WEDNESDAY
July 6

Unprecedented
_closure sparked by
_ fear of bear attacks

SY ANHA MARIE D'ANGELO

News Reporter
PEOPLE will be prohibited from
‘visiting popular Cypress Bowl

until after Labour Day.
In an unprecedented move, B.C, Parks offi-
ials decided on Monday to close the much-
s Provincial. Park for the

~The reason: there is a potential for park vis

itors to be hurt during encounters with any of

the half dozen bears that are currently feeding
’ in the lush Cypress Bowl area.
“They. (the bears) just aren't doing what
they. normally do.” B.C. Environment
+. spokesman Betsy Terpsma said on Tuesday.
She said Cypress Bow! is a concern because
‘of all the converging tails and wheelchair
. access in the area.

_ Chowder heads —
.. THE Chambermaids (left to right) Brenda Tournier, Judi Ainsworth and Menno Bos of the North Van Chamber of Commerce, faced

off against 13 other teams at the 12th-annual Clam Chowder Cook-off at Waterfront Park Sunday. Outstanding Chowder merits
went to the Lions Gate Hospital team, 9-1-1 Neurons, while the North Shore Curling Club scooped up the People’s Choice Award.

One million people visit the
Vancouver Class A provincial park each year.

According to Terpsima, there have been bear
sightings throughout the park. but Parks offi-
cials decided that the bowl area alone should be
closed to peaple.

The berry crop at high elevations, she said,
is predicted to be poor this year so the bears are

pected to move to higher ground.

rpsma said the recent rain and surge of
hot weather has renewed Cypress Bowl's tush
vegetation which the animals cat.

People will be allowed in the main parking
Jot near Cypress Bow].

The Hollyburn area and northern access into
the park will remain open, as will wo Baden
Powell feeder trails.

The southern part of the Howe Sound Crest
Trail is closed.

B.C. Parks originally closed Cypress Bowl
on June 27.

The closure was supposed to have lasted for
about two week

In announcing the closure. Parks officials
voiced restrained criticism at the News for pub-
lishing a photograph of a sow and her cub at the
park.

Parks officials believed the photograph

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

inspired some people to come to the park and
get dangerously close to the bears

Currently, there is a province-wide bear

isory to anyone working or playing out-
doors.

One person has died and three people have
been severely mauled in bear attacks in the
province this year.

West Vancouver Police responded to five
bear complaints in the western area of the
municipality during the weekend.

So far this year, four bears have been relo-
cated after being caught in’ the British
Properties area of West Vancouve

In North Vancouver, one bear was killed
near Larson elementary school, Another bear

caught under the Second Narrows Bridge
and relocated.

The Cypress Park bears are not “nuisance™
bears who go after residential garbage. The
park hears are going about their natural activi-
tics in the park. Ferpsima said Parks officials
wiil have ta re-evaluate the people-bear situa-
tion next year.

Cypress Provincial
hectares,

Park wildlife includes deer, black bears,
coyotes, squirrels, hares and weasels.

Park covers 3,000

Thursday: Sunny and hot
High 32°C, low 14°C.

uck flies
north for
summer

BY ANDREW MCCREDIE
Sperts Editor

SO what do the young mil-
lionaires of the National
Hockey League do in the
summertime?

If you’re Anaheim Mighty Duck
superstar Paul Tetsukiko Kariya, the first
thing you do is pack your bags, cancel the
paper at your new Southern Californian
townhouse, and head north forhome.

“T've been in Anaheim a bit this sum-
mer, but it’s actually too hot,” Kariya: -
said,

The 21-year-old North Vancouver
native is currently at his parents’ North
Shore home. catching up on all the home-
cooked meals he missed over the past
season — a season in which the second-
year NHL phenom scored 50 goals,
eighth in the final league standings. ;

Kariya was also selected as a first- ©
team all-star for the 1995-96 NHL sea-
son, and was awarded the Lady Byng
Memorial Trophy as the “player adjudged
to have exhibited the best type of sports-
manship and gentlemanly conduct com-
bined with a high standard. of. playing
ability.” Past Lady Byng winners include
Wayne Gretzky and Brett Hull, another
famous North Vancouver hockey prodigy.

But afl is not play for the dedicated .

See Kariya page 27.

ee

: . Chris Retke photo

FOLLOWING a 50-goa!l season

with the Anaheim Mighty Cucks,

Paul Kariya escaped the heat of

Southern California for his par-
ents’ North Vancouver home.

:

‘ a al whan /
43 Bacapes eet apteey

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