Municipality stu

WEST VANCOUVER voters may get the chance
to cast their vote for or against Sunday shopping
during civic elections in November.

West Van municipal coun
ci has) directed) staff to
prepare a report on Sunday
shop opening alternatives to
be considered for a
referendum.

Municipal clerk Doug
Allen says whether such a
referendum would appear on
this Noyember’s ballot ‘1
sull a queStion mark"

Council's decision to in-
vestigate the issue of opening
the muntupality to some
form of Sunday shopping
comes after appeals from
some merchants in the
municipality

Ron Crockroft, president
of the Park Royal Merchants
Associanon, told council that
he was originally opposed to

ies options for Sunday shopping

now
idea of a

Sunday shopping but
supports the
referendum fecling that 11 1s

“crucial | that we are allow
ed to competc.”'

“Tt appears that) (con
sumers) are finding Sunday a
very good day to go shopp
ing,”’ said Cockroft, adding
that if the service isn't made
available locally, consumers
will travel to a location where
they can shop on Sundays. At

present the only two
Municipalities on
Metropolitan Vancouver not
yet allowing Sunday shopp
ing are West Van and Surrey

A report by Urbanics C on.
sultants Ltd), commissioned
by the Merchants Association
and Park Royal manage
ment, says Surrey is expected
to soon fall in with the ma
yorny that have granted the
extra day

Vice President
Manager of Park
Hugh Addison,
after canvassing

aod
Royal,
udded that
mall mer

chants tt was found that 71
per cent were in favor of te
questing the holding of a
telerendum to cotmmede with
school board and municipal
elections seheduled for
November [7

According to the Ur
banics study. research from
the Urban L and Institute has
pointed to Sunday as the day
that would produce the
highest ‘per hour’ sales of
the week as opening
for that day are shorter

Addison said it would ap
pear to be a

hours

financially

substantial proposition as re
cent revenue intake for Sun
day shopping at Pacific Cen
tren Vancouver has been as
tngh as $30,000

Ald Doreen Blackburn
noted that the West Van
ratepayers groups) opinions
had been sought out and that
three have responded so tar

Blackburn sard that mantis
other shypping centres trav
received approval of
tespective Councils and wis in

then

favor of allowing the people
of West Van to capress then

Opinions ina referendum