NV City approves emergency hospital funding 200-bed facility NORTH VANCOUVER CITY COUNCIL THE NORTH Shore will have a 200-bed emergency hospital if North and West Vancouver districts approve funding for the hospital’s storage facility as North Vancouver City Council did Monday. By Pamela Lang Coniributine Writer The city agreed to pay its share of the $13,000 one-time cost of renovating the Navy League building at 1555 Forbes Ave. to house the emergency hospital. If the other North Shore municipalities agree, the three will negotiate an agreement with the provincial health ministry to accept the hospital and pay for the cost of upgrading the building for its storage, according to the mo- tion passed by city council. In a report to council, city administrator Gerry Brewer said the emergency hospital will include beds, bedding, sealed generator units, first aid and medical supplies, surgical equipment, X-ray equipment, and a self-contained water distribution system. The crated mobile hospital will be stored at the Navy League building, but could be set up wherever space is avail- able and the beds are needed; according to the report, the emergency facility could be set up in a standard school gym- nasium. ‘*The deployment of emergency hospitals,’’ Brewer said, ‘‘is based on a shared re- sponsibility principle with fed- eral government as owner of the facility maintaining respon- sibility for replacement of components as required."* According to Brewer's report, the province will deliver the hospital to the North Shore, and the municipalities will store it, erect it when needed, and staff it during emergencies. : A letter from Lions Gate Hospital president Robert Smith commits LGH to accep- ting operating responsibilities in the event of a major emergency. ; The Ministry of Health will alse provide training on how to erect the hospital, medical per- sonnel (through the federal rninistry) if Iocal people are unable to operate it, and will have the B.C. Ambulance Ser- vice carry out an equipment- Monitoring program. “The present Lions Gate nursing tower was built in 1959 and does not meet the current earthquake standards,’ said Brewer, adding that if the North Shore becomes isolated during a disaster, like an ear- thquake, LGH, if it survives, is not likely to be able to ac- commodate ail the casualties. Brewer said the Navy League building was chosen as a storage facility partially because of its location, which is ‘‘not subject to landslide, flooding or major damage from adjacent structures,’’ dur- ing a disaster. DOROTHY LYNAS Elementary School overcrowding will be discussed at a joint meeting between North Vancouver District Council and North Vancouver District 44 School Board tentatively set for Dec. 17. The Indian River area school was originally planned for 400 students, but had an enrolment of 527 in September. Five portable classrooms now sit on school playground space; three or four more portables could be added in 1992. The Dorothy Lynas Parent Committee sent a delegation to council in October seeking its par- ticipation in appealing for expan- sion funds from the provincial education ministry and for a moratorium on further residential development in the district’s In- dian River area. A total of 1,291 housing units have been planned for the Indian River neighborhood, which district planning staff had estimated would generate 400 elementary school children. The figure does not include French immersion enrolment even though District 44 had planned and built Dorothy Lynas as a dual-track school from the begin- ning. . According to planning staff, the neighborhood is about 78% com- plete and generating 413 students. A total of 166 family lots are left to complete the neighborhood and staff expect a further 50 elementary space requirements will be generated over a five- to six- year period. Staff used a formula based on the expectation that each housing unit would generate 0.3 elemen- tary-aged children, but that figure is disputed by the local parent committee, whose representatives think it should be doubled. Staff also assess 289 units of multi-family housing projects planned for the area as ‘‘non- family accommodation.’’ Council accepted most of the staff report on the issues raised by By Martin Millerchip Contributing Writer ed the Dorothy Lynas Parent Com- mittee, but decided not to discuss relocating French immersion classes from Dorothy Lynas to free up classrooms. Aldermen Jim Cuthbert and Pau! Turner both said that many families move to be near French immersion facilities. Other options suggested by staff for discussion with North Van couver District 44 School Board and accepted by council are: © Hastening construction of the proposed Northlands elementary school. The neighborhoed plan is not complete, however, and it would take a year to construct. @ Erecting a relocatable school in the eastern end of the Northlands neighborhood on a site planned for a secondary school in 10 to 15 years’ time. Funding for such a venture might be ar the expense of the Northlands school. @ Adjusting catchment bound- aries to channel students to Me NEWS photo Mike Wakelleid OSCAR, A three-month-old Siberian tiger from the Vancouver Game Farm is introduced to two Wesi Van- couver Montessori School students who lock like they would rather be eisewhere. . NV District tackles overcrowding Indian River development, Dorothy Lynas facility on meeting agerida NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL Blueridge and/or Seymour Heights schools. Portables would probably be required at those sites. Busing children would also be an option, although less favored. @ Coordinating development in Indian River with available school capacities. But staff say a moratorium on single-family units is unnecessary since those units will not be built until 1994-96, Council also confirmed that it will participate with the District 44 School Board in a joint delegation to the Ministry of Education re- questing expansion of Seymour area school facilities. : Ambleside gets early festive touch THE AMBLESIDE shopping district has become a bright festive place thanks to the joint, but as yet uncoordinated, efforts of two different groups claiming to represent local businesses. In addition to the tree lights traditionally installed and jointly paid for by West Vancouver District and the Ambleside Village Business Association (AVBA), the lampstands are now adorned with lights put up by the new Ambleside Marketing Organiza- tion (AMO). Representing the fledgling AMO before West Vancouver District Council Monday night, Dr. Sandy Jamieson and supporters in the audience were both congratulated and chastised for their efforts in brightening up the Ambleside shopping district for Christmas. “From the early feedback we've gotten, it’s a beautiful sight and we admire your initiative,’ said Ald. Andy Danylin. But in light of the work done by the long-established AVBA, Danyliu said he was concerned that the effort might be misinter- preted as one-upmanship. “You could all get together to make West Vancouver the beautiful community we all think it is,’ said Danylin. Sy Maureen <::rtis Contributing Writer Ald. Diana Hutchinson said she was disappointed that proper pro- cedures for putting up the AMO lights had not been followed and that there had not been any coor- dination with the other business group. Jamieson explained how the AMO, which was formed in August, had had to work within a very short time frame to get the lights ready for the Christmas season. Jamieson said the AMO was es- tablished to market Ambleside, and representatives have been chosen from each block to do that job. “This is our first project — to get some life back into Ambleside,’ said Jamieson. He assured council that the AMO would be able to follow municipal procedures in planning promotions and events in the WEST VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL future. Although Jamieson said. that there is no animosity between the AMO and the AVBA, Ald. Pat Boname was concerned that two groups now represent businesses in the Ambleside area. But said Ald. Don Griffiths, “This isn’t going to cost us any- thing, and I move we endorse this project as long as they are in compliance with the necessary municipal regulations.’’ Council stipulated that the AMO secure liability insurance to cover any safety problems that might stem from the installation of the lights, which extend lower on lampstands than was antici- pated. The AMO has scheduled a host of festive activities for the Ambleside Village area Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, including horse and carriage tours of the streets and live street entertainment. For more information and times of the various events call $22- 3282, 926-8784 or 922-8612. See page 5 for more local Christmas activities.