Your Number One | Suburban Newspaper eat July 23, 198600 News 985-2131 THE Classified 986-6222 GREATER Vancouver Coalitiun 09: Distribution 986-1337 on Shipbuilding (GVCS) has launched another communique urging the fed- eral government to make a decision now on the Polar 8 icebreaker. The North Vancouver-based GVCS recentiy announced gloomy statistics and bleak results of what it feared might be a temporary two-year docking of the icebreaker project, Though he said his company would undoubtedly sail be in business in two years, Versatile Pacific Shipyards president: David Alsop said Monday such a delay in making a decision would seriously erode the shipyard’s core of highly skilled designers and technicians — a core which he said was vers dit- ficult to replace. “We'll lose our best people.” Alsop said. Versatile, with what is reputed By TIMOTHY RE News Reporte to be Canada’s mast advanced icebrenker expertise, was one of the three Canadian shipyards orig- inally asked to bid on the $450 mil- lion Polar 8 contract. Subsequent to the tendering of those bids, three unsolicited pro- posals for designs that offered sav- ings of 28 to 40 per cent over the original design were submitted from oiwo Caleary-based — comi- panies and Wartsila Arctic lac. of Vancouver. But Alsop said cost-saving design features ins the subsequent V mall okayed: 3 THE VOICE OF NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER ey 52 pages 25¢ lassifieds joins the party YOU COULD win a trip for tvo to Southern California, and at the same time help the PNE celebrate its Flashback Party. The North Shore News and local advertisers have joined together to present a puzzle for readers to solve. All you have to do is find the word PNE somewhere in the ad Turn to page 46 for details. proposals could be incorporated in the original design more cheaply than taking the two years to reassess the whole project and ask for new bids. The modified Versatile design would trim $100 million from the original program cost, according to GVCS. Alsop said he believed his com- pany had made the best bid and had been the leading contender for the original contract. With aoscurrent workforce of about 860 emplovees, one third of whom live on the North Shore, Versatile could be facing more lay-offs within the next nine mon- ths if no decision is made on the icebreaker, Alsop said. In peak production periods, the shipyard employs close ta 1,200, According to GVCS, West Coast shipyards deserve “ta more equitable share of major ship- building (contracts)"*. B.C. shipyards, according to GVCS, have fost over 2,000 jobs since 1982 and have been excluded from such major federal contracts as the Canadian Patrol Frigate program and the $130 > million order for a second Canadian Na- tional Marine ferry. The GVCS maintains that, over the last five years, B.C. businesses have received less than JO per cent of federal) procurement dollars compared with over 40 per cent for Ontario and over 22 per cent for Quebee and the Maritimes. North Vancouver District’ Ald. Craig Clark said Monday the im- portance of shipbuilding to the overall economy of the North Shore cannot be overstated. “In 1982, we had 3.000 people emploved at local shipyards. Now NEWS photo Neil Lucente we have 1,000. That really is a dramatic decrease, and any further decrease would have a major im- pact on the area."* North Vancouver City Mayor Jack Loucks has estimated that the local shipbuilding industry pumps an annual $125 million into the ci- ty’s ecomony. The Polar 8 contract would generate an estimated $180 million in wages alone and would provide 900 jobs over four years. The GVCS has representation from three local shipyards, the Ci- ty and District of North Van- couver, the 8.C. Federation of Labor, the Metal Trades Council and the Marine Workers and Boilermakers Industrial Union. Clark said he expected a decision on the Polar 8 to be made this week. Boy’s best friend? FIVE-YEAR-old Michael Bell makes friends with one of the newest residents at Maplewood Farm — a New Jersey calf named Jordie. The five-acre farm, located at 405 Seymour River Place, North Vancouver, also has new piglets, which have proven equally delightful for young children. The farm has all types of animals and birds, and two petting areas. Children and adults have access to -two pens, where they can pet goats, rabbits and guinea pigs.