RICK MORAND, 14, eats noodles from a pan as he gazes out at the said his father cannot find an affordable place to r FRIDAY Dundarave folks gear up for hoedown: 17 August 10, 1990 25¢ Oo "NEWS photo Stuart Davis ent. Others say Capilano River. Morand, who along with his father, has been living they have set up camp in the area for the same reason. in a tent near the Lions Gate Bridge for the gast four weeks. He Stink raised over squatters ABOUT 40 people are liv- ing in a squalid, makeshift squatters camp on the east bank of the Capilano River near the Lions Gate sewage treatment plant because, according to some camp members, they can’t find any affordable places to live on the North Shore. By Surj Rattan News Reporter But some North Shore residents have raised concerns over the state and smell of the camp and _ its potential threat to public health. Rick Morand, a }4-year-old from Toronto, said he has been living in the area with his father for the past four weeks. The small dirt area they call home, which is located along the banks of the Capilano River near the north end of the Lions Gate Bridge, is littered with beer cans eS Dre BRERLop are Sap pe eRe 2 Pelee eas && It’s beautiful down here, except when the sewer plant lets go. 99 and includes a small tent and a van. As he sat in a chair eating noo- dies from a cook-fire pan that rested on a tree stump, Morand said he and his father were forced to live out in the open because they couldn't afford to pay rent. He added that the nearby Capilano Travel Trailer Park charges $15 a day, which is beyond their means. “It's pretty good down here, there’s lots to do,” said Morand, who was clad only in a pair of shorts. ‘‘At night everyone gets together and has a big party. [t's always a big party down here. It’s like a small! community."* During the days, Morand said he engages in his ‘thobby"’: pick- ing up the smiucy beer cans left on the ground from the previous night's activities and trading them in for refsnds at local liquor stores. “ft make about $40 a day,"’ he said. During Morand’s interview with the News, another camp resident, beer can in hand, pulled up ina big car with a firewood. The 37-year-old man, who ask- ed that he not be identified, said he has been living in the area for two weeks. Like the others, he said he can- not afford to live anywhere else. “You can’t use my name or trunk-load of — West Van squatter take my picture because I'm on welfare and I'm not supposed to be down here,"’ he said. ‘*There’s nowhere in North Vancouver that {can afford to live. The rents are too high for me, I can’t pay $550 a month for a_ two-bedroom apartment.”* Like Morand, the man also seavenges empty beer cans during the day. “T have a tent and TF sleep in the car," he said. “it’s beautiful down here, except when the sewer plant lets go."” Peter) Manning, acting area manager for the North Van- couver-Hlowe Sound office of the social services ministry, said any- one living in the area because of financial difficulties should con- tact his office. He added that it is the respon- sibility of Morand’s father to take action to provide adequate shelter for his son. “His father is his guardian, and I think it would be responsible for him to seek out some sort of help. One of the things he can do is contact our office for help,’' said Manning. Rick Kwan, North Shore Health’s senior public health in- spector, said he visited the site on Thursday morning after his office received complaints about the camp residents. He added that while he did not talk to everyone at the camp, some of its residems were tourists living in recreational vehicles. Kwan said that because the area is leased from the Squamish In- dian Band, the issue is now being handled by the medical services office of Health and Welfare Canada. “2 don’t know where these See West Page 3