Loosening the clutch on New Westminster's wallet » City grants over $250,000 to festivals Aaron Guillen Staff Reoorter Orr the next 12 months, there will be an abundance of events on the streets of New Westminster. Recently, the City of New Westminster approved over a quarter-million dollars into festival grants—$272,000 to be exact. In past years, the spending has been quite tight, but with a $2.6 million increase in the city’s 2016 to 2020 overall financial plan, clearly there’s some flexibility with allocated expenditures. In 2015, around $170,000 was placed aside for festival grants. Thanks to staff recommendation, the 2016 grant has increased by over $100,000. While some would say it’s a splurge, others would argue that it’s a vital investment. Ata recent council meeting, officials discussed the recommendations, with the majority supporting all of the festival grants. Councillors Chuck Puchmayr and Mary Trentadue shared their opinion on the matter of rising funding for festivals in the city. “Every year we are being asked for more funding,” Trentadue said to the New : Westminster Record. “I can : appreciate it is a worthwhile ask, : but | am not sure where we stop. : Tam not sure where we start to say no.” Puchmayr added that “by : making it easy for groups to get : city grants, it curtails their need : to work harder to seek funding : from other sources.” Nonetheless, council is : forging on with plans to invest in : the city’s festivals. Mayor Jonathan Cote, one : of the supporters for the grants, : said to the New Westminster : Record that “the festivals are : positive events in the community, : providing entertainment for the : residents, promoting the city, : and benefiting local businesses.” : Alongside boosted tourism, these : fun and affordable events are : guaranteed to bring visitors from : around the Lower Mainland to : showcase New Westminster. Usually, grant committees : receive requests for significantly : more funding than what : is available, but 15 local : organizations have already been : able to secure grants, consisting : of cash or city services. Among : the chosen handful, there are : expected to be many events, : including Canada Day fireworks, : : Show & Shine, Grand Prix, parade : : and street fairs, and float refresh, : thanks to the Hyack Festival : Association. Northwest Fan Fest, : marketed asa “celebration : of fandom for everyone,’ is : scheduled to return for its : third year, taking place from : July 8-10 in the Anvil Centre. : This convention promises : to be packed with musical : performances, comedy shows, : massive gaming tournaments, : costumes, and a street festival. Uptown Live, a festival : “showcasing the best of BC’s : Indie music scene” returns after a : year-long hiatus, complete with : three performance stages, food : selections, and block parties. : The event, situated by Royal City : Centre and holding a lineup of : almost 20 artists, will attract > music lovers from across the : Lower Mainland. Columbia StrEAT Food : Truck Fest, the biggest food : truck festival in Canada, will : be returning. Last August, over : go,000 people attended the food- : centric event, and you can expect : even more flavour and variety in : 2016. Additional festivals in : the year will include the Pride : Festival, 12th Street Music Festival, and Sapperton Days. Photo of the 3rd Annual StrEAT food Festival by Aaron Guillen Vancouver Aquarlum saves endangered and rare aquatic animals » Fur seal and turtle found in unlikely BC waters Aaron Guillen Staff Reoorter wo weeks ago, a male Guadalupe fur seal was found washed ashore on a beach along the Pacific Rim National Park on Vancouver Island. Three days later, a green sea turtle appeared on the same beach. Immediately, both animals were transported to the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre to take some time to recover and heal. Unsurprisingly, both sea creatures have experienced a harrowing, long journey. The fur seal, a native to the California coast and Guadalupe Islands off of Mexico, somehow found its way almost 2,300 kilometres away from its natural habitat. Meanwhile, the green sea turtle, known to live off of Hawaii or Mexico, has drifted over 2,600 kilometres from the Aloha State into uncharted and extremely cold territory. “They'll get caught in a warm pulse of water and then it will cool off and they’ll get shocked : and they'll come ashore,” said : Department of Fisheries and : Oceans marine biologist Paul : Cottrell. The starving and : malnourished seal, alongside the : hypothermic and shell-wounded : turtle, is currently in the care : of a team of veterinarians at the : Rescue Centre. The aquarium’s head : veterinarian Dr. Martin Haulena : told CBC that the seal’s arrival : in BC waters was “extremely : rare,’ and noted, “We've never : responded to one before.” Though : : the fragile animal is uninterested} : in food, it is still aware of its : surroundings, for now. According to the Huffington : Post, the turtle was admitted for : treatment at a temperature of 11 : degrees Celsius, while the normal : : temperature is usually around 20 : : degrees. “When they get into water that’s too cold they get : hypothermia, also known as cold- : : stunning. Everything slows down: : : tee : heart, respiration rates, they can’t : the animals’ individual voyages : swim, they can’t forage—they get : weaker and weaker,” explained Haulena. Luckily, after being rescued, : the giant creature has been reacting positively to treatments. : It’s expected to eventually fully : recover, Though the mystery behind : into Canadian waters will remain : a question mark in history, many : marine biologists assume that El : Nifio played a significant rolein : : the result of their being stranded. : “Changing water : temperatures, changing currents, : that’s kind of the prime suspect. : It’s something we see more : often during years with above- : average sea temperatures,” shared : : Haulena. Cy ae oO o g “ot x4 mH = Cy “4 > a 9 a ~ co ov Q 5 a ww a ° ;o a 5 oO fa Cy “a 5 vo Da 18 a With high hopes paired with : practical outcomes, Vancouver Aquarium officials are expecting : aslow recovery for the turtle, : but aslimmer survival rate with : the seal. With a seal and turtle : already in intensive care, it’s : anticipated that more aquatic animals will soon be found far : away from home.