joug joins the underground BRIDGES. TUNNELS. And the NDP. Everyone has had his say about the above, except for the biggest bridge and tunnel expert of all. Me. Once upon a time f engineered severaf tunnels while enjoy- ing hospitality in prison camps. Two of them col- lapsed, due to unforeseen cir- cumstances. But 1 am not without experience. Tecan tell you that a lot of people, including real engi- neers, rely largely on their instincts where bridges and tunnels are concerned. And my instinct tells me thar aij the predicions about the Lions Gate Bridge being good only for another few years are wrong. The old thing should be good for at least another 50 years. Sure, the road surface may need topping up now and then but if the bridge itself starts wobbling we should dig up the guys who designed it in the 1930s and shoot them. There are bridges all over the world that are older than Lions Gate. In England there’s the beautiful suspension bridge over the Bristol Channel, designed by the great Isambard Brunel. It was put up in the 1850s and is still going strong. In Scotland there’s the immense Firth of Forth bridge, com- pleted in 1890. I: takes heavy rail traffic. Down Under, the Aussies have the magnificent Sydney How are we doing? When we fail short of your expeceation, please tell us. When a newspaper story does nor seem to reflect taiely what was said, tec our editors know, When we are unable 10 solve your complaint, we encourage you it co submir to the: B.C Press Council Box 5414 Victoriz, B.C. V8R 654 Tel: (604) 595-2571 Fax: (604) 595-2573 The B.C. Press Council was cerared ia 1983 as an independent ceview hoard to procect the public from press inaccuracy or unfaienen and to pmmots quality journalism, LEASE NOW ALL MAKES NEW & USED “er ACBC Payment Pian Now Available. Harbor bridge, opened in 1932 and once regarded as the cighth wonder of the world. To San Francisco there’s the Golden Gate bridge. It was built in 1937 and has survived earthquakes. And now Tl let you in on a secret. The real reason we have all this fuss over Lions Gate is that it’s become too small for the demand. Bet vou didn’: know that. But if we get a new bridge it, too, will o¢ too small in no time because we suffer from growth disease, which is a kind of cancer. If we had any sense we would say, “That’s it, folks. We don’t WANT a new bridge and those that don’t like it can move to Vancouver. Or to some other nice place. Zaire for instance. Or Somalia.” But we are not likely to be sensible about it. The race that made the H- bomb just can’t help itself when it comes to death wishes. We are also caught in the cleft stick of environmentalism. A new bridge means more roads through Stanley Park, which would probably bring abour a civil war. I can see it now. Hairy, smelly, bearded Greenpeacers of both sexes from all over the world, chaining thems