Cable king Rogers opens new video store in West Van Sy Bob Mackin Contributing Writer IF Rogers Communications wins its bid for a new Lower Mainland TV station, the studios and administration offices could be located in North Vancouver, according to Ted Rogers, the compa- ny’s president and CEO. The prospective North Vancouver location is the Rogers Cablesystems’ facility on Pemberton Avenue. Rogers Cablesystems’ oudet in Richmond is the only other site being considered. Regardless of “which one is chosen, expansion will : occur, Rogers said. . “If we are honored by being ‘licensed for multicultural program- ming, f would like to start as soon as possible,” Rogers told the News on Tuesday at the opening of the reno- vated Park Royal Rogers Video store. “I. saw a site in Richmond I _thought was ideal. I looked at a site here on the North Shore just before coming here.” The. Rogers proposal, made before a Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission “- {CRTC) panel in late September, is for. a multilingual station called CFMV. Ir would be similar to CFMT, the company’s successful Toronto multilingual station. -CFMV would initially broadcast in 15 languages to 18 ethnic groups. Chinese and Indo-Canadians would be rhe prime target groups. “Ie’s a great employment opportunity if we're licensed and a great ‘opportunity for people of different backgrounds to get multilingual programming in their own language,” Rogers said. Rogers Communications and four other companies applied to the 2 CRTC, which hasn’t licensed a new local TV station in Vancouver since CKVU got the nod in 1976. Craig Broadcasting of Winnipeg has a similar multicultural proposal to Rogers’, Toronto’s CHUM Ltd. wants to export its flashy, youth-oriented CityTV format to Vancouver; Winnipeg-based CanWest Global, U.TV's owner, wants to open a Vancouver Island TV outlet to compete with Victoria’s CHEK; Baton Broadcasting of Toronto is hoping to go head-to- head with BCTV. A decision is expected early in the new year, Despite the efforts of the five groups, the CRTC has the option of not awarding a licence. While he aw Rogers Video’s new concept store at Park Royal. The West Vancouver outlet is the prototype for the chain of 170 stores, By tan Noble News Reporter AS a resident questions the purchase of leather chairs for a health board office, government cuts mean North Shore residents will be asked to fund $10 mil- lion in medical equipment over the next five years. Lions Gate Hospital chief operating officer Lynette Best said the lack of money for capital expenditures has concerned the hospital for years. Over the next five years, the hospital has SIS million in new equipment expenses on tap. Renovation costs are extra. Best expects various levels of government to contribute less than $5 million of the capital expenses. “More ait more we will be relying on the com- ‘nunity to donate,” she said. “Two million dollars a year is what (the community) has given us. The difference is we have to have this, The picees are vital to our use.” The $2 million goes to capital and renovation costs, Included in the $15 million tab is digital ts the broadcast regulator's verdict, Rogers is gloating over 5 & g ROGERS Cable head he cho Ted Rogers (top) was in West Vancouver Tuesday to open a new store at Park Royal. Manager Craig Brown flirted with fame. Friday, November 1, 1996 — North Shore News -— 3 headquartered in Richmond = The 7 OOG-square-tot (650 sq mis store was derigned by a Seatde consultant, It features a touch-sereen video preview area and a computer hooked to the World Wide Web available for free use by customers. It’s also a showease for the com pany’s integrated markeDng strategy. Not only are thousands of movies and video games available for sale or rent, but customers can pay their Rogers cable bill, pick up oor exchange equipment, or purchase Cantel celtular phones and pagers. “This is the finest video store [ve ever seen. [t's appropriate irs in British Columbia, with the growth and the dynamism that’s here. This is fantastic and the people are enthusi- astic,” Rogers said after the ribbon cutting at the former Mega Movies location. Many of the new features and store design clements will be incor- porated in future openings or reno- vations. A second concept store will open in Toronto next month, Rogers said the North Shore cable company, which was acquired last year from Shaw Communications, will be strength- ened over the next two years. A $100 million technical upgrade beginning in the new year will allow it to offer more channels and accommodate the new Kogers Wave Internet-by-cable service. Rogers Wave will be available locally in the first or sec- ond quarter of 1997, he said. The coaxial cable modems are 1,000 times faster than regular telephone line modems. Users will be able to simultaneously NEWS photos Cindy Goodman watch TY, listen to the radio and surf the World Wide Web. Though he didn’t refer to the 1995 negative-option billing controversy that turned Rogers into consumer enemy number one, Rogers did admit the company has made mistakes. He said the company’s various divisions are adapting to a new communi- cations marketplace in which competition for consumers with relephone and satellite companies is intensifving. angiography machine slat- ed to cost $1.9 million, the hospital's number one priority. Lions Gate's existing maching is 17 years old, bur the estimated useful life of the equipment is 10 years. The bighly sophisti- cated machine is used in neurological and vascular work for diagnoses, Best said. Best cautioned that although the hespital wor- ries about what would happen if aging equipment breaks down, the equipment is still safe. She added the problem of government trim: ming hospital capital equipment expenditure is a province-wide problem. The hospital has earmarked finding for 32 items. Meanwhile a citizen concerned about health spending tola the News that North Shore Health Board chief executive officer Inge Schamborzki HEALTH board CEO Inge Schamborzki. ment “We want our customers to be our customers because they choose to be our customers, not because they're forced to be our customers,” he said. ” . . . . me . . . “That's why I’m spending so much time, effort and investment in build- ing up our company, I don’t think there will be a better choice than Rogers, but that’s up to the customers to decide themselves.” had spent $3,000 on three Italian leather chairs for the new board office on Esplanade. In light of the money needed in other areas of health, the citizen, who demanded anonymity, said $3,000 on three chairs was excessive. Lions Gare Hospital and some other health ser- vices on the North Shore have amalgamated with the North Shore Health Board. Eventually, if cur- rent plans proceed, the health board will oversee approximately $160 million in spending. The board was amalgamating with health providers when the process was halted bya provin- cial review of the regionalization process. Schamiborzki, who is the top administrator with the hoard, disagreed with the citizen's assessment, She said she purchased two chairs for $999 each (GST and PST not included) in August. The chairs were needed for ber office, where many meetings are held. “Alter carefully reviewing the alternatives over a three-month period while 1 shopped compara: tively, on my personal time, | same to the conclu: sion that these chairs were the best investment, given their low maintenance, comfort and durabil- ity,” Schamborzki said. ‘They are washable. and carry « atetime guarantee for normal use. Schamborzki- ordered another chair to hold small business meetings in her office, reducing demand on the one, farge on-site conference room, che said. She also bought a $3400 (tax included) ornamental bird cage for her office to creatively substitute for a vase or planter. “uring the approval pet. 4,1 decided T would buy it and pay for it personally, because [| consid- ered it too costly as an office expense,” said Schamborzki, who purchased all of the items using a North Shore Health Board credit card, Mother, cub to be relocated From page 1 scamper up the stairs. Mason said the bears waiked te the woods. Police thought the bears were long gone by the — time Corservition — Officer Bob Burcher arrived from Surrey. The nwo bears were located about three metres (10 feer) into the tree line. The chase was on. “f couldn’t believe how fast they were ... We'd lose them then 15 minutes fater someone else would see them again,” said Mason. When the cub was frightened it would climb a tree. “When you are chasing a sus- pect in the woods, you are on the same playing field. But when you are chasing a bear, you are in his environment,” said Mason. “You don’t know if the bear is watching you because he can blend in. He can smell you too,” said Mason. Both bears were shot with tranquilizer bullets after a two- hour chase. They were returned to the wilderness. This year, double the usual number of bear complaints have been recorded on the North Shore. Mark Hayden, senior conser- vation officer for the Lower Mainland region, said thar 200 _ calls were reported this year com- pared to the usual 100. The record number of bear calls for the North Shore was recorded in 1986 when about 400 reports were logged. Two bears were killed this year on the North Shore by con- servation officers. Twenty-four bears were relocated. Hayden said North Shore bears are expected to hibernate in mid-November. He said the bears caught on Wednesday will be relocated to the head waters of the Seymour River in order to give them a ber- ter chance of survival before hibernation. ’ The bears had originally been stared to be relocated in ithe ’ snow-covered B.C. interior. Bears do not always survive in’ ° their relocated environment. @ Bright Lights... a CrOSSWOTE nnn ; @ Home&Garden.................. & Insights. sesneaeannes Inquiring Reporter... MB LaUte MS. cls BO Life ec ceenesesceeeneat BI MaiIDOX cessed i Mitchell. ey | @ Neighborhoods... seal BI Real Estate. endo L211] «eS m@ Talking Personals...............48 Norn Shore Hews, fuunded in Ios as an indepen- dent suburban newspaper unt qualified under Schedule (11, Paragraph (11 of the Excise Tax Act. is published cach Wednesday, Friday.and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Ltd and distributed i every door on the North Shore. Canada Post Canadian Publications Math Sales Product Agreement No O17275, Mathng rates available on request