It’s Mayors Day! Meet Delta Mayor, George Harvie!!!

Chapter 1

It’s Mayors Day! Meet Delta Mayor, George Harvie

It is Mayors Day on the Simi Sara Show! And my co-host for the rest of the show is the Mayor of Delta, a municipality where traffic gridlock across the Fraser River is a major bugbear for residents.

The city council has a big list of parks and recreation projects it would like to see completed, and there’s also been a lot of talk about casinos - does the city, and does the province, need yet another casino, at a time when there is so much concern about money laundering here in BC?

We’ll get into all of that - but first, let’s get to know my co-host a little better. His name is George Harvie.

Co-host: George Harvie

Mayor of Delta

 

Chapter 2

Transportation in Delta, and the Massey Tunnel

The province put the brakes on a planned 10-lane bridge to replace the aging and congested Massey Tunnel in September 2017, then commissioned an independent technical review of the replacement options.

That review concluded that the George Massey Tunnel should be replaced, but not by a 10-lane bridge. It suggested the NDP undertake a new feasibility study on how best to improve the aging and congested crossing, including fresh consultation with local First Nations and the TransLink Mayors’ Council.

Meanwhile, motorists continue to be frustrated every day, as the tunnel fails to keep up with the demands of our growing region.

Co-host: George Harvie

Mayor of Delta

 

Chapter 3

Why is Delta City Council supporting a new casino project?

Last year Delta City Council gave its approval for a new 500-slot-machine casino for the city.

Gateway Casinos says the $70-million project will provide up to 700 new jobs in Delta.

Last November, the BC Lottery Commission gave its approval for the project.

The City of Richmond had objected to the development because of concerns about increased traffic, and also about crime. Bear in mind: there are lots of concerns in the province right now about money laundering. So is now the right time for another casino project here in Metro Vancouver?

Co-host: George Harvie

Mayor of Delta

 

Chapter 4

When people in Delta need help accessing community services, here’s who they can turn to

We’re talking about Delta today, with my co-host, the Mayor of the City, George Harvie.

And when people in the city need help in their life, whether it’s counselling for family issues, or help getting by with day-to-day burdens like filing taxes, there’s one group in the city that’s there to help.

They’re called Deltassist (PRON: Delta Assist) and, their Executive Director joins us in studio to tell us more.

Co-host: George Harvie

Mayor of Delta

Guest: Julie Chadwick

Deltassist Executive Director

 

Chapter 5

Simi’s loser and winner of the day

Simi’s winner

The Guru Tegh Bahadur Sikh Temple

The shrinking Sikh community in Clearwater has sold its temple and given the $164,000 made from the sale to local charities.

Narinder Singh Heer, president of the Guru Tegh Bahadur Sikh Temple, says the community had shrunk from 55 families 15 years ago to just 5 today, so they no longer need the space.

Job losses in the lumber industry and young people moving to bigger cities are the reasons for the decline.

Mayor Merlin Blackwell says the temple members' donations will help a number of organizations, such as the local ski hill, the skating club and food bank.

He says Clearwater is overwhelmed by the gesture.

George’s winner

Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society

The Orphaned Wildlife Society, that’s OWL, is a Delta-based rehab facility for raptors.

The Society takes care of injured raptors and aims to teach the public more about their special patients through educational programs and on tours of the OWL grounds

Our intern, Max Collins had a chat with Rob Howe, the raptor care manager at OWL Society:

If you want to learn more about OWL or inquire about volunteering, head to w-w-w-.owlrehab.org.

Chapter 1

It’s Mayors Day! Meet Delta Mayor, George Harvie

It is Mayors Day on the Simi Sara Show! And my co-host for the rest of the show is the Mayor of Delta, a municipality where traffic gridlock across the Fraser River is a major bugbear for residents.

The city council has a big list of parks and recreation projects it would like to see completed, and there’s also been a lot of talk about casinos - does the city, and does the province, need yet another casino, at a time when there is so much concern about money laundering here in BC?

We’ll get into all of that - but first, let’s get to know my co-host a little better. His name is George Harvie.

Co-host: George Harvie

Mayor of Delta

 

Chapter 2

Transportation in Delta, and the Massey Tunnel

The province put the brakes on a planned 10-lane bridge to replace the aging and congested Massey Tunnel in September 2017, then commissioned an independent technical review of the replacement options.

That review concluded that the George Massey Tunnel should be replaced, but not by a 10-lane bridge. It suggested the NDP undertake a new feasibility study on how best to improve the aging and congested crossing, including fresh consultation with local First Nations and the TransLink Mayors’ Council.

Meanwhile, motorists continue to be frustrated every day, as the tunnel fails to keep up with the demands of our growing region.

Co-host: George Harvie

Mayor of Delta

 

Chapter 3

Why is Delta City Council supporting a new casino project?

Last year Delta City Council gave its approval for a new 500-slot-machine casino for the city.

Gateway Casinos says the $70-million project will provide up to 700 new jobs in Delta.

Last November, the BC Lottery Commission gave its approval for the project.

The City of Richmond had objected to the development because of concerns about increased traffic, and also about crime. Bear in mind: there are lots of concerns in the province right now about money laundering. So is now the right time for another casino project here in Metro Vancouver?

Co-host: George Harvie

Mayor of Delta

 

Chapter 4

When people in Delta need help accessing community services, here’s who they can turn to

We’re talking about Delta today, with my co-host, the Mayor of the City, George Harvie.

And when people in the city need help in their life, whether it’s counselling for family issues, or help getting by with day-to-day burdens like filing taxes, there’s one group in the city that’s there to help.

They’re called Deltassist (PRON: Delta Assist) and, their Executive Director joins us in studio to tell us more.

Co-host: George Harvie

Mayor of Delta

Guest: Julie Chadwick

Deltassist Executive Director

 

Chapter 5

Simi’s loser and winner of the day

Simi’s winner

The Guru Tegh Bahadur Sikh Temple

The shrinking Sikh community in Clearwater has sold its temple and given the $164,000 made from the sale to local charities.
Narinder Singh Heer, president of the Guru Tegh Bahadur Sikh Temple, says the community had shrunk from 55 families 15 years ago to just 5 today, so they no longer need the space.
Job losses in the lumber industry and young people moving to bigger cities are the reasons for the decline.
Mayor Merlin Blackwell says the temple members' donations will help a number of organizations, such as the local ski hill, the skating club and food bank.
He says Clearwater is overwhelmed by the gesture.

George’s winner

Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society

The Orphaned Wildlife Society, that’s OWL, is a Delta-based rehab facility for raptors.
The Society takes care of injured raptors and aims to teach the public more about their special patients through educational programs and on tours of the OWL grounds
Our intern, Max Collins had a chat with Rob Howe, the raptor care manager at OWL Society:

If you want to learn more about OWL or inquire about volunteering, head to w-w-w-.owlrehab.org.