yorkregion.com
February 6, 2008, By Jessica Young

Town tips its hat to Year of the Rat

Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow is a pig.

Don’t worry, the comment isn’t an insult to Mr. Barrow. He actually admitted it during a press conference in council chambers yesterday. According to the Chinese zodiac, a person born in 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995 or 2007 is born in the year of the pig.

In recognition of the area’s large Chinese population, the town will host the second annual Mayor’s Celebration of the Chinese New Year Feb. 19 at Sheraton Parkway North Hotel and Suites.

“This is about meeting new friends of all cultures,” Mr. Barrow said.

He and Councilor David Cohen explained to the crowd this year’s Chinese New Year celebration would be filled with lots of entertainment, good food and friends.

To view a video, click here.

Any money raised from the event will go towards the Mayor’s Endowment Fund for the Arts, said Daisy Wai, event organizer.

Traditional Chinese dancers, peipa (Chinese guitar) performers, kung fu demonstrations and the changing of the mask (an ancient art form) are scheduled to dazzle the crowds as they feast on a traditional Chinese dinner.

Attendees can participate in a lucky draw that includes round trip tickets to Hong Kong as one of the prize giveaways, Councillor Godwin Chan said.

“Chinese New Year is a time to start fresh, put aside all your problems and troubles from the year before,” Ms Wai said.

To kick-start the promotion of the event, Mr. Barrow got in touch with the Chinese community by wearing a traditional emperor’s outfit for the cameras. Attendees got a kick out of watching the mayor fidget with his heavy headpiece that squished his ears.

“How big do my ears look now?” he asked.

At one point, the mayor fumbled to pick up paper because of the long sleeves he had to wear as part of his costume. He even started referring to himself as emperor.

“The emperor has lost his notes,” he said with a laugh.

The mayor wasn’t the only one dressed for the occasion.

In full costume as the God of Fortune, Councilor David Cohen seemed to be revered by all. In fact, most people avoided Mr. Cohen because he kept hitting people in the face with his head piece, not because he was dressed as such a powerful Chinese God.

Regardless of their wardrobe fumbles, the pair put everyone in high spirits for the new year.

There may be a possibility some council members will go to China in 2009, further extending relationships with the Chinese community, Mr. Barrow said.

“We are focused on economic development as well as arts and culture with our new theatre with the Chinese community,” Mr. Barrow said. Before the group thinks of heading East, he says he wants to make sure the group has a clear idea of what the trip will be about.

“We need to take the time and focus,” he said.

“We are aware Markham and Vaughan are going, but we need to take a step back and realize what we need to focus on.”

Tickets for the Chinese New Year are $38 and for VIP tickets $68, to the event can be purchased at www.richmondhill.ca (click on the Online Box Office link) or call 1-877-700-3130. For more information call 905-771-5489.

New Years sayings and fast facts:

• Gung Hay Fat Choy: Happy New Year

• Sang Yee Hing Loong: Hope your business is booming.

• Sum Seung Si Sing: I hope you have whatever your heart desires.

• 30 per cent (or 52,000 out of 175,000) of Richmond Hill residents are Chinese, Council David Cohen said.

• Wear red during Chinese New Year. “Red symbolizes happiness, positivity and good luck,” Daisy Wai said.

• During the new year, elders usually give li see (money put in a red pocket envelope and given to the young). “It symbolizes the passing of luck through money to the new generation,” Ms Wai said.

Emperor's Bio:

• Emperor Barrow’s favourite Chinese food is duck.

• The emperor is skilled in the art of using chopsticks, but has yet to master the game of mah-jong.

• One of the emperor’s favourite pastimes is singing karaoke. Last Tuesday, he could be heard singing karaoke with Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. The honourable pair sang the Everly Brothers’ hits Bye Bye Love and Dream.

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