S

   

yy

Shib ibsue:
(Y Welcome to the block party!
( Assisted suicide debate reopened in Canada

And more!

(Y Peter DeGroot shooting stirs controversy

Planners cancel Vancouver
New Year's Eve party

» Organizers say money raised wasn't enough

Patrick Vaillancourt
Senior Columnist

he City of Vancouver

planned to host a public
New Year’s Eve bash for the
first time in over two decades,
but plans fora party to ring in

2015 have officially been halted.

News broke on October 9
that organizers had cancelled

the event, citing that they were : at Jack Poole Plaza, complete

: with musical acts, food trucks,
: the lighting of the Olympic

: cauldron, and a fireworks

: display.

unable to raise enough money
from sponsorships by their
October 1 deadline.

The cancellation of the
event comes in the midst of a
municipal election campaign,
and has put incumbent Mayor
Gregor Robertson on the spot
after he made headlines in
December 2013 announcing
that the city would have a
“family-friendly event” to
ring-in 2015. Robertson is
currently seeking a third
term as Vancouver mayor in
the upcoming November 15
elections.

The Vancouver New Year’s
Eve Celebration Society,
the non-profit group tasked
with raising the money and
organizing the event, is now

: looking toward putting on the
: event to ring in 2016.

“While we couldn't pull

: the funding together in time

: for this year, we're hopeful

: additional community and

: corporate supporters will come
: to the table with funding over

: the coming year,” said Charles

: Gauthier, chair of the society,

: ina public statement.

The event was to be held

The group managed to

raise two-thirds of the money
: required to go ahead with

: the party, but says that they

: will not put ona celebration

: without having all of the

: $300,000 in funds they require. }
: Gauthier believes that the

: celebration needs to be fully

: funded in order to present the
: event at its best.

“We just felt if we don’t

do it well, it will be much

: more challenging in terms

: of attracting corporate

: sponsorship in ensuing years,”
: Gauthier told Metro News last
: week.

Gauthier downplayed the

: possibility of having the event
: this year even if the remaining
: funding were to come in,

: saying that planners would

: have had to book popular

: musical acts well in advance.

The city has been hounded

: by the public for years about

: New Year’s Eve festivities,

: especially since Vancouver

: prides itself on being a world-
: class destination for street

: festivals.

“Vancouver's vibrant

: festivals, parades, and major

: events throughout the year

: area highlight for locals and

: visitors alike, but there is a

: definite need for a significant

: family-friendly New Year’s Eve
: celebration,” said Robertson in
: a release.

Vancouver residents will

: have to do their own event-

: planning for New Year's Eve

: again this year, but may have

: acentral place to congregate

: next year should the event go
: ahead. Planners are confident
: that they will secure all of the
: funding to make the event

: happen by the end of 2015.

 

Have an idea for a story? Let us know!
Contact: Angela Espinoza, News Editor

Mnews@theotherpress.ca

www. theotherpress.ca

 

All eyes on Ryan Miller

» What we can expect from the former Sabres star

Michael Sopow
Sports Reporter

QO: July 1, goalie Ryan Miller
signed a three-year deal
with the Vancouver Canucks.
Following 1 years with the
Buffalo Sabres and a brief stint
with the St. Louis Blues, Miller
has come to the Canucks ona
contract worth approximately
$18-million.

Miller has taken over from
previous Canucks goaltenders
Roberto Luongo and Cory
Schneider, who were both

general manager Mike Gillis.
“It’s a new start for me, but

it’s a continuation of my career,”

Miller told the Canadian Press

: ina September 20 article. “I’m

: very proud of what I’ve done.

: I want to work to continue to

: do things that make me proud.

: Getting back to the playoffs and
: challenging and pushing and

: ultimately winning the Stanley
: Cup is my goal. I want do that

: before I say it’s a career.”

Miller will bring the

experience of a veteran NHL

: goaltender to the team, as Miller
: has played in 53 playoff games in
: his career thus far. The trade has
: given previous starter Eddie Lack :
: achance for growth, as many

. : felt his immediate replacement
controversially traded by former : o¢ Luongo would, fora time, be
detrimental to the team.

“It is surprising if you go

: back in time, but with the

way things played out and the

: welcomed for the coming
: season.

Rawlings, deputy editor at
: Sportsnet.ca wrote, “Miller’s
* been a difference maker many

: environment of the NHL, things :
: change quitea bit, sometimes:
: quickly,” said Miller in the same

: interview. “I’ve never been ona

: team where something hasn't

: changed.”

Although we're barely into

the 2014/15 NHL season, Miller
: has already demonstrated his

: goaltending abilities, in posting
: a perfect season so far, including :
: a shootout win. Shootout

: reliability is something the

: Canucks aren't necessarily used

to, but the skill is definitely

Back in July, Jordan Heath-

times in his career, both for the

Buffalo Sabres and for the US

: stealing games when he’s on and
: isaccustomed to facing a high

: volume of shots while remaining
: remarkably consistent.”

> ended ina 2-0 win; what can be

: said of this result is that Miller is
: a welcome addition whose skill

: is invaluable.

It’s anew start
for me, but it’s a
continuation of my

career.
— Ryan Miller,
the Canadian Press

Olympic team. He’s capable of

The Canucks’ latest game