3 - Wednesday, April 16, 1986 — Norih Share News B.C. TRANSIT ALLOWS LONSDALE QUAY DOCKING NORTH SHORE residents will havea Lonsdale Quay t to Expo site ferry shuttle service. After running into what he says has been rough licensing seas, the operator of the service has been given a tentative go-ahead by B.C. Transit to construct a dock adja- cent to North Vancouver's SeaBus station. Centurion industrial Marine Inc. ma owner Les Abraham said Friday his service was given Expo 86 ap- proval in January. Director of transit properties for (B.C. Transit Dale Lapointe said ‘Tuesday Abraham will probably ‘receive official written approval m : ‘Wednesday. The shuttle, he said will have ‘very little impact on the oF Seabus operation. Basically, it’s aa just a right-of-way through our lot.” The service will run from May through to October. ; 1 by * & £ # { By TIMOTHY RE N Reporter Abraham’s 50-foot Georgia Master ferry should make its first run from North Vancouver May 2, he said. . Powered by two, 375- horsepower diesel engines, the ferry will make 10 round trips dai- ly, runniag hourly from docking facilities at the foot of Chesterfield Avenue adjacent to the SeaBus. The seven nautical mile trip from the Quay to Expo's marine gate will take 30 minutes. Though capable of 35 knots, cruising speed of the Georgia Master will, because of heavy har- bos traffic, be 25 knots. Abraham said ferry capacity will BUSINESSMAN RECE! VES $630 Versatile Pacific drops - appeal on Inlet oi Park marinas were affected by the NORTH VANCOUVER businessman Gerry Berg received a “cheque for $630 Monday from Versatile Pacific Shipyards Inc. after the shipbuilding company dropped its appeal of a court decision over a 1983 oil spill into Burrard Inlet. . On May: 30, 1985, Berg was awarded $420 by North Vancouver provincial court, Judge I. Henley, after Versatile (formerly Burrard Yarrows) was found to be negligent in the Jan. 18, 1983 oil By TIMOTHY. RENSHAW News Reporter bunker C leaked from the freighter while it was in the shipyard for repairs. 4: eA nen ae TEN ON ET te ST RR PE Sg ADEN spill from the Star Luzon. 100 barrels of' Approximately 50 boats moored ‘An. estimated in Mosquito Creck and Whytectiff be 50, One-way tickets will be $9 for adults and $7 for children and seniors. “The service will be first-class,”’ Abraham said, “the difference be- tween Greyhound and B.C. Tran- sit." Abraham said he had been working for two. years to get ap- proval from Expo 86 for his ferry service, and had run into a number of licensing problems with North Vancouver City. TURNED DOWN Proposed docking facilities for the Georgia Master at the Seven Seas’ restaurant and directly in front of the Lonsdale Quay park were’ both turned down by city administration. “ E would have thought that dur- ing a transportation fair, everybody would have wanted to spill spill. Average cost of cleaning the boats was $350. Berg said Monday that receiving his cheque was ‘‘quite a victory,’ but added that he will end up los- ing $1,000 after all his legal bills are paid. a Versatile president Don Challinor said. Tuesday his com- pany has always disclaimed liabili- ty in the spill, ‘‘because we were misinformed when the vessel came into the shipyard for repairs.’ f North Van ferry shuttle f steams ahead to Expo participate,’ Abraham said, ‘but it wasn't so in this case.** Impetus for setting up the ser: vice from the North Share, he said, was “because the North Shore will be faced with a fot of commuter and traffic congestion during the Expo period. Look at rush hour now.’* But North Vancouver City Mayor Jack Loucks said’ Friday, “We were not against his service, but the wharf at Lonsdale Quay was built for the public, not for somebody to come in and run a business from. Council felt, and still, feels, very strongly about that.’’ He added that Abraham's pro- posal to dock at the Seven Seas ran into problems when the restau- rant’s owner Diamond Almas real- ized he would have to renegotiate his lease with the city: if Cen- turion’s ferry were to dock there. NEWS photo Jan Smith DEBBIE RIDDELL comforts ‘her dog Jack as s the animal awaits an appointment with his veterinarian, Jack is a lucky dog because his mistress knows the importance of taking him for regular check-ups. Veterinarians across Canada are promoting animal health this week, News writer Kim Pemberton talks to a local veterinarian and reports on health care for pets on page 45, Mayor Quay was built for the public, not for somebody to come in and run a business from.”* NORTH VANCOUVER Jack Loucks... Lonsdate City staff originally cirned down Abraham's application to dock at the Seven Seas and at Lonsdale Quay park, because both sites were considered inappropriate and would conflict with the existing Cates tug operation. Abraham said the cost of faun- ching his shuttle operation was now close to $300,000. He declin- ed to give an estimate of the costs needed to install docking facilities at the SeaBus location, saying only “it will be a lot. Much more ex- pensive than if } had been allowed to operate from either of the other two sites." The Georgia Master, Abraham said is a refurbished 42-foot boat that he designed in 1974. For shuttle information call 1- 943-0012 . |Bus stop ads| Stamped out | BUS STOP benches emblazoned with advertisements will soon be a thing of the past in North Van- couver District neighborhoods. Council imposed a ban on. the ; ‘offensive’ benches Monday. : During an in-camera session, district council voted to phase out bench advertising in all residential areas by Dec. 31. Ald. Ernie Crist told council he wanted the ad-laden benches removed immediately, but’ added the contractors who supply the benches need lead time before the benches are pulled at the end of the year. “These advertisements are not appropriate for neighborhoods,” Crist said. ‘I wish we could get rid of them tomorrow, but we must give the people involved more time — it’s only fair.’ / The ban — sparked by residen- ; tial complaints about the ‘unat-:’ tractive’ benches — means the’ district will now have to supply its own bus stop benches in residential areas. Contractors previously supplied the municipality with benches’ — complete with advertisements... INDEX Weather: Wednesday and Thursday, cloudy with showers. 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