Port Moody announces 2018 Civic Awards winners

The winners of the City of Port Moody’s 2017 and 2018 Civic Awards were announced Saturday, September 22, 2018 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, I offer congratulations to the winners of the 2017 and 2018 Civic Awards,” said Mayor Mike Clay. “We honour this remarkable group of people because they have dedicated countless hours to helping others. They strengthen our community by working to protect and enhance the things we value, like inclusion, healthy living, our natural environment, arts and culture, and Port Moody’s rich heritage. I thank all the winners for their service.” 

Here are the winners of the 2017 Civic Awards: 

Peter Hulbert Accessibility Award – Mossom Creek Hatchery

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.

Mossom Creek Hatchery, managed by the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society, was recognized for its new, barrier-free facility, which opened in 2015. The roadway up to the clubhouse and the washroom are now fully accessible for people who use wheelchairs. With the removal of barriers, all visitors can participate fully in Mossom Creek Hatchery’s programs. 

Arts Award – Dr. Hilary Letwin

The Arts Award celebrates an individual, organization, or business that significantly contributes to, and participates in, the artistic/cultural life of the community. Dr. Hilary Letwin was recognized for her work in curating the “Meeting the Moodys” exhibit on display at the Port Moody Station Museum between October 14 and November 25, 2017. This exhibit, which included personal letters and photographs, provided an opportunity for visitors to learn about Colonel Richard Clement Moody, who was the first lieutenant governor of the Colony of British Columbia, and his wife, Mary Moody. The Port Moody Heritage Society contracted Letwin to provide curatorial services for the exhibit, which involved selecting the materials to be displayed and preparing the accompanying educational panels. 

Environmental Award – Kiyoshi Takahashi

This award is given to an individual, organization, or business that advances environmental preservation and awareness here in the City of Port Moody. Kiyoshi Takahashi was recognized for his efforts to protect local bat, purple martin, and owl populations in Port Moody and the Tri-Cities area. As a nationally-recognized bat expert, Takahashi’s accomplishments include design, construction, and installation of bat boxes and the provision of technical advice for bat conservation and relocation. He was instrumental in the formation of the Burke Mountain Naturalists Bat Team, which conducts citizen-science-based programs to promote bat conservation through public awareness and education. Takahashi also worked with the Coast Guard to ensure new nest boxes for purple martins were installed during the replacement of old pilings in the Port Moody Arm of Burrard Inlet. Takahashi’s restoration efforts contributed to the shift in provincial status of the purple martin from threatened to vulnerable.  

Heritage Award – Robert Simons

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. Robert Simons was recognized for his contributions to the community as a heritage advocate. As president for four years and as past president, Simons has guided the long-term vision of the Port Moody Heritage Society. He has volunteered countless hours at heritage events, and worked tirelessly to encourage heritage conservation in the city. Simons has played a lead role in the preservation of the Ioco Heritage Conservation Area and the expansion of the Ioco Ghost Town Day Festival. 

Sports Award – Julia Budd and Johnny Millin

The Sports Award is presented to individuals or groups who have been nominated as athletes, teams, or builders (people who are positive role models and encourage young people to get involved in sports and live healthy, active lifestyles). 

Julia Budd was recognized for her athletic achievements as a kickboxer and mixed martial artist (MMA), and for her work as an instructor at the Gibson Mixed Martial Arts School in Port Moody. Budd is currently the number three ranked 145-pound female MMA fighter is the world. She teaches self-defence and mixed martial arts to men, women, and children, and is an inspiration to athletes of all ages. 

Johnny Millin was recognized for his contribution to the community as a coach, vice president, league coordinator, and volunteer for the Port Moody Soccer Club. Millin started volunteering and coaching when his children were young, and continues to coach and mentor young athletes even though his own children have graduated from the program. For three years in a row, he was instrumental in helping the Boys Under 17 Metro Select League team make it to the Provincial Championships. Millin is a highly-respected member of the B.C. soccer community. 

Here are the winners of the 2018 Civic Awards: 

Arts Award – Jim Millar and Markus Fahrner

The Arts Award celebrates an individual, organization, or business that significantly contributes to, and participates in, the artistic/cultural life of the community. Jim Millar and Markus Fahrner were recognized for their commitment to fostering the arts in Port Moody through their many collaborative exhibits, as well as their promotion of the Port Moody Station Museum as an integral part of the City of the Arts. Their most recent project was an exhibit titled “As He Saw It,” a collection of wartime sketches by the renowned German typographer Rudolph Koch. Millar is a role model who is dedicated to the Port Moody Station Museum and the community as a whole. Fahrner is a graphic designer who has exhibited his work in Port Moody and Germany. 

Environmental Award – Judy Taylor-Atkinson and Jim Atkinson

This award is given to an individual, organization, or business that advances environmental preservation and awareness here in the City of Port Moody. Judy Taylor-Atkinson and Jim Atkinson were recognized for their contribution to the stewardship and protection of wildlife in Port Moody, including the beaver family that arrived in the Klahanie Community in 2016, and the Great Blue Heron colony that has taken up residence along the Shoreline Trail. The Atkinsons’ advocacy for the beavers contributed to Council’s direction to develop a Beaver Management Plan for Port Moody that will prioritize co-existence with beavers whenever possible. The Atkinsons’ attend numerous stewardship and community outreach events every year, advocating for wildlife protection and restoration within our natural landscape. 

Heritage Award – Evergreen Line Public Art Liaison Committee

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. The Evergreen Line Public Art Liaison Committee was formed just after it was announced that the Millennium Line’s Evergreen Extension would have two stations in Port Moody. The committee, made up of Helen Daniels, Susan Ius, Gerry Nuttall, Judy Stanley, and Stirling Ward, worked tirelessly with the Evergreen Rapid Transit Project Team to incorporate art into the new stations. When the Evergreen Extension opened in 2016, a total of seven public art pieces had been installed for all to enjoy. 

Sports Award – Brian Kenny, and Paul Slaymaker and Penny Plamondon

The Sports Award is presented to individuals or groups who have been nominated as athletes, teams, or builders (people who are positive role models and encourage young people to get involved in sports and live healthy, active lifestyles). 

Brian Kenny was recognized for his contributions to dragon boating in Port Moody and his work with the Coquitlam Crunch Diversity Challenge. He has volunteered with the Nothin’ Dragon Masters team since 2007, coaching both seniors and youth. Kenny became the president of the Nothin’ Dragon Masters in 2013. In 2016, the Nothin’ Dragon Masters became the new co-benefactors, hosts, and organizers of the Coquitlam Crunch Diversity Challenge. This annual event raises money for the Community Diversity Fund, which provides grants to Tri-Cities individuals, non-profit organizations, or community groups working to remove barriers for groups of people identified by the community as being socially or financially marginalized. 

Paul Slaymaker and Penny Plamondon were recognized for their contribution to the community as owners of the Runners’ Den in Newport Village. Slaymaker and Plamondon opened the shop to support runners, hikers, and walkers in the Tri-Cities. They lead groups of runners and walkers through training for a variety of distances, from short (five kilometres) to long (marathons). The Runners’ Den is all about community, hosting athletic events, offering support to schools, and participating in fundraisers. Plamondon is a Top 10 Ironman athlete, as well as an accomplished marathoner and ultramarathoner. Slaymaker, who is also a marathoner and ultramarathoner, represented Canada at the 100 Kilometre World Championships. 

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