Dear Editor:

I just read the article “Billion dol-
lar road link pushed” in the Oct, 20
North Shore News, and / have isu.
gestion thacall the politicians seen to
have missed.

Why not create a commuter rail
service to the
Squamish/Whisther/Pemberton area?

The track already exists and there
ire already sore stations, We could
Upgrade and improve the track, then
build new stations and/or improve
existing stations in Burnaby, Lower
Lonsdale Qo connect with transit),
Pemberton Avente in North Van
(which could serve the eastern part of
West Van including Park Royal),
Horseshoe Bay, Lions Bay, Furry
Creek, Britannia, Squamish,
Whistler/Blackcomb, and) perhaps
even as far north as Pemberton.

The total distance would be com-
parable to that of the West Coast
Express, and that project certainly “fit
within the province's ability to pay.”

This alternative would have many
benefits. Tourists have shown how
popula the Royal Hudson route is,
and this could act as an expansion of
the route. A connection at Horseshoe
Bay would help travellers going to
and from the Sunshine Coast, Bowen

Ist. aid Vancouver island.

Many skiers and other recreation
cothusiasts would ase dhe train to pet
to Whistler/Bhickeorib rither hin
drive the killer highway.

Commuters who work in Greater
Vancouver and live atone the route
would have a viable alternative to dri-
ving.

Not only would this decrease the
strain’ on the Squamish Highway's
limited capacity. it world also get a
lot of cars off the road completely.

Moving half the commuters to a
different highway or increasing the
number of fanes wouldn‘t do this.

No new bridge would be needed
for this project -—~ at most, the exist-
ing bridge at second narrows might
need some strengthesing and ext
tracks, No watersheds would be
threatened. No provincial parks
would risk being damaged.

The overall impact on fish) and
wildlife would be minimal and may
actually decrease with the lower lev-
vis of air pollution. Thousands of res-
icénts and visitors would be served,

Many permanent jobs would: be
created working on the trains and ia
the stations,

The economies of the coastal
communities would improve as more

NDP criticism unfair

Dear Editor:

1 seldom write to newspapers but your Oct. 18 editorial Oct. 18, made by

bload boil.

fam not amember of the NDP nor do [ support them but your editorial is
blatantly unfair and purposely inflammatory. Despite the many and sordid
actions of the, previous premier and many of his cabinet ministers, | do not
recall ever reading one of your editorials that said, “While various levels of
capitalistic chicanery unravel ... the number one issue raised by the whole sor-
did affair is trust. Let's remember Mr. Vander Zalm’s disgraceful conduct: the
sale of Funtasy Gardens; the underhanded disposal of the Expo lands; and the

idiocy in saddling taxpayers with the most expensive LRT sys'

sm in Nonh

America. By comparison with the duplicity of the previous administration, the
NDP involvement with the NCHS is like driving the get-away kiddie car ina

chocolate bar heist.
R.L. Sheppard
North Vancouver

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Visitors begin travelling: there. ‘The
“Maun of maintenance tequired on
the Squamish Highway may degrease
due to the lawer level of traffic, dius
SVEN HAApayers” money or at feast
countering some of the cost of the
train,

For those people who choose to
drive and for commercial vehicles,
the coud will still be there. Plus. it
shouldi¢ need to qike very long for
this project to become operational,

OF couse, as with any major
undertaking. there are cons te: this
ides. More trains on existing routes
would) cause noise and: safety: con-
cerns, taking the train may cost com:
muters: stightly more than driving,
scheduling would be complicated,

But the pros seem to heavily out-
weigh these problems.

Also. at related: story was in the
North Shore News receutly, ft
explained that the old railway station
that has been used as a museum for
many years may be moving back to
Lonsdale, Why not use the original
building as part of a new train: sta-
tion? Te would make a great heritage
site,

I wonder if anyone in government
has even considered the train option.
The automatic action that peuple
always seem to take is building new
roads. Maybe its time to look at
another alternative,

Bryan Mitten
bmitten @direct.ca _
North Vancouver

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