1969-1994 7 HE VOICE OF NORTH ANU WEST VANCOUVER ae ¢ 5 splay Advertising 980-051 1 CHEAP SEATS Soccer teams face toughest chailenge of the year with $36,000 fundraising goal. Classifieds 986-6222 DOUGLAS MACAULAY Musical director composes award-winning theatrical scores and soundscapes. Distribution 986-1337 25¢ Residents take connector protest to North Vancouver District hall THE FIRST of perhaps many placards opposing the Montroyal connector were waved at North Vancouver District Hall on Monday night. NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL By Martin Millerchip Although the controversial issue of extending Montroyal Boulevard east to Lonsdale Avenue and Rockland Road had been with- drawn from Monday night’s agen- da, approximately 30 residents con- gregated on the concrete plaza fronting the district's new council chamber for half an hour before the meeting. Residents vowed to increase the pressure in their fight to keep a new upper-slopes east/west connector from “destroying” their neighbor- hood. “It is nota local road issue, it's a highway issue that affects people all the way from Capilano Road to Mountain Highway,” Ahmed Elneweihi told the North Shore News. Elneweihi said the demonstra- tors included representatives from the Montroyal Ratepayers’ Association, the Upper Lonsdale Ratepayers’ Association and resi- dents from the Braemar/Dempsey area, whose roads would take Upper Capilano traffic into Lynn Valley. “The trend in neighborhood planning has changed in the last few years. In other countries and other municipalities there is a move to limit. access to roads for cars. But some staff and some members of council have not changed,” said Etneweihi. Doug Ford developed the same theme when he addressed council during public question period. “In an era where e your elected colleagues in other municipalities are following the maxims of mod- ern-planning philosophy, whereby through-sireets are being blocked to create a sense of neighborhood and community and new neighborhoods are being built around cul de sacs and greenspaces, you are proposing to spoil two neighborhoods by replacing two cul de sacs with a through-way. a transit route and an unneeded deluge of traffic together with elimination of a needed green space. “Do vou not follow the recom- mendations in your awn OCP (Official Community Plan) and pro- vided by your formally educated, well-paid community planners?” said Ford. The present OCP and the 1988 NEWS photo P Paul McGrath CONCERNED CITIZENS upset about North Vancouver District Counci! consideration to build the Montroyal connector roadway rallied at the municipal hall on Monday. North Lonsdale/Delbrook plan states: “The existing and presently planned development and popula- tion do not warrant construction of Montroya!l through to Lonsdale. The right-of-way, however, shall be Tetained to protect long-term rede- velopment possibili- ties.” A recent move by council to add the Montroyal connector to the [995 budget discussions and update the traffic sludy of the area was approved by a slim 4- 3 margin. But Coun. Ernie Crist, who proposed the motion, and Couns. Don Bell. Pam) Goldsmith-Jones and Pat Monroe, who supported it, have been at pains to point out chat just because the connector is in the bud- get discussions does nut mean if will necessarily be approved. All have made tt clear that they want fe see Sau reports on cost fic. tors and inet traffic studies asreimarrg um eanee before deciding on whether to pro- ceed. But residents opposed to the controversial road-link argue that there is no point in updating any traftic study until after the comple- tion of the Upper Levels Highway interchange at Westview Drive. 66 ft is nota local road issue. It’s a highway issue that affects people all the way from Capilano Road to Mountain Highway. 9 - North Vancouver resident Ahmed Eineweihi According to provincial govern- ment estimates, the interchange is not scheduled to be finished until 1998, They also argue that council's budget devision pre-judges the out- come of the September an heur- ing into the new North Lonsdale/ Delbrook OCP. The OCP will contain far more planning issues for the neighbor- hood than the Montroyai connector, but the road-link is expected to be the focus of what will probably be a Jengthy public hearing. Suff have told council that the OCP will have to contain a clear policy statement on the Montroyal extension “that both responds to traffic needs ind provides sta- bility for the neighbor- hood.” So the OCP hear- ings will be the first face-off in the next round of the bate of Montroval. Tn the meantime. 10-year-old) Mario Pezzeate and his older brother John told the News they will be playing hockey as usual on Montroyal. “We always play hockey there. Its a dead-end street” said John, brandishing his sign which said: “Highways Kill Kids.” Index B Budget Beaters... Business B Classified... ae yd @ Crossword BB Lifestyles. eee 37 News of the Weird... @ North Shore Now... TV Listings..cccccseeenee 22 B What's Going On. 0.44 Weather Thursday: sunny with cloudy periods, 30 chance of rain High: 23°C Low: LPC Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement Number 0087238