| ao ile w March 8, 1987) News 985-2131 Classified 986-0222 Distribution 986-1337 32 pay NEWS photo Tom Burley Oard | LOOK DAD, here comes mom, Eighteen-month-old Alexandria may not be able to talk in full sentences yet, but her expression says it all. She’s seen here with her father Dal Philippsen waiting in the parking Jot of a local shopping centre. Spring fashion feature PAGE 19 Seniors keep freedom PAGE 37 A PROPOSED plan to move the maintand-to-Nanaimo ferry terminal from Ho shoe Bay to Iona Point in Van- couver would have the full backing of bay area businesses. Chairman of the Horseshoe Bay Business and Professional Associa- tion David Weiser said Thursday, “Nobody would miss the Nanaime tun, Allwe vet from itis a dot of try congestion, We don’t really get any benefit from it, It doesn't bring any commercial traffic into Horseshoe Bay." The $280-million plan to move the ferry route is currently being Studied by provincial Pransporta- tion Minister Cliff Michael. Ministry spokesman Charlie Shave said Michael is considering proposals from oa group of Nanaimo area businessmen ind the Gabriola Bridge Club (GBC), a group of Gabrioks ishand property owners. who want a two-span bridge built front Gabriola island to Vaneeuver Island, The GBC maintains the present Gabriola ferry is losing $2.2 mil- lion annually and that a bridge- ferry dink from) Nanaimo to Gabriola to lona Point would sut travel time to and from the island in halt. Shave said the groups have been asked to submit proposals to the ministry. Cost of building the bridges has been estimated at anywhere from $20 to $22 million all the way up to $60 million. The GBC has estimated the combination of tolls from the new bridge and the annual saving of the Gabriola to Vancouver Island ferry subsidy would return $5 million in Tevenues to the provincial gov- ernment and pay off the cost of the bridge’s construction within five yours. By TIMOTHY RENSHAW News Reporter Under the GBC’s plan, one span of the bridge would be built from the west side of Gabriola, across False Narrows to Mudge Island. The second span would join Mudge Island co Vancouver [sland just south of Nanaimo at Cedar. Mainland traftig would then board ferries at fona Point, near Vancouver International Airport, sail to Gabriola fsland then drive to Vancouver Island. The 50-kilometre Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo ferry run currently takes about one hour and 40 minutes. Estimated distance to Cedar via fona Point and Gabriola is 25 kilometres. Ferry running ume would be about one hour, B.C. Ferries spokesman Bill Bouchard said) Friday the ferry connection to the Sunshine Coast would remain at) Horseshoe Bay because it would still be the most direct route. Though he declined comment on the Gabriola proposal until it had been studied by the transportation ministry, Bouchard said the physi- cal characteristics of Horseshoe Bay posed a lot of logistic pro- blems for it as a multi-route ferry terminal. “One of the problems we have (with Horseshoe Bay) at peak times is congestion,’ Bouchard said. “And with the mountain on one side and the close proximity to the village on the other, there is no room for any further expansion.”