Port Moody announces Civic Awards winners

The winners of the City of Port Moody’s 2019 Civic Awards were announced on Saturday, January 11, 2020 at a volunteer appreciation dinner at City Hall.

The Civic Awards program recognizes deserving people, organizations, and businesses for service to the community in five categories: accessibility, arts, environment, heritage, and sport. Award winners are selected by Port Moody’s civic committees, after a public nomination process.

“On behalf of Council and Port Moody’s residents, I’d like to congratulate the winners of the 2019 Civic Awards and thank them for their service,” said Mayor Rob Vagramov. “You have given your time, energy, and expertise to help make Port Moody an even better place. Thank you to Tasha Faye Evans, Jeff Gombar, Doug MacDonald, Kevin Ryan, Christine Scott, Val Simons, and Katrina Voss for your remarkable contributions to our community.”

Here are the winners of the 2019 Civic Awards:

Peter Hulbert Accessibility Award – Christine Scott
This award honours an individual, business, community group, educator, or government agency that goes above and beyond expectations in removing barriers for individuals with disabilities. Christine Scott, CEO of Kinsight, was recognized for her efforts to leverage Kinsight’s real estate assets and forge new and innovative partnerships with other non-profits, private developers, and municipalities to create shared space in the community where everyone is welcome. A recent example is a partnership between Catalyst Community Developments Society, Inlet United Church, Kinsight, SHARE Family and Community Services, and BC Housing to create a mixed-use project that will include housing options for people with developmental disabilities. There will also be space for a children’s centre that will support families and deliver early intervention programs for children and youth who have, or are at risk of having, developmental delays or disabilities. Scott is known as a collaborative leader who works to create opportunities for neighbours and organizations to welcome all people.

Arts Award – Val Simons
The Arts Award celebrates an individual, organization, or business that significantly contributes to, and participates in, the artistic/cultural life of the community. Val Simons was recognized for her many contributions and accomplishments as president of the Port Moody Arts Centre Society from June 2015 to May 2019. Simons led a campaign to double the Society’s endowment funds and successfully renegotiated a five-year operating agreement with the City of Port Moody. She spearheaded a community art project, titled the Unity Project, to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, and helped bring the project back in 2018 for Port Moody’s second annual Car-Free Day. Simons has also served terms as a director-at-large for the Port Moody Arts Centre Society and as a member and president of the Blackberry Artists Society.

Environmental Award – Kevin Ryan
This award is given to an individual, organization, or business that advances environmental preservation and awareness in Port Moody. Kevin Ryan, president and operations manager for the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society, was recognized for his accomplishments related to watershed protection and salmonid enhancement. Ryan has worked to build a solid partnership between the Mossom Creek and Noons Creek hatcheries for the benefit of both organizations. He has brought together municipal, provincial, and federal government representatives and users of Eagle Mountain trails (mountain bike, motorbike, and 4x4 groups) to discuss the impact of unregulated trail use on the environment. Results of these discussions include increased awareness and co-operation by trail users, improved signage on Eagle Mountain, and the closure of problematic trails. Ryan has also been a key participant in the formation of a Salmon in the City program to improve coho-rearing and chum-spawning habitat. This program includes removing invasive plant species and replacing with native vegetation that contributes to watershed health.

Heritage Award – Tasha Faye Evans
The Heritage Award honours an individual, organization or business that advances heritage conservation in Port Moody through special initiatives or projects that preserve, rehabilitate, restore, or create awareness of a cultural resource. Tasha Faye Evans was recognized for her contributions to the community in building and leading educational presentations and programs on Indigenous culture. In 2017 and 2018, Evans led the Welcome Post Project, a series of events that celebrated Coast Salish history and culture through art, song, and storytelling. In 2019, she continued her work by leading the Stakw: Water is Life Project, which celebrated water’s significance in Coast Salish culture and the connection water has to our community and way of life. Evans has also been instrumental in organizing National Indigenous People’s Day celebrations in Port Moody. Through her work, Evans has brought together Indigenous and non-Indigenous people from Port Moody and beyond to share a unique perspective on local history.

Sports Award – Doug MacDonald, Jeff Gombar, Katrina Voss
The Sports Award is presented to local athletes, teams, or “builders” (e.g. coaches, officials, sports medicine practitioners, etc.) who are positive role models and encourage young people to get involved in sports and lead healthy lifestyles.

Doug MacDonald was recognized for his achievements in ice hockey. MacDonald was the first Port Moody hockey player to make it into the National Hockey League. He was drafted in 1989 by the Buffalo Sabres, and played 11 games with the team between 1992 and 1995. Since 2014, he’s worked as a scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Jeff Gombar was recognized for his achievements as a lacrosse player and coach. In 1988, Gombar was a first-round draft pick of the Coquitlam Adanacs and played 13 seasons with various teams in the Western Lacrosse Association. As a member of Team Canada, Gombar competed at world championships in Manchester (1994), Baltimore (1998), and Perth (2002), winning one bronze and two silver medals. He has been a head coach for Simon Fraser University and an assistant coach for Team Canada. Gombar was an assistant head coach for Team Canada’s 2006 Men’s Field Lacrosse Team, inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame after defeating the United States to win their first world title in 28 years.

Katrina Voss was recognized for her achievements in alpine skiing. In 2016, competing in the BC Provincial Open Series Under 16 races, Voss earned two silver medals and one bronze. That same year, she won a pair of gold medals in the dual slalom and the single pole slalom race during the Zone Finals at Mount Washington. Voss now competes in FIS (International Ski Federation) events in downhill, slalom, giant slalom, and super giant slalom (super-G).

Visit www.portmoody.ca/civicawards to learn more about the Civic Awards program. 

[photo caption: 2019 Civic Awards winners pose with Mayor Vagramov and councillors Dilworth, Lubik, and Royer on Jan. 11, 2020. Front row (l to r): Councillor Zoë Royer, Tasha Faye Evans, Councillor Amy Lubik, Christine Scott, Katrina Voss, Kevin Ryan, Councillor Diana Dilworth. Back row (l to r): Doug MacDonald, Councillor Hunter Madsen, Jeff Gombar, Mayor Rob Vagramov, Councillor Steve Milani, Val Simons.]