chec! IN THE wake of a number of serious brake-related truck accidents, two North Shore mayors and an MLA visited Chilliwack to inspect a portable machine that checks brakes, North Vancouver City Mayor Jack Loucks, Distriet Mayor Murray Dykeman and West Vancouver-Capilano MLA Jeremy Dalton toured the Valley Brake-Rite facility in the Fraser Valley city Wednesday. Valley Brake-Rite’s computer- ized brake testing equipment mea- sures and records — within minutes — the amount of air pressure and time required to apply brakes for multi-axle transport vehicles and ~ light trucks. A computer readout provides a breakdown of the brakes’ efficiency _and can pinpoint which brakes aren’t working. “It was pretty impressive,” said - Loucks. “Mostly because of the quickness that they can do the checking.” Dykeman liked the idea of the machine’s portability, saying -the fact it can be, used on the. road makes it more attractive. Said Dalton: “We would certain- ly encourage seeing more of these machines in the Lower Mainland. It certainly seems to be doing the job.” Before taking the tour of the plant, Dalton said the inspection of vehicle brakes, Particularly on trucks, is of “vital importance.” “The tragic accidents in West and North Vancouver simply high- Jight the importance of effective and timely inspections,” he said. An Aug. 16 rush hour accident « brakes Truck accidents spur action killed two and injured five after a semi-trailer unit's brakes failed on the Cut, The truck driver, who died in the accident, lost control, starting a chain reaction of serious crashes. A motor vehicle inspector said the brakes on the truck were so poorly adjusted, he could tum the tires by hand while the brakes were applied. In July 1990, the unadjusted brakes of a truck loaded with hot asphalt failed and the runaway vehi- cle claimed the fives of a woman and her daughter waiting ina van at Horseshoe Bay. More recently, a dump truck and trailer travelling south on Mt. Seymour Road rolled and spilled two loads of sand Aug. 24, An inspection of the vehicle indicated the trailer brakes weren't working. By lan Noble, News Reporter, and Patty Hutton, Chilliwack Times Reparter. © Minor Tune-up ® Check Battery & Charging System 9° Change Oil/Filter I" Check Fluid Levels ® Inspect all Hoses @ Pressure Test Cooling System i « Check Lights * Inspect Windshield Wipers * Inspect Brakes * Inspect Exhaust System * Check Drive Belts * Lube Alf Boor Hinges & Locks * inspect and Rotate Tires © Road Test . Please present coupon at time of purchase. Coupon nol valid with any other offer, expires Nov, 30/95 (Some restrictions apply) i CALL TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT REGENCY TOYOTA! ICBC Clalma Repair Centers Accepted QUALITY SERVICE OER SUM EET) CE EOS ES LIONS GATE HOSPITAL A Caring Community North Shore Palliative Care Program Peace, dignity and comfort fi jor ¥ the Maite ill: Us likely that many families will be touched by the need for “After the “GENUINE: PARTS: palliative care, but few understand the term. chemotherapy, after the radiation, after all other treatment avenues have been explored, there is still life to live.” says Dr. Werner Boldt, Medical Director of the North Shore Palliative Care Propram. “The goal is no longer cure, it’s comfort. And that's where palliative care comes in. Our. purpose is to help patients achieve a good quality of life.” PAM & ALAN _ SKINNER “We focus on pain management and symptom control,” adds Susan Hogman, Social Worker/Palliative Care Coordinator. “Our palliative care program provides physical, emotional and spiritual * care for terminally ill patients and their families.” Rules are relaxed as much as possible, visiting is welcomed 24 hours a day, a quiet family room is available, and families may spend the night. Fulfilling Needs “We work with individuals and families to create a plan that best -meets their needs,” says Hogman. “Over half of our patients go home again at least once after their pain has been controlled,” adds Dr. Boldt. Patients who need to be re-admitted are issued ‘green cards’ enabling them to come back to hospiral at any time. A Community Program “Our hospital unit is just one piece of the program,” says Head Nurse, Diane Lee. “The.unit has 16 beds, but because of the ceam work, approximately 75 patients can participate in the program at one time.” Besides the hospital and the Palliative Care Unit, the team includes North Shore Health, North Shore Home Support Services Society, Family Services of the North Shore, arid the Lions Gate Hospice Society. “Our palliative care program is the longest functioning one in the province: it’s unique in that it's integrated with the hospital,” says Dr. Boldt. . HOW LOCATION AFFECTS ’ VALUE There is an old saying in real estate that three factors determine the value of a house-- location, location and location! What makes a good location? First, there is the “fashionable” factor. Some neighborhoods are just trendier than others, therefore, the houses command a higher price, A beautiful home on a high traffic thoroughfare would sell for less: than its counterpart on oa quiet cul-de-sac. Convenience — to good schools, transportation, and shopping can also increase property values. Many buyers want 3 home that provides an easy commute iz , their work, and may be willing to pay top cut down travel time: Just as will strongly influence what you pay fora home, it will also determine the re- sale value. A professional Realtor will listen to what you want before showing you any propery on the North Shore, They will ask questions about where you work, what your Financial considerations are, and what neighborhood amenities are important to you, Only after this has been‘ established should they commence the search to locate the best property available in your price range. FOR FULL SERVICE IN BUYING OR SELLING, CALL US AT 988-7368 7 was ut another hospital Jor awhile, but I came back’ here becdiise this is my home. All my doctors are here, my family can be with me, my grandchildren can visit. And the nurses here go above and beyond ‘the call of duty. — Mrs. Margaret: Hamar To find out how you can contribute to Building a Place Like Home A $1.4 million upgrade of the unit is planned co bring dre 1962 facility more in line with 1996 services; so far, $400,000 has been raised, The goal is to create a place chat’s a litde more like home. “tf people are going to donate te it, they need to know what it means for them, what's in store for them in their 80's,” says Mes. Hamar. “You just never know what's going to happen to you. But I’ve received the full benefit of it (palliative care), it 's terrific and everyone should be made aware of it and support it.” Let's Build a Place Like Home Palliative Care Pam and Alan Skinner are licensed reatiors with RE/MAX Crest Realty 988-7368 Apan from their pooled educations) qualifications MBA, CGA, BSc, BA, B.Comm, Pant has an extensive background in Wills and Estates with a major trust company and Alan was Sormetly a senior banker with one of the major chuttered banks. To sontact via e-mail sklaner@dinetcu Visit our Internet site at - huyri/ewwjurokcom/skinner Atel Campaign, call 984-5785.