$1.5m needed for Winter Club _

BY IAN NOBLE
News Reporter

-NORTH Shore Winter
Club members. are scram-
bling to raise money in a
bid to buy back their club.

Members and new members itre
being charged thousands to help

gather S1.5 million, said club con- .

troller Steve Cotter.

So far, said Cotter, the club has
raised about $1,3 million and will
likely raise the full amount by the
end of June.

“It's best for the membership to
buy. the club, * he said. “It's just a
matter of when and for how. much.”

Club members lost control of
their club in 1986, when the North
Shore Credit. Union took over the
club's assets for $3.45 million. At the
time, the club faced a $3 million debt
brought on by expansion, rising inter-
est rates and falling membership.

In 1988, the club was. sold to
Burnaby-based Cooperators Devel-
opment ..Carp. In 1990, then-land-

- lords Cooperators General Insurance
and Marksearch Properties negotiat-
ed a lease with the club.

But the club. said improvements

: landlords agreed to make to the club
were ‘not completed, while land-
lords said the club failed to pay rent
and a share of property taxes.

While a legal battle. brewed, the
club attempted ‘to buy. back its
premises. .:

Now financing’ is in place with

- Nationat- Bank of Canada, but the

‘club’ must first’ raise $1.5 million

-. from its members, said Cotter.

Of that,: $1. million. will go
toward a. down payment on the

“+. $3.65-million purchase price’ end

$500, 000 to pay lawyers and a Joan.

+ Cotter said the purchase price is
based on a previous deal the club had
with landlords Marksearch Prop-
erties and Cooperators General

Insurance. ,

Fern unrest
simmers.

' From page %

Highway ‘south cf Fem will also
be put back temporarily, until the
district can talk to residents about
the final configuration of the road,
said Joyce. The removal ‘of that
sidewalk caused focal residents to
take to the street. and block traffic
June 6.

North. Vanceuver RCMP
Const. Catherine Galliford said
police were called to Ue area
Monday because things were
“heating up again.” But protesters
were not behaving unlawfully,
she said.

On Sunday morning, police
were called to the scene by high-
ways crews. When police arrived,
they found five people lying on
the roud, said Galliford.

Because the residents could
look forward to Monday's meet-
ing and a resolution, they agreed
to stop blocking the road and tet
highways” crews continue their
work, said Galliford. She added
that no charges have resulted
from the confrontations between
highways crews and the residents.

As of Tuesday morning, the
Keith Road on-ramp had not been
closed.

That deal fell through because if
the deal was not finalized, then the
club would have forgone some of the
benefits it won in the four-year law-
suit, said Cotter. .

That was too big a’ risk, said
Cotter, so the club took advantage of
a one-week escape clause and pulled
out May 24. Once financing is con-
firmed, the club will make the same
offer to landlords it had on the table,
said Cotter.

He expects that part of the deal
with landlords will include a provi-
sion that the lawsuit be set aside.

To raise cash, members were
assessed various charges in mid-
April. Holders of family member-
ships were charged $2,750 and sin-
gle members $2,000.

The club had 960 memberships
before the assessment, and will have
about 700 after. Holders of approxi-
mately _ 260 memberships have
resigned or not paid their assessment
and will be suspended, said Cotter.

One of those who chose not to
pay is 27-year-old Wade Bartok. He
said that he wants to buy a car, house
and start a family and can’t find the
money for the assessment.

The 25-year member said he
agrees members have to buy the club.

“IT sure didn't like leaving. It
sucks, to be honest,” he said. “I love
the place and I'll join it in a second
later down the road.”

Cotter acknowledged some mem-
bers were upset by the assessment,
but that must be tempered by the fact
the club has invested $750,000 in the
‘last diree years without assessing
Members or raising dues.

“Sometimes if you want some-
thing you have to pay for it," he said.

To raise cash, the club is also sell-
ing new-memberships. Until June 30,
all memberships, including those for
families, are going for $2,750.

National Bank will finance
memberships with a $79.a-month
loan payment over three years.

Cotter said that more than 40
new membersiiijs have been sold.

=4

From page 1
duce it in the House of Commons,

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

SEABUS Cept. Joe Lutz heads towards Vancouver. Seabus users have doubled since the lane
clogures on the Second Narrows bridge last week.

Bus use up 50% as
bridge work clogs streets

N. Shore commuters
scramble for easier
ways to cross the inlet

BY AMHA MARIE D’ANGELO
Nows Keporter

THE SeaBus is suddenly very popular
with North Shore residents.

Since Thursday, when two traffic lanes disap-
peared from the Second Narrows bridge, ridership
on the SeuBus has increased by 50% during rush
hours. Some peuple are being left behind on some
sailings. ;

But said BC Transit spokesman Trace Acres, “We
are still not getting into the numbers where we feei
we should get off schedule and run a bit faster.”

Upgrade work has closed two lanes of the bridge
until August.

The _festling traffic touble has many North

“I think it’s a major achievement for us: |i
on the North Shore,” said White, adding that

, he will introduce the bill “when my name is
drawn out of the barrel in the House.”

White also received a mandate to set up
a task force to study electoral reform — an
issue particularly timely given the results of

B.C.’s recent provincial election.

The ruling NDP was re-elected by gain-
ing a majority of the seats but was actually
edged out in the popular vote category by

the losing Liberals (41% to 39%).

Grube}, Reform’s finance critic, said he
was a “little bit worried” going into the con- &
vention over some proposed amendments to a

the party’s financial platform.

That platform, as supported by Grubel,

calls for the balancing of the federal budget. NORTH Vancouver Reform Party MP Ted White's card states
within two years followed by tax cuts in that his North Van home field has a capacity of 93,938.

conjunction with the introduction of-a Nat

Shore motorists looking for less stressful ways to
cross the water.

On Tuesday morning, about 15-people were ‘left.
behind at the North Vancouver SeaBus terniinal after
each of four sailings starting at 7:32 a.m. ‘

But the 7:17 a.m. sailing was half full.’ :

On Monday's afternoon rush:hour to: the ‘North.
Vancouver, 30 people were left behind at the 4: 45
p. me sailing, 50. at the 5:15, p.ni. ‘sailing and 60 at.
5:3

The SeaBus carries a maximura 400 people. |

Acres said SeaBus sailings can be changed to.
leave every ‘12 minutes instead ‘of 15, That would
allow one extra sailing an hour or 400 more People.
to cross Burrard Inlet every hour. ‘

But bus connections would not be as coordinated:
if the SeaBus times were changed. ae

Acres said 19 extra buses have been added during:
rush hour for North Shore-Vancouver : routes, .The
buses are used as needed to keep routes on schedule.

He said bus ridership is up.10 to 15%. - “

Acres noted an increase of SeaBus riders with
bikes.

Bikes are allowed on the SeaBus on all sailings: a

Like any ‘responsible organiza-}
tion, ‘the Reformers'neéd furids to :
carry on ‘aad what‘ better, Way .t0°
raise these. than’ to sel!:the like-
“nesses of the party’s, MPs to the
most! ‘receptive. of onsume :
party members.

The items for sate varied from
pins to T-shirts, but the imost’ pop-!:
ular were the. playiiig cards.-Two ;
sets of. these werd’ available. fea-.

income tax incorporating the GST.

The proposed amendments called for a varicty of

changes including an immediate tax cut.

“twas very picased that they were all defeated without
me holding the microphone once,” said a relieved Grubel.

He added that their defeat “impressively confirmed the
common sense of common people.” -

The four-day event's final act was to crown Preston
Manning, the party's leader, with an 86% approval rating.
It was, however, the first time in the party's history that the
figure dipped below 90%.

Both White and. Grube! discounted the drop in

approval rating and said they continue to support
Manning.

“In any democratic, free organization you'll get people
who have a different vision of how and where the organi-
zation should go." said Grubel.

With the party’s pressing business dealt-.with, talk of a
federal election started to spring up. While Grubel refused
to speculate on the subject, White said a fall election is a
distinct possibility.

“Tin ready any time.” said White.

“We're talking about getting me (re) nominated, £
don't expect too much trouble.”

luring just the MPs. or the more .
casual variety sporting» ithe, MPs:
together with their spouse, partak-
ing: in a ‘favorite pastime. . Jan’:
Brown's card was nowhere to be
found — a‘collector’s:item sold’
out (Brown was ‘jected from ‘the
Reform caucus and subsequently:
left the party to sit as an indeper- 7

— Robert Ga fer ‘tf