MAILBOX

Mean Streets series

hurt teens’

Dear Editor:

Lynn Valley teens fave been
very upset by Michael Becker's
series of **Mean Streets’” arti-
cles. Many of the statements
made in these articles are
blatantly false.

One such statement is about
the so-called ‘‘Lyan Valley
Sluts."" At present, 1 knew only
one person who might know
who they are. The basic opinion
is that either this group doesn’t
exist or that Mr. Becker has
received misleading information.

Regarding another statement,
“‘a lack of alternatives such as
youth-run drop-in centres,”’
there are youth-run drop-in cen-
tres at the Lynn recCentre, at
Karen Magnussen recCentre on
Friday nights, at William Griffin
on Friday and Saturday nights,
and at Ron Andrews recCentre
on Friday nights.

Becker’s articles make all
Lynn Valley teens look bad,
when only a small percentage of
Lynn Valley teens are truly on
the bad side. The articles also
reflect badly on parents, youth
workers, and volunteers who
come down and associate with
the teens. If the parents really
worry about teens and think they

Teens know

Dear Editor:

Life here on the North Shore
is not great for teens.

They are constantly talked
down to, people wish they would
“‘grow up,’ ‘‘clear out’’ or get
“*kicked out’? of places they are
trying to socialize in.

How about us adults finding a
positive solution?

I recently went to a youth
conference at Queen Mary
School. The youth there already
know what the solution is. They
want to be a part of the com-
munity. They want their needs
met, which are simple — their
own newspaper. Why not? The
only way to get trust is to give
it.

Oh yes, it would cost money.
But initially it could be achieved
in a simple way.

A solution to a place of their
own is to purchase used por-
tables from construction com-
panies. The estimated cost is
$7,000 each. We have the
numerous open spaces and
school playgrounds which are

Leave Collins

Dear Editor:

There should be no room for
blatant bigotry in a newspaper
which is routinely delivered to
every household.

reputation

do drugs and need help, they
might consider coming down to
the recCentre and volunteering
sone of their time.

Becker forgot to mention that
Lynn Valley and its teens have
some good points, too. Argyle is
one of the top academic schools
on the North Shore and the Rec-
reation Commission has con-
tributed to youth with many fine
programs.

Lynn Valley is a wealthy
community where there are
alternatives to drugs and vio-
lence for youth, and Becker has
neglected to mention them.

Becker obviously doesn't
know his stuff. He doesn't hang
out at 7-11 and McDonald's. He
probably doesn’t even know any
teens in Lynn Valley. Lynn
Valley has a gooc environment
and is a respectable place for
kids to grow up.

The teens of the Lynn Valley
recCentre request that Michael
Becker print a retraction to his
articles, or at least print an arti-
cle showing the good parts of
Lynn Valley. This article hurt
our reputation.

Brian Esmann
Vice-president
Lynn Valiey Teen Committee

the solution

not used in the winter months in
the evenings.

Let us trust our youth to
manage and run these portables,
whilst evaluations can be made
by the youths as to the pros and
cons, and from this they can
decide what kind of permanent
facility they would like to rua in
the future.

The only growth for youth has
been the drop-in centres and the
skateboard bowl. The drop-in
centres are too small and too
few, with not enough input from
the youth themselves. The
skateboard bowl is unusable in
the winter.

I am a mother of two teenage
boys. We have been living on the
North Shore for 10 years. I can’t
believe that [ am alone in being
concerned that the needs of my
children are not being met.
Please contact me at 987-3579 if
you also are concerned and want
to see positive changes.

Lynn Anderson
North Vancouver

in retirement

Please leave Doug Collins in
retirement — and off your other-

wise fine pages.
J. Bruce Prior
North Vancouver

oS SILK POINSETTIA PLANTS

95

Marine Drive, NVan. (beside Chintzy’s)

SOMOS NE ESE

Friday, November 23, 1990 - Nortn Shore News - 7

BA fe] te PER
Ming Court

Chinese Restaurant

Doug keeps
society
on guard

Dear Editor:

Welcome back Doug Collins.

It's really great to know that
prejudice, hate, bigotry and rac-
ism are all alive and well and liv-
ing on Lonsdale. For a while, we
thought that you may have died
and gone to China. Or, at the
very least, that you were working
for the Vancouver School Board
as a volunteer ESL teacher.

And obviously there's no truth
to the rumor that you moved to
Mississippi and changed your
name to K.K. Kollins. Or that you
were hired as publicist for the Gay
Bashers Boys’ Club.

Seriously, Doug, we must give
credit where credit is due, and you
serve well in the somewhat dubi-
ous function as the epitomy of
much that is sick in today's socie-
ty. You and yours need to be con-
stantly exposed for what you are
(score one for the News) just to |
remind the silent majority to be
ever on guard.

Sleep well.

Colin Hodgson Campbell
North Vancouver

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