56 pages Office, Editorial 985-2131 BOTTOM LINE RRSPs our last opportunity to protect hard-earned income. Display Advertising 980-0511 NEWS photo Paul McGrath JOHN PLAYLE holds a letter from SRK-Robinson Engineering stating that his house at 1664 Birchlynn Pl. is stable. He stands on the sundeck of his sinking home, overlooking the area where other houses have been declared unsafe and torn down. JOHN AND Angela Playle’s grandfather clock abuts the wall of their house at 1664 Birchlynn PI. By Kate Zimmerman News Reporter But the floor slopes so much that the top of the clock stands 8.5 inches out, “The land in the lease is subsiding and the cen- tre of the house is sinking.” said John Playle, an electrician. The Playles bought their house in 1992 Seven months later. a crack appeared in the bac then a crack in the carport spre: id inte the house. ght up to the supporting wall. S “the basement flooz started to subside. In 1964. the slop on which the Plavles” house . i Creek, which crac Ked the foundation of anew house. Despite this, other houses were built on the proy ty without it being stabilized by North Vancouver District. Peres “VERY The Playles’ neighbors have already been forced to fight the municipality over their sinking homes, Ivo and Linda Vadnak had to evacuate their house at 1650 Birchlynn in December 1990 because a slope failure appeared imminent. Glenys and Harvey Lawson's home at 1642 Birchlynn iso at risk, Both families had to take the district to court: both won. In 1991, the district claimed it had stabilized the slope by building a berm and installing hori- zontal drainage. but according to Vod still moving. As far as I’m concerned, i bomb.” The Playles will likely follow in the Vodnaks’ and sue the nunicipati tid he had been told for the last months by Michael Parsons of the Municipal Insurance Association that he and Angela should pack { move because compensation from the district was forthcoming. (Parsons said he could not comment on thy case.) Last week, however, the Playles received a fet- ter telling them that the district would be doing a study of their property. cay “The same thing happened to Ivo (Vo said Playle. “It’s like going fishing, pulling the fish in, letting it go and pulling itin again.” The Playles had been hoping to avoid the sce- nario played out by their neighbors. After the Vodnaks’ court clash, they received only the mar- ket value of their house. (Once the Lawson home became the property of the district, the house sat vacant until recently, when it caught fire and had to be demolished.) Vodnak estimates that the district spent $400,000 on legal fees to battle the Vodnaks and the Lawsons. “As far as I'm concemed, it a disgrace and a gross waste of taxpayers’ money.” said Vodnak, who has not received remuneration for his own legal fees, moving costs or damag Playle said he approached district council about his house recently but so fir no action has been taken on his behalf’ “Tn really frustrated with the District of North Vancouve: i , one in the area very shoddily yove gor ne r inthe di LONG OVERDUE New Parkgate Library expected to open in early November. amsidie the news Hi Auto... 49 @ Classifieds... 4 Crossword. @ Horoscopes. & North Shore Alert... 10 4 Sunshine Girl... B Travel... BTV Listings.. @ Vintaya Yes News & Submarine victim fights bureaucracy: 3 & Smoking prohibited near WV schools: 3 @ Kids outfitted in comfy outerwear: 17 @ Beauty biz supports cancer awareness: 18 Weather Monday: cloudy with showers; Tuesday: sun and clouds. High 13°C. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement Nv, 0087238