PROPANE BARGE WAS ILLEGALLY MOORED Hazardous goods moorage ban ure WEST VANCOUVER District 1e Counci} is asking the Ministry of Transport to disallow the permanent moorage of vessels carrying hazardous goods in Horseshoe Bay and areas under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport harbor master, The harbor master’s jurisdiction extends from Point Atkinson to Horseshoe Bay. The action came Monday fol- lowing recommendations presented by West Vancouver fire chief Colin Evans. The fire chief's investigation in- to the circumstance surrounding the May 22 Fisherman's Cove sinking of a propane barge carry- ing two 1,000-gallon propane tanks revealed that the Shamrock Sea Services barge operated by P.H. Bibby from Sewell’s Marina in Horseshoe Bay had been illegally moored at the marina for the past five years. The barge, servicing cottage AICHAE News Reporter owners in the Howe Sound area, grounded on Bowen Island when a large wave from a passing freighter washed it ashore. In his report to council, Evans said section 26 of the federal ber- thing regulations state ‘‘that a hazardous goods berthing site must be designated by the Ministry of Transport. No such site has been set aside at Sewell’s Marina.” Sewell’s owner Dan Sewell said the barge hasn’t been moored at his facility since the accident. ‘‘! don’t know anything about it yet. I haven't received any calls from any i NEWS photo Neil Lucente A SUN LOVER takes a few minutes during a lunch break to catch a quick nap at the fountain at Lonsdale Quay. Tor authorities on it,’” said Sewell. But said Evans, ‘‘There is nothing I can do about it myself. 1 want to put some pressure on the MARINA OWNER Dan Sewell...barge hasn't been moored at his facility since the accident. SEYMOUR FACILITY WILL NOT CLOSE V public meeting to discuss hatchery’s fate 3 - Sunday, June 14, 1987 - North Shore News "shoe issue. We don't need any more hazards in the area than we can absolutely help.” Said acting West Vancouver mayor Rod Day, ‘*We’re concern- ed with the matter because Horse- shoe Bay is a densely populated and well-used recreational area. The problem didn’: come to our attention before this incident. I hope we're dealing with it proper- ly.’” Following Evans’ recommenda- tions, council is asking the Minister of Transport for man- datory safety inspections to bring vessels under 15 tons carrying haz- ardous goods in line with Canada Steamship Act regulations. “The propane tanks once in- stalled on the vessel, no longer ap- pear to be of interest to the pro- vincial gas inspector. An unsafe vessel and hazardous goods situa- tion can be the result,’’ said Evans. Council wiil also be [ooking at THE FATE of North Vancouver’s Seymour River fish hatchery will be decided following a public meeting sched- uled to be held June 24 at the North Vancouver Recreation Centre. Fisheries and Oceans Canada spokesman Dennis Deans said Thursday the meeting will give all parties interested in the hatchery’s future a chance to tell the depart- ment what the hatchery should be. But Deans said the facility will continue to be run under contract and will not be closed. Who will run the hatchery and the extent of its operation, he said, were the questions that would be answered with input taken from the June 24 public meeting. “A lot has been written about the hatchery, and people have in- dicated a number of ideas and ex- pectations for it,’? Deans said, ““but we don’t know what they want. This will give everybody an opportunity to tell the ministry.” In a March 15 North Shore News story chronicling the possible closure of the hatchery, Fisheries and Oceans spokesman Colin ACCORDING TO LOCAL MLA ANGUS REE Victoria stalling on Lonsdale NORTH VANCOUVER-Capilano MLA Angus Ree says the provincial government is using a stubborn apartment owner as an excuse to delay construction of the $15 million overpass project announced in 1985 for the Lonsdale and Upper Levels Highway intersection. “Pm unhappy about it,’’ Ree said. ‘It looks like the government is using it as an excuse not to do the work. As far as I'm concerned it will be built, but I just can’t get any answers.’” ; Ree made his comments in con- nection with a June 10 News story that chronicled the battle waged between the owner of the 10-suite Lonsdale Manor apartment and the Department of Transportation and Highways. According to the provincial gov- ernment, the apartment block, By TIMOTHY RENSHAW News Reporter which is located at the southwest corner of Lonsdale and the Upper Levels, is the last building that must be removed before construc- tion on the project can begin. When the project was originally announced in October 1985, con- struction was scheduled to begin early last year. Manor owner George Riste, who maintains that the iuilding’s site fs not needed for the project, has said he will not vacate the apart- ment block without — provincial government assurances that he will get a building of equal quality and size in a suitable area to house his wife, himself and all the tenants currently living in his building. He said 50 per cent of the Lons- dale Manor’s suites are rented on a non-profit basis- A building located farther north on Lonsdale that was offered to Riste in exchange for Lonsdale Manor was deemed unacceptable by the apartment owner and subsequently rejected. Transportation and Highways spokesman Charlie Shave said the provincial government is ‘‘still try- ing to negotiate with Mr. Riste, By TIMOTHY RENSHAW News Reporter Masson said cutbacks in the ministry’s Salmonoid Enhance- ment Program (SEP) budget had forced a_ re-evaluation of the Seymour facility. The current con- tract for the halchery’s operation expires at the end of August. The hatchery, which has a cur- rent annual production of 170,000 coho eggs, 50,000 chinook salmon eggs and 60,000 steelhead trout eges, was established in 1977 by BCIT with a $23,500 federal gov- ernment grant. Located below the Seymour River dam about 14 kilometres past the Rice Lake watershed gate, it employs three people full time and another person for two-thirds of the year. Masson said the ministry was also concerned with quality and quantity of water used by the overpass and we hope to start the project later this year.”” But he added that funds for the project have yet to be approved by the provincial government. “I guess you could say the whole thing is kind of up in the air,” Shave said. Shave would not say whether the government will expropriate the Riste property under the Bill 22’s new Expropriation Act: ‘‘That’s a hypothetical situation.”’ Included with the original an- nouncement of Lonsdale overpass project was a second $15 million overpass for the intersection of Westview Drive and the Upper Levels Highway, construction on which was also scheduled to begin this year. pe ACTING WEST Vancouver mayor Rod Day...“‘The problem didn’t come to our attention before this incident.”’ disallowing the moorage of haz- ardous goods in other areas of the municipality. hatchery, especially during periods of low water levels. Cost to rebuild the hatchery has been estimated at $180,000. The hatchery also operates 12 fish-rearing pens, which are located in the Deep Cove area of Burrard Inlet. Masson said Fisheries and Oceans had been approached with proposals for the hatchery’s future use by representatives from Capilano College, local stevihead groups, North Shore schools and Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) project organizers for the 5,600 hectare Seymour Demonstration Forest, which is scheduled to open to the public Aug. 23. The purpose of the meeting, he said, is ‘‘to bring all these different ideas together."” Seymour Demonstration Forest project manager Gordon Joyce has said the GVRD believes the hatch- ery would be an integral part of the forest. The June 24 meeting is sched- uled to begin at 8 p.m. in the rec- reation centre’s Capilano Room. NORTH VANCOUVER-Capilano MLA Angus Ree...‘‘As far as I'm concerned it will be built, but J just can’( get any answers.”" Said Ree: ‘‘I’ve told them (Transportation and Highways of- ficials) that I’ve got all the votes ! can out of this project as it stands now. The only way ! can get any more is if it gets built.”’