Al2 - Sunday, March 6, 1983 - North Shore News

&

ISOLATION of Eagle Harbor is pointed out by Ery!

[S photo Terry Peters

Barber on a map showing locations of present West Van

Schools. She says that even through the populations of the Ambleside and Dundarave areas are declining, the cluster

of schools there will remzin, while at Eagle Harbor, where the populaton is projected to continue increasing, the
school is threatened with closure.

FROM PAGE A1

in the current economic
climate, the proposed
solution — with an impact
which will be felt for years in
the community — _ has
parents and teachers worried
— and angry.

The cause of the dilemma
is that the “fiscal restraint”
program is being used as a
political tool both by the
provincial government and
local school districts to
implement their con-
troversial policies. Certain
trustees would be glad to

close schools even with
Education Minister Bill
Vander Zalm’s_ restraint

program, or any increase in
educational quality: for the
sole reason of saving tax
dollars at any cost.

This misuse of the fiscal
restraint program has
clouded the issue of con
trofling the high cost of
education and the cost
saving measures have
become a political football

Increases in teacher
student ratios and school
closures are implicmentcd

under the guise of greater
productivity and better
educational programming.

Adding to the anzicty and
concern is Education
Minister Vander Zalm,
whose style of confrontation
and) off-the-cuff | remarks
creates an atmosphere of
chaos tn the school system

If not school closures and
teachers layoffs (the layoff of
teachers 15) also being
considered in’ North Van
couver) then what arc the
solutions?

The
West
arc willing to pay more for
the cducanon of ther

teachers say thant

Vancouver roadcats

children

But one answer which
could save moncy and not
resultin the detemoration of
the education system as
being promoted by bagte
Harbour tesrdeat bayt
Barber She wants loo sce the
comsaolidatecce: cof the Iwo
Nosth Shore Nate

Prstrhe ts oan

thea wb ty ots

a al

gaining support.

To Vander Zalm’s credit,
the appointment of a
commission to investigate
this has already occurred,
with former West Van-
couver School Board
Chairman Mark = Sager
chairing it. Unfortunately
the results will be too late for
tomorrow’s meeting.

The thought of
amalgamation has _ both
boards worred as most
trustees see it eroding their
political control, even
though they do admit the
potential savings in economy
of scale might be substantial
... the probiem is that no one
has investigated what the
savings would be.

An obvious saving would
be in administrative costs
such as the chmination of
oac superintendent of
schools Ed Carlin in West
Vanceuver carnms $70,000,
while Rod Wickstrom tn
North Vancouver carps over
$75,000 The West Van
couver School Board office
alone 1s worth
$400 000 Other savings
could be obtained 1n_ staff
support at the board office
and support services to both
districts

Over

Surprisingly, Carhn has
told the News that he sccs
many benefits in an
amalgamation af the two
Aistricts

“Eothink there aso a tot of
ment, but at isnot that
sample ~ be says

The superintendent says

there 1s not much difference
between the two school
distncts in either the quality
of education of the present
pee studcat costs
However under
present mall rate. it
mean bagher costs fo the
Weat Vancouver taxpayer as

the
could

Vic tora presently provides a
bigger subsidy Co them than
North Bat the
tan formuata tw act atbsotutety

Vancouver

WHO IS (c2L]TI3

fixed and some proponents
suggest that the provincial
government could make it
worthwhile to both West
Van and North Van
residents if as a result of
amalgamation there would

be overall expenditure
savings.
Meanwhile, people like

Ery! Barber are fighting for
the life of their schools,
using every piece of in-
formation they can get their
hands on to help persuade
the board not to close the
doors. ;
To the residents living
near Eagle Harbour and
Glenmore clemeataries, the
closure means even more
than having their children
bused to other schools. It
means the cod of local
community centres, a social
impact, which will climinatc
recreational facilities and
local meeting places.
Perhaps Barber is a fittle
dramatic when she says “this
school ts the heart and soul
of our community and
closing it will destroy Eagle
Harbour,” but she and many
residents there bchieve it.
Barber docs not think the
recommendations to close
the five schools were well
thought out, nor were the
ramifications of what it
means to the children and
residents. She complains
that cnrolment projections
are incorrect and do not
properly include = future
growth trends tn the arca
Her arguments to kecp
Eagle Harbour open on the
basis of growing population
arc convincing. even though
her “layman” approach to
the compheated district
budget has some holes in it
Sull Barber, along with
other parents in West
Vancouver, 1s pointing out
that the trustecs’ desiston ts
not not solely an cducational
one [tas also a dectsion with
lacge scale social impact

Phere are stull = omany

,

Amalgamation ‘has merit’

questions posed by Barber
and other parents which
have been left unanswered
by the board and Carlin:

© How, much is the real cost
of closing schools?

* Can the board realistically
expect to rent out all of the
closed schools?

°Can they lower the ad-
ministrative costs by making
some of the schools satellites
and have only one principal?
* How much does it cost to
provide the busing for the
children?

ef the closing of schools
will facilitate the laying off
of teachers, how many will
g0?

e How will
maintain the
education?

that decision
quality of

There are no casy an
swers, but trustees who
thought they would make
political points by taking a
hard but unthinking line on
the budget will have to comc
up with different solutions to
the high cost of education

That 1s, af they want to
stay in office. Because West
Vancouver voters want
education costs to be
controlled but they don't
want their cducaQon system
mutdatcd

HASTINGS CREEK

FENES totalling $1,100 have
been imposed as a result of
leachate from a Lynn Valley
building site entering
Hastings Creek.

North Vancouver
provincial court Judge John
Layton levelled fines of $550
against Compac Con-
struction and Marbar
Holdings recently after
convicting them of allowing
a deleterious substance to
enter water inhabited by fish
back in May, 1981.

Builder fined
for pollution

The leachate, toxic to fish,
entered the creek by way of
a storm sewer.

North Shore Rod and Gun
Club member Curley
Wallack testified that the
creek was inhabited by
salmon, steelhead and cut-
throat trout. ~

Pleading not guilty to the
offence, owner of the
companies Doug Shaw
claimed the District of North
Vancouver had refused
permission for the liquid to
be drained into sanitary

ros TION Evigence itm
the case brought by the Fish

.and Wildlife Branch showed

the companies were building
a housing development near
the creek at Mountain
Highway and Lynn Valley
Road and that two large
excavations were filled with
water which contained
hogfuel leachate.

sewers and that it had not
been realized it was entering
a storm sewer after being
dumped into the street.

The judge commented
that he felt the onus was on
the contractors to make sure
effluents do not empty into
sewer systems as it is usual
for them to drain into nearby
streams.

Fhe following “are
highlights of this week's
local council meetings.

W. VAN COUNCIL
. (Monday, 8 p.m.)
Policy re neighbourhood
pubs — offer to sell Orenda
... Development permit
Westhill Village, McDonald
Creek Subdivision ... Bus
shelters . Interest
charges, local improvement
projects ... Ice cream
pedlars ... Hollyburn
Country Club, request for air
supported = structure .
North Shore’ Recycling

proposal.
W. VAN

SCHOOL BOARD
(Monday, 7:00 p.m.)
at the West Van Secondary
School Theatre
Variouis reports
District planning, long range
goals and recommendations.

NORTH VAN
SCHOOL BOARD.
(Teesday, 7:30 p.m.)
Delegation from Premicr
St. (crossing guard)
Adult Education report

Applications for 83-84
Katmmavik outdoor school
program Notice of
motion Verna
Smelovsky Parks and

Recreahon mastcr plan and
brief

N. VAN DIST. COUNCIL
(Monday 7:30 p.m.)
Public heanng of St
Simons proposal for senior

citizens building in Deep
Cove ... Policy and
planning meeting...
Delegation from firefighters’
union regarding mini-
pumper program .. . notice
of motion by Ald. Ernie Crist

that council’s decision to
discontinue program be
rescinded ... outdoor
burning ... recycling
proposed newspaper pickup
-.. government work
programs 1983

operating budget ratification
of reductions.

N. VAN CITY COUNCIL
(Monday, 7:30 p.m.)

Facilities for museum and
archives = exhibits
guidelines re licensed
premises fire damage
repairs to chamber of
commerce building
North Shore newspaper

recycling program proposal
call

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