Almost a decade ago, youth in New Westminster said they wanted a dedicated space of their own. The city had programs and special spaces for children and seniors, but little for teens. Middle schoolers and high schoolers said they felt out of place in public but adult-oriented spaces. They needed a place they could just hang out.

New Westminster writer Sheila Keenan is committing to do all her shopping locally for the next year – and will blog about it to boot.

This is from the local #NewWest knitting group, Knit 1, Take 2, that we’ve written about before. They’re takin’ it outside! There sure is lots going on in this city on the 29th!
Needles will be flying this Sunday in Queen’s Park as New Westminster’s community knitting group, Knit 1, Take 2, celebrates national Knit in the Park Day. Knitters of all levels will gather near the covered picnic area from 12-4 pm on Sunday, August 29th, for knitting, laughs and some yarn-inspired fun. Everyone …

Hey fellow #NewWest dog people! Did you know there is a whole day dedicated to dogs having fun and playing silly games in our fair city? That’s right! the 11th Annual Doggy Fun Day is coming up on Sunday August 29th at the playing field just above the dog off-leash area in Queens Park. The action happens from noon to 3PM.
Events include the Royal City Rockets Dog Agility Team putting on a show at 12:30pm and 2:30pm, displays and prize draws, and long time favourite doggy games: egg and spoon …

New West gets its thrift on this weekend at the 4th Annual Quayside Boardwalk Festival & Sale. On Saturday, August 21 from 10am to 3pm, the boardwalk at the Quay will bustle with bargain-hunters seeking their treasures.

Regular reader Brigette Mayer is the owner and operator of Calli Co. Pet Services, a pet sitting service based in New Westminster. Since it’s vacation season for so many people, we asked Brigette to give us some tips on how to hire a professional pet sitter.
Your pets are your fur babies, an important part of your family. Are you going to trust their care to any old hack that posts an ad for cheap pet care on Craigslist? Here are seven crucial things to look for when hiring a …

The West End’s annual 12th Street Music Festival is coming up on Sunday, August 1, and will feature free live music from local bands on two stages, children’s entertainment, displays by local businesses & community groups and events for kids and adults.

Hey New West: our teens need your help. And all you have to do is visit a webpage and click a button.
The new Youth Centre at Moody Park is *thisclose* to winning $25,000 in the Kraft Celebration Tour contest. Up against only one other project in B.C. the youth centre campaign needs your votes to win. In addition to the money, the winning project will also get a live TSN SportsCentre broadcast in the community.
Take a moment please, and vote online during the 24-hour period the contest is open (from …

Summerfest in Grimston Park was a great success! Thanks to everyone who came. The turnout surpassed our expectations. We estimated that we had about 500 people at the movie alone, and maybe 1000 over the course of the afternoon. Our sleepy little West End park was packed with happy families!

You can now access free wifi in Queen’s Park, the New Westminster Public Library, and the Uptown business district, courtesy of the City of New Westminster.

Just a quick note for our readers who may be new mums: Thank You Mommy Wellness is presenting a special workshop for new moms and moms-to-be this Friday, July 16: “3 Common Mistakes New Moms Make That Keep Them From Fitting Into Their Pre-pregnancy Clothes.” Tickets are $15, but get in free if you mention that you heard about it on Tenth to the Fraser!

Vancouver may have Bard on the Beach, but New Westminster has Bard in the Park, and it’s free to boot.

Shadows & Dreams Theatre Company returns to the Queens Park Bandshell every Saturday & Sunday at 2pm from July 17 to August 1 to perform William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Bring your swimsuits and a picnic blanket to Grimston Park on Saturday, July 17 for Summerfest, a new community celebration in New Westminster’s West End. Enjoy a family-friendly evening of play and live music, shop the mini-Farmer’s Market, and finish the evening off with a special free screening of E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial under the stars.

New Westminster Museum & Archvies’ Rob McCullough is working on creating an interpretive panel about the history of Grimston Park to be unveiled at the inaugural Summerfest in Grimston Park, Saturday, July 17. Rob is currently seeking photos, stories and comments from those who have enjoyed the park over the years since it opened.

Green Drinks is a monthly meeting of people interested in sustainability and the environment, and is usually free of themes or agendas. This week, however, there’s a special focus on Metro Vancouver’s ‘Zero Waste Challenge.’

The new playground at Grimston Park is now open, and it is AWESOME. The park’s designers have done an incredible job creating a welcoming and imaginative space to play for kids of all ages. While the temporary fence is still partially up, and there’s still some work to do (laying sod, painting the wading pool), the playground and pool are now open for play.