eptember ‘1B 1987 =

: gets new:
Soest assignment

anvouver’s Point Atkinson light.”
13-year-old facility vulnerable : to
vagaries of: local

“AUTOMATING: Wet
shouse would leave“the”
: vandalism, and. boaters vulnerable tothe 4

L iehthouse Keepers earn between
$20,000. ° and $30,000 annually :

waters, according 10 the lighthouse’ $ principal keeper.

Jerry “Watson. ‘made his come.

ments.in) response to —a ‘report

released: this. week . recommending”

thav 10 of B.C.'s:41. manned light
houses, including the Point .Atkin-

son’. facility, be: unmanned! im:

“mediately.
| Written by.

act “or vunmanning western
gion lightstations recommended

~ only “LL West: Coast: manned ‘light-
houses .remain® |with ©. lighthouse

~ keepers: The: remaining 30, accor-

co the> “study,”
automated ‘immediately. or. gradu-.
The report’ was commissioned by.
the. Canadian’ Coast Guard, which
hopes to save $1.8" million over the’
jnext 15 years. :

Ministry Transport,

“spokesman Micheline. Brodeur said

Friday. the plan. to ‘automate West
“Coast lighthouses - was: part: of. a’:
national : program’ to’ increase the’.
vcefficiency of Canadian lighthouses

UBC's. Dr. Paul:
: LeBlond, . the report reviewing the

“Should ‘be: .

“The role of a lighthouse keeper

‘has changed with the new advanc-
‘ed technology."*: ony
_ Watson,..one! of two full-time
lighthouse keepers at Point Atkin-

Brodeur said.

son, had no‘ argument: with: the
LeBlond «study’s assessment ‘that

the lighthouse -crew “in: West. Wan- -.

couver’s Lighthouse © Park’ station
had. attended .-very few: boater

-search and rescue incidents recent-

; light-

the: wath Shore light-

‘ly, “but there. are: other, concerns.

“Thefe would . be':a. ‘serious: ‘van-
‘-dalism problem: here. [fit is: not ae

manned,” “my: God," they. (vandals)

“here: i mean this place j

“antraction? :
“oa He added that “upkeep “of: the,
lighthouse’s, surrounding: gardens
and “lawns: was “also ‘an important:

“facet of the keeper's: duties:

: ust don't think a: ‘lighthouse:
<eeper ‘can be automated,"):. Wat:

- Classified Ads. .
Doug Collins

- What's: Going |

2 MIM.357

depending on experience.

‘The automation of Point Atkin-
son's: lighthouse,
1874, would have little impact on
its operation of : navigational aids
and other ‘safety related: services,
according to the LeBlond study. -

The: report: ‘recognized. Point

_Atkinson’s high vulnerability’ to ¢
: vandalism because of its proximity ©

a.large urban: population,” but

indicated a possible solution would »
be to provide. a-caretaker ‘for. the -
lighthouse in’ conjunction ,with the |
_ District of West Vancouver.’ :

“Director. -of Parks’ !and; Recre-
ation for. West Vancouver Frank

* Kurucz: said: the municipality cur-

rently has’a part-time caretaker for

\ Lighthouse Park: and has plans to.
hire .a ¢ full-time.” park: caretaker, :
“but: we ‘are not. in. the lighthouse -
keeper business. «We; would-be:
there for emergencies such as: fire’
fighting and first aid but our staff.
would not be able to respond .to:
rescues... We're just not ‘trained for

that kind of thing.”*
: He ‘added that vandalism in the

park has not been'a problem i in the.
+, past: ~ i a
According to LeBlond" s report,
’ unmanning Point: Atkinson would /
have a moderate impact on marine
‘weather services, while impact on
aviation weather’ reporting would .
be veryitow. ws
melt: “also ‘concluded | “that an
‘automated Point Atkinson light-:
“house. would” have’ litte: negative
“effects.on “such services*.as

surveillance and communications. «
Point’: Atkinson’s exposure, ac-

cording “to “the report, is ‘*very.

poor for winds in’ the north.:.(but)

: good for weather. for English Bay.

According ; to: the. study, , Point

Atkingon’ s* Squamish | wind: ‘repor-

ting function will ‘soon,be replaced

by a weather buoy “at: Pam Rock in”
“; Howe: Sound *and.; will? be. -sup-
‘plemented, by: the’ MAREP _(Mari-
ner: Reporting) Program in ‘Van- ‘i
-couver.’ ;

Coordination Centre: - towed. ‘one
boat..in .. distress,’
seven. boat enginesand provided
uppliés and fuel to boaters t uwice.

Watson,

lighthouse remains the first point
of ‘rescue and emergency! shelter
for the large” numbers: of. pleasure

2 craft that- sail’ in the: area and the!
heavy traffic of tugs and freighters
“going to and from [Vancouver har-
“would “be~ ‘Tunning loose “around. : a mi
a tourists.) He: said The video ‘graph machine
at. Point ’ Atkinson, which detects»
‘fog aid activates’ the lighthouse..."
fog horn automatically, would not’
“be “worth. a 'damn™’, by itself, ;
because. it: can’ be activa ted ~ by.

reflected light. a

__.f*There: would ‘be +a real noise.
= pollution: problem," Watson said:
“The fog horn Would be going off»
-all the time-and they would have to:
“flycina cre from Victoria to'shut:
vite ‘off,

“just ‘don’t, think” the
quiptient is reliable.at all.”

West ©. Vancouver :Yacht » Club:
Commodore Mike: Randall said an.
unmanned : Point Atkinson. light--:

“house would be ‘of. more concern 10°:
inter months *;
when..there .were: fewer ‘vessels uS-":

boats sailing/during

Ms ‘local walers, :
it Fdon’t think it would have

any terrific. impact, ** Randall said. | :
; aid ja: final. plan. for

emanning West Coast lighthouses

ew be formulated Olt. 9.2
Public:input- to, the plan will be:
uccepted, ‘until Sept. 25:and: should;

nadian:; ‘Coast’

splanade,: North. ?-Vancouver,

‘established: “in.

1979". “1985, Point -
* Atkinson! Keepers. have | provided
« six” visual reports! to. the Rescue.

Helped Tepair:”
-who has been’ Point;

“Atkinson’s ‘keeper: ‘for the © past:
sseven * yeurs,, said | | the “manned

AFTER “11 YEARS

heading “the editorial and*

news = department,
Wright: is:

Noel

have a
association with the paper.
News publisher: Peter Speck’
has named Wright to the honor-
ary position of associate editor.”
“In this. capacity Wright © will
continue. to. contribute: his

Ahrice-weekly Page. Six columns
“on North’. Shore issues’ and peo- ©

ple, and to.act’as a senior repre-

sentative ‘of | the’ News: “al the
“community level.: =: :

. Wright: - joined the” ‘News ‘in

1976 after a: successful’ career. in’
‘journalism, advertising ; and :
-public: relations. . Since’ then ‘the

News has moved. from: a third-

~ place locat weekly to its present:
status as. the. don

Shore

arti the way ‘the paper

“collected over: 70, regional, | na--,
tional and’ international ‘awards, :
including™:‘*Canada’s Best :
‘Suburban. :

himself ‘an. “ award- winning
‘editorial writer. : 7

n “Helping to build the ‘News in-"

toa newspaper ‘worthy ‘of, the

:North Shore has been a most sat- *
isfying and rewarding job, ” Says,

im looking forwitd to. “con-"
tinuing my. association: with! the.

paper's fine team
increased opportunit

the community.”

Taking: over from Wright as

head of. the news/and ‘editorial

“operation - is : managing - edito
, Barrett” Fisher,’ also). an: award

winning: journali ’ who has: been ©

with the News since. 1983

2% years ago “and has covered’ a

Tety of items ‘during his time at

‘the: ewspuper,, from in-depth in- :
vestigations to huma

‘of. recent ™
“contest f

-of the award: “Pm: just fortunate
-that the paper has allowed me to

retiring as’
.cditor-in-chief of the. News
— ‘but will continue : to-
close working |

ies Til. now.
have for personal i invo ement, in.

t in the spot
category,” and a third Blase. spot