Young man feund dead NORTH VANC OES ER ROSIP have released dhe same of a dead nan teund Ssuntdas afternoon at Kinsmen’s Park in North Vancouver. Dead is Diesear-old Mreston Stautfer of West Vancouver, According to police his bods was found sitting in the bleach- ers during ao osaceer pume. At approximately 1:45 0 pine, a soccer fan noticed Staulfer was slumped over. Phe fan went over to see if he was in need of assistance and found him dead. He had been dead for approximates 10 hours before he was found. Police do not suspect foul play. Police suspect) Stauffer mas have died of a drug over- dose. The investigation con- tinues. Weather: Wednesday and Thursday, sunny and warm. Highs near 27°C. 3 q Sol. MERE tecture. INDEX Auto ............... 29 Business ............ 18 Classified Ads........36 Doug Collins......... 9 Dr. Ruth............24 Food ............... 31 EEHE DONOTHOSs [ ‘ tac x Bob Hunter... Lifestyles. .... Mailhbex...... Sports............ TV Listings........ What's Going On... NEWS phote Neil Lucente WEST VANCOUVER Police Cst. Brian Evoy stands guard at a cordoned-off section of the 1400-block Marine Drive Friday. A bomb threat was reporied to police at 3:15 p.m. A Marine Drive lingerie shop was searched by a bomb disposal unit, Police came up empty handed. Traffic on Marine Drive was discupted for several hours. a rt 3 Wednesthiis, sept miter 23. 1us7 North Strate News PUBLIC HEARING W. Van residents Square off over seniors housing ANSWERING the need for low-income seniors housing in West Vancouver should not be at the expense of single- family residents, a group opposed to the three-storey, 44- unit proposal for the 1900-block Esquimalt protested Mon- dav. Page toa oserfless crowd al West Vancouver Distaot Council chambers, the public hearmge to discuss the West Vancouver United Chautchesponsarca prefect wis moced ota West) Vancouver Sr. Secondary “We beheve. otter carelu) selee- tion. that this as the only viable site in West Van. said church repre- semtauve Bruce Scott, While ssinpathetie to the needs of iow-income seniors, bsquinalt resident Avon Mersey teft the pro- bien should be looked at through the commiunits plan, “And if the need is established, the community as a whole should pas the price. funds should be ratsed and the faciity put ina place that is suitable not only to setdor witizens but also the rest of the residents,” Merses said, hdr should be the responsibilits ot couned ta lead and direct this — with the supportoot ars chureh that washes ro help. added Harry Binks. dimsell a semor cine, Another resident. Paul Cote. pointed out that the kind of ‘spot voning’™” tteeessury to brinw the multipte-family building into a single-family neighborhood was the antithesis of West 9 Van- couverites’ desire for ‘systematic and orderly’* development, and should only be a last resort, Scott explained the [900-lock property had been found to be the only suitable land for the project — after an earher proposal had been turned down by council and many other sites had been review- ed. “tt’s the only site that’s inex- pensive enough,’ Cote com- mented, Cote pointed out that the fun- ding for the project is coming through B.C. Housing Manage- ment Commission, which has not taken into account higher land values in West Vancouver, “Instead of raising the extra money for a suitable site, they are buying these properties because they are cheap,’* Cote said. But Scott stressed the extreme need of low-income West Van- couverites that are being forced to leave the community to seek suit- able housing. “There's a minimum of 100 subsidized housing units needed in West Van," he claimed. Scott. reminded the aldermen present that the council of 1982 adopted a policy to encourage the development of 133) low-income seniars units by 1990. “No such units have been built since that time.’ he added. “We're handing you, on a platter, 45 units of subsidized housing.” Scott also pointed out that the project had the support of many members of the community, if not the immediate neighborhood, plus most of the district’s chur- ches, service clubs and the Chamber of Commerce. “Some of you are saying this building would be out of character in a. single-family neighborhood while others are saying that they fear the area is becoming a seniors ghetto. You can't have it both ways,’ said Dr. Dennis Hayward of the West Vancouver Ecumenical Outreach Council. SFU professor James Wilson, who specializes in seniors housing, stated that residents are always concerned when a group home is By MAUREEN CURTIS Levatri tiation Writer planned for their neihborhood, but thes rarely: have complaints afterwards. Phe seniors who would live at 1900 -block Esquimalt would not add toe complaints about skateboards, ehetto blasters. sereeching tires and vrad parties, Wilson pointed out, Project architect John Currie used sfides and models to show how well the building had been designed to fit tnto the neighborhood with good natural screening, UNITED Church representative Bruce Scott...°*There’s a minimum of 100° subsidized housing units needed in West Yan." Traffic would not be signific ly increased as many of the seniors would not own cars, but could take advantage of shopping, recre- ation facilities and the library — all within walking distance, Avon Mersey also showed slides of the site featuring balloons raised to show the height and impact of the proposed building. He showed how the apartment would come within five feet of the boundary of the adjacent property owned by Sara Rogers. Rogers said she felt pressured to sell out with the prospect of a building 15 times the size of her home going up next door. The project would also intrude slightly on the nearby creck cove- nant area, as well as on to a@ strip of Esquimalt 30 feet wide. Local resident and North Van City engineer Allan Phillips said the three-storey building would cause an increase in traffic pro- blems, as well as make a signifi- cant) Visual impact on the neighborhood. “But the major consideration is the density,’" he stated. Bringing a 70 unit per acre den- sity building into a four to five unit per acre zoned area would be ‘inconsistent’, Philips claimed. Phillips also called for closer study of the support infrastructure needed for ‘tan aging communi- ty." “Don't embark on this piece- meal approach,’* he warned, Although SFU's Dr. Wilson daimed that studies of group homes showed no negative effects On property values in most cases, Paul Cote said that renovations in this area are being put on hold and Teal estate agents are going door- to-door looking for potential ven- dors. As there were still more people waiting to speak, the public hear- ing was adjourned until October 5, back at municipal hall.