HE PAST year was an eventful one for the North Shore and its residents. In order to provide North Shore News readers with a look back over 1990 and a synopsis of the important events of the year, the News presents today the first instalment of a special two-part Year In Review feature. Part one covers the main news events that occurred during the months from January to June. Part two of Year In Review, which will appear in the Jan. 2 News, will cover the months from July to December. JANUARY: © Poll respondents say no to North Vancouver inter-river hous- ing: More than 90 per cent of people polled at a December public meeting held to review land-use options for the Seymour-Lynn in- ter-river area rejected plans designating land for future hous- ing development. The district went on :o reject housing as a development option in the area. - FEBRUARY: ® Heavy snowfall causes chaos across the North Shore: The North Shore took the brunt of one of the biggest snow falls to hit the Lower Mainland in 1990. The storm caused power outages and vehicular mayhem in all three North Shore municipalities. An estimated 8,000 people from Deep Cove te Lions Bay went without power. B.C. Hydro and niunicipal crews worked around the clock to restore power and clear roads, while Capilano Col- lege cancelled classes for the se- cond tine in two weeks due ta heavy snowfall. Ten trucks jack- knifed while attempting to travel along the Upper Levels Highway between Horseshoe Bay and Westmount. © Feds sink Potar 8: The federal Conservative gov- ernment torpedoed the long- promised $600-million Polar Class 8 icebreaker contract that would have provided an estimated 1,000 jobs over four years for shipyards in North Vancouver and elsewhere on the West Coast. The project, committed ina 1987 federal government letter of intent to North Vancouver-based Versatile Pacific Shipyards Inc... was axed in federal Finance Minister Michael Wilson's budget as part of the government's 1990-9] expenditure control plan. The plan was part of an expen- diture-cutting strategy by which the feds hoped to save $3 billion and cut the federal deficit to $28.5 billion in 1990-91. MARCH: « Ferry terminal to get $34 million overhaul: A $34-million overhaul was an- nounced for the Horsestoe Bay ferry terminal, The overhaul plans called for double-decking virtually all of the existing holding compound to in- crease the marshalling capacity of the terminal, revising traffic flow patterns, the construction of more ticket booths and a parkade pro- viding four levels of parking and improved passenger and ad- ministrative (facilities. © Versatile lays off estimated 100 workers: The combined toss of the half billion dollar Polar Class 8 ieebreaker contract and a general- ly depressed shipbuilding industry resulted in the layoffs of aa estimated 100 workers at North Vancouver's largest shipyard. Versatile Pacific Shipyards Inc. ¢ North Shore recycling contract finalized: The tong-awaited multi-material reeveling contract for the North Shore was awarded to Interna- tional Paper Industries Ltd. (IPD), which, at $5.4 million, was the lowest bidder for the five-year contract to collect, process and market North Shore recyclables. _—e Sunday. Decemper 30. 1990 - North Shore News - 3 NORTH SHORE residents were ieft spinning their wheels (top) in February when massive snow storms struck the area; shipbuiiding union leaders confronted Capilano-Howe Sound MP Mary Collins (left) over the Polar Ctass 8 icebreaker project, which was later canceiled by Ottawa. NEWS photos ALL THREE North Shore municipalities went green in 1990 as the Blue Box recycling system was initiated on the North Shore in March. In the autuma of 1989, a North Shore Mayors’ Reeyeling Task Voree had already drafted a con- tract with IPE that would have had the company expand its newspaper pickup to include othe: materials, but in December North Vancouver City decided the con- tract should be put to public tender. Tenders closed in mid-February. Of the three bids, one wits in- complete, and ef the two remain- ing, the lower was submitted by IPL. APRIL e New maternity ward reflects changing attitudes: The long-awaited $2.7-million niauternity ward opened April 17 at Lions Gate Hospital. Replacing the original maternity facility that was designed in the late 1950s, the new ward was designed following thorough con- sultation between the architects and nurses, doctors and mothers to update the philosophy behind the birthing process. The renovated maternity ward is divided into three main areas: elabor and delivery in seven “‘birthing'’ rooms, each equipped with its own shower and tub; *a special-care nursery, which provides close observation and specialized care for up to 14 babies, and includes a family room for breastfeeding and teaching as well as a small playroom for visiting siblings; eeighi private, six semi-private and two itree-bed rooms. © North Vancouver District Coun- cil prepares way for Cates area ais$ mudflat parks: The move to secure more green space siong the North Vancouver District waterfront was especially welcomed by environmentalists who have long lobbied for a wetlands wildlife sanctuary at Mar od. JUNE: © $130 million CGH plan unveil- ed: Lions Gate Hospital ad- ministrators unveiled a $130- million master plan for the hospi- tal. The plan, which took three yeurs to put together, requires rezoning changes from North Vancouver City. But if approved, the plan would see St. Andrews Avenue blocked off between [3th and 15th Streets and the replacement of LGH’s ac- tivation building, which was opened in 1928 as the North Van- couver General Hospital and is considered by some to be a heritage building. The plan includes several addi- tions and changes to the present LGH site, including demolishing and replacing the top floors of the hospital’s main building, adding an underground parking lot and building a new acute-care tower on the present site of the aciiva- don building, which was the orig- inal LGH building. In total, the master phin would add 400,000 square feet to the LGH site at a cosi of $130 million in 1990 dollars. It would take an estimated 10 years to complete.