4- North Shore News - Wednesday, November 8, 2000

Ship continues Senior dies in Edgemont accident

as restaurant

From page 1

vessel back. It’s part of North Vancouver's marine heritage,
and anywhere else in the world we'd be saying, ‘Let's keep it,
let’s refurbish it.”

The ruling addressed questions about whether the water
fot lease and the original sale of the ship, both negouated
between Harry Almas and the city, gives the restaurant owner
the permanent right to moorage.

Harry Almas, Diamond's father, bought the ship for
$12,000 in 1958, and spent $150,000 refiebishing it and
converting, the vessel to a restaurant.

An agreed statement of facts used in the recent: ruling
states that the city “provided assurances verbally and in writ-
ing that the vessel could be permanently moored at the water
lot at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue.”

However, Madame Justice Eleanor Dawson ruled that the
lease did not guarantee chat right.

The removal of the ship is the latest in a long tale of uou-
bles for the tourist destination. In 1996, the city requested a
$150,000 security deposit to protect against the event that the
vessel was abandoned or sank. The council of the day main-
tained that the ship was unsafe.

Almas disputed the security deposit, and said that marine
insurance and another contract ensured chat the city would
not be liable if anything happened to the ship.

But after Almas refused to pay the deposit, the city gave
him notice to vacate in 1998. “that notice was extended twice.

“No council member is happy about this,” said Coun. Bob
Fearnley in February last year when the decision was made to
proceed with eviction. “We've taken action reluctantly based
on the financial and safety concerns we have with this ship. We
have, on good authority, that the boat might sink.”

The city’s marine surveyor concluded in January 1999 that
the ship was not seaworthy. Almas subsequently annonnced he
had repaired a major leak and planned to install a plastic liner.

While his client continues to operate the restaurant
(Tuesday to Sunday), Spears maintains that the tack of securi-
ty has been a continuous strain. “One of the big problems has
been the lack of tenure,” he saia. “Because how can you invest
when you don't know from day to day?” The ship is listed on
the city’s heritage inventory, but is not a designated heritage
structure. .

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~ PUBLIC LIBRARY

seeks
LIBRARY BOARD MEMBERS

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for setting all policies under which the
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Library. The current Board is also
involved in planning the new Lynn
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please contact Noreen Ballantyne, Chief
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To learn more, please drop in to an
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AN 81-year-old North
Vancouver pedestrian
died on Saturday after
being struck by a pick-
up truck on Edgemont
Boulevard at Sunset
Boulevard.

PARK & Tit

tte te ere apa

Helene Tubbesing died in
Lions Gate Hospital from
massive internal trauma,
according to the North
Vancouver ROMP.

Police say Tubbesing was
crossing in an unmarked
crosswalk when she was bit by

a GMC pickup shortly before
Il am.

Toe driver and sole occu-
pant of the truck was a 49-
year-old) North Vancouver
man. Police say he was turn-
ing left onte Edgemont when
the vehicle struck the pedes-

will be able to sign
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11 © 6-8pm

@ Vertical, mirzor

printin oo re
* foxt fremning, underlining 436157

WORTH VANCOUVER

FORD FRAMING &

PARK & TILFORD
ART siopPING CENTE

uaa.

Police say alcohot or drug
use is not believed to be con-
nected to the accident,

No charges have been faid.

Police continue to investi-

gate.
—Anna Marie D'Angelo

983-3854 &