10 - Friday, March 20, 1987 - North Shore News NEWS photo Tom Burley SERENA enjoys swimming, travel and plans to go into business for herself. She likes diamonds, champagne and Rolls Royce cars. ‘expire September PERMIT RENEWAL REJECTED N. Vancouver District fruit vendor canned by council A RECENT IN-CAMERA decision by North Van- couver District Council not to renew a temporary use permit to allow United Fruit Growers to operate from a lot behind the Avalon Hotel spells the end of a 14-year stint of seasonal fresh fruit service to North Shore resi- dents. By MICHAEL BECKER News Reporter “The district claims we weren't paying our share of the taxes,” said Bob Reid, one of the United Fruit Growers operators. __ “The Avalon pays substantial taxes. They’re getting their pound of flesh out of the Avalon already.”’ Although Reid says the fruit sellers have the blessing of Ken Hutchinson, the Avalon Hotel’s owner, he says the district turned down renewal of the permit on the grounds that selling fruit on the Avalon-owned Roosevelt parking lot was a misuse of industrial- zoned land. The lot is zoned in. justrial, but a temporary comprehensive development designation, due to 1987, allowed commercial use of the site. Reid says the fruit sellers col- lected 5,996 names on a petition last year from customers in sup- port of the marketing concept. “The big stores aren’t equipped to provide fresh from the farm fruit. We provided a service that otherwise wasn't available in the area,'’ said Reid. But Ald. Ernie Crist, who voted against the permit renewal, said the fruit growers had an unfair Toll-free exchanges investigated NORTH SHORE residents live only a bridge away from their Vancouver cousins; but have to pay more long- distance charges. While Vancouverites have access to 19 toll-free exchanges, West Vancouverites, who pay only 60 cents less per month for their tele- phones, have access to just six free exchanges. : West Van. District Council directed municipal staff Monday to investigate an improvement in this situation. North Vancouver City and North Vancouver District will be encouraged to join in the effort. ’ North Vancouver City did bring the matter up with the Canadian Radio and Television and Telecommunications Commission in 1985, and received no satisfac- tion. The CRTC repeated its 1982 decision not to offer any more two-way EAS (extended area ser- vices) in the Lower Mainland. “The implementation of an EAS generally results in an increase in the basic monthly rate for all subscribers in an exchange by an amount greater than the cost of one long-distance call,’’ the CRTC said in 1982. This is because it was found that only 32 per cent of telephone subscribers in any one exchange make at least one long-distance call per month to another exchange. The question came up again fol- lowing West Vancouver’s Neil Thompson’s claims that North Shore telephone subscribers suffer {com ‘‘second class status.’ “] think we're probably being snowed by statistics,’’ commented Ald. Dave Finlay at the council meeting. Finlay said a study of just West Vancouver would show thai local citizens would save money if they joined the Greater Vancouver EAS. District manager Terry Lester said the municipality, like - many other local businesses, makes fre- quent long-distance phone calls to other municipalities. “I would be more than happy to pay the extra 60 cents a month (for EAS)’, Lester said. But Ald. Alex Brokenshire urged caution in pursuing the matter. “YT received two phone calls in opposition to this today,’’ he said. “Many would prefer to see the people who use long distance, pay for it,’’ The CRTC has also pointed out that EAS do not generate suffi- cient revenue to pay for the cost of the service. The CRTC is, therefore, faced with increased costs and reduced revenues. STARTING A NEW BUSINESS? © PRIVATE FURNISHED OR UNFURNISHED OFFICES. © TELEPHONE ANSWERING IN YOUR COMPANY'S OWN HAME. © 11x17 PHOTOCOPIER, TELEX, FACSIMILE & WORD PROCESSOR. © BOARDROOM, COFFEE ROOM & BANK IN THE SAME PREMISES. © CONCRETE BUILDING IH A PRIME LOCATION. GOOD PARKING. ORO SUITES 1500 2nd Level 1500 Marine Drive North Vancouver, B.C. PHONE 986-1500 V7P 177. Dr. W.R. McRoberts is pleased to announce Dr. W. Patrick McRoberts has joined him in his Practice of Optometry 1031 MARINE DRIVE (AVALON HOTEL BUILDING) NORTH VANCOUVER V7P 186 987-1929 business advantage. “Ive never felt comfortable with people coming in and skimm- ing off the cream during the good season and then leaving town. We've got people there all year around, paying business taxes, tenting property, and sometimes they have a rough time,” said Crist. Seeger Sore Nee x Hk ene