: : : March 13, 2002 : : : 5:30 PM : : :

This is not a real entry. Sorry. I had to type this up, though. A co-worker's daughter wrote this and it really got to me. The piece is well written and it shows how something that normally happens in a big city affects a small community.

It was written in the Coquitlam Now.

My View: Forever changed, PoCo will never be the same

Growing up in a small city I fell victim to the boredom blues, constantly wishing for something exciting to happen to liven up the norm of the everyday.

I remember when a movie was being filmed merely minutes from my home and the whole city was abuzz about it. Unfortunately, the filming only lasted a short while and when it was over, all was back to the ordinary.

I sit here now, thinking about my once-quiet city recently being blown away by a horrifying piece of news arising, seemingly out of nowhere.

I've lived in Port Coquitlam most of my life and I can remember seeing many of our buildings being constructed, the empty fields filling with homes and the quiet, minimally occupied city growing to a bustling, desired place to reside.

As a kid it was a safe place to grow up; everyone basically knew one another. All the children played on the streets and in the cul-de-sacs; games like bump, capture the flag, street hockey and hide and seek.

Sometimes even the adults would join in the childish fun and our laughter would echo through the neighbourhood. A wonderful place to be a child, but as I got older, it didn't hold as much joy.

The games became immature fun and the city held little to do for excitement-seeking teenagers.

I often ventured away from that great place to find some amusement but was always happy to be returning each evening to my home city, my family and my warm and safe bed.

I am now in college and each day I travel from Port Coquitlam to attend school.

Until recently, I returned home each day to a still-peaceful, suburban city where people went to raise their children. A place where well-known Marathon of Hope creator and cancer victim Terry Fox grew up.

A man who fought and while doing so, created awareness, helped others and touched the hearts of people across the country. Only weeks ago, Port Coquitlam was know for the great achievements of its own Terry Fox until one day I returned to my small community to find an explosion of horror.

Finally, something big happens in our little city but this is, in no way, what I meant.

I realize now, as many like me have, that the little city was just fine as it was.

Now many people who came to PoCo to have families in a safe neighbourhood live in fear for themselves and for their children. Fifty families grieve as their hopes for answers may soon be realized, while the search continues on a hog farm in my-once (sic) quiet and unknown Port Coquitlam.

A farm only a few minutes from my home is surrounded by police, news crews and many family members of the missing, as the search goes on day and night for links to the 50 women.

I keep asking myself how something so terrible could have been happening where I grew up and while I was growing up there. This event has created such appreciation for what I have and a true awareness that anything really can happen, even under your nose in your own backyard.

When it does, it creates a completely new perspective as suddenly, all you thought about where you grew up and what you knew changes.

All my boredom blues are gone but I realize that my home, a quiet little city, will never be the same.

No more the place I knew growing up, it has changed forever.

And I totally relate to her. I grew up in a small boring town myself. Teens would look for fun out of town or try to create their own (it's the pregnancy capital for a reason!) It is a pretty safe community. However, a few years ago, a shocking assault and murder of a little girl (who was well known to the baseball community) left many terrified and wondering what ever happened to our little town.

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Anyway, must run to the gym and work out. I'm late as it is!

=)