4 - North Shore News -— Sunday, January 16, 2000 Pro tennis tournament cut Bob Mackin Sports Reporter bmackin@usnews.com THE professional women’s ten- nis tour won’t be stopping at Hollyburn Country Club this summer. The Women’s Tennis Association had tentatively scheduled an Aug. 5-13 tour- nament in West Vancouver with a field that would have included three of the top female tennis players in the world. But Tennis Canada, the national gov- erning body for tennis, announced Thursday that it won't happen this year. North Vancouver tennis hero Grant Connell was spearheading the event. Connell, now Tennis B.C.’s high pertor- mance director, said a pharmaceuticals retailer was being courted for title spon- sorship and major funding for the event. Sponsor iiacks out of major women’s event at Hollyburn The tournament would have offered a $170,000 US purse. Connell declined to identify the prospective sponsor. “(The pharmaceuticals retailer) had a change of attitude aid didn’t feel it’s the right time to be involved with the event, so that shut us down sight’ there,” he said, “I can’t say it was a complete sur- prise, even though the reception from tennis fans and people on the street was really big, we weren’t able to raise the corporate dollars.” He believes a week-long tournament is viable for Vancouver, despite the well- established Molson Indy Vancouver and PGA Tour's Air Canada Championship dominating the sunune: sports scene. “The key marketing people at Tennis Canada felt it’s just a case of running out of time,” he said. “We didn’t get she reception we wanted right off the bat; it was a bit of a gamble from the get-go.” Connell said it’s untikely a bid will be made tor the 200] tour, unless a major sponsor comes on board soon. Connell and others in focal tennis cir- cles believe a women’s event is ideal for Vancouver because ir would be casier to sell. “On the men’s side it’s very difficult because there’s basically only three zuys that sell tickets: Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Pat Rafter.” Vancouver has no permanent outdvor tennis stadium. Hollyburn had makeshift grandstands for the 1987 Federation Cup women’s world championship tourna- ment and a 1992 Davis Cup men’s play- off between Canada and Austria. Council Meeting Agenda Summary Support for fire victims pours in Bob Mackin News Reporter JUDY Gautreau says she’s overwhelmed by an outpouring of community support. Gautreau, Sharon Izatt, lzart’s sons Daniel and Shamus and wo foreign students were temporarily homeless after a Jan. 2 fire that destroyed the house they were renting at 756 East 29th Street in North Vancouver. They fost all of their possessions, Their dog, cat and 30 birds were killed in the blaze. Only Gautreau’s cat survived. With the help of Sussex Prudential’s Donna Pinkowski, they found a new home to rent in Lynn Valley. News readers responded to a Jan. 9 story and have donat- ed aJl manner of household goods. “People have been just wonderful,” Gautreau said. “It’s unbelievable. One lady dropped off four titres of chicken noodle soup at Home Hardware (where [zatt works).” See Peapte page & Monday, January 17, 2000, Delegations °UMA Engincering regarding Edgemont West. Neighbourhood Zoning ‘Council ‘Matters aL Rezoning and S:bdivision Control Bylaw Amendments - Edgemont West ; Neighbourhood Zoning and .. Subdivision Regulations 2. Development Variance Permit - . 974 Wavertree Road - 73. Development Variance Permit - 54253 ‘Chelsea Crescent ge Rezoning, Business Licence, and Sign’ » Bylaw Amendments - Bed and “Breakfast Regulations : 5. Rezoning ‘Bylaw - - Accessory uses in the - PRO Zone (Cemetery Z Zone) . ‘eset 7 p.m. [Sacurday. 9a.m., Rogers Cable 4/ 6. Advisory Planning Commission Bylaw Amendment - APC mandate 7. Development Variance Permit Process Improvements and Options - the Neighbourhood Zoning Programme and Amendments to the Single-Family Zoning Regulations . 8. Noise Bylaw Variance - Civil Construction Co. Ltd. (Lynn Valley Road overpass) 9: Award of Contract - Maplewood Farm Visitor Centre Building 10. Waterworks Regulation Bylaw Amendment - change of payment due date for water utilicy bill Note: for more information cali 990-2211, . OF refer to District InfoWeb at www.dav.d Lore, where you cen find back- ground reports on agenda items. » : Attention Community Associations ‘Would you like more people to attend your Community Asscciation Mecting? Why not advertise your meeting in District Dialogue. This free service is provided by the District of North Vancouver. Contact Jeanine Aylsworth, Communications Officer at 990-2459, or aylsworj@dnv.org for more information. . working together for DNV AND ICBC TEAR UP FOR ROAD SAFETY tion and the District will be applying to ICBC for funding to upgrade another six inter- In order to improve driver visibility of traffic signals and signs, and to reduce future traffic collisions, the District of North Vancouver Transportation Operations Department end ICBC are part- nering in a Road Safety Improvement Program. ICBC will share 50% of the costs associated with safety related road improvements at high col- lision or high traffic volume locations in the Districe. Jn che latter part of 1999, the District replaced 40 overhead Jane designation signs and [5 stop signs with new high reflectivity signs. Currently, an upgrade to larger traffic signal heads at four intersections is nearing comple- a better sections in 2000. As part of an ongoing stop sign replacement program, higher- - Adam McKechuie files videos at Parkgate Library. District libraries have over 46,006 videos and 245,000 books, » grade reflective stop signs have . been installed at 258 locations. A new product - Flyte Lights- which are similar to airpert’- runway landing lights - are scheduled for installation .at the Lynn Valley Road and. : Harold Road school crosswalk next month, so as to improve. -: driver awareness of the school children crossing « The total cost of the above pro- gram is $ 94,000. » community