Port Moody Focus. Keeping Council s priorities top of mind WHAT S INSIDE: YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER Summer 2013 Vol. 16 No. 2

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1 Port Moody Focus YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER Summer 2013 Vol. 16 No. 2 Keeping Council s priorities top of mind In May 2012 the City of Port Moody s City Council released a strategic plan identifying five areas crucial to achieving their vision for this vibrant waterfront city. These five pillars focused on informing and engaging the community, providing excellent service, planning for the future, advancing economic and tourism development, and nurturing our already strong sense of community. City staff, under the leadership of the City Manager, worked together to develop the Port Moody Team Action Plan. The plan is a set of action items and achievable timelines for carrying out Council s strategies. Through significant research and consultation each department has compiled detailed work plans. These plans are precise enough to now provide for meaningful progress to be made while still allowing for dynamic response to situations which are impacting us now or that may do so in the future. Furthermore, by holding staff leaders accountable for each individual task and providing a platform for tracking progress, stakeholders are able to see where staff is meeting Council s goals or where they are falling short. With the Team Action Plan as our roadmap, the organization has the framework to see a transformation in the way the City delivers government services and how we continue to empower and inform our community. See what we ve got planned for 2013 in our annual report! Port Moody citizens will have an opportunity to see the progress we re making on our action items through regular reports that we ll be posting to our website. In addition, our annual report identifies those items that staff are tackling in You can download a copy of the 2012 Port Moody Annual Report from the City s website, in mid-june. WHAT S INSIDE: OCP update continues PAGE 3 Charge up your electric car PAGE 5

2 Get into the Centennial spirit! Host a block party in your neighbourhood June 22, 11am Port Moody Civic Centre to Rocky Point Park Bring neighbours together, celebrate the City of Port Moody s Centennial and help build communities by having a block party. We re offering a limited number of $100 grants for your community block party, along with a Centennial promotional package. Fill out a permit application at - just click on the Centennial logo and go to the Get Involved page. Go to for everything Centennial! Everyone loves a parade! Join us as we celebrate 100 years of community in Port Moody. The parade follows Murray Street from Ioco Road to Rocky Point Park. Go to for more details on the parade route, including the best places to watch the show! Parking is limited, so consider taking the bus, walking or using public transit to this great community event! Community Picnic Celebrating Port Moody s Centennial August 17, noon to 9:30pm Rocky Point Park Bring the family to a day of activities, races and entertainment. Musical entertainment includes Charlotte Diamond, The Pids, Wall Street and ABRA Cadabra, followed by fireworks. This free event is hosted by local favourite Tony Prophet. Centennial Fireworks August 17, 9:30pm Rocky Point Park Spend a summer s evening celebrating Port Moody s Centennial with fireworks at Rocky Point! Centennial All Nations Festival Traditional Indigenous Canoe Arrival at Rocky Point launch at 1:30pm Artisan Market Salmon BBQ Digital Teepee Poets, & Media Arts Traditional Storytelling Teepee Hiphop and DJ Battle Traditional Indigenous Dancers Head to Rocky Point Park on June 22 between 1-9pm for eight hours of fun plus 100 aboriginal artists! Bring the kids and enjoy a variety of activities including traditional crafting and storytelling with elders. Come shop at the artist market, enjoy the salmon BBQ and check out other food venues. A great day of celebrating Port Moody s centennial and First Nations culture together / summer

3 Planning Port Moody s future Conceptual sketch showing proposed vision for Murray Street. An Official Community Plan (OCP) is a municipality s long term vision to guide future land use and development. Port Moody is currently updating its OCP in response to the construction of two rapid transit stations in the city. Over the past year, we ve consulted with the community through public input sessions, a design charrette, surveys and Town Hall meetings. A draft plan has been developed which includes changes to areas in Port Moody closest to the proposed Evergreen Line stations. The proposed changes reflect a focus on nine guiding principles including 1. protecting the environment 2. focussing higher density around transit nodes 3. providing a range of housing options 4. supporting economic development 5. preserving and enhancing heritage areas 6. encouraging high quality urban design 7. enhancing connections 8. ensuring a range of public amenities and 9. generating new City revenue through diversifying the tax base and ensuring new development funds public amenities. Seven Evergreen Line sub-areas have been identified in the draft plan and proposed visions developed for each to provide direction for what these areas could look like in the future. These subareas include 1. the Gateway area at the western end of Moody Centre 2. the Spring Street Promenade 3. a Heritage Commercial District including Queens St. Plaza 4. the Murray Street Boulevard area 5. the Oceanfront District west of Rocky Point Park and the 6. Moody Centre and 7. Inlet Centre Transit Oriented Development areas around the two proposed stations. We d like to hear what you think. More information on the draft OCP is available online at Comments can be submitted in person at City Hall, or by at ocp@portmoody.ca. New metrics will tell you how we re doing The City of Port Moody recognizes that government services must continually seek innovative ways to encourage community participation. With the recent creation of the Port Moody Team Action Plan and a prevailing corporate environment emphasizing accountability, the City is exploring new means of recording how we re doing and letting the public know. We ve recently implemented a widespread benchmarking initiative. Each department has identified key data sets with the hopes of sharing ideas and synergies between related services. By tracking these key performance indicators (KPIs) over time, the organization, as well as the community, can easily access information necessary for optimizing our performance and our policies. Kilograms Spring cleaning! Springtime green waste can vary depending on the weather 2012 is almost identical to 2011 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2012 (broken down by month) Leaves coming off the trees One of the metrics we ll report on is the volume of solid waste we collect monthly. The bar chart shows the amount of garbage, recycling and green waste collected by month in The line graph compares total tonnes of solid waste from 2012 to The initiative covers measurements in numerous areas that are meaningful to the citizens of Port Moody. Phase 1 of the KPIs will target areas such as development applications granted; building permits granted; metres of pipe replaced; tonnes of solid waste picked up; fires responded to; staff overtime; and, sick days taken. We ll be comparing these metrics both internally and externally to assure that Port Moody remains on top of local government best practices. We hope that by holding ourselves accountable and asking that the public does the same, we at the organization will encourage increased feedback and uphold the City of Port Moody s commitment to exceptional service / summer 3

4 Inlet Centre Fire Hall takes shape at the corner of Newport and Ioco The corner of Ioco and Newport is getting a whole new look as the Inlet Centre Fire Hall starts taking shape. This 20,000 square foot building is the future headquarters of Port Moody s Fire Rescue Department, including the people who take care of administration, training, life safety, operations and emergency management. The new hall gives us enough space to serve our current population while accommodating our city s anticipated growth. More space means an additional truck bay, administrative offices that keep up with department s needs, a multi-purpose training room and functional areas for day-to-day operations. The hall s exterior features a distinguishing mix of modern and traditional elements. Look forward to an antique fire truck encased in glass, a unique 22 foot long aluminum art piece and a green roof above the vehicle storage. We re expecting administration staff to move into the building at the end of November 2013 with operations following in early Stay tuned for more details as we get closer to the opening date! Appleyard/Centennial House update The Appleyard Residence/Centennial House is on our heritage register. Built in 1910, this classic Foursquare style Edwardian-era building was once home to Frederick Appleyard, local lumberman and city councillor. During the early morning of July 7, 2012 we moved it from its original Clarke Street location up to Kyle Street. The plan is to refurbish the Centennial Residence/Appleyard House with the federal Heritage Legacy Fund awarded this year. After hiring an architect in April, we made the decision to move the home a short distance further down Kyle Street so it sits next to the Port Moody Arts Centre. This helps add capacity to one of our existing facilities and expands the level of programming we re able to offer. Next steps include building a basement for the Appleyard/Centennial house to make it historically consistent with its original location. The home also needs to be elevated and oriented so it s level with the existing Arts Centre. We ll be moving through the design process this summer and plan to start work on the ground before the fall of Remember that property taxes are due Tuesday, July 2. You re responsible for paying your taxes even if you didn t receive a bill. Contact Finance at for a copy. Fire safety tips Contrary to common perception, a wildfire does not burn everything in its path. In fact, house fires along the interface (where homes meet forested areas) often start as small ignitions caused by embers. Clearing your property of debris and maintaining landscaping are important yet simple first steps for reducing these types of fires. Here are more actions that reduce the risk of home and property becoming fuel for a wildfire: Clear leaves & other debris from gutters, eaves, porches and decks. This prevents embers from igniting your home. Keep lawns hydrated and maintained. Dry grass and shrubs fuel wildfire. Limit vegetation surrounding a home depending on the area s wildfire risk. Remove flammable materials within 3-5 feet of the home s foundation and outbuildings, including garages and sheds. Don t let things that could catch fire touch the house, deck or porch. When wildfire spreads to tree tops, the fire can become more dangerous and reach homes quicker. Prune large trees so the lowest branches are 6-10 feet from the ground. Don t let debris and lawn cuttings linger. Dispose of these items quickly to reduce fuel for fire. When planting, choose slow-growing, carefully placed shrubs and trees so the area can be more easily maintained. Landscape with native and lessflammable plants / summer

5 Be on the lookout for our summer cultural guide Our 2013 Summer Cultural Guide lets residents and visitors know about all the fun, entertaining events happening throughout the summer in Port Moody. Catch a concert, watch a movie, check out a Centennial event or spot the latest piece of public art. It s easy with this definitive summer publication. Charge up your electric car at one of four new stations in Port Moody Battery-powered car owners can now charge up at one of Port Moody s new electric vehicle charging stations. Three of the new stations are easily accessible at the Recreation Complex, Rocky Point Park and Kyle Centre. A fourth charging station is located at the City s Works Yard, which serves the City s fleet of vehicles as well as facility visitors. Installing electric vehicle charging stations is another way the City of Port Moody is advancing our sustainability goals, said Mayor Mike Clay. Electric vehicles improve air quality and reduce the use of fossil fuels. We re making it easier for our community to make a sustainable choice that readily benefits future generations. Port Moody received $16,000 from the Province of British Columbia s Community Charging Infrastructure (CCI) Fund and the City matched this contribution. We re part of a provincial network of over 500 charging stations. Thanks Al! Long-time Port Moody resident and local historian Al Sholund has written articles about our city for over 25 years. We wish him well as he retires his regular column in the Focus newsletter. Along with his wife Nellie, the Sholunds have contributed extensively to our community. Both are Freedom of the City recipients, are widely credited with building the City s Public Library and Library Board and have donated countless hours to historical restoration and education. The Sholunds are also our honorary parade marshals at the Centennial parade on June 22. New to the guide this year is a pull-out map outlining all the parks in Port Moody. Sure, you know everything Rocky Point Park has to offer - but did you know that over 40% of our land mass is dedicated parkland? Now s the time to start exploring new trails and off-the-beatenpath greenspaces. Our Summer Cultural Guide hits the streets in late June. Pick one up at any City facility, including City Hall. Bear essentials Another summer is upon us and bears have already made appearances in Port Moody neighbourhoods. The experts agree that careful management of garbage is the first and most important step to keep bears out of our community. So far, bears have already damaged over 25 garbage and green waste carts while looking for an easy meal. Lock your garbage and green waste carts then store them in your garage, shed or basement between weekly collection. For more information visit the following: / summer 5

6 Chris Rattenbury is the new Chief Constable at the Port Moody Police Department The Port Moody Police Board is pleased to announce Chris Rattenbury as Chief Constable. Chief Rattenbury started his policing career in 1982 with the Vancouver Police Department. In 1990, he joined the Port Moody Police Department (PMPD). As a member of PMPD, Chief Rattenbury was seconded to the Justice Institute of BC as an Instructor for the Police Academy for two years in In 1997, Chief Rattenbury returned to the PMPD and was promoted to patrol sergeant. Since then, he has held progressive positions of increased responsibility including administrative sergeant, inspector in charge of Operations and in 2008, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief Constable. The Port Moody Police Board undertook a national search for candidates. Through this extensive process, the Board has confirmed that Chief Rattenbury uniquely possesses both the professional qualifications and personal qualities to lead the exemplary men and women of the Port Moody Police Department. New accessible recreation programs Starting a new activity can be exciting, but it can also be frightening as you try something you have never tried before. For individuals who have a disability, starting a new program has the added pressures of wondering if the instructor will be able to adapt the program for your ability level, or if staff will be able to spend the extra time with you that you need to participate. This year, Recreation Services has introduced a number of new programs, including Wheelchair Tennis, Chair Yoga, Yoga 4 Yourbody, and Fresh Start Fitness to provide smaller class sizes, adapted exercises and trained staff that can provide a social, encouraging and welcoming atmosphere. A partnership with Fraser Health is also linking individuals who are finishing their rehabilitation or who have not participated in an exercise group to recreation programs that can continue to improve their health. On May 1, Port Moody held a Have a Go Day where members of the public could participate in free demonstrations of wheelchair tennis, basketball and rugby. Knowledgeable instructors are also important to a successful program. Last year, 18 fitness staff participated in a one day training session on how to adapt their programs for an aging population. Earlier this year, six fitness staff participated in training to teach TIME, a new exercise program for adults with a stroke, acquired brain injury or multiple sclerosis. Interested in learning more about our fitness programs? Contact the fitness programmers at or visit Explore our city s history with a brand new book from the Port Moody Station Museum Take a look back at our city s colourful history with the Port Moody Station Museum s first full colour book! Tracks in Time: Port Moody s First 100 Years provides a fascinating look at the images and stories from Port Moody during This coffee book features fantastic photos and gives a dynamic account of your city s history. Tracks in Time: Port Moody s First 100 Years is available in hard cover at the Port Moody Station Museum and City Hall for $40. Find out more at / summer

7 Be a reading super hero at the library this summer! Keep reading all summer long at the Port Moody Public Library! Starting June 1, kids can join our free, fun Summer Reading Club: Up, Up and Away! Kids across the province will take to the skies, voyage through space, and follow authors to other worlds. Sign up at the library to receive a special booklet to record your favourite books, and collect weekly stickers to track your reading. Summer Reading Club motivates kids to read regularly, which helps to maintain or improve reading skills while school is out. It makes reading fun by inviting kids to read what they want. Check out some fantastic new paperbacks for those lazy beach days, or download a book to take on vacation. The Summer Reading Club is your ticket to fun this summer with great free programs. Members can drop in to the Our 2014 calendar needs your photos! We want to fill our 2014 City Calendar with photos that reflect the best of Port Moody. Your images mirror the vibrant community we live, work and play in. Think brilliant waterfront views, secluded rainforest trails or evening skylines dotted with lights. These are shots that illuminate how special our city is in any season. Submit your best reflection today for a chance to get into our 2014 calendar! Find submission details on our website. Out of This World experience with stories and puppetry on July 11th or see the amazing magic and music of the Great Smartini on August 8th. Kids who have read for 50 days or more receive a gold reading club medal at our special medal ceremony on August 24th. Teens aged 13 to 18 can also get in on the action with the online Teen Reading Club. Review and talk about your favourite books with teens from all over the Metro Vancouver area and join in polls to win weekly prizes. Chat with awesome authors Kelley Armstrong and Darren Shan or enter the What s your story? contest to win an ipad mini! Join at starting June 6th! For more information, please call the library s information desk at or visit Nominate a worthy resident for one of the City s annual awards Help us to recognize a Port Moody resident or group who contributes to our City in an extraordinary way. We re accepting nominations for all awards until September 30, The Peter Hulbert Accessibility Award is recognition for accomplishment in the area of removing barriers for individuals with disabilities. Arts Award nominees contribute time, talent, leadership or support to the arts. They benefit the community and Port Moody s reputation locally, nationally or internationally as City of the Arts. Environmental nominees encourage environmental accomplishments and awareness in the community. Heritage proponents are recognized for advancing heritage conservation in Port Moody through special initiatives, accomplishments and projects. The Sports Award celebrates an individual, organization or business that significantly contributes to sports in Port Moody. Visit to learn more about the City s awards and to download the application form. For more information, contact Diane Simmons at / summer 7

8 What s on in Port Moody See more Centennial events on page 2 or go to Council meetings Council meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month except August. Meetings usually begin at 7pm in Council Chambers at Inlet Theatre. Committee of the Whole meetings are scheduled for the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month and are only held as required. Find agendas online, at City Hall & the library. We also stream our Council meetings online. Next meetings dates: June 25, July 9, July 23. Port Moody Public Library Programs Find more on these free programs at or call Registration is not required unless noted. Links to Literacy Golf Tournament Aug 27, Meadow Gardens Golf Course This annual fundraiser supports literacy initiatives in your community. Enjoy a day of golf or join us in the evening for the banquet and silent auction. Registration required. Book Clubs The Library has three book clubs to choose from. Meet new people and read something new. Summer Reading Club Keep reading all summer long. Registration required starting Jun 1. Summer Baby Sing & Learn Mondays, Jul 8-Aug 12, 11-11:45am Ages birth to 18 months. Twilight Tales Tuesdays, Jul 9-Aug 13, 6:30-7pm Ages birth to 6 years, with parent/ caregiver. Port Moody Station Museum Find out more about museum projects, displays and events online at or call Port Moody: Yesterday & Tomorrow June 29 September 15 The exhibit gives visitors a peek at Moody Centre s past and future. Local resident and modeller Jim Buckley has constructed a nine block model of Clarke Street in the 1930s. Jump ahead 90 years to the year 2020 with a Lego display created by the Vancouver Lego Club. Community Events Golden Spike Days Jun 29-Jul 1, Rocky Point Park Golden Spike Days is the longest running festival in Port Moody. It s also a family favourite with great entertainment on stage and fun activities for kids. Find more at Celebrate Canada Day Jul 1, Rocky Point Park Join Mayor & Council for an official ceremony, refreshments and entertainment. Stop by the City s centennial tent and say hello! Canada Day at the Port Moody Station Museum July 1, 10am-5pm Come celebrate Canada Day at the Station Museum. This year features Port Moody s Yesterday and Tomorrow lego exhibit, arts and crafts for the kids, heritage games, face painting and a couple of smaller exhibits about heritage vegetables and early Port Moody. Port Moody Film Society Films screen at Inlet Theatre. Tickets at the door: members $5/ annual membership $5/festival admission $7, expires January 31, Box office and bistro open at 6:45pm. Info: pmfilm.ca. As It Is In Heaven June 14, 7:30 pm, The Interview July 12, 7:30pm Celebration of Wood Fair Jul 20, 10am-5pm, Port Moody Arts Centre Learn about the history of logging in the area and see woodworking artists and their artwork at this unique event. Port Moody Centennial Youth Arts Festival Jul 26 & 27, Inlet Theatre This festival showcases youth performances and visual art, along with workshops and seminars. Gallery at the Port Moody Arts Centre 2425 St Johns St. Mon-Fri, 10am- 8pm, Sat, 10am-5pm, Sun, 12pm- 4pm. Closed holidays. www. pomoarts.ca, June 6 - July 14. Opening reception June 6, 6-8pm. Main Gallery, Plum Gallery, Plum Display Case, 3D Gallery: An exhibition of artwork by students at Port Moody Arts Centre. July 18 - August 11. Opening reception July 18, 6-8pm. Main Gallery, 3D Gallery, Plum Gallery and Plum Display Case: A Celebration of Wood, A Port Moody Centennial Celebration Exhibition. PACIFIC COAST TERMINALS SUMMER SUNDAY CONCERTS PRESENTED BY TD MEDIA PARTNER 98.7 CKPM-FM FREE R&B, SOUL & FUNK AT 2 PM EVERY SUN IN JULY & AUGUST ROCKY POINT PARK The Focus is published four times a year (March, June, September and December) by the City of Port Moody and is distributed to households and businesses in Port Moody. You can also pick one up at any City facility or download it at We welcome your feedback! Call us at or communications@portmoody.ca. Contact Information Emergency City Hall Mayor & Council City Manager Building Bylaws & Licencing Engineering Environment Fire Rescue Kyle Centre Legislative Svcs Library Development Svcs Police Public Works Recreation Taxes & Utilities City Hall/Library/Inlet Theatre/Galleria 100 Newport Drive Port Moody, B.C. V3H 3E1 Port Moody Recreation Complex 300 Ioco Road Kyle Recreation Centre 125 Kyle Street Fire Hall No Ioco Road Fire Hall No Glenayre Drive Public Safety Building (Police) 3051 St. Johns Street your work your life your rewards we re HeRe