Plan your ‘weekend. PAGE 17, January 29, 198K News 885-2531 Classified 986-6222 Distribution 986-1337 84 pages 28¢ NORTH VANCOUVER-Capilano MLA Angus Ree said Wednesday he will consider tendering his resignation if funds for the long-delayed $20 million overpass at Lonsdale Avenue and the Upper Levels Highway are not included in esi with Here;:,Glen Ranger; of: North: Shore : Pets: and. Supplies” the provincial government's 1988-89 budget. Ree said the continued delay in starting construction on the pro- ject, which was) orginally an- nounced in October 1985, “has me eatremely riled up."’ So much so that he said he would have ‘to seriously consider’’ threatening to tesign if project funds are not allocated, Construction on the project was originally scheduled to begin in 1986, but was delayed. in) part, when Lonsdale Manor apartment block owner George Riste refused to vacate the 10-suite building at 2429 Lonsdale Ave. until he had assurances from the provincial government that he would get a building of equal quality and equal size to house his wife, himself and the manor’s tenants. But the nrovincial government expropriated the property on Aug. 4, 1987 after Riste and the high- ways department failed to reach an agreement on a sale price or land swap for the 32-year-old Lonsdale Manor. The building has yet to hs removed, Riste, who had owned the building since 1960, accused Ree of making the original interchange overpass announcement to win votes in the Oct. 22, 1986 provin- cial election. Ministry of Transportation and Highways spokesman Sandy Wat- son said Thursday design work on the eight-lane Lonsdale overpass is complete, but the ministry is waiting for available project funds. She said the overpass, its priori- ty in the overall scheme of Lower Mainland transportation needs and all project funding estimates are currently being reassessed. All projects over $10 million, Watson said, are currently being re-examined for such things as construction estimates consistent with recommendations from the MacKay report into the massive cost. overruns on Coquihalla Highway construction. Lonsdale overpass cost estimates have increased by $5 million since the project was initially announced as one half of a $30 million Upper Levels overhaul. A second $15 million inter- change, at the Upper Levels and Westview Drive, was also an- nounced in 1985, but its construc- tion will not begin until the Lons- dale overpass, which will be phas- ed in over three years, has been completed. The original estimated total con- struction time for the project was nine months, Approximately $0,000 cars per day pass through each of the two North Vancouver highway in- tersections, NORTH Vancouver-Capilano MLA Angus Ree...overpass delay “*has me extremely riled up.’’ A total of $400,000 was, spent in 1986 on utility relocation around the Lonsdale overpass site. No money was spent on the project in 1987, North Vancouver City Mayor Jack Loucks said the overpass ‘‘is long overdue. The sooner they get going on it the better.”* Ree said he has met with Minister of Transportation and Highways Stephen Rogers and Fi- nance Minister Mel Couvelier in an attempt to ascertain the project's status. He also. had a_ recent meeting with Premier Bill Vander Zalm ‘‘and spoke to him in what I feel were very strong terms’’ about the project, but has received no commitment from the ministers or the premier and no indication as to whether any money will be in the spring budget for the project.