6 — Friday, June 5, 1998 - North Shore News north shore news VIEWPOINT Shake-up UR children are not safe at school. We are overdue for a major earthquake in the region, but most North Shore schools are not ready. Planning i is essential if the commu- nity is to mitigate the potential loss of life and injury that will be part of the fallout. We can thank the tireless effort of North and West Vancouver Emergency Program coordinator Ross Peterson, his staff and. volun- teers for formulating and maintain- ing emergency response plans at municipal and neighborhood levels. Last year Peterson appealed to the two North Shore schoo! districts for ‘ funding to support.a paid part-time coordinator for the emergency pre- paredness program. The person would prepare schools and train per- sonnel to handle emergency earth- quake response at schools. The request was rejected on the grounds of a lack of funds. A $5,000 contribution from each of the school boards would set the wheels in motion. Any long-term management of the program would require additional and ongoing funding. The school districts could take on the challenge. As matters stand the emergency program has to deal with 56 North Shore public schools on a one-to-one basis. It is an inefficient and daunting task given the limited resources of the program. The schocl boards should give seri- ous thought to what would be a rea- sonable investment. Our children deserve it. PASSED SOME [RESOLUTIONS WE CAN ALL AGREE ON mailbox More industry wen’ benefit Maplewood Dear Editor: . You may have smelled a foul industrial smell in Maplewood but rake a whiff of what the big chemical com- ‘pany, Canadian Occidental Petroleum Ltd., is proposing now, . On the one hand, the company is trying to convince the Maplewood community that the new Dollarton. Industrial Park will enhance their quality of life and economic sratus. On the: other hand, we believe, it is’ intimidating the Maplewood community by threatening to increase the heavy ‘industry land use if approval for a new industrial park devel- opment is not given: * The traffic/bridge focus of the public Meetings has drawn attention away from more important issucs like the ‘ . health of children at Maplewood community school, the ; environment and parkland, - How can. the Dollarton realignment and the deforesta- tion of the surrounding arca improve quality of life, as the company, has claimed? : Maplewood: elementary school children are currently -:exposed to pollutants from heavy industry. The plan is to cut down the trees, the existing buffer zone ‘between this heavy industrial site and the community. Does this plan include re- locating ‘the school? . At the April 29 public’ meeting, we implored council to save, this treed buffer area and reject the land-use proposal and realignment. Uniess there is a reduction in harmful chlorine emissions, a negotiated time frame for the Canadian Occidental Petroleum chemical facility to be phased our and a guarantee that. the treed buffer’ zone is retained, district council must give. the industrial development proposition the thumbs down. Elise Roberts - North Vancouver Kristina Vandervoort North Vancouver’ ‘north. shore Worth Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent subuiban newspaper and quaihed under Schedule 111, Paragraph 131 of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press, ‘Lt: and dhstributed to every door on the North Sate. Canada Post Camadsan Pubkeations Mtai Sales Product Agreement No. 0087238. ‘Mating rates avaiable on request *oee337 (128). —N 985-2131 (101) - 985-2131 (127) 51.58 rio con Fray 8 Sur FRIENDS, enemies, West - Vancouver ‘council: listen to the reasoned voice of Frank Kurucz. Last year he wrote to every WV coun- cillor. None, in writing, responded. He was disap- pointed. His topic: the proposed western community centre, * planned now to share space with Gleneagles Golf Course. ; Kurucz, has impressive credentials in recreation. He was our town’s recre- ation manager (1974-84) and parks and recreation director, retiring in 1989. In 35 years of service he also was a volunteer member of the old parks and rec advisory commission and served the YMCA and the senior cen- tre. At age 69 he still runs regularly from the 22nd Street centre. If that’s a bias — well, read on... - / Kurucz’s reasoning begins with this salient point: “The priority between a new western centre and the [22nd Street] toca- tion facility upgrade has never been dis- cussed of approved by the community.” He supports che satellite centre. Bur “I question the need for a facility of 30,000 sq. ft. which is larger than the existing community centre (27,000 sq. ft.) or the enlarged seniors centre (23,000 sq. ft.). - “The projected population of WV in the year 2010 .. be ‘able to support two large community centres. ... The population of 8,825 (1991) in the western part of the community will have difficulty supporting such a large cen- PETER SPESK ; Reseut Publisher 985-2131 (177) Classified Manager 986-6222 (202) Entire contents @ 3997 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. 985-2139 (160) . 49,441, won't require or . Comptroller 985-2937 (132) he fears that ix “may become a w hite elephant on the taxpayers for years.” Capital costs apart, “we will have to face a yearly subsidy from taxation of approxi- mately $500,000- $600,000 ... the same as the existing taxation for the community centre and also for the seniors cen- tre.” Yes, some councillors backed a new western centre in their 1996 clec- tion campaigns (Victor — Durman and Liz Byrd, good and hard-working councillors both, are the most deeply contmitted, I’d say}. Bur “since then the financial picture .. has changed very drastically,” Kurucz writes. “Government cutbacks are forcing the municipality ... to increase user tees to the level thar same reside: ats won "t be able to participate in programs.” In an interview he made some sensible points: the 22nd Street centre is near the library, stores, restaurants, medical clinics, the Seawalk etc., so parents can drop off their children for an hour or two and do other things. Not so Gleneagles. His conclusion: Upgrade 22nd Street first — “create a one-stop faciliry where the greatest population is located.” (Ud interject: Fellow westerners, would you rather have our light traffic driving to ‘ead Street, or much more populous ‘sy bleside/Dundarave’s wratfie driving to 4, eneagles, attracted by the spiffy new cen- tre?) . Bottom line: the “official” cost of the Gleneagles pian is $8.6 million. Bet on it: nillion is too, mu Resck ]. LIBERALS SUCK : Z. LIBERALS ARE TITS & 3.WE WANNA BE IN : CHARGE LIBERALS ARE JERKS 5 LIBERALS EAT THEIR YouNG: 6. WE WANNA 8 BE Led You a 3 WE rc WANNA RULE THE 9. UBERAts EAT TORY J : ew WV rec centre a taxing affair the real cost will be $10 million to S11 million. And upgradirig 22nd Street about=: the same. . vs Also: why compromise a golf course. that's generating $350,000 a year:for WV? : I repeat my.u popular Views‘even $8.6 for. too little: It’s fot’ strictly comparable, but Deita’s proposed 31,000- esq. ft. public safety, building, with fire, police and emergency cene functions, © is projected to cost only $4.8 million, » And for years WV councils have been uncasily delaying hard devisions about cost ly upgrades to our police and tire, facilities too. 3 In short: we're facing’ big: capital costs. : in coming years. How do yout like the’ size : of this mionth’s tax bills? “5 Pressure is building fora ‘public hearing on the Gleneagles proposal. Let's have ic. : Yes, some of my fellow westerners are treating me like Louis Riel was treated in 1885. But chey will tecognize nw wisdorn *:: even if | have to wait until, like Ricl, Tam.” rehabilitated as a Father of My a : Municipality. Q a a Another heretical thought: Could the Alaskans be right when they chide the B.C. government about the coho crisis ~~ insist-” ing it applics only to a couple of B.C. : rivers? Pm anguished that the ban will’ stop: the money-spinning sports fishery dead, even though the News reports thar the North Shore’s Seymour and Capilano River'r of (nosdy hatchery-bred) ¢ coho will be 3,250 and 21,258 respectively this more than in 1996 and 1992.2: Is that fair to Sciierable business Sewell’s? To tourists? To the: North Shore economy? » LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, full address & telephone number. Managing Editor 385-2134 (136) Trix] Agrios Promotions Manager 985-2131 (216} VIA e-mail tenshaw @ direct.ca - Gail Snalgrave General Office Manager 985-2131 (105) internet- hitp:/Arww. inenewe.com