Corporate aids proposed for rec facilities Layne Christensen News Reporter lehriscensen@usnews.com North Vancouver recre- ation centre members may soon be enjoying some Kellogg’s with their morning workout. North Vancouver Reereation Commission is entertuning a proposal from a North Vancouver marketing firm representing the multi- national maker of Pop Tarts, Special K and other cereal Products. If signed, the contract with M Squared Lowistics Ltd. could see the placement of billboard-size advertise- Ments in exercise rooms and adjoining areas to promote Kellogg's cereals and other health-related products The proposal was reviewed by the commission at its Jan. 13 meeting but referred back to staff for more detailed information. “The commission is always very sensitive to advertising in facilities.” said director of recreation Gary Young. “We have to walk that fine line between supporting pro- gramming and __ services through advertising revenue and maintaining an environ- ment that encourages people to participate.” 1 ponders ad Geal idvertis 1 ng bably make. it a ng NEWS photos Cindy Goodman AN informal survey of fitness-room users found little objection to the idea of advertising health-related products in recCentre facilities. According to the staff report, if approved the campaign could see the placement of approximately 40 wall posters (about four feet square and mounted in plexiglass} and floor- mounted decals in recCentre facilities. Anal revenue from the campaign was esimated at between $7,000 and $12,000, which staff recommended be targeted towards increasing youth participation in recCentre fit- Ness programs. The campaign may also include product give-aways and additional sponsorship of events like the North Shore Sport Awards and North Vancouver Tennis Tournament. M Squared Logistics, which has its headquarters in Toronto, is working to establish similar campaigns with health clubs and recreation centres across Canada. Peter Herzog, the company’s West Coast sales representative, said it was too early in discussions with recCentre staff to reveal details about the campaign. He described the campaign as “promotion-driven,” adding that “it’s not something that’s meant to be a blatant advertise- ment.” “We've got some promotional ideas for the upcoming sum- mer season. It (the campaign) is about a product, a healthy prod- uct. We're talking about a promotion in terms of a healthy way to start the day,” he said. Director of recreatson Gary Young said the commission may again consider the proposal at its next meeting, Feb, 10, but that its acceptance would be conditional on first secking the public's input through focus groups or other survey means. “Clearly the public want to be assured that they're listened to in this process,” said Young. An informal poll of Lonsdale recCentre users, conducted by the News, showed there were no objections to advertising in the fitness room. “It doxsn’t bother me because there's advertising every- where,” one patron told a reporrer. {f the commission gives the campaign the go-ahead, it won't be the first time it will have benefitted from advertising revenues. The commission has accepted advertising in its Leisure Services Guide for 15 years and on arena boards for five. And fast July, the recreation commission announced a five- year partnership with North Shore Credit Union (NSCU) to oromote its new Playcard. The credit union’s loge is prominently featured on the card, which recCentre members can use to register for programs by phone. Cardholders receive bonus points that can be cashed in for cost savings on recreation programs and services. The agreement also includes a series of NSCU Financial Wailness seminars offered at recCentres as well as fiture joint ccnumunity initiatives. ‘Young said the oartnership was indicative of a new wave in peemotions-based advertising. “Te used to be that companies just wanted to get their name out. Now, rather than just trying to get their name out, they are trying tc associate with positive lifestyle,” he said. Reform MP bl for hockey batiout p Bob Mackin News Reporter bmackin@usnews.com THE federal Liberals deserve a game misconduct for offering to bail out Canada’s National Hockey League teams. That’s the conclusion of North Vancouver Reform Party MP Ted White. He said he hasn’t received a single phone call, letter or e-mail message supporting the plan announced Tuesday by Industry minister John Manley. “Jr's a terrible waste of money when we have a health care systemi in crisis, we have prairie farmers needing assistance and here’s a federal govern:ient blowing moncy on NHL teams,” White said. “The NHLis in a free market situation and can negotiate any salaries and conditions it wants, but please don’t ask for a taxpayer subsidy to achieve that,” White continued. “We recog- nize the taxes are too high for everybody in the country, workers, companies, the NHL, and that’s why we keep pressuring (finance minister) Paul Martin to lower the taxes. If we could get taxes down, the NHL would be in a better posi- tion.” asts feds lan Manley said the federal government would negotiate aid packages for each of Canada’s six franchises. The deals would be conditional upon support from provincial and municipal govern- ments and the league itself. Funds and/or tax relief would be available ental the 2003-2004 fis- cal year when the NHL Players’ Association’s contract expires. Toronto Liberal MP Dennis Mills, who con- ducted an omnibus study of sports in Canada, told the News in October that the NHLPA must be part of any solution, otherwise there will be no public support. “In 1980 when we were about to lose Chrysler, all the guys in the CAW rolled their $12-an-hour wages back to 11 bucks just to save the company,” said Mills, who conducted an omnibus study of Canada’s sport system in 1998. “We're not asking the players to do that, bur they've got to do something.” University of B.C. wack and field coach Marek Jedrzejek said it’s ridiculous the govern- ment wants to help millionaires when amateur athletes are desperate for funding. Jedrzejek coaches West Vancouver cross-country runner David Milne. Milne, he said, will have to raise $1,800 to travel and compete in the world cross-country championships in Portugal in March. NEWS photo Mike Wakefield Stabbing reported NORTH Vancouver Mounties quickly responded to a report on Wednesday afternoon of a stabbing in the 1300-block of Lonsdale Avenue. Three people were invelved In a scuffle. it turned out, however, that no one had been stabbed. missed by fain Bob Mackin News Reporter TERRY Wan: please call home. Or call Pauline Thomas. Your family and a friend want to know that you are safe, wherever you are. The 19-year-old Burnaby man went missing Nov. 23 from West Vancouver and has- n’t been seen since. Wan came to West Vancouver at age 14 from Taiwan to study at Rockridge middle school and lived at Thomas’ home. His parents Peter and Wendy and younger brother Steven emigrated to Canada in 1997 and Terry moved into their Burnaby house. Wan turned 19 on Oct. 27 last year while studying at See Dispute page &