Royal City Record May 9 2014

N E W

FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014

W E S T M I N S T E R

INSIDE TODAY: She has silver in her blood P11



NEWS,

SPORTS,

◗ BAILEY BRIDGE

Province supports two lanes

OPINION

&

ENTERTAINMENT

 www.royalcityrecord.com

Cat attacks city realtor BY THERESA MCMANUS REPORTER tmcmanus@royalcityrecord.com

Minister says if New West doesn’t like its plan, it can get another bridge and charge it to the city taxpayers BY THERESA MCMANUS REPORTER tmcmanus@royalcityrecord.com

The Ministry of Transportation has agreed to lend the City of New Westminster a temporary replacement for the Bailey bridge – but only if the city installs a second lane at the site to allow for “crucial” two-way traffic flow. While Coquitlam has been pressing for a two-lane crossing at the location of the current Bailey bridge, New Westminster wants it limited to one lane because of gridlock in the Brunette and Braid area. The matter will be considered by an arbitrator. Transportation Minister Todd Stone has informed the city that ministry staff have reviewed the site and determined it’s possible to install a second single-lane temporary bridge at this location. He said this would represent a significant interim safety and mobility improvement for drivers in the area until a more permanent crossing is implemented. Stone told The Record the ministry has two Bailey bridges in its inventory and it’s willing to lend them to the City of New Westminster for an indefinite period of time. He said he’s not prepared to participate in a one-lane temporary solution. “When we looked at this, at the end of the day the decision was ◗Bridge Page 5

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Cornelia Naylor/THE RECORD

Wounded: Bryn Erin Ward shows some of the scratches, bites and bruises that she was left with after an encounter with a cat at a house she was showing.

Bryn Erin Ward is hoping she won’t be cast in Scarface when the bruises and scratches she’s sporting today fade away. Ward, an actress who now works as a realtor, was showing a house in New Westminster on Tuesday when she and her client were mauled by a cat. “It was certainly a catfight that I didn’t win,” she told The Record Wednesday. One of Ward’s clients escaped unharmed in the unprovoked attack, but the other needed medical attention at the hospital. “I went to turn a light out and heard this weird noise. She went to look out the window. All of a sudden this cat, a feral cat, was on top of her,” Ward recalled. “She fell over “You worry a table and was on the ground, and this cat about a serial was attacking her.” killer coming After escaping the animal, the women to the door, but went to emergency not a cat serial at Royal Columbian Hospital. Ward said killer.” staff were shocked by the damage inflicted BRYN ERIN WARD by a cat. REAL ESTATE AGENT “I jumped in to get the thing off of her. I have stitches in my face, I have a black eye, I am torn to pieces,” she said. “She got bitten all over her leg and tush.” As a female realtor, Ward said it’s always in the back of her mind to be safe when showing homes to strangers. “You worry about a serial killer coming to the door, but not a cat serial killer,” she said. “I never thought it would be a cat that would do this much damage to me.” Unbeknownst to Ward and her client, the homeowner had brought a homeless cat into the house that he had been feeding. The female cat had recently given birth to kittens. Ward wasn’t sure what became of the cat, but she has some sympathy for the momma cat as she realizes it was protecting its babies. Still, she believes it’s important that realtors are informed if there are any pets in the home before showings take place. “There were three of us there. This cat did ◗Cat Page 8

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