British Properties celebrating 60th year

IT HAS seen a lot of
changes over the years, and
it will likely see several
more as the years go by.

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

And for West Vancouver's Brit-
ish Propertics, which ranks as one
of the richest communities in
Canada (the District of West
Vancouver has been ranked the
tichest municipality in Canada),
this year is a special one indeed.

The Properties, as many North
Shore residents refer to the area,
has turned 60 years old.

James MacCarthy is president
of the British Properties and Area
Homeowners’ Association. That
association, he says, was formed
in 1950 when the area’s residents
decided their special area necded a
hormeowners’ association.

“Some of the early issues they
addressed included getting postal
service, roads and other things
that were a concern at the time,’’

says MacCarthy. “The values on
which the association was formed
haven't changed over the years
but the issues have."*

He adds rhat the homeowners
group, unfike other similar
organizations, does not become
involved with municipal and pro-
vincial politics and will not sup-
port any slate of candidates.

When the British Properties was
being developed the area was orig-
inally going to be called Capilano
Estates. But British Pacific Pro-
perties Lid. a Guinness family
company thal was in charge of the
development, suggested the area
be cailed the British Properties
because most residents had al-
ready started calling it by that
name.

British Pacific initially acquired
approximately 4,000 acres of
prime West Vancouver real estate
from West Vancouver in the early
1930s.

The name Capilano Estates,
says MacCarthy, ‘‘just didn’t
seem to stick.”"

“Once British Pacific Properties

Drama Works offers
a one-day workshop

DRAMA WORKS, the West
Vancouver theatre program
that offers fun and educational
classes for North Shore youth,
is organizing a one-day
workshop for teachers.

Co-director Linda Nelson
says teachers will learn prac-
tical uses of drama in teaching.
She stresses it is a participatory
class that focuses on the theme

of setf esteem, and wit) help
teachers build confidence in us-
ing dramatic activities in the
classroom.

Just For Teachers will be
held Saturday, Nov. 16 at Klee
Wyck in West Vancouver. Cost
is $90.

Te register or for more in-
formation, phone Nelsen or
Jennifer Riach at 922-8963.
Space is limited.

TUESDAY
NOVEMBER 12th

DOORS OPEN 9:30 A.M. TO 5:30 P.M.

*Note: This further discount off Ed's everyday low price applies to all sale merchandise
and regular priced merchandise i in stock! iscount does nat apply te Down Quilts.

‘North-Road, Coquitlam {near London Das)

Capijand Village, 801.

15355.

had acquired this land they started
to do their development activities.
This was the first area to be de-
veloned,"” says MacCarthy. “Then
there was the building of the
Lions Gate Bridge (opened 10
traffic an May 12, 1938) and fol-
lowing that was che development
of the Park Royal Shopping Cen-
tre (opened Sept. §, 1950), which
was the first metropolitan shopp-
ing centre in Canada.”*

While the British Properties to-
day is home to many of the rich

and famous, it also attracted the
wealthy when it) was first being
developed in the 1950s, says
MacCarthy.

**it seemed to me that the peo-
ple who moved here back theo
were people who were above the
average income level. They were
people who wanted to enjoy living
close to the city centre but without
the disadvantages,”* says MacCar-
thy.

He adds that in the beginning,
the British Properties was a close

community. Today there has been
a change in the community
make-up with a number of new
families moving into the area and
a number of old families moving
oul,

*%1 cuts both ways. There cer-
tainly are new problems we have
to face and resolve,”’ says Mac-
Carthy. ‘*The issues have changed
over the years. Trees against views
is now one of the issues, as is the
monster house issuc."*

NEWS photo Terry Poters

JAMES MacCARTHY, president of the British Properties and Area Homeowners’ Association, holds
up a framed copy of a floral display marking the 60th birthday of the British Progerties.

And it’s bigger and better than ever!
Don’t miss our biggest sale with our
lowest prices of the Christmas season!

fay stores will open
Monday, Nov. 11th
| Remembrance Day |
(Regular Monday shopping
hours will be in effect