January 26, 1990 News 985-2131 Classified 986-622

TOTAL CLAIMED |
OVER $600,000

BOATERS WHO lost everything when fire hit Lynnwood
Marina on New Year's Eve are aitempting to recover losses
totalling more than $600,000 through the marina's in-

surance company.

The North Vancouver fire
claimed a 40-foot Monk cruiser
owned by former marina resident

Dave Clemont, a 46-foot house
cruiser owned by former marina
resident Charles Pettet and gutted
a 28-foot ToHycraft owned by
Steve and Amie Mitchell. None of
the property was insured,

Several other boats and a section
of marina floats and shedding were
also damaged in the blaze.

Clemont and S. Devi Naidu had
been living aboard Clemont’s
cruiser, the Bullfrog. Pettet had
been living aboard the Truant with
Harold Robinson.

Meanwhile, Ports Canada Police
are continuing their investigation
of the fire.

Said Cpl. Larry Kozak, **We're
very active in’ this investigation.
There are some very good leads
we're following up and = we're
working in conjunction with North
Vancouver RCMP on this. We’re
hoping we'll be able to bring this
to a successful conclusion.”

Kozak said three witnesses, in-
cluding Clemont, saw a man runn-
ing from the area of the fire.

Clemont also said he saw a
small, two-gallon plastic jerry can
and flames running down the
length of the dock. But the con-
tuiner was lost in the blaze.

Clemont and Pettet allege the
marina was equipped with fire ex-
tinguishers that didn’t work and
also had inadequate security
measures in place at the time of the
suspected arson.

But marina manager Gerry Blair
is pessimistic about the chances of
the foss being recovered through
the marina’s insurance coverage.

“i'm not a lawyer, but [| don't
see how it's feasible. It was arson.
It wasn’t caused by any negligence
on our part,”” he said.

Lease rights to) the marina,
which sits on Squamish Indian
Band land, were bought from
Harry Powell for a reported $2.8
million last year by a group of in-
vestors,

The ness group took over Oct. i,
with Gerry Blair taking oo

By MICHAEL BECKER
News Reporter

management duties. Directors reg-
istered with the province for Lyn-
nwood Industrial Estates, the
marina management company, in-
clude Blair, his brother Lou Blair,
William McEachnie and Roger
Gibson.

The group originally bought into
a concept that would have upgrad-
ed the marina to become ‘*Van-
couver’s newest and finest total-
marine-facility.””

It was to be renamed the Belaire
Yacht Club.

The plan called for a waterside
restaurant and pub, the location of
approximately 230 boat houses at
the site, private access with securi-
ty and even a drive-through car
wash for tenants.

Older buildings housing existing
marine-oriented businesses were to
be replaced with new structures.

But said Gerry Blair after the
New Year’s Eve marina fire, ‘We
were going to put in solid boat
sheds. But that’s all in flux. Our
only firm thing right now is trying
to clean it all up.”

Many of the businesses located
at the marina had yearly and five-
year leasing arrangements with
former management. But since Oc-
tober, several have left, while
others remain on the site on a
monthly basis.

The Anchor [nn Restaurant,
located near the waterfront, has
been staying on monthly after a
lease contract ended in July.

Art Noble, who was interested in
purchasing the marina lease when
it was available last: year, moved
Noble Towing Ltd., Pacific
Western Shipbuitders Co. Ltd. and
Marine Petrobulk Ltd. — all his
businesses — from the marina and
the nearby Bel-Aire shipyard site
by November.

The new marina management
asked Nor-Wes Trailer Repitirs
ftab.a iS-year Lynnwood veteran,

ve right waay in October.

2 Distribution 986-1337 92 payes

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