, Emmy^®, and MTV Awards.

MarCom Awards, based out of Texas, is an international competition for marketing and communication professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of marketing and communication programs and print, visual and audio materials. The awards program is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals.

The event was hosted by the District of Maple Ridge Agriculture Committee in partnership with the Haney Farmers Market, and was produced by Flair Innovations.

Candace Gordon, Chair of the Agriculture Committee, said she was thrilled with the event. "Our goal was to raise awareness about our local agricultural community, and this event exceeded our expectations in spectacular fashion!" said Gordon. Eileen Dwillies, Manager of the Haney Farmers Market, echoed those sentiments. "We have really wonderful feedback," said Dwillies, who was also one of the participating chefs. "Everyone I've talked to was impressed and it was great publicity for our market and the entire agricultural community."

Five local chefs, including instructors from two of Maple Ridge's secondary school culinary programs, served up dishes prepared with products from fourteen local farm and processing operations. Chef Trevor Randle and students from Maple Ridge Secondary prepared Roasted Tomato Soup and Crème Brulee; Chef Daniel Lesnes and students from Garibaldi Secondary School presented baguettes and Panini; Chef Dwillies served Gazpacho soup using ingredients currently available at the Haney Market; Chef Louise Manseau from Star Five Catering offered locally raised roast beef and a salad featuring a variety of local ingredients; and Chef Chris Roper from Lava Dining and Lounge presented mini squash appetizers.

Donna Bernard who organized the event, was also pleased with the results. "We were overwhelmed with the amount of interest, participation, and number of guests that attended," said Bernard, adding that the benefits of the project were much farther reaching than the event itself. "I was really pleased with the number of connections we were able to facilitate and how delighted everyone was to be introduced to each other. I think everyone we spoke to, whether they were able to participate directly this year or not, has a new perspective now, and will definitely
taking a closer look at local suppliers."

The event was held at the ACT theatre in Maple Ridge which was decorated with harvest themed pumpkins and fall flowers, and included entertainment provided by CJ Zigante and Nigel Tucker. For a full list of the local producers
and who participated as well as photos of the event, go to www.doitwithflair.ca.

Contacts:
Donna Bernard
donna@doitwithflair.ca
Tel: 778-908-5110

Candace Gordon
Chair, District of Maple Ridge Agriculture Committee
ciegordon@gmail.com
Tel: 604-466-0847

Eileen Dwillies
Manager, Haney Farmers Market
vendorinfo@haneyfarmersmarket.org
Tel: 604-467-8424

de la Bouche Specialty Products was one of 15 participants showcasing their products or services.

Jennifer Manderson and Tasha Sirianni, culinary students at Maple Ridge Secondary, served up roasted tomato soup and interacted with guests.

Guests at the Golden Harvest celebration were treated to nine locally produced and prepared dishes and wines from Blue Heron Winery.

"Maple Ridge is poised for unprecedented growth" says Shardlow. "As Chair of the EAC, I look forward to supporting Council's desire to seize on the economic and employment opportunities presented by the improved transportation corridors while ensuring protection of the character and community values of Maple Ridge."

The purpose of the EAC is to advise Council on matters relating to the economic well being of Maple Ridge. This includes making recommendations to Council and the District's Economic Development Department, with a view to positively influencing the local business climate, facilitating economic growth and providing guidance to the community on economic development issues.

The Maple Ridge economic strategy, which was adopted by Council in 2006, identifies key sectors for investment attraction as advanced technology, education and tourism. Ultimately, the goal is to attract commercial and industrial investment in these key areas, thereby creating high value local jobs.

Over the coming months the EAC will explore how best to ensure that the community is ready for this investment and that investors are aware of the opportunity here.

To that end, the EAC, together with the staff at Maple Ridge Economic Development office is hosting an Economic Summit on October 29. The Summit, "2009 Maple Ridge Economic Summit - Best Practices for Connected Communities" is designed to appeal to industry, government and community stakeholders as well as academics and investors to hear from subject matter experts as they share their knowledge about creating a vibrant 'connected community'. For information or to register for the day-long event visit www.primestrategies.ca/mapleridge.html.

In addition to Shardlow and West, Commissioners for the 2009/2010 year include, Mayor Ernie Daykin, Councillors Al Hogarth and Mike Morden, Nicole Breuls, Steve Pelton, Racine Barbour (Downtown Maple Ridge Business Improvement Association), Roger Welch (Arts Council), Oliver Perez (Chamber of Commerce), and Pat Kramer (Tourism).

"It's another great day for our regional park system", said Gayle Martin, Metro Vancouver Parks Committee Chair, "helping to ensure that yet another section of the Kanaka Creek Watershed will be protected for future generations."

A popular recreation day-use area for walkers, equestrians and naturalists, Kanaka Creek Regional Park is well known for its stunning waterfalls, sandstone canyons, scenic marshes, and fisheries enhancement activities at the Bell Irving Hatchery. Located along 12 kilometres of the main stem of Kanaka Creek, the park protects ecologically sensitive areas including fish habitat, and provides key linkages between upland terrestrial ecosystems, riparian floodplain, and wetland ecosystems along the Fraser River.

The new parkland extends up North Kanaka Creek just above Cliff Falls, adding a section of pristine wilderness to the park that includes towering forest and valuable habitat for resident rainbow and cutthroat trout. This picturesque property is visible northward from the Les Robson Trail (North Fork Loop).

"It's a beautiful and intriguing site", said Martin, "Although there is no public access at this time, the presence of existing rustic camping pads offer tremendous potential for engaging youth in a wilderness camping experience linked to the park's educational and recreational programs at the hatchery and proposed Watershed Stewardship Centre."

Attracting over 300,000 visitors annually, Kanaka Creek Regional Park is one of 22 regional parks and 5 regional greenways managed by Metro Vancouver. The addition of this parkland today helps to fulfill the goals of the Regional Parks and Greenways Plan to secure critical and sensitive habitats and environmental corridors, as well as providing recreational opportunities and programs to foster community stewardship.

Funding for the new parkland has been provided by the Heritage Parkland Acquisition Fund.

For further information contact:
Wendy DaDalt, Manager-East Area
Metro Vancouver Regional Parks
(604) 530-4983

The 2009 Downtown Maple Ridge Façade Improvement Program was initiated by the DMRBIA and is managed with the support of the District of Maple Ridge. The Program awards grants to local property and business owners interested in upgrading their store frontages such as painting, installing window, door and other decorative trim, lighting, landscaping, or upgrading signage to improve the streetscape. Funding, this year totaling $27,000 provided by both the DMRBIA and the District of Maple Ridge, will allow ten businesses to undertake a variety of improvements and cover some of the related professional expenses. Applicants had to be prepared to pay at least 50% of the total cost of their project. If their application was successful, the Façade Improvement Program would provide up to 50% of the costs, to a maximum of $10,000 ($20,000 if a corner building).

Bruce Fuller, owner of Fuller Watson at the corner of 224 Street and Lougheed Highway is a $10,000 recipient. Fuller Watson has been a fixture in Maple Ridge for over 80 years and will combine their own resources with their grant of $10,000 to install a complete new façade and paint their building.

Ineke Boekhorst, Executive Director of the DMRBIA, states that this type of investment is complementary to the District's "Our Spirit…Our Town" improvement project. "This is an important step to support our downtown businesses and one that we hope will encourage all property and business owners to think about updating their own premises."

Other businesses receiving grants are:

• Dr. Susan Marandi / The Bookcase, 22363-22367 - 119 Ave ($1,700)
• Ridge Meadows Association for Community Living, 11641-224 Street ($1,500)
• Broco Autoglass, #1-22826 Dewdney Trunk Road ($1,000)
• Gingerly, 11869-227 Street ($1,880)
• Black Bear Wine & Brew, #2 - 22826 Dewdney Trunk Road ($1,280)
• MR/PM Community Services, 11907 - 228 Street ($1,250)
• Former "Arcus" (next to the News), 22320 - 119 Ave ($3,425)
• Dads & Lads / Former "Let the Games Begin", 11994 - 224 Street ($2,000)
• Family Education, 22554 Lougheed Highway ($1,250)

For more information on this and other projects from the DMRBIA, please visit their website.

District facilities such as the Leisure Centre pool located in Memorial Peace Park and the Library at 130 - 22470 Dewdney Trunk Road are sites where public are welcome to duck into if they feel they need a break from the heat. There is also a number of outdoor pool and water park facilities open to all ages including Maple Ridge Spray Park at 23200 Fern Crescent and Hammond Pool at 20601 Westfield Avenue. Citizens are encouraged to use these facilities while at the same time putting some enjoyment into their day. Air conditioned shopping malls may also be a place where you might find hot buys but cool space.

Friends, family and neighbours are asked to be aware of one another and to check in on occasion especially with those at greater risk of suffering from heat-related illness during any extreme weather event to ensure that everyone is okay and getting assistance if required. Seniors, infants, people with chronic illness, pregnant women and even pets are particularly vulnerable.

Remember that forested areas which include greenbelts and roadside boulevards are dry and vulnerable especially to human carelessness associated with burning cigarettes and other flammable materials. The District is asking everyone to be extremely cautious especially in the out of doors and to observe current fire restrictions. In the event anyone spots a fire, you are asked to call 911 immediately to report the location.

Drink plenty of liquids and try to stay out of the heat during peak times between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. For more information on district facility locations and times of operation, visit the District's website at www.mapleridge.ca.

"It gives me great pleasure to announce that Maple Ridge has earned the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award," said Paul Gill, General Manager: Corporate & Financial Services.

"I have watched from the role as Councillor and now Mayor the high degree of care and skill that our Finance folks put into planning and monitoring Maple Ridge's finances and am impressed with their efforts," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "We are very fortunate to have the level of financial managers that we have at the helm."

The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving 17,600 government finance professionals in the United States and Canada with offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.

"Participating as Official Host Community and hosting the Triathlon event is the perfect "fit" for our community on a number of fronts" says Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin. "The World Police & Fire Games is a very well-respected international sporting event and through our partnership we are able to showcase our community's natural assets to new audiences and reinforce our position as a prime outdoor recreation tourism destination." Daykin added, "We know that a number of the athletes will be staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants and visiting our retail shops. Working together with Tourism Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows, the Business Improvement Association, Chamber of Commerce and the Jazz & Blues Festival, our community as a whole will benefit from the economic spinoffs from this event."

The World Police & Fire Games is a spectacular international sporting event, offering police officers, firefighters, customs and correction officers from around the world an opportunity to showcase their athletic excellence in over 65 sporting events. The 2009 World Police & Fire Games will bring 10,130 athletes from 55 countries to the Lower Mainland from July 31 to August 9. More than 30,000 people are expected to attend the Games, generating more than $50 million into the provincial economy. These Games will be the second largest in the event's 24-year history, surpassed only by Barcelona which drew 10,576 athletes. For perspective, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games will attract about 3,500 athletes, or roughly a third the number of the WPFG.

For more information, please visit the Games' website at www.2009wpfg.ca/.

"We are very fortunate to have added this beautiful square to our Town Centre," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "Besides recognizing the contributions of the Province of BC and the District itself, I want to send out a special thanks to all of the businesses in the area and their customers for their patience and cooperation while this project was under construction. Spirit Square has turned out to be a wonderful place."

Construction on Spirit Square began this past January and involved removing a centre road median, replacing storm sewer and water lines, widening sidewalks, planting additional street trees and constructing new water features. Other elements include tactile strips at pedestrian corners to better accommodate those with visual impairments and improved facilities for festivals and special events. With funding from the provincial government, the project was completed for just under $2 million.

The Economic Advisory Commission (EAC) to District Council, in their Economic Strategy identified high tech/advanced technology as their priority sector for investment attraction. Mayor Ernie Daykin, current chair of the EAC, on hand for the signing commented, "Maple Ridge is a vibrant community, focused on growth in our Town Centre, attracting commercial and industrial investment and helping create high value local jobs. Broadband is the cornerstone of Economic Development. Through technology we create an even more competitive environment to help attract the companies and knowledge workers that rely on the culture of 'intelligent, connected community' development".

Daykin went on to say, "With the CONNEX agreement in place, we begin an exciting new chapter in the history of Maple Ridge. The Golden Ears Bridge opening earlier this month puts us minutes from the TransCanada Highway, Abbotsford International Airport and the US border. There's never been a better time to consider investing in Maple Ridge."

Ron Dekker, President and Chief Executive Officer of CONNEX added, "As the country's largest independent national communications services provider, we're excited about the growth and opportunity in Maple Ridge particularly with their focus on attracting investment from companies that rely on technology. Our specialty is delivering solutions and applications accompanied with sophisticated, high speed and optimized networks. We plan to offer a competitive alternative to customers in Maple Ridge later this year."

Dekker added, "'The Intelligent Community' approach we're working with Maple Ridge to deliver will provide tremendous benefit to this community. Not only does it encourage even more knowledge workers to set up home based services here; it will attract high bandwidth users such as media firms and internet based companies as well as those in the medical and research sectors. Residents who want advanced services at home will have access to them at an affordable price."

Dekker points to a number of examples of other communities who can attest to the economic benefit of embracing technology including Kenora, Ontario. "Maple Ridge is striving to be one of the most sustainable communities in Canada", says Dekker, "Technology enables communities to lessen their carbon footprint through less vehicle travel resulting in less pollution, and workers with more free time to enjoy leisure activities rather than commuting. One can easily work in the globalized economy and not be limited by geography to a city or rural resources. This is sustainability in action!" For more information on the "Intelligent Community" visit the website.

"We are extremely pleased with these latest accomplishments," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "The District of Maple Ridge is a high performing organization involving committed and motivated employees in all District service areas. Workplace learning programs support employees while entrenching values important to the District."

The Business and Financial Planning methods used by the District won a CAMA Education award. "Maple Ridge's business planning process is well known in other jurisdictions across Canada and even internationally," said Jim Rule, the District's Chief Administrative Officer. "The comprehensive approach taken is a highly participative model that involves input from citizens, employees and Council, ensuring that priorities are carefully mapped and planned out."

It was noted at the conference that the award-winning practices of Maple Ridge could make a difference in communities right across the country.

CAMA is a Canada-wide network and national voice of senior municipal administrators that strives to nurture and build municipal administrative excellence. It provides its members with knowledge sharing and learning opportunities, access to best practices, and valued input into policies and programs aimed at ensuring healthy and thriving communities across Canada.

The new animal care centre will be built on the site of the District's existing animal shelter at 10235 Jackson Road. Construction of the new facility will begin later this year, with the District and the BC SPCA each providing approximately $1.25 million towards the project. The BC SPCA will also purchase a half interest in the land.

"We are extremely pleased to be moving forward with this new centre, which will provide the highest level of service for abused, homeless, injured, neglected and lost animals in Maple Ridge," said BC SPCA chief executive officer Craig Daniell. Last year, the not-for-profit animal protection society cared for 1,358 animals in need in the District.

"The SPCA is an important partner of the District of Maple Ridge, providing a key service for our residents, their pets and other animals in the community," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "We are pleased that we will soon have a state-of-the-art animal shelter where SPCA staff and dedicated volunteers can work in comfortable quarters giving the love and attention that our animal friends deserve."

Daniell said the new facility will be approximately 6,500 square feet, incorporating modern animal welfare designs such as shared 'apartments' for dogs to increase socialization, communal indoor-outdoor areas for cats, designated areas for temperament and behaviour assessments, a sophisticated ventilation system to reduce the spread of airborne disease, and a large multi-purpose room that can be used for training, education and other community uses.

"Both the District and the SPCA are also very keen to have a strong focus on volunteer involvement so our plans will include space and programming to promote and develop volunteer opportunities."

The District will continue to provide property adjacent to the new BC SPCA-District community animal centre for Katie's Place, a private cat rescue group which currently operates a small facility on the District's existing shelter site.

Daniell said the project ushers in a new era of animal welfare in Maple Ridge and will provide a model for other sustainable shelters. "We are so excited to work with the community on this new centre and we hope residents will really get behind the facility to ensure its success." The BC SPCA will be launching a fundraising campaign in 2009 to seek funding for the centre's on-going services and programs for animals and pet guardians.

The new animal centre is expected to open by summer 2010.

For more information: Lorie Chortyk, General Manager, Community Relations, BC SPCA, 604.647.1316 (office), 604.830.7179 (cell); Gary Manson, Manager, Corporate Communications, District of Maple Ridge, 604-467-7452.

The District's Communications Department has been notified by Hermes Creative Awards that it has won not one, but two international awards for work it has done on the 2007 Citizens Report and the regional "Vote - It's Important" initiative it helped lead this past fall during local elections. The Citizens Report received a Platinum Award, Hermes' highest honour, while the "Vote - It's Important" initiative received gold.

"We are proud of our staff accomplishments and what better way to receive recognition than getting two awards from industry peers," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "Materials produced by our Communications Department are well done and in this case, award winning." Gary Manson, Manager Corporate Communications for the District, is proud of this accomplishment and points out that it is a team effort. "Many players are involved when working on District communication projects. For example, on the "Vote - It's Important" initiative, the Communications and Clerks Departments worked with neighbouring municipalities and other resources."

The Citizens Report is distributed each May providing an overview of the District's activities from the previous year highlighting accomplishments with photos, charts and write-ups. The "Vote - It's Important" initiative was designed to bring greater awareness of the importance of voting in municipal elections and to increase voter turnout. This project was also an excellent example of communities working constructively together.

The District will be receiving award certificates along with platinum and gold statuettes produced by the same Los Angeles company that makes the Golden Globe Awards.

Hermes Creative Awards, based out of Texas, is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media. The awards program is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. Judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.

"I want to be clear that the Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation supports the $450 million transportation plan but not in the way in which TransLink wants to collect its money," said Maple Ridge's Mayor Ernie Daykin who sits on the Council. "For too long now, senior levels of government have been relinquishing their responsibilities in many areas such as social services and transportation and to a degree where the consequences of such decisions are now impacting local government services."

A report prepared for the Council points out that the portion of TransLink revenues generated from property taxes has risen from 18% in 1999 to 28% in 2009 and that the share of TransLink revenues generated from local sources has risen from 53% to 65% over the same period of time. Compounding the issue further for communities like Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, is the ongoing struggle to receive their fair share of an effective public transportation system.

"I am very appreciative of the part of the transportation system we do have here in Maple Ridge," states Daykin. "I know staff at TransLink are working hard to meet what appears to be an insatiable demand for increased public transportation options but not given adequate resources to meet these needs. The Provincial and Federal Governments need to step up to the plate and make a significant investment and can do so by directing carbon tax credits to TransLink and similarly, readjusting federal gas tax transfers to be applied against operational requirements and not just capital projects. The need for ongoing operational funding is critical for a successful and sustainable regional transit system."

"Together we have been preparing a working arrangement that will become a community legacy concerning the health and well-being of our Town Centre," said Mayor Daykin referring to the work between the Chamber, BIA and the District. The new initiative, called Our Spirit…Our Town, is about to become a familiar term in Maple Ridge.

"We are proud supporters of Our Spirit…Our Town and will be working to encourage and enlist the active participation of our members," said Randy Cooke, President of the Chamber of Commerce.

Ernie Beaudin, President of the BIA stated that "Businesses operating in the Town Centre have made significant investments in our community and together with our partners, we will make a difference."

Our Spirit…Our Town is a multi-faceted approach to create a dynamic and vibrant Town Centre. The District of Maple Ridge along with the RCMP, the Chamber of Commerce, the BIA, community organizations and individual businesses are all making a commitment to help make the Town Centre area the best in BC. District employees, for example, will be doing litter pick up on Friday mornings during the spring and summer seasons while businesses in the area will be launching new initiatives of their own that will be announced shortly. There is a long list of activities that the three partners will be tackling.

More information on Our Spirit…Our Town will soon be available on each of the partner websites.

According to Adam Rieu, Chair of the District's Waste Reduction Team, "Our landfills are quickly filling up and as employees, we need to set an example to our citizens that we are taking steps to reduce our impact on the environment." Rieu, who works as a Youth Leader with Parks & Leisure Services, adds that using on-site composting is a good way for employees to show their commitment to sustainability.

The compost bins used in the program were built by students at Pitt Meadows Senior Secondary using locally produced cedar. "My students were really interested in the construction of the bins and how composting works," said shop teacher Matthew Mikes. Partnerships play an important part in this program helping to promote the responsibility everyone has to be stewards of the resources they use. The compost that will be produced through this program will eventually be mixed with soil in flower beds around Memorial Peace Park.

Waste reduction is one of the key focus areas for the workplace sustainability team which is made up of a group of employee volunteers who are introducing simple measures around waste reduction, energy conservation and alternative transportation. In addition to on-site composting, the team has established programs such as battery recycling, turning lights off when not needed, a guaranteed ride home for carpoolers and reducing the number of disposable cups used by providing re-usable ones.

Festivities begin at 1:00 pm in Pitt Meadows with the official send-off ceremony starting at 2:00 pm. Five wheelchair athletes will relay, with police escort, along Harris Road, Hammond Road, across Lougheed Highway and east on Dewdney Trunk between 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm. Once the wheelchair relay arrives in Maple Ridge, the party continues from 4:30 pm- 6:00 pm. 

"I would love to see kids and adults lining the street cheering on the athletes, celebrating their spirit, determination, achievement and courage-that's what these Games are all about," says Anita Perler, President of the 2009 BC Disability Games Board of Directors. "I'm pleased that Rick Hansen's Wheels in Motion crew and Para Olympian Brad Lennea will help us get things started. I encourage you to join us as we send these remarkable athletes off in style."

Hundreds of participants, which include athletes with a disability, coaches, officials, and assistants from all over British Columbia will arrive July 22 to kick-off the Games that run July 22 to July 26 2009. Ten local venues have been chosen for sport events including archery, badminton, 5 and 10 pin bowling, disc golf, equestrian, golf, kayaking, lawn bowls, sailing, sitting volleyball, soccer, and wheelchair dance as a demonstration sport.

In addition to over 200 volunteers, corporate and funding partners also play a key role in the success of this event. Funding partners include the Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport, the BC Games Society, City of Pitt Meadows, District of Maple Ridge, and School District 42, and corporate partners for these Games are CBC, Westminster Savings, and Rotary International.

Citizens can join in "Celebrating the Spirit" of the 2009 BC Disability Games by attending events, the Games, and by registering to become a volunteer. Community groups interested in having the Games mascot, Billy T, make an appearance at community events may contact mascot@disabilitygames.ca or make an online request on the Games website. For complete listings of events and Games news, or ways that citizens and corporate sponsors can get involved, visit the website http://www.disabilitygames2009.ca/ or contact the Games office at 604-465-0663.

"This report identifies that Maple Ridge is in a good position to capitalize on business opportunities that will generate direct economic impacts including high value local jobs," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "The combination of available land and some of the most affordable prices in the lower mainland along with the opening of two bridges makes Maple Ridge a highly attractive place to set up a new business."

The report indicates that the high tech sector is undergoing rapid growth and is one of the largest economic industries in the province. It also points out that Maple Ridge is an attractive location for such firms for a number of reasons. Significant investments in transportation infrastructure, affordability and availability of land, competitive development costs and its high quality of lifestyle all combined provide Maple Ridge with important competitive advantages.

The report indicates that Maple Ridge has a range of housing options along with a strong home-based business sector making up almost 50% of all businesses registered in the District. Maple Ridge is also recognized as "film friendly" attracting a great deal of movie and television business. There is already a range of high tech companies that call Maple Ridge home with plenty of room for more.

Findings from the report, which can be found on the District's Economic Development website at www.investmapleridge.ca, will be used by the EAC and Council to develop a strategy to attract more high tech firms to Maple Ridge. Details will also be announced in the near future regarding an all day High Tech Summit being organized by the District for June 25 that will involve keynote speakers and business representatives from the high tech sector.

About Maple Ridge

The District of Maple Ridge is situated on the shores of the Fraser River and nestled against the Coast Mountains. Located 45 kilometres east of Vancouver, the District is a progressive community well-known for its beautiful countryside and spectacular scenery. To learn more, please visit www.investmapleridge.ca.

Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin and Pitt Meadows Mayor Don MacLean participated in the process which resulted in the selection of Inspector Walsh as the new Officer in Charge.

Both Mayors Daykin and MacLean jointly expressed their support for Inspector Walsh in his new position as the Officer in Charge.

"The District of Maple Ridge and the City of Pitt Meadows are pleased to have played a role in the process of selecting the new RCMP Officer in Charge of our Detachment and we have great confidence in our chosen candidate. Insp. Walsh has served at the Ridge Meadows Detachment previously and is very familiar with the unique nature of our two communities. We look forward to continuing the excellent and positive relationship that has been established with our local Detachment and Officer in Charge.

"Dave Walsh is an outstanding member of the Force," says Assistant Commissioner Peter German, "who has provided excellent service to the communities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows and, more recently, to the entire Lower Mainland. We are very pleased by the cities' choice of Inspector Walsh to be their new Chief of Police."

Inspector Walsh brings 28 years of policing experience with the RCMP to his new position. His previous postings have included Pemberton, Kelowna and Surrey and 13 years at Ridge Meadows Detachment from 1993 to 2006. Inspector Walsh has experience in General Duty, General Investigation Section, Emergency Response Team operations and Drugs and Property Crime Units. Most recently, Inspector Walsh has been one of the four Regional Duty Officers serving the Lower Mainland District.

Inspector Walsh has been a member of Emergency Response Teams since 1985 and has served as ERT Team Leader in Kelowna, Coquitlam and North Fraser and later as Sergeant Team Leader full time for the Lower Mainland ERT.

"Having General Duty and plain clothes unit experience at Ridge Meadows," says Inspector Walsh, "I am sensitive to the local issues and understand the importance of identifying the needs and expectations of the community."

"My number one priority," says Inspector Walsh, "will be to do whatever needs to be done to ensure public safety. We will work in consultation and partnership with our communities and with our police agency partners in the Lower Mainland with the support of our integrated units in the Lower Mainland District."

Released by:

Cpl Peter Thiessen
RCMP E Div Strategic Communications Section
Lower Mainland District Strategic Communications Advisory Nco &
Media Relations Officer

LMD District Strategic Communications Unit
Cell: 04-614-6177
Fax: 604-598-4383
peter.thiessen@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
www.bc.rcmp.ca

"I encourage everyone to celebrate Earth Hour by signing up at www.EarthHourCanada.org, and then make sure you turn off all unnecessary lights for one hour on March 28th at 8:30 pm. By working together, we can reduce Maple Ridge's use of electricity while showing our support for action on climate change", says Mayor Ernie Daykin. Last year more than thirty countries participated in this initiative, with Maple Ridge joining almost ten million Canadian individuals, families and organizations in 150 different cities. According to BC Hydro, during last year's Earth Hour event Maple Ridge citizens turned out the lights and helped reduce community consumption by 2%. BC Hydro will again be tracking and analyzing energy consumption for this year's event.

Our everyday actions, like turning off unnecessary lights, collectively add up to make a big difference. For more information and to sign up for Earth Hour please visit www.EarthHourCanada.org.

"I am pleased that we are now able to get this work underway and improve roadway safety along this stretch of Lougheed Highway," said Mayor Daykin. I want to thank the Provincial and Federal Governments who have been our partners in this by contributing financially along with the District."

In addition to the highway improvements, a pedestrian crossing at the southeast point of the Kanaka/Haney Bypass/Lougheed intersection will also be built. Mainland Civil Works Inc. was awarded the contract to construct the improvements which should be complete by the end of April this year. The cost of design and construction of these improvements is approximately $800,000.

Inspector Wakely began working as Officer in Charge for the Ridge Meadows detachment in 2006 and before that was Staff Sergeant in Surrey, BC. He served in the RCMP for just over 34 years and in addition to his time as Officer in Charge in Maple Ridge, he also served in the community as a sergeant and corporal earlier in his career.

Jim Rule, Chief Administrative Officer for the District of Maple Ridge had formed a close working relationship with Inspector Wakely. "Jim was an outstanding individual who became a good friend. He cared about our community and worked hard to improve all of our lives. I will miss him."

The District of Maple Ridge has lowered all of its flags in honour of Inspector Wakely. Further details will follow.

The District has also received the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting (PAFR) for its Citizens Report. "I am very proud of the work done by our Finance Department and obviously their efforts are recognized well beyond the boundaries of Maple Ridge," said Paul Gill, General Manager, Corporate & Financial Services.

The District has been granted the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting Achievement 18 years in a row and for the past 12 years it has received the Popular Annual Financial Report Award. "I am used to hearing about the great achievements of our Finance folks," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "I appreciate the sense of pride that they put into their work and recognize their ongoing efforts and due diligence."

The Annual Financial and Citizen's Reports were judged by impartial Review Committee members to meet the high standards of the program, including demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" designed to clearly communicate the municipality's financial story and to motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving 17,300 government finance professionals in the United States and Canada with offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.

"We were fortunate that our community did not suffer large losses or disruptions as a result of this latest storm," said Mayor Ernie Daykin. "Our Emergency Operations Centre was activated in order to deal with any major flooding that would have occurred while our public works personnel were working around the clock to monitor the situation. We were well looked after."

Rosemary Webster who lives right beside the North Alouette River on 224 Street and is co-chair of the North Alouette Residents' Association was satisfied with the District's work during this latest event. "I was invited to sit in their EOC as a citizen representative so I saw first hand the effort the District puts into this type of situation. My family would have been directly impacted had the conditions been worse but I was very impressed with the quick actions of the District, police and others."

Other communities do not appear to have come away quite so unscathed. For example, communities to the east of Maple Ridge including Abbotsford and Chilliwack are still dealing with the after effects of the storm. Although another rain storm is approaching our area, it is not expected to create any flooding.

Storm updates can be found on the District of Maple Ridge's website at www.mapleridge.ca/. Everyone is also reminded of the importance of having a personal emergency preparedness plan.

Both Alouette Rivers are steadily increasing in water level. For example, the North Alouette has gone from 38" in depth yesterday morning to 90" twelve hours later.

Residents are encouraged to be cautious and to watch for pedestrians, obey traffic signage, flag person or police officer who may be directing traffic. Everyone is reminded to stay away from all rivers and streams during this current weather event as they are now flowing quickly. Cold water and debris make the situation that more dangerous.

If residents in an area are concerned for personal safety and wish to leave their property but are unable to do so, call 911 for assistance. District staff will be monitoring this situation until further notice and further information will be posted on the District's website at www.mapleridge.ca.

The District of Maple Ridge is working cooperatively with School District 42 to improve student drop off and access issues around schools on a priority basis and within the District of Maple Ridge's Snow Plan. In the meantime, a large weather system is moving into our area that will bring with it lots of rain. Residents and businesses situated in areas prone to flooding are reminded to prepare for potential flooding.

For more information and updates on road and weather conditions, go to the District of Maple Ridge's website.

The heavy rain which will begin this evening and last for the next 30 to 36 hours, combined with accelerated snow melt will lead to river water possibly overflowing banks. Residents are reminded to take appropriate action to ensure the safety of their families, pets and livestock as well as physical property. At this time there is no evacuation order in place but residents are encouraged to be cautious and to obey traffic signage, flag person or police officer who may be directing traffic. Everyone is reminded to stay away from all rivers and streams during this current weather event as they will begin to flow and rise very quickly. Cold water and debris make the situation that more dangerous.

If residents in an area are concerned for personal safety and wish to leave their property but are unable to do so, call 911 for assistance. District staff will be monitoring this situation until further notice.