6 ~ Friday, March 30, 1990 - North Shore News have been following the North Shore News articles on transit ser- vices. areas, | find our bus service con- veniently close, more or less regu- relatively fast. From a seat, but not always. pickup near !5th and Lonsdale to dropoff around Georgia and Granville takes 20 to 25 minutes, even swinging through Norgate. lar and THE CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES WONT HAVE TO REPAY THE #182 MILLION WE LENT THEM... pe O yf Vaal Political pool ORTH Vancouver District Coun- cis resurrection of the multi- million dollar Karen Magnussen wave-pool project should whip up some rough political water for council members in the coming municipal elec- tions. The project, which is now approaching $6 million, has already been put to public tender twice. Both tenders were unsuc- cessful, and, combined with design ex- penses, both have cost the district a total of $339,800. Bids in the first tendering process were considered too high. The second time around, the low bid came in after the tendering deadline had closed, and legal concerns were raised over the whole tendering process. Council finally sank the project after deeming it too far above the budgeted $4.5 million, which was almost double __LETTER OF THE DAY... More rush hour buses needed Dear Editor: As a North Shore commuter, I North Shore residents, over- underscheduling, isn’t it?) is an There are times when full buses pass us by without stopping, and tional buses during these hours. most frequently we stand all the way, crammed tightly. One morn- Kay Mulleder the original $2.9 million, and because of council concerns over the bidding pro- cedure. . But, as of fast week, council has decided to allocate more district money in order to refloat the wave pool. Whether the construction industry will take the time to tender bids for the pro- ject in light of the confusion surrounding its recent history is debatable. Whether $6 million for a wave pool and aquatic centre is a prudent invest- ment of district funds is also open to debate. But what is perhaps most disturbing about the wkole wave pool fiasco is that district council has waffled badly on the project and shown an indecision that has left a bad taste in the mouths of the con- struction industry and raised reservations about council’s competency in the minds of the public. routing is a problem for many otherwise healthy office worker. . ‘ n According to bus drivers asked, crowding (which is really overcrowding is a budget issue. u They tell us both buses and drivers issue for me and my fellow pas- are available to service North sengers. I am more fortunate than Unlike residents of outlying many of them because J live at one periods. We expect ‘‘standing of the earlier stcps along the route, so sometimes I even manage to get tent that exists. While I can understand that ing a passenger nearly fainted, an North Vancouver Shore commuters during peak room only”? conditions for eco- nomic purposes, but not to the ex- Surely we deserve a few addi- as B.C. poll looms THE ELECTION smell is everywhere in B.C.’s spring air — a trip to the polling station by June looking more certain every day. So it’s time again for voters to brush up on what really happens. One basic election ingredient is for each party to accuse the other of dirty campaign tricks. But we must always remember this is like the law of physics — to every ac- cusation there’s always an equal and opposite counter-accusation. Charges of dirty tricks are the equivalent of fights on the hockey ice. They give the spectators extra thrills but don’t affect the final score. Then there are government “*scandals’’ — headline-grabbers like the Knight Street Pub, Bill Reid’s lottery funds fandango and all the regular conflict-of-interest pratfalls tha: dog every party once it sips the heady wine of power. Here the edge OUGHT to be with the opposition — bereft for several years of any opportunity for similar pratfalls. It can paint the government not only as fools but crooks into the bargain — while the latter is confined to painting the opposition merely as fools. But old scandals seldom work, either, as an election weapon — mainly because voters, ever craving fresh excitement, are already bored stiff Sy them. Sad co relate, motherhood “programs”’ that read like a shop- ping list tend to leave voters equal- ly cold. After all, isn’t everyone for social justice, job creation, free enterprise, balanced budgets, sav- ing the environment, lower taxes and more money for ME? So what else is new? What are we finally left with as V-Day looms? With one steaming fresh hot potato ...and electronic images. That’s what. The hot potato today is the Socred plan for extra school fund- ing to be okayed by local referen- dums — an issue that pits parents of school kids against taxpayers with none, lavish trustees against flint-hearted buck counters. Despite their sound economic record and dramatic comeback in the opinion polls, the Socreds may still snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the classrooms and at the PTA meetings. Otherwise, of course, the tube in the living room is where it will mostly be decided again. That, to- day, is where we ultimately judge whether the guy or gal asking for our vote looks and talks like TONY Parsons ...candidate role model. someone we might trust. The confident, sincere-sounding, friendly-eyed candidate — custom-made for TV like your favorite anchorperson — in- variably beats out less telegenic rivals. | guess there are worse ways to choose your so-called repre- sentative than simply saying ‘‘I like his style."’ With Tony Parsons, Kevin Evans and Pamela Martin as in- formation role models we don’t easily relate to well-meaning bores or ranters with the charisma of middle-aged life insurance salesmen. That's the way it will likely be once more. And whichever party wins, you can at least bet safely on political media stars like the Zalms and the Moe Shihotas! **2* CLOSER TO HOME: West Van Mayor Don Lanskail having reportedly signalled that he won’t seek a third term this year, bright young Ald. Mark Sager — with a decade of school board and coun- cil service under his belt — is being touted by many as an obvious suc- cessor. But one also overhears a surprising number of questions about Derrick Humphreys’ inten- tions. If Tiddlycove’s 1978-86 mayor has any, he’s keeping them very close to his vest so far ... North Van MP Chuck Cook thinks my recent item about his “‘Canada”’ lapel pins a tad unfair. Says his 6,000 a year from Ottawa are all gone by October and it’s only by charging business travellers 9¢ a pin that he manages to give away 10 for free to individuals like that nursing director visiting an eye Publisher Peter Speck aaa mere Display Advertising 980-0511 Managing Editor Timothy Renshaw [[ptec ep png ecg :) Classitied Advertising 986-6222 clinic in India. Makes sense as far Associate Editor Noel Wright ) Denaroom 985-2131 as Chuck is concerned — but not Pi . : 133 much in the case of his pin- ~. Advertising Director Linda Stewart Faxitentnnsstiheadibedimonadl Subscriptions 986-1337 dispenser, Joe Clark, Canada’s in- North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent Faa 985-3227 ional sales manager guburban newspaper and quablied under Soradule 111. 4139 Lonsdale Avenue, Menwhil in 5 vi i day ‘atagras! weise Taa Act. ts published each North Vancouver, BC MEMBER eanwhile, happy birth - Wednesday. Friday and Sunde Ne Shore Frew . 7 Press Lid “and gisinbuted to every door on the Non V7M Hd A tomorrow, March 31, to North Shore Second Class Mail Registration Numeer 3485 , V ese Subscaphons North and West Vancouver. $25 per year Van's Art Weseen. Maiing rates available on reguest Subr t welcame but we cannot accept respon ¥ F iday 4 Sunday} kak uNnsohcited Maleralinciedng Manuscripts ang pact af = l s a ich ShOuid Dee Ae “panied as and a o way WHICR ShOui De AECOM- panied Dy a nped addr North Shore owned and managed WRIGHT OR WRONG: if you're envelope? " SDA DIVISION " a pocorn ooo MARK Sager ...inayory vt e right track but just sit there, Entire contents ». 1990 North Shore Free Press Lid Ali rights reserved cons. Rer -.mnayoral pros and onl bran over u em §9,170 (average, Wednesday