Classifieds 986-6222 Office, Editorial! 985-2131

December 18, 1991 68 pages

; A)
NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

Star attraction

JIMMY THE pig is a star attraction at the Capilano Pet Hospital in North Vancouver. He enter-
tains veterinary clients with amazing tricks at his owner's workplace. Nancy Cameron and
Jimmy’s owner, Maureen Phelan, look on as Jim hams it up for the camera. Please see stovy

page 5.

North Shore Now: 25

Don’t drink and drive
- a special feature: 34

Display Advertising 980-0511

Distribution 986-1337

NV District considers ann
96-square-mile wilderness area

THE NORTH Shore’s largest municipality is considering a
move to more than double its size by annexing 2 portion of
Jand now included within the boundaries of the Greater
Vancouver Regional District’s (GVRD) Electorai Area B.

Pending receipt of a staff
report outlining new municipal
boundaries, as well as cost and
revenue implications, North Van-
couver District Council members
will consider the annexation early
next year.

Assistant municipal manager
Fred Sigurjonsson is collecting
data on the area and determining
the experiences of other
municipalities that have recently
expanded their boundaries.

The area under consideration
for annexation covers approxi-
mately 96 square miles. North
Vancouver District presently in-
cludes just over 64 square miles of
land.

The additional area roughly ex-
tends a western municipal bound-
ary north along the Capilano
River and an eastern boundary
along Indian Arm and Indian
River.

The northern boundary includes
much of the Greater Vancouver
water supply catchment area, the
upper portion of Lynn Head-
waters Regional Park, Mount
Seymour Provincial Park, provin-
cial Crown lands and some pri-
vately-held land in the Indian
Arm area.

The annexed wilderness area is
being considered for inclusion in
the district’s Alpine Area Official
Plan.

The district would be responsi-
ble for services, administration
and development management
within the newly acquired area.

But said Sigurjonsson, ‘‘Of that
total area, about 95% is really
under other jursidictions as far as
the main land use is concerned.
The land uses are pretty well es-
tablished.

“When it comes down to it, the
areas that you expect council to
get any kind of grip on are the
private lands and they’re about
3% to four square miles at most

By Michael! Becker
News Reporter

— along the shorcline of the In-
dian Arm and up Indian River.’’

Sigurjonsson said the move to
expand the district stems from an
eartizy GVRD initiative.

“The concept that was being
originally looked at regionally was
that each municipaiity bounding
Electoral Area & would consider
annexing a portion to eliminate it
and have the whole of the regional
district. within municipal bound-
aries.”’

In its 1991 budget, the GVRD
estimated revenue from the entire
Electoral Area B ~- which in its
entirety borders Howe Sound to
the west and Pitt River and Pitt
Lake to the east -—- at just over
$52,000 for the year.

Said North Vancouver District
Ald. Ernie Crist, who advocates
retention of the area as
wilderness, ‘‘The GVRD has of-
fered it to us for free. It’s no ad-
vantage to them. The GVRD is
only interested in areas which
make money.

“At the most it would cost us
$11,000 to $15,000 of administra-
tion a year. What I have com-
pared it to is the acquisition of
Alaska by the United States.
There is no risk involved for the
municipality

But the district could be biiled
for provincial fire-fighting ser-
vices on Crown fand within the
extended municipal area.

Said Ald. Janice Harris, ‘‘I felt
insecure because I didn’t exactly
know why we are doing this —~
unless other people have it clearly
in their minds and I’ve missed the
boat on this. I’m not sure whether
we want to take on a responsibili-
ty that is going to cost money.”

SS
Index

@ Business . .-21
B® Classified

Comics ......

@ Frugal Gourmet

& Lifestyles

@ North Shore Now

hat'’s Going On

Weather

Thursday & Friday mostly cloudy with showers.
Lows 4°C, Highs 8°C.

Second Class Registration Number 3885