Unclog tratti

J Dear Editor:

This summer's B.C. ferry
extra long vehicular lineup and
“fastcat” problems represent
the tip of a growing iceberg:
southwestern B.C.’s worsen-
ing traffic flow problems.

Past and expected explosive
population growth in the
Geergia Basin are overtaxing a
Lower Mainland and
Vancouver Island traftic infra-
Structure that was designed
around 1960.

Beyond population growth
rates, cheaper real estate out-
side the Greater Vancouver
core as well as deteriorating, air
quality spurred Vancouver-
area workers to resettle as far
‘as possible from the “Big City”
since the early 1980s.

’ Workers willingly traded off
the cost of dail ity commute
‘me, driving cars, gasoline,

| ferry tickets and public transit
and impact for their own “bet-
ter quality of life” ic. less
noise, cleaner air, more trees,
less waffic, more space.

This massive human /vehiec-
ular movement dearly costs the
quality of life of many island
and mainland residential com-
munities, who must bear this
traffic in exchange for any ben-
eficial economic spinofts.

This cost is beyond a
NIMBY issue when so many
communitics are negatively
affected.

Currently the pieces of the
southwestern B.C. traffic pur-
ale are looked at individually
by at least eight individual
governmental jurisdictions,
who are more worried about
jurisdictional authority then
providing practical working
solutions to “in the face and
gut” daily traffic-flow prob-
lems.

This lack of direct commu-
nication and vision amongst

our highly paid planners is the:

major stumbling block to
resolving these issues quickly,
effectively and planning for the
inevitable long-term growth.
The planners within our

north shore news

MALL Box

Cilow {rc

municipal, provincial and fed-

eral governments, B.C. Ferry
Corp., GVTA, Ministry of
Highways, Department of
Transport, = Ministry of
Environment, ctc., should be
sitting together at one table te
review and update the trans-
portation system of southwest-
ern B.C. in a clear, coherent
and holistic manner.

The plan should also incor-
porate the knowledgeable
public’s ideas.

The lack of a clear vision
will result in gridlock in more
and more areas on the Lower
Mainland, between the Lower
Mainland and = Vancouver
Island and on southern
Vancouver Island.
Vehicle/goods movement
berween Vancouver Island and
the mainland are just one com-
ponent of a larger problem.
Susan Rowntree
West Vancouver
Member of Citizens Against
Ferry Terminal Expansion
(CAFTE)

Consider field user fees

: Des: Editor:

1 chink chat with the recent
Struggle over Sunrise Park,
soccer vs. environmentalists,
the time has come to take a
‘closer look at park use.

Especially park use by special.
interest groups such as the

sports people.
" Having been involved in
the Sunrise Park struggle, I
have gained some knowledge
around the issue of the short-
_age of fields. The soccer lobby
stated throughout the debate
that there is an extreme short-
age of fields on’ the-North
Shore. I have talked to people
“associated with baseball. and
there scems to be some prob-
lems there also. Sunrise Park
as a playing field is to be only
a band-aid, the soccer people
in particular, need, and are in
the hunt for, more subsidized
space. . os

fT astended an information.

meeting put on by North Van
District where the topic of
artificial turf was discussed.
User fees were also talked
about. The soccer lobby likes
to talk about artificial turf but
only ifit is fully covered by the
already over-burdened taxpay-
er. The topic of user fees
seems to be taboo and our
esteemed council seems also
to be in fear of this topic.
‘User fees are paid in such
places as Burnaby and
Vancouver, places that have a
far bigger tax base than North

“Van City. Their sports teams

have not suffered and in fact
with the small user fees
charged the teams have benc-
fited with im proved fields.
Grass fields have gotten
better with less usc, a fact that
Councillor Darrell Mussatto
says is appreciated by the
older players like himself.
Artificial turf fields have

given lower maintenance costs
and far more hours of use by
all groups. The initial cost of
these fields seems extremely
high, however over the years
these costs work out far better
than gravel and grass fields.
User R fees would help the soc-
cer lobbyists get their fields
and take pressure off the tax-
payer. We have many groups
whe pay user fecs now. I ask
why are the seccer groups and
other sports organizations left
to ask for more and more, yet
be immune from user fees?
These issues need to be
discussed openly in North Van
city, not handled quictly by
council and organizations that
have nothing but their own
interests - at heart.
Unfortunately, they also have
the taxpayer’s wallets within
easy reach.
Terry W. Long
North Vancouver ~

Aggrieved by Grouse Grind suit

strated sound judgment in postponing any fur-

Dear Editor: :

T want to write aletter in support of the vol-
unteer ‘group. of the North Shore: Rescue
(NSR) team. I was dismayed to hear of che’

tential lawsuit. being. launched against the.
Rs SR by Mr. (Hubert) Manning: °°

:While..I ‘sympathize greatly with: him and
the loss of his son on the Grouse Grind —
suing isn’t going to change.a thing — except to
bills for everyone con-
cerned. I believe NSR and the RCMP demon-

incur neediess legal

wise choice.

D. Smith

Back to Schoo! Special

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ther search at that time. To risk losing more
lives, particularly those of volunteers, with’ the
avalanche conditions would not have been a

The Grind is a climb people do by choice —
and if one chooses to do it in hazardous condi-
tions and the unforeseen happens it’s unfortu-
nate, but nota case for a lawsuit.

North Vancouver -

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Sunday, August 29, 1999 — North Shore News - 9

ed BY none PEGE o Weto fatendec ariccn Uotn,

District playing field flim-flam

Dear Editor:

In what I can only describe
as another doozy ofa deal, the
cost of maintaining School
District 44’s buildings and
playing fields are about to be
downloaded onto the hapless
district taxpayer. In a scheme
fostered by North Vancouver
District Mayor Don Bell and
District 44 Chairman Doug
MacKay-Dunn, taxpayers are
being duped into paying for

the same service twice.
The cost of school mainte-

nance is already factored into’

our schoo! taxes!
Unfortunately, educational
cutbacks have not been shared
equally amongst the adminis-
trators, teachers and school

children, Previously adminis-

trators’ and teachers’ wages
accounted for 88% of the
school budget, but in recent
years this has increased to a

Parents:
Back-to-School _
Can Be a Breeze

whopping 93%. Rather it's’
been our children who have
suffered the brunt of the cut-
backs, with their operating’
budget slashed ‘from 12% to
7% of the pie.

If other school districts can
pay for playing fields and
building maintenance out of
their budgets, what's wrong
with District 44?

Dave Sadler. _
Noth Vancouver’

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