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A8- Sunday, September 18, 1983 - North Shore News

‘RECOMMENDATION FRIDAY
e nearing the end

THE BATTLE over where North and West Van-
couver buses will be parked is coming to a head.

The Vancouver Regional
Transit Commission will for-
ward a recommendation to
the board of directors of
B.C. Transit this “week on
whether the North Shore will
be served by a single depot in
West Vancouver, a single
North Vancouver location or
a system of three satellite
stations.

And, while all parties ap-
pear to have ruled out the
first possibility, West Van-
couver and North Vancouver
politicians are sharply split
over the remaining two
Options.

That leaves the matter in
the hands of the commission,
which will forward its recom-
mendation to the board on
Friday, and then up. to the
board which meets at the end
of this month to reach a
decision.

The conflict between the
two North Shore
municipalities over the final
location is raging around a
consultant’s report issued
earlier this year.

But the arguments being
put forward inyolve
everything from West Van-
couver’s prime goal of main-
taining from West Van-
couver’s prime goal of main-
taining a separate identity for
its municipally-run Blue Bus
system to North Vanocuver
District’s obvious interest in
picking up an_ estimated
$177,000 a year in property
tax revenue.

As far as West Vancouver

By MARK HAMILTON

Municipal council and staff
are concerned it is the need to
Maintain the separate identity
of the Blue Buses that is para-
mount in the fight.

A staff reaction to the May
31 consultant’s report that
recommends a single station
site in North Vancouver lists
that as the municipality’s
first priority.

That, and the perceived
need to conform with land
use regulations and select the
best site in terms of corridors
of service, has convinced
West Van council that the
best option is one that would
see Satellite stations in West
Vancouver (located near
Klahanie Park on the former
site of the Lions Gate Motel),
in| North Vancouver and,
eventually, in the Dollarton
Highway area.

That view is given a lower
priority by MacLaren
Plansearch, the group that
prepared the report on the
situation, and by North Van
District council which favors
a single site for both the in-
dependent West Vancouver
buses and those that serve
North Van through the
Metro Transit Operating
Company.

West Van council disputes
the consultants’ findings in at

least one aspect, deciding
that the cost figures for
‘"dead-heading’’ — moving

empty buses to and from the

station to their routes — have Van’s Blue Bus system is re-

been underestimated. tained as a separate
West Van feels that the  identity.’’

dead-heading costs are District wants the station

greater than have been located at Llioyd and

estimated. McBride, the site recom-
At a recent meeting, mended by McLaren

District council voted to offer
the land that would be used
for such a station at a lease
rate of $1 a year ‘‘for the
period during which West

Plansearch as meeting the
most objective for a new sta-
tion at the best cost.
Tempering council’s deci-
sion is the possibility that a

large, single site would pro-

vide the district with an
estimated $177,000 in tax
revenue a year.

That leaves a thorny issue
in the hands of the regional
transit directors who, on
Sept. 30, are scheduled to
make a decsion that will leave
one of the municipalities
unhappy.

SEPTEMBER
is TIME TO JOIN

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Dr. & Mrs. Murray Cameron are pleased to announce the mar-
riage of their son, Fergus James Cameron to Lorraine Starr
Comberbach, Saturday, September 10, 1983. The wedding was
solernnized at St. Davids United Church followed by a reception at the

University Club. After a honeymoon in the Virgin Islands the couple
will make their home in Vancouver.

986-6222

Happy 21st Birthday
you handsome Viking
Cheers to ya, Tom
Love Mom, Dad, Zen Longhi
and Vicki