Fj Katharine Hamer News Reporter khamer@nsnews.con AS both Lions Gate Bridge sidewalks were shut down yesterday, a new service was introduced to ferry cyclists and pedestrians across the span. Velo-City Cycle Tours began operating, 2 full schedule of huttling passengers from rhe north end of the bridge to the Chilco Street bus foop in Stanley Park. The North Vancouver-based company was selected from a number of proposals, said lan Druce of the BC Transportation Financing Authority (BCTFA). _ He said some of the estimated 200 cyclists who crossed the bridge in the winter months (that number rises to around 350 in summer) were still requesting, SeaBus passes. That option, said Druce, was unlikely to he taken up. tor logistical reasons. “Why should we have to pay to take a bike on the SeaBus when the whole point of riding is not to have to do chat?” asks cyclist Larry Zimich — who despite being knocked off his bike in a 1997 accident on the bridge has continued to cycle across it regularly. The $200,008 cost of the shuttle will be covered Ly the larrows SI New service initiated as Lions Gate Bridge sidewalks close $98.9 milion allotted for the entire Lions Gate Bridge pro- he Velo-City service can carry around 90 passengers and their bikes in two vans, according to Druce. On wi i run v 15 minutes during peak hours and every 40 utes in non-peak hours from 6 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. On weekends, north bound service runs every 40 minutes from 8:20 a.m.to 4:20 p.m. The south bound service runs trom 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition, the North Vancouver Joint Bicvele Advisory Committee (JBAC), and North Vancouver District had been pressing for several months for early closure of both sidewalks and an alternative Passage for cyclists. They were concerned about rider safety with one sidewalk closed — particularly as winter drew in and weather and road conditions worsened. North Vancouver District transport planner Brian Edey described the service as “a good first step ... they started before the peak season (of spring and summer) to work out the kinks.™ But JBAC members did have some key concerns, Edcy said — particularly with regard to the frequency of the shutie. “It caters pretty well to the peak hour service, but there’s nothing much midday,” he said. Cyclists had also voiced the need for a shelter at the aorth end of the bridge, said Edey — and pedestrians seemed a little unclear as to whether the service would be accessible to them. Larry Zimich claims it was only “a couple of people” on the advisory committees who recommended early closure ot both sidewalks. “Nobody ever had any concerns before now,” he says. “They're calling the shots for a majority of people. What's the point in trying to alleviate the traffic problem by riding your bike if you’re just going to sit in traftic on the shuttle?” Zimich said he “wouldn't be surprised” to see mass demonstrations by disgruntled cyclists in the coming weeks. Both sidewalks will remain closed until the end of the con- struction period next fall. For more information on the shuttle service, call Velo-City 924-0288 or the Lions Gate Bridge Project Office at 473- 1500. Toll-free calling area sei - ON May 1, you'll be able to reach out and touch somebody in — Bowen Island or White Rock and you’li pay by the month, not the minute. The Canadian Radio-televi- sion Telecommunications Commission approved Telus . Communications’ application for a toll-frec calling area throughout Greater Vancouver Thursday. OF Resident of North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Bowen Island and 13 other suburban. calling exchanges will pay an extra 70 cents a month for unlimited calling throughout the region. Teeidents of . New Westminster, Vancouver and Richmond will only be dinged arter per month. a quarter pe — Bob Mackin q a 4] a Festive fire SARA Kosh, left, and Richelie Simon enjoyed the boniire at Waterfront Park Dec. 3 as the carol ships came the place to be on Sunday, Dec. 12, at 6:30 p.m. for a bonfire, choirs, carol ships, hot chocolate and a visit Associati waterfront awareness From page 1 the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. The Vancouver Port Corporation — landlord to most of these companies — will join the association as an observ- cr. NSWIA staffer Debbie Tardiff said Wednesday that the group was formed after North Vancouver District’s indus- trial waterfront task force was disbanded. Tardiff said the task force “brought industry together in a way that had never happened before,” anc as a result, a more permanent voice for the waterfront companies was sought. “The issues faced in the district were the sanse issucs industry faces in the city,” said Tardiff — who was a mem- ber of the district task force prior to joining the NSWIA. High on the list of priorities for the fledgling group is improving public awareness and perception of waterfront | in lustry. A survey distributed to residents across the North Shore asks what people know about waterfront industry activities. “They might say, ‘oh, well, I don’t know, it’s like a no man’s land,’ ” said Tardiff, “or think that we just pollute the environment, or that we don’t pay enough taxes. It’s our job to get them to see us in a different light.” Among the key issues the NSWIA hopes to address in coming months: public access to the waterfront, trans- portation, economic development, taxation, and environ- mental concerns. The association has already been talking to North Vancauver City councillors about the proposed redevelop- ment of the former Versatile Shipyards site. A bus tour of the waterfront for councillors is one idea Tardiff is considering to help raise awareness among local politicians. The NSWIA has three subcommittees mecting montht ly. dealing with taxation, public awareness, aid govern- ment communication. They intend to liaise with transit agencies such as TransLink to help improve transport throughout the waterfront region. “All of us have had to fight to get past BC Rail trucks , on Third Street,” Tardiff said. “The transport of goods seems to get lost (in transit planning).” The NSWILA also wants to see increased access, where possible, to waterfront arcas. “We've got a job ahead of us to show people whar waterfront industry is contributing to the North Shove,” Tardiff said..“It’s important for us to be credible. It’s uct easy to do business on the North Shore because the tax rate is so high.” “We want to know if people think the waterfront indus- tries pay their fair share. There has to be a balance if we’re going to keep industry on the North Shore. Every day companies are moving to Seattle because it’s easier to do business there.” . Ambleside Park ie: be Santa. ‘ Man denies involvement in murder From page Moroury said he was aware of rumours after the murder that he and Caster had committed the murder. He said he didn’t know “why my name came up. I had nothing to do with it.” Moroury had his first negative deal- ings with Mirhadi in 1994, the same year he (Moroury) arrived in Canada. Moroury was at Gold's Gym with his friend Behnam. Behnam had an altercation with Mirhadi in the gym that went as far as exchanging “a few dirty looks.” “! received dirty looks too,” said Moroury. Moroury said he later went to a party and talked to one of Mirhadi’s ex- girlfriends. Moroury said he told the girl that, among other things, Mirhadi was “not such a tough guy.” Mcroury said he went to a Richards Street nightclub with numcrous friends fater that same year. Mirhadi was by the door speaking to two doormen. Moroury saw Mirhadi was on his cell- phone and “five minutes later” three more doormen appeared. “Basically, if I didn‘: leave, { would be beaten; I ran away,” said Moroury. He said he recalled Mirhadi saying “you are not so tough now” during the incident. Moroury said Mirhadi was interest- ed in buying steroids from him, but said he “had a firm price — I never got back to him.” Moroury denied he had anything to do with the shooting. He testified thar he saw Cascer’s ripped shirt after Caster and Michadi had an altercation at | Capilano mai! two days before the - shooting. Caster worked at Kinney shoes. He was also involved in criminal activity that included credit card fraud and ‘seil- ing guns. Caster used a stolen credit card to buy five tickets for the movic on the night of the shooting. Police investigators have said at least four people were suspected of being involved in the killing, but chat only two have been charged with murder, — During the undercover investigation Moroury admitted to carrying a gun he purchased from Caster for “show -and tell” purposes. Moroury was born in England. His mother Franca is. Italian; his father Nader is Persian. His family lived in California for eight years before coming to Vancouver in 1994. Moroury met Caster in 1994, He attended Carson Graham sec- ondary, but didn’t complete high school. The jury trial is being held before Mr. Justice Randall Wong.