‘January 22, 1993 _ 84 pages

Office, Editorial 985-2131

+ City town centre ‘shabby;
_ lacks character, report says

“NORTH. VANCOUVER
City's Central’ and Lower
Lonsdale Avenue shopping
districts are either neglected
or lacking in character end
“.meed major changes to
make them more appealing
to shoppers and merchants,
wam the authors of a
Lonsdale town centre
revitalization report.

By Stephen Wisenthal
Contributing Writer

The Downtown Strategy report
“recommends: initiatives , ranging
from .a” streetcar running up
Lonsdale Avenue. to promoting
the construction of taller buildings
on either side of the street.
Working with -merchants, ‘resi-
-dents'and property owners in the
~ Lonsdale town centre area, North
Vancouver City commissioned the
|, Survey for the report, which iden-
tified five key areas that need. to
be addressed: :
© The area has a poor image.

Lower Lonsdale is seen as ne-,

glected and rundown, while Cen-
tral Lonsdale. lacks character and
interest...
) Pedestrians find it hard to get
‘ around; ‘crossing major roadways
‘isa {potential hazard.” .
‘® Parking: is. rated .as poor or
_. very poor by three-quarters of the
2 Fonstale-area merchants. There is
: also too much noise and conges-
“tion caused by vehicles, and traf-
-fic-is too fast.on the major road-
‘ways. ;
© The buildings on either side of
. ‘Lonsdale Avenue are too low for

Caen to halt; NV"

“NORTH VANCOUVER
CITY COUNCIL

such a wide street, particularly in
Central Lonsdale. Vhe. result is
that ‘the street width becomes the
dominant feature.’

@ Customers are turned off by’

the overall appearance of the area,
including the kick of @ ‘‘theme’'
and the number of vacant shops.
They are being drawn away by-the
convenience. of malis, which offer
parking and . uniform opening
hours, ,

The report, prepared by John
Talbot and Associates, Harris
Hudema Consulting Group
Lid. and, Davidson Yuen Simpson
Architects, conchides that | the
Lonsdale town cenire must make
a concerted effort to establish a

“positive image ‘for Upper, and
-Lower Lonsdale.

It recommends that both Lower

and Central Lonsdale areas have
public plazas, displays and public
art, and theme days and other
evens.
“The profile of Lonsdale town
centre should be-raised with joint
marketing and promotion, the
authors add.

Other suggestions include the
redevelopment. of - vacant, . under-
used and derelict sites and -the
preservation of heritage buildings.

-Increased parkiig-on lunes, bet-

ter signs and: reduced speeds: arc.~

“recommended to fix the. area’s
"parking and traffic problems.
~ The report also suggests that
public transportation be improv-
ed, design guidelines be : estab-
lished and that more benches and
other street furniture be installed.

truck plant future unclear

ONE YEAR after a truck manufacturer said business was“

booming, the company has
‘plant...

"Grizzly Trucks Ltd. is no’ longer
operating out of its 322 Seymour
Blvd. location, although the
‘future of the company remains
“uncertain, 9 gt,

Grizzly’s ‘telephone number has
been: disconnected, and the com-
pany has not renewed its. North
> Vancouver District . business

licence for 1993.
“ Grizzly: president. Geoff Buck

could not be reached for comment
on the future of the company. |
‘In December; Buck said he was
‘seriously - considering. moving his
’ operations. to the United. States
- because he was having a hard time
finding investors in Canada.

aiet,

closed its North Vancouver

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

Grizzly opened in North Van-
couver in July 199} and had been
producing «small custom-built,
heavy-duty trucks. -

In. January 1992; Buck, said he

-, had a workforce of about 20 and
expected to increase thar number

to about 50 by . the middle: of
1992.

In a Jan. 15, 1992, News story,
Buck said the demand for his

trucks was growing, with inquiries .

for the vehicles coming from’
across Canada.

Sr

MOE ON ety eee reer seca
.

Test drive the

Hyundai Elantra
Automotive: 21

NEWS phato Clady Goodman

Freeze frame_
NORTH SHORE Winter Club skater Lori Tanizawa,. seen through the legs of
fellow skater Lisa Daly, gets in some practice‘at the club eariier this month.

“Daly, along with seven other NSWC' skaters, will be competing at the Cana-'
_dian championships i in Hamilton, Ontario, from Feb. 3 to 7.

Wea
Sexes, i

969