The terms and conditions outlined in the attached Forestry documents will also apply to all areas with in the Municipality of Maple Ridge. Non adherence to this ban within the Municipality of Maple Ridge will result in fines as outlined in the Municipal ticketing Information, starting at a minimum of $150.00 with a potential to be billed for the total cost of extinguishment and damages.

For further information please visit the Fire Department website at http://www.fire.mapleridge.ca/ or call 604 463-5880

Have a fun and fire safe summer!

Campfire prohibtion 2010FOR0107-000846 [PDF, 112KB]
CampfireProhibitionQA 2010 [PDF, 190KB]

Giant Hogweed is a serious threat to natural ecosystems and human health. It contains a sap which can cause very serious burns and even temporary blindness if exposed to sunlight (photo dermatitis).

Please report any sightings to the Invasive Plant Council of British Columbia. They are attempting to create an inventory, staff and resources to deal with the growing issue. They cannot respond to complaints but do want to manage the scope of the invasive plant problem in general. They can be reached at 250-392-1400, or through their website and are an excellent source of information not only for the Giant Hogweed but other invasive species as well.

Sightings of the Giant Hogweed on road allowances should be reported to the Operations Department at 604-463-9581. Sightings in parks or on parkland should be reported to the Parks Department at 604-467-7346. Property owners should consult the Invasive Plant Council of British Columbia for Best Management Practices.

http://www.invasiveplantcouncilbc.ca/

Metro Vancouver is undertaking major water infrastructure projects. On May 31, 2010, Metro Vancouver crews will begin conducting topographical survey work. View the Project Notice [PDF, 1.4MB]. For additional information, please contact the Metro Vancouver Information Centre at 604-432-6200.

Dewdney Trunk Road over the Stave Falls Dam

The dam will be closed to all vehicle and foot traffic from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on August 17, 18, 19, 20, 30 and 31. These closures will be advertised to the public through signage and newspapers.

BC Hydro is replacing the gantry crane for the Stave Falls-Blind Slough Dam this summer. The crane is used to raise and lower the spillway gates to safely modify the flow of water from the Stave Lake Reservoir.

The portion of Dewdney Trunk Road that crosses the dams will be subject to scheduled road closures or single-lane alternating traffic to facilitate removal of the old crane, and the installation, commissioning and load testing of a replacement crane. Civil work, rail replacement and repaving will take place this fall. This work will improve the safety and reliability of the spillway gates as well as the roadway, particularly for bicycles and motorcycles.

Flail cutting is done along roadsides for safety purposes on defined routes. The roadside is flailed twice a year to reduce the height of the vegetation to ensure sight lines are maintained at intersections and driveways.

Further flailing is done in and around ditches so they can be inspected to reduce blockages. Vegetation growing in the ditch does not necessarily have to be removed, as this is considered in the design and aids in the over all health of the water quality and ecosystem integrity.

Generally the District will do one pass on the roadside, starting in the west working eastward to deal with sightless for safety. When finished the first pass, the tractors will go back and do subsequent passes for ditch maintenance purposes, again starting in the west and working to the east.

The District is not budgeted to mow grass. Once a year roadside cutting and brushing of vegetation is done for safety, not aesthetics. .

Brushing

Brushing along the road right of ways is done for safety purposes. The right of way is brushed reactively to reduce the height of the vegetation, so sightless are maintained at intersections and driveways. Further brushing is done along sidewalks for the safety of pedestrians.

The District cuts brush or hedges but does not trim them. Hedges and brush need to be maintained about 1m from sidewalks to 3m in height and around 3m from road edge and 5m in height. On corners, hedges and brush should not exceed 1.2m in height or 6m to 25m in each direction for sight lines and at driveways at least 6m on either side and 1.2m in height.

The Top Canadian Investment Cities are:
1.  Calgary, AB
2.  Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge, ON
3.  Edmonton, AB
4.  Surrey, BC
5.  Maple Ridge, BC
6.  Hamilton, ON
7.  St. Albert, AB
8.  Simcoe Shores (Barrie-Orillia), ON
9.  Red Deer, AB
10.  Winnipeg, MB
11.  Saskatoon, SK

"Despite today's continuing market turmoil, our research indicates that there are more buying opportunities now than in the last few years, meaning more investment options and better yields," said report lead author Don R. Campbell, REIN President and author of the best-selling books Real Estate Investing in Canada and 97 Tips for Real Estate Investing.  "With today's mixed market signals it is critical that investors and home-buyers complete that extra level of due diligence.  Now we get back to market reality where economic fundamentals, not speculation, will once again play the key role in whether a property increases or drops in value.  The years of skyrocketing prices are finally over; however, over the long term the economic fundamentals of these key cities will help their property values dramatically outperform other regions across the country."

Foreign investors know that Canadian Real Estate is a safe place for their money."  The Canadian real estate market is seen by foreign investors as a safe place to put money.  Our conservative lending practices have shielded us from economic crises experienced elsewhere and compared to properties in other countries, even Vancouver and Toronto seem like bargains!"

Don R. Campbell will be presenting the complete findings of this research at the Red Robinson Theatre at 8:30AM on Saturday, June 12 as part of the Real Estate Investment Network's ACRE Workshop.  For more information on this event, email info@reincanada.com

Shaw indicates that this is a temporary solution and they are examining options for a long term solution to this problem.

There are currently over 360,000 working age people with disabilities in British Columbia. They have the motivation, education and abilities to be valuable members of our workforce and communities, yet they face an employment rate about 20% lower than the rest of the population - 56.5% versus 74.3% (based on 2006 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey).

The Minister's Council on Employment for Persons with Disabilities invites communities and organizations to join the 10 by 10 Challenge to increase employment of persons with disabilities by 10%, or over 13,000 new jobs, by the year 2010.

www.10by10challenge.gov.bc.ca/

WorkAble Solutions

An initiative to connect BC employers to persons with disabilities by providing valuable employment resources and support. The goal of the initiative is to help employers turn potential challenges into workable solutions and increase the recruitment and retention of persons with disabilities.

All research points to the fact that persons with disabilities represent a large, growing, and as yet, largely untapped talent pool. In light of a looming skills shortage caused by lower levels of new labour force entrants and higher levels of retirement, it is essential that employers tap into this talent pool to access skilled workers. Hiring persons with disabilities will also help to reduce turnover costs, while building an inclusive and positive work environment.

www.workablesolutionsbc.ca/

This new partnership addresses a concern long held by both parties that Blue Mountain is a significant resource that in the past has not been effectively managed. This Memorandum of Understanding is essentially a promise on behalf of both parties to build a sustainability plan for Blue Mountain.

Maple Ridge Brand Story

Rich with agricultural roots and an exceptional natural setting and poised on the verge of a brilliant future, Maple Ridge is one of the fastest growing communities in the Lower Mainland. The brand platform for the District of Maple Ridge, and how we articulate that through our logo mark, is critical to our image as an outstanding community, an inviting destination, and a place to embrace and achieve a work-life balance.

With that in mind, a committee was formed to identify and create a renewed brand identity and logo mark for the District of Maple Ridge.

The Process

Starting in December 2005, the committee embarked upon a process of stakeholder engagement. The goal was to ensure that through dialogue and gathering input we would be inclusive as we updated the District's image and comprehensive as we identified our shared values as a community. These values then became the foundation for a "brand essence"- which is an articulation of what makes the District of Maple Ridge unique, and is a tool that was utilized by the graphic design team at Cossette Communication to help to create the final logo.

The Elements

The logo mark arrived upon is organic in nature and is a modern interpretation of Maple Ridge that updates our image and reflects several core elements of our community - elements that are a part of our past as well as our future.

Within the mark are waves and floating leaves. The waves were selected for both their organic form and how they mirror shapes in the environment, but also for how they denote motion. This motion comes from the shared value that we are a dynamic community and one that will continue to grow and flourish. This is particularly relevant today as we acquire assets that foster our growth including the Golden Ears Bridge.

The high reaching golden swoop represents the physical landmarks of the Golden Ears Mountains and Bridge but also, in its colour, suggests the aspiration to establish a foundation of ongoing increased economic prosperity for our community.

The middle green swoop stands for our green, open spaces and agricultural history. In addition, it echoes our shared value of preserving that green space and our rural community values as we "grow smart" and pursue a future that strongly embraces sustainability. We have deep roots in the land that is a part of our agricultural history. These "deep roots," much like those of the maple tree, provide us the strength of a solid foundation upon which we may grow to "greater heights."

The blue swoosh is characteristic of the abundance and passionate conservation of clean, blue water in our rivers, lakes and streams - a commitment we share for generations to come. It also symbolizes the plentiful fresh air, which is another cornerstone of the Maple Ridge lifestyle.

The two floating leaves are elements that represent in their colour, a nod to our former logo, and symbolically, the maple trees that shaped our heritage and our name. More subtly, the leaves signify our connection and inclusion in the broader community of Canada.

Finally, the simple frame and standardized type are contemporary elements indicating a fresh outlook while ensuring our new logo mark has longevity.

Next Steps

The District is excited to start incorporating the new logo mark into our daily operations. With our continuing focus on sustainability, the mark will be incorporated at natural junctures. For example, we will use all of our current stock of stationery with our old logo mark until we run out, at which time we will order new stationery with the new logo. Signs around the community will also be replaced within their natural lifecycle, and so on.

We hope you join us in celebrating our updated logo and identity!

If you have any specific questions about the process of new logo incorporation, please contact: Gary Manson at 604-467-7452.