4 ~ Friday. September 27, 1991 ~ North Shore News How could Noel Wright be so wrong? A WHILE ago a very distinguished retired jour- nalist said to me: ‘‘The col- umnist that I rate most highly is ...”” I puffed myself up with modes- ty and said coyly: ‘*Yes, yes?"* “‘Noel Wright.’’ Psssssssssssshhhhh. Well, some- thing like that. Whatever noise an inflaced ego makes when it’s punctured. But I too have a high regard for Noel’s informative, concise, and well-argued columns. Which makes me reluctant to take issue with him. There, I’ve overcome my reluc- tance. Noel, Noel, how could you be so stubbornly wrong as you were in your column of Sept. 4? Let us retrace. In a brilliant polemic of my own last month, astonishing in its breadth and profundity, I sug- gested we were a bunch of dumb- heads in West Vancouver. Why? Because with views to rave about and with many ex- cellent restaurants, fine shoppin areas, and a village-like . friendliness — at least towards each other — we have almost zilch accommodation for visitors. I advocated an absolutely first- class hotei, on the order of Le Meridien, the Four Seasons, or the Bayshore. (Very well, we could never hepe to match the Renaissance grandeur of the GOLF R.V. | sR OPUC i. | restored Four Seasons Olympic in Seattle, with its stunning lobby and health club. But that could be our inspiration.) The logical place for such a splendid hostelry would be off the Upper Levels Highway, probably in the Salmon House on the Hill area. Think of catching — and captivating — the Whistler trade. Apart from that, said I, other oases in our accommodation des- ert between Park Royal and Horseshoe Bay could be consid- ered for Marine Drive. I didn’t have a 272-unit Holiday tan in mind. Rather, two or three small, high-quality and charming hotels/motels like the 30-unit Park Royal Hoiel. Would such places destroy the atmosphere of Ambleside or Dundarave? Or of Eagle Harbor, Fisherman’s Cove, or (badly under-utilized, I'd say) Cypress Park? Well, apparently Noe! Wright thinks so. He evidently thinks that a smail invasion of well-heeled tourists in West Vancouver could be equated with the visit of the Vandals and Visigoths to Rome. In his Sept. 4 column he responded: ‘*Faulty thinking by West Van neighbor Trevor Lautens, who scolds Tiddleycove for our lack of hotels. [f a com- munity can get by very comfor- tably without tourists, Trevor, why encourage them? Just ask the natives of any tourist hotspot in the world what they'd prefer — if RESORT Blythe, California Your Own Fully-serviced R.V. Lot on the Course from $10,450 (U.S. Funds) Leave the freezing rain and icy snow of winter behind, and bask in the sun drenched paradise of the spectacular Palo Verde Valley. As the owner of a fully serviced California Golf RV Resort lot; you are assured of the quiet security of Califomia’s newest, and most accessible recreational properties. SEEN IT ON T.V.? FIND OUT MORE! IT'S SHOW TIME! Plan To Join Cindy Sept. 29, 1991 at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. WHERE? Sheraton Inn, Burnaby (Hwy. #1 Willingdon South Exit) BRING YOUR QUESTIONS, BRING A FRIEND, SEE YOU THERE! FREE Golf Membership with each "SHOW" Lot purchased Homelife Benchmark Realty Corp. , Refreshments CINDY MENARD 826-2699 or 520-6829 32618 Logan Ave. Wlasion, B.C. 826-2699 “Ne | Trevor Lautens GARDEN OF BIASES they could afford it!’’ The jaw drops. { mean, I thought [ had a fairly narrow Tight Little Island men- tality about West Vancouver myself. But Noel makes me feel as if I'm advising the wholesale im- portation of a Detroit ghetto, just to show how compassionate, cosmopolitan and in touch with the real world we are. As for his promise about the natives of the world’s tourist hotspots — try to imagine how much they despise tourists in London. Or Paris. Or San Fran- IN WEST A MAN WHO WORKS FOR YOU! + Helped allocate more of the Provincial Budget towards education than any other province in Canada. Brought over 5 million dollars in Lottery Grants to his constituency. (West Vancouver/Howe Sound). Helped B.C. spend more of it's budget on social programs than any other province in Canada. A man who is always available to his constituents. whenever they need him. On October 17 cisco. Or Las Vegas. Or the French Riviera. Or Spain. Or Puerto Vailaria. Or Vancouver ... Yes, ‘‘if they could afford it’’ many of the natives of those hotspots would shoot approaching tourists on sight. And if Saskatchewan farmers could afford it, they wouldn’t grow wheat. And if civil servants could afford it, they’d stop work, which they do sometimes anyway. Untii then, however, most peo- ple have to toil at something for their bread, and | wouldn't rate working to attract tourists as one of the warst labors. I imagine it beats working in the coal mines or the steel mills. After all, we can’t all be journal- ists — who, as we know, have fun and get paid for it. Anyway, I haven’t advocated turning West Van into Waikiki. And my impression was that West Vancouver needs tax moacy -—— like other municipalities. A few classy hotels/motels would be the cleanest way to add to the coffers, And a low-rise luxury hotel off the Upper Leveis would be a damned sight more acceptabie to this West Vancouverite than the monstrosity that the council and planners have allowed along the beautiful banks of the Capilano at Marine Drive and Taylor Way. Which would have been another "Straight-talking; tough-minded. ° - 2, Reynolds... is richly.endowed with » political. smarts.” “Noel Wright, North Shore News. ome SOCIAL CREDIT spectacular site for a luxury hotel of the sort I’m advocating. Yet | imagine that a lot of North Shore News readers share Noel’s opinion. So here’s a suggestion: Let's completely redesign the Lions Gate Bridge, which is clear- ly crumbling anyway. Let us make it a drawbridge. And every evening at 9 o’clock, at the sound of the gun in Stanley Park, a detail of selected: West Vancouverites in a fair imitation of Beefeater costumes, and carry- iug pikes and halberds, will march down to our end of the bridge to the blare of trumpets. Then, with a roll of drums, a couple of the more muscular ones will step forward and turn the great wheel that lifts the drawbridge. And at 7 the next morning, they would return to lower it. Ry God and by country, we'd protect the integrity and the tran- scendant smugness of West Van- couver. if anyone tried to swim over under darkness, we could simply treat Burrard Inlet like a very large moat, and fill it with alligators. Toot-toot, toot-toot, men, fall into tine for Bridge Duty! We’re all right, Jack, puil up the rope! s VANCOUVER ° CAPILANO ELECT A MAN WITH THE EXPERIENCE TO DO THE JOB * {year as B.C.'s Minister of Environment. 2 years as “B.C.’s best ever Speaker of the House, * (Noel Wright, North Shore News). 2 terms as Social Credit M.L.A. for West Vancouver/Howe Sound. 2 terms as a Conservative Member of Parliament. Chaired Caucus Committee for Department of Supply & Services. + Vice Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Over 20 years of politicai experience, a credible, Strong voice in Government, an energetic tireless worker for his constituents. Campaign Office #103 - 657 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, B.C. V7T-1A4 Telephone: (604} 922-4232 Fax: (604) 922-4090