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Influx of bears visiting Coquitlam

> Increase in bears leaves many concerned

Mercedes Deutscher
News Editor

 

Rev in Coquitlam
nd Port Coquitlam have

been getting increased visits
from furry predators.

While most encounters
with the bears have been from a
distance and without incident,
some have undoubtedly caused
fear in residents. Back in August,
a 10-year-old girl was mauled
and left in critical condition by
a black bear in Port Coquitlam.
The bear was with her cub,
and was later destroyed.

“We want to make sure that
we keep bears wild, and we don’t

let them get too comfortable in
our communities,” conservation
officer Murray Smith told CBC.
Aside from Coquitlam and
Port Coquitlam being near
bear habitats, garbage cans and
green bins are attracting bears
into neighbourhoods. Both
municipalities are using bylaws
to try to curb the bear problem.
In Coquitlam, garbage’s may
only be put out after 5:30 a.m.
on garbage day, and need to be
collected again by 7 p.m. Anyone
who violates this bylaw can be
subject to a $500 fine. In Port
Coquitlam, residents must use
a bear resistant garbage can, or
place a bear resistant lock on it.

Yet even by delaying the
time that residents put out
garbage, and what container
they put the garbage out in,
some residents have still had
some close calls. Alexandra
Verano-Bibby described a close
encounter she had with a bear to
CBC. Verano-Bibby, along with
her young son, was disposing
of some green bin items in her
yard when she encountered a
bear. Despite trying to scare the
bear away, it started to approach
the garbage can. Verano-

Bibby and her son carefully
evacuated their backyard,
and watched the bear ransack
the garbage from the patio.

Spotlight: Dance your heart out

> DSU Hip Hop Club draws members of all ages

Aaron Guillen
Staff Reporter

 

he lives of many Douglas

students are packed with
club meetings, studying for tests,
making room for a social life,
and on top of all that, back-to-
back courses. For many, grades
take control of their lives. For
others, extracurricular activities
consume their every moment.
In the meantime, what are
many students forgetting to do?
Exercise. In order to maintain
their health, a person should get
at least 30 minutes of physical
activity every day.

MJ Estores, the President
of the DSU Hip Hop Club
(DHHC), hopes that students
would consider releasing all that
stress with a fun, engaging, and
welcoming dance session.

Estores has held her
passion for dance ever since
she graduated from high school
in 2010. From the moment she
attended her first meeting, she
knew that the Hip Hop Club was
her new home.

“Everyone in the club shares
their love for music and dance
with each other. We show our
support by cheering each other
on, and we only strive in making
sure everyone is having fun.
Whether it be the dance, school,
or general community, the club
has grown to become one of the
safest environments for anyone
to feel welcome in learning
about Hip Hop.”

Formerly as shy as she was
new, she climbed the ranks
and now leads the club to new
heights as its current president.

“I would describe my
involvement with the club 24/7,”
Estores explained. “I used to
be the shy new kid in the club
sitting at the back, and now
I’m the president encouraging
everyone to be themselves—no
pressure and no rush. When you
join the DSU Hip Hop Club, you
are already part of the family!”

“To this date, the club
continues with much success
bringing students from high
school to other universities
and colleges like UBC, SFU,

Kwantlen, etc. We have
members of all ages and all
backgrounds!”

Estores believes that the
club is an important place for
students to improve their skills
and hopes that it will influence
their lives in a positive way.

Manisha Virk, a member
of the executive team, loves the

safe space that the club provides.

“DHHC is important to me
because it’s a place where I can
go after a long day to just be
myself and do what I love and
do what makes me happy,” Virk
commented.

“The club is filled with
friendly people,
positive energy, talent, and
encouragement from everyone.
It’s an amazing place to
grow and develop in dance
whether youre just starting
out or you've been doing
it for years! Without this
club I don’t know
wherWe I'd be
today. I wouldn't be

A=
as confident as al :
=

Iam now and I

 

She told CBC that she sees
two or three bears come into her
yard, which borders Hyde Creek,
weekly, although making loud
noises will usually deter them.
After the last encounter, Verano-
Bibby is convinced that the bear-
proof bins aren’t doing enough.

Verano-Bibby told CBC:
“He’s still out there somewhere,
and he likes your garbage,
and if he wants to get into
your green waste bin, he will.
Those locks aren’t enough.”

Janet Klopp, a long-time

resident

 
 
   
   
  
 
 
   
  
  
 
 
   
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
  

wouldn't
have made so
many new friends.
They’ve given me
nothing but the best.”
During the Fall and
Winter, the DHHC has classes
every Thursday night in the
Movement Studio (Room 1313)
where a new choreographer
comes and shares their
knowledge and love for hip

* ON

     

  
        
    

      
     
 

‘

Image via thinkstcok

of Coquitlam who is used to
encountering bears, wrote the
Tri-City News to give advice to
those uncertain of what to do
should they encounter a bear.

Klopp said to exercise
caution, and not to
underestimate the intelligence of
a bear, equating it with an u-year-
old human and saying that the
bears can easily figure out how
to disarm traps. Bears who are
rummaging through human
garbage are often starving.

Those who encounter a
bear are warned to try to avoid
surprising the bear, and to
calmly and slowly back away.

hop. In the summer, they
have Tuesday and Thursday
nights where foundations from
locking, breakdancing, krump,
etc. are taught as well as urban
choreography, ranging all levels.

Estores says that she stays
in the DHHC because of her
passion for dance. She loves the
atmosphere that has evolved
before her eyes.

“The DSU Hip Hop Club is
not just a club to me anymore,
it’s my family,” Estores shared.

“I continue to stay
because this club keeps
me sane. Dance is an
outlet of expression
that everyone uses...
I stay because
knowing that I can
make a difference
in someone’s day,
even if it’s for a
couple hours, makes
me feel like I’ve
given back to the
community the
same way it has
given me a home.”

      
     
 

Image via thinkstock