| Plan for WV arts centre scrapped Catherine Barr Contributing Writer WEST Vancouver's Arts Centre Trust (WVACT) has abandoned its plan to build an arts centre at the entrance to Ambleside Park. WVACT chairman Maggie Pappas said that despite the site’s high desirability and approval of “technical, business and legal caperts,” her group has decided against pursuing the site at 13th Street and Marine Drive because of community opposition. “{Experts) don’t define the heart of West Vancouver residents, and many hearts feel that no budding should Gccupy that site,” said Pappas. “We're not developers, we're artists and arts cathusi- asts. We, of all people, are sensitive to the caution of the heart.” Pappas and her fellow WVACT members have been at the cen- tre af controversy since January, when West Vancouver council announced that it was considering allowing WVACT to use the Ambleside land to build a “world-class” arts centre. The preliminary proposal called for an arts centre of approxi- mately 42,000 sq. ft. (3,900 sq m) to be built at the site. Itinclud- eda main theatre of approximately 500 seats, a studio theatre, an art gallery, classrooms, studio space, dance studios, and several conimon areas that, according to Pappas, could double as pertor- mance space. The centre was to be built with privately donated funds. Its estimated costs ranged anywhere from $12 million to $15 million. According te WVACT, the arts centre’s operational Sudget would be drawn from ap endowment fund and therctore cost taxpayers no moncy. But a West Vancouver council motion to place the centre at the Ambleside site drew fire from local groups and residents. “The most vocal opposition came from the West Vancouver soccer com- munity, whose representatives were upset at the possibility of los- ing an outdoor playing field. The site is located on the southeast corner of Marine Drive and 13th Street across from the West Vancouver Police station. It is currently home to a separate overtlow parking lot, tennis courts, and an illuminated sand and gravel all-weather soccer field known as Ambleside A. But Pappas was quick to point out that the decision to aban- don the site was made out of consideration for the community and not due to the pressure from local sports groups. “When council tabled their motion to reserve part of Ambleside as ani arts centre site, the soccer groups had the door opened wide to obtaining a new soccer field,” said Pappas. “(This) door had been shat for 10 years. In a sense, we did them a big favour.” Pappas said that she and the WVACT still support the local sports groups and their need for more field space: “(We) hope the door doesn’t shut on them for 10 more years Meanwhile, Pappas has written to West Van council asking it to formally abandon it: motion to reserve the 13th and Marine site. WVACT has also asl:cd council to appoint a committee to: ® supply an action tlueprine for integrated arts facilities and pro- gram delivery; B drift financial and contractual terms of reference; @ plan a timc line for procceding, @ consider alternative tites. According to the WVACT, alternative sites include the central community centre land ar 22nd and Marine Drive and three newly proposed sites: W@ Ambleside H field near the duck pond (proposed by outgoing Chamber of Commerce president John Clark); @ Argyle Avenue waterfront between the picr and the Hollyburn Sailing Club (proposed by resident Ilan McDonald); @ Memorial Park across from: the West Vancouver library (pro- posed by community activist Lionel Lewis). Pappas enaphasized the need to choose a site before proceed- ing with the project. “There is no one business pian that can be put forward uncl we have the site,” she said. Pappas added that the WVACT is not giving up. She said she’s looking forward to meeting with the select committee, but that the final decision regarding site selec- tion rests with council. Council is expeeted to address the arts cen- tre issue again on May 17, when a recreation master plan draft is due to be considered. Cancer ci y Friday, May 7, 1999 — North Shore News - NEWS photo Terry Peters NOATH Vancouver RCMP Const. Tom Seaman spoke to a Grade 10 class at Sutherland secondary on Tuesday about youth violence. address vic jand students lence Violence just brings on more of the same, constable advises Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter dangclo@nsnews.com A News reporter and photog- rapher were invited to a talk about youth violence in a class- room at Sutherland secondary on Tuesday. Less than five minutes after the newspaper staff arrived at the school, a Sutherland student holding a bag of ice to his check approached Const. Tom Seaman, a school liaison officer with the North Vancouver RCMP. Seaman knew the student nursing, his cheek. The student was accompanied by a few of his pals. The police officer also knew the alleged unch thrower, another Sutherland student. The most distin- guishing feature about the two students was their ethnic backgrounds: the puncher is of Ukrainian descent, the other is Iranian. Apparently the nwo had a dispute over a cigarette. Scaman was interested, but not overly concerned. Inside the school a Social Studies 10 class was about to begin. The regular teacher was not there: A substitute made it through the attendance list. At the back of the classroom, Kevin Smith turned around in his desk and asked why the reporter was there. School shootings at Littleton, Colorado aims ex-counci and Taber, Alberta: could it happen here? “That was one in a million. | don't think it can happen here. [ think it was just a big mishap,” said Smith, 16. Seaman began his youth violence talk by asking what drove the Littleton shooters to kill 12) students and a teacher and then commit suicide. Anger, intimidation, ridicule, being outcasts Were some of the reason offered by the 25-student class. Anyone could come into their school and shoot people but it was unlikely, most of the students agreed. “We'll never really know why they did it because they are both dead,” said Seaman. He said people in Taber, Alberta probably thought it was the last place that a student shooting death would occur. Seaman told the students that contrary to what happens in the movies, police officers uses words and thought instead of a gun as their “num- ber one weapon. “Solving problems with violence usually brings on more violence,” said Seaman. He recounted a number of recent violent incidents involving young people in North Vancouver including: @ four young men in a car pulled up ncar a North Vancouver high school. They beat a teen while about 20 other young people warched. The victim had his nose broken. He recognized one suspect. The witnesses were too afraid of being the next victim to talk to police. Someone revealed a licence number; @ a student at Queen Mary elementary was angry at his mother. He kicked out the tail lights of parked cars in the school’s parking lot. A couple of seniors saw him and followed him up Lonsdale until they saw a police car near 21st Street, Seaman said the boy, who had had other dealings with police, strug- gled with the officers; & four or five angry girls cornered a girl outside her locker and spit in her face at Sutherland secondary. The students agreed there was a problem with racism in schools and pre- dicted more problems in the future. The students themselves had diverse ethnic backgrounds including China, Sri Lanka, Iran, India, Bulgaria, the Philippines and Thailand. “If your parents are racist they are going to. raise their kids racist,” said Amanda Horne, 16. Student Eric Trampf took issue with blaming Marilyn Manson and rap music ” for teenage violence such as the Littleton mass murders. He said that after an adult kills someone, peopic don’t blame the music that adult killer liked. At the front of the classroom near the rolled up maps and among the posters and artwork, a bright blue piece of paper stated: “Anger is only one let- ter short of danger.” llor’s daughter Anna Marie D’Angelo ‘News Reporter dangelo@usnews.com THE eldest daughter of former North Vancouver District councillor Joan Gadsby died on May 1 in Kelowna. Debra (Deb) Lyn Mills was 37. She died of breast cancer. Deb Mills was born in Toronto and lived in North Vancouver since she was 1% years old. She attended Canyon Heights elementary, Handsworth secondary and UBC, where she graduated with a bachelor of arts in psycholo- By Last September, Deb and her husband of 18 years, Martin Mills, moved to Kelowna. The couple bought their dream home. Deb is the sec- ond child Gadsby has fost to cancer. Gadsby’s four- year-old son, Derrick Scott, died of a brain tumor on Christmas Day in 1966. “It’s a major tragedy for our family again. Why these things happen one never knows,” Debra Lyn Millis said Joan Gadsby from Kelowna. Deb Mills was five when her brother died. Joan Gadsby Gadsby has another daughter Carrie, 28, who lives in Beverly Hiils. Deb Mills was an athletic healthy woman until she was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 1997. Gadsby said the can- cer was an extremely aggressive form that afflicts mainly young women, “Her attitude throughout this has been extremely positive. My attitude was, we were going to lick this. We never gave up hope,” said Gadsby . ae Gadsby’s father died of cancer of the esoph- - agus. After her son’s death, Gadsby began taking prescription tranquilizers, sleeping pills and anti-depressants. She became dependent on the medication and took them until 1990. Gadsby -: lost a medical negligence lawsuit against her- doctor for over-prescribing the medication. A service and burial was planned for Deb: Mills today in Kelowna. . On Monday, a memorial service will be held & in North Vancouver at the Highland United : Church, 3255 Edgemont Blvd, at 2 p.m. In. lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations ¥ be made ito the Canadian Cancer Society, 539 * Lawrence Ave. in Kelowna, V1Y 6L8. :