14 — Wednesday, March 4, 1998 — North Shore News

Tree cuts trou

Anna Marie D'Angelo
News Reporter dangelo@nsnews.com

KATHY Owens is not getting used
to having trees in front of her
work destroyed by a vandal.

It has happened now three times over 13
years. The latest round of vandalism took
place last weekend in front of Kerr Wood
Leidal Associates Lrd.
West 16th Street.

“It makes us sad and frustrated because
you can’t do anything about it,” said Owens
who works as an engincer’s assistant.

On the weekend someone, likely in rhe
middle of the night , cut the two trees three-
quarters of the way through and pushed
them over. Ironically the trees were planted
in front of a company of consulting environ-
mental engineers.

Owens said the first time tees were
destroyed in the same spot occurred about
13 years ago. The full-size trees had been
planted in front of the, building to add

' greenery to the mainly concrete business
block. “They were cut three-quarters
through and they fell across traffic one

in the 100-block of

morning when we came in,” said Owens.

The trees were replaced with new ones
during a company renovation in 1995. The
new trees were required after the building
permit was approved.

“In the spring of 1996, they were ringed
(around the bark) and drilled which is how
vou killa tree,” said Owens.

By this time the environmental consult-
ing company was out about $1,000 for the
trees. After the second round of vandalism,
the municipality stepped in and decided to
replace them because the trees were planted
on municipal land. The trees were replaced
in the fall of last vear at a cost to North
Vancouver City taxpayers of $1,000.

North Vancouver City arborist Dave
Aitchison said the deciduous trees were five-
year-old Persian Ironwood trees, also called
iron trees, which would have grown from 8
feet to 20 feet.

Aitchison said he too was frustrated
about the vandalism. Aitchison said street
tree vandalism is a rare occurrence.

Anyone with information is asked to call
the North Vancouver RCMP at 985-1311 or
Crime Stoppers.

Rezoning for North
Van tennis site backed |

Fram paac§

Club by Lareo Investments
Lid. would answer their
needs.

“fam shocked that there
ist a playground down
there. | am shocked thar there
isn’t a community park down
there,” said Harris.

But the solution being
profiered by Crist and Harris
appears to hinge on some sort
of rezoning to accommodate
housing, of which residents
west of Capilano Road say
they already have too much.

Lower Capilano communi-
ty representatives have been
involved in a public process
for over nine months two

review the recreation needs of

one of the older arcas of the
district. without a recreation
centre.

According to special pro-
jects planner Ross Taylor, the

process has resulted in a stated
preference tur the community
centre to be sited at Norgate
Park with Norgate School,
adjacent to the Fire Hall, the
second choice.

That process culminated
Monday in a 5-2 council vote
directing planning staff to
begin the required rezoning
process for a municipally-
owned site at 3rd Street and
Lloyd Avenue.

Council also appears ready
to support the concept of a
six-court facility on the site
despite its higher price tag.

Meanwhile, planning and
recreation commission staff
were directed to prepare site
layout refinements tor both
potential community centre
sites.

Council hopes to dovetail
that information with a report
on “various options for the
development and__ possible
acquisition of the CapWest
Athletic Club” that was due
March 9.

Director of planning Irwin
Torry said Monday that
because of complex valuation
possibilities the report would
not be ready before March 16
at the carliest.

The delay appeared to take
Mayor Don Bell by surprise.

Crist’s motion directing
staff to prepare a bylaw autho-
rizing the withdrawal of
$500,000 from the Heritage
Fund “subject to a payback of
principal and interest over a
period of 10° years” was
opposed by Couns. Glenys

Deermg-Robb and Trevor
Carolan.

“T'm having a little difti-
culty with a facility that woes
over budget trom the reteren-
dum,” noted Deering- Robb.

But Frank Gartner, vice
president. of the Indoor
Tennis Centre Association
(TCA) which has been oper-

ating the tennis bubble on the

Larco site for the last four and -

a half months, says recent
experience proves a four-court

~ facility is inadequate.

“Without any advertising
we are averaging a court occu-
pancy rate in excess of 75%.
Standard recognized tennis
programs cannot be accom-
modated for lack of courts,”
Gartner told councit Monday.

He listed junior and senior
programs, league play, tourna- -
ments anc adequate coaching :
as missing trom a four-court -
program. go

Gartner said average .
monthly income from four -
months of operation accom-
modating 16,388 participants F
has been $18, 467.

District. and | recreation
commission staff were. also
directed to prepare a business
plan for the design and opera:
tion of the facility.

Meanwhile, council also :
received a presentation ‘from
Urban Sport Inc. offering to
build a private tennis facility:

"on district land and relieve the.

district of “up to $500,000 of.
unnecessary capital expendi
turcs — a proposal that Crist
compared to “snake oif sal

B.C.A.A. - ARA.
APPROVED CENTRE

-_

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