Nov
19
2011
I am please to announce that Port Coquitlam Soccer has endorsed Michael Thomas for Port Coquitlam City Council 2011
As a coach and long time supporter of PoCo Soccer and youth sport I am thrilled that they have put their support behind me.
Please see the Press Release:
2011 Poco Soccer Council Election Endorsement
Nov
16
2011
There are days left in the campaign, and Michael Thomas has been hard at work! Getting out into the community, Michael has been door knocking day and night for the last month. Through heavy rain, wicked winds and clear cold days he has been walking the street of Port Coquitlam, to hear what you have to say. What he has been hearing has been unmistakably positive!
The people of Port Coquitlam love their community. They love our wild spaces, our parks and the sense of small town charm. They have a deep commitment to this city, and a strong desire to help shape it for the better. Our neighbours and friends are looking for representation that shares their vision for the city. They want a council who understands their needs, for clean roads, quality jobs, turf fields and sustainable development. All on a shoe string budget. Michael Thomas is the man to take on that challenge!
Together with the help of his dedicated supporters, Michael has brought his message to near every doorstep in town. He met you at civic events and local parks. Shaking hands and finding solutions for your issues with the city. Michael continues to push for greater accessibility to sport for our children. Actively pressing for a new turf field at Gates park. With the support of the PoCo Soccer Association, Michael has pressed to powers that be for immediate action. Our youth are that important. He has continually brought your issues forward for public debate. Tirelessly working to prove to you that he is the right man for the job!
***Today is the last advanced polling day in Port Coquitlam. If your not able to vote this Saturday, please find a moment to go down to Elk’s Hall (beside Leigh sq) in Port Coquitlam today between 8am and 8pm to cast you ballot. Every vote is important, so please make your choice wisely. For more information on the candidates, check out TriCityVotes.com & thank you for your support!***
Nov
10
2011
Last week the Tri-City Chamber of Commerce held it’s all candidates debate at Terry Fox High School in Port Coquitlam. Three Mayoral candidates and eighteen council candidates were invited to participate, all the Mayoral candidates and fifteen council candidates attended. Notably absent was Chris Carr, Leigh Morrison and Dean Washington.
The candidates each started out with a two minute introduction, before proceeding to the question and answer portion. There were questions on taxation, waste management, sustainable development and transportation, to name a few. However business concerns dominated the majority of the debate. When asked what their concerns were for local buisness’, candidates came out with a range of issues. Michael Thomas saw it simpler than that. It all boils down to taxes.
“Taxation is the largest concern facing business’ in the city. Businesses cannot properly plan because of the unpredictability of the tax rate.” said Thomas, adding “Transportation issues are also slowing down the movement of goods in the city and the rest of the region. Solutions need to be found.”
Oct
31
2011
Michael has been busy on the door step talking to residents about their concerns. Volunteers have been handing out pamphlets and setting up signs. Support is growing all over the city! While we are all bustling around getting ready for a spook-tacular Halloween with the kids, we’d like to take a moment to thank all of our wonderful volunteers and supporters who have been working hard along side Michael to get involved in making this community a better place! If you want to help or are simply looking for your own Michael Thomas sign (a little bling for your garden or lawn) please feel free to contact us at Michael-Thomas.ca to add your support!!
***For some tips on keeping your little ones safe this Halloween visit this link, to check out the tips from the BC Ambulance Service and the BC Children’s Hospital.***
A good reminder for those with or with out children. SLOW DOWN and watch out for pedestrians. Children are easily distracted, so you should be prepared for anything out on the roads tonight as costumes can be dark and difficult to see. Pay close attention around parked cars, little ones love to dart out as they run between the cars. Have extreme caution on the roads tonight.
Happy Halloween from the Thomas Family! Stay safe & have fun!
Oct
26
2011
Youth Sports are essential for our kids!
Getting our kids involved in soccer is beneficial to the health and wellness of our community. Soccer is a sport that is easily played by boys and girls, and gets them motivated in a fun way. Turning off the tv, putting down the video game, and getting outside to enjoy some fresh air and exercise. All that running around assists in burning calories and increasing their muscle mass while teaching them the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Playing soccer instils life skills like team work and discipline, from a very early age. Learning to work with others towards a common goal, kids work together to overcome problems. Plus, scoreing a goal with the help of your team is pretty awesome too!
Soccer is an approchable sport, allowing kids easy entry into the world of team sports. Keeping them busy and committed to positive goals, effecting positive change and opening up endless possibilities to them. Boosting their self esteem, these team players are less likely to get into trouble after school. These aren’t the kids you’ll find tagging the side of the local school. They are already getting encouragement from their peers else where. That is, as long as they have a field to play on.
Where to play?
The difficulties of keeping kids playing and active lands squarely on the lack of field times currently available. While the fields at Minnekhada Middle school are wonderful, they are grass. Grass fields have a short life span. With hundreds of player’s cleats hitting the ground, the fields turn quickly to mush. Grass fields such as Minnekhada have between 10-12 hours of good play available per week, before the mud takes over.
It takes a lot of maintenance to keep those fields green. Grass fields require manpower. Someone has to cut the grass, repair the sod, fertilize the grounds, and of course water. The costs associated with such a short play time are astounding. Not to mention the environmental impact of using that much fertilizer on a regular basis.
So where do we go from here?
The Port Coquitlam F.C. Soccer Association has been vocal in their need for a turf field. To keep this organization fun and playable for kids of all ages, they need the fields to support their growing club. It’s not hard to understand their frustrations. Just across the David connector into Coquitlam, the fields have been built up at Town Centre, allowing for more playing time. Creating a more acessable game for kids to easily participate in. Here in Port Coquitlam, we have not spent the same focus on engaging kids to get active and keep playing. We need a council that is willing and able to see the community benifits in encouraging our youth sports. We need a council that is more than just talk!
We need action from our city council! Action in our council chambers to create more action on our fields!
Turf matters!
Michael Thomas is an active coach with the Port Coquitlam F.C. Soccer Association. He has seen first hand our need for a better playing environment for our kids. Through this election he has been talking with parents and community members alike about implementing a turf field in our city.
“I think Gates park is the ideal location to add turf in Port Coquitlam. It is already developing as a centre of excellence in sport. No one likes trying to play in muddy fields. Adding this amenity for our kids and adult players will go further to encouraging us to stay active and fit.” said Thomas, adding that the gravel field at Gates was already built up with good drainage, lighting and could easily handle a turf upgrade. The park itself already has the structures to support such a field, with bathrooms and a concession already available on site.
The benefits to turf are unmistakably positive. Financially, turf more than pays for itself in it’s life time. Plus without the annual mainanence costs associated with grass fields, Port Coquitlam would be able to shift those resources towards other underfunded areas of the city’s books. Environmentally, the lack of fertilizers used reduces run-off into our creeks and water ways. Modern turf is made from recycled tires, reducing our impact on the environment in a creative way. Water reduction is also a cost savings for the city, as well as an environmental savings.
Taking the play factor into consideration, turf fields allow all season use. Substantially increasing available playtime as the fields can be used 24/7 and still be in shape for game time the next day! Lining would never need to be chalked in again as the fields are permanently lined and there fore require no maintenance to keep it looking nice.
**Michael Thomas spent a sunny Sunday at the Minnekhada fields U5 Timbit Soccer wrap up festivities handing out balloons, buttons and colouring sheets to a group of 100 excited kids! Including his own son, who received his participation medal along with his fellow team mates! Michael spoke with parents and local residents, talking turf other local issues. It was a fabulous way to spend a sunny autumn day!**
Oct
24
2011
Living in an area with easy access to local farmlands is sure a treat this time of year! We love to grow pumpkins, but due to their space considerations, they often skip a year in our garden. This year we purchased our pumpkins from our local stand by, Grant’s Farm’s.
Grant’s Farm’s is located at 2420 Burns Rd, in Port Coquitlam. On the cusp of the city, they are located at the end of Dominion ave, just before the dyke. It’s close location makes it ideal for school tours and preschool field trips, which is what brought us to their door. Grant’s has pre-washed pumpkins plucked fresh from their patch. Lined up on skids in neat and tidy rows, the pumpkins are given good air circulation to keep them from rotting. If the pumpkin is found to be rotting when its time to carve it, they immediately replace it. That type of awesome service is what keeps me coming back. It gives me the confidence to buy that extra large pumpkin, appeasing my excited children, and my inner child. Sorted by size and price, it’s easy to find what your looking for. And boy do they have it all. Giant pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins, and even pumpkins no bigger than a golf ball!
There’s a gently spooky patch for the young ones 6 & under. For three dollars the kids get a pumpkin and a chance to mingle with some ghouls. I love wandering through their carved display tent, housing some cool and unusually cut pumpkins to inspire, or purchase directly. No mess, no fuss, and no guts. Unfortunately my recent visit was a little too early to see their intricately carved jack-o-lantern’s all lit up. I think that calls for another trip down there soon. Maybe I’ll fall for another gourd or two. 
Ha! Maybe! Who are we kidding!
**This was originally posted on theDandelionWrangler.ca **
Oct
9
2011
Last Saturday, October 8th was “Dancing with Our Stars!” at the Red Robinson Show Theatre. This evening of glamour and dance was put on to benefit the Crossroads Hospice Society. The society provides compassion and support while honouring the dignity of those going through their end of life experiences. This is a cause near and dear to our hearts, and beloved by the community at large.
In this it’s second year, Dancing with our stars was once again paired up with Arthur Murray dance studio. The owner’s Barbara Ferchuk & Brent Smith graciously and generously donated their time and dance expertise to help choreograph and train these community leaders to shake their hips and own that stage! They did not disappoint!
Peppered into the evenings entertainment, up and coming stars dazzled the audience. Karen-Lee Batten belted out “At Last” with the sultry soul of Etta James herself. While Ben Freemantle a 16 year old dance phenomenon stunned the audience with a deeply moving tribute to “Hallelujah” while his aunt Cecile LaRochelle accompanied him with vocals.
Our stars were from a cross section of community groups, local business’ and government. With the likes of: Diana Dilworth, Janine Davies, Bob Lee, Danielle McLellan, Kent Magnuson, Scott Masse, Kyle O’Genski, Selina Robinson & Dan Stroup struting their stuff on stage! They were joined by the very talented dancers of Arthur Murray dance studio in Port Coquitlam. The trained proffessionals included: Christy Consell, Johnny Lam, Barbara Lynn Copp, Brooke Foster and Darek Stiller.
While all the dancers did a fantastic job! Many were so good, it was hard to imagine they just started training a few months ago. Particularly entertaining was Selina Robinson, the Coquitlam city councillor had quite a stage presence along with an endless supply of energy! Also a class act, Elvis was in the house! Kent Magnuson did a stellar job representing the King! This routine had it all! Panties were thrown on stage, women swooned and an excited little girl was left cheering with his scarf as a souvenir! Kent did such a fantastic job! He was awarded with a trophy for best technical routine! In another seriously star calibre performance, Dan Stroup a Vancouver firefighter, got hot and heavy with a smoultry dance with his partner Barbara Lynn Copp that brought down the house, and landed them the top overall dance trophy of the night!
With all that talent, it was no surprise that the real winner of the night was the Crossroads Hospice Society. Raising well over $12,000 to benefit their worthy cause. For us, and others in attendance, it was a fun night out to cheer on friends and help support a great cause. If you were not able to make it to this event but still wish to make a donation, please do! Visit www.crossroadshospice.bc.ca for more information!
Oct
5
2011
In the wake of his announcement to run for Port Coquitlam City Council, Michael Thomas was pleased to kick off his ground campaign with an event last Saturday October 1st, 2011 at Lions Park, in Port Coquitlam. Michael took the time on an otherwise grey day, to speak with local residents about their concerns and his vision for the city.
While chatting with Michael, residents enjoyed refreshments, balloons and activities for the children. A welcome sight to many parents who arrived at the park to enjoy Harvest Festival with their kids, only to find that it had been cancelled. Unfortunately the short notice cancellation by the BIA, meant the event was still listed on city calendars. Only adding to the confusion.
In the shadow of the tower, our city’s most controversial development, Michael addressed concerns and misconceptions. Tackling issues big and small. Top on peoples minds was distress over the tower, preservation of our park lands and concern about the public purse.
Michael spoke about responsible development, and the need for council to be making decisions that reflect the wishes of the broader community, building the right developments in the right locations. “The people of Port Coquitlam want a council that remember’s yesterday’s mistakes, while looking for tomorrows solutions.” said Thomas.
The rising cost of Government was also hot on the minds of local residents. “Many of our residents are concerned about the rising cost of government. In these tough economic times, folks are having a tough time swallowing a 42% raise for council, while simultaneously facing property tax increases year after year.” Michael added that the people of Port Coquitlam want leadership during this downturn. They want their council to have big ideas, but on a shoe string budget.
Michael Thomas is the man for that job!
Sep
28
2011
Read with your child every day! Reading with your child is just as important now as it was when they were preschoolers. Let your child read out loud to you, and continue reading to them as well.
Set limits on television, computer and video game time. Along with setting aside daily reading time, determine how much time your children spend in front of the television, computer and gaming system.
Do as I do (and as I say)! If you want your children to become readers, let them see you reading, too. Children learn by example, and will get the message you value reading if they see you reading books, magazines, and newspapers.
Offer a range of reading material at home. Have a variety of reading choices for your children in your home, including picture books, chapter books, non-fiction, how-to books, magazines, word games, puzzles and comic books.
Get your child a library card A regular trip to the library is the most economical way to fill your child’s world with books. Borrow some for your own reading as well.
Discuss what you read. Help your child explore new concepts and ways of seeing the world by talking about the pictures and ideas in the books they are reading.
Have a family game night. Spend an evening playing board games such as Scrabble Junior, Boggle Junior and Taboo Junior. These and other word games are a fun way to help your beginning reader.
Give books as present and treats. Consider books, comics, or a magazine subscription when it’s time to buy a present.
Talk to your child’s teacher. Staying in regular contact with your child’s teacher will keep you informed of your child’s reading progress, and give you the opportunity to ask for the teacher’s input on helping your child’s reading at home.
Encourage with praise Praise your child as they practise reading out loud. Let them know it is okay to make stumbles and mistakes as they go along.
Sep
27
2011
Every year the Rivers & Trails Festival is the last Sunday in September. This year was no exception. In Port Coquitlam, this free family event celebrates our roots. The morning started with a Trail River Run, a half marathon 10k, and a junior 5k run starting at Hyde Creek on the Northside.
By lunch time the festivities had moved to the southside, at Peace Park. Here, where the trails and the rivers meet, we understand the power the river can hold. The awesome force of this natural highway! Peace Park is the perfect place to experience the river. From this spot you can watch the tugboats and log booms roll with the waves. Right here you see and taste the salty air. You can almost feel the lifeblood of this city’s history, and possibly it’s future thrumming under the simple dock. How apropos that for this festival, it wouldn’t just rain, but that the wind would whip up a force that threatened to blow over many a tent or display. In those moments, it was almost hard to tell where the river ended and the trails began!
Yet the party continued despite. Live music filled the air, as local kids fluttered around in costumes. Unaware of how much they looked like colourful kites ready for take off in the wicked winds! The afternoon was filled with story telling for the kids, a nature walk and even the opportunity for children to start their own worm compost bins!
Council hopeful Michael Thomas was there handing out flyers and talking to PoCo residents about their concerns. He discussed youth sports, ideas and suggestions for helping preserve our heritage, as well as how to develop this city responsibly and sustainably. Creating jobs with living wages, all while making sure to watch the bottom line. Fiscal responsibility is something Michael is hearing a lot about while out in the community. ”The people of Port Coquitlam want a council that remember’s yesterday’s mistakes while looking for tomorrows solutions.” said Thomas.
**Michael will be at Lion’s Park this Saturday, October 1st from 11am-1pm. Come by and say hi. Stop in for a glass of lemonade, and let Michael know about the issues that matter most to you. You will find him beside the playground, in the shadow of the tower.**
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