Category: In the News

Indo-Canadian Voice

Over two hundred guests, including a large number of family members, celebrated the 90th birthday of Harchand Singh Dhaliwal on Friday night at Quilchena Golf and Country Club in Richmond.

Harchand Singh Dhaliwal, born in 1933 in Dhingrian village in Nawanshahr District of Punjab, is the first son of Dharm Singh Dhaliwal (1880-1961) who was one of the first immigrants to British Columbia from Punjab, in 1908. Harchand Singh Dhaliwal landed on Canadian shores in 1954, at age 21.

Herb Dhaliwal, former M.P. and federal Cabinet Minister, paid homage to the role of his father Harchand Singh Dhaliwal and late mother Tej Kaur in facilitating the immigration and settlement of countless migrants from India, family and friends alike, who now call Canada home. …

Attendees included Harchand Singh Dhaliwal’s children – son and five daughters, 11 grand-children and nine great-grandchildren. Also present were MPs Harjit Singh Sajjan, Sukh Singh Dhaliwal, Parm Singh Bains and Wilson Miao, as well as Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. …

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Richmond News

Lifelong Richmond resident and former city councillor and MLA Harold Steves has been awarded the “Freedom of the City,” the highest honour a local government can give to one of its own.

Steves is the sixth person to receive the Freedom of the City honour, with long-time mayor Greg Halsey-Brandt having received his in 2013.

Previous honourees included long-time mayors Gil Blair and Henry Anderson and long-time council members Bob McMath and Archie Blaire.

Steves was born in Richmond and is the great-grandson of Manoah and Martha Steves — one of the founding families after whom the waterfront community of Steveston is named. …

“Harold Steves has dedicated most of his life to making Richmond and British Columbia better for everyone,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie when announcing the honour during Tuesday’s city council meeting.

“During his time as the province’s longest-serving elected politician, Harold made a tremendous impact on community life particularly in the Steveston area, the preservation of farmland and heritage, as well as environmental issues.

Our city and province are much better thanks to his commitment and many contributions.” …

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Richmond News

Dear Editor,

Re: “Question marks over tax relief for Richmond Oval,” Opinion, Richmond-News.com, Oct. 2.

In response to a recent letter regarding taxes and finances at the Richmond Olympic Oval, I am pleased to once again clarify.

The Oval is a world-class community asset that welcomes over one million visits annually. That number includes those participating in many registered programs in various sports as well as rental groups such as community minor sport associations and adult recreational sport leagues.

The Oval also hosts events, meeting room rentals, corporate events and the Richmond Olympic Experience.

Over 70% of the Oval members are Richmond residents. On any day, you will find it actively used by members as well as drop-in guests for fitness, basketball, table tennis, ice skating, climbing and much more.

By law, the Oval is exempt from paying municipal property taxes or rent – just like our community centres, libraries, pools, Gateway Theatre, public schools, hospitals and other public facilities. Additional costs like taxes and rent would likely serve to increase user fees. For members, parking costs are incorporated into the monthly fees.

As for transparency, the City and Oval financial statements have always been in compliance with the financial reporting requirements of Provincial legislation.

Auditors have certified that those financial statements are fairly presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

The Richmond Olympic Oval has proven to be a well-used, iconic legacy facility for the people of Richmond, one that any city would welcome without hesitation. I hope that every Richmond resident participates in its offerings.

Malcolm D. Brodie

Mayor, City of Richmond

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Richmond News

It’s not just great for the children and youth, it’s great for our members as well.

That’s the assertion of Sgt. Thomas O’Hara, the officer in charge of Richmond RCMP’s Youth Section, when asked about the success of the “Yankee 30” program.

[Photo: Mayor Malcolm Brodie inspects the Yankee 30 car at the program’s official launch in July]

The initiative – which involves a non-police support worker from the Ministry of Children and Family Development accompany an officer to a call about an at-risk youth – kicked off in January as a pilot before being made permanent in July.

Since its inception, around 600 calls have been made to the Yankee 30 program, named after the call-sign for that particular service. …

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Richmond News

A veterans organization in Steveston is $50,000 in tax arrears and has asked Richmond city council for some relief.

Two volunteers from the Army, Navy, Air Force Club 284 on No. 1 Road near Chatham Street approached city council on Monday with their ask, saying tax forgiveness or at least a deferral would help the club after COVID-19 left them without reserve funds.

Walter Cadwallader and Mark Grattan with ANAF 284 noted the club gives out between $30,000 and $50,000 in donations to 30 charities a year.

“We are here to ask council to give us some relief or forgive taxes for the year,” Cadwallader said. “Hopefully, in the worst case, to defer those taxes.”

He noted in Manitoba and Ontario, veterans organizations don’t pay taxes.

“Our motto at the club is ‘shoulder to shoulder,’ and we’d ask the same of you,” Cadwallade said. …

When asked by Mayor Malcolm Brodie how long they would have to pay off their taxes, Capuccinello Iraci said it’s a maximum period of three years. …

Coun. Kash Heed echoed Day’s concerns, saying he recognized what ANAF does and how long they’ve been in the community.

“I would really hate to see them have to close their doors – there must be something we can come up with,” he said. “I’m not about to give up on this yet.”

Brodie said, however, if city staff were to work with ANAF to figure out a solution, it would be contingent on their financial books being open to city staff.

Brodie noted the Legion on Bridgeport Road is also asking for help, and things need to be kept “in perspective,” otherwise there could be 50 groups asking for help. …

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Richmond News

Buying candy from the local store, road hockey and falling into ditches – these are all memories being shared in a new exhibition about growing up in Richmond.

The Richmond Museum’s “Richmond Kids,” takes a trip down memory lane, exploring what it was like to grow up in Richmond in different times.

Quotations, photographs and objects from different decades bring to life diverse childhood experiences ranging from school days to buying candy at the local corner store to playing road hockey, Saturday morning language lessons, falling in ditches and adventures with family pets.

The exhibition opens to the public on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 10 a.m. in conjunction with Culture Days activities at the Richmond Cultural Centre.

“The Richmond Museum’s newest exhibition looks at Richmond’s past through the eyes of children,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

“It will evoke memories for visitors of all ages. Family members can reminisce about how times or places have changed, however so much of childhood is the same.” …

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Richmond News

RCMP has requested footage from the city’s traffic cameras more than one hundred times already this year.

The City of Richmond installed 110 closed-circuit cameras last year at intersections throughout the city. …

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie, who was at the committee meeting for the item, said he fully supported this motion.

Brodie said, based on a previous discussion with Solicitor-General Mike Farnworth, he felt Farnworth would be on board to use the cameras to investigate crime, but “the person standing in the way was the privacy commissioner.” …

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Richmond News

Richmond city council is going to challenge a previous ruling by the privacy commissioner that didn’t allow the city to use traffic cameras to investigate serious crimes.

City Coun. Kash Heed brought up a motion at Tuesday’s community safety meeting to explore using the 110 city-installed closed circuit cameras to be able to capture high-resolution video. …

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie, who was at the committee meeting for the item, said he fully supported this motion.

Brodie said, based on a previous discussion with Solicitor-General Mike Farnworth, he felt Farnworth would be on board to use the cameras to investigate crime, but “the person standing in the way was the privacy commissioner.”

He noted dashcam footage and business video surveillance footage is used by police to investigate crimes and prosecute criminals, but footage from city-owned cameras can’t be. …

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CityNews

Mounties in Richmond are asking the public for help in identifying four suspects wanted in connection with the vandalism of at least one Pride crosswalk in the city.

The RCMP says it has investigated nine incidents of anti-2SLGBTQ+ graffiti on Pride crosswalks between Aug. 1 and 29. …

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie has condemned the vandalism, saying “it’s obviously unacceptable” in an interview with CityNews last month.

“These crosswalks are statements that say we value diversity and inclusion, we value everybody in our community, and we support them in whatever they choose to do,” he explained.

He added the “offensive graffiti” was promptly covered up once it was reported. …

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Richmond News

Firefighters in Richmond responded to 522 medical calls and 98 car crashes in July alone.

And it’s not just in Richmond where firefighters are first at the scene to medical and MVA calls, frustrating many municipalities who say this is downloading of provincial responsibility.

The number of medical calls firefighters respond to is an “on-going issue,” said Richmond Mayor Malcom Brodie.

Ths issue has prompted the city of Mission to put forward a resolution at the upcoming Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention asking the province to fund medic trucks for firefighters.

“It’s the kind of thing that’s been debated and suggested many times previously,” Brodie said the ask for more provincial support for firefighters, adding the province is “able to cut back on the ambulance force because they have first responders (in the form of) firefighters.” …

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