Catherine Barr Contributing Writer THE debate over filming in West Vancouver’s Lighthouse Park heats up with newly appointed provincial NDP minister Ian Waddell getting in on the act. “E hope that West Vancouver council would have another look at making it difficult to shoor ina good location like that,” said Waddell. a Waddell is the NDPs newly appointment Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture. He was in Vancouver recently, vis- iting the set of anew CBC television senes, When he was asked to comment on West Vancouver council's consider- ation of a potential ban on filming in Lighthouse Park. “This is a $630-million industry and it’s providing oodles of jobs for B.C.,” he said. “It’s a growth industry but it’s also very competitive.” Waddell said the province of Ontario is trying to lure productions away trom B.C. by making it more economical co film there. He emphasized the need to work with the industry and help sustain the more than 25,000 jobs currently held by people in the industry in this provinee. “In order to keep a good thing we need to cooperate with the industry and not puc obstacles in it’s way,” he said. “I believe this (closing Lighthouse Park) could be interpreted as an obstacle.” Recendy, council voted in favor of an independent ecological study for the federally-leased park. The move came as a result of tear that film crews are causirs, irreparable damage to the park and it’s surround- ings. Council is also attempting te drift a general policy or filming in parks. Councillors Victor Diurman and Dump truck loses its drive shaft A dump truck and trailer unit lost a part of its drive shaft on the road on Tuesday during the morning rush hour on the Upper Levels Highway near Westview Drive. Port: Mann Highway Patrol RCMP Const. Glen Roberts said a white Oldsmobile behind the dump truck ran over the “second unit of the drive shaft” The debris. was described a heavy piece of metal about four feet long and cight inches wide ar the thickest point. Anorher vehicle ran over the drive shaft and sent it: skidding towards a ored Volkswagen Sirocco following behind. The Sirocco driver swerved to avoid hitting the drive shait. The Sirocco: ended up striking a meridian on the highway. No one was taken to hospital as result of the accident. The Sirocco) was heavily damaged. The accident occurred in the east lanes of the highway. The driver of the Burnaby based dump truck was nor ticket- ed, said Const. Roberts. —— Anna Marte D'Anacle Park filming policy tackled Lighthouse Park provides flash point Liz Byrd have been outspoken on the issue trom the start. They would like to see Lighthouse Park entirely off-limits to tilm and tele- vision productions. “We have G+ parks in’ West Vancouver and we invite them (film makers) to come and film in all of them,” said Byrd. “This one park needs protection at this time. It is the dast old-growth tor- est we have Cin this areay.” She said that some trees in the park have been there for over SOO years. Granite in the park is over 50 million year old. Byrd believes the general public treats the park with “great respect.” She is not convinced that film crews do likewise. “The people that watk in there evervday treat it.as ir was their own. They pick up garbage and keep it clean and maintain it,” she said. Durman, on the other hand, recently discovered a clause in the fed- eral lease indicating that filming, and the profits realized from such ven- tures, might actually be illegal. Waddell thinks Durmai’s tine of thinking is silly and says he needs to look at the bigger picture. “Let's not get snarled in red tape,” said Waddell. Durman responded by saving thar the law should always be obeved. “ft would be nice if the NDP did the same with their general disregard to gambling and the Nanai:no bingo scandal,” he said. “We appear to have a NDP gov- ernment thai appears to disregard the rules of law wiien it suits them,” he said. Meanwhile, Cedar Productions Ine. was originally scheduled to film Snow Falling On Cedars — a major motion picture starring Ethan Hawke ~~ in the park on April 9. The company has since resched- uled and has withdrawn its request to use Lighthouse Park. A company spokesperson con- firmed that it is still considering other West Vancouver locations, NV sch From page 1 government for money to build a new music room, the school has embarked on a fundraising drive. Argvic principal Ken Fever estimates the cost of planning and building the music room to be about $250,000. Argyle plans to convert one af the school's automotive shops inte a band room so students, like senior band member Letha Victor, can practice without having the room cramp their musical sevice. “It's a pretty desperate situation,” Victor said. “ft takes 20 minutes to get out of the room.” ‘The plan inciudes storage tockers for instruments, a music office /hibrary, a mezzanine level with practice rooms, wheelchair access, and enough practice space for the 140-member senior band to plac rogerher. The senior band wasn’t always so popular, When Argyle music director Ken Osterreicher first began teaching at the school in 1980, only nee students signed up for the program, ‘Yoday there are HE} students in the band program, 210 take choir and 2 are part of the strings ensemble. - Argyle’s most famous musical product is rock star Bryan Adams. Fever said the popularity of the music program is attributed in Jarge part to the teachers: “The teachers don’t reject the kids; they take them ar any level and work with that instead of taking only op musicians.” Osterreicher admits the school band doesn’t wine many awards, although it did win top prize in the 1987 provincial band competition. For Osterreicher, music is more than just winning awards. NEWS photo Terry Peters WEST Vancouver councillors Victor Durman and Liz Byrd want the film and television industry out of Lighthouse Park. The old-growth trees in the park need to be protected, they say. seeks $250 aay ’ B i an | oe \ : “IT believe in the kids,” he said. “1 don’t know if that’s dhe key — I think it is. | build a rapport with the kids then the music comes through.” Osterreicher believes that “music is a key ingredient to a whole education.” He said some of the strongest academic students also play an instrument “Music enhances everything. There’s coordination benween breathing and your fingers ... it’s. a physical art. Then there's reaching the soul as well and teel- tng the music and playing it from the heart.” Seeing that enthusiasm for nusic in Corrine Perry's children is what prompt- ed her to get involved in raising money to build a new music room. “E thought it was a great program,” Perry said. “Twas impressed by the concerts and start- ed helping out a bit.” The mother of three is now the co-president of the Argyle Music Association. Perry said that when repeated lobbying for financial help from the municipal and provincial governments fell on deat ears, the association rook matters inte its own hands. Last fall the group held a gala findraiser, including a dinner and a silent auction, which raised $7,500. CBC news anchor Kevin Evans, a parent of Argyle students, was master of ceremonies for the evening. Other fundraising activities include band concerts, of which $1 from cach ticket sold goes to the building fine, and a quilt raffle which collected $2,000. Se far about $12,000 has been raised. Perry, Osterreicher and Fever hope dat a benefactor will donate a targe chunk of the $250,000 needed to build the new music room, but the school will accept all donations. The Argyle Music Association's next fundraising event willbe a cabarce night on May &. ‘Tickets are available at the school. Hyena can help, call Ken Fever at the schoot or Corinne Perry at 987-5763. July 1 date for 100% ban to be revisted in May Fram page V meeting.) municipality in the Lower Marmland.” “ft recognize the health problems, but we need to provide fairness and for the focal com- munity to get used to the idea.” Coun. Darrell Mussatro said) be would not support the motion and wanted to deter the vote until all members of council were present. (Coun. John Braithwaite was absent from the added. against the motion. “We need a full council to discuss this,” Coun. Barbara Sharp said she would vote “This was debated last week with a full coun- cil,” Sharp said. “If we wanted to be so closely aligned with the district then why don’t we amal gamare? Pm not supporting a motion thar says we be in syne with the district until we go whole Mussatto said. “It’s a near and dear issue.” hoy.” “Phaven’t got any phone calls about this,” he It was incorrectly stated in the March + North Shore News thar Coun. John Braithwaite had voted against dhe motion tor staff to prepare a bylaw effective July 1, 1998, for 100% non-smoking in all public places Ir was Coun. Barbara Perrault whe voted against the motion.