FRIDAY March 15, 1996 THERE’S AN old totem pole in West Vancouver looking for a home. By Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter The 36-foot (11-metre) totem is sur- rounded by strata businesses at {571 Bellevue Ave. Strata property manager Noordin Madatali doesn’t know how long the weathered totem has been there, but its base is starting to rot out. With upscale West Vancouver business- es nearby, Madatali says strata owners want the totem removed. “There was a lady (who) came around and basically she said that you are looking at $6,000 to $8,000 to restore this thing. That was the end of a very quick conversa- tion,” said Madatali. Although the totem is “on strata common property, Madatali says the strata businesses don’t own it. He believes the pole was installed on the 10-owner business property and not donat- ed to the strata owners of the site. There is a sign on the back of the totem stating that it is the property of Valetor Cleaners (West Van) Ltd. But attempts to contact possible owners of the totem have failed. So Madatali has tried to give it away. Whoever takes the totem would covir the costs of its removal. West Vancouver District has passed on the offer. So has the West Vancouver Museum, and, after taking a look at the totem, UBC also said no thanks. Madatali was concerned about the spiri- tual or ritual implications of moving the pole. He said no one from the Squamish Nation or Tsleil-waututh (Burrard Band) has responded to his calls. Squamish Nation anist and totem pole carver Eric Baker told the News on Wednesday that if the pole was raised dur- ing a native ceremony, it should have anoth- er native ceremonial raising at a new site. Baker said information indicating that the pole was raised in a waditional native ceremony should be somewhere near it. A sign behind the Bellevue Avenue pole states. “Carved from B.C. fir with crowning eagle wings of cedar. It is 36 feet high and weighs three tons. Created by D. Colp and Chief Kitpou.” Anyone interested in obtaining the totem is asked to call 926-6363. WEST VANCOUVER property manager Noordin Madatali says this three-ton totem pole at Weather Saturday: Clouds and sun High 12°C, low 2°C. Fears of flooding fuelled FLOODS AND debris flows that ravaged the North Shore in November continue to haunt flood victims. By lan Noble News Reporter According to North Vancouver District, a similar disaster could reoccur in the same area, with the same destructive consequences. Janette O'Flaherty’s home in North Vancouver's upper Capilano area stands a couple of hundred metres below a B.C. Hydro right- of-way, where the east and west arms of Mackay Creek's eastern fork mect. On Nov. bh I don’t want rocks 23. 1995, debris including coming through my living room boulder and walls. FF trees raged —— District resident down the creek's east Janette O'Flaherty arm. biock- ing culverts under Ranger Avenue and flooding homes with rocks, silt, branches and water. The district now says the creek’s west arm contains approximately 6.000 cubic metres of the same type of material that blocked culverts in November. O'Flaherty, whose family con- tinues to live in the same Ranger Avenue house, calls that informa- tion frightening. “We don’t know if we are safe. I'm really insecure.’ she said. “I — p don't want rocks coming through NEWS photo Mike Waketlold See Debris page 3 1571 Bellevue Ave. is free for the taking. But so far, there have been no takers. school cuts on horizon NORTH VANCOUVER School District 44 trustee Bob Smith’s interim report released today proposes job cuts, moving students and temporary elimination of Grade If and 12 classes at Seycove secondary school. By Jan Noble News Reporter The interim repart -—- “for discussion purposes only” -— also reveals the financial impact of employee contracts in Uhe district, According to the report, District 44 reccived $800,000 less in 1994-95 and $1.3 million less from the province in 1995-96 than the average of five comparable districts in the Lower Maintand. Sul, District 44 spent $4.9 million more on instruction than the aver- age in 1995-96. The 6.6% difference is because North Vancouver his the highest ratio of teaching staff and special-education aides in districts examined. Accerding to Smith: “Spending on teachers and classroom support news. . N. Van teaching, classroom On. costs ‘well above average stiff is well above average, with the intensive use of spe- cial education aides being the single largest cause of this situation.” The additional cost ts $2.3 million. District 4-5 district and school-based administration expenses are average. In the area of operations and main- tenance, District 44°s 10.7% budget allocation is $1562 milion tess than the 12.76. in other districts. Smith outlined 4 package of measures that would result in 70 full-time staff reductions and nearly $4.1 million in savings. Smith said closing the popular Outdoor School, which receives a $205,000 subsidy for the fiscal year ending June 1996, will yield no ben- efits. Elinsinating dhe deficit will require a 25% fee hike, boosting a three- day program for district children from $75 to $95. See School pase 3