1G - Wednesday, February 5, 1992 - North Shore News Some Versatile lands should stay industrial, NVC advised REDESIGNATING part of Versatile Pacific Shipyards’ C(VPSI) North Vancouver City waterfront land to non- industrial use would result in lost city tax revenues and a costly site clean-up. Since 1980, the city’s Official Community Plan (OCP) has resulted in too many favors for developers. . The preceding were among the comments the city received as a resuit of an open house held to invite feedback on the city's cur- rent OCP and proposed changes - to that document. Richard White, the city's assis- tant director of planning devei- opment services, said as a result of the public opinion survey, city staff are recommending several changes be made to the current OcP Among the changes proposed are: ® that the VPS! lands west of the new ship repair leasehold srea . should -be designated a special study area; @ that the 65-acre Fullerton Fil! site along the North Vancouver City waterfront should be desig- nated a special study area; @ that Queensbury Avenue and Seventh Street, Westview Drive and the Upper Levels Highway and Queensbury Avenue and 2ist Street be designated special study areas. The public was asked on the ci- ty survey to answer & series of questions on past, present and proposed development in North ~ Vancouver City. One question, while noting that the current OCP designates the entire VPSI site as industrial, ask- ed sesidents whether the western portion of the property should be designated as non-industrial. Eleven respondents strongly supported the move; five sup- ported it; two opposed it; and five strongly opposed the non-in- dustrial designation. Overall, over 70% of the respondents supported converting part of the VPSI lands to non- industrial. “f think a strong industrial base is a necessity for the well-being of a city so the lands should be kept in the short term. The VPC (Van- couver Post Corp.) long-term By Surj Rattan News Reporter plans for their holdings should be considered before changes to the OCP are implemented,’ wrote onc respondent. But another wrote: ‘‘Do you know we're breathing coal dust day after day here? You clean your deck or balcony and after a couple of hours you find a new layer of dust. Excellent for your lungs.”’ Others suggested the area be used for docking cruise ships, while others said the VPSI lands are ‘highly texic’’ and the cost of cleaning up the area would be too high. “‘Industrial-based jobs; we need them. Don't screw this up and don’t allow shipbuilding to go to the Third World,’’ wrote another respondent. On the future of the Fullerton Fill waterfront site, White said the Fullerton Lumber Co., the current owners of the 65-acre property, and the Vancouver Port Corp. (VPC) are currently negotiating the sale of the property. Another question asked, ‘“‘How would you rate the performance of the city's official community plan in guiding the city’s growth since 1980?"" Gut of 25 respondents, one tated the performance as ex- cellent, 12 rated it as good, four said the performance was ade- quate, two classified it as fair, four said it was poor and two had no Opinion on the city’s OCP per- formance. White said the public opinion survey offers support for the cur- rent OCP. “For instance, more than 80% of respondents felt that the idea of concentrating development in the town centre (central Lonsdale) was either good or excellent. Over 85% also felt that the gradual reduction of residential density outward from the town centre was an adequate, good or excellent concept to retain,’’ said White. ‘Track gets low priority THE NORTH Vancouver District 44 Board has received a lukewarm education ministry response to the board’s formal submission detail- ing a project to refurbish the Handsworth Secondary School track. The 21-year-old track is badly in need of repair, with large cracks sprouting grass and loose track material constantly being torn up with use, The ministry said it had. studied the 75-page document sent by the board and assigned a medium priority rating to the project. The board was disheartened by the ministry’s response and unan- imously approved a motion that the board chairman send a Jetter to the minister of education re- emphasizing the dire condition of the facility. The board was also informed NORTH VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD that its request for planning the expansion of the Seycove Com- maunity School has been assigned a low rating by the ministry. Planning for the schoo! will therefore be deferred for one year, at which time the board will re- approach the ministry. The board, meanwhile, passed an enabling resolution in case funds fhave to be borrowed to meet current operating expenses. The current balance is in the board’s favor due in part to inter- est earned on temporarily idle funds. The board stressed that borrow- ing funds, which nas been done rarely in the past, will cccur only when absolutely necessary. “Term Deposit, Savings, Mutual Funds... I thought all RSPs were the same.’ ome RSPs work better. for you than others. That’ why Royal Bank has RSP Specialists — to help you. Choosing an RSP takes some serious thought. Questions need to be asked. Decisions need to be made. 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