THE VOICE OF MORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER Nag) 60 pages Office, Editorial 985-2131 Display Advertising 980-0511 3 +e NEWS photo Terry Peters STUDENTS AT Argyle secondary school in North Vancouver took an H2O challenge last week. Students were asked to sample two types of water: unfiltered tap water and filtered natural water. The overwhelming choice? Of 64 respondents, only four chose the tap water, while the remaining 60 preferred the filtered natural water. The taste challenge was sponsored by the student- operated Earth Watch Outdoor Club (EWOC). peo dios DO Small business week special feature: 23 Mone Classifieds 986-6222 ’s worth: 28 Distribution 986-1337 $45,000 undertaking ‘an embarrassment, arts council VP says A NORTH SHORE Arts Commission study calling for the creation of three regional arts centres on the North Shore is a waste of money and ‘‘a giant letdown coramunity. says the vice-pre Community Arts Council. According to James Hazell. the $45,000 first phase of the $80,000 study, which was undertaken to assess local cultural facilities and make recommendations for Age, is repetitious, vague and does nothiag to improve ihe situa- tion for arts groups. “It's an) embarrassment,"’ he said. ‘It’s a sad little package. e@ arts community expected something with soul that would go somewhere. Instead we get an empty report that sounds like a bibliography. It's called *Direc- tions’ — that’s a joke. North Shore arts groups have long complained about the lack of local facilities in which to rehearse, create and exhibit their work. Hazell, who headed the group that tried unsuccessfully to secure the West Vancouver Odeon Theatre site for a cultural centre, said he was told by the commis- sion to expect an in-depth anaiysis of North Shore arts facilities and a financial breakdown of how regional centres could be sup- ported. Instead, he said. the 56-page report doesn’t venture beyond generalities. “As they asked us when we were trying to establish a cultural centre in West Vancouver, v.here are the numbers? There's nothing here. Now they’re telling us they want more money to gei the real data out,’ he said, referring to phase two of the study, which is expected to contain concrete fund- ing and site proposals. West Vancouver Community Arts Council president Ron Fal- cioni said the report is badly worded and clarifies nothing. vs for the arts ent of the West Vancouver By Evelyn Jacob News Reporter The president of the North Vancouver Community Arts Council, meanwhile, stopped short of condemning the study altogether, saying it contains ‘‘ter- tific’? information about artists” needs. But Irwin Oostindie criticized the report’s recommendations for failing to reflect those needs. “The recommendations to build three regional centres goes totally against what the study’s research says (that artists could benefit from studio and rehearsal space, small theatres and workshop space, among other things). “Rather than spend $80,000 on telling us how to buiid new castles we need to do an inventory of what arts groups need now and a cost-benefit amalysis,’’ said Oostindie. The North Shore, he said, must learn to nurture its artists first by providing them with adequate studio and rehearsal space before building large, regional galleries. “We're not really gaining any- thing by knocking down existing structures and putting up multi- mittion dollar centres that would aliow only 50% community use. We're losing smailer fac s for large jewels on the crown,’’ he said, adding that he is concerned the study moves away from a grassroots, artist-run model to a bureaucratically-managed one. Oostindie urged artists to become more outspoken and not to rely on municipal governments or the arts commission to repre- sent their interests. index _ Mi Classified Ads........ (8 Cocktails & Caviar .... Comics @ Fashion . High Profiles @ Horoscopes . @ Lifestyles. @ Travel....... BE Vintage Years @ What's Going On Weather Monday, sunny. Tuesday, cloudy. Highs 12°C, Lows 4°C. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement Number 0087238