v4 rat a a A ’ ro 1 ne \ ‘ 4 ’ fis '. (> . aa) = ad : e,. 7 ra 2 . S. ae . : - . ow 2 Changes to the traditional RCMP uniform have been hotly debated nationally since federal Solicitor-Genera) Pierte Cadicux announced in) March that Sikh RCMP. officers woula be allowed to Wear turbans with their uniforms because of ther religious beliefs. and Ald. Ernie Crist’, mo- tion Monday night tc: oppose the proposed change ana convey that opposition to the federal govern- ment resulted in a similar polariza- tion of views at Monday night's NORTH VANCOUVER District Council has joined a small but growing list of municipalities that oppose the change in the RCMP uniform code proposed by the federal govern- ment. By MARTIN MILI Contribunay Writer NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL’ council meeting. Crist denied that his motion had anything to do with racial pre- judice, which he defined as mean- ing “that you believe some races are inferior to others.”* “The uniforms should be changed for reasons of fashion, safety or practicality,’* said Crist. “Tr do not believe that these uniforms should be changed as a result of a request of a religious minorits."” Crist added that it worried him to “provide privileges to one par- ticular religious minority, although T recognize and would fieht for their rights to carry out their religious practices."" Concluded Crist, “If someone's religion does not allow them to wear a uniform then they should not join this particular organiza- tion." 3 - Friday, April 13, 1990 - North Shore News But Ald. disagreed. “Eo believe that the imuge of the RCMP is established by service. not by the uniform or by the sex of its members."" he said. Ald. Bilt Rodgers defined the tradition of the RCMP in a mod- em context of “honesiy, impar- tality, bravery and service to the community, und when someone qoms the ROMP they embrace that tradition.” Continued Rodgers, les oa modern tradition and it's saying there is something | want to be a part of. T think that our society, and particularly the RCMP, want those kind of people."* Mayor Marilyn Baker said the Murray Dykeman NVD Council opposes RCMP turban ruling RELIGION AND STATE SHOULDN'T MIX, SAYS MAYOR timing of Crist’s motion was inap- propriate. “Tthink that it is unfortunate that we ure dealing with a fait ac- compli; if we were going to deal with it at least it should have been done under the time with which there was some input,”’ she said. But Baker voted in favor of the motion saying, ‘It was my under- standing that our system of pov- ernment separates the state and religion, whether it’s the clothing you wear, the days on which you feel comlortable working, etc. Un- fortunately | don’t believe that this decision (of the federal govern- ment) has done that.” Crist’s motion was passed by a narrow 4-3 margin, with Aldermen Rodgers, Dykeman and Craig Clark opposed. Handsworth sports track declared dangerous MEETS TO GO AHEAD DESPITE POOR CONDITION OF FACILITY AFTER SEEKING legal advice on possible liability claims arising from the hazards presented by the rundown Handsworth Secondary School track, North Vancouver School District 44 has decreed that students will be pro- hibited from wearing spiked running shoes on the facility this year. But the all-weather track and field track, built in 1972 and now in extremely poor condition, wil! continue to be used as the primary site for elementary and high school track and field meets this year. In addition to the ban on spik- ed shoes, North Vancouver School Board chairman Rev. Roy Dungey said signs will also be posted at the Handsworth facility warning recreation users of the track's hazards. Handsworth principal Ken Feyer said students would be cautioned about the uneven track surface. He will also request that North Shore secondary schoo! athletic coordinator Len Corben tell coaches abour the dangerous track conditions. But Feyer said the track only posed a threat to serious com- petitors, not school athletes using the track. ‘*Frankly, there isn’t much of a concern with kids in elementary schoo} or (students wearing) run- ning shoes,'’ he said. But a May 15, 1989 report by Arena Sports & Recreation Con- sultants Ltd. states thai the facil- ity at Handsworth should be used by recreational joggers only. Commissioned by the school ETH COLLINGS News Reporter By ELIZ/ district, the report states that the Handsworth facility is in urgent need of major renovations. “Presently, due to the hard- ness and unevenness of the track surface, the track is considered hazardous, and it can no longer be used by athletes in serious training and competition. Ex- treme care should be exercised at this time when school events and activities are scheduled on this facility,’’ the report states. The report recommended pro- hibiting the use of spiked running shoes on the track because of its uneven surface, and also recom- mended that the track's use be restricted to recreational jogging. The track’s once rubberized asphalt surface has hardened to the point where it has little or no resilience and has worn through the asphalt in some patches. The report estimated it would cost between $250,000 and $350,000 to resurface the track and upgrade the field facilities. but Handsworth vice-principal Mike Rockwell said it would be unlikely that the cash-strapped school district could afford the capital expenditure. NORWESTERS PRESIDENT Dawn Copping points to a place in the Handsworth track where the rub- NEWS photo Mike Wak berized asphalt surface has actually worn through. The NorWesters have stopped training here because of the state of the track. A report has deemed the track to be dangerous for competitive athletes as well as athletes wearing spiked running shoes. Nine years later...NorWesters still looking for a track THE NORTH Shore’s municipalities and school boards should put their track and field facility proposals on the fast track, says the president of the NorWesters Track and Field Club. While almost 10 years have clapsed and numerous proposals, meetings and reports been com- pleted since the Tri-Council Sport Stadium Committee was first formed in 1981 to explore the possibilities of constructing a North Shore track and field facil- ity, Dawn Copping said North Shore councils and school boards are still pondering their options. “I'm just fighting to get this thing off the ground. [t’s been | going on for so long. We need a catalyst,” Copping said. Since the tri-council committee was formed in 1981 (set up ini- tially to support a joint bid for the B.C. Games): ea proposal to build a complex at Mahon Park was rejected because of North Vancouver City parking concerns; *a proposal was made to build a $5-million, $,000-seat junior stadium at the old) Hamilton school site; *a proposal was made in £987 to resurface the six-lane cinder track at Sutherland Secondary School, which was chosen — primarily because of its capacity to expand to eight lanes; eWest) Vancouver District Council split from the conimittee because it decided 10 pursue a project at West Vancouver Sec- ondary School. In the meantime, the state of track and field facilities has con- tinued to deteriorate, Copping said, making repair increasingly difficult. and costly and also reducing the locations at which athletes can train. And the North Shore municipalities remain the only communities in the Lower Mainland without a facility that meets Sport B.C. and B.C. Athletics standards. The NorWesters, with approx- imately 105 athletes, some of whom are competing at interna- tional levels, stopped training at Handsworth after last season because the club's board feared liability claims if injuries resulted from the track’s dangerous con- dition. Currently, the NorWesters train on the sidelines of the Ambleside soccer field, Ambleside park, Brockton Oval, facilities borrowed from non- North Shore track and field clubs, and even the parking lot at Park Royal Shopping Centre after hours. Copping said that at a mini- mum the Handsworth facility should be upgraded at an estimated cost of $350,000 to $450,000. Ideally, she would like to see a stadium complex built that meets provincial standards akin to the those at Burnaby Central Senior School's facility. “1 definitely think that the track should be what [ call a community facility for elemen- tary and high schools, private schools, the NorWesters, the public, Special Olympics and handicapped sports,’ Copping said. “At present they have no facility on the North Shore they can use."* But cwo of the North Shore municipaliues are getting closer to implementing their plans to upgrade track facilities. West Vancouver District Council and West Vancouver District 45 School Board are working on a proposal for a $285,000 project at West Van- couver Secondary School that would include resurfacing the track to an all-weather surface and improving the field facilities. The track committee is waiting for confirmation of a GG B.C. grant before announcing the pro- ject. But the track will be a com- munity practice track rather than One sanctioned for track meets. Meanwhile, North Vancouver City is still considering the Sutherland project. but currently has no concrete proposal. North Vancouver District Council is not considering any track proposals.