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Wednesday, June 2, 1993 — North Shore News - 3

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Gleneagles residents blast Crown Corp’s development proposals for WV land

BC RAIL outlined five options at meetings heid Monday

to discuss the possible

development of the Gleneagles

right-of-way property in West Vancouver.

In 1978, BC Rail leased approx-
imately 22 acres (8.8 hectares) of
the right-of-way to West Van-
couver for 10 years for $40 per
year. The lease was renewed an-
nually following the initial 10-year
period.

The land has been used for
parking at the Gleneagles Golf
Course, the Horseshoe Bay ferry
terminal, the Seaview Walk and a
soccer field.

The options include:

*selling the land to West Van-
couver or a third party;

e subdividing the land into RS4
and RS2 lots (approximately 44
lots);

* subdividing the land adjacent to
the Gleneagles Golf Course into

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

the golf course for higher densily
and deed the remainder to West
Vancouver at no cost (approxi-
mately 140 multi-family units).

BC Rail said its basic objectives
associated with the Gleneagles
right-of-way are to:

e realize the value of the land
based on existing zoning entitle-
ment;

e establish a long-range use for
the land based on the views of the
community;

* if possible, maintain the Seaview
Walk.

This week's series of j meetings ¢ on

_ 44200 area residents said no
development proposals should be
allowed on the right-of-way. 99

RS4 and RS2 lots and sell the re-
mainder, about 26 lots, to West
Vancouver;

*rezoning the land adjacent to
the golf course for: higher density,
subdivide portions of the re-
mainder into RS4 lots and deed
the unused land to West Van-
couver at no cost (approximately
75 multi-family units and 25 RS4
lots);

rezoning the land adjacent to

the issue follows one held last
week by the Gleneagles Ratepayers
Association. About 200 urea resi-
dents said no development pro-
posals should be allowed on the
right-of-way.

An information sheet handed to
those who attended a meeting on
Monday noted that the only BC
Rail option that would allow the
retention of the Seaview Walk
would require the construction of

Va

“HORSESHOE
BAYS

BC RAIL PROPERTIES
GLENEAGLES RIGHT OF WAY

GLENEAGLES
GOLF
COURSE

Ay

140) multi-family units. That
would result in the loss of a soccer
field and overflow parking at the
Gleneagles Golf Course.

The right-of-way was purchas-
ed by the original Pacific Great
Eastern Railway.

It runs from the entrance of the

Uperade for NVC business area could hit $1.5M

AN ACTION plan for the revitalization of Lonsdale
Towncentre was unveiled to an audience of close to 100
merchants, ‘property owners and residents Monday night
at a meeting at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel.

Outlined were 38 courses of
action, which, if implemented,
could cost over $1.5 million.

Consultants,. however, were
quick to point out that any cost
figures were preliminary
estimates.

But several potentially expen-
sive actions in the list carry no
cost projections at present, in-
cluding the establishment of arts
and. cultural facilities and the
provision for a shuttle bus/
trolley service along Lonsdale.

Other ‘‘big ticket’’ items in-
clude:

@ “gateway entrances’ at each
end of. Lonsdale Towncentre
($25,000 to $100,000);
@ ‘‘landmarks and focal
points”? in both Lower and Cen-
tral Lonsdale ($100,000);

1 @ “civic plazas’? at the foot of

Lonsdale and and at 14th Street
($400,000);
@ landscaping and street fur-
niture for six blocks in Central
Lonsdale and two blocks in
Lower Lonsdale ($400,000).

But many other actions were
listed that should cost little or
nothing to implement.

These include:

_ @.a series of parking initiatives
that range from angle parking in
Lower Lonsdale to business
validated parking throughout the
towncentre;

By Martin Millerchip
Contributing Writer

@ marketing and _ business
strategies;

@ plans for
movement;
@ increased and
signage;

@ a street banner program in-
corporating maritime/historic
themes.

North Vancouver museum
director Robin Inglis said the
musuem would strongly support
efforts to strengthen maritime
and heritage images throughout
the area.

North Vancouver City planner
Gary Penway told the meeting
that last year council directed
staff to talk with residents and
businesses along the Lonsdale
corridor to reach agreement on
ways to improve the town centre.

The Lonsdale Towncentre
study area is bounded by the
Upper Levels Highway to the
north, the waterfront to the
south between Mahon and
Forbes avenues to the west and
St. Andrews Avenue to the east.

The area has been classified as
a regional towncentre by the
Greater Vancouver Regional
District.

The classification is aimed at

safer pedestrian

improved

increasing job growth near where
people live, making high quality
transit viable and providing a
focus for cultural, educational
and specialized services.

Density was on the minds of
many merchants at Monday
night’s meeting as a number of
speakers argued that with an in-
creased core population there
would be enough customers in
the area without having to at-
tract business from elsewhere.

“Unless you have a real com-
prehensive plan you are just
tinkering. You can spend an
awful lot of time and money
competing with a shopping cen-
tre,’’ said Ken Kerr.

Kerr later told the News that
“nobody will invest big dollars
in seasonal trade,””

Asked Kerr, ‘‘What do you do
when the tourists are not there?’’

Another issue that drew some
agreement was the SeaBus ter-
minal’s drab design and the fact
that the first experience of the
North Shore for many visitors is
a walk past grey plywood and a
concrete cavern with billboards.

“We've gone to great trouble
to recreate the New York sub-
way above ground,’’ commented
one speaker.

Merchants and area residents
who would like to participate in
setting action plan priorities be-
fore it goes to council may ob-
tain further information from
Gary Penway at North Van-
couver City Hall, 985-7761
(local 216).

a: ee ey

a

BC RAIL Is examining
alternate uses for a
26.8-acre (10.7-hectare)}
portion of railway
right-of-way.

aa
pan

"BRITISH
PROPERTIES

UPPER LEVERS HWY,

4
NEWS graphic Jacqueline Johnson

Nelson Creek Tunnel, south and
west around Fisherman’s Cove
and through to the north side of
Horseshoe Bay.

It also includes adjoining
smaller parcels of land acquired
by BC Rail Properties over the
years.

The total area is approximately
26.8 acres (10.7 hectares).

Most of the land is zoned .RS4.
Some is zoned RS2.

Both zoning designations allow
for single-family residential de-
velopment.

In 1972, a PGE train derailed
along the Gleneagles right-of-way
and virtually destroyed two houses
located in the 5800-block of
Marine Drive.

Less than two months later, the
PGE became BC Railway Co. The
company built the Nelson Creek
Tunnel to eliminate the danger cof
further accidents along the
Gleneagles right-of-way.

The tunnel was completed in
1974 at a cost of $2.5 million.

BC Rail has retained ownership
of the right-of-way for almost 20
years as insurance in case the
Nelson Creek Tunnel was ever
blocked.

The company recently decided
to hold a public consultation pro-
cess to “examine some alternate
uses for our unused railway
right-of-way.”

BC Rail is in the process of de-
veloping a draft plan for for the
Gleneagles right of way.

Public workshops on the right-
of-way issue continue on Thurs-
day, June 3, from 3:30 p.m. to
5:30 p.m. and again from 7:30
p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in. the Fairview
Room of the Gleneagles Golf
Course Clubhouse, 6190 Marine
Dr.

Sessions will be held Saturday,
June 5, at 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m.
and 3:30 p.m.

The workshops are limited to 25
people per session. It is nec¢ssary
to register to attend.To register
for a meeting, call Mary Cue. at

984-5423.

Rescue team locates
hiker after night on
Grouse Mountain

A. VANCOUVER man_ is

lucky to be alive after
spending a night in bushes
on Grouse Mountain.

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

And rescue officials said the
man probably would have died if
le had had to spend a second
night on the mountain.

North Shore Search and Rescue
search manager Ron Royston said
Charles Howell, 31, and two
others had left Lynn Headwaters
Park at about 4 p.m. on Satur-

' day, May 29, for a hike to Grouse

Mountain.

He said the three were dressed
lightly in shorts, sneakers and
iight sweaters.

The trio ate the small amount

_ of food they had with them dur-

ing their first night on the moun-
tain,

Howell’s two friends managed
to walk out of the bushes on
Sunday morning and alert the
police, but Howell was too weak
to make it out of the area on his
own,

Royston said North Shore
Search and Rescue was alerted at
about 9:48 a.m. on Sunday ard
about 20 search and rescue team
members were deployed in the
hunt for Howell.

He said. that Howell did not
have enough strength to walk out
by himself,

According to Royston, Howell
had said he had seen the search

NORTH VANCOUVER
paramedic Tim Jones

helicopter drop off rescue person-
ne} several hours before he was
found, but didn’t have the
strength to wave at searchers even
though he was only about 500 feet
(152 m) away from them at the
time.

“He was quite incoherent...,’’
Royston said. ‘‘I don’t think he
would have made it if he had to
spend another cold night on the
mountain.” ;

He added that Howell was cold
and wet from a downpour on
Saturday night when he was found
near a designated helipad area of
Grouse Mountain.

North Vancouver paramedic
Tim Jones, who treated Howell at
the scene, said Howell’s body
temperature was 34° C (93.2° F)

See Missing hiker page 5