I} - North Shore News ~ Tourism Gulde °88

ridge is gateway to Park Royal area

SPANNING BURRARD Inlet be-
tween Vancouver's: Stanley Park
and the North Shore is the Lions
Gate Bridge, a one-time private
toll bridge opened in 1938. —
Built by the Guinness bees-brew-
ing family for the then-princely
sum of «six million dollars, the

bridge sports a 1,550-foot clear’

span, a compromise with. the local
shipping community that wanted it
to have an {,800-foot clear span.
Visitors may notice a small cross
bridge at mid-span. Until 1975, the

Vancouver . Harbor Signal. station -
-made. its home there overlooking .

the waterways. aad
Originally built. with tivo lanes,
the bridge. was ‘revamped shortly

after, opening by “creating. three
narrower lanes,” the centre reserved .

for overtaking, ©
‘Bought. by" “the: provincial. gov-
ernment” in- “1963, . the bridge
“underwent ' further’. changes: - toll
booths were removed ‘and the cen-
tre lane alternated directions.

“Cables supporting. the deck are.

13%4-inches in diameter and 3,400

fect long; each. of the cubles is

made up of 61° separate
prefabricated strands.

)..  Appreximately 60,000 Vehicles a
- day travel over the bridge, ‘which is:

au. important commuter. link - be-
tween’ the : North. Share . and
downtown Vancouver." °°

“eL think.. it’s Ja - . tremendous

landmark’ at the: entrance “of. the :

-port,”* noted Dan Williams, assis-_

taut, district.” Manager ° for’ the |.”

portation, and.

Highways, the previncial gov-
ernment department responsible
for the bridge. :

“T sec it as a worldwide symbol
as the entrance to Vancouver,”’ he
said.

Visible from the Lions Gate
Bridge, the pyramid-like roofs
of West. Vancouver’s. Park

Royal Shopping Centre form a_

distinctive skyline.

in ‘1949, the controlling interests
responsible for the bridge and the
growing British Properties arza
decided to pioneer in another
direction, and. put together a
shopping. ‘complex - never before

* seen anywhere i in the country.

Opened in September 1950 with
a major. department store and 20
shops, the mall is a distinctive.
North Shore landmark that has

"grown to more than 190 shops and

services, and sports a bowling alley
and a multi-screen movie theatre.
Made of up of a north and south
mall..connected by an overpass
spanning. ® Marine Drive, Park

"Royal is situated at the gateway to*
. West Vancouver. °

Negotiations for the Lions Gate’
Bridge took 10 years, and at ithe

same time it built the bridge, ' the ©

family acquired ‘a sizable picce of
West Vancouver land: *
- The 4,700-acre area was offi cial-.

- ly known as Capilano Estates, but
sas the project was . funded « by

British. interests,- a. differen
moniker took hold... °°)
_ See Pork —
Page 12,

- “now look. Simply bring t this ¢ coupon with you. Call or

A_ charming

selection of
country
gifts and

_ decor Pieces

Call toa foranew look. :
Sout invited to. visit Merle Norman fora ut onal

visit S00H 2 And ret the: door 10.4 a more fe beat VOU.

925. 4290 -
984 8408

Le.