10 — North Shore News ~ Sunday, October 1. 2000 Access tt Frou: page 3 lance. But there isnt somewhere on the North Shore we can take them — and some of them don’t want to be in Vancouver. “There are more opportunities downtown but an equal amount more risk. If they sleep in Ambleside Park, theyre nor going to be disturbed like they are in Pigeon Park.” Sorse people walk across to. the North Shore, or arrive on the bus, wring to dodge the substance abuse and petty crime prevalent in’ the streets of the Downtown Eastside. Others have never left the place, they grew up in. “A lot of people maintain deir connection to the North Shere despite the fact they no longer mein- tain) a home here,” says. tSerth Vancouver RCMP Const. Dan Guilfoyle. “Quite often there's a reluctance on the part. of peaple to Autopsy shows diver drowned THE Vancouver Coroner’s Office has released .. preliminary autopsy results on the diver who died -.. Off Whytecliff Park last Sunday. - West ‘Vancouver Police Sgt. Jim: Almas said the results were ‘not conclusive, but it appeared that 27-year-old Marciano Chua resources sit adit that theyre homeless. It’s not ano in-veur-face. out-in the open problem Chere), bur it does exist.” For those who are homeless, there are iten reiated problems with sub- stance abuse of an underlying mental iness. Guilfovle savy RCMP officers tend to encounter the same people on a repeated basis. The North Shore Neighbourhood House (NSNH} hosts the Vancouver food bank three Wednesdays a month, Each week, according to the NSNH’s Tricia Andrew, there are around 150- 200 waiting in line for food. “IT was shocked, when [first came here,” she says, “to see that number of people. There is a perception that the North Shore is very affluent. But there.is a fot of need right here at home. People don’t realize that you have to line up for a length of time. It’s often cold and rainy. It's nota pleasant experience.” Andrew says most people get two bags of groceries: “Its just a drop in the bucket. But it’s eritivai tor them, There are so many single parent fam: lies. the majority headed by women. There's also no Jonger the extended family support. Isolation is a huge issue.” The NSNH already offers outreach services, but Andrew would like to see a “one-stop shop” for these who are homeless or en a low incame,. “The system is difficult, to) work your way through, One of the things is knowing how to access resources, Some people don’t have a phone, they feel tired and hopeless... they’re not really capable of making 100 calls. They need to just make one call and get help from that one call.> John Day, too, believes that “It's not enough just to put thers up for the night. Thev need fife skills, Some of these people have been on the Mreet since the age of zight or nine — they're afraid to work.” scene who were not affiliated with Ocean Quest. The second diver, 28-year-old Frederick Dee from Burnaby, was airlifted to Vancouver General Hospital and teated for uid be si Harvest Project staffers help out where they can with counselling ser- Vices and clothing for scheel or job interviews -~ but a regional intra- structure would vastly improve the Situation. Says O'Connur, “We need to acknowledge thar there is a homeless problem on the North Shore and work towards homegrown solutions. It’s not acceptable to ignore or export our problems.” “Someone in West Van said to me, ‘We don’t have any homeless people living in West Vanl says Day. “Well you obviously don’t have homeless people living in West Van, homeless people don’t reside anywhere. But | know plenty of guys thar sleep at Ambleside. “They're not on the ground out front, they're hidden. You're not going to walk through the park and look under a bush — but that’s where they are.” rienced difficulties while on an advanced open water diving course with Burnaby-based Ocean Quest. Water Sports. His body was recovered from the ocean floor by divers at the Gross House fire to be investigated POLICE are treating a fire at 83 Chesterfield Ave. as suspicious. North Vancouver RCMP Const. Heidi: Hoffman. said police are looking for intor- mation from the public on any suspicious individuals seen in the area of Gross » House, which was gutted by fire at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday for the second time in under’ three years. The heritage building — former home to the Ming Court restaurant — was slat-~ ed for redevelopment. Anyone with: information should contact the RCMP at 985-1311. — Katherine Hamer Sale for Boat Lovers! New Boats, Old Beats | New Gear, Old Gear Sell your own stuff _f t's not too late to reserve your spot!) ;; decompression sickness after performing an emergency ascent and temporarily losing consciousness. Almas says Dee “couldn't shed much light” on Sunday's accident: “it was dark. He got separated trom the other divers.” —Katharine Hamer . from Surrey died of saltwater drowning. : Toxicology results will not be available for several months, »-and_a police investigation is continuing as officers track down ’ the large number of witnesses to the incident. ui Chua died Sunday morning after he and another diver expe- Govt. licensed °- inspection station FALL SPECIALS : ALL SERVICE BY GOVT. REGISTERED Technicians © Motors - standard & auto, . Transmission, Brakes, ...: Clutches, Differentials, Tires, Batteries, Exhaust, Full. - Suspension Repairs, Minor &- Major Tuning by BC's top . -‘AirCare Technician, ‘Starters, Alternators, Fuel injection, etc... 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