6 - Friday, April 11, 1997 — North Shore News north shore The North Shore News is oublished Sy Mort; Shove Free Press Led., Publisher Peter Speck, from 1139 Lonsdats Avanse Korth Vancouver, B.C., V7M 2H4 PETER SPECK Publisher . 985-2131 (161) ‘S251 CTH 958-2131 (216): Letters must your name, full . address “COMPUTER BBS - 960-9027 _ User [Dimaiibox » Password:letters ‘Eisen bie Swi wanes Coen set Stora Mews, founded in 1968 as an incepercient - Entire covitents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Ltd. PRR KAA RA SREAT os a aan BE. Crippied creeks Y are local {lifelines in trouble. And they have been taken for granted far too long. They are the creeks and small rivers that run through communities all over the Lower Mainland and throughout other urban areas of British Columbia. And they are now atop B.C.’s endan- gered waterways listing. According to a spokesman for the Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C., which released its survey in early March, urban streams face threats from all quar- ters: pollution, siltation, development . and the removal of streamside vegetation. - The North Shore is criss-crossed by an . ' hg 7 VANCOUVER THE abundance of small streams and creeks. Each used to support viable populations of colo, chinook, pink and chum salmon, along with steclhead, cutthroat and rain- bow trout. But the steady encroachment of urban populations has reduced those popuia- tions dramatically and in some cases elim- inated them altogether. According to the council’s spokesman, most of the province’s 142 stocks of extinct salmon were from Lower Mainland streams. And most of the area’s 600 streams are threatened. Apart from the provincial govera- ment’s arming of local municipalities 1 Hl a i \ ii a7 A GRIGHT SIDE To BRE-x A question of W. Van village character PROVING once again that West Vancouver “village” is more accurately a village of villages, Dundaravians swooped down from the hills Monday night and repelled the invasion of a fresh facade for its most venera- ble business block — some of them because it distastefully reminded them of the next vil- ‘lage over, Park - Royal. Dundarave has its character. And it’s damn well keeping it, if most of those who appeared at a public hearing in council chambers have their way. Council, with some interesting nuances and supportive qualifications for the project, rejected the facelift 4-2. Councillors Ron Wood, Liz Byrd, Bill Soprovich and Allan Williaras said nay; Victor Durman, council’s member on the advisory design panel, which had approved the application, and Russ Fraser were on. the losing side. (Council ~ hadn't rejected the panel’s approval, as I stated recently, merely put the issue before the public.) Opinions about the proposed redevelopment of 2428-2448 Marine Drive ranged from high praise for the sensitivity and restraint of the devel- opet — who could have expanded the building, . torn it down and put up a view-blocking edifice higher than the addition of a proposed peaked gable-type roof would crzate, or otherwise made arden of biaws merely motivated by money. Developer Bonavista Management was seck- ing, in official language, 2 “Minor Development Permit.” Neighbors, especially in the 2400-block Haywood, didn’s see the loss of some view caused by the addition of the peak, meant to visually break up the flat roofline (and to hide the air- conditioning unit), as “minor.” Bernard Brennan, 2412 Haywood, said the _ peak would destroy “the beautiful panoramic view of the ocean” and was among several warn- ing that “we might be looking here at the prece- dent for destroying [Dundarave’s] character.” Another, lawyer Michael McMahon, drily noted that “the loss of view is small unless you’re the one losing it.” Erwin Smith, 2408 Haywood, complained like others that it looked “like Park Royal.” Dawn Bringeland, of Destino, representing many of the building’s businesses and street-level shops, said the changed facade — including the addition of columns and some overhang of the building, under which pedestrians could pass and shop — “doesn’t fit in with what I consider the village theme.” Jean Coull demanded: “Why do anything to to alter the unique ambience of our village?” And George Murrell, president of the Ambleside and Dundarave Ratepayers Association, called it “a very slick con job.” But former real estate developer Barry Russell, of 1480 Esquimalt, which is also 2 Bonavista- owned building — from which he’s about to move — praised Bonavista, stressing he gained nothing by doing so. Russell said Bonavista “put quality into their buildings. ... They are not short-term, oppor- tunistic people. ... They are not rapacious profi- teers.” He suggested the tenants and residents gable-type roof wou or otherwise made tt supgested the tenants a nis + pt more intrusive ~— to accusations thar he was...» open a dialogue With 1k OWNER AS cated Spee rer gs are . ant ated ebuttetoh Ma tebe Whedede bee heen ELBE aw . cha eee eat whee aed ‘en anene “een ae Cranes with the legislative clout to prevent encroachment on area streams, every local resident should know some creek basics. ; 7 On the North Shore, for example, vir- tually all storm sewers ‘drain into area creeks, That means that substances poured down those storm-drains end up directl in fish-bearing streams. os Food for thought the next time you consider dumping waste oil or draining your swimming pool into those storm- drains, Urban creeks can survive, but they can’t do it on their own, ae mailbox Aghast over U.S. gun letter. Dear Editor: : . "The pure and simple truth. is rarely pure and never simple.” - Oscar Wilde I was disappointed and dismayed ~~ thar the North Shore News chose to print a letter from a U.S. resident extolling the virtues of concealed weapons (“Get your guns back, Canada,” March 28 News). Notwithstanding the fact the writer was a former North Shore resident, I don't think the North Shore News should encourage jaundiced views from residents of a decaying society by publicizing them. ; The United States leads all industrialized nations in gun-related violence. There's a good: reason for ~ that dubious honor — too many. guns. Period. Joc Campbell North Vancouver . joe_campbell@mindlink.nct BNE But that gave one heckler an opening: “Where is he? Is he here tonight?” he shouted sarcastical- y. That point was sharply taken up by former mayor Derrick Humphreys: “The applicant (Joachim Waibel] isn’t here. The applicant is rep- resented only by his hired professionals” — land surveyor Bill Chapman and architect Foad Raffi. hapman stressed that “my client ... is staying, well below the maximum [space] he’s entitled to : have” and that fire, seismic and wiring upgrades would go ahead regardless of the facade issue. And Fred Russell, of the old firm Martin Coxp., another tenant, predicted a three-month turn- around for the upgrades and that “the rents wouldn’t be exorbitant.” ae Mayor Pat Boname asked if the owner was prepared to make design changes. Yes, minor ones, Chapman replied. : And, following that, Allan Williams, oldest councillor by the calendar, delivered his judicious... opinion: he congratulated the owner for coming ° - forward with his proposal; he hoped “other absentee owners would mimic Mr. Waibel. ... We need more of this in West Vancouver, not less;” and he dismissed the view concerns as endless in West Van — the Haywood buildings had, in their day, impared others’ views too. But, Williams said, the design before council “adds bulk and heaviness to the building. ... It detracts from the ambience of Dundarave.” So he