alki TOP the madness.There’s a big probiem in West Vancouver and it’s not the Lions Gate Bridge this time around. Park Royal shopping centre is a wonderful place to spend money, but the mall happens to be split in half by one of the busiest stretches of road on the North Shore. People in vehicles wishing to move north to south or vice versa are accommodated by an overpass across Marine Drive. Pedestrians who wish to cross in the most convenient place possible between the two sides of the mall must contend with a street level, light-controlled crossing. Years ago the mail offered a mini- bus service for shoppers. That service, particularly handy north shore news VIEWPOINT ng blues fiscal restraint. There also was once a plan to build a gondola service to move shoppers between the mails. Aibeit a rather whimsical notion, it would have done what is needed for the site: protect pedestrians frei the hazards of crossing a busy street. Now we have a fancy barrier going up to run along the centre median on Marine Drive between Taylor Way and Pound Road. The barrier is meant to prevent people from jaywalking across that section of Marine Drive. But it’s really just another half- baked measure and will simply fur- ther encourage people to hop into their cars to make the crossing. Safety and convenience should be ONLY 29-NEARS- OLD AND PREPARING TO | RIP OFF TAXPAYERS FOR #50,0007..... Z < = =——. — = ——— = = | FF ——. = ve PRONG an .. NOW THATS WHAT 1 CALL SENATE GD senator \ Wi VAT PONAGE SS see BANKRUPTCY LAW Formen rag dal Gc SANLENGED = tate 0, for seniors, was axed in the name of rracniilocs x Politics prompted search warrant Dear Editor: Re: March 10 Leo Knight column. 1 must preface this letter by saying that Iam nota fan of Glen Clark and his high school prez approach to premier- ship, nor to the gang of blinkered ideologues in Victoria currently steering SS B.C. onto the rocks. 1 dislike the NDP almost as much as Mr. Knight’s coffee Klatch journalism. But please suspend my disbelief if I am wrong in think- ing that searching the home of the premier was a decision intormed purely by entoyeement priorities. Pardon my naivere in believing that whoever issued the Warrant was quite aware that he was triggering a political carthquake and setting a precedent in Canadian history. From a few maritime premiers, to Levesque and Devine, and possibly Kicin, the RCMP have had justification for raiding the homes of provincial leaders. They have refrained from doing so probably out of awareness of what this represents as a partisan act, until now, 1 believe, as Mr. Knight suggests, that a search warrant is a difficult document to obtain under normal circumstances, Fam also persuaded that given the right agenda and circum- stance, concerned parties can waive the difficulties. There are interests in this province impatient for the demise of the NDP and unwilling to wait for the electoral process to relegate them to the political dustbin along with the Socreds, This doesn’t bode well for any of us. Tam reminded of another place down the coast from here where the opposition was unhappy with the economy and the government. They too searched the leader's home. The place was Chile, the leader's name was Salvador Allende and the opposition was spearheaded by police, tanks and an impatient little monster named Augusto Pinochet. Graeme Foster Nerth Vancouver verity01 @sprynct.com north Shore: a . . a Nezth Shore News, tourcéed tn 3969 as an a independert subutpsn newspaper and quilted unter Schedule 111, Paragraph 111 of the Excise Tax Act, is pubkshed each Wednesday. Faday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Ltd. and distnbuted te every door on the Nort Shore. Canoda Post Canadian Pubkcatons Mait ‘Sales Product Agreement No 0087238. ‘Mading rates available on cequest. Emo Distribution Manager 988-1237 (124) the priorities in this case. donathan Bail Creative Sesvices Manager 985-2131 (127) 61 582 (average exrculation, Weonesay, Friday & Sunvtsy) lores == tH ———— Opera show is a forum for laughs UNPAID testimonial: Hail, Caesar! In this week of the Ides of March, avoid messy confrontations and sharp objects. Get thee out to see A Funny Thing Happened on the Wer to the Forum at North Van's Centennial Theatre. My sooth says: Ir will tickle thee. Thou too, Senatus Populusque Romanus, would do thyselves a favour by sallying forth to see this 51st produc- tion of the North Shore Light Opera Society, which continues tonight, tomorrow night, Sunday at 2 pom,, and next Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Sure, this vehicle for Zoro Mostel, rocketing him to fame in 1962, creaks slightly and dishumours the humourless politically correct. (Same backstage crew for chis production actually revolted about staging it — charly revolting people.) But this broad burlesque and burlesque about broads is too innocent and too funny to worry anyone but the stiffhecked neo-puritans of the left. To be sure, the NSLOS production is — a favourite word of the critics — uneven. An amateur group, spiced though it is with front-office and stage personnel of impressive credentials and experience, can’t be expeeted te enjoy the casting pool or the production values of a protes- stonal company. That said, it’s terrific what NS5L_OS can do. Which brings me to Gordon Doerkson. A stage veteran, Doerkson's Pseudolus -- the Zero Mostel role — is, PETER SPECK Publisher 985-2131 (101) oe Dt Hertian Resources Manager 985-2131 (177) ‘Yery Peters Photography Manager 985-2131 (160) Classified Manager 986-6222 (202) The North Shore News is published by North Shore Free Press Ltd. 1 Comptralter 985-2131 (133) Entire contents © 1997 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. no kidding, worth far more than the very, very modest price of admission alone. (My five, including children of eight, 10 and 13, got the family rate of just $60 total, knocked down from $85. That’s an aston- ishing bargain these days.) Doerkson’s mouth is a marvel to watch — the slobber- ing, besecching, flacter- ing, moaning, lying lips ofa cunning slave pre- pared co do any shame- less thing to gain free- dom. And Doerkson’s bul- bous, big-burt body is belied by his wonderful- ly nimble feet. Tire man dances across the stage as lightly as the feather of a swan on a dict. Even more airborne and no less a treat to watch is Josh Epstein, who brings the perfect fresh-faced cagerness of virgiaal young love to the cole of Hero. He and the brains-challenged blonde object of his affections, Kimberly Page as the innumer- ate Philia, combine in a splendidly speofy Lovely, as in “¥'m lovely, absolutely lovely. Speaking of current political correct- ness, everyone — especially working women ~— will agree with the sentiments expressed by Doerkson, Mitchell Mackay (Hysterium), Doug Pinkerton (Senex) and Damon Calderwood (Lycus) in Evervhady Ought to Have a Maid. In this non-review [ can’t name every- one, but director Simon Isherwood has expertly precision-marshalled the whole cast in the opening number, Camedy Tonight, arguably the evening's most pol- ished number. Trevor lautens garden of biases ” LETTERS 70 THE EDITOR Letters must include your name, full address & telephone number. VIA e-mail: trenshaw @ direct.ca Managing Editor 985-2131 (116) “Teint Ageia Promotions Manager 988-2131 (218) 938-0511 (507) asar Ser Intornet- https//mww.nenews.com The NSLOS show is the perennial highlight of live performances on the North Shore — proudly, “our own” musi- cal since 1948 — but it should attract big audiences on its own nicrit. See it, mighty Caesar, but take thou my advice and don’t go with thy friend Cassius. Unless thou sit in the very last row, with back to the wall, eee Alas, every visit co the Centennial is a reminder of how user-untriendly it is in so many ways. Torturingly cramped seats. Awkward lobby. Ugly washrooms, down a forbidding fight of wheelchair-inaccessible stairs. Poky refreshment stand. Tes strengths are a huge parking lot, minimal disturbance of residents, and excellent location, just off the Upper Levels Highway and so a breeze to reach tor drivers from miles around. Ifthe three North Shore fiefdoms weren't so paralyzed by parochialism, the Centennial would be refurbished, expand- ed, maybe even torn dowa, for an arts centre with some of the features dreamed of for [ath and Marine Drive -- a dream that West Van council has put under fur- ther scrutiny until May. Love of neighbourhood is admirable, But it stonewalls getting things dorie and rationalizing services on the North Shore. Even the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce recently rejected jotaing with North Vancouver's. eee Ifyou didn’t know: In November, Andy Danyliu, alter a biatus from council while he pursued other interests, will seck the mayor's chair, and incumbent Patricia Boname will run again. Expect others. Expect fin. HOW 7 O:REACHZUS: Administration Otsplay Advertising Real Estate Ativertising Classified Advertising Newsroom Distribution Display & Real Estate Fax Newsroom Fax Classified, Accounting & Main Office Fax Michael Bocker - News Editor” 985-2131 (114) Andrew McCredie - Sparte/Community Edites 965-2131 (147) -