w life NEWS photo Jule Iverson ROLF and Alexis Ahrens share a moment in the bathroom of thelr temporary Vancouver home. They need a wheelchair-friendly apartment in North Vancouver to be closer to their families for support — but they also need heip raising funds. Annette Martin Contributing Writer WHERE would a bylaw officer nor- mally be found? Logic might sug- gest the bylaw office of municipal hall. But in North Vancouver District, bylaw officers have been operating out of the RCMP premises for the past three years. Ina report to council on staff hiring, Coun, . Ernie Crist recommended that bylaw enforce- ment staff be returned to operate out of dis- trict hall so as to re-establish direct control over the department and its staff. Said Crist, “Nobody knows where the bylaw people are. I don't know what they're doing.” ; ‘In response to Coun. Lisa Muri’s question - WEST Vancouver sisters Taylor (left to right) and Kate Sheps. . to a little boy who is a client of the BC Centre for Ability. asking why the bylaw officers were moved, Don Sigston, manager of building, properties and bylaw services, said that at the time, more space was needed at district hall. He told council that the bylaw officers spend most of their work days in cheir cars, maintaining contact via telephone and radio. They submit their daily logs on a monthly basis. . “Their job is our on the road, enforcing bylaws,” said Sigston. He also mentioned the value of daily liaison and cross-training with the RCMP. Richard Zerr, director of community plan- ning, building, properties and environmental services, admitted that residents expected bylaw officers to be located at district hall. He also said there would be more control of the officers if they were located at the hall, but he didn’t want to diminish the experience Honeymoon Katharine Hamer News Reporter khamer@nusnews.com A lot of people want to live on the North Shore, but for Rolf and Alexis Ahrens, it’s becoming a necessity. The couple have been mar- ried since February. Rolf grew up here, and it’s where his par- ents still live. Alexis’s mother and sister also live on the North Shore. The couple met at UBC and fater moved to Terrace, where Rolf worked as a forestry engineer and Alexis ran a sue- cessful coffee shop. They were keen on the out- doors — hiking, biking, scuba diving, golf! “you name it, we did as much as we could.” said Rolf — until a tragic accident on their honeymoon changed their life foreve The Ahrens -— Rolf is 31 and Alexis 30 — were on an adventure holiday to Los Llanos, Venezuela when the Staff studies base for by! ‘a driver of their tour van went off a narrow road and the vehicle tumbled 100 metres down a steep ravine. Evervthing Rolf knows about the accident, Alexis told him. He doesn’t remember any ofit. Rolf says the driver of the Landeruiser was excited about trying out his German skills on the other tourists. He turned his head to talk to them and didn’t see a bend in the road. The Ahrens were the only ones seriously injured, Rolf'sul- fered a severe concussion, tern iigaments, compressed verte brae and multiple fractures. Alexis was paralyzed from. the chest. down. She remembers spending three or four hours on the mountainside just trying to keep breathing and maintain consciousness before rescuers arrived, “She's quite the fighter,” said Rolf. “We spent two horrific nights in a clinic in Barinas. No one spoke English, and they aw off crash in Venezuela changed lives didn’t know how to deal with a spinal injury patient.” Alexis knew she was para- lyzed. She had to stop the stalF at the clinic who kept trying to get her te sit up to get her clothes off The couple were eventually flown to a hospital in) Miami before returning to Canada. Their insurance covered the hospital and medivae costs, but there are many more expenses. The couple’s El payments have run out. They're now dependent on Alexis’s disability pension and any wellare pay- ments they can get. Rolf injured himself’ too badly to return to his job in Terrace, He wants to go back to school to retrain for more of an “office: friendly” job in geographic information systems, In the meantime, the cou- ple are hoping to find an apart- ment near their parents, who can help look after Alexis. She spent over six months at G.F. See Support page B cers of the direct liaison with the RCMP, : Mayor Don Bell suggested that the RCMP were more aware of municipal bylaws with the officers in the same building, adding that phone-in complaints were not routed through the RCMP lines. Muri suggested that having dylaw staff in the RCMP premises did not necessarily mean the RCMP were being educated on district bylaws. As-an example, she reminded council that, “They didn’t know how to enforce our skate- boarding bylaws.” Said Zerr, “Most of our stuff doesn’t relate to the Criminal Code and the bylaws are kept here. This relates to the education of our pub- lic. They need to know where our bylaw offi- cers are. The public likes an-immediate pres- ence.” often RCMP officers were trained in local bylaws and then transferred elsewhere. “Let’s get on with having our people look after our community,” he said. “Our of sight is out of mind and the best communication is face to face. Let's keep our people where you can see them.” , Coun. Bill Denaule suggested that council should get an opinion from the RCMP, “All the facts are not on the table,” he said. Coun. Janice Hatris agreed, saying, “There may be really good reasons for ther (bylzw officers) being there.” Council voted 4-3 to refer the issue to staff for further reports, with councillors Dunsford, Crist and Muri voting against the motion... — In a separate motion, council voted to defer two other parts of Crist’s report thar dealt with the hiring of staff until after the manage-.. Coun. Doug MacKay-Dunn added that NEWS photo Julie Iverson vd won a rip to Disneyland and promptly gave it , Deana Lancaster News Reporter dlancaster@nsnews.com | JUST in time for Christmas, two West ’ Vancouver sisters have a lesson to teach about giving. Ona rainy Sunday back in September, ‘Taylor and ‘Kate Shepard were getting ready for the first-ever Walk, Run and Pedal for the BC Centre for Ability. Taylor, 10, and Kate, six, were planning to ride their tvo-wheelers — Kate’s had training wheels — in the 10-kilometre: charity event. The siblings were excit- ed, not only about taking part, but also about the draw prizes, especially the grand prize: a trip for four to Disneyland. “They talked about the possibility of winning,” said “their mom Helaine Shepard. “Tjust reminded them that the reason we were going in the walk was to help the chil- dren at the centre.” The BC Centre for Ability "out to. children.” ment control audit has been completed. ids. U | is a. non-profit . organization ..: that relies on donations, memberships and bequests to fund its work: helping chil-.: . dren, youth and adults’ with.“ disabilities, The Shepard fami- ly has. been involved with the centre for abgut: six ‘years, since discovering that.a friend of Taylor’s was a client...” 2 When the trip was drawn, "’. it was the Shepard sisters who were holding ‘the winning: ticker. Without hesitation the’ girls told Helaine that they - would prefer if.a child from)": the centre received the trip.” ~ Last . month, . they.’ met Christopher, the four-year-old” who's going with his family to California, “As an infant,. die° > underwent two heart: surg- eries and was tube-fed : for much of his first year. These days his condition’ is: much improved and’. he’s! excited about his trip.5 0) “{t was a magical day. The, three kids just connected — 1 _ was like they were his lon; lost sisters, he was. not at all shy,” said Helaine. “We were watching ‘children reaching“: