YOUR COMMUNITY

October 1, 1986) News 985-2131

Classified 986-6222

I a

RESIDENTS LIVING near the Pay-N-Save pas station,
demolished after a propane fire Phursday, are protesting the
Station operator's unauthorized attempt to reopen for

business three days later.

About a dozen residents
blockaded the station, at 449 Fass
Third Street, Sunday after opere-
tor Robert Vanderkirkof! set up a
temporary trailer and power
generator on the site in order (to
sell regular gas.

“We have our lives and our
property invested here, and to sce
them turn around and open up
with a Mickey Mouse makeshift
operation is scary. Someone’s got
to be able to stop it,’” said Shane
Dunlop, 39, of 304-441 Fas: Third
Street.

No one was injured in last
week's accident, but there was ex-
tensive damage to the filling sta-
tion and surrounding property.

Vanderkirkoff, who operates the
station on a lease from Petro-
Canada, could not be reached for
comment,

Bui Petro-Canada spokesman
Judy Wish said they’ve been in
touch with Vanderkirkoff and re-
quested he not sell gas until their
safety report on the station is
completed.

“My understanding is the lessee
(Vanderkirkoff) has attempted to
reopen without our permission.
We would like to go in ana declare
it’s a safe location. In the mean-
time we're having discussions with
him in order to resolve the situa-
tion.”

Wish said Vanderkirkoff would
need a permit from Petro-Canada
to sell gas at the station.

Interviewed Wednesday, Wish
said ‘‘to my knowledge he
(Vanderkirkoff) is selling gas.""

Chief Larry Barker, of North
Vancouver City Fire Department,
said the station’s propane tank was
removed Saturday.

He said the fire department has
not been asked by the City of
North Vancouver to inspect the
safety of the station’s gas line.
That approval would be needed,
under the city’s commercial zoning

News Reporter

bylaw, before the station could
operate.

Acting Mayor Elko Kroon said
the city’s licensing department will
not issue a permit for Pay-N-Save
until council has had a chance to
deal with it next week.

“Basically ['m getting staff to
provide a report. We'll be getting
some legal advice as to what we
can do next,’’ he said.

“Now that the structure as
destroyed does it mean they would
have to comply with our present
bylaw? | understand they don't,
because this particular station lot is
too small. There could be a fu: of
coad-blocks in the way for them to
be dispensing gas, not to mention
propane.”*

Kroon said) Pay-N-Save was
listed with the city as having a
“non-conforming legal use,""
because it was in existence prior to
the current bylaws.

Blaine Scout, 44, of 102-441 East
Third Strect, said no one should be
allowed to handle flammable ma-
terials at Pay-N-Save until there's
a public hearing.

He said residents will speak at
next’ Monday’s North Vancouver
City Council meeting.

“We want to be thoroughly
satisfied (Vanderkirkoff) is runn-
ing a safe operation. We're afraid
for our lives,"* said Scott.

“t's a very deadly situation next
door.”*

Lionel Kenner, 63, of 448 bast
Second Street, said he's collecting
signatures on a petition requesting
council restrict propane stations in
residential areas.

“They keep sasing how sate
(propane tanks) are but this ane
blew up on Thursday. So why
should we put aay confidence in
what they say?"" he said.

Distribution 986-133

to fall
PAGE 25

52 pues 25¢

NEWS photo Mike Wakefleld

Fisheries labor dispute settled

CARPENTERS and taborers working on West Vancouver’s new $8 million fisheries research building will
be back to work Wednesday two days after they set up a picket Hine at the project in a wage dispute with
the project's contractor, Arnie Tolborg, above, was one of the workers walking the line at the site.

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners (UBCJ) spokesman Jeff Roger said Tuesday R&E
Contractors Ltd. had agreed to pay the project’s 12 union carpenters and eight laborers wages that com-
ply with the Fair Wage schedule employers must adhere to when building federal government projects.

The carpenters will now be paid $15.25 per hour while the laborers will receive $13.90 per hour.

Roger said the carpenters were being paid $14 per hour. The laborers, he said. were being paid $10 per
hour. Both sets of union workers began work on the site in carly Aug.

x