THE WOSCE O eS Board approves ST VANCOUVER - 2) £2), Ottice, Editorial 985-2131 controversial plan to close Hillside school WEST VANCOUVER'’S Hillside middle schoo}! will be demolished and the pro- ceeds from the sale of the school’s site will be used to finance the construction of a new school in the Caulfeild Plateau area. By Surj Rattan News Reporter The West Vancouver District 45 School Board (WVSB) decided Monday night at its last general meeting of this school year to proceed with the controversial plan to replace the 34-year-old Hillside school with the new Caulfeild Plateau school on the condition ‘‘that a suitable finan- cial arrangement is negotiated with the Ministry of Education which does not increase the local school taxes.’"”—- The board also passed a motion directing staff to review grade configurations at West Vancouver secondary school to allow for the possible addition of. Grade 7 to $ programs. Margot Furk remained the only WVSB trustee to vote against Hillside’s demolition. “$ don’t believe this plan is balanced, and | do understand the anger directed at me. I have been an advocate of modernizing our schools and increasing technology for along time," said Furk. A consultant hired by the WVSB has said that the school board could generate approxi- mately $14.4 million in 1994 if the Hillside site were to be subdivided into 30 single-family lots and sold for $38 per square foot. The new Caulfeild Plateau schoo! is expected to cost about $13 million to build. Furk, however, disputed the figures released by Moodie Con- sultants Ltd. “The revenues (from Hillside @ Budget Beaters Wi Business . 8 Classified BC omics ® Frugal Gourmet WEST VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD sale) are optimistic. We don't know how much money we'll make. There will almost certainty be a deficit,’ said Furk. ‘‘The demographics don’t work. We aiz not in a position to sell off the school.”* But trustee Peter Bradshaw said there were several benefits to teplacing Hillside with the new Caulfeitd Plateau school. He said the new school would contain fewer floors than Hillside and be accessibie to the phvsically dis- abled. “It would previde a newer school that is move efficient and cheaper to operate. It’s a very complex issue, but we have to make a choice one way or the other,” said Bradshaw. Former West Vancouver mayor Derrick Humphreys said that while he supports the building of a new school in the Caulfeild Plateau area, the WVSB should also continue to use the Hillside site. He added that the new school could be financed by borrowing money from West Vancouver District. “To tear that building down or to divide up one of the playing fiekis, (while) we have so few Mat lands in) West Vancouver, is almost unforgiveable...."’ Linda Mitchell, the new presi- dent of the Caulfeild School Parents’ Group, said the new school offers “exciting and neces- sary”’ educational opportunities. “This is not merely an issue of convenience. At stake is the education of our children,’’ said Mitchell. District 45 schools superintend- ent Doug Player said the school board will now apply to West Vancouver District for a permit to subdivide the Hillside site. MM Lifestyles... 0.000.000... 53 North Shore Now TV Listings B What's Going On _ Weather Thursday & Friday, sunny. Highs 25°C. Lows 14°. Second Class Registration Number 3885 BC. Lions Kick-off Special feature: 47 Display Advertising 980-0511 Classifieds 986-6222 Distribution 986-1337 News sailing race A FUN time was had by all at the 15th annual Nerth Shore News Sailing Race on Sunday. Over 70 sailboats participated in the event, which the Leiko, skippered by Dr. George Sakata, won with a time of 2:24. For complete race results see page 13.