Highlights of the third quarter of 2022 included the return of the Steveston Salmon Festival, Commonwealth Games success for Richmond athletes Evan Dunfee and Camryn Rogers, and the opening of Richmond Continuing Education's new adult education centre.

JULY 

Salmon Festival returns

The 75th annual Steveston Salmon Festival returned in-person on July 1, although without its signature parade or fireworks. This was the first in-person event since 2019, and included four zones for people to take in food, performers, exhibitions, and other activities.

City appoints new chief administrative officer

Serena Lusk became Richmond’s new chief administrative officer on July 1, following George Duncan stepping down after holding the post for more than 30 years.

Lusk joined the City of Richmond in 2005 and became part of the city’s senior management team in 2017, taking on further responsibilities as the city’s deputy chief administrative officer in 2020.

Coast Guard celebrates 60 years

The Canadian Coast Guard celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2022. Paul Tobin, officer in charge of the Sea Island Base in Richmond, shared some of the important work done by the organization.

“Our primary role is search and rescue but over the years with global warming, we’ve gotten more involved with scientific research,” he said. “We have special equipment on board, and we take a science team out to monitor the straits for microplastics and heavy metals in the water. Also, we check the mud flats when they’re totally dry around the Sturgeon Banks area.”

Richmond hosts Nations Cup

Richmond hosted the first Nations Cup soccer tournament since 2019. Showcasing the talent of people from all over B.C., players are grouped together based on their ethnic backgrounds or countries of origin. China, India, England, Italy, Germany, and Canada were among the nations represented this year.

There were more than 1,000 participants and at least 10,000 spectators. This year saw some teams repeat as champions and new teams pull off upsets.

City’s new animal shelter opens

The city’s new animal shelter, which is one-third larger than the previous facility, opened on No. 5 Road. It can provide shelter for up to 17 dogs and 40 cats, as well as rabbits and other small animals.

The city and BC SPCA entered into an agreement for animal sheltering and animal control services in Richmond in 2021. Part of that agreement is the operation of the new animal shelter, along with recovery and related services.

Features of the new shelter include heated floors within kennels, hygienic drain and cleaning systems, and interior artwork provided by Richmond students.

Young actors take on CATS

The Children’s Theatre of Richmond presented an abridged one-hour version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical CATS, with 24 actors aged nine to 18.

Director and co-producer Mark Carter said all the best-known songs are still included in the shortened show. And despite the actors’ young age, they were still treated like adult performers.

“I think when you challenge young performers, they step up to the plate. That’s certainly been the case with this show,” said Carter.

Richmondite Claire Torrance performed the role of Grizabella the Glamour Cat, who sings “Memory,” perhaps the musical’s best-known song.

“As I’ve grown, I’ve become more and more passionate about musical theatre in every way,” said Torrance. “I love being able to work with others that share that same joy and passion.”

AUGUST

Rogers, Dunfee get Commonwealth Games medals

Richmond athletes Evan Dunfee and Camryn Rogers won gold medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in England.

Dunfee finished the men’s 10,000-metre race walk with a Commonwealth Games record and personal best time of 38:36.37 minutes.

Camryn Rogers finished the women’s hammer throw with a best throw of 74.08 metres, topping the second-place finisher by more than four metres.

Rogers also earned a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in July, making national history as the first Canadian woman to win a medal in a field sport at the World Championships.

Garlic Festival returns 

The Sharing Farm held its first in-person Garlic Festival since 2019. The signature event of the Sharing Farm, the Garlic Festival started more than 15 years ago as an opportunity to teach the community about food security, the mission of the Sharing Farm, and more.

“We want people to come and experience this beautiful rural park where the farm is located. We also want to inform community members of the opportunities to purchase and enjoy local food grown in their neighbourhood,” said Rae Jampole, events coordinator at the Sharing Farm. 

Dragon boats back in action

One of the province’s largest dragon boat races, the Steveston Dragon Boat Festival welcomed racers back to the water near the Britannia Heritage Shipyards.

Steveston hosted many competitors from the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the interior of B.C., Washington state, and Oregon.

The sport initially started in mainland China and slowly spread to its surrounding regions. Due to British influences, dragon boat racing became a community sport, and eventually the sport reached Canada in the 1980s and 1990s.

Maritime Festival returns

The Richmond Maritime Festival returned with five themed areas incorporating different aspects of maritime culture: Octopus’ Garden, Under the Deep Blue Sea, All Hands on Deck, Port of Call, and Captain’s Quarters. 

“Visitors will be able to fill their senses and experience how the nautical past lives on today through rich storytelling, exhibitions, and through the passion of our community groups who help to preserve the arts and craftsmanship of our maritime history,” said Mimi Horita, the city’s destination development coordinator of Steveston Heritage Sites and Museum and Heritage Services.

Richmondite rides for cancer research

When her father died suddenly from cancer on her birthday in 2017, Richmondite Andrea Lee bought a bike and signed up for the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Now called the Tour de Cure, Lee participated in the BC Cancer Foundation’s event again this year, riding 100 kilometres to raise awareness and funds to support cancer research. 

“The very first year I did it, I signed up right after my dad died,” said Lee. “I didn’t know what to do in my grief, so I impulsively bought a bike and signed up for the ride. I really enjoy it—I think it’s a great event, a great cause.”

Lee’s dad Martin was a cyclist, and she’s kept up her biking since that first organized ride five years ago. Her favourite place to ride in Richmond is along the dyke.

Kajaks Masters athletes excel

Richmond Kajaks athlete Fred Pawluk was part of a Masters relay team that set a world record at the August Masters Multi-Events Championships. The men’s 4x800m relay team, whose members are aged 75 to 79, finished the run with a time of 12:27.64 minutes.

“Individually and collectively we were quite elated,” said Pawluk. “We did the equivalent of high fives with our fists a number of times and congratulated each (runner) for their contribution.”

Richmondite competes in Earth Science Olympiad

Eric Li, a recent Richmond Secondary School graduate, represented Canada in the International Earth Science Olympiad. Li, who won first place in the Canadian national competition, was also named the captain of Team Canada for the international competition hosted by Italy.

“This has always been a dream of mine, to compete in International Science Olympiads,” said Li.

He has also agreed to help organize and mentor next year’s Team Canada for the international competition, sharing his passion for science with other students.

SEPTEMBER

Caravan Stage presents final show

To close out 52 years of touring, travelling theatre company The Caravan Stage performed at Richmond’s Shelter Island Marina.

Founded by Paul Kirby and Adriana Kelder, Caravan started out as a horse-drawn wagon theatre company and then toured on a tall ship called Amara Zee. The company’s farewell show Virtual Rogues focused on the ethics and ethos of the digital future, and featured aerial acrobats and large projections.

“I’ve been with the company for 12 years, and every show really is right up against what’s happening, even if it’s at an almost intangible, subtle level,” said longtime company member and production coordinator Doria Bramante.

verisimilitude on at Fringe Festival

Richmond’s Direct Theatre Collective presented a new show, verisimilitude, at the Vancouver Fringe Festival.

Artistic director Jill Raymond, who also starred in the show, called it a theatre-film hybrid. Projected video elements interacted with live scenes on stage, focusing on the concept of living entirely in a digital realm.

“There’s a lot of comedy in the show but it does explore some deeper themes such as mental health, isolation, and struggling with the idea of what purpose is on the planet and why we’re here,” said Raymond.

Forever Young 8K back in action

The annual Forever Young 8K run took place at the Richmond Olympic Oval after being cancelled in 2020 and converted to a virtual run in 2021.

This event started in 2015 with a group of seniors who occasionally entered marathons but were always surrounded by very fast young people. The runners found that no one would stay around for the older winners during the award ceremonies.

“In celebration of seniors who maintain their fitness, and to enjoy the camaraderie of other fit seniors, we decided it was time to have our event,” said John Young, founder of the Forever Young Club and the 8K run.

Temporary supportive housing opens

A temporary supportive housing building opened to help provide safe and secure homes to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Located at 2520 Smith St., Aster Place is a three-storey modular building with 40 self-contained units, each with a private washroom and kitchenette. The building has a commercial kitchen, laundry facilities, and storage space.

Aster Place provides housing for about 30 people living in Richmond’s temporary Emergency Response Centre (ERC), which provided safe accommodation for vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now closed. Vacancies in the building are being filled by other people in the community who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Writer-in-residence begins tenure

Poet Lindi Nolte began her tenure as Richmond’s 2022 writer-in-residence, offering a series of performances, writing circles, workshops, and mentorship opportunities to the Richmond community.

Nolte, who moved to Canada from South Africa at age nine, began writing as a child when her mom gave her a journal. The spoken word community  helped her find a place amid the sometimes rigid rules of poetry.

“Finding spoken word allowed me to feel that page poetry rules don’t apply to me, so I don’t need to follow them. I just need to work out what feels good and sounds good in my body,” said Nolte.

Hand-woven blanket at city hall

A hand-woven blanket by prominent Musqueam artist Debra Sparrow now hangs in council chambers at Richmond city hall. The hand-spun sheep wool blanket’s design honours Sparrow’s ancestors and the heron, the majestic bird associated with the city and its many waterways and natural landscapes.

Sparrow created the blanket during her tenure at the Blue Cabin floating artist residency in Steveston in April and May 2022. The Blue Cabin will be in Steveston through January 2024.

Adult education centre opens

Richmond’s new adult education centre opened in the old Mitchell elementary annex. The school has seven classrooms and two dedicated computer labs to help facilitate blended learning programs. There is also ample office space, enabling the district’s continuing education staff to work together on-site.

Then-board chair Sandra Nixon said prior to this year, the district’s adult education programs were spread out and took place at multiple sites. Now, most adult education programs will be offered at the new location.