a TaNeR iN AO OTN CON CRAMER SISTA EY ae Re Cl Dear Editer: In the Dec. 22, 1995, North Shore News, pro-logging lobbyist Patrick Moore claimed that there have been 1,200 landslides in our drinking water supply area but only five were caused by logging. This figure is utter nonsense, Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD) staff, who put out these figures, are also responsible for log- ging in our watershed and have a vested interest in playing down the damage caused by logging. Over the last year alone the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) has proved that a number of other claims made by GVWD staff were completely wrong and misleading. For instance, when the recent landslide took place in Capilano that led to its shut down, SPEC suspected the slide was linked to the altered hydrology caused by logging road switchbacks directly above the slide. GVWD staff responded by claim- ing that the slide was in a completely different location well away from the logging road switchbacks and even produced a map for the water com- mittee (that oversees their. opera- tions) that showed the slide in a dif- ferent location. SPEC was convinced the map was false and two people went into the watershed, without authorization (the public is not allowed-in there), and confirmed that SPEC was right. When confronted with the facts proved by the unauthorized visit, GVWD staff had to admit their map was wrong and said it was a drafting error. In another example, only one month before, GVWD staff submit- ted a report to the water cornmittee asking for approval of five new log- ging cutblocks in blowdown areas. They said all blowdown hap- pened to be in old Id growth areas only. SPEC studied the maps and discovered that every one of the blow- down —Joca- tions was right beside a clearcut. SPEC pre- Sa sented the ~ — ° information PAUL HUNDAL... to the water SPEC president. committee, pointing out that its logging activities were destabilizing the forest, causing a higher fire risk, not improving it. At that meeting GVWD staff con- tinued to deny that all blowdowns were next to clearcuts and claimed that at least some were entirely with- in old growth. SPEC was subsequently able to prove, using the GVWD's own forest cover maps, that every one of the Salaries are not to blame, union says _Dear Editor: “You conclude your Jan. 24 front page article regarding the firing of the North Vancouver school board (Parents blast pols, teachers, trustees) _ with a statement giving the average salary of North Vancouver teachers. “While the writer of this article did not provide any context or reason for providing this information, I must assume he feels that teachers’ salaries are in some way an issue in this current situation. They are not. The salaries of North Vancouver's public school teach- “ers are slightly below the provincial average. The only issue is the . provincial government’ 's underfunding of North Vancouver students. Rather than insinuating that teachers’ salaries are the problem, you should address the real issue and conclude your education articles with a statement that the provincial government has consistently underfund- ed North Vancouver by $1.5 million annually. Chuck Dixon -North Vancouver Teachers’ Association president 2045 West Glut Ave. NORTH VANCOUVER 1180 Marine Drive. : Decorative Fabrics i et earcut questions | blowdown areas was next to clearcuts. Staff information was completely false. Now GVWD staff. are claiming that they have counted 1,200 past slides and they claim that only five are Jogging-related. SPEC is convinced that this figure is false. For instance, a major land- slide took place in 1990 at Jamicson Creek that muddied our water for three wecks. The slide was entirely within a clearcut. Stumps there prove the for- est was over 500 years old before it was logged. Seven years after it was logged (just long enough for the roots to rot thus weakening the soil mantle) this large slide occurred. Yet GVWD staff list this as a “natural” landslide along with many, many other suspect landslides. SPEC asked for permission to examine these various landslides but was refused access. The GVWD can say whatever it wants until someone is forced to go to extraordinary lengths, including unauthorized entrance, to prove them wrong. So Patrick Moore, you may want to believe the GVWD claims, but we do not, and we have good reason not to. In the meantirne our water quality goes down the drain. Paul Hundal President SPEC A thank you Dear Editor: On Dec. 5, as { was walking along Georgia Street, near Stanley Park, I had a terrible fall. Two Blue Bus West Vancouver drivers —- Karon Treherne and Keith Watts — stopped their buses immediately and helped to pick up me and my belongings. They then put me on to Karon‘s bus, where she phoned for the ambulance to meet us at Park Royal. She helped me to the ambulance, giving details of the accident, and then 1 was taken to Lions Gate Hospital. I was so deeply shocked and in too much pain to thank them both at the time. Se to the West Vancouver drivers who are always courteous and helpful: thank you so much. Mrs. Ethel Moore West Vancouver Sanuarg 27, 1996 junior Invitational x 12 & over Flight A: 8:00am-1[2:30pm Flight B: 12:30pm-5:00pm Nationa! invitational 5:20pm-9:30pm Danuarg 29, 1996 junior Invitational * if & under 8:00am-t [:30am Event Finals 11:30am-3:00pm | Capilano College Sportsplex 2055 Purcell Way North Vancouver B.C. 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