Frankly Speaking

Bonnie and I paused for a photo with Robert and Na Tigie Jawara when we visited their home in Kabala, Sierra Leone in December, 2013. Their granddaughter Tigos, who has just turned six, is with them. Students at Kabala Christian School enjoy the shade under a giant mango tree on their school grounds in Kabala, Sierra Leone. Update: The Jawara's three children who live outside Sierra Leone (two attend university in The Gambia, and one is working in South Korea) are now on their way back home for their mother's funeral, which will take place Sunday. Na Tigie's death has had a huge impact on many people there, as she was well-known in so many circles and well-loved by many. Just under three years ago, my wife Bonnie and I had the privilege of travelling to Sierra Leone and Ghana in West Africa. Our daughter Christina (Chrissy) first went to Sierra Leone in 2008, when she was in Grade 12 at Fraser Valley Christian high school in Surrey. She spent most of he...

 Frank Bucholtz photo The Neville C. Curtis home on 182 Street was still in good condition in April. Now it is gone, despite being on Surrey's heritage register. It will be replaced by a large, modern house. The neighbourhood is changing rapidly, with such houses dominating. The large lots are an added attraction. The H-word is raising its ugly head in Surrey and White Rock again. Politicians, developers and realtors are hoping its use will soon decline so they can continue to give the green light to destruction of the few remaining reminders of the past that get in the way of   new development, construction, growth and change. The H-word of course is heritage – in particular heritage buildings. They are a nuisance to growth-oriented cities like Surrey and White Rock because they often sit on more land than a contemporary building does. In addition, the taxes they bring in are low. Perhaps most gratingly, they get in the way of development plans and tie up plann...

Allan Dann was toasted and remembered at a celebration of life Saturday at Newlands in Langley. Among those attending were longtime Cloverdale residents, business people, volunteer firefighters, family and many other friends. My father Art Bucholtz enjoyed seeing former colleagues and friends, such as former notary El Fedewich and Alan Davidson, longtime insurance executive at Hugh and McKinnon. Allan Dann was toasted and fondly remembered by a large crowd on Saturday. The longtime Cloverdale businessman died in December at the age of 91. He lived an amazing life. Born in Surrey in 1924, he lived and worked in Cloverdale for most of his 91 years. He took over his father Ernie's radio and electrical business after returning from service in the Second World War, working for many years alongside his mother Doris. Many of those details are contained in a Cloverdale Reporter story , but suffice to say that, when he closed his business in January, 2013, his family had operated it f...