6 - Friday, October 6, 1989 - North Shore News sy j Sg @ . . 4 : a a t H Political potésh || ,7=° | ee RENE LEVES@ ORTH VANCOUVER City’s rejection of Nep- : ' : } a tune Terminals’ proposed potash shed expan- sion is a decision made with political ears cock- ed to present voter bluster but myopic eyes blind to the fiscal future. And while it ostensibly penalizes Neptune for past environmental shoricomings, what it really does is pe- nalize a viable waterfront indusiry by hobbling its ef- forts to capitalize on success. The proposed $22.3 million shed expansion was turned down Monday night after residents raised con- cerns over view loss, increased noise and air pollution from the shed due to increased potash shipping activi- ty. But the new shed would only have been 20 feet higher than Neptune’s existing storage shed. And it would have been further obscured from public view by being placed between the existing shed and the water- front. As to pollution, Neptune has invested an estimated $4.3 million since 1980 in poliution controls, and plans to invest another $1.7 naillion over the next year. And while the terminal is likely guilty of creating muck of the industrial noise cited in resident complaints, noise is a cumulative product of the various industries that tam WIA SS +, & SSS STEN RY eZ 980-0511 986-6222 985-2131 986-1337 986-1337 985-3227 Display Advertising Classified Advertising Newsroom Distribution Subscriptions Peter Speck — mtwoctes worms wonssr encoun Publisher Managing Editor... . Barrett Fisher Associate Editor Noel Wright make up the heart of Canada’s busiest port. Surely residents purchasing property near the waterfront were aware of its industrial function. North Vancouver City has a vital industrial water- front that provides focal employment and an important local industrial tax base. To stifle that industry by rejecting proposals for reasonable and respousible growth is both ill-advised and illogical. — ae Advertising Director .Linda Stewart North Shore News, tounded in 1969 as an independent suburban newspaper and qualified under Schedule 111, Paragraph Ili of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by Nortn Shore Free Press Lid. and distributed to every door on the North Shore. Second Class Mail Regisitation Number 3885. Subscriptions North and West Vancouver, $25 per year. Mailing rates available on request. Submissions are SUNDAY . a eneton PRIOAY 1139 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 §9,170 (average, Wednesday Friday & Sunday} welcome but we cannot accept responsibility tor unsotcited material including manuscripts and pictures Zz which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope. WORKERS NEED TO COOPERA TE N. Shore needs more licensed day cares Dear Editor: On Wednesday, Sept. 20 a letter appeared in your newspaper from Peggy Snelling who was respon-' ding to the North Shore News Aug. 18 article Day care loses schoo! space. This letter was ad- dressing me personally, therefore I feel it is my right to respond to it. Peggy Snelling felt that she had been insulted by my comment, and I quote the article, ‘‘children will be looked after by unqualified, in- experienced people in their own homes while fees rise at the few licensed centres left, making this care available only to the elite.’’ It’s unfortunate that she didn’texam- ine the true meaning of the article, rather than taking it out of con- text. As I was addressing council [ was pointing out that as centres close, more people will see the op- portunity to take children into their homes as a way to earn money. As a licensed centre, I’m sure Peggy Snelling realizes that there are many unlicensed family day cares who are taking far too many children in their homes and the environment is not always suitable to the safety and welfare of children. Iam very concerned about these unlicensed day cares that are not meeting regulations set up by the Provincial Licensing Board and that the operator has no formal Recycling hard in WV Dear Editor: Since the recycling depot in West Vancouver closed some time in June, my blood has been boiling. Today I wasted time, not to mention gas, going to the recycling depot at Horseshoe Bay, and was amazed beyond belief that our beautiful municipality, in these days when everyone (1 thought) was concerned about our en- vironment, could actually close the central recycling depot withou: announcing the future plan. Why close the current centra! recycling depot before curbside recycling is in place? As a native Torontonian, { visit that city often, and their curbside recycling program works perfectly. In fact, I think that we here in West Vancouver are probably more aware, but things have been made so difficult for us, that it would be much easier not to recy- cle. While I have recycled glass for years, my 15-year-old daughter educated me further, and it is thanks to her that | am trying to recycle more. When. West Vancouver Council, can we expect to have curbside recycling in place” dean Lawrence West Vancouver training to give these children the quality care they need and deserve. These homes also are not eligible for proper insurance covering more than two children in their care, As a member of the Early Childhood Educators of B.C. and current president of the North Shore Out of School Association, I recognize the value of home-based day cares that are licensed. Many times throughout the school year I recommend family homes for children who atcend my preschool and need day care yet are too young to attend my out-of-school program. As far as the comment about the elite using the day cares, I in no Wright is on vacation SDA DIVISION way implied that only the poor and ignorant would put their children in a home-based day care. If Ms. Snelling will re-read the comment she will understand that as day cares close, the spaces for care — whether they be in a home or large centre — will be at a premium. The fees for day care will go up and the middle and iower class working families will not be able to afford the services. Ms. Snelling provides a very needed alternative in day care and I am thankful for the sake of the children in her care that she is licensed. I would hope that if she were concerned for the future of all children in North Vancouver whether the parent chooses a larger MEMBER centre or a more family-based day care that she spend her time as I have been writing letters and at- tending meetings to bring attention to the municipality that there is a definite need for good quality licensed day cares to continue to exist in North Vancouver, because, after all, we are in this business for the sake of the children and we as day care workers need to work together. If she is interested in helping out her fellow colleagues 1 encourage her to call me at 987-8229 and get invloved. Susan Hoffman Coe North Vancouver Hunter wrong about drugs Dear Editor: Bob Hunter is wrong, wrong, wrong. In his column of Sept. 17, Hunter argues that legalizing drugs such as marijuana and cocaine will eliminate crime associated with drug use and the underworld con- trol of these drugs. He uses Holland as aa example. Two years ago my then 19- year-old nephew flew to Holland to begin a European vacation and was robbed at knifepoint by a gang of toughs before be was even om of the airport. The same dav while in Amsterdam ne was approached multiple mes ov peonie, netudine “kids,” trying Co sell him druas. Mr. riunter can rest assured (iat these were not official agents of the Dutch government dispensing quality controlled substances labelled with a health warning and bearing a tax-paid stamp. What naive thinking. The fact that cigarettes are legal has not kept the underworld from being involved with them, especially when it comes to bringing truckloads of cigarettes from the Uns. ito Canada to avoid the higher taxes here. One gets the impression Hunter Is pro-drues simply because the U.S. is becoming mare anti-drugs. That is a verv poor basis for doing anvitins, Name Withheld