4 - Friday, December 6, 1991 - North Shore News WV: paradise on Earth INAUGURAL NIGHT has come and gone in our expand- ed village, leaving its citizens with the conviction that democracy is secure and that there is no better dwelling place on Earth than West Vancouver. The only pity was that few or the aforementioned citizens show- ed up to bear witness to the vigor of our institutions. When Mayor Mark Sager began his second inaugural address, i believe that the number of persons in the public gallery exactly equalled the number representing the media. Which is to say: six. However, the later drifters-in more than doubled this number to 13, by my count. This testifies to the deep trust West Vancouver ratepayers have invested in their council. Members of the public who came in the hope of entertain- ment, of a little cut and thrust of debate, went home sullenly disap- pointed — if in fact there tsa single such citizen in our broad municipality. There was no cut, no thrust, and no debate. The liveliest moment was, so to speak, unscripted. That was when Ald. Andy Danyliu, who is of Ukrainian descent, warmly hailed Ukraine’s overwhelming vote for independence from the Soviet Union. There was a definite sensation of support throughout the chamber for Ald. Danyliu’s rugg- ed words, though I’m not sure whether, in our tight little municipality, we would necessarily consider the Ukraine referendum to be as historically profound as the recent one on Bowen Island, where the results were exactly the opposite. . This too suggests that the status quo’is popular north of Burrard inlet. Our youthful and muscular mayor — who, by the way, much impressed a number of my Van- couver Sun colleagues on a recent tour he conducted of his fair do- main — read his second inaugural speech with only one or two hit- ches, attributable apparently to a dry throat. True, his speech lacked some of the cadences of Lincoin’s famous . second inaugural, though he seemed to be every bit the Great Emancipator’s equal in harboring Trevor Lautens GARDEN OF BIASES malice toward none and charity for all. It is understandably difficult to deliver ringing phrases comparable to Lincaln’s in de.cribing such burning issues as the extension of the municipality’s underground wiring program, prospects of de- velopment east of Tayior Way in the Park Royal Hotel area, and the possibility of a fifth fire hall. Such homely and peaceful sub- jects do not encourage Lincolnes- que eloquence. On the other hand, Mayor Sager definitety has the edge in physical appearance, especially over the bearded Lincoln familiar to most people, the beard — “that ill-devised hairy ornamenta- tion’ that hid the really fine modelling of his chin, in Lord Charnwood’s famous opinion — having been grown for what he would now recognize as the frivolous purpose of improving his image. But, to give credit to our dark-haired mayor — so dark- haired, so virile, among his older and mostly grey-headed council comrades — his remarks were concise, his chairmanship exem- plary, and his modesty and his acclaim of those comrades gracious. “*E sincerely hope,’’ he told the citizens, many more of them wat- ching the proceedings on Shaw Cabie than were present in the public gallery, ‘‘that you will have found our service to you to be satisfactory.”’ Satisfactory! Well, I should say so. We who live in one of the most favored of human settle- ments on the face of the Earth are so completely satisfied that only 13 of our 38,000-odd residents bothered to show up for the inau- gural, the rest presumably too ex- hausted by gratitude to leave their homes. There were equally competent remarks by other members of council, for one of whom I feel a special affection: Ald. Pat Boname. We were born in the same hos- pital — that would be Mount Hamilton, in beautiful Hamilton, Ont. — although I, as is clear from the accompanying photo, many, many years earlier. I must also note that I met our delightful Ald. Diana Hutchinson, who lives within a country boy’s apple-throw away from me. But, after only seven years in the neighborhood, through which i have moved with almost arthritic slowness in meeting my neighbors, I had never actually encountered her. Regrettable. My loss. The whole proceedings were over in a crisp 40 minutes, and without a trace of the rancor (and the Rankin) that mark the bicker- ing council meetings of the unfor- tunate city on the south side of the inlet, infamous for its seething crime, congestion, and preten- tiousness. I praise the day that I left that sordid place for the comfy and cosy slopes of Greater Tiddlycove. And, not at all incidentally: what other municipality has the touch of sophisticated graciousness of holding a recep- tion afterwards for all attending inaugural night — replete not only with exquisite melons and cheeses, but with your actual wine? «nd only 13 citizens to enjoy it. If Pve said it once I've said it a hundred times: the place is para- dise. TS A Christmas gift for all seasons. These beautiful Mabé pearl of $395,002 including GS¥ Toucan. Jas onyx, thite jade lapis lazuli and diamonds, $3500. ° NOTICE TO MOTORISTS LIONS GATE BRIDGE SINGLE LANE TRAFFIC The Ministry of Transportation and Highways announces there will be _single lane, alternating traffic on the Lions Gate Bridge from Sunday, November 24 until Friday, December 20. Single lane, alternating traffic is needed to allow replacement of the expansion joints on the bridge and will be in effect as follows: ingfisher. Coral, pis lazuli, white Sunday to Thursday 41:30 PM - 5:00 AM Nature's | true colours At Birks, our fine ~ jewellery is more than beauriful, it's fun! Carved from semi- precious stones, Our new wildlife brooches depict birds and fish in all their colourful splendour. Motorists should expect delays or plan to use an alternate route. For fur- ther information, please call the Ministry of Transpertation and Highways 24-Hour Road Report at 525-4997 (Greater Vancouver), 938-4997 (Whistler), 371-4997 (Kamloops), 860-4997 (Kelowna), 855-4997 (Ab- botsford), 380-4997 (Victoria), *4997 (Celiular). In all other areas please call 1-800-663-4997. Province of British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Highways Great moments come out of the blue. ;