NEWS photo Brad Ledwidge LINDSAY MACIVER practises for her part in the Ania Wyman School of Dance’s upcoming year-end review. The students will perform two shows cn Sunday at Centennial Theatre: a 2 p.m. matinee will feature the youngest dancers; the older students go on stage at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door. NV police seek cabbies’ help in fight against street crime RCMP meet with drivers to make high-risk job safer NORTH SHORE cab drivers and the North Vancouver RCMP are werking together to beat crime in the street. Spurred by tiv murder last month of a Vancouver cab driver, loca! cabbies recently met with the police to establish strategies to make a high-risk job safer. For their part, the police say -.a closer relationship with cab drivers is all part of proactive approach to crime fighting. Said North Vancouver RCMP Const. Marty Blais at a recent gathering of North Shore Taxi drivers, ‘“‘The mandate of the North Vancouver RCMP has changed over the years. We used to think we could do it all ourselves — we found out we can’t. Right now police are reac- tive — 9-1-1] driven. But we need people like you (cab drivers) becoming proactive. You see somebody breaking into a car, you see something and you call.’’ Blais pledged that the police will respond to all reported incidents By Michael Becker News Reporter called in by cab company dispat- chers. But he said that realistically police response will not be faster. “It will be more organized,"’ he said. Blais proposed regular contact with designated ‘‘Taxi Watch" cabbie representatives and a two-way exchange of crime in- formation. But some cabbies in the au- dience pointed out that over the years police response to incident calls by cabbies ‘thas been slow if at all.’’ Said one, ‘‘By the time you're there, it’s too late.” Trouble can develop pectedly for an _ isolated driver. unex- cab One driver said te picked up a man in West Vancouver for a trip to Vancouver. On the way the two heard a description of a bank robber broadcasted over the cab radio. The passenger was the hold-up man. The suspect paid him $20 and left the cab. He could have reacted violently, the driver pointed out. . Another cabbie described how he was assaulted 10 years ago and it took police more than 20 minutes to respond. About half a dozen cabbies got to the scene first. Many cabbies have given up calling the police altogether when witnessing criminal incidents. And many resolved simply to look out for each other. But Blais said limited resources and increased crime inevitably slows police response time. Said Blais, ‘*We want them to get more involved with the police. According to Blais, North Shore Taxi operates 75 vehicles. The business includes about 200 drivers and nine dispatchers. Sun- shine Cabs has about 30 taxis, 65 drivers and five dispatchers. Sunday, June 7, 1992 - North Shore News - 3 Seniors fear crime increase with all-night ferry sailings Few favor 24-hour plan HORSESHOE BAY senior citizens are afraid to go out at night and fear there will be an increase in muggings and break-ins if the B.C. Ferry Corp. (BCFC) proceeds with its plan to run all-night sailings this summer between Horse- shoe Bay and Nanaimo, the caretaker of a seniors’ housing lodge said Friday. Alfred Cater, who runs Horse- shoe Bay’s Libby Lodge, said only one of the lodge’s 53 seniors favors the 24-hour sailing plan. “I don’t like it; not one bit. We've had two ladies mugged here before when they were coming home in the dark. They had their purses stolen,’’ said Cater. “They’re afraid to go out at night. It’s just going to get worse."” He added that the seniors are also worried about an increase in noise during the night. Cater said the present noise level is already creating problems for many of the seniors. “TL live on the first floor, and the windows really rattle at night. I have to get up and put tape on the windows to make them stop rattling,’ said Cater. Ingrid Fischer, spokesman for a Horseshoe Bay residents’ group opposed tc the all-night sailings, predicted that the increased sail- ings would increase crime in the Horseshoe Bay area. She said her group plans to ap- pear as a delegation at an upcom- ing West Vancouver council meeting to voice their concerns. **It’s going to bring a lot more attacks and break-and-enters. By Surj Rattan News Reporter One senior told me that they must implement security. She was mug- ged and is now in fear,’’ said Fischer. ‘‘The quality of life that they’re (seniors) used to is in question. They’re really concerned about security.”’ Time is running out for the group’s attempt to sink the all- night sailings plan. The BCFC has said it will implement its 24-hour schedule at the evud of June. Fischer said most of the group’s members are upset that the pro- vincial government is unwilling to reverse its decision. She added that if Victoria fails to address the group’s concerns, it may take those concerns directly to Premier Mike Harcourt. “One man suggested we record all the noise that will be heard in Horseshoe Bay during the night and go to Mike Harcourt’s house at 2 a.m. and play it on a loud speaker and sce how he likes being woken up in the middle of the night,’’ said Fischer. “We thought that wasn’t a bad idea.’ Wave-pocl rescues rise; Swim-session user numbers cut THE NORTH Vancouver Recreation Commission (NVRC) has reduced the number people who can use the Karen Magnussen wave poo! during each swimm- ing session after approximately 60 rescues were re- cerded in the facility’s guard log book during the last three months. NVRC director Gary Young said the rescues were not serious and no artificial respi- ration was given to any pool user during the rescue opera- tions. ‘‘They are called rescues in cases where a guard helps someone. But these were all assists to young people, primarily to kids,’’ said Young. He said the per-session user number was dropped from 200 to 175 in keeping with good lifeguarding practices. Young said small children tend to stay in a small area in regular public pools. But he said that in leisure pools like the $5.9 million Karen Magnussen facility, with its four separate pools, children tend to be much more playful, making it difficult for parents to supervise them. “There is also a lot of deck space (for guards to be aware By Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter of),’’ said Young. He said the number of rescues recorded at Karen Magnussen is not unusual for a wave pool. Young said a larger lifeguard staff is needed at the facility than at regular pools because of the Karen Magnussen’s four different pools. At peak usage times, five or six guards are on duty, said Young. Young added that Karen Magnussen’s smallest tot pool is currently closed because blue dye from its cushioned bottom has been staining people’s bathing suits. Young said the recreation commission and the pool’s ar- chitect were working on the problem.