the richmond
A silver lining for the Blues 12
REVIEW RICHMONDREVIEW.COM
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2015
Family welcomes New Year’s baby
City shoots down replica gun arena Council rejects airsoft gun proposal near Richmond Olympic Oval
Gurman Pangly, born at 3:15 a.m., tipped the scales at nearly 7.5 pounds
by Matthew Hoekstra Staff Reporter An entrepreneur with hopes of opening a business where participants fire plastic pellets at each other from replica guns has run into a roadblock at Richmond City Hall. Eric Lam was aiming to open the first airsoft gun arena in B.C. at 120-6711 Elmbridge Way, a warehouse near the Richmond Olympic Oval. Similar to paintball, airsoft is an activity where players eliminate opponents by hitting them with lightweight pellets launched by replica firearms. But after a two-and-a-half hour appeal hearing Monday, city council upheld a staff decision rejecting Lam’s business licence application for Sigma AEG Arena. “I can’t see a situation where I think that location is appropriate. I just don’t think it’s right, whatever the merits of the activity are,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie before the 6-2 vote. Chief licence inspector Glenn McLaughlin told council airsoft guns fall under the category of firearms—even though they’re not mentioned by name in the city’s bylaw—and the arena’s industrial business park location doesn’t permit indoor shooting ranges. “I just find it boggling that we’re even talking about something that’s not even a permitted use on the premises,” said Coun. Derek Dang. “On this site, on this location, it can’t be done.” A similar business of paintball, however, is allowed. Richmond Indoor Paintball is located steps away from the airsoft arena proposed by Lam, who argued the two activities are alike. See Page 3
20 PAGES
by Martin van den Hemel Staff Reporter
Martin van den Hemel photo Gurman Pangly entered the world at 3:15 a.m. on Jan. 1 to become Richmond’s first baby of 2015, welcomed by proud parents Hardeep and Amanjit, and big brother Sukhman, 4.
As a bakery worker, Amanjit Pangly knows that timing is everything, especially when there’s a bun in the oven. So when she and her husband checked in at Richmond Hospital on New Year’s Eve, and she felt a little off, her mother’s instincts told her something special was about to happen. Sure enough, Gurman Pangly entered the world at 3:15 a.m. on the first day of 2015, and all 7.5 pounds of him were welcomed by proud father Hardeep and big brother Sukhman. Gurman came precisely on his due date—a few hours before the next Jan. 1 baby—showing a level of punctuality that should serve him well in the future. The Pangly family has lived in Richmond for 13 years, and Hardeep works in concrete pumping. In their culture, being born early means that day’s going to an eventful one. Gurman’s arrival will be celebrated by family from all over the world, who will soon be arriving from India and England.
RECYCLE Over The Holidays! facebook.com/richmondreview
NEWS@RICHMONDREVIEW.COM
OFFICE: 604-247-3700
DELIVERY: 604-247-3710
CLASSIFIED: 604-575-5555
NEWSROOM: 604-247-3730