Good morning, Burnaby!

In this week’s edition, we’re celebrating a huge lottery win for a Burnaby resident who recently shared he won $5 million dollars on 6/49. The man is now taking two weeks off work and planning out his dream career. In other news, the City of Burnaby is currently exploring the use of high-tech greenhouses, and city staff are considering rules around removing community-initiated memorials.

👀 In today's edition:

• High-tech greenhouses for local food production

• Cellphone restrictions coming to classrooms

• An early morning house fire

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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Burnaby resident wins $5 million from Lotto 6/49

Wei Dong Chen’s wife thought he was tricking her, after he shared that he won the $5-million Classic Jackpot from the Feb. 28 Lotto 6/49 draw.

“I found out I won using the BCLC! Lottery App,” recalled Chen. “My hand was shaking and I could not believe it. I told my wife and she said, ‘are you teasing me?’ She did not believe it!”

The Burnaby resident hasn’t shared the news of his win with anyone else, until now. He plans to use some of his winnings to support his daughter’s schooling and take two weeks off work to plan the next steps in his career.

Read Chen’s story here.

Burnaby Bulletin

An early morning house fire. A two-storey home in Burnaby went up in flames last Wednesday morning. No injuries have been reported and fire investigation crews are currently looking into the cause of the fire. [CityNews]

Business as usual for Parkland Refinery. Seven weeks ago, a technical malfunction at Parkland Refinery caused plumes of smoke to cover Burnaby. The refinery is set to resume operations this Sunday. [CTV News]

Cellphone restrictions in Burnaby classrooms. Cellphone restrictions are coming to Burnaby classrooms next year with the intent to protect children from online threats. [Burnaby Now]

Assault in broad daylight. Burnaby RCMP are asking for the public’s help to identify a suspect in an alleged assault that took place last week in broad daylight. [CTV News]

Deer Lake Park extension. The City of Burnaby has recently approved the Deer Lake Park extension design which will extend and connect several Deer Lake Park trails together. [CityNews]

Community Safety Plan. Burnaby residents and businesses are encouraged to share their feedback on the city’s Community Safety Plan. All comments will be shared with the Community Safety Department.

Police watchdog investigation. British Columbia’s Independent Investigations Office is currently investigating a woman’s death after learning she passed away in custody. [Times Colonist]

CelticFest Vancouver is back March 16 with a Paddy’s Day party. The free, downtown festival offers live music, beer, food, dancing, markets and family zone.*

*Sponsored Listing

CITY COUNCIL

Council chats greenhouses, affordable housing, and new Mintara patio

At council’s meeting on Mar. 11, delegates from the Food Charity Association of Canada presented what they described as a high-tech greenhouse initiative to provide food security for Burnaby residents. Representatives asked the city for two acres of city-owned land for the greenhouse.

Council approved a new $2.6M patio project for Mintara restaurant on Burnaby Mountain. Construction will start in September of this year.

And council also approved a $3M grant for an affordable housing project on a city-owned site at 3838 Hastings St.

For more on what council discussed and approved at the Mar. 11 meeting, read our full roundup here.

And for more details on the affordable housing project on Hastings, read the full story here.

NEWS

City considers new policy for community-initiated memorials

Many Burnaby residents are familiar with the sight of flowers, wreaths, and other items in some public places. Many of these memorial sites are well-maintained, with fresh flowers added regularly, the surrounding area maintained and kept clean, and any damage from the elements promptly repaired. 

Often, these sites are places where a tragedy occurred; whether it was an accident or a violent crime that claimed someone’s life, surviving family and friends often create a makeshift memorial in the same area where the tragic event occurred to commemorate their loved ones. 

However, not all residents approve of such memorials and some community members complain that memorials obstruct their daily lives. City staff are currently proposing a policy to remove them.

Read more about the new policy here.

Where to eat & drink

🍜 Maruhachi Ra-men. This casual ramen restaurant often sees long lineups outside their doors and for a good reason—their noodles are delicious. Not only that, they also serve goodies like pork curry, dashimaki and smoked edamame to go on the side as well as their own beer crafted by Parkside Brewery.

🍺 The Great Bear Pub. A homey sports bar perfect for a late night hangout. You can’t go wrong with classics like cheesy spinach and artichoke dip and reuben sliders, and the waffle nachos—waffle fries smothered in cheese, scallions, jalapenos and sour cream—are sure to steal your heart.

🍰 Cup & Bun Cafe. A cozy, spacious cafe that’s ideal for coffee dates, lunches and mid-day treats. They make a selection of tasty sandwiches like turkey and brie and tuna melt as well as pastries like pumpkin tarts and red velvet cake.

🤝 Now Hiring

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

• Assistant Food and Beverage Operations Manager at Marriot International

• Customer Care Specialist at Ritchie Bros.

• Employee Benefits Analyst at Hub International

• Tree Inspector at the City of Burnaby

• Licensing Officer at BC Housing

• Elementary Counsellor at the Burnaby School District

• Short-Term Rental Investigator at BC Public Service

• Proposal Manager at Pacific Blue Cross

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

🗓 Things to do

Thursday

• English conversation circle. 11:30pm. Burnaby Public Library

• Explore Careers in Environmental Policy. 4:30pm. SFU, West Mall Centre.

Friday

• Ancient Pasts for Modern Audiences. 2:30pm. SFU, WAC Bennett Library.

• Podcasting Workshop. 7pm. Get Ready Studio.

• VILLAINS: Rec Room Episode 2. 8pm. The Rec Room.

• Party with Kickstart. 8pm. The Admiral.

Saturday

• Spring Break Days. 11am. Burnaby Village Museum.

• Ocean Park Wailers. 3pm. The Admiral.

• WOVEN: Setsuko Piroche's Wonderland, Exhibit Opening Reception. 1pm. 6688 Southoaks Cres.

Sunday

• Villians Presents: Prism Power! 12pm. The Rec Room.

• Free Beginner Zouk. 4pm. World Dance Co.

• The Wilds by WONDERHEADS. 2pm. Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

Monday

• Spring Blooms. 7pm. Wings Pub & Grill.

• Paverpol Workshop. 10:30am. Registration here. 

Tuesday

• Community Conversation. 5:30pm. Bonsor Recreation Complex.

• Game Night for English Learners. 6pm. Burnaby Public Library.

• Board Game Club. 2:30pm. Burnaby Public Library.

Wednesday

• Cord Cutting & Manifestation Meditation Sound Bath. 7pm. Savasana Meditation.

• Naturally Inspired: Nature & Art. 10am. Burnaby Lake Nature House.

• Hobby & Games Lounge. 12pm. SFU, Global Student Centre.