Water Conservation + Eats at the Pier

Inside the New West Spotlight

 🌞 Weather - Sunny

 😜 Rain Joke - Why does the storm disappear quickly? 🌪️

 🔦 Business Spotlight - Robert Butler - Society of Crows

 🗓️ New West Events - Enjoy heartfelt experiences all week

 💝 You’re So Sweet - Thank you, Barbara M.!

 🗞️ New West Local News - Water Conservation + Eats at the Pier

 🤖 How well do you know New West?

 😆 Meme of the Day

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A New Look at a Familiar Neighbour

In New Westminster, BC, crows are part of the daily soundtrack. They gather on rooftops, patrol sidewalks, and seem to know more than they let on. For long-time New Westminster resident and author Robert Butler, they have been a lifelong fascination. His new book, Society of Crows, invites readers to see these familiar birds in a whole new way. Part memoir, part science story, and part love letter to nature, the book shows how much is happening right outside the front door.

Rob’s connection to crows began when he was a kid with a pet crow at home. Years later, that curiosity led him to university, then to a remote coastal island with his wife, where he studied crows for his master’s degree.

There were no cell phones. No easy contact. Just two people, an island, and a lot of crows.

That early work became the start of a 50-year journey. Rob went on to become a scientist with the Canadian Wildlife Service, studying birds across the coast and beyond. Yet crows stayed close. During the COVID lockdown, he began walking through his New Westminster neighbourhood and tracking local nests.

What he found was more than bird behaviour. It was drama, strategy, family life, and survival.

Society of Crows is written for regular readers, not only scientists. Rob explains complex behaviour in a way that feels clear and easy to follow.

The book explores how crows protect their nests, steal eggs, form bonds, and even work together in groups. “The crow is kind of that gateway to nature,” Rob said. Once people notice them, they start noticing everything else too.

Rob also created the book’s black-and-white illustrations himself. That mix of science and art gives the book a personal feel. It is not just research. It is the story of a life spent watching closely.

Why Crows Capture New Westminster’s Attention

Rob says the way people see crows has changed. When he first studied them, many people disliked them. Today, audiences pack theatres to hear his talk, The Society of Crows.

His talks have sold out in communities across BC. Some have drawn hundreds of people. Afterward, people line up to share their own crow stories.

That does not surprise Rob. Crows live beside us. They recognize people. They raise families nearby. They are clever, social, and sometimes surprising. “Everybody has a story,” he said.

In New Westminster, that connection feels especially strong. Rob lives here, and some of the book’s observations come from local streets and nests.

A New West Author With Deep Local Roots

Rob was born and raised in North Vancouver, but his New Westminster ties go back generations. His family connection reaches back to the Royal Engineers. His father once ran Butler Tire on Columbia Street, and his great-great-grandfather helped build St. Mary’s Church.

That history gives this book another layer. It is not only about coastal crows. It is also about a New Westminster author paying attention to the wildlife woven into city life.

Rob’s work reminds readers that nature is not somewhere far away. It is here, in the trees, on the power lines, and around the corner.

Where to Find the Book

From local science to remarkable storytelling, Robert Butler’s Society of Crows invites New Westminster readers to look up and look closer.

The book is available through Rob’s website, Amazon, Friesen Press, and the Backyard Bird Store in Port Moody. Local New Westminster readers may also be able to arrange a signed copy through Rob directly.

You can also discover a wonderful video on the Knowledge Network “Society of Crows: The Art and Practise of Dr. Rob Butler on the Knowledge Network. You will need to create an account, but it is free.

Dr. Robert Butler will be at Backyard Bookstore 249 Newport Drive in New Port Village, Port Moody Saturday May 09, 2026 from 12-2 to sign and sell books, just in time for Mother’s Day.

Supporting local businesses means supporting the heart of our community!

Email: [email protected]

Already know, like, and trust Robert Butler and his books? Be sure to support him and leave an Amazon Review once you have read one of his books.

If you have a copy of one of Rob’s book please feel free to contact him via the email above and arrange to have it autographed.

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Tuesday May 05, 2026

🗣️ English Conversation Circles at the Welcome Centre – 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM

📖 Storytime (3-5 years) – 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM

🥻 Red Dress Day at Hyack Square – 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

🍦 Youth Week: Ice Cream and Games Night – 3:15 PM to 9:00 PM

👗 City Hall Illumination - Red - Red Dress Day – 5:00 PM to 5:00 AM

🎤 Ukulele Level 1 at Mechanics of Music Studio – 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM

🚴 Tuesday Night Rides – 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM

🍺 Steel & Oak Beer and Board Games – 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

🎲 Howe Sound Hot B*tch Rock & Roll Bingo – 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

🎭️ Notorious Grey Fox Trivia Tuesdays – 7:00 PM

🎸 Georgie's Local Tuesday Night Jam Session – 7:00 PM

📸 Portraits & Products: Studio Lighting Basics for Every Shoot – 7:00 PM

🕺 Introduction to Social Lindy Hop (5 wks) – 7:00 PM to 8:05 PM

💃 The Next Step: Charleston (5 wks) – 8:30 PM to 9:40 PM

🍷 Frankie G’s Cribbage Tuesdays & 50% Off All Wine Bottles

Wednesday May 06, 2026

☕️ May Waves Wednesday – 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM

💰️ Financial Aid (Welfare) Worker at NWPL – 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 CaRT Peer Navigators – 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

👶 Babytime (0-23 months) – 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM

🗣️ Mayor Johnstone's Annual State of the City Address – 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM

🎒 After-School Drop-In (5-12 years) – 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

🤝 Youth Week: Cultural Collab – 3:15 PM to 9:00 PM

🎸 Kids Rock Band Jr. at Mechanics of Music Studio – 4:15 PM to 5:15 PM

👗 City Hall Illumination - Red - Red Dress Day – 5:00 PM to 5:00 AM

🎤 Find Your Voice at Mechanics of Music Studio – 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM

📖 Pyjama Storytime (all ages) – 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM

👨 Inperson Dark Horse Men’s Group Open Intake Meeting – 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM

❓️ Georgie's Local Trivia Night – 7:00 PM

🎲 Howe Sound Drag Bingo & Trivia – 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

🏃 Steel & Oak Run Club – 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Connect Youth (13+) – 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM

❓️Frankie G’s Trivia Night – 7:30 PM

Thursday May 07, 2026

🗣️ English Conversation Circles at the Welcome Centre – 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM

👶 Babytime (0-12 months) – 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM

🍼 Baby Social – 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

👪️ Family Place Storytime & Play Lab – 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM

📝 Resume Clinic with BCNSP – 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM

🏹 Ladies Night Intro to 3D Shooting – 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM

🎙️ Rock Room Karaoke Nights at The Legion – 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM

✨ City Hall Illumination - Blue - Elizabeth Fry Week – 5:00 PM to 5:00 AM

🎨 New Westminster Arts Strategy Update Launch at Anvil Centre – 5:30 PM

📚️ Drop-in Wildfires Bookshop – 5:45 PM

🕯️ The Candle Bar Experience (Mother's Day Edition) – 6:00 PM

🎨 A Pattern in Time" Opening – 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM

🎙️ Georgie's Local Karaoke Night – 7:00 PM

🎷 Jazz On A Beam Of Light at Massey Theatre – 7:00 PM

🎭️ Howe Sound New West Bingpot! Thursday Trivia – 7:00 PM

🎶 Ukrainian choir Homin (Хор ГОМІН) – 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

❓️ Steel & Oak Thursday Trivia Night – 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

🎭️ Rell Battle - Stand Up Comedy – 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM

🎙️ The Terminal Pub Colossal Thursdays Karaoke – 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

🎤 Notorious Grey Fox Open Mic Jam – 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM

🎭️ The Birds and the Bees at Bernie Legge Theatre – 8:00 PM

🏆️ Youth Week: New West Youth Awards – Invitation Only

🍻 Frankie G’s All Day & Night Happy Hour

💧 Stage 2 Watering Restrictions Now in Effect Across New West

As warmer weather arrives, New Westminster residents are being asked to do their part to conserve water.

Stage 2 watering restrictions are now in effect across Metro Vancouver as of May 1, meaning lawn watering is not permitted at this time.

These measures are designed to help protect the region’s shared drinking water supply during the drier months ahead.

🌿 What You Can Still Do

While lawn watering is paused, residents can still care for their gardens by:

• Watering trees, shrubs, and flowers using a sprinkler between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.

• Using hand watering or drip irrigation at any time

• Watering vegetable gardens and edible plants, which remain exempt

🌱 Local Impact

For homeowners and gardeners in New Westminster, this is a shift toward more water conscious habits as summer approaches.

For local businesses, especially those in landscaping and gardening, it is also a time to adapt and promote sustainable practices and water efficient solutions.

The City is encouraging residents to explore options like rain barrels, available at a subsidized rate, as a simple way to reduce reliance on treated drinking water.

💬 Why It Matters

Conserving water now helps ensure there is enough supply for everyone throughout the summer — and can help delay the need for costly infrastructure upgrades in the future.

Learn more about watering rules

🌊🍦 Snacks, Sunshine & River Views — Eats at the Pier Is Back!

New West, it’s officially waterfront snack season 🎉

The Eats at the Pier concession at Westminster Pier Park is reopening Saturday, May 2, and it is the perfect excuse to head down to the river and soak up those sunny vibes.

Whether you are out for a stroll, hanging with friends, or just chasing that perfect riverside moment, you can now grab tasty treats and classic favourites right by the water.

🕛 Hours:
Daily from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (weather dependent)
📅 Running through September 7

This is just the beginning too — more park concessions are set to open as the season heats up.

So grab your crew, take a walk along the boardwalk, and treat yourself — because nothing says spring in New West like good snacks and river views 🌞🌊

Grab a snack and enjoy the view

🔍️ Spot the details

Today’s Tin Man mystery has some great clues.

🎁 This week’s prize (Apr 30 - May 06):
$50 Gift Card from Mother Nature Essences.

Think you know the spot?
Head to Facebook and Instagram and drop your guess.

👉️ Your play guide is here.

⛈️ Rain Joke of the Day 🌧️ 

🌧️ Why does the storm disappear quickly? 🌪️

💡 It made its point. 📍

Meme of the Day

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