& ~ Friday, September 4, 1992 - North Shore News OK:.. HERES THE PLAN... WE SELL oe Me LE ZA. THE CAR, BE “MORTGAGE THE HOUSE, LL TAKE ATWIRD JOB, WELL RENT OUT THE BASEDIENT, YOU TAKE IN LAUNDRY... AND aa MENT BE ABLE TO: 1 HATE GUTFIVING THE KWS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL TERM - INSIGHTS [Breathing easy with big bills ~~ NEWS VIEWPOINT Danger ranger ORTH VANCOUVER District a Fi Council’s decision to have rangers _ patrol] Lyaa Canyon Park could 7 prove to be the best solution to the dif- ficult problem of protecting the unwery from the natural dangers of the area. The “proposal was endorsed Aug. 24 in “place of the unworkable sad impractical plan -to close ike canyon to diving and > swimming. recommended _ John Bremner, the district’s director of | parks and engineering services, has against giving the rangers enforcement powers. The recommendation is a good one, because, as Bremner points out, apprehen- sion of cliff divers would be dangerous, and it would also undermine ary efforts to e:csblish a rapport with those canyon users the yungers are supposed to help protect. A legisiated. ban on such activities in the park, while. registering an official district ‘~ statement on the canyon’s dangers, weuld . be impossible to enforce. ~The park.rarger program would cost an - estimated $30,000 annually and employ. a two-person team patrolling seven days per week during the summer. months. achieved only Cutting the canyon carnage can be through increased education for those unfamiliar with the treacherous canyon waters and through building a trusting relationship between those whe insist on using the canyon for thrilis and those who kaow its dangers. “LETTER OF THE DAY | Jo we really need more politicians? Dear Editor: ‘Verysoon British Columbians and indeed all Canadians will have “|. a* very important “-decision- to ., make, Do they accept or reject the : new constitutional agreement? - An integral part of the agree- ~ ment is the addition of 43 new -members of parliament to the House of Commons: 18 for each ‘Ontario aad Quebec, four for B.C. and three for Alberta. “This ‘is so that we have better - representation by population. At the outset, this sounds great. However, we must ask ourselves, and indeed the politi- Publisher Managing Editor .. Associate Editor Advertising Director . Comptrolier Peter Speck . Timothy Renshaw ioel Wright . .Linda Stewart Doug Foot cians, the following three ques- tions: ‘Do we need an additional 43 politicians? . 2. Will we be better served as a result of having an increase of 43 politicians? 3. Can we afford these addi- tional costs? Let’s look quickly at costs. We have 43 additional salaries - along with their tax-free allow- ances and associated ‘‘perks.’’ They will also have their index- ed pensions. They must have offices not only in - Ottawa but also in their these Display Advertising Classified Advertising 986-8222 Fax North Shore ews, founded in 4969 as an independent suburban ne © and qualified Wwspape under Schedule 1141, Paragraph ‘It of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Siatibttedt t Ctass Mail Subscriptions North and ear. “| accompanied jailing rates avaitable om request. issions are welcome but we cannot accept tity for unsolicited material inctuding manuscripts and pictures which should be by a stamped, addressed enveicps. North Shore Free Press Lid. and 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 980-0511 Distribution . Real Estate Advertising 985-6932 - Subscriptions 986-1337 985-322: 985-2131 Administration 985-2131 constituencies. These offices must be staffed. And on and on and on. The costs have been estimated at an additional $80 million. Again, can we afford it? Representation by population can also be altered by subtraction; that’s right, by reducing the number of politicians in order to achieve the desired balance. This would reduce ovr costs, but then when was the last time you heard of a politician reducing our costs? Don D. McDermid North Vancouver 988-1337 Printed on 7 5. 10% recycled newsprint Notth Shore North Shore managed MEMSER SDA oe 61,582 (average circulation, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday) Entire contents © 1992 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. and a big stick CLEAN AIR to breathe, we ali agree, ranks with motherhood. And like the ceal thing it can come with a price tag — a hefiy one for as many as iwo out of every five Lower Mainland car eweers. Welcome to the clear blue skies of AirCare, the vehicie emission testing program that swung into action this week. And congrats to those who don’t renew their 1CBC insurance before next August — they have nearly a year in which to. save up for whatever then hits them. Also off the hook antil 1993 are the owners of current model year -, vehicles and (permanently) vin- tage-plate cars. But that stilt leaves most of us wondering what our trip to the testing station will cost. The minimum is $16.05 — a $15 inspection fee plus GST. That’s what some 60% of the one million cars in the area may get ‘away with, to judge by prelimi- nary data from AirCare. Figure the odds yourself. The five-year goal is to cut emissions by over 40%. A free dummy run during the summer reportedly failed about half of the 11,000 vehicles tested, leading testers to lower their initial stand- ards somewha’. On opening day this week 25% of the cars didn’t make it. So what about the bill for them and the other 400,000 or so Lower Mainland cars? A last-minute tune-up or even a muffler job won’t necessarily save you. One of the first cars failed at Vancouver’s main testing station on Tuesday had had both done the day before. Again, many newer model cars have had their catalytic converters removed in order to get better power and performance. ‘They'll have to be re-installed. Moreover, the testers also keep an eye open for such non-emis- sion sins as bald tires, oil or fuel . leaks. With these too it will be a case of ‘‘no fix, no drive.” Let’s see, then. Your converter was taken off way back and lost — replacement and labor around $270. Your exhaust system has . developed sieve-like qualities — - for a muffler job, parts and labor, . say $330. Your rough engine is groaning for a tune-up — add maybe another $60. Throw in PST and GST for a nice round little total of $750. The kindly AirCare folks, how- ever, are giving you — for this first year only — a break. : As long as you spend upto . $200 on repairs, only to fail a se- cond time, they'll issue you a conditional pass anyhow, allowing you just this once to renew with ICBC until next T-Day. But before you sigh with relief, remember that may only make it - harder to dispose of the beast and - get a mew one. _ WRAP-UP: Heralding Noel Wright HITHER AND YON Who is ever going to buy your.’ dirty clunker with that conditional. ; sticker on it? : Breathing easier by paying’ big: bills backed up with a big stick is, I guess, the best we can do until the FINAL answet.arrives.-i)/ =: Why the heck are you. taking so long —. you down there in |. : California — with that mass-°. production electric car we? ve, been promised? . " es the ap- is the sound of music. A new.’ . Ambleside arehestra; reports Clark, is seeking amateur Hilary ~ musicians of ‘all ages to attend opening rehearsal : from 4 to6 Chamber rehearsals Tuesday, , Sept. Sutherland secondary. and comes amateur string play - check 926-4513 for the time: This Labor Day Monday, Sept. 7, the Widow’s Network invi ie -- spective new. members to i p.m. ‘Get Acquainted” social at: North Lonsdale United Church, Osborite'‘and Lonsdale - id. . North Shore Counselling — which over the past year has’ helped ‘distressed families, couples and individuals in a total of 8,500 “sessions —- says a big ‘than you”’. for: grants from West ‘Van District ($4,500), North Van.. District ($3, 500) and North ‘Van , City (8591). - _ WRIGHT OR WRONG: Hap-.- piness is a hidden oasis halfway - : between too little and too muc! “NEWS photo Paul McCrath ON OPENING day of AlrCara 25% of the cars didn’t pase muster oF five-year goal is to cut emissions by 49%. ©