6 — Wednesday, October 19, 1988 - North Shore News INSIGHTS Fireworks yet possible in) municipal el “DULLSVILLE” BEST DESCRIBES this year’s local election scene — compared to the sound and fury of the federal drama as candidates hack at each other over free trade, housing, daycare and taxes. But there are a few problems in our own backyard that could still liven up the scene for council wat- chers and vote-hungry civic can- didates before Nov. 19. The hot one currently in North Yan District is the North Shore Winter Club’s financial survival project — an 18-storey seniors’ highrise that goes to a public hear- ing next Monday, Oct. 24. At over 200 ft, it would be the district's highest building aod though Ald. Murray Dykeman champions it, his colleagues are leery, citing the absence so far of an official com- munity plan for the area. Traffic problems — especially the Cassiar bottleneck and the needed Upper Levels overpasses — are high on Mayor Marilyn Baker's personal agenda. She wants to spend a further term oy ALD. MURRAY .-¢iub champion. Action working with other municipalities and Victoria on an overall Lower Mainland transport plan, of which North “an could be a major beneficiary. Linked with this is the current fight to kill B.C, Transit’s crackpot scheme for garaging North Van buses in Burnaby and keep them on the North Shore. And then there’s the matter of the new ICBC claims centre — which everyone wants, ‘“‘but not on my block!’” Last month West Van citizens’ wrath over the Taylor Way twin towers project threatened to blow Mayor Don Lanskall and his council crew clean out of the water, They patched up their leak- ing ship by announcing a Nov. 19 referendum which shouid reveal whether taxpayers want to earn money from the site or pay to keep it for community use, However, council's botched handling of the whole affair over the past year has also focussed public attention on the wider issue of competence at city hall — raised again two weeks ago when a “technically flawed’”’ bylaw for the expansion of Collingwood private school was thrown out by the Supreme Court. West Van voters have few other pressing concerns right now, but they'll likely be seeking assurances that after Nov. 19 their business will be conducted by a council that at least knows how to use a rule book. Civic election fireworks are not yet ruled out. Stay tuned, Dullsville! ten ELECTION NOTEPAD: Capilano-Howe Sound’s Tory MP needed HE OLD adage ‘all’s well that ends well’ doesn’t always ring true. While the recent returm of the Boston Whaler ect) rescue boat to rightful owner North Shore Lifeboat Society (NSLS) represented a happy ending for the local group, law enforcement officials and the provin- cial government cannot be pardoned for their lack of action in the bitter dispute, which wasted time and taxpayers’ money. British Columbia Lifeboat Society president Horst Klein is reported to have unlawfully seized the North Shore society’s lifeboat, stating the NSLS was “‘out to destroy the BCLS.”’ And yet the Jaw did not intervene. Instead, the provincial government’s Financial In- stitutions Department of Investigations spent $70,000 in taxpayers’ money to investigate the affairs of the two lifeboat societies, and to determine rightful ownership of the bozt in question. The investigation concluded that the $30,000 boat — which was bought, in part, through a $15,000 provincial government grant - secured by West Vancouver-Howe Sound MLA John Reynolds and a $5,000 grant donated by the North Vancouver Kiwanis Club — did, in fact, belong to the NSLS. But Finance Minister Mel Couvelier refused to intervene deeming it ‘‘inappropriate’’. Final return of the boat was only solved, months later, through an out-of-court settlement. if the government can spend $70,000 on arn in- vestigation, but does not act on its findings, and if the police do not use their authority to return property to vightful owners, there is something seriously wrong with our justice system. Ons Mary Collins squares off with Vancouver Centre’s Johanna den Hertog (NDP) and Tex Enemark (Lib.) at 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, on a CBUT-TV forum hosted by Bob Spence. Also on the panel: the Fraser Institute’s Michael Walker, columnist Jamie Lamb and politi- cal science professor Terry Mortey. But the main fun will come from the grilling of the panel by the live studio audience. tee POSTSCRIPTS: North Van Community Arts Council’s Celeb- rity Auction 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, at the North Shore Winter Club features celebrity John Gray (of Billy Bishop Goes to War). You can bid there for a bit part in a TV show, a Sam Black picture, a family Christmas cruise, and weekends at Semiahmoo and Whistler — among dozens of simi- lar temptations on the block ... Despite government grants B.C.’'s independent schools still rely heavily on voluntary fundraising for equipment, bursaries and scholarships. So Pat Ostrow hopes to see lots of friends of York House at their annual Fall Market, 10 to 3 Saturday, Oct..22, at the school, 25th and Granville — all the usual goodies plus a midway, craft boutique and lunch at the Food Fair and French cafe ... Still with schools, King George High invites all ex-students and staff to its Nov. 18 reunion celebrating 25 years at its West End location. If you’re still into the hoop, they also want you for a Dragon Basketball Tournament the evenings of Nov. 16-17 — call Steve Kelso, 985- 4594, for details ... And bilin- gualism is alive and weil at the Baker (that’s like Mayor Marilyn Baker) home in North Van, where Her Worship’s student daughter Publisher Associate Editor envelope. Peter Speck Managing Editor... . Barrett Fisher Noel Wright Advertising Director . Linda Stewart North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 111, Paragraph tll of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Ltd. and distributed to every door on the North Shore. Second Class Mait Regisiration Number 3885. Subscriptions North and West Vancouver, $25 per year. Mailing rates available on’ request. Submissions are welcome bul we cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited material including manuscripts and pictures - which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed Stephanie returned fast week after a year at the famed Sorbonne Uni- versity in Paris. 2a t NOEL IGHT WRIGHT OR WRONG (from the Mulroney election handbook): Most people will believe anything, provided you whisper. S photo Mike Wakelisid TORY FISHING PARTY...(right) Fisheries Minister Tom Siddon and Capilano-Howe Sound MP Mary Collins co-host Jast Thursday's open house tour of West Van’s new state-of-the-art fish research laboratory. ee 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 59,170 (average, Wednesday Friday & Sunday) rea SDA DIVISION Display Advertising Classified Advertising Newsroom Distribution Subscriptions Fax 920-0511 986-6222 985-2131 986-1337 986-1327 985-3227 MEMBER North Shore owned and managed - Entire contents © 1988 North Shore Free Press Lid. All rights reserved.