THE COMBINATION OF longer skis, groomed ski runs and the high-speed inspiration provided by hotshot skiing superstars has stepped up the pace on local downhill skiing mountains to often dangerous levels. In an effort to ensure the sport is as safe as possible, the ski hiils have responded by tightening up the enforcement of mountain rules and increasing attempts to educate skiers about safe conduct and common-sense skiing etiquette. But some yahoo skiers continue to cause problems. On Dec. 4, dangerous skiing put 15-year-old Jennifer Ennis, of North Van- couver, into a Lions Gate Hospital Ennis suffered a broken thigh bone after she was cut off by a speeditig skier on a Grouse Moun- tain ski run. Said Ennis’ skiing partner Neil Austin: ‘She was making a turn to go over a hill. Some guy flew over the ridge. The guy wanted to get some speed off the lip, probably trying to do a daffy, but he couldn't do it and landed right in front of her.’’ Ennis lost control of her skis and crashed into a log at the side of the run. Said Ennis: ‘“‘This guy came down really out of control. | freaked out because of the angle he was coming at me."’ The offending skier left the scene. But after two operations, Ennis is left with 50 stitches, a metal rod in her right leg, at least six months on crutches, and the loss of a sport she excelled in and enjoyed for eight years. She vows she’ll never ski again. “I'm just scared of skiers and the whole concept,’’ Ennis said. Said her father Bob Ennis: ‘‘It’s almost a criminal thing, what this CHILDREN ATTENDING the Seymour Heights Parent Participation Preschool are in need of a new home for ¢heir program. The building which once housed the preschool was determined to be an unsafe dwelling in November and condemned. Three-year-old Lawren Cody (left) and Seymour Heights preschoc! president Kathryn Nicholson (right) are pictured at the Deep Cove Parent Participation Preschool. The Deep Cove facility By MICHAEL BECKER News Reporter skier did. It’s sort of like hit and run. If she had hit her head on that log, her skull would have been crushed. People’s lives are en- dangered by reckless people who have no regard for other people’s safety. I guess he got away with it.’’ But according to Grouse Moun- tain manager Mike Corcoran, ski- ing recklessly on the local moun- tain does generate consequences for those caught. The skiers’ safety code. printed on the back of ski passes, outlines five key safety messages. For a first offence, the offen- ding skier is warned. For season's passholders, a second offence merits the loss of skiing privileges for the balance of a week, the viewing of a safety fitm and the writing of a one-page essay on the film. A third offence repeats the step-two process and a fourth of- fence results in the revocation of the pass. Day passholders receive a warn- ing for a first minor offence and are issued a brightly colored ski ticket. If caught skiing recklessly again later in the day, the ski pass is revoked. A more serious of- fence merits immediate pass revocation. The combination penalty-educa- tion system has been in place on Grouse for two years and applies to all ages. But according to Cor- coran, 95 per cent of dangerous skiers are young males, age 12 to 17, Last year, courteous skiers were rewarded with buttons and chances to win a new pair of skis in a mon- thly draw. Corcoran said pass suspensions have dropped dramatically since the system was implemented. “Prior to this we were really hardline — no education, just pass suspensions. The first year we were hardcore about a safety program, we pulled about 600 season passholders and the same number in day tickets,’’ he said. Corcoran links the snowballing phenomenon of faster skiing to the early 1980s’ rising of international downhill Canadian skiing stars. The return to favor of longer skis, and the refinement of mogul- mashing hill grooming equipment has made freeway skiing easier. But said Corcoran: ‘‘You get that person skiing out of the flow in a crowd and you’ve got a pro- biem. The kid who cut off Jennifer has ruined her enjoyment for life. I think you’re going to start to see more lawsuits with parents going after the kids who start these acci- dents. If there’s anything we'd like to promote, it is to get kids taking lessons so that they know how to ski properly.”’ Last year, Cypress Bowl Ski Area initiated a similar penalty- education system to combat dan- gerous skiing. The mountain also maintains a ‘‘bad-boy file’ to keep track of repeat offenders. Said Cypress Bowl operations manager Steve Dolman: ‘‘Since we've had a fairly tough enforce- ment policy, we haven’t had many problems.”’ NEWS photo Mike Wakefield and a Lynn Valley preschool are temporarily housing the Seymour Heights children. Comics . Fashion Lifestyles ...... Mailbox .... Travel Suaday, cloudy with chance af rain. Low 3, high &. Monday and Tuesday, mostly cloudy with some sain. Low 2, high 4. 3 - Sunday, December 18, 1988 — North Shore News GIRL LEFT WITH BROKEN LEG AFTER ‘HIT & RUN’ ON SLOPE Reckless skiers causing injuries despite added safety measures NEWS photo Mike Waketleld CHRISTMAS WILL not be comfortable this year for 15-year-old Jen- nifer Ennis. The Dollarton resident broke a femur after a reckless skier sent her crashing into a tog earlier this month on Grouse Mountain. Local mountains are combatting dangerous skiing by penalizing and educating offenders. Cove preschool condemned by NVD Council THIRTY-FOUR children attending the Seymour Heights Parent Participation Preschool are in need of a new home after the building their preschool program was housed in was condemned by North Vancouver District. A delegation representing the preschool is scheduled to appear before council Monday in a bid for help to find a new location for the program in the district. The children are temporarily being housed in preschools at Deep Cove and Lynn Valley. The Seymour Heights Caom- munity Hali was condemned Nov. 25, following a consultant engineer’s report which noted that the walls of the wood-frame struc- ture were bulging and the roof was sagging dangerously. The hall had oven home to the preschool pro- gram, Seymour Heights Dance Society and the Seymour Heights School of Dance. Said Seymour Heights Preschool president Kathryn Nicholson: **The district had been inspecting Council seeks From page 1 ‘*But our best legal advice is that it is a binding deal,’’ he said. McPherson strongly suggested Monday that council seek out another legal opinion, saying the advice received thus far came from the company that supplied a By MICHAEL B ER News Reporter the building annually. Then ali of a sudden they called in an in- dependent consulting firm to do the inspection. They should have given us warning that it was going to be closed down. We were told 12 hours ahead of time to move.”” But Nicholson praised the sup- port of the preschools presently accommodating the displaced children. ‘They’ve been very generous, sharing their equipment and premises free of charge and without hesitation.”’ Until a permanent location is worked out with the district, the preschool has secured interim ac- commodation in the new year at the Westlynn Baptist Church Hall. 2nd opinion lawyer to the negotiating commit- tee. “We are getting another opi- nion,’”? Lanskail later confirmed. “We are sorting our way through this the best way we can. At some point we’re going to have to make a decision,’’ he added.