City staff
waves over boat

TURBULENT waters have so far prevented a
boating company from setting up a harbor ferry

service for Expo.

Les Abraham of Cen-
turion Industrial Marine ap-
pealed to North Vancouver
City council! Monday to
grant him a business licence
to run a two-boat marine
transport service from
Lonsdale Quay to the Expo
86'site at False Creek.

City staff rejected the
businessman’s November
application due to inappro-
priate docking locations at
Lonsdale Quay, turbulent
waters from Cates Tugs and
the rezoning needed to pass
the application.

But saying time was of the
essence with Expo opening
May 2, council agreed 4-3
Monday to amend the zon-
ing bylaw to. allow for tem-
porary mooring facilities at
the Quay for larger vessels,
subject to approval from
Vancouver Ports and the
National Harbors Board.

Council further agreed to
recommend: Abraham seek
alternative waterfront sites
for his business.

.. Abraham’s proposal must
then go before a public hear-
ing. .

’. SUPPORTS TOURS

Backing Abraham’s pro-
posal, Lonsdale Quay
Development manager Eric
Martin told council he sup-
ports a tour boat or marine
service ‘ operation on -the

North Vancouver water-
front, but wanted council’s
approval before he formally
approached Vancouver
Ports.

Martin and Abraham
agreed their next step will be
to approach Vancouver
Ports for approval,

Abraham said when he

applied to the city for a

business licence in November
he was assured there would
be no difficulties in his ap-
plication, and he could pick
up his licence in January.

But upon doing so,
Abraham said he was advis-
ed there were in fact several
problems with the applica-
tion, including incorrect
zoning.

PROBLEMS

But director of purchasing
and licensing Frank Morris
said he gave no indication
Abraham’s licence would be
approved.

“No such indication was
given by me,’’ Morris said.
‘*Nor does the statement of
the history of this property
make sense to me. | have
gone through the problems
of this site with Jack Davis.
It would make no sense for
me to turn around and say
yes.””

Abraham said he has
already invested $25,000 in
purchasing a boat.

He plans to spend another
$325,000 on a dock, in-
surance and leasing a second
boat.

Manager J. Claire
Johnston of Cates Tugs told
council his company was
most concerned with any
docking in front of In-
trawest.

INJURIES, DEATH

‘*Regardless of the size of
the vessel, people will be
embarking and disembark-
ing. Despite the size of the
planks, there will be elderly
and less dexterous people.
Our tugs are on call 24-hours
a day every day of the year
In the case of an emergency
the tugs can push 12,000

pounds per propeller. I give
fair warning, someone will
be injured, and ultimately
there will be death.””

Abraham was originally
negotiating with Seven Seas
owner Diamond Almas to
set up his business in front
of the restaurant.

Abraham said Almas was
in favor of the boating pro-
posal, but that city staff
pressured him into changing
his mind.

But Mayor Jack Loucks
said he spoke with Almas,
who made it quite clear he
was not interested in
renegotiating his lease for
the project, and he would
not reconsider the proposal.

Abraham was one of two
Canadians given authoriza-
tion to berth at the marine
gate at the Expo site.

Cocaine cache

nabbed

NORTH VANCOUVER res-
idents were arrested in two
recent drug busts in which
over 400 grams of high-
grade cocaine were seized.

NEWS photo Stuant Davis

LEARNING TO ski can be a breeze, especially with your own personal lift up the hill.
Young Trevor has mixed reactions about his skiing lessons on Grouse Mountain, But his

instructor takes a more relaxed attitude about carrying the load.

in WV

raid by members of Van-

couver’s RCMP drug squad
and the West Vancouver
Police department on a
home in West Vancouver's
British Properties netted 90
grams of cocaine.

Garnet Reid Balsdon, 38,
of 1147 Eyremount Drive
and Clifford Larry Winsor,
46, of Vancouver were ar-
rested following the seizure
of the drugs and charged
with possession of cocaine
for the purpose of traffick-
ing.

The two, who fled the
scene after the vehicle in
which they were driving was
followed to the Eyremount
address, were later picked up
with the use of police track-
ing dogs. In addition to the
drug charges, Balsdon and
Winsor have been charged
with resisting arrest.

Estimated street value of
the cocaine is $10,000.

The two made their first
appearance in West Van-
couver provincial court
Tuesday morning.

On Jan.24, David William
Coady of 1304 Mahon Ave.
was arrested and charged
with conspiracy to traffic in
cocaine and possession of
cocaine for the purpose of
trafficking following the
seizure of 320 grams of co-
caine from a car in Rich-
mond.

RCMP Staff Sgt. L.D.
“Smokey’’ Stovern = said
Monday Coady, 18, was ar-
rested along with Joseph
Mario Desantis, 33, ° of
Richmond and Brian Wayne
Shannon Daemore, 44, ‘of
Vancouver following a
lengthy investigation by the
RCMP drug squad,

Coady and Desantis were
stopped at a downtown
Richmond intersection in a
black 1985 Corvette when
police surrounded and sear-
ched the car. The cocaine
was subsequently found.

The two were charged
jointly with conspiracy to
traffic in cocaine and
possession of cocaine for the
purpose of trafficking.

Daemore was later ar-
rested at his Vancouver
home and charged with con-
spiracy to traffic in cocaine.

3 - Wednesday, January 29, 1986 - North Shore News

A. ‘63-year-old West Vancouver man:has'been charged -
with the sexual ‘assault of-his. grandchild:

_ os The. charges. were laid: against: th

; day by West Vancouver: Police, ollowing an invest
tion which: began ‘Jan.20

: Police say: the alleged incidents: occurred during both
; 1984, and: 1985