Archive for September, 2011

Recognizing special initiatives, accomplishments, and projects, which have advanced heritage conservation in Maple Ridge. Nominations due October 17, 2011, at 4:00 pm.

Award Categories:

1. Heritage Landscape
2. Heritage Building
3. Sheila Nickols Heritage Achievement Award for Community History and Heritage Teaching
4. Heritage Project(s) by Youth
5. History and Heritage Research and Publication
6. Significant Contribution to the Preservation of Historical Documents

Award winners will be celebrated during the annual Heritage Awards event in February 2012 which everyone is welcome attend.

For more information and a nomination form, please visit our website, or contact Lisa Zosiak at lzosiak@mapleridge.ca or 604-467-7383. Also, check us out on Facebook!

Interested in Joining the Community Heritage Commission?

The Community Heritage Commission is looking for new members. If you have an interest in community heritage and would like to sit on the Commission, please contact Lisa Zosiak at lzosiak@mapleridge.ca.

This October, you may notice something different about our Maple Ridge Firefighters. In an effort to support patients and their families impacted by breast cancer, Maple Ridge Firefighters IAFF Local 4449 is once again joining an international emergency responder campaign “Cares Enough to Wear Pink”. These community first responders will be exchanging their regular duty shirt for pink t-shirts to help raise breast cancer awareness in a campaign to honour those fighting cancer.

Maple Ridge Fire Department is proud to be a part of the “Cares Enough to Wear Pink” campaign. Be part of the team showing support to our community’s cancer fighters and survivors. Shirts are available to the public at a cost of $20 with all proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada. The shirts will be available for sale at the Fire Department Open House at Fire Hall No. 1 on Saturday, October 15

There are several tell-tale signs that summer is winding down – school begins anew, the leaves on the trees begin to change colours, and autumn vegetables ripen in gardens. This year, as with last year, the Golden Harvest, A Taste of Maple Ridge and Beyond, will celebrate this beautiful season.

The Maple Ridge Agricultural Advisory Committee, in partnership with the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Agricultural Association and the Haney Farmers Market, will present the third annual appetizer party on Friday, October 14 at The ACT in Maple Ridge. This event, which focuses on local agricultural produce, will begin at 6:00 pm and run until 8:00 pm. The 250 tickets will sell for $25 ($20 for seniors and school age children) and are available from members of the Maple Ridge Agricultural Advisory Committee, at the Haney Farmers Market and at The ACT, contact their box office 604-476-2787.

What an incredible summer it was for cyclists in Maple Ridge. As our sports pages reported on the success of local elite competitions, a group of over 20 dedicated volunteers rode through the streets and trails of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. Sponsored by the Bicycle Advisory Committee and the local chapter of the Vancouver Area Cycling Association, these bike riders did detailed assessments on our existing facilities and proposed corridors for an upcoming Bicycle Transportation Plan. 

In the fun and fantastic prizes category, the bicycle contest found winners for photography and participation (by bicycle) to various community events. Farmers markets, Hot Summer Nights, Duck Race, bike races and leisurely rides into the sunset were all great riding experiences expressed by the entrants.

The category winners are:

• Largest Group Photo – The Maple Ridge Criteria
• Best Ride – Silver Valley to the Farmers Market
• Best Bike Parking – Tie between TD Bank at Valley Fair Mall and the Maple Ridge Library
• Best Blog – www.rmcyclist.info/
• Funniest Photo – Maple Ridge Bike Park by Corey Peterson and Family Ride by Anne Halas
• Best Participation Photo – Hot Summer Nights by Blaine Unger
• Best Group Photo – Ridge Meadows Outdoor Club in Maple Ridge Park by Nicholas Blomley
• Overall Best Photo – Mist on the Dyke by Kelly Kitsch

The Prize Draw Winners are:

• Nicholas Blomley - I-Pad
• Isaac Halas - I-Pod
• Anita Douglas - Gift Certificate
• Jackie Chow - Gift Certificate

Kelly Kitsch - Gift Certificate

On Friday, September 9 at 12:48 pm a 6.4 magnitude earthquake along with a series of significant aftershocks occurred just off the west coast of Vancouver Island. Mild shaking was felt in many BC jurisdictions, including Maple Ridge. BC is on one of the most active seismic faults in the world and there are approximately 1,200 earthquakes per year.

On October 20 at 10:20 am thousands of British Columbians will make history and join others along the west coast of the United States, the Central United States, Guam and New Zealand in the largest earthquake drill in the world. To date over 110,000 BC residents have signed up to participate! With the recent reminder that BC is in a seismically active zone and with the many lessons learned from the recent quakes in Japan and New Zealand, the District of Maple Ridge encourages all residents, businesses and agencies to register today for the Great British Columbia ShakeOut drill. The drill takes only a minute and offers residents, businesses and agencies the opportunity to practice the recommended safety technique of Drop, Cover and Hold-On, while at the same time serve as a reminder to review emergency plans and your emergency supplies.

For more information on earthquake preparedness and to register for the drill, visit http://www.shakeoutbc.ca/ or email info@shakeoutbc.ca.