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PHOTOS: Fire and rain at GLOW Maple Ridge launch event

GLOW will be available at Memorial Peace Park until Jan. 6

GLOW got off to a cold and rainy start in Maple Ridge.

But, despite the less-than-ideal weather, hundreds still showed up for the Nov. 26 launch event.

The evening featured a hot chocolate booth, a craft table, multiple kid’s games, a tunnel of lights, live music, a fire performance, and plenty of twinkling lights.

New to the event this year is a three-piece hummingbird display created by Katzie First Nation artist Rain Pierre.

Before the unveiling of the new display, Mayor Dan Ruimy took the stage and acknowledged the fellow dignitaries in attendance, which included councillors Ahmed Yousef, Korleen Carreras, and Sunny Schiller, school board trustees Gabe Liosis and Hudson Campbell, and MLAs Lisa Beare and Bob D’Eith.

“Today, and for the next six weeks, we celebrate all of the events and the holiday traditions that come with this time of year,” said Ruimy. “We are here today with Rain Pierre and his family from the Katzie First Nation, to honour his contribution to making our GLOW Maple Ridge illuminations better than ever.”

“This GLOW installation is always such a community hub during the holidays,” said Beare. “It brings people together and brings people to our communities for the chance to celebrate the holidays.”

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After the politicians spoke, Pierre took his turn at the mic with his father Cyril Pierre.

Cyril praised his son’s works and the connection that they have to the community.

“The many works that my son has done in the last couple of years, he’s just gained such a reputation,” said Cyril.

He also went on to express the importance of reconciliation at these types of community events.

“I could echo many, many abuses where I came from as a little person like these babies are,” he explained. “But I don’t want to go there tonight and ruin the fabulous setup that we have, and the enjoyment that the crowd is having for this evening in regard to my son’s artwork.”

Rain then had his chance to speak about what this event meant to him.

“This really is a step into reconciliation,” said Rain. “We’re exposing ourselves for who we are, freely without judgement, and I’m able to do that and showcase that through artwork.”

Rain also thanked his team for helping create the signature hummingbird displays and invited up a couple of ecotourism students from Thomas Haney Secondary School.

“We went to Kanaka Creek and walked around and spoke about what it means to be stewards of the land. I got to share a little bit about my story and collaborate with these students and learn about them. The best part is that we walked around, observed some native species of plants, and they drew them, and then I took their designs and incorporated them with the hummingbirds so that it became a hybrid art project.”

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The three hummingbird displays were illuminated to a roar of applause, after which the trio of fire performers took the stage, followed by more live music until the event ended at 6 p.m.

GLOW will light up Memorial Peace Park every night until Jan. 6.


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Brandon Tucker

About the Author: Brandon Tucker

I have been a journalist since 2013, with much of my career spent covering sports and entertainment stories in Alberta.
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