A record 75,000 visitors and exhibitors gathered in downtown Port Coquitlam on Sunday for the 13th annual PoCo Car Show, where some 400 classic, muscle and replica vehicles were on display.
Show co-ordinator — and city councillor — Dean Washington said the car owners drove from around the province, Washington State and Oregon to take part in the attraction as did a vendor from Michigan.
In the end, the 13 judges awarded Tom Hoeltgen's 1933 Ford Roadster the top prize; it was the Langley resident's first time displaying in the PoCo event, Washington said.
Prior to the show, the owners were served up a buffet breakfast by the PoCo Lions Club — courtesy of Dominion Lending Centres — and, the night before, many took part in a parade around the city.
"There were lots of people out watching the cruise especially along Cedar Drive," Washington said. "It's growing every year."
Meanwhile, family and friends of the late Steve Roberts — including a relative from Nevada — were on hand as organizers gave an emotional tribute to the show volunteer, who had rebuilt his 1974 Jensen Healey.
Roberts' name will be added to the show's Wall of Recognition.
Below, a column written by Washington, titled Steve Roberts… A Life-Long Love Affair with Cars.
"Like many other boys in the 1960’s Steve Roberts would dream about cars day and night. He absolutely loved everything about the automobile almost to an obsession. He built and painted over 50 model cars in his youth longing for the day he was able to obtain the real thing.
That day came shortly after Steve turned 17 in the form of Volkswagen Bug and like many first cars its tenure was not a long one as he rolled it down Dawes Hill in Coquitlam and that was that. But there would be many more after his beloved Bug was sent to the scrapyard. Next there was a 1964 Chevrolet Biscayne, followed by a 1976 Chevrolet Laguna, then a Jeep CJ5 (which his wife Karen fell out of without incident) and a 1968 Camaro. From there Steve had an array of station wagons, vans and truck as he and Karen raised their growing family.
During those years Steve and his brother Tim (another car nut) had a competition of who could collect the most diecast cars. After amassing hundreds of pieces with a vast majority of them NASCAR and Drag Racing Circuits, Steve was declared the winner.
In 1999 his dad gave him what turned out to be his dream car, or at least a shell of it along with boxes and boxes of parts. A 1974 Jensen-Healey. He and his good friend, Bruce Richardson, who was starting a project of his own at a similar stage, also had a wager on who would finish first. Steve got to work sourcing parts from all over the world which forced him to build the car in stages. The finished product in all its yellow glory was completed twelve years later, eclipsing Bruce’s completion date by several years winning yet another bet.
Wanting to give back to the hobby he loved Steve began volunteering parking cars and judging at the 2009 Metro Ford Poco Car Show and joined the organizing committee in 2014 as the member responsible for parking. He loved being a part of the show and was loved by his fellow committee members for his big heart and even bigger smile.
Steve retired from School District 43 as head electrician in January 2016 and he and Karen hit the road in their RV traveling around North America hitting car shows and experiencing the famed Route 66. Shortly after they returned he had some discomfort in his chest and tragically passed away in his sleep at the age of 61.
Each year the Metro Ford Poco Car Show honours a person for their dedication and commitment to the car hobby. At this year’s show the committee was proud to honour Steve Roberts as the 2017 Wall of Recognition Recipient by presenting a plaque to his wife Karen who was there with their children Courtney, Kevin, Brett, his brother Tim and all of their families."
