ids't a scorched Bop bottle that took the fizzia out of a'gmoke bomb tossed In his truck Wednesday at Park Royal. i pada district hall gallery ‘listened in- lence © oma as (Several frail and partment with her. Sooking stove as and hot water was an ongoing prob- lem throughout the ‘winter. At. one point’ she said j ice formed on the es of her: windows as temperatures plum- "Gaye later told’ the News that because ofa leaky roof she lived with “the drip, ‘drip, arip of into a bucket for 15 months,” us Au Completion “Gaye. ‘dred. I thought “This is cruel- News fteporter Wednesday, July 10, 1996 — North Shore News ~ 3 Smoke bomb - link to arson investigated BY ANNA MARIE D'ANGELO THE West Vancouver Police are investigating a possi- ble connection between a smoke bombing and last Wednesday’s arson at Park Royal Towers. Someone tossed a smoke bomb into a parked truck at the Park Royal Shopping Centre's south mall about 30 minutes before the apartment went up in flames, The truck was parked near the Bank of Montreal in Park Royal south. At Park Royal Towers near Park Royal north, six peaple were taken to - hospital after a fourth-floor apartment caught fire. : Two boys aged 12 and 13 from North and West Vancouver were charged with arson in connection with the incident. The boys were seen throwing things on the balcony before the blaze started, according to the West Vancouver Police. ’ On the south side of the shopping centre, Sam George was dealing with his own fire problems. The North Vancouver resident retumed to his truck after lunching to find it filled with smoke. “RK smelled like a firecracker,” said George. Police recovered a smoke bomb on the truck’s floor. A rag and a plastic pop bottle were burned by the device. “I think the pop bottle actually saved the truck,” . George had just bought the shiny red Dodge truck within the last few . weeks. said George. West Vancouver Police Sgt. Barry Nickerson said the ‘smoke bomb ha'd ” the potential to start'a fire. Police are weating the smoke bombing incide.it ‘ as a mischief case. “NEWS photo Terry Peters “was always praying fora “mice day ‘so that:no water | would come through,” ‘said She’ manages a wry laugh as she recounts the story of the day her apartment manag- et offered to empty the bucket tather than fix the roof so that - “she could visit her daughter i in. ’ Calgary. Gaye says some of the . elderly residents are afraid of | repercussions if they. com- plain but’ says she was prompted to action when: her neighbor came to. her door wearing three sweaters during a heat outage... “She just looked so Ww and . ty, you know.’ “” Norma Steiner read a letter to ‘council. on behalf of 90-year-old Helen Mann. . “My kitchen ceiling fixture was shorting and sparks were flying all over. | was told by the management if | purchased a new fixture he would install it. “t only rent the apartment and should sot have to pay for replacement fixtures.” Paul Clairemont of the Tenants Rights Action ; Coalition, told. council that maintenance and repair issues are not unique to senior citizens. Clairemont said a Standard of Maintenance Bylaw would heip to preserve and protect ‘the existing rental housing supply. MAVOR Dyksman... one of ‘the biggest problems: is bad management. The West Vancouver Police continue to investigate the smoke bombing. The two boys charged with arson are scheduled for a court appearance today in West Vancouver provincial court. He told council that while 7 Section .8 of ‘the Provincial Residential Tenancy Act says landlords have a duty to main- --tain. and repair. residential __ " premises it goes on to state. “according to Jocal health, safety and housing . stan- dards.” “Unfortunately, the only * municipality that has. local housing standards is the City of ° Vancouver,” said Clairemont. “Everybody in this room knows. they are not building: new rental housing and this is ene way of ensuring. the sup- - ply,” concluded Clairemont. Standard .of Maintenance Bylaw for rental aceommoda- tion in the district was unanimously supported by council. “Here’s an opportunity for: council to strike a blow for the people who need it the most: our « “seniors,” said Crist. “| only hope; we can act quickly about this. " The threat to their safety, the discomfort of their _-conditions is really sinful,” added Coun. Pat Munroe, Mayor Murray Dykeman voiced anote of | caution. “One of the things this bylaw does not do is” LL. ensure good management. One of the biggest problems is bad management,” said Dykeman. Caun.: Ernie: Crist’s” pro-. ‘posal that staff prepare a’ North Van man missing at sea GIBSONS RCMP called off the search on Monday for a miss- ing North Vancouver men whose 12-foot (four-metre) elu- minum boat was discovered the day before. Buster Innes, 62, had gone out on the boat to watch cruise- snips on Saturday night, said Gibsons RCMP Const. Catherine Nyen. | Innes set out on the water from his weekend home in Gibsons. . He had not returned by dark. Innes’ concerned wife, Dereen, called police on Sunday. The Coast Guard, aux- iliary Coust Guard ond RCMP | police boat combed the area...’ _ Innes’ boat was found about an hour after. the official search. began on Sunday moraing. The - boat was found about one mile” (1.6 km) off shore.” "Searchers looked both’ one: shore and on the water for the. “S missing man. Innes? family. ‘and friends continued to look for- him on Monday. «, - . Innes worked for N rth: Vancouver School. District 44 in building miaintena : year ding Dec: 3 1995. in addition to their cil duties. The totals from - highest i to lowest: B& Coun. Darrell Mussatto $3,083.98; : Coun. Stella Jo Dean =~ $2,774.93; 20 _ 8 Coun. Bill Bell — ~ $2,53 ° @ Coun. Joha. Braithwaite $2;241.623 0 : ® Coun. Barbara Shatp AS, 942.39 and . “$1311 ADL: ° ‘Mayor Jack Loucks. -received 2 préset $56,136". salary and claimed a further, $2,561.39. “ Second Narrows repair project hits halfway point. g..15. “36 Days io Go” We're 35 days into the Second Narrows bridge completed by Aug. 15. upgrade, scheduled to be - AS the Second Narrows Bridge project , nears its. mid-way point, a highways ministry spokesman said things. are “clipping right along.” Brenda Jones said the project is still on target for an Aug. 15 completion date. - She added there’s a “real incentive” for the contractor to finish ahead of schedule, but said it’s safest to stick to a mid- August completion date. “You never -know what you’re going to encounter,” Jones Said, adding that weather’ $ a factor and hard, to forecast. The:$9-million Second Narrows Bridge : project, dubbed by one-“hell on wheels,” has led to massive traffic tie-ups on both sides of - the span, heated témpeérs and an experiment with, two-passenger ‘“‘high- occupancy, vehi- ° cle” lanes. \ " Local businesses have also been hit hard : by the traffic mayhem. , a The commuter crush has eased recently - with the beginning of summer.and road work ° being moved to the two eastern lanes.): ~~, ... The move means fewer rubber-neckers in. the two west lanes gawking: at “workers dur-'.. ing the southbound morming commute.