$1.6m upgrade pushed for N. Van theatre Jolanda Waskito Contributing Writer NORTH Vancouver City’s dated Centennial Theatre needs an upgrade. Among other shortcom- ings, it is not wheelchair acces- sible. There are no ramps for the wheelchair bound to get into the 30-year-old facility and there are no washrooms to accommodate physically dis- abled patrons or performers. “Tr needs to be brought i into the 1990s before the *90s end,” North Vancouver Recreation Commission vice-president and Arts Commission treasurer Roger Nelson told council at its Monday night meeting. The 700-seat theatre is also short of washrooms, Nelson said. There are currently six toi- lets for female patrons and two toilets and three urinals for males. For performers there is only one toilet each for men and women. “Can you imagine 50 per- formers having only a 15- minute intermission trying to get into one washroom?” Nelson told council. Or maybe a class of little girls in cutus all rushing to get into one washroom after get- ting off stage, he added. To revamp the theatre intoa more wheelchair-friendly place the North Shore Reereation Commission is asking that the city up its renovation contribu- tion from $605,000 to approx- imately $1.6 million. The commission has already raised $50,006 from adding an extra. dollar to the price of admission specifically to fund the renovations. _ The. $1.6 million theatre - renovations would include: @ Access for people. with dis- abilities to good seating in the house; @ An clevator to provide access to four levels of the theatre; @ Accessible washrooms on the lobby and rehearsal levels: B Accessible ramp from the west side of the parking let to the entrance; & Ramp to access lobby levels: §@ Lobby expansion to accom- modate the same number of people as there are seats (718), @ Additional washrooms tor the public; B Renovated concession; ® Expanded women’s dressing room; ® Additional toilets in’ the men’s and women’s dressing rooms; @ Soundproof rehearsal space; ® Air conditioning for the entire building; @ Outside signage; @ Landscaped plaza on west side of theatre. “The plan we're presenting to you is addressing only the necessities; it does not include frills of any kind,” Nelson told council. But councillors were reluc- tant to spend an additional $400,000 on the renovations. Instead, council voted unani- mously to refer the proposal to staff for a report. One councillor asked why the “no-frills” renovations couldn’t be made with the $605,006 from the city and the $50,000 gained from the ticket surcharge. “With that (money), couldn’t you improve the build- ing (to provide accessibility)?” Coun. Bob Fearnley said. Responded Nelson: “it’s possible that $600,000 might allow for a washroom available for a person with a disability and halfa dozen seats or a ramp into the main seating area. (But) a smaller sum would achieve a small fragment of what we need ta do.” se NEWS phote Terry Peters Summer spray RAIN water floods lower Mountain Highway beneath the BC Rail overpass. Wet weather has thus far put a damper on summer on the North Shore. As to the fundraising activi- ties the commission — has explored, Nelson said corporate donanons are hard to come by and fundraising support for the goal of wheelchair accessibility was weak. The recreation commis- sion’s list of benetits as a result of theatre renovations include: @_ A fully accessible building. (Organizations such as the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation won’t rent the the- atre because of its inaccessibility to wheelchairs.) @ A new rehearsal space would be soundproof'and can be used and rented separately from the theatre. @ Shorter line-ups for wash- rooms, B Air conditioning throughout the building would improve the possibility of summer rentals. @ An expanded lobby would allow staff to promote the the- atre as a facility for conferences and seminars. FURTHE R Entrance in rear lane a . . No appointment necessary 100' s-of parts in. Stock. FACTORY FUTON Mon.- Sat. 1I-65m Sunday 12-5 pm B4- Engine antitraeze « Windshield Murdered man’s brother jailed Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter dangclo@nsnews.com THE brother of man killed in a Lower Lonsdale cinema has been jailed 12 months for fraud. Babak (Bot) Mirhadi, 34, was sen- tenced on Thursday by B.C. Supreme Court Mr. Justice Allan Stewart fora 1996 North Vancouver fraud. Mirhadi was charged with detraud- ing the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commeree of more than $5,000 between June 19, 1996, and July 10, 1996. According to the — North Vancouver RCMP, Mirhadi wrote cheques of approximately $11,060 from a closed account and deposited the cheques to his new bank account. He withdrew about $8,000 for the new account. The bogus deposits and with- drawals rook place on a weekend, according to the police. Mirhadi’s brother Mo Mirhadi, 21, was shot and killed oi Feb. 28, 1997, at North Vancouver's Esplanade Six cinemas. m°307 ho a ints ite r-Mipte fous core fatet. scotch gurted fotos coves, pidews and pileg covets. While quantities lst 267 €. Ist. ia ee NE LUBE OIL : & FILTER Most cars & pick ops, ' ples taxes & envira levy lacludes 21 point satety ber tleid » Power steering fluid) « Transmission fieid _ Brake field LONSDALE & 13TH BARBECUE PARTS > 165 PEMBERTON AVE, N: VAN” 985-0234 Closed Mondays ICBC Claim? if you have been injured i in an auto accident Stephen. Anderson 922-8881 SAGER ANDERSON LAWRENCE '.-. .Barristers 8 Solicitors - 235-15th Street, West Vancouver ° Te Your Portfolio. 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