Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024 edition: Striking Sheraton workers are going to council

Good morning, Burnaby!

After months of being on strike, union representatives of more than 200 workers at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel are going to council on Feb. 12 with a motion to boycott the hotel due to ongoing labour disputes. Also, council is seeking accountability from Parkland refinery following a technical issue at the plant, causing the city to be covered in smoke. That’s certainly not all—scroll down for the latest news and events this week!

👀 In today's edition:

• A win for Special Olympics BC curling team

• A Burnaby city councillor calling for car-free Sundays

• A crane dangling off a Burnaby tower

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NEWS

Striking Sheraton YVR workers going to Burnaby council in February

Union representatives of more than 200 workers at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel will present at Burnaby City Council’s Feb. 12 meeting. A delegation from UNITE HERE Local 40 union will present a motion to council requesting that Burnaby boycott the Sheraton YVR hotel and avoid spending taxpayer money on events or conferences there.

“We’ve seen at our union that when we have the support of politicians, city councils and other labour allies, it really helps the employer take our fight seriously and address this labour dispute,” said Sharan Pawa, communications specialist at Local 40.

Read more details about the motion here. 

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Enjoy some of the world's best mountain films in theatres across Vancouver

Get inspired for a new year of adventure with the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival. This year, we're bringing more than 70 of the world's best mountain films to theatres across Vancouver from February 23 - March 3. Get psyched with the community while you enjoy guest speakers, filmmaker talks, social libations, an artisan market, and educational workshops on filmmaking, mountain safety, gear repair, and much more. 

Can't make it in person? Watch online from February 23 - March 24. Gather your friends for action-packed and thought-provoking films, anywhere in the world. 

See the festival line-up and get your tickets here!

Burnaby Bulletin

A hefty, smoky, $30,000 bill. Burnaby’s mayor and council passed a motion last Monday seeking “accountability” from the operator of the Parkland refinery—following a malfunction in the building earlier this month, Burnaby was clouded in smoke and a strong, chemical odour. [Global News]

A crane topples over. A portion of Lougheed Highway was closed last Friday afternoon following a crane toppling over the edge of a nearby high rise building. Investigations of the cause are currently underway. [Global News]

Car-free Sundays. A Burnaby city councillor has brought a motion to council which aims to have a portion of the city’s roads closed down to cars every Sunday starting in May. [CityNews]

Vancouver to SFU Cycling Connection project. The City of Burnaby is looking for input on the proposed conceptual designs for the Frances-Union Bikeway, Burnaby Mountain Parkway and Gaglardi Way as development continues on the Vancouver to SFU Cycling Connection project.

New flavours coming to Burnaby. After 10 years of business Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen—a beloved Vietnamese restaurant in Vancouver—is opening a second location in Burnaby. [Daily Hive]

A highway rockslide. Heavy rain caused a rockslide on Saturday evening on Burnaby’s Barnet Highway between Bayview Drive and Takeda Drive around 11pm. [CityNews]

A new art exhibition. Burnaby Art Gallery will be showcasing the extensive works of renowned Indigenous artist Roy Henry Vickers on Feb. 2. More than 160 artworks spanning six decades will be on display.

NEWS

Special Olympics BC Burnaby curling teams going to national games in Calgary

Every Saturday, rain, shine or snow, Suzanne, April and Mary Armstrong board a bus near their home in Burnaby to the nearest Skytrain station. From there, they ride a train followed by another bus until they reach their destination: a curling rink in Delta. Each way takes about an hour and all three women have to carry their own curling equipment on the commute.

Suzanne, 64, her daughter April, 28, and Mary, 32, all play on Special Olympics BC Burnaby all-female curling team, the Wildcats, which recently qualified for the Canada Special Olympics Winter games taking place in Calgary this February.

Read more about the the Wildcats and the Canada Special Olympics Winter games here.

Where to eat & drink

🌭 Japadog: A hotdog, but make it with a Japanese twist. Japadog is home to beautiful flavour combinations on the traditional American hotdog such as spicy cheese terimayo, chicken karaage and oroshi, among others.

🍲 Safari Snack House: This low-key family-run restaurant is home to delicious East African and Indian fusion cuisine as well as, arguably, one of the best samosas in town.

🍫 Charlie’s Chocolate Factory: If you have a craving for anything sweet—be it chocolate, nutty brittles, salt water taffy and everything in between—Charlie’s Chocolate Factory near Boundary Road is an essential visit.

🤝 Now Hiring

Looking to make a move? Here are local jobs open right now:

• Restaurant Manager at Zhang Liang Spicy Hotpot

• Line Cook at BCIT Student Association

• Night Manager at Marriott Burnaby Conference Centre

• Home Renovator at 88 Homes Ltd.

• Inside Sales Representative at Wolseley

• External Relations Student at Trans Mountain

• Commercial Insurance Specialist at Northbridge

• Pool Instructor at Aquafit for All

Hiring and want to let people know? Reply back and let us know!

🗓 Things to do

Thursday

• Safe Community Series: Graffiti Prevention. 6pm. City Hall Council Chambers.

• Babytime. 11:30am. Burnaby Public Library.

Friday

• Roy Henry Vickers Exhibition. 7pm. Burnaby Art Gallery.

• Hester Creek Wine Dinner. 6pm. Hart House Restaurant.

Saturday

• Lache Cercel. 7:30pm. Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

• Shibari 101. 10am. Metrotown.

• Swing Dance Club AGM Meeting. 5:30pm. BC Swing Dance Club.

• Celtic Kitchen Party. 7pm. Gilmore Community Gym.

Sunday

• Paul Pigat & The Smoking Jackets. 7:30pm. Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

• Runeberg Day Festival. 1:30pm. Scandinavian Community Centre.

Monday

• Advance Theatre Festival. 7:30pm. Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

• Inclusion Cafe. 10:30am. Burnaby Public Library.

Wednesday

• Burnaby Rhododendron and Garden Society Meeting. 7pm. Burnaby Village Museum.

• Brain Gym Energizer. 10am. Confederation Seniors Centre.