6 - Wednesday, July EI, 1990 - North Shore News WHAT A ca = BG. ASA WOEPEN- GENT SNEREICN CH YES, AND NANDER ZALM AND THE SOCREDS WILL PUT TOGETHER OUR CONSTIIUTION. Help for hospital proposed master plan will surely become a source of controversy for both North Vancouver City council and the Greater Vancouver Regional Hospital District (GYVRHD). The GVRHD stakes are high: it is expected to foot 40 per cent of the estimated $130 million master plan cost. The master plan was recently approy- ed by LGH’s board of directors and calls for many things, including con- struction of a tunnel under St. Andrews Avenue to accommodate underground parking. The issue is bound to raise the hackles of some city aldermen. One has already said that he and some of his council col- leagues are worried about the LGH master plan. He claims required OCP and rezoning changes siean the city would lose valuable tas dollars. The proposed tunnel would ziso result in the demolition of some houses near St. An- | IONS GATE Hospital’s GUGH) drews, And while that would entail the loss of residential property taxes, it should be pointed out the hospital is the owner of those properties. The master plan is also bound to be criticized by the GVRHD, whose chair- man, Vancouver Ald. Caroil Taylor, has already voiced opposition to a proposed expansion of the Vancouver General Hospital. Meanwhile, the proposed destruction of LGH’s activation building, which was opened in 1928 as the North Vancouver Generali Hospital and is considered by some to be a heritage site, will likely not sit well with some people. But one point should be taken into serious consideration when discussing the value of the master plan. North Shore population is growing and some LGH facilities are clearly tired. Pro- viding quality health care is a top prior- ity. Doug's Hong | Kong Dear Editor: I see that Archie Bunker of the North Shore is still finding a forum for his ‘‘thoughts’’ in your otherwise fine paper. I am amazed that the Doug-o- saur (poor adaptability, walnut- sized cranium) feels qualified to make generalizations on Hong Kong’s six million people based on two weeks in that city. I also spent some time in Hong Kong recently, and came to large- ly different conclusions. The superficial side of his stereotype has some merit — Hong Kong is a bustling, crowded, albeit exciting place. The Doug-o-saur gets into trouble, however, when he at- tempts to ascribe a sinister collec- Publisher Associate Editor envelope Peter Speck Managing Editor Timothy Renshaw Noel Wright Advertising Director Linda Stewart North Shore News, founded in 1969 a5 an independent suburban nevwspapet and qualtied under Schedule 111. Paragraph 12 of the Excise Tas Act. 1s published each Weanesday. Fnday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Ltd. and disitibuted 10 every door on the North Share Second Class Mai Regstravon Number 3885 Subscnptions North and West Vancouver, $25 per year Maing rates available on request Submissions are welcome but we cannot accept responsibilty for unsolicited Matenal including manuscripts and pictures: which should be accompamed by a stamped, adaressed tive consciousness to such a large group of people. I found Hong Kong’s mix of personalities and outlooks on life to be as heterogenous as that of Greater Vancouver. If one thinks Hong Kong is ma- terialistic, I suggest taking a drive through Yorkville in Toronto or Robson Street in Vancouver any Friday night. The level of crass consumerism is about the same, the only difference being that ours is typically financed by credit. If any generalization could be made, it is that the population of Hong Kong is (rightfully) worried about their prospects under Communist rule. A demographic time bomb is THE VOICE OF HOMIE AND WIS) VANCOUVER 1139 Lonsdale Avenue. North Vancouver. BC. V7M 2H4 59,170 (average. Wednesday Friday & Sunday) om oy SDA DIVISION Display Advertising Classified Advertising Newsroom Distribution Subsenptions THE. DAY... observations slammed ticking in Canada, as the ratio of working to retired persons decreases. As distressing as this is the fact that there are still Cana- dians (championed by the Doug- o-saur) who view a high standard of living, home ownership, and social security as _ birthrights, rather than rewards to be earned. On a purely selfish level, we need the skilled ambitious people that selective immigration provides. On a moral level, we owe at least some degree of empathy to those in dire predicaments around the world, such as the average res- idents of Hong Keng. Gordor: !aazen North Vancouver 980-0511 986-6222 985-2131 986-1337 986-1337 985-3227 MEMBER North Shore owned and managed Entire contents © 1990 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved. NOEL WRIGHT © hither and yon ¢ Dog Days a time to tune out the world! JULY IS not a month for heavy thinking. The media’s daily diet of melodrama, misery and mayhem throughout the other 11 months is the most the normal mind can stomach before seeking relief. So when summer suddenly blazes forth, the Dog Days act as a kind of mental TUMS. Time ta head for the beach, the boat, the cottage, the campground or motel-land. If the gloom-and- doom world can’t survive on its own without us for a few weeks, great — let it expire! No such luck, of course. Come September, it will be there precise- ly as we left it — which at least means we can start worrying about it once more with a mini- mum of effort. There are scientists who drink herbicides at press conferences to prove how harmless a weed-killer can be. In the same fearless spirit I'll go out on a limb to help you relax for a few weeks by telling you what will stay exactly the same while you're away. Quebec will still be in Canada and Bourassa will still be firmly in charge, showing every sign of be- ing a cool bottom-line operator who knows which side (Canada’s) his bread is buttered. Remember the GST? It will still be set to start next Jan. I, unless the Liberal-dominated Senate blocks it beyond that date. Meanwhile, MORE taxes could come up in the mini-budget Michael Wilson says he may bring down to catch up on the deficit — running away from him again because his math was all wrong in February, as everyone told him. John Crow’s interest rates will stay high. Maybe a fraction lower some weeks than others, but don't bet on it. Mutroney will still be loved in Quebec (now 65 per cent for him) and loathed in Anglo Canada (now 79 per cent against him). And the Tories (22 per cent to the Liberals’ 50 per cent) will languish in the national doghouse. But Grits will still be wondering if their new leader may prove to be their albatross. Popular in Anglo Canada, Chretien is still a “*traitor’’ over Meech to many Quebecers — and in federal elec- tions Quebec has the casting vote. Closer to home, the Reform Party will still be busily signing up new members and — with hints it might go provincial —- keeping — MIKHAIL Gorbachev...hanging in there. oan ERO EveY Bu! MICHAEL Wilson «math wrong. Bill Vander Zaim in a dither about a B.C. election date. Smart money will still be on March 1991. And Mike Harcourt will still be as dull as ever. Gays, Pro Lifers and radical fems will still be slugging it out with their bashers. In Moscow, Gorby will still be hanging in. The environment will still be suffering in its usual dignified way. For the few to whom July is just another month Ill dig up some fresh things to worry about very shortly. As to the rest of you, have fun these precious weeks. Do nice outdoor things. Spend quality time with family or whomever. Above all, tune out the gloom- and-doom world of the past 11 months. Rest assured, it will stick around unti! you return. Misery loves company! nee WRAP-UP: “Desperately seek- ing’’ lost alumni to welcome to its first-ever Homecoming, Sept. 14- 16, is Simon Fraser University, which this year celebrates is 25th anniversary. Over 30,000 alumni are now scattered across the con- tinent and around the world — if you’re one of the many not yet contacted, call Dr. Christine Liot- ta, 291-4154 soonest ... Books in good condition and ‘‘small unique collectibles’ are needed by North Van Arts Council for its fundrais- ing September sale — if you can help, please phone Valerie Thoem, 929-5465 ... And from the Better Late Dept. congrats to the latest “Diamond Club’? members, West Van's Jack and Nora Orrey, who yesterday, July 10, celebrated their 60th anniversaiy. Retired long distance bus driver Jack was Horseshoe Bay volunteer fire chief up to 1966 and a past president of the H.B. Community Association. kt * WRIGHT OR WRONG: Some of the greatest contributions to liter- ature are by people who always meant to write a book, but never got around to it.