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inanckal needs

Flagship branch
brings all
members of
Royal Bank
Financial Group

under one roof

“It's the most convenient
branch for clients of all the
places I’ve ever worked,”
says Royal Bank North Shore
Area manager, Richard
Ramey. The 30-year career
banker is referring to Royal
Bank's new $8 million
flagship branch and regional
office at Lonsdale Ave and
18th St. in North Vancouver.

“It's one-stop financial
shopping, pure and simple,”
says Ramey. “And we have all
the services under one roof:
from Personal Financial
Services and Business
Banking to investment advice
and witis and estate
planning.”

Ramey says putting all
members of Royal Bank
Financial Group in one
location means better service
for clients. “We can give
clients every service they'll
need throughout their entire
lifecycte.”

Royal Trust and RBC
Dominion Securities are

housed at the new location,
in addition to the bank's
Personal Financial Services
and Business Banking areas.

“It really gives clients the
opportunity to take full
advantage of the strengths
of the Royal Bank Financial
Group,” says Bill Cooke,
regional vice-president for
Royal Trust.

Fantastic addition
David French, manager, RBC
Dorninion Securities, North
Shore, agrees: “It’s a
fantastic addition to the line-
up of services. Dominion
Securities has a physical
presence in North Vancouver
that we didn’t have before.
Making life easier for clients
was the guiding rule for
everything we did.”

One example of that
convenience is parking...a
sore point with many clients
before. “We have 46
underground and 10 above
ground stalls,” says Ramey.
“in addition, the branch is
fully accessible for persons
with disabilities. Three
Personal Touch Banking
machines and an Account
Updater are available 24
hours a day, seven days a
week. And inside the branch
full service is available six
days a week, including teller
service for transactions as
well as our two Royal Direct

telephone kiosks.”

North Vancouver Mayor jack
Loucks says the facility is a
plus for the area. “ With its
attractive architecture and
landscaping the branch is a
weicome addition to our
plans for a revitalized central
Lonsdale area.”

Local architect Wally Moroz,
who designed the building,
says the branch was
designed not only for clients
but to be a good fit with the
character of Upper Lonsdale
Ave. “We wanted to achieve
a more intimate, pedestrian-
friendly building that was
compatible with existing
buildings along Lonsdale
Ave.”
Building integrated
Examples such as the third
flocr set back from the
main street facades gives
the look of a lower building
which matches the existing
streetscape. The reflective
glass captures the images of
the surrounding buildings
and varying moods of the
sky which integrates the new
structure into the buildings
already there. And the
canopies that follow the full
length of both street facades,
not only serve for weather
protection but gives the
corner of 18th St. a focal
point.

Moroz adds that street trees,
benches, patterned brick
walkways, decorative lighting
and landscaping all serve to
provide pedestrian comfort
along the fuil length of the

building.

Ramey is

unabashedly proud

of the branch.

“It shows Royal

Bank's

commitment to

the i

North Shore. We jag

are celebrating

our 100 year

anniversary in

British

Columbia this

year and we've had a
presence in North Vancouver
for more than 85 years. This
is tangible proof we want to
be a major player in the
economic well-being of the
city. Long-term prospects for
the city and North Shore area
are bright and we want to be
part of it.”

Ramey also cites changes to
Royal Bank’s network of
branches on the North
Shore particularly in West
Vancouver, “Last year we
converted our West
Vancouver Main branch at
17th and Marine Drive into a
one-stop personal financial
centre, offering a full range
of Royal Bank, Royal Trust
and Dominion Securities
services. And our Park Royal
branch has a Royal Trust and
RBC Dominion Securities
presence on specific days of
the week. We're working
hard to make sure our eight
North Shore branches (see
Royal Bank has the North
Shore Covered) continue to
give our clients what they
want."

Sunday, January 12, 1997 - North Shore News - 23

Members of Royal Bank
Financial Group from

fs etal Ce
BS

seminars.