DANCE FOR CANADA
Tri-City dancers Kate Fleming, Claire Zalamea, Denise Chan, Colby Mackenzie, Kristina Nishi-Beckingham and Amber Hall will represent Canada at the IDO The World Hip Hop Championships next week.
LABOUR UNITED
LINKS TO HOSPICE
An annual charity golf tournament hosted by G&F Financial swung in $52,000 for the Crossroads Hospice Society, which will use the cash to buy new alarmed medical beds at its Port Moody hospice facility in Inlet Centre.
FIRST PHASE
Kwikwetlem First Nation last week marked the end of its first phase of earthworks at IR2, a 98-acre site being built up for a future business park and wellness centre. Building on the 30-acre Phase 1 parcel is expected to start next spring.
TOP BROKER
Lorne Perry of Port Moody Insurance has been named Insurance Person of the Year by Salute BC. Formed in 1992, the organization honours insurance reps who have made a significant contribution to the sector in the province. Perry started his career in 1976 working in brokerages in Quesnel, Prince George and Maple Ridge. In 1991, he moved to Port Moody Insurance, which is now part of the Intercity Group and InsureBC. Today, he is a partner and manages six offices with seven locations. Perry joined the IBABC board in 2005 and, after serving as president in 2009-’10, he went on to serve at the national level becoming president of the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada in 2015-’16, according to a release. He will be recognized at a gala at the Pan Pacific Hotel next Wednesday.
WILDFIRE CASH
Port Moody musician Rocky Milino Jr. handed over $1,000 to the Red Cross’ BC Wildfires Appeal Fund following two benefit concerts last month. Milino, who works as a heavy-duty mechanic for BC Ferries, brought in $945 from sales of his new CD, Pleasantside Blues.
REFUGEE HOUSING $
FortisBC has awarded $15,000 to the Tri-Cities Friends of Refugees Task Group, an organization co-founded and chaired by Coquitlam Coun. Teri Towner. The company’s Community Giving grant will be used to help immigrants find livable homes in the city. “We’ve transformed four housing units so far — housing for 20 people — and now we can do even more,” Towner told The Tri-City News in an email.
MARINER WIN
Coquitlam’s first microbrew poured in an award at the 2017 BC Hop Festival in Abbotsford last month. Mariner Brewing’s Northeast IPA earned a third place People’s Choice prize among 100 beers from 40 breweries, said co-founder Wim Vander Zalm. The company’s brewmaster is Kevin Wilson.
HOME BUILDING
Ron Rapp of Coquitlam’s Morningstar Homes won a 2017 Award of Excellence from the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association (GVHBA) last Wednesday. Rapp took the Chair Award of Honour at the gala while Jamie Banfield of Jamie Banfield Design of Port Moody reaped the Supplier Member of the Year accolade, according to a release.
UBCM WINS
The cities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam scooped top awards at last month’s 114th annual Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) conference in Vancouver. Coquitlam took first place in the Best Practices, Excellence in Action category for productivity enhancement using web mapping. It also won an honourable mention in the Partnerships category for community-inspired climate action. In 2010, in partnership with BC Hydro, the city started a cross-departmental employee-led “green team” called the Coquitlam Carbon Cutters. It has hosted more than 30 events and initiatives resulting in reducing approximately 500,000 kWh and $50,000 in energy cost savings annually, according to a city press release.
Meanwhile, Port Coquitlam took first place in the Best Practices in Organizational Development and Improvements category for its efforts in helping PoCo businesses recover from a potential major disaster. “We’re thrilled to be recognized provincially for the work we’re doing to help our local businesses. They are the cornerstone of our economy and will be critical to Port Coquitlam’s recovery from a major disaster,” said Mayor Greg Moore in a news release. “Our city is always striving to do things better and it’s an honour to be recognized by our peers for our efforts.”
Added PoCo Coun. Glenn Pollock, chair of the city’s community safety committee: “Kudos to our staff and our community volunteers for going above and beyond and working collaboratively with our business partners.”
PoCo will host a workshop for businesses on Nov. 15 at 3 p.m. at the PoCo Inn and Suites. Email stroupt@portcoquitlam.ca to register.
@jcleughTC
