Students give art to hang in Maple Ridge mayor’s office

An excited 10-year-old, who wanted the City of Maple Ridge mayor’s autograph, will be helping him decorate his new office instead.

When Mayor Dan Ruimy learned about Regan Lundgren’s request, he sent a video message to her through her father, a staff member at city hall who told Ruimy what a talented artist she is. He explained to her that the walls in his office were bare and he needed some help to fill them

Two weeks later Lundgren presented Ruimy with her depiction of Maple Ridge. She drew the horse clock with the Golden Ears Mountains in the background, a pine tree with a book that says, “Maple Ridge Is The Best”.

Ruimy asked her why the book.

“She said, well, you used to own a book store,” he noted.

This isn’t the only student art he will be hanging in his office.

While he was campaigning he paid a visit to Laity View Elementary School where students in Grades 4 and 5 were invited to ask him questions about the election.

Ruimy said the questions were all very good and even included questions about his daily life, like, what was his favourite food.

But, one student in particular, asked him if he liked Pokemon and he told the student that he grew up with Pac-Man and they had a discussion about the games.

Then as Ruimy was leaving the school the student ran up to him and presented him with a Pokemon card. But instead of Pokemon, the student had scrawled Pac-Man across the front of the card.

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Ruimy told the boy that if he won the election he would hang it in his office.

It is a promise he intends to keep.

“I think part of the role we play is to demonstrate what good leadership is,” he said, noting that includes how politicians, like himself, interact with the community.

“I enjoy that sort of stuff,” added Ruimy.

Now he just has to find the perfect spot for each piece – which shouldn’t be hard to do.