Two candidates in the upcoming Port Moody civic election got into a dust-up early Saturday morning over sign placement.
Incumbent Coun. Diana Dilworth and new school trustee candidate Lisa Park were both vying for prime election sign real estate at the corner of Ioco Road and Heritage Mountain Boulevard; when discussion between the two candidates' teams got heated, a city bylaw officer called in the Port Moody Police.
Dilworth said she arrived at the spot at 6:15 a.m. to save a spot for her signs, which under the city's election bylaw could be erected at 7 a.m. two weeks before voting day. A short time later, she said, about a dozen members of Park's team arrived and said they wanted to put her signs where Dilworth was standing.
Dilworth said she felt intimidated by Park's volunteers, who got into a "screaming match" with her own volunteers, even going so far as to suggest a fight. A PMPD officer arrived and monitored the situation but determined it was not a police matter, said Const. Luke van Winkel.
"I was feeling threatened and walked away from what I felt was a bad situation," Dilworth said. "In the end, my sign team walked away and let her team take the sign position they wanted.
She added that Park was there only briefly.
"There were a number of candidates there and for those of us who have been through campaigns before, this is supposed to be a fun part of getting the campaign going," said Dilworth, downplaying the incident. "It should have been a fun morning but unfortunately it soured a bit."
Park did not respond to multiple requests for an interview.
