THE North Shore’s population targets are low com-
pared with the rate of growth planned elsewhere in the
Lower Mainland. “Preserve our liveability” is a popular
mantra of lecal municipal politicians. Even the Greater
Vancouver Regional District has accepted that our green
and forested nature is worth preserving as a backyard for
other park-challenged suburbanites. But the trade-off
for less houses and more trees will be an increasing num-
er of visitors. Not all are passive, coach-driven, suspen-
sion bridge picture-takers. Many are bringing their back-
. packs and mountain bikes with them — or worse. I sin-
cerely hope the two jeeps I encountered on the trail system to the northwest of
Northlands two weeks ago were not driven by focal boneheads. The driver of the
newer white model with the fancy-pants blue detailing was taking particular delight
in churning the carpet of ferns into a muddy bog. Mountain bikers as a group are
not this dumb — wimess the comments across the page — but a percentage of them
persist in the belief that because it’s a bike it’s ecologically safe, ignoring the point
that mountain sides, by their nature, are steeply sloped, thinly soiled and prone to
run-off in wet conditions — which are not unknown on the North Shore.

NORTH SHORE DEMOGRAPHICS
DON'T
KNOW
41%

54%

50%

38%
36%

inquiring

reporter

YES
35%
$8%
21%
27%
27%

NO

24%
28%
29%
35%

37%

Horseshoe Ba:
Dundarave/Ambleside

British Properties
Norgate/Pemberton Heights
Capilano/Delbrook Highlands |

Tom Coutts

North Vancouver

Yes, they are — as well as
hikers and equestrians.
People have to put their
time into trail maintenance.
For every hour I ride, I
commit to five minutes of
trail maintenance,

Lou Costa
Vancouver
Not as big a problem as golf
courses! (A reference to the

Northlands golf course that-

was built across several pop-
ular biking trails.)

There’s a lot-of hacks our
there riding the rear brakes,
but there’s good riders too.

Brady Fotheringham

West Vancouver

In pouring wet conditions
the North Shore is not the
place to ride. Many places to
ride have been closed in the
States and the International :
Mountain Bike Association
developed an awareness pro-

gram of which the most”. -.

important phrase is ‘Ride,
Don’t Slide.’ Leaving that
20-foot bare patch is not
cool. Siow down when
approaching others, speak
up from a distance and yield
to pedestrians and horses.

26%
21%
24%
39%

38%

20%
13%

54%
66%
39%
40%

38%

Lower Lonsdale

Central and Upper Lonsdale
Lynn Valley 371%
Blueridge/Deep Cove 21%

TOTAL, ..esccecccscossesetcerosssctsnrsasscoes 24%

HITHER AND YON |
your North Shore News. . 7 P
| PARADISE VALLEY.
[aR] SCHIOO@GL |
i OF VISUAL ART

outdoor studio adventures for young artists with:
teams of experienced art teachers and some of
Canada’s finest artists. . Hoy

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE INQUIRING REPORTER? E-mail your comments or question ideas to: miller@nsnews.com

| Back by Popular Demand!
Dr. Gabe Mirkin

North America’s most outspoken physician and radio
_ host will speak on health, nutrition and sexuality.

; . drawing, painting, sculpture &raku
for ages 13-18, July 5-10

| ..Marcus Bowcott |
. Doug Biden |
_, & Wayne Ngan

Saturday, June 6th, 9 am to 5 pm at the
Health and Living Expo at Guildford
Town Centre. Presented by:

i drawitig, painting; sculpture & raku
for ages 8-12, July 12-17

wi Charfes van Sandwyk
plus

guest artist visits & daily recreation activities
including canoeing, swimming, hiking, archery,
cave exploration & outdoor challenge games.
all in the beautiful 460 acre setting of
~ North Vancouver Outdoor School situated near
Squamish, B.C.
fully supervised by professional teaching staff
six days & five nights $549 inclusive
partial scholarships & bursaries available

Visit us at Center Court for over 24 displays featuring
products and services for a more rewarding lifestyle.
Question and answer sessions with Dr. Mirkin at 10:00 am
2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Book signing at 11:00 am and
3:00 pm, cooking demonstration at noon.

for more information please contact the Artists For Kids office
810 West 21st St., North Vancouver, B.C. V7P 2CI1

(604) 987-6667 or fax (604) 987-8967

e-mail: bmacdonald@nvancrv:schdist44.be.ca.

internet: wwwartists4kids.com

LASCA RLEUVEHRTION CLINICS 6 SPA
FAMOUS FOODS ViSIGN
CANADA

LASI