MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOL MUST PAY UP
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CRUELTY OF ONLINE CONDEMNATION
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FRIDAY
RED NOSE ENJOYS A BUSY HOLIDAY
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Burnaby’s Diana Bang enjoys a star turn in The Interview. See Page A3
JANUARY 9 2015 www.burnabynewsleader. com
Contractor sues city after being ‘blacklisted’ Wanda Chow
wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
MARIO BARTEL/NEWSLEADER
George Clulow says the preservation of natural habitat in Burnaby’s urban parks, like Deer Lake, are helping keep the population of birds in the city relatively stable. Clulow is the organizer of the annual Christmas bird count, which had its best results in 15 years in December.
Annual bird count hits new highs Mario Bartel
photo@burnabynewsleader.com
Perfect conditions for birds and the people who watch them helped December’s annual Christmas bird count reach its highest numbers in 15 years. Nine volunteer birders working in teams in Burnaby Lake and Deer Lake parks, as well as Burnaby Mountain, spotted 69 species during the count, which occurred Dec. 14. That’s 10 better than the count’s 10-year average of 59, said George Clulow, the president of the British Columbia Field Ornithologists.
“We hit it out of the park, so to that have kept the lakes free from ice speak,” said Clulow. “We found has meant more ducks and geese are everything that day, nearly all the sticking around. birds you’d expect to see in Burnaby Counters recorded 58 ring-billed in the winter.” gulls, 28 doubleThat included crested cormorants, 23 flickers, almost 311 mallard ducks, George Clulow double previous 47 northern pintails If we keep lots of rough and highs for that natural areas in the parks we and 66 ring-necked species, as well ducks. should be able to continue as seven pileated “It makes a big with what we’re getting now. woodpeckers, which difference if the Clulow called “unprecedented.” lakes are unfrozen,” said Clulow. Clulow said the bright sunny “Ducks and geese aren’t around if weather helped counters spot more there isn’t open water.” birds. And the mild temperatures Clulow said the count’s results
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indicate the wintering bird population in Burnaby is relatively stable. That’s testimony to the tracts of wild, undeveloped areas in the city’s parks. “It’s important to keep the habitat we’ve got a little wild,” said Clulow. “If we keep lots of rough and natural areas in the parks, we should be able to continue with what we’re getting now.” Again counters noted an increase in Anna’s hummingbirds, said Clulow.
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Please see BIRD COUNT, A4
A contractor which does much of its work for local municipalities is suing the City of Burnaby over a policy it says blacklists companies that sue the city. J. Cote & Son Excavating Ltd. filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court on Dec. 19 against Burnaby city hall seeking to have the policy cancelled and ruled unconstitutional. Nearly all of the company’s work is secured through a competitive tender process, the document said. For years it has been awarded contracts with Burnaby for work such as watermain installations, road construction and the separation of combined sewers. But after one such contract in 2012, there was a dispute over payment. “The dispute was heard by a referee, however Burnaby declined the nonbinding finding of the referee. J. Cote then sought arbitration, but Burnaby did not consent.” As a result, in December 2013, the company took legal action against Burnaby to recover payment to which it believed it was contractually entitled. Please see CLAUSE, A4