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New Hyack Festival president aims to put a spotlight on New Westminster

What's happening Around Town
Hyack Festival Association
Meet the Hyack Festival Association's new board of directors. Lili De Capite, centre front, is the 2019 president. Her theme for 2019 is Shining Bright in the Royal City.

Lili De Capite is thrilled to be taking on a new role with the Hyack Festival Association.

A proud mom of three daughters, including two who served as Hyack Ambassadors and benefited from the training provided through that program, De Capite is the association’s 2019 president. At its annual general meeting dinner gala on Jan. 16, the association unveiled the new theme Shining Bright in the Royal City, which was spearheaded by its new president.

“History and tradition are some of the things that excite and inspire me about Hyack; then it’s the people within the organization,” she said in a press release. “(They) are a dynamic group with exceptional community spirit, and it is contagious.”

In addition to Hyack, De Capite has volunteered with other local organizations, such as Honour House Society, and has been a chaperone for the May Queen Suite.

In a press release, De Capite said she will use her role as 2019 Hyack president “to better my community, build relationships, teach each other by example, lift arms that hang, promise beams of light and perpetual wisdom and tender mercies.”

More than 70 people attended the AGM and witnessed the installation of Hyack’s new board of directors. Among those in attendance was Const. Jeff Wise from the Vancouver Police Motorcycle Drill team, which received Hyack’s Supporter of the Year award for its ongoing attendance in the Hyack International Parade.

The new board is comprised of: Jim Olsen; Debora Sutherland; Rick Molstad; Becci Dewinetz; David MacGrotty; Penny McIvor; Theresa Henry-Smith; Virginia Bociek; Gloria Munro; Brenda Adam; Peter Goodwin; and Trudy Jenkins. In addition to the Hyack Festival and Hyack International Parade and Canada Day fireworks celebration, the association plans to unveil new programs this year, including the Shining Bright Recognition Program to highlight individuals and organizations in the community who go out of their way to make the city shine. It will also host neighbourhood float workshops, with local artists provided by the Arts Council of New Westminster through its Arts To Go program.

More information about the Hyack Festival Association is available at www.hyackfestival.com or 604-522-6894.

What’s happening at Quayside?

Quayside residents are invited to hear from city officials and not-for-profits next week.

The Quayside Community Board’s annual general meeting is on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Hyack North Ballroom at the Inn at the Quay, 900 Quayside Dr. The meeting includes presentations by the City of New Westminster’s transportation department, the Hyack Festival Association and the Arts Council of New Westminster.

In addition, the meeting includes reports from the board and appointments of the 2019 board of directors and executive. Registration begins at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, go to quaysideboard.com.

Mayor tackles regional planning

New Westminster Mayor Jonathan Cote will be wearing another hat this year.

Along with being chair of the Mayors Council on Regional Transportation, Cote is also chair of Metro Vancouver’s regional planning committee. Metro Vancouver, which develops and oversees the regional growth strategy, uses regional land-use planning to plan for the population growth coming to the region, protect important lands, and ensure the efficient provision of infrastructure, such as utilities.