6 - Sunday, December 30, 1990 - North Shere News INSIGHTS wel ) A Se NEWS photo Cindy Goodman TIME TO sweat off those extra holiday pounds. These three men unwind and get some exercise by riding the stationary bicycles at RecCentre Lonsdale in North Vancouver. NEWS VIEWPOINT Bowen Blackout to hit Bowen island in the past two weeks has underlined a major power probiem that needs an immediate solution. Frigid winds gusting to 80 km/h Thurs- day night left the island and its residents once again shivering in the cold and dark. And while the extreme weather coupled with the heavily treed Bowen Island area are the major culprits in the continuing power outages on the island, B.C. Hydro should surely be examining ways to short- circuit the island’s susceptibility to power Joss. On Dec. 17, high winds knocked out power to an estimated 30,000 B.C. Hydro customers on the North Shore for periods ranging over 16 hours. Power was out to Bowen [sland for almost the entire week. And while B.C. Hydro crews were T HE SECOND major power outage swamped with calls to restore power throughout the Lower Mainland, the ;es- toration of power to Bowen Island took far too long. Power loss combined with the frigid arc- tic temperatures that have accompanied the winds add up to an extremely dangerous situation, especially for the residents of a relatively isolated island community. Tragedy will surely result if the situation is not rectified soon. B.C. Hydro and the residents of Bowen Island should get together now, identify the trouble spots and draft a comprehen- sive plan to clear trees from around power lines and carry out whatever other measures are needed to increase the reliability of power delivery to the island. The next storm could do more than just turn out the lights in Bowen Island homes. NEWS QUOTES OF THE WEEK THE FOLLOWING is the Edi- tor’s choice of best quotations published in the News during 1990: “Chuck Cook should be lynched on Lonsdate.”’ North Vancouver District Ald. Ernie Crist, reacting to the federal government’s decision to cancel the half-billion-dollar Polar Class 8 icebreaker contract. “I don’t know why I swear so dama much.”" IWA leader Jack Munro, com- menting on his well-documented use of profanities. “My sympathy goes out to anyone who has to front for Bill Vander Zalm.”” North Vancouver-Lonsdale NDP candidate David Schreck, on Publisher Associate Editor envelope Peter Speck Managing Editor Timothy Renshaw ....Noel Wright Advertising Director . Linda Stewart North Shore News, founded sn 1969 as an independent Suburban newspaper and quahhed under Schedule 111, Patagtapn | of the Excise Tax Act. is published cach Wednesday. Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Ltd and distubuted lo every door on the North Shore Second Ctass Matt Registration Number 3865 Subscaptians North and West Vancouver, $25 per year Mailing tates available on request Submissions ate welcome but we cannol accept fesponsebidily for unsolicited maternal including Manuscripts and pictures s which should be accomnamed by a Stamped, addressed former North Vancouver District mayor Marilyn Baker’s decision to seek the Social Credit nomination in the North Vancouver-Lonsdale riding. ‘Fortunately, John McKeachie sat down and he really taught me a lesson on how to talk for five minutes and say nothing..."* BCTV’'s Pamela Martin, on be- ing saved on-air by sportscaster John McKeachie after a _ five- minute television news package failed to materialize. “This is natural selection in ac- tion. The dumbest people will do the dunibest things. That way, they won't breed and have more dumb kids."’ Steve Roddy of Los Angeles, California, commenting on the growing number of accidents and THE VOICE OF ORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER north shore be pes rs 1139 Lonsdale Avenue. North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 $9,170 (average. Wednesday Friday & Sunday) Ley SDA DIVISION Display Advertising Classified Advertising Newsroom Distribution Subscriptions fatalities at Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver District. “If you want a healthy meal, you can’t do better thas a ham sand- wich."’ Henning Freybe, president of Freybe Sausage Ltd., on nutrition. “You don’t shop to save money. If you want to save money, go to the bank.”’ Fashion guru Robert Pante, on the financial end of making yourself fashionable. “The environment is the sieve through which all ideas must pass.”* Former North Vancouver District Ald. Bill Rodgers, in presenting to council the plan from the North Vancouver District Task Force on the Environment. 980-0511 986-6222 985-2131 986-1337 986-1337 985-3227 MEMBER North Shore owned and managed Entire contents © 1990 North Shore Free Press Lid. All rights reserved. 1990 not bad — looking at the alternative! ASIDE FROM a few bumps and rattles the North Shore universe in general unfolded during 1990 pretty well as ex- pected. The main bumps and rattles came from the economy, the environment and youth. In March the feds kicked North Van in the teeth by killing the promised Polar 8 icebreaker — sinking any hope of a quick fix for the stricken shipbuilding in- dustry. The overblown 1988 real estate market was clobbered back into sanity by slumping prices. From midsummer onward North Shore merchants began to learn all about the recession Michael Wilson didn't notice until November. Pulp mill pollution of Howe Sound turned everyone off crab except for Environment Minister and West Van-Howe Sound MLA John Reynolds — who nonetheless went ahead with tough plans to crack down on the industry which were later to have their own polit- ical fallout. The ‘‘mean streets’’ of North Van — their drugs and juvenile gang violence first documented by the North Shore News — spotlightea for adults some genu- ine problems being suffered by local youth. One positive result was YouthSpeak, a trail-blazing October discussion forum between the generations which promised real progress at last in bringing young people into the community mainstream. Local B.C. politics — dominat- ed by on-off election speculation -— saw North Van Capilano MLA Angus Ree announce his impen- ding retirement. Retiring District Mayor Marilyn Baker replaced him as Socred candidate in the new Lonsdale riding coveted by NDPer David Schreck. Energy Minister Jack Davis re- mains apparently impregnable in North Van Seymour. In the new West Van Garibaldi riding the Socreds nominated a popular West Van medic, Dr. Rodney Glynn-Morris, in a surprise upset of front-runner, Margot Furk, longtime school trustee and a seasoned pol. But our provincial newsmaker of the year was John Reynolds, nominated in the theo- retically ‘“‘safe’’ new riding of West Van Capilano. BUSINESS CHEER ... West Van Chamber of Commerce past president Patricia Treadwell and president Roger Cayford hold a sample of the gifts for the West Van Santa Claus Fund received from members at the Chamber's annual Christmas party in the Ambleside tnn. Noel eee ess 5 HITHER AND YON Deliberately or not, his sensa- tional ‘‘point-of-principle’’ resig- nation from cabinet in December over the premier’s rejection of his anti-pollution program fanned the flames of the leadership revolt. How that will now play in lush West Van Capilano — home of many industry executives opposed to his program and an unknown number of Vander Zalm loyalists — remains to be seen. The first three-year-term civic elections brought few surprises. Mayoral favorites Murray Dykeman and Mark Sager romped home in the District and West Van. Jack Loucks was re-acclaim- ed City mayor once more. Vacant seats lured new faces to councils and school boards, but only one incumbent failed to get back. And voter turnout remained dismal. The good guys and gals got their just rewards. Among the many, Coho Festival founder Mike Nicell who received the B.C. Premier Environmental Award from the Lt. Gov. David Lam. Veteran (34-year) North Van schoo} trustee Dorothy Lynas who retired with a school named for her. And fellow trustee Anne Macdonald, named a 1990 YWCA Woman of Distinction. Soon afterwa:ds, with five others from the North Shore — Bryan Adams, Henry Bell-Irving, Helmut Eppich, Robert H. Lee, Jim Pattison and Lesiie Peterson — Anne was also among the first 26 recipients of the new Crder of “Cy Natural and man-made drama marked the two final months of 1990 with a 10-day rockslide closure of Highway 99, then 30,000 storm victims freezing in the dark and the Christmas kid- napping and rescue of Jimmy Pat- tison's daughter Cynthia Kilburn — suggesting that even millions in the bank have a downside. Add Meech Lake, Oka and the GST, and a vintage year it was NOT. But for most North Shore folks life in 1990 could have been much worse. Especially, as the Irishman said on his 120th birth- day — if you look at the alter- native! WRIGHT (NOT WRONG) — iny New Year wish to you: May the best that 1990 brought you be the worst you'll ever know in 1991,