This week marks the second consecutive long weekend in a row in B.C., with the Sept. 30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation being followed by the Oct. 9 Thanksgiving Day. Despite the recent holidays, there’s a lot happening around town.
Here are some highlights for the week ahead:
For weather watchers: Here comes the rain again
After a balmy weekend, when temperatures were expected to reach 26C on Saturday and 23C on Sunday, the sunshine and warm days are giving way to more seasonal lower temperatures and rain. Rain is forecast for much of the week, when temperatures will dip to the mid-teens.
You can check out the New West Weatherhood forecast for the latest hyperlocal weather.
For everyone: Community events
Homelessness Action Week, Oct. 7 to 14, includes a variety of events for community members. You can see the full schedule here, but here are a few you may want to check out:
- Kick up your heels with community members at the It’s All About Community party, a free, family-friendly gathering featuring music, dancing, food and more. It’s on Friday, Oct. 13 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Holy Trinity Hall, 514 Carnarvon St. (Doors open at 6:15 p.m.)
- Help folks stay warm this winter by supporting the Purpose Society’s warm clothing and blanket drive. New or gently used warm clothing and blankets can be dropped off at 40 Begbie St. (9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.) or at the rear of the building on Alexander Street (3 to 10 p.m.)
- Attend a public talk – Making Connections to Counter Loneliness and Empower Community – by Jim Diers, a speaker, facilitator, author and activator who supports the development of caring, inclusive and powerful communities. Two sessions are set for Tuesday, Oct. 10 – at noon and 6:30 p.m. – at Anvil Centre Theatre, 777 Columbia St.
- Watch Portmore Park, a film short by local filmmaker Ezra King about aspersions people have about the unhoused and who they are. It’s screening on Thursday, Oct. 12 at the New Westminster Public Library, 716 Sixth Ave., and will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker. It’s on from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:15 p.m.)
Watch the action unfold as local celebrities participate in a charity poker tournament to celebrate the opening of a poker room at the Starlight Casino in Queensborough. Participants will play in support of a charity of their choice, and casino guests are invite to watch the action from the sidelines. It’s happening at Starlight Casino, 350 Gifford St., starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12. Participants will play in support of a charity of their choice.
For city council watchers:
Because of Thanksgiving, there is no city council meeting on Monday, Oct. 9. The city, however, has called a special council meeting for Tuesday, Oct. 10. With adoption of a bylaw being the lone item on the agenda, it looks like it will be a quick meeting:
- Monday, Oct. 10 at 4 p.m.: “In general terms, the purpose of the meeting is to amend a previously adopted bylaw with updated survey plans.”
For school board watchers:
The school board’s education policy/planning committee meets on Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 3:30 p.m. and the operations policy/planning committee meets at 6:30 p.m. (The regular board meeting is on Tuesday, Oct. 24.) You can find the agenda packages and a meeting link at the School District 40 website.
For performance lovers: Live music and theatre
Strange Advance and the Spoons: These Juno-nominated Canadian bands from the 1980s are bringing the Strange Spoons Tour to the Massey Theatre on Friday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. Tickets available online.
For art lovers: Shows around town
- The Best of the Crawl, a group exhibit, features the works of more than 20 local artists who are participating in this year’s New West Cultural Crawl (Oct. 14 and 15). Running until Oct. 29, you can catch it Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Gallery in Queen’s Park. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
- Changing the Conversation is showcasing work done by artists in residence and local community members who experience housing insecurity. You can check it out in the Community Art Gallery at Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia St., until Nov. 22.
- Housing Values, an exhibit at the New Westminster Museum and Archives, looks at local housing from a historical perspective, with an economic and cultural lens. It’s running until April 2024 at the museum and archives in Anvil Centre.
- Measure, the latest exhibit in the New Media Gallery, runs until Dec. 10. You’ll find it in Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia St.
Do you have a New Westminster happening you'd like to share? Email Theresa McManus at [email protected].
