© — Wednesday, November 5, 1997 — North Shore News north shore news VIEWPOINT Baby step HE recently announced plan to create a new regional transit authority has the long-term potential to be a good thing for com- muters. But West Vancouver Coun. Victor Durman had it right when he said, “I’m suspicious of NDP who come bearing gifts.” In politics timing is everything. Love them or hate them, the ruling - party in Victoria has timing down to an art. : Public transit services as they exist today are woefully inadequate and the result of years of good old-fash- doned pork barrel politics. ’ The region is choking on cars, but for most of us they remain among the most reliable and time-efficient means of moving 2zround. "It’s going to take-a lot of hard cash Amy year, Extra copies of the News’ Free Speech Supplement, which was originally published in the Aug. 20 News, are now available at the News offices. More excerpts from the hundreds of respondents to the cause: *T’m a senior veteran from the Old Country and heartily support free speech. It should, and does, lead to discussion. ... I’m one of many who are missing Doug Collins’ articles.” id of West Vancouver — Winifred “May Doug (Collins) have some years to enjoy his retire- ment. Nerth Shore News: keep up the good fight. Three vbeers for Leo Knight.” — O.H. and M.V. Morgan of West Vancouver Donations to the fund can be sent to: 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, V7M 2H4. Cheques should be made out to the North Shore News:Free Speech Defence Fund. — trenshaw@direct.ca THE North Shore News Free Speech Defence Fund has surpassed the $140,000 mark. To press time Tuesday, donations from over 2,000 News readers and free specch supporters to the fund stood at $141,451. Legal es expended thus far by the News have already exceeded $200,000. The final bill will be much higher. All funds received will help defray the legal costs faced by the News in its battle with the Human Rights Tribunal over a complaint laid . against the newspaper and its columnist Doug - -Collins by the Canadian Jewish Congress. The hearing into the matter, which began on May 12, concluded on June 27 with final arguments at the Century Plaza Hotel, 1015 Burrard St. The deci- sion from Nitya Iyer, the tribunal of one hearing the complaint, is expected some time later this to even come close to the Greater Vancouver Regional’s District’s extremely modest goal of capturing 17% of the rush-hour commute by 2021. For now the province gets to walk away from some debt, and more importantly, the negative fallout from the public when the inevitable new tolls and taxes kick in to pay for everything. - SkyTrain is a fine system for what it is but there isn’t enough of it. Buses are great but we need more. The SeaBus is brilliant but it could be expanded with more routes. Until public transit becomes a viable option for most commuters it will remain a fall-back c:tion in the race from points A to B. Giving sys- tem control to local government will be a good first baby step. 4 Condo life one big DEAR GEORGE: So you and Mary are considering buying a condo. Good forward thinking! By 2050 the wise men say every- one will be living in a condo. As a six-year condo veteran in one of B.C.’s biggest complexes, I guess you're secking my comments about the nice and the nasty in condo living. Aside from families with young kids (who shouldn’t even think about a condo), the nice tends to outweigh the nasty. But sometimes only just. only dream about. heated indoor swimming pool, fully library, a doilar-a-load laundry and a 000 bashes. which varies with the suite size. It also rises with the building's age, as more and more repairs and replacements become necessary. For a one-bedroom unit in a brand new building it could start as low as $80-$90. Our own large On the “pro” side the price is right. Sure, you'll get less square footage than in a normal single-family house, but the condo price usually includes location, view and extras that many house-owners — even in good neighborhoods ~ can Our complex, for example, provides a equipped exercise and hobby rooms, a social room with kitchen and toilets, which can also be rented for big private These perks and much more are cov- ered by your monthly “maintenance fee, SS two-bed-and-den in a 25-year-old high- rise costs $276 monthly, which includes light, heat, hot water, cable TV, under- ground parking and all exterior upkeep. Not a bad deal. Finally, security. No place these days is 100% crime-proof. But resident managers, magnetic-strip ent cards and other defen- sive gizmos make the aveiage condo as safe frorn ineruders as you'll ever get — a boon for folks like you and Mary who love to travel the world. That, however, is all the help I can give condo realtors today! The downside of condo living isn’t always apparent when viewing that cute 11th floor suite with its stunning view of English Bay. Most of the snags arise from the bylaws and regulations needed to keep dozens of people living in vertical piles of side-by-side | boxes from driving one another up the wall. Thus, in nearly all condo buildings music and party guests must be muffled, and hammering in pic- ture hangers or other audible home improvements confined to weekdays until 5 p.m. Non-conforming drapes or bal- cony paint, kids running along corridors or playing on “cormmon property” and occupants exceeding the prescribed num- ber for the unit are automatic no-no’s. Very probably it’s also bye-bye Fido! Many condos ban pets of any kind (even goldfish), along with barbecues, TV dish antennas; bird feeders, Canada Day flags WE'Ve COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE IN REGARD To LOWERING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS... trade-off and anything on balconies except garden furniture and plants. Violations are pun- © . a ished with fines that mount monthly until aid, , P So single-family homeowners like you and Mary will — at first — find condo living with ies many “must not’s” isn’t one bit like home. But of course, if we all did exactly . what we wanted in our own little boxes, -.: squeezed by others above and below, and on either side, condo living itself would be unbearable. Maybe this very closeness of neighbors : explains why condos are often so un- neighborly. I’ve known occupants who've = lived for months without setting eyes on ~ the folks next door. In short, George, condo life, the wave of the future, offers a lot and takes away a 7 ; lot. So good luck to you and Mary in your search. Remember, life itself is one. big trade-off — and at least you'll never again have to mow the Iawn or shovel snow! Yours as ever, NOEL. aoa . MEET UNREPENTANT Tory ex-cabi net minister John Crosbie at a book- signing reception for his autobiography ~.. § No Holds Barred at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. ©: 9, in West Van secondary school theatre, |’ 1750 Mathers — tickets ($20 incl. refreshments) from West Van Library and | at the door ... And many happy returns: of Thursday, Nov. 6, to former West Vani: mayor Derrick Humphreys. O00 : WRIGHT OR WRONG: Blessed are the flexible, for they shall never be bent out of shape. ‘HOW TOSREACH US: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must inclide your name, full address & telephone number, VIA e-mail: trenshaw @ direct.ca North Shere News. founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspape and qualttied under Schedule 111. Paragraph 111 of the i i é Ve Excise Tax Act, is puoliched each Wednesday, i rac’, ee A Faiday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press, > . ed ‘Lid, and distributed to every door on the North .. ¥ Shore. 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