north shore news

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on’t chop North Shore
family drop-in programs

Directly undemocratic views

Dear Editor:

IT cannot remain. silent
about the views expressed in
Trevor Lautens’ March 26
News column.

1 believe it unfair to classi-
fy the public as a “Grade 2
class” and the many hard
working volunteers as “failed
candidates, special-interest
fanatics, | crypto-Marxists,
career demagogues, embit-
tered cause-chasers” ete.

People who regularly write
columns in a newspaper
should be held to a higher
standard than what was
reflected by this article. It cer-

tainly lacked a sense of bal-
ance.

Heaven knows we need
more voluntecrs in our com-
munity and this article did fit-
de to promote that.

On the 5% figure to trigger
a referendum (which must
receive at Icast 50% voter
approval to pass) I disagree
that it is “ludicrously low.”

During the last municipal
election not one member of
council received even 15% of
the eligible votes — which
allowed them to put forth and
pass any bylaw they choose —
without a referendum!

Trevor Lautens’ alternative
suggestion of having yearly
municipal elections — some-
thing the province does not
allow — sounds very much
like a “let them cat cake”
proposition.

On his final point, “what
needs to be changed is the
integrity level,” I heartily con-
cur. Ie will be curious to see
how well district council deals
with this issue when a pro-
posed Code of Ethics is tabled
at its next council meeting.
Corrie Kost
North Vancouver
kost@triumf.ca

Dear Editor:

So they call themselves
“Family Services.”

What action would you
take if you ran a program that
was successful and popular?

If you happen to be the
“Family Services Of The
North Shore” it would appear
the answer is: “close it down!”

For more than 20 years the
family “drop-in” programs

that now operate at Seycove,
Highlands, North Star and
Lynn Valley have provided an
invaluable service for families
with preschool children. But
as of May 1999, they will no
longer exist.

Family Services have
decided, without any consul-
tation or canvassing of the

cuple who attend, to close
down the drop-in programs
despite the fact that they pro-
vide a lifeline tor many parents
and care-givers.

I personally attend the
Deep Cove drop-in at Seycove
school which is extremely
popular with families in the
area and delivers an essential
service on the many rainy days
when our children would oth-
erwise be confined to the
house.

In addition, stay-at-home
arents need to get out of the
ouse and be able to meet

other adults.

Friday, April 2, 1999 — North Shore News - 9

We have been told that
once the new family centre
opens at Parkgate in July
1999 the drop-in programs
will no longer be needed as
the services will overlap.

Family Services have con-
veniently overlooked the fact
that many parents and nannies
walk to the drop-in at Seycove
school as they do not have the
use of a car, and that they
would therefore find attend-
ing the centre at Parkgate vir-
tually impossible.

Who ‘would enjoy the
prospect of walking from
Deep Cove up Mount
Seymour Parkway with two
preschouiers in tow?

Apart from the impracti-
calities of the “hike” out of
Deep Cove, there will be no
regular times for people in our
immediate community to
meet regularly cach week thus
negating an important part of
their social lives.

I can see no reason why
the drop-in programs need to
close as | am sure the over-
heads incurved in their run-
ning must be covered by the
fee charged.

Hf this is not the case then
perhaps too much is being
spent in administration costs
as the expenses incurred for
the day-to-day running, the
play leaders’ salaries and sup-

plies appears to be fess than
the average fee collected.

In addition, the program is
not charged tor the hire of the
room at Seycove school or, I
believe, the utilities.

However, if even after cut-
ting back on unnecessary
administration, Family
Services’ accounting depart-
ment still shows a deficit, I
know that most of the parents
who attend would be willing
to pay a higher amount to
cover costs or even assist with
the administration.

I therefore implore the
Family Services of the North
Shore to think again; perhaps
then we could sce this worth-
while program operating suc-
cessfully for the next 20 years.

After all, it is the local fam-
ilies who pay for this service
through taxes ete. so it should
be run for our benefit and not
North Shore Family Services’
convenience.

Moya Swift
North Vancouver

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