U2 road crew tackles iN. Van soccer squad Bono and band no-shows for Mahon match Andrew McCredie showed up to mate sure no overzealous fans caused a Editor disturbance,” said North Van RCMP Constable Tom andrew@nsnews.com Scanan, adding that the crowd was well behaved. . Rumors began circulating a week ago that the game IN-THE-KNOW fans of the supergroup U2 would rake place Sunday afternoon at Kinsmen Field, Me didn’t find what they were looking for bur on Sunday morning members of the Wanderers were . Monday night at Mahon Park in North tokd that the game would be played under the Mahon a. Vancouver. Park lights Monday night. 7 ° Avid soccer players, the crew and band often arrange Under a clear, dark sky the Irish band’s road crew, the a soccer game if they have an extended stay in one city. PopMartyrs, played the North Van Wanderers, 2 beer- The group arrived in Vancouver late Saturday night and _ league men’s soccer team, in front of 250 expectant fans, had a two-day respite before last night’s PopMart con- Fifteen minutes prior to the 8 p.m. kickoff, a crowd — cert at B.C. Place. ‘of 100 or so began milling around. as RCMP cruiscrs All was not completely lost, however, for the young . patrolled the perimeter of the arc-lit pitch. autograph seekers clutching pens and pads on Monday «Murmurs filled the chilly air. A clutch of photogra- night. phers trained their zoom lenses on the motley crew of To bolster their midfield play, the Wanderers recruit- mutton-chopped roadies. ed the services of Vancouver 86ers coach Carl Valentine. ¢ . “Ts that Bone.” Each time Valentine came off the field, a shy youngster “That looks like The Edge.” or two would approach the soccer star for his signature. ' Alas, despite the police presence and a seemingly Midway through the second half the North : docile crowd, the band — Bono, The Edge, Adam Vancouver resident donned PopMartyr strip and finished M™ : Clayton and Larry Mullen — stayed comfortably the game playing on the visitors’ side. ma. ensconced in their posh downtown hotel. They wanted The Wanderers drew first blood midway through the to run, but they decided to hide. opening half, but with just seconds remaining before the tale “With the crowd swelling to over 200 by halftime, a _ half, PopMartyrs’ Ray Bogle beat the Wanderer keeper. 2 eeneericemt NEVIS phota Cindy Goodman band manager on the sidelines called the hotel and told When the final whistle went 45 minutes later, the the group 'to stay put. Too many people, she reported. Wan-terers had defeated the PopMartyrs 7-3. In appreci- NORTH Van Wanderers’ goalie (in hat) gets smothered by mem- The crew played on. With or without the band. ation for the game, members of the Wanderers were bers of U2’s road crew Monday at Mahon Park. Over 200 braved “We were told in advance about the game, so we just _ given tickers to last night’s show. a chilly night to see U2 band members, who didn't show up. erry fare pre Bow en residents livid, the Bowens veel Fares Strategy . . but Victoria refuses to forthe ans eommuesinconsient athe FERRY f£ , ts will . se padiraes ons Pee eae he woven roll back rate increases pe re ae months until ferry fees drop or the govern- cer An way Syster Miller, th = . ii ¢ committee petitione an Miller, the . “ment leaves office, said rote f th t Bay terminal Tuesday afternoon, after News NDP minister responsible for B.C. Ferrics, to seck Michael Becker ° organizers OF 2 esday protest a presstime. Cabinet approval to rescind the recent rate News Editor a Horseshoe Bay. “I would anticipate delaying terry loadings and _ increase. michacl@nsnews.com But the government said Tuesday the fares unloadings and making noise,” he said before the Miller did not return News calls to press time, won’t be reduced. protest. “I know the last time we did that two but a spokesman for Miller’s Ministry of THE former manager of Richard Goth, a Bowen Island residents who’s — weeks ago we had people lying down in front of Employment and Investment said the ferry fees the North Shore n organizer with the island’s Ferry Fares Strategy traffic trying to load and unload. It was quite an won’t be reduced duc to the protests. Economic Development : Committee, said he and other protesters will per- exciting time.” Peter Cech said the government has asked fer- Commission (NSEDC) : severe. Goth, who runs a freight business on Bowen ries to become more efficient and find a better ced sail “' © He added protesters plan to reach their goal by Island, said protesters received the finger from way to provide financial support for the corpora- was sentenced to a J im being persistent. time to time at the Nov. 21 protest. tion through a form of subsidy. term Monday for “Either the fares come down or the govern- West Vancouver Police said a 54-year-old “But at the end of the day the user has to off- defrauding the munici- ../ Ment comes down,” said Goth. Bowen Island woman allegedly used her vehicle in set increasing costs for the corporation as well,” pally-financed organiza- ++. However, a scheduled protest by Bowen Island _ striking a ferry worker. The woman was arrested _ he said. tion . commuters at the Lions Gate Bridge was can- and later released. He blamed fuel costs and Workers’ . ‘celled. Other B.C. residents who depend on ferry Compensation Board increases for higher operat- Bonnie Pyplacz had supple- - Goth said the Lions Gate protest was intended transportation were also scheduled to take part in ing costs. mented her yearly income by * "to: highlight a link between the crossing over — protests throughout Vancouver Island Tuesday. Goth said he’s urging passengers to use nickels funnelling funds to consulting "water and the Bowen Island ferry. B.C. Ferries spokesman Clay Suddaby said that and dimes to pay their fares to make things “more firms controlled by her Bur the logistics of a Lions Gate Bridge _ if the protest is peaceful and employees and pas- awkward” for B.C. Ferries. between late 1992 and protest, said Goth, are a bit daunting. sengers are not put at risk, “we don’t see any real The Bowen route cost $6.3 million to operate February of 1996. © ls He added that Bowen Islanders, frustrated by value in trying to shut it down.” in 1997 and brought in revenue of $4.4 million. A commission —_ audit hikes of 33% in November, plan to join a protest The provincial government sets the ferry tariff. Ten return trips for one vehicle and one driver brought the payments to fight. In July 1996, Pyplacz vol- untarily returned $92,791.27 to the non-profit municipal agency. Dwindling municipal sup- port and the controversy sur- rounding the actions of the agency’s economic develop- ment officer ultimately led to the demise of NSEDC earlier this year. The commission was started in 1989 to promote business and employment on the North Shore. It was funded to the tune of $173,000 a year by all three by Sunshine Coast ferry users at the Horseshoe — The ferry corporation is trying to address a $28.5- now costs $152.70, said Goth. a The bylaw package passed its first three . 4 readings in a close 4-3 vote, with Bell casting m © the deciding vote. ; : 5 Of the opposed votes, one councillor wanted less, while two wanted more. : ad a “] have no heart for this,” said Coun. , Janice Harris, describing the proposed increase as “a gap I can’t close.” Couns. Trevor Carolan, Lisa Muri and Fron: page¥ Glenys Decring-Robb all said they were comfortable with the proposed increase. would have produced 2 21.9% pay inercase. “Twenty-four thousand dollars? Thirty However, Beli later admitted to Coun. Glenys Deering-Rebb that his thousand dollars? Is that unfair? I ask you,” application of the Jones Formula ignored vears that previous councils side- said Muri. stepped the recommended formula in favor of larger “catch-up” wage Meanwhile, Couns. Ernie Crist and Pat North Shore municipalities and increases. Munroe were unapologetic about their con- COUN. Lisa Muri ... the provincial government. Bell also offered a variety of expense formulas for council’s consideration tinued support of a council pay level set at “$24,000? $30,000? Is In 1995, Pyplacz made in addition to the $1,000 of “meeting, course or convention” expenses 50% of the mayor's. that unfair? | ask you?” $59,764.96 as the commis- council can already claim. Such a formula would see the rate rise to sion’s economic development (Expenses connected with the annual conferences of the Union of British $29,715. officer. Columbia Municipalities and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities are Crist said he would not seek a transportation allowance on top of that, North Vancouver provincial covered separately.) while Munroe said he would. . court Judge Doug Moss sen- Council chose a formula that will sce councillors claim car expenses of 39 Neither position gained support from the rest of council. tenced Pyplacz to a 12-month cents ‘a kilometre, a rate that includes an allowance for depreciation and The bylaw package will be back before council for adoption next Tuesday, jail term and recommended insurance. . Dec. 16. that it be served by electronic Some councillors expect to claim $200 to $300 a month under the Bel] said the public, which voiced opposition to last year’s proposed monitoring. allowance, increase, would have an cyportunity to be heard at that time.