A New Westminster program was recently nominated for a Union of BC Municipalities award.
New Westminster Home Health, in collaboration with New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services, were short-listed for the Union of BC Municipalities Community Excellence Award. The award recognizes outstanding initiatives that go above and beyond in meeting the purposes of local government in BC.
Fraser Health and New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services were finalists for the award, in recognition for their efforts in creating an emergency monitoring centre.
“In the event of a heat emergency, the plan will see the city’s fire department evacuate vulnerable citizens to the emergency monitoring centre, where Fraser Health licensed practical nurses will attend to them and support their health needs,” said Tracey Demirbas, clinical operations manager, New Westminster Community Health Services, Home Health and Palliative Consult Team. “Fortunately, we haven’t had to activate it yet, but we’re fully prepared if and when the need arises.”
The initiative was recognized by the UBCM at a Sept. 17 awards ceremony.
“Even though we didn’t receive the award, the fact that we were shortlisted and considered for it shows the level of collaboration we have with our external partners and the opportunity we have to impact care in New Westminster,” Demirbas said in a news release. “The heat dome was a very dark chapter for the community, and we lost so many elderly people. Learnings from that will help patients and residents for years to come.”
The Record recently spoke to New Westminster Fire and Rescue services about the initiative. You can read that story here.
Being neighbourly
Community members are taking steps to make New West more neighbourly.
In 2023, a group of local residents began working on plans to create a neighbourhood house that would operate out of St. Barnabas Anglican Church in the Brow of the Hill neighbourhood. At the end of August, the New West Neighbourhood House held its first event – a summer celebration.
“A neighbourhood house is essentially a place in the community – that’s where the house name come from – where services are run out of,” said Coun. Nadine Nakagawa, a working group that worked on the initiative. “It’s like a community centre but it is created by and for the community.”
New West Neighbourhood House is a registered non-profit and is currently based out of St. Barnabas.
“Keep an eye out for more activities, programming and service offerings there,” Nakagawa said.
More information about New West Neighbourhood House can be found online.
