Portside Room winds up a two-year run with a party Robert Galster News Reporter robert@usnews.com THE Portside Room is closing its doors. For the past to years the 50-seat lounge located in the Seven Seas restaurant at the foot of North Vancouver's Lonsdale Avenue served as an intimate proving ground for local musicians. In a week’s time, the waterborne music will stop and atl in the harbor will once again be quiet. “Pm moving to New York and that’s it and nobody was up to dealing with it,” said the lounge’s founder Gregory Almas. “I think it’s time fora change ... and I can always come back.” Almas, whose father Diamond owns the Seven Seas restau- rant, is making tne move duc to family considerations and will be missed. The Portside’s closure wili leave a gaping hole in the area’s tive music scene. “It's kind of a blow to the local music scene and maybe somcone may pick up the torch ... but live music in Vancouver isa tough gig,” said Derek Nyberg who booked acts for the venue. “With Greg going to New York it’s hard to say what's going to happen. It’s time for another musician to do their bit, Cheryl Lekopoy has been running the bar ar the Porsside Room almost as long as it’s been there and is likewise sad- dened by its demise. “Ir’'s a shame it’s closing down,” said Lekopoy. “It’s a shame that the North Shore is losing another music venue — it doesn’t have that many to start with.” The room’s opening was the resuit of the converging interests of both Almas and Nyberg. While Almas wanted to “bring the North Shore back to the Seven Seas,” Nyberg, himself'a musician, was interested in providing a venue to the: city’s many talented musicians. Their vision meshed and the resultant two years and change saw them fill the small room. Of course the opening wasn’t as smooth as all that. Almas initially opened the Portside Room as a jazz. bar. “But [ couldn't stand to be in the room,” said Almas. “It just seemed kind of tired then.” Almas hooked up with Nyberg, who he’s known since high school, and the reset is history. “It worked out well ... the quality of the musicianship was very good and anybody that came in was blown away by the room ambiance,” said Almas. Nyberg agrees. “To see bands like Wyckham Porteous, John Bouomley or Paul Hyde without a cover with the city skyline staring you in the face is a great thing,” said Nyberg. The Portside Room’s last night is Sunday Aug. 30 which also happens to be the 40th anniversary of the last run the shi made peeween Vancouver and its current berth in Nort Vancouver, To mark the occasion, Almas and Nyberg have extended invitations to all who have played the room to return and play a song or six. Confirmed returnces include John Bottomicy and Wyckham Portcous. Doors open at 6 p.m. Sunday. August 23, 1998 — North Shore News - 3 ns lose a venue |More | “a NEWS cote Brad Ledwicge THE Portside Room's two-year run as a live music venue will come to an end next Sunday when its doors close for the last time. Its three stalwarts (left to right) Derek Nyberg, Chery! Lekopoy and Gregory Almas are ali moving on. WV Police | NVD council cool on bid pursue stolen car SEVERAL charges sre pending . against an 18-year-old male Martin Miflerchip caught behind the wheel of a News Reporter stolen car. j i s . On Aug. 20 at approximately miller@nsnews.com 11:39 p.m. the West Vancouver Police were conducting an ICBC sponsored road block at the north end of Lions Gate Bridge for north and southbound traf- fic. While checking a grey Toyota Camry that was travelling south, an officer observed that the vehi- cle had no keys in the ignition. The driver of the Camry sped off south and was immediately chased by members of the West Vancouver Police. The chase went over the bridge and on to Park Drive in Stanley Park. The chase ended when the car was boxed in. with the help of the Vancouver Police at Howe Street and Beach Avenue. An 18-year-old male of no fixed address was arrested. He had been travelling with a female passenger from Kelowna. Charges of theft, possession of stolen property and danger- ous operation of a motor vehicle are being recommended by police against the driver. A council that is often accused of puffing hot air in late-night meetings has, for the second tise, refused to try and regulate smoke from fireplaces. District resident Carolee Chute first told council what she thought of any attempt to restrict woodburning fire- places 18 months ago when Coun. Ernie Crist intro- duced the topic of regulating fireplace emissions. “Tam here before you as I was in February, 1997 to strongly protest the restriction and/or banning of wood- burning fireplaces within the district. {t is pretty slick of you to try again in the middle of a summer heat wave with most residents away on vacation,” charged Chute. She said it was getting difficult to live in] North Vancouver these davs with the increasing ateempts to restrict resident rights. Said Chute, “Instead of restricting wood burning, why not encourage conversion to gas by offering a small bonus, say $25, when the inszallation permit is given. “During times of high pollution levels ask for volun- tary curtailment of woodburning throughout the GVRD, but picase stop being mean-spirited and heavy handed by imposing a fireplace ban, one of lite’s few pleasures.” But Peters Road resident: Jess Martins questions whether the right of one homeowner to burn should restrict a neighbors’ right to unrestricted access to a yard. Martins believes fireplace smoke can be a health haz- to control home fires Wood fire smoke a heaith issue for some residents ard to the young and those with respiratory problems and can easily enter other homes through doors, windows, chimnacys and furnace intakes. Martins presented council with a 28-name petition requesting council “to place a ban on any wood burming stove or fireplace which is creating invmediate health problems in nearby houses.” Crist supported the position, arguing that if people burn dry wood there is no problem. “But,” he said, “it's a fact that some people commit environmental and eco logical warfare on their neighbors.” He urged council to direct staff to prepare a bylaw that would give enforcement officers a tool to do some- thing about fireplaces that pollute. But Coun. Janice Harris, who 18 months previously had supported a similar proposal trom Crist, dismissed the sugeestion. “Phere’s no way you can regulate fire place emissions. You ¢ither have them or you ban them. How can you separate good smoke and what's bad smoke. ft's all smoke.” Yo Coun. Lisa Muri the issue was even simpler: “T have a wood burning fireplace and E love it.” North Shore’s medical health officer Brian O°Connor prepared a report on the health effects of wood smoke from wood burning stoves and fireplaces for North Vancouver City fast year. In a cover Jetter to the district he wrote: “The main conclusion is that smoke from wood fires is not innocu- ous and may contribute to sickness in some members of our communiny, particularly those who are susceptible (for example asthmatics).” picket action likely From pane t work for the afternoon shitt turned around and went home. Nine West Vancouver Police officers were calted ca the scene ro enforce a BC Supreme Court injunction and asked the picketers to teave, Mast complied, but eight who did not were arrested. West Vancouver Police Sgt. Barry Nickerson said ali eight were released about an hour and a half later. Vancouver Wharves presi- deat Bill Wevmark said) the pickets cancelled the entire afternoon shift and resulted in significant delays at the facility, Although “he wouldn't quantify che losses to the ter- minal as 2 result of the tempo- rary shut down, he called the impact “substantial.” Though he hopes other- wise, Weymark said it’s proba- diy not the last time the fae ty’s operations will be inter- rupted by the picketers. “You never know ... [just have this feeling it’s not over yet,” said Weymark. The dispute started when Sultran, a Port Moody-based sulphur company awarded a quality control contract to a non-union firm. The contract covers sampling work which has to date been carried out by two ILWU-represenied firms. Sultran-owaed Pacitic Coast Terminal, also in Port Moody, was effectively shut down by similar pickets which began last Sunday and continued until last Tuesday. Pacific Coast Terminal president Lorne Friberg said the ILWU actions are not only illegal but also unwarranted. He said accusations that the awarding of the contract to a non-union firm constitutes union-busting are asinine. “At the end of the day we made a decision based on qual- ity and cast issucs,” said Friberg. “The whole issue is one of trying to make our business competitive ... the issue is not about unions, it’s about being competitive.” Friberg said he is optimistic that his terminal and Vancouver Wharves have seen the last of the disruptive protests. “Pm very hopeful there won't be (further disruptions) because it has very negative consequences for cur compa- ny,” said Friberg. “We want to get on with our business.” North Vancouver resident Stu Orpen is a member of ILWU local 514 which has been leading the protests. Although he wasn't arrested fast Thursday, he was picked ap on Tuesday during a Pacitic Coast Terminal action. “It’s a jurisdiction problem .. We're trying to get our jobs back,” said Orpen. “It's a bit of a battle we're going through.” Despite the legal difficulties his actions have incurred, he said it’s unlikely the terminals have seen the last of the pickets. “There definitely will be more action coming,” vowed Orpen.