EWS photo Mike Wskelleld BILL EVERS, of Versatile Pacific, stands in the shadow of the cruise ship Tropicale. The ship is currently docked in North Vancouver for repiirs, Palm Springs mayor visits THE COLORFUL longtime mayor of Palin Springs, Frank Bogert, is ‘guest of honor this Satur- day at a dinner in West Van during his visit here Oct.4-7 as a special guest of Expo. A winter haven for hun- dreds of North Shore sun- seekers, Bogert’s Califor- Ll nia resort city has often been dubbed ‘‘West Van- couver South’’. Palm Spr- ings residents return the compliment by referring to West Van as ‘‘Palm Spr- ings North’’. For further details of Bogert’s visit and dinner call 688-9471. Two join race for North Van District ald. TWO ALDERMANIC candidates join the incumbents in the race for the six council seats up for grabs in North Van- couver District in November. Norm Vipond, who placed sev- enth in the poll with 84 votes behind Ald. Ernie Crist in the 1984 municipal election, is taking his second run for a position. The 30-year North Shore resi- dent says he was pleased with the results of his last bid for a seat. DISTRICT of North Vancouver aldermanic candidate Norm Vi- pond. Vipond is active in various local sporting associations and has serv- ed the past two years as a member of the Advisory Committee on Community Services to the district. “The central issue for the district, now and for the future, is traffic and how it affects commer- cial and residential development in the area,’’ said Vipond. Bill Rodgers, a lawyer taking his first run at a municipal seat, is a nine-year North Shore resident. Key concerns for Rodgers in- clude the rational development and adequate servicing of district neighborhoods. ‘“T’ve seen too often what's happened in other municipalities when resident wishes were not respected by hit and run developers,’” said Rodgers. ‘‘And as a father of a young daughter living in Lynn Valley, I'm con- cerned that we develop facilities for youth.” 3 - Wednesday, October 1, 1986 - North Shore News REPAIR BUSINESS TRIPLED Versatile cruises into new ship contracts VERSATILE Pacific Shipyards Inc.’s 1986 cruise ship repair boom will be largely over when refit work to the 1,400-passenger Star Dancer is completed Friday. General manager of Versatile’s North Vancouver yard David Cassidy said Tuesday, the com- pany has more than tripled its cruise ship repair business this year over last year. “We do a good job. We do it cheaper and better,’’ Cassidy said. “You have to do both in this business. You have to offer good dollar value."" Versatile’s marketing vice-presi- dent Quintin Watt said the com- pany’s Victoria and North Van- couver yards dry docked seven cruise ships from May to October. The two yards serviced three cruise ships in 1985, one in North Vancouver and two in Victoria. The first ship to arrive at the North Vancouver yard this year was the North Star, a small 100- passenger Alaskan cruise ship. The North Star, which hit a rock in early September, is_ still undergoing repairs at Versatile. The 600-passenger Star Dancer arrived for a post-season refit Sept. 26. Scheduicd to stay until Oct. 3, the Star Dancer represents 13,000 man hours of work for the North Vancouver yard. Prior to the Star Dancer, Ver- satile serviced the 1,400-passenger Tropicale, which was scheduled to leave the yard Tuesday. Repair to the Tropicale involved 6,000 man hours of work. The cruise ship bonanza for Versatile began in May with the arrival of the the Sea Goddess I at Versatile’s Victoria yard, which has also serviced the Fair Sea, the Island Princess and the Royal Princess. Watt said the Tropicale and the CHOOSE NEW ZEALAND OR HONG KONG Win an exotic Pacific holiday with the News WINNERS of the North Shore News Win Your Way Across The Pacific contest wili feei the exotic atmosphere of their destination before the aircraft lifts off the tarmac at Van- couver airport. Once winners have boarded the juxurious 747 of either Air New Zealand or Cathay Pacific, they will already feel like they have stepped into a foreign land. KIWI WELCOME Our two winners of a trip-of-a- lifetime to New Zealand will be impressed by the ‘Kiwi’ greeting and friendly, soft voice of a New Zealander, as they are welcomed aboard the aircraft. It has always been thus with Air New Zealand ever since the 1930s when the airline used flying boats to hop across the Pacific. Cathay Pacific, based in Hong Kong, has been the legendary airline for more than 40 years, ser- ving the Far East from England, Australia and more recently North America. ORIENT UNFOLDS The mystery and opulence of the Orient will open up to our two winners of the trip-of-a-lifetime to Hong Kong, the minute they step aboard. : The striking decor, the fine food and the native accents applied to impeccable English on both airlines gives our winners an im- mersion in the customs and delights of the far away destina- tions across the Pacific. When they arrive, refreshed and repleted, travellers will have a head start on their adventure in either Hong Kong or New Zealand. First draw prize is the choice of a trip for two to New Zealand or Hong Kong. Second draw prize is either Hong Kong or New Zealand, the equally exciting des- tination not chosen by the first draw winner. Entry forms are available at par- ticipating business outlets Royal Princess were persuaded to steam north from their last ports of call, Los Angeles and San Fran- cisco respectively, in order to be tepaired at Versatile. Decision of the ships’ owners, he said, was based ‘‘on our reputation of delivery on time, which is very important in the cruise ship in- dustry.” He said Versatile was now hop- ing to persuade cruise ship com- panies to have their ships serviced at Versatile both before and after the Alaskan cruise ship season. Versatile, he said, had to turn down business inquiries froin Epirotiki Line ships Pegasus, Jason and World Renaissance, “because we had more than we could handle at this time.’’ Watt said Versatile had done close to $5 million in cruise ship repairs this year compared with $4.5 million in 1985. He estimated cruise ship repair had kept 200 men working in each of Versatile’s two yards. “The whole thing is snowballing,’’ Cassidy said. really throughout North and West Van- couver and downtown Vancouver, as well. A list of participants, of- ficial rules and full details are in the North Shore News. Enter often. Nothing to buy. Contest closes Oct. 22. NEWS photo submitted TWO READERS of the North Shore News, winners of one of the two major draw prizes in the Win Your Way Across the Pacific contest, will soon be marvelling at Pehutu Geyser at Rotarua, New Zealand. Rotazua, a centre of the Maori culture, will be a hightight of a coach holiday trip, provided by Guthery’s New Zealand Tours,