6.C. GOV'T GRABS APARTMENT THE LAST picce of the bighwas Fightotwas puzzle for ihe proposed SPS milhon Eonsdale overpass is in place follow - mg highways department expropriation of the fast property Aug. 4. The baths. departon took cover othe duitding. piece lopsdaig Manor camer Creeps coot his apartment buildin a By MECHEAED HECKER ee Bapar wie Awe held eat haha iss mnent for the past twa xen 4 bon aste had the provinerisl avast the depart Hest told hat the eo oneariy 2G We the month sundays. August 30, 1987 - Noein Shore News PROPERTY FOR OVERPASS ave been =Wto '. uatd Nos. “dhe TaN In! To thes aan oat t Soethd NEWS photo Tom Burley Vancouver residents were out with clippers flying Wednesday, clearing blackberry bushes along a stretch of BC Rail track slated for her- hicide spraying in September, Laurie Fulton, foreground, husband Mark, across the track, and neighbors Steve and Laurel Saba did battte with the thorns. West Vancouver residents have set up a collection box at Capers restaurant on Marine and Dundarave to collect funds to retain a lawyer to block the BC Rail Roundup spraying program. Ascotding te North Vane couser-CapHino MILA Anyus Ree, an order for expropriation of the by the fughways depart hemi Was published carlier thus meth inthe provincial Gazette. Riste said othe expropriation mese came while he and his waite Marjorie were aways on holiday, and therefore he was not avaabible ta be served wath a notice in per son, | “Under the Hirhwass Act. thes basically only have te put it in the Cravette” said Riste. “hvervbods should read this act. Hts very in. teresting." Highways spokesman | Charhe Shave said expropriation involves three basic steps. First, notice is given by the highways minister in the Gazette. Secondly, the proper- ty is physically entered by an ot- ficial to extinguish the tithe. The last step is to notify the Land titles office of the tle extinguishment. A detter sent) by Ministry of Transportation and Highway. Minister Cliff Michael to tise Ristes Aug. dated tuly 200 in response to a March 13, 1986 telegram from Riste to Micaael outlining various proposals tor the property — stares the department had ruled out any options other chan compensation for the proper. *s based on marker value. In the letter Michael said: We are unable to consider moving the building, constructing a new building or purchasing a building of your choice."* Riste is tuking his search for a replacement building to house the lower-income tenants currently liv- ing in his building to the public via a newspaper ad running in the North Shore News. “If a person owns @ house or property outright and the city or highways wanted it, they should get a replacement for it. I'm prav- ing can get help with the ad for a suitable replacement,”’ Riste said. Drepenty 7 NV PARAPLEGIC FINDS NEW LIFE THROUGH NEIL SQUIRE FOUNDATION Computers open door to disab LEARNING to use a computer is no small feat, but master- ing the skill through only the use of a breath is a true ac- complishment. North Vancouver resident Rick Krusel spends several hours a day behind his computer, breathing Morse code into a straw which translates into the use of several computer programs. ‘It becomes second nature if you use it all the time,’’ Krusel said. Krusel was in an accident over two years ago and became paralys- ed from the neck down. ‘I was an avid skier and did a lot of sports,” said Krusel, who was an electri- cian. He had to face a whole new lifestyle, but being able to learn about computers changed — his outlook on tie future. During rehabilitation Krusel was informed about the Neil Squire Foundation and the possibilities it offered to severely disabled people. This non-profit: organization was created in 1984 and recently set up its head office in Deep Cove. The foundation’s aim is to relieve severely disabled people of ‘otal dependence on others and to enhance their quality of life. “In the beginning you don't want to do much of anything, and it took me a year in getting my head back together,’ Krusel said with a smile, in an interview ac his group home in North Van. But he believes the foundation was instrumental ino guiding him towards a life with new goals and another protession, “it gave me hope and a better outlook on the ILEES RAVENSBERGEN Contributing Writer future.” The foundation trains univers students to give one-on-one in- Struction to the severely disabled. During rehabifitation, Krusel received two-hour lessons twice a week. ‘Computers were all aew to me and | never would have got in- to it,’’ Kruset said. He now has plans to set up an accounting business with his sister who will be a registered accountant ina year. **She can do the foot- work and [ can do the accounting on the computer,”” said Krusel who took accounting courses before the accident. But without the help of the foundation, Krusel could not have such plans. Foundation director Bill Cameron is a robotics engineer and has been experimenting with special equipment for the disabled since the accident of his nephew Neil Squire in 1982, “When Tosaw Neil paralysed from the tongee down it) became pretty. obvious that my robotics experience must be helpful Cameron said he became so buss and involved that the foundation was formed nwo sears later and survived on a shoestring. (We us: ed to be in borrowed offices and go bankrupt every four montis. fi was no way to run a business."' This summer, the foundation received $3.4 million from the Employment and Immigration of- fice to be spent over three years, Cameron said the program, Computer Comfort, filled a need‘ and the idea spread across Canada quickly, ‘We just went bonkers."' Now 2,000 disabled people are computer trained. But the foundation also designs and engineers equipment that will help the disabled lead a more in- dependent life. Cameron said a robotic arm that can turn pages, load a floppy disk and feed paper is being tested. The foundation employs 37 able and disabled people and hires stu- dents to instruct the disabled, Cameron said he would like to see Vancouver as the world’s leading centre for disabled people and to see the disabled accepted in sacie- ty. “The mood in B.C. is very receptive for disabled people." Cameron said the foundation's bigeest problem is supplying com- puter trained people with a com- puter.*Anvone who has an old computer sitting in the basement after the kids left home, please donate H.'” Cameron said. Krosel agrees and said his com- puter was a corporate donation, but he wis without one for six months and had to relearn his skills. Box Vane Sagulre Donations are welcome at 4570 SPO West) Broudwiy, eouser oor cath the Neil Foundation at 929-2414, ed NEWS photo Mike Wakaotleld QUADRAPLEGIC Rick Keusel has no use for the key%oard but works his computer by mouth through the sip and puff switch, Krusel was paralysed from the neck down two years ago,