NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

‘ | ROBERT GILLESPIE brings his dog Lightning with him. for company while he sells his wares at
‘| Lower. Lonsdale’s Pier $6 fleamarket. Gillespie decorates his section with bamboo, flags and a.

Ray

ed wooden bird.

-. ‘BUYING: A home has: never .bzen
more affordable ‘in. many. centres,
'. according. to. Canada Mortgage
. and Housing © Corporation's

kets report... ..: °° x

(CMHC) Canadian Housing Mar-

‘Phe percentage of renters who
can afford to: buy a starter. home’

hit new highs in eléven areas dur-

-+ ing the: first half of. 1593,” said

"Greg ‘ Goy,
for CMHC.
Goy. attributed the improvernent

local” market, analyst

in atfordabijity.to mortgage rates.

, hovering around 25 year lows, an

abundant. supply , of - affordable

‘.pousing and attractive home prices
Many centres,
Access to the ownership is also

. being enhanced by.CMHC’s First -
Home’. Loai* Insurance - (FHLI) -

arter ho
ter he

Program, ‘which features a five

percent downpayment to realize

their dreams of home-ownership:

sinse the program was introduced

__in 1992.

' “What is more impressive about
this program is that so many
first-time buyers have been able to

_ purchase single-detached homes

with it,’? added Goy. no

’ Over 70% of existing homes
and: over 50% of new homes
bought under the FHLI plan were

_ Single detached houses, according

to the report.

There are also more choices in~

most centres as a greater prapor-

tion of affordable homes are fisted

for sale. ;
. In. 1993, more that 50% of ac-
tive listings were affordable to the

average renter in 20 centres. Seven’
‘markets experienced record high

levels.in the percéntage of listings
that are affordable. ..

The 1993 affordability indicator .

shows that St. John’s, Nfld.’ ‘and
Chicoutimi, Que. are the two most
affordable centres in the country,
with ‘over half of all renters able
to afford an average-priced starter
home. .

St. John’s also experienced -the
highest level of affordable supply
of any market in the history of the
indicator with 92.1% of active
listings affordable to renters.

Other: centres experiencing re-
cord highs in affordable supply in
1993 included: Calgary, Sudbury,
London, St. Catherines,
Chicoutimi, and Halifax.

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My name is Umecda S. Switio.

. Iwas born in Uganda and moved

to Britisi; Columbia in 1973. I
attended Argyle Secondary School
in Lynn Valley and the University
of Victoria, studying Marine
Biology, Behaviour end
Statistics and Environmental
Toxicology at Simon Fraser
University. After finishing my
studies, I went to work in
Nanaimo for Fisheries and
Qceans and later worked for the
Ministry of the Environment.

This ts when I received the
best outdoor experiences of my
life that have led to an abidin,
respect for the Environmen
globally and more importantly for
the area in which | live.

I married Gary Switlo and
moved to North Lonsdale from
Kitsilano in order to raise our
daughter Narecna. In 1988,
Narecna was one and a half years

old and I decided to. work. Gary. :
ol

my parents and/I bought ‘the
United Church tn Deep Cove
renovated. it, pre-
serving its character
and converted it into
the largest private
child care facility on
the North Shore. It
was and still ts called
My Little School Day
Care. I. taught
summer camp there —
“My Summer with a
Biologist” and enjoyed
that immensely.
could sce Nareen2’ ¢
every day and lead a“
productive life getting = -
involved in the North Shore After
School Day Care Society and
other child care organizations.

In 1990, Gary found out that
he was HIV Positive and I began

letting pe of the schoo! and sold it.

in 19

During Gary’s illness. I
became very ‘active in North
Lonsdale. { became the. President
of the North Lonsdale Rate-
payers Associstion, Treasurer of

‘the North. Shore Child Care

Society, and was appointed to
the Environmental Task Force,
sat on’ the Braemar Dempsey
Committee and finally sat.on the
Parks Advisory Committee.
These were difficult years for me
personally but I found great

courage in the simple fact that .

there were some things i could
change. I found my advice and
thoughts were appreciated and I
met many wonderful people who

were involved on the different |

committces. :
In 1992, Gary and I, with our
neighbour, took the controversial

step of rezoning our properties
from RS3 (which would allow us
to subulvide these properties) to
-RS2 (which would leave the
properties and trecs and homes
as they were}, We then were the
first homeowners in the District
to designate our Knoc Firinn as
a heritage home protected by
law. This old log home can now
be enjoyed for gencrations to
come. .
. After Gary passed away in
April 1992, I challenged myself to ~
assist in raising $t miilion for the
St. Paul’s/UBC Aids Research
Chair and succeeded. - .
I then wanted: to complete the
task of returning service and
marketing expertise to the Ticket:

Industry and’ began.Community § -

Box ices Inc. and in one short
year, have challenged a monopoly... : 9
that has existed for 14 years. -
has truly been a huge challenge.
The most important aspect here_
- Was lo generate funds for the Arts
and I hope that I will be able to ©
q succeed with this goal
in year three’ of
operations. ee
Learning. is m
oak never bac F
own from contro-.. j
versy and I ama
1° persistent leader. In ..§
voting this year, I.,
would like you’ to
remember that. if :J
elected, I will be only | §
one .of.. seven. in-”.&
dependent. elected |
decision makers.’ My’:
: role will be that of a

_ leader to ensure that dectsions © ' :

are made effectively and in a
timely fashion. I have run
businesses and yet have an
. abiding love of the Environment.
‘and shall make my dectsions’
based on what: is: best for: the
“environment and the community,
within it. _ = ;
My background and com--
mitment to the community will
ensure a fresh approach @
mayor. I have already made a

ference in this District'and: oo

will be challenged by. you to do:
more. oa ae
Please. help me. b
involved, by caring.

and by voting.

Thank you
Umeeda S. Switio |

becoming.
y listening

Candidate for Mayor
of the District of |
North Vancouver |.

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