Westview opinions differ Open letter to North Vancouver City mayor and councillors: Re: “Westview residents seek city rezoning” (North Shore News, July 9). After reading the above-noted article, we would like to take this opportunity and inform our mayor and councillors of our family’s opin- ion. We do not agree with Paul McKay, the leader of the residents’ group, with regard to his following statements: McKay “... the (Westview) area has not improved.” Qur opinion: The Westview area has improved overall, specifically, with the new over- pass and landscaping. *... residents say it was derailed when neigh- bours outside of the study area began to voice their concerns about impacts on their neigh- bourhoods.” Our family (we've lived here for 12 years) and our neighbours (they've lived here for 20 years), in the southwest quadrant of the inter- change, also opposed the 1998 rezoning pro- McKay's letter detailed complaints such as increased noise pollution and dust. Our opinion: We haven't noticed any change in noise pollution or dust since the interchange was completed. McKay's letter said the area is deteriorating because it is not worthwhile for people to invest any more money in the 40- to 50-year-old homes. Our opinion: Nine houses are in the 600- block of W. 23rd St. A total of four houses have sold since the interchange was completed, sug- gesting that our pleasant and unique cul-de-sac has not been adversely affected by the comple- tion of the interchange. Also, please note that three of the houses on this block have under- gone significant renovations since the comple- tion of the overpass. ¢ agree with the three residents who live across from the provincially-owned green area (known as site nwo) to not disturb or rezone the area. These residents of the southeast quadrant have improved privacy from the highway, in the form of a concrete noise abatement fencing, new retaining walls, and further privacy duc to the fact that several houses were expropriated across the street from them and replaced by green space. The reason that the Westview area residents want out is because they want to cash-in on the possibility of higher-density rezoning. If these residents want out, they can put their houses up for sale at any given time. Rosemary Roberts and family Former spokesperson for the Homeowners Against the Loop Overpass (HALO) now a Westview Area Resident Against Rezoning (WARAR!) fees are tHOVinG Up. “Limited spaces available awww.hollyburn.org From page 7 about a litle speed to get them through exams? Hell, we won't even allow them to buy cigarettes, which however unhealthy, is at least not mind-altering. Where a prohi- bition exists, so will a black market. This isn’t rocket sci- ence. What about the U.S. or Europe, or South America, China, Korea, Japan? Are all these places going to jump on the legalization bandwagon as welP Or will B.C. Bud, pro- duced illegally, still be the global toke of choice? I refuse to accept the argu- ments portrayed saying that we are criminalizing, people for innocent activity. Talk to any police officer and ask them the last time they made an arrest for simple possession of marijuana. It just isn’t done and hasn’t for many years, unless the individual is such a belligerent yahoo they practi- cally scream out to be arrested for something, anything. The truth is that the simple posses- eno HOLLYBURN COUNTRY- CLUB Your Club for Life 913-4507 Wednesday, July 19, 2000 — North Shore News - 9 Treatment plan needed sion of so-called soft drugs has been decriminalized for all intents and purposes for the past 10 or 15 years. No, despite what the pro- druggies say, the police do not target the users. They are after the dealers. And the organized crime teams and drug squads are after the bigger fish, those who make millions trading in human misery. We have portrayed drugs and the drug culture as some- how harmless. Trust me, it isn’t. Look at ecstasy. The media call it a “designer” drug as if it’s haute couture. Ecstasy, or MDMA is, essen- Ually, a vile chemical cocktail of LSD and methampheta- mine. Great, you get to halla- cinate at high speed. That sound you hear at raves is not music, it is the collected noise of neurons popping in kids* brains. This government is trying to outlaw tobacco and, at the same time, looking for ways to accommodate drug use all the while ignoring their responsi- bility vo provide treatment for those whose addictions are leading them to the morgue. Maybe the lunacy of drugs will never end. Maybe the war against drugs cannot be won. 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