The largest Remembrance Day crowd in recent memory packed the Museum Plaza for the Remembrance Day service. In this photo, Mayor Dianne Watts lays a wreath on behalf of the City of Surrey.

For more Remembrance Day photos, click on Cloverdale Legion.

“TownShift: Suburb Into City” is open an international ideas competition seeking innovative ideas for five of Surrey’s established Town Centres: Guildford, Fleetwood, Cloverdale, Newton and Semiahmoo. The aim of the competition is to “Shift” thinking and opportunities for each of these “Town” hubs towards more intense, public-minded and productive urban futures. Approved by the Architectural Institute of British Columbia, this competition is proposed in order to generate innovative new thinking about suburbs transforming towards sustainability in an era of increasingly expensive energy. TownShift has been conceived to open up debate and communicate design ideas amongst the general public and city-building professions, and we hope its results will shape this rapidly-evolving city for decades to come. Indeed, the civic slogan proudly displayed on Surrey’s new urban brand is “The Future Lives Here.”

Competition submissions to TownShift are open to all designers, urban development professionals, artists, city planners, engineers, sidewalk superintendents, and interested citizens from Surrey, Canada and anywhere else in the world. TownShift has no requirements whatsoever for educational or professional qualifications. Evidently, some familiarity with design, urbanism or construction practices is an asset, but not obligatory, and new ideas in city-building can come from any source. Inter-disciplinary and multi-member competition teams are encouraged, as are entries from students of all types and ages. This is an Architectural Institute of British Columbia sanctioned ‘open’ competition.

Registration for the competition closes January 4, 2010, and submissions are due by January 6, 2010.

For more information see www.townshift.com

Auction items and donations continue to roll in for Casie Coleman’s special day on the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 11 – BC Breeders Classic Day at Fraser Downs.

“Everyone I approach has been anxious to contribute,” Casie told Norm Borg on the Trot Radio national network this week. She credits the staff at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria for saving her life 10 years ago following an accident in the barns at Sandown Park when she was a 19-year-old groom. Casie, born and raised in Surrey and a grad of Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, was mixing an alcohol-based liniment to warm her horse’s feet when flames ignited and left her with third-degree burns to her legs and right arm as well as first-degree burns to her cheeks and neck.

“Those people at the hospital in Victoria put me back together,” she says. “Now I have the opportunity to give something back to them.”

Proceeds from a silent auction in the Atrium at Fraser Downs on Nov. 11 will go to the Burn Unit at the Royal Jubilee Hospital. Casie herself has been collecting donations from her travels on the Eastern harness racing circuit where she has been recognized with two O’Brien Awards (2005 and 2006) as Canada’s Trainer of the Year.

Anyone wishing to get involved by contributing auction prizes or cash donations can contact Kelly Hudon at kelhud@shaw.ca

From Mike Heads’ HorseRacing Central Newsletter – October 30, 2009

The Cloverdale Rotary Club roasted well known Cloverdale booster Bill Reid before a packed house at the Eaglequet Coyote Creek Golf Club on October 22.

Bill is a former MLA for Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale, former Minister of Tourism, and currently Executive Director of the Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce.

First up was Grace McCarthy, herself a former cabinet minister, and considered by many the Grande Dame of B.C. politics. She reminised how she had first met Bill in 1972, and went on to describe him as one of the forces behind Expo 86.

Next up was Kevin Falcon, current MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, and Minister of Health. He joked that he was only there because he had received an invitation addressed to “Dear Resident”. He said he had received crabs from Bill, quickly adding that they were caught by Bill at Birch Bay.

Surrey Councillor Linda Hepner quipped that she had come to the event under the mistaken impression that it was for Bill Reid the Haida artist.

Paul Orazietti is Executive Director of the Cloverdale Business Improvement Association, and shares an office with Bill. He recounted the top 10 things heard in the office, our favourite being “welcome to Cloverdale, centre of the universe”.

Bill was also given an award by the Rotary Club for his many years of service to the community.

Bill was very touched by the tributes. As his wife Marion was heard to observe, this was the first time in her life she had ever seen him speechless.

The event was also a fundraiser for Bill’s favourite charity, the CH.I.L.D. Foundation for children with intestinal and liver disorders.

Hats off to Bill Reid, one of the driving forces in the community, and one of those great characters who help make Cloverdale such a wonderful place to live.

The Surrey Leader is celebrating its 80th anniversary with an open house at the Surrey Museum on Thursday, October 15 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

Enjoy a brief presentation of our history through the pages of the Leader, and visit the display of their original presses.

The executive of the Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce elected their executive officers for 2009 / 2010 at their meeting on October 6.

• Brian Young of Surrey Golf Course is the new President.

• Addison Hubert of Preferred Choice Properties is the new Vice President.

• Lynn Pederson of Royal LePage – Wolstencroft Realty remains the Secretary.

• Leona Jones of Senior Citizens Housing remains the Treasurer.

• Bruno Zappone of Zappone Trucking moves to the position of Past President.

Congratulations to the new slate of officers.

Strong crowds enjoyed spectacular rodeo action and celebrated the 120th anniversary of one of the longest running and most popular family events in British Columbia as part of the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair this May Long Weekend.

“This year’s rodeo featured the strongest field of competitors in the 63-year history of our event,” says Cloverdale Rodeo Chairperson Penny Smythe. “The high calibre of competitors is a testament to the popularity of our invitational format, as was the incredibly enthusiastic support from rodeo fans from across BC.”

In total, more than 20,020 people turned out to see one of North America’s premier pro rodeos during five performances held throughout the four-day event.

“We sold out both our Saturday and Sunday afternoon rodeo performances and, despite some rain Monday, we experienced very strong attendance for our afternoon Finals which offered up the most exciting rodeo action of the entire event,” Smythe said.

The 120th Country Fair marked its anniversary with more than 82,212 guests, one of the strongest attendance numbers in recent memory.

The Cloverdale Rodeo is the second richest pro rodeo in Canada, offering up more than $360,000 in prize money. The four-day event generates in excess of five million dollars in economic spin-off within the community of Cloverdale, city of Surrey and throughout the Lower Mainland.

City officials joined representatives of the Cloverdale Business Improvement Association, members of the Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce and the public on Wednesday (November 12, 2008) to officially cut the ribbon marking the completion of improvements to downtown Cloverdale.

“Council recognizes the heritage of Cloverdale, its importance to Surrey as a whole and the need to continue to make strategic investments to vibrant community commercial centres within Surrey” said City of Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts. “A coordinated effort has resulted in the completion of this exciting $2.4 million dollar project that will serve as a focal point within Cloverdale’s central business district”.

The work included replacement of the street lighting system with decorative poles and fixtures that will provide a much higher level of street and sidewalk lighting. Sidewalks have been repaired and enhanced with coloured patterned concrete works and additional planting pockets with the installation of more street trees. Bases have been provided for three public art pieces that will be fully installed over the next couple of months. New street furniture has been installed and 176 Street has been repaved.

Staff and board members of the Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition Association (CREA) are mourning the loss of longtime Exhibition Association Chair Alice McKay.

McKay, who passed away August 25th, began her volunteer work for the organization in 1954.

“Alice was a driving force in the early days of the Association,” says CREA President Gerry Spielmacher. “Her dedication to this organization was recognized in the early 1990’s when we named one of our buildings in her honour. Alice continued working at the Rodeo and Exhibition until just a few years ago, and that’s indicative of her spirit and commitment to this community and this event. Our sincere condolences go out to her family.”

McKay, who was 93 years old, came to the Langley/Surrey area in 1918, and was a member of a prominent dairy farming family. She is survived by a son and daughter.

The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, today announced that, in response to increased traffic congestion caused by construction at the Peace Arch (Douglas) border crossing, the hours of service of the NEXUS lanes will expand at the Pacific Highway crossing.

“The Government of Canada is committed to a safe and efficient border,” said Minister Day. “By extending the hours of service of the NEXUS lanes at the Pacific Highway crossing, we are taking action to facilitate the smooth flow of legitimate trade and travel while securing the border.”

Effective immediately, the northbound NEXUS lanes will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will continue to monitor traffic flows during construction of the new U.S. facility at the Douglas border crossing.

NEXUS is a joint CBSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that is designed to simplify border crossings for pre-approved travellers. NEXUS members can use NEXUS lanes at 16 land border locations when travelling across the Canada-U.S. border, including a location that was launched on August 18, 2008, at Coutts, Alberta-Sweetgrass, Montana. The NEXUS program is also available at eight major Canadian airports and at over 450 locations for the marine mode of transportation.

The NEXUS card is also an accepted alternative document to the passport under the U.S. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative when travelling to the United States by air (at designated airports), land and sea.

The CBSA is committed to ensuring the smooth flow of legitimate travellers across the border in the lead up to the 2010 Winter Olympics.

For more information, please visit the NEXUS Web site at www.nexus.gc.ca.

Editor’s note: although the press release doesn’t mention it, we have been informed that the hours for the southbound NEXUS lane into the U.S. are also being extended to 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily.