tree removal | Subject of study Trees cut for view, resident charges WEST VANCOUVER District Council has ordered a stall report into the felling of three trees in Caulfeiid Park that an area resident has charged improved the view from a properly owned by the dis- trict’s director of financing, George Horwood. WEST VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL By Maureen Curtis The trees were felled Dee. 15, 1993. Stephen Aberle appeared before council Monday night to register his apposition to the removal and thinning of trees in the park. About four yeitrs ago. 34 trees in the waterfront park, which is in the 4500-block of Marine Drive, were removed or trimmed. The result was an outery from local residents. including Aberle’s mother, and a petition from 66 resi- dents-opposing further removal and thinning of the park’s trees. The municipality hired a private consultant to draft an independent report into the issite. His report recommended against any further felling of park trees pre- viously targeted for removal by the municipality. Council then established a task force that produced a Caulfeild Management Plan. “Was this plan reviewed in the course of arriving ata ‘decision in this case?” Aberle asked counci} on Monday. He also asked why a rainy peri- od in December had been chosen as the time to post the obligatory pub- lic information sign and fell the three Irzes. The letter announcing the, impending tree removal was received by council on dtbowt Dec. Eo justafter the 1993 municipal clvetions. “Twas shell-shocked. It was net a great week for Keeping tabs on things.” said acting Mayor Rod Day. Aberle also wanted to know why none of the residents had been informed of the tree removal and why municipal landscape techni- cian Karen Kristensen told hin she knew nothing about it. The tree-cutling in the park was supervised by municipal arborist Shirley Nicholson, She was hised when the munici- pality initiated a tree policy to help resolve neighborhood conficts over view foss and to consider requests for tree cutting lo preserve views. While Nicholson can only medi- ate between neighbors and encour- age a “good neighbor” policy towards resolution when municipal lands are involved. she can recom- mend the removal of trees that are sick or hazardous or approve the creation of view corridors through pruning or removal. Bat Aberle said he was tired of pretty talk and ugly actions, such as calling the creation of views “main- tenance” or “ripping the guts out of Caulfeild Park.. as part of “the goad neighbor policy. * Presenting council with it Douglas fir cone. Aberle warned of the long-term consequences of its decisions about trees in Caulfeild Park. Coun. Andy Danyliu said he was “touched and moved” by Aberle’s presentation, The involve- ment of a member of senior nunic- ipal staff was an “exacerbating” factor. according to Danvliu. Resident Jack Howard, a Parks and Reereution Advisory Cominission member in 1993, suid the matter had never come up before the municipality’s commis- sion, He recommended a new poli- cy be drafted stipulating that deci- sions copeerning senior municipal staff not be made by other senior stat, NEWS photo Mike Wakefield NORTH VANCOUVER District Fire Services tirefighters break into a roof to ventilate smoke and toxic gases during a house fire on Friday in the 360-block of East 29th Street. An exot- ic bird and iguana perished in the blaze that caused extensive damage to the house. [dled ships crowd troubled port ONCE FEDERAL biack-to- work legislation is passed, the Port of Vancouver will have a backlog of more than 60 vessels to deal with before its business as usual, according to Vancouver Port Corporation vice-president Jim O° Hara. By Kevin Gillies Contributing Writer As of were at berth and atl anchored and waiting. the ships are handling grain tor export. Container traffic that has not vet been diverted to Seattle will also be picked up. “Em happy it looks tke it's over.” O*Hara said. but he Tuesday morning #5 rast 33 were CALL US 983-2208 Most of expressed concern about the port’s image abroad. He said the strike will create a Negative image of the port and could cost it business. “The port is a big ccononic engine that drives this city.” he suid. O'Hara said the costs of the strike cannat be measured in terms of the Pert of Vancouver alone. Job action locally results i national dnplications, He said the strike hits cost port companies and workers, rail con panies and employees. prairie farmers and governments. He said the effects are so far- reaching that even Bloc Quebecois members supported an end to the strike. Port spokesman Norm Stark put the cost of the strike to Canada’s economy at nore than S1 million a day. The strike began on Jan. 27. O'Hara estimates that 9.000 peeple work for port-related industries. Ele did aot kaow haw many were laid off because of the strike. But oa federal Human Resources Development Ministry spokesman said the strikes iMpact Was “enormous.” He said $70 grain handlers. 200 rail workers and 190 federal grain inspectors were laid off as a result of the strike. He also said 64 vessels were wilting f@ pick up 2.1 tonnes of grain worth S450 million, The forestry and automotive indus- tries were also affected by the strike, Alb of Vancouver's regular container tattic was diverted 10 Seatile. Although O'Hara is sire Vancouver will regain most of that business. he said the port will probably fose some. NEWS photo Mike Wakefield “SMALL BUSINESS is big business,” according to North Shore News’ money columnist Mike Grenby. The well-known author heid a day-long, North Shore News-sponsored investment seminar last Saturday at Carson Graham secondary school in North Vancouver. Over 400 people attended The 1994 Mike Grenby Show. THIS WEEK’S QUESTION: Should municipalities have more powers to limit adult video stores?