NEWS photo Cindy Bellamy WHERE’S THE beach? A lone sunbather catches some rays at the North Vancouver SeaBus terminal. North Shore residents will have a brief respite from the hot weather today (Friday) but sunny skies and warm weather are to return for the weekend. FUNDING CUT School playing fields calied safety hazard NORTH VANCOUVER’S school playing fields have seriously deteriorated due to a lack of upkeep, which a North Vancouver alderman charges is presenting a health and safety hazard to children and players. Ald. Ernie Crist presented the motion at a recent North Van- couver District Council meeting after receiving a letter from the North Vancouver Recreation Commission Field User Committec requesting financial help from both North Vancouver municipalities. Council has arranged an urgent meeting with the city to try to resolve the playing fields problem. A report prepared by the North Vancouver Recreation Commission found that provincial cutbacks to the school district’s budget have resulted in funds being diverted from field maintenance to other educational priorities, causing school playing fields to deteriorate to a standard unacceptable to community users. The report also warns that without access to school fields, municipal fields will become over- crowded with the overflow of North Vancouver sports groups. Seven elementary and secondary school fields were inspected and all shared common problems such as inadequate drainage, poor grading, vegetation creeping onto the fields, and boulders appearing above the surface of the fields. In addition, all fields required new surface ma- terial. But North Vancouver School Board disagrees that the fields are a safety hazard for children. Doug Collins Editorial Page Home & Garden By EVELYN JACOB Contributing Writer . “The fields are in good condi- tion as far as we're concerned,” said Ed Bodner, director of building and grounds for School District 44. NORTH Vancouver Ald. Ernic Crist ...“‘The safety of the kids is the responsibility of the provincial government.”’ Bodner said that while gov- ernment cutbacks have affected the standard of school playing fields, TV Listings What's Going On Second Class Registration Number 3885 he said they are not a hazard for school activities. The school district has agreed to pay $54,000 this year to upgrade the fields, but the recreation com- mission report says that twice that amount is needed to upgrade all 36 school fields. Each field will cost $3,000 to upgrade. Bodner said if the community finds the school fields below the standard of district and city fields, it must find enough money from other sources to resolve the pro- blem. The school board could provide only a ‘tmodest improve- ment,’* he said. Crist said the school board has an obligation to upgrade the fields, and that while the municipalities may provide some of the funds, they cannot absorb the total cost of the project. “Pm not blaming the school board, The safety of kids is the re- sponsibility of the provincial gov- ernment. But in a case like this the board should speak up and get the public to put pressure on the gov- ernment. They’ve (the school board) been too quiet. They haven’t said boo.”’ Recreation commissioner Bob McCormack said that with ‘‘a few dollars” the playing fields problem can be resolved. ‘Everyone has to sit down and come to a common ground on how to solve this,’’ he said. Crist confirmed Thursday at press time that the school board has agreed to meet with the field users committee to discuss the problem. ‘‘! consider that a vic- tory,’’ he said. Friday, mainly cloudy with isclated showers. Saturday, mostly sunny. Highs near 23°C. 3 - Friday, August 5, 1988 - North Shore News Two convicted on ) = fishing charges TWO MEN were convicted July 25 in North Vancouver provincial court for fishing violations. Jay Allan Lambright of Maple Ridge and Andrew McKanzie Gordon of Mission were fined $1,000 each for fishing during 2 closed time and catching fish by snagging. A charge of exceeding the coho catch limit was stayed. The pair were caught by fisheries officers at approximately 2:10 a.m. July 8, catching coho salmon immediately below the Capilano River hatchery. The (wo had been using large treble hooks to snag the fish. The 27 coho they had in their possession at the time were confiscated. The area where the (wo were caught is permanently closed to fishing. Cheque bounces, man jailed A MAN of unknown address will serve 45 days in jail on weekends after he recently pleaded guilty to obtaining money under false pretences. Michael Pavlic, 29, was charged following a Dec. 31, 1984, inci- dent at the Daddy Long Legs nightclub at the International Plaza Hotel where he allegedly wrote a bad cheque for $200. A warrant was issued for his arrest May 15, 1985, and he was taken into custody Oct. 24, 1986, before being releascd on his own recognizance. When he failed to appear for a scheduled trial date Jan. 29, 1987, a bench warrant was issued, and he was picked up by police July 25 of this year and appeared in West Vancouver provincial court the next day. A further charge against Pavlic of failing to appear for the scheduled Jan. 29, 1987, trial date was stayed. As well as a jail term, Paviic was placed on probation for four months with the condition that he serve his sentence free of liquor and unlawful drugs. NV man gets fine for theft A NORTH Vancouver man was fined « total of $150 after he pleaded guilty July 28 to one count of failing to appear and one count of theft under $1,000. John Paris Hummelt, 19, was fined $50 for failing to appear in North Vancouver provincial court July 4 as scheduled, and $100 in regard to a May 24 theft from Zellers in the District of North Van- couver. Appearing before Judge J.D. Layton, Hummel! was given until Oct. 3 to pay the fines or spend a total of eight days in jail. WV man faces more sex charges A WEST VANCOUVER man, originally charged April 5 with one count of indecent assault, faces an additional four counts of sex- related charges. Joseph Robert Hailey, 44, a resident of the 1300-block of Lawson Avenue, has been charged with three counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault. West Vancouver Police say the charges stem from alleged inci- dents involving three boys. The offences are alleged to have occur- red during October, 1979; between July and August of 1980; be- tween September and November of 1982; and between December 1987 and January 1988. The incidents are alleged to have occurred in Kelowna, near Pemberton, near Lillooet, and near Alice Lake by Squamish. Police warn of stolen cards NORTH VANCOUVER RCMP remind local merchants to be wary of stolen credit cards. On July 30, a male suspect purchased several items from a local jewelry store with a stolen credit card. Before confirmation of the card’s validity could be made, the suspect fled the store. The police investigation continues.