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Things to Do: Count birds, recycle bottles

Weekend guide for Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody.
Anna's
Anna's hummingbird

THURSDAY, JAN. 3

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Sharpen your oratory skills before a crowd with the City of the Arts Toastmasters Club, which meets at 5:30 p.m. in the Parkview Room at Port Moody city hall (100 Newport Dr.). New members are welcome. Visit cityofthearts.toastmastesrclubs.org.

GET FIT

Try out pilates or Zumba — for $4 — at the Hyde Creek recreation centre (1379 Laurier Ave., Port Coquitlam) during the city’s new year’s fitness push. The pilates class is at 6:30 p.m. while Zumba starts at 7 p.m. (the drop-in Strong by Zumba is on Jan. 5 at 8:15 a.m.). Call 604-927-7529 or visit experienceit.ca.


FRIDAY, JAN. 4

HERITAGE NIGHT

Staff and volunteers from the Coquitlam Heritage Society will have an artifacts, crafts and activities night to celebrate the new year at Lights at Lafarge, the largest free outdoor lights display in Metro Vancouver. From 6 to 8 p.m., meet at the TD Community Plaza (on the east side of Lafarge Lake at Coquitlam Town Centre Park, 1299 Pinetree Way) to explore how other cultures ring in New Year’s. No cost. Visit coquitlam.ca/parkspark.


SATURDAY, JAN. 5

CHIRP CHIRP

Help the members of the Burke Mountain Naturalists as they take part in the Tri-Cities’ annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Counters will be assigned to teams in 14 areas around the region such as Colony Farm regional park, Como Lake Park and along the Coquitlam River. Or, stay at home and watch your feeder that day if your yard is located within the county circle. Call 604-937-5379 or visit burkemountainnaturalists.ca.

GOODBYE TREE

In Coquitlam, the Kinsmen Club of Coquitlam is at Miller Park community school (800 Egmont Ave.) to chip live Christmas trees from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. while the Scouts francophone de Maillardville are in the parking lot of Canadian Tire (1200 Seguin Dr.) during the same times. In Port Coquitlam, the city firefighters will chip from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (for a minimum $5 donation) at firehall #1 (1725 Broadway St.) while, in Port Moody, the firefighters have a chip and hot drinks — and will even vacuum out your vehicle — for a $5 minimum donations; proceeds from both firefighters’ events support the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund.

RECYCLE IT

Be good to the Earth and take your left-over wrapping paper, boxes, Styrofoam, packaging and plastic film to the city of Port Moody’s centralized recycling day, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Westhill Park (203 Westhill Pl.), Kyle Centre (125 Kyle St.) and Heritage Mountain community centre (200 Panorama Pl.). No cost for disposal. Visit portmoody.ca.

O TANNENBAUM

The winners of the 6th annual Christmas Tree Festival will be announced by staff and volunteers at PoCo Heritage at an awards ceremony that starts at 1 p.m. in the Leigh Square Community Arts Village (behind PoCo city hall). Refreshments will be served. Call 604-927-8403 or visit pocoheritage.org.

SCAVENGER HUNT

Pop on your winter jacket, mittens and toque for a scavenger hunt around Lights at Lafarge in Coquitlam Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way). The city’s Park Spark team will be at the Warming Tent from 6 to 8 p.m. for guests to drop in. Sponsored in part by The Tri-City News, the light display is on nightly from dusk to 11 p.m. until Jan. 20. Visit coquitlam.ca/parkspark.

OLE!

It’s time to work off those Christmas and New Year’s Eve calories by hitting the dance floor. The Hot Salsa Dance Zone will spin Latin music until 12:30 a.m. in the rehearsal hall of the Evergreen Cultural Centre (1205 Pinetree Way); a one-hour dance class starts at 8 p.m. Free parking or take the Evergreen Extension to the Lafarge Lake-Douglas station. Admission is $10. Visit hotsalsadancezone.com.


SUNDAY, JAN. 6

HAVE YOUR SAY

Be on an advisory committee in the city of Coquitlam, which has extended its deadline for volunteer applications until Monday. Help is needed for the following committees: culture services, economic development, multiculturalism, Riverview lands, sports, sustainability and environment, and universal access-ability. Visit coquitlam.ca/volunteer.

BOTTLE DRIVE

Turn over your empty bottles and cans from the holidays to the 1st Port Coquitlam Scouts, who will be Kilmer elementary (1575 Knappen St., Port Coquitlam) from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to collect refundable items for their programs in the new year. Call 604-704-5972 or email spaci1701@yahoo.ca for assured pick up.

MORE CHIPS

Friends of Mundy Park Heritage Society are in the Mundy Park parking lot on Hillcrest Street from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for their annual Christmas tree chip while the Kinsmen Club heads to the northside of the city for a chip in Parking Lot A in Coquitlam Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way). At Port Coquitlam and Port Moody fire halls #1, both departments continue with their chips with proceeds supporting the BC Professional Burn Fund. Chipping is by donation.

TRIPPIN’ THE LIGHT

Play light-up frisbee or badminton — or try out the lighted walking poles — during Lights at Lafarge, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the TD Community Plaza on the east side of Coquitlam Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way). Visit coquitlam.ca/parkspark.