Protester disrupts GVRD committee meeting on local watershed logging “THE CONTROVERSIAL subject of logging in the Capilano and Seymour watersheds took a back seat to other issues during this Clayoquot summer until Thursday when Burnaby RCMP were called in to remove one water- shed logging opponent from a Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) water committee meeting. Sylvia Osberg, 63, disrupted the meeting to no avail because com- - mittee members eventually en- dorsed a recommendation to » aerially ‘harvest a 36-hectare cutblock in the Capilano water- shed using helicopters. The two-fold criteria behind the . endorsement is to test a new log- “ging method and to remove snags and other debris left over from earlier forest fires. Only North Vancouver. District Mayor. and committee member By Cheryl Ziola Contributing Writer Murray Dykeman opposed the recommendation. The cutblock still requires GVRD board and provincial forest ministry approval. Osberg, a Port Coquitlam resi- dent not affiliated with any en- vironmental group, called com- mittee members ‘‘a bunch of . dumb-bells, Imagine compromis- les LY ing our watersheds for jobs. Have you no other answers? I hope you're all turfed out in November (after the municipal election).”’ Committee chairman and New Westminster mayor Betty Toporowski was forced to call the Burnaby RCMP to remove Osberg before the meeting could continue, resulting in a half-hour delay. Two Burnaby RCMP. officers escorted Osberg outside the com- mittee room. The RCMP told the News no charges will be laid against her. Following the tumultuous meeting, Dykeman said he voted against the logging recommenda- tion because only one logging company submitted a bid for wa- tershed staff consideration. Dykeman said he wanted the | Enclave revitalization sought Developers. present proposals for self-contained community -NESTLED ‘AROUND’ West “Vancouver? s’ Park Royal “ Hotel is a quiet backwater “that: slumbers . like’ an en- ‘chanted princess... “By Maureen Curtis ‘Contributing Writer. ‘Poised: to . awaken. that. en- chanted ..princess isa. group of ‘people convinced’ that the under- * used.area near.the Capilano River . has: the potential. of becoming a - park-like village-style community created: through ‘a ‘fresh ‘approach ‘to planning and zoning. The area’ is just east of Taylor Way;' immediately “north of Marine Drive, on the west bank of the Capilano River. ‘At: this ‘point it’ is home ‘0° parking’ lots’ and a “few. . bland “ structures clustered about the con- "vergence : of. the 600-block Clyde ' Avenue’ and Sixth Street. ° » But: focal revitalization of what “calling the Park. Royal Hotel “Neighborhood, after cits Most > charming feature. | a i “Right “now, “it _ (the area) i “dead,”’ says Vice-president of. British | Pacific _ Properties Ltd., - property in the area. © ‘Two. years ago, West Vancouver ‘“\Mayor...Mark. Sager convinced ~ Langridge to delay. plans to build. “a conventional! three-storey office . building. and instead join the 11 ‘other landowners to come up with ‘a comprehensive development plan for the whole area. _, The resulting’ proposal would -allow mixed commercial and resi- dential use that could house pro- fessional residences, where a den- tist,:for example, could live above : his office in a well landscaped two-storey building with a . Classified Ads 7 Comics .. “BB Crossword... .. 1 property, “owners | believe ‘the ‘time. is ripe for’ a; they’re.- ’Phitip Langridge, : which ° owns — roof garden. A colonnade..of trees, with plazas and a lookout would create a ‘pedestrian area along Clyde Avenue, while fountains and paths would enhance the connection to = the Capilano ‘River and an im- . proved river walk. There would be a departure ' 4&6 Right now, (the area) is dead. 9¥ —Philip Langridge British Pacitic Properties Ltd. from the traditional method of ‘designating separate places for ‘living, dining, ‘shopping,’ working ‘and pursuing recreation. : Proponents believe that creating ‘a. self-contained enclave where people could work and live might solve many social and en- vironmental problems’ associated with urban living such as traffic, exhaust . pollution, .suburban -loneliness and urban sprawl. Night and day occupation of an area makes it safer; sidewalk cafes and” a modest performing arts: ‘ centre built on municipal property across from the Park Royal Hotel would make it more vital. Currently, each. zone carries height, size and density restrictions that the architects are hoping to loosen, “Density is what about, but it is kind of mean- ingless...[t doesn’t deal with things like design and context,’’ says one of the architects, Robert Burgers, who has stood before West Van- couver District Council on numerous occasions for numerous proposals. Instead; it is proposed that the property owners, who would be developing their land over time, would agree to overall design index Cruise Feature Kids’ Stuff z Travel we fight guidelines, such as a water theme and the use of brick on all of the facades. After two years of study and design, the Park Royal Hotel Neighborhood Association is anxious to have the appropriate community plan and, zoning bylaws drafted so that a public hearing can be held this fall. According to Langridge, municipal staff. shouldn’t be so worried about “plugging all the holes” in the zoning. “This is now a development permit area; each of us. (land- owners ) has to go back to council for everything we want to.do,”’ he argues. Burgers says the proposed den- sity is lower than what ‘‘could” be built under current .. regulations, but West Vancouver Coun. Andy Danyliu. says the comparison ‘is not valid. While attracted to the design, he is concerned that the new zoning would clear the way for a rumored redevelopment of Beacon Hill Lodge. on the banks of — the Capilano River for residential use and the relocation of chronic care facilities for seniors. Laura Lee Richard, West Van- couver planner, says residential/ commercial! mixes have worked well in the municipality and con- firms that multiple family resi- dences are in demand. “But the worst thing is to rush these things ... Rush and then we have to live with it,’’ she says. Mayor Sager says he is pleased with the concept being developed for an enhanced gateway to West Vancouver and the experimental method of involving the public and all of the landowners — be- fore approaching council with a proposal, “I’m pleased they’re working together and opening up the pro- cess to other people,’’ said Sager. Weather | fonday, Tuesday: sunny with cloudy periods. There is a 30% chance of showers Tuesday. Lows of 10°C. Highs of 19°C, wiet cor opportunity to consider other harvesting bids before any deci- sion was made. Bui Dykeman admitted that he still supports the reasons behind harvesting the cutblock despite the unanimous opposition of his own North Vancouver District Council. The fact that the GVRD stands to make little profit from the harvesting, about $3,000, is irrele- vant, Dykeman added. “It’s not meant to be profit- driven,”’ he said, citing the reduc- tion of fire hazards in the water- shed as being more ‘important than profit. The vice-president of the ‘Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC), Paul Hun- dal, who also attended the meeting, said that while he agreed er with Osberg’s sentiments’ he disagreed with her disruptive style. ‘“‘We don’t believe in disrupting meetings. But she had a good un- derstanding of the facts. Her comments were very appropriate.”’ Hundal also agreed that some of the stands that pose a fire haz- ard should be thinned, but not . to the extent proposed by the water committee, especially on some of the steeper slopes. . Logging in the : cutblock’s steeper areas runs the risk of- causing landslides into’ creeks and . eventually the water supply, he said. “Then you: have to manage it after,’’ he said. ‘‘This is just a make-work project for the IWA (International . Woodworkers of America-Canada loggers union).” Duchess Avenue. Taylor Way NEWS srephic Jacqueline ‘Johnson Traffic a big stumbling a block in Clyde upgrade — TRAFFIC CONSIDERA: TIONS could make or break the future of the proposed revitalization of: Clyde Avenue’s Park Royal Hotel neighborhood. WEST VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL ‘py Maureen Curtis the northeast of West Vancouver’s busiest in-. tersection (Taylor Way and Marine. Drive) at the entrance to the municipality, . hood is a physically enclosed bot- tleneck. Although the design concept for its overhaul would create a pedes- trian feel, Coun. Andy. Danyliu is concerned that it would exacerbate Located to existing traffic problems and their: impact on the Glenmore neigh-. borhood to the narth. During rush hours, cars leaving the neighborhood must turn right up Taylor Way. Motorists. wishing to go south often turn onto Keith Road and then make a U-turn so they can go back down Taylor Way. Danyliu says added multiple family residential development in the area would increase such ac- tivity. “That’s two more cars per fam- ily turning onto Taylor Way,’’ he says. West. Vancouver Mayor Mark Sager believes the traffic situation the neighbor-' in the Park Royal Hotel: -neighbor- : ‘ hood: could be'much worse. if ‘it were . fully ; developed under. the’. current zoning.» : “There; are better ways to take’ we people ‘through this and the Park Royal. area .., than to leave it-as: ° " said Sager. an wn renovation of the existing east an parkade' on Taylor Way, ‘which! -- accesses Park Royal’s north, mail and Taylor Way. by ramp, could improve ‘the situation. N.D. :-Lea Consultants, which examined several options for area traffic improvements, recommends removal of the current north- bound ramp from the parkade, the - addition of a two-way ramp from the Taylor. Way overpass: onto Clyde, and the addition of public transit service into the neighbor- hood, — mo The. company’s report: was based on traffic data taken before’ the addition of the Westroyal. Towers at the southeast corer. of Marine and Taylor Way. The towers are not yet full. . Municipal engineer Gordon . MacKay has pointed out: in his. report that directing traffic onto a° privately owned ramping system could create a host of complica-: tions. The proximity of Lions Gate Bridge and concerns about _ its safety is another factor, Danyliu | believes should be considered be- fore proceeding with the rezoning. “We should hold off until we know what is happening with the bridge,” Danyliu says.