Here are my choices for the top Richmond newsmakers of 2014:
1. Glyn Davies (the teacher) – In October Davies picked up a Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and prior to that, in February, his Grade 7 class was a main participant for Education Week. As a teacher Davies, also took part in a five-month labour dispute between the B.C. government and the BC Teachers’ Federation, which captured a number of headlines.
Anderson teacher picks up PM award
2. Carol Day – 2014 started like many others for Day — railing against the Ling Yen Mountain Temple expansion proposal and rallying support against the planned jet fuel facility and pipeline at Riverport. She helped VAPOR form a legal case against the facility’s proponents and the B.C. government before stepping down from her executive role to successfully run for city council.
Community activist Carol Day and Olympian Loo win seats on Richmond council
3. Davood Khatami – The owner of Bean and Beyond coffee shop was a driving force behind the Steveston World Cup events over the summer of 2014. Khatami helped create immense buzz around the village (garnering television coverage) and the national merchant booths proved hugely successful, particularly on weekends, during the World Cup of soccer. The barista was also a voice for some merchants who disagreed with the Imperial Landing rezoning proposal.
Photos: Steveston World Cup opening
4. Rob Howard - The former city councillor and MLA formed a new political slate, the Richmond Community Coalition, and stirred up many headlines with a well-coordinated media campaign. He poached two sitting councillors in Chak Au and Ken Johnston, who were subsequently re-elected, and helped three council and two school board candidates run for public office for their first time. The RCC was arguably a factor in the city’s increased voter turnout.
Richmond Community Coalition aims to engage
5. Randy Fraser – You might say, “Randy who?” But for his candor, Fraser was a media favourite amongst Steveston fishers at Fisherman’s Wharf during the large sockeye salmon run in August and September.
Gillnetters prep for Steveston sockeye run
6. Carolyn Quirt – The activist helped organize protests against the city’s euthanasia policy for “dangerous” dogs. She also organized the Blue Dot campaign in Richmond, lobbying the city to declare a healthy environment a human right.
Clean environment, a Charter right
7. Claudia Li – The conservationist started 2014 on a campaign to inform the Chinese community about organic food and the value of agriculture, after running a successful campaign against shark fin consumption. Li was subsequently named an Ashoka Canada Fellow to help empower Chinese youth in environmental change.
Local activist named to global social entrepreneurial fellowship
8. Alex von Bruksvoort - von Bruksvoort was named the Firefighter of the Year in 2014 at the local 911 Awards. He represents the city’s firefighters who made several headlines over the year due to service changes, new fire halls and trucks and the usual heroic acts.
City hosting Minoru complex, fire hall open houses
9. Evelina Halsey-Brandt – The longtime city councillor called it a political career in 2014 but not before stoking the fire at city hall one last time by introducing a motion to consult the public on a potential sign bylaw to enforce Canadian languages.
Chinese sign debate back on Richmond election table
10. Linda Reid – The Richmond East MLA made a number of headlines for questionable spending of taxpayers’ dollars. First, she made you pay $5,500 for her husband’s trip to South Africa, for which she apologized and paid back the money. Then she spent $79,000 on controversial office security renovations.
Probe into Linda Reid’s renos under review
