44 One of six regional town centres established by GVRD?’s Livable Region Strategy. 99 A PUBLIC meeting to discuss improvements in the Lonsdale Avenue business area is set for 7 p.m., Monday, May 31, at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel, 123 Carrie Cates Crt., North Vancouver. The Lonsdale Towncentre study area includes the commercial areas of Lonsdale Avenue, from the waterfront to the Upper Levels Highway. Lonsdale Towncentre is one of six regional town centres estab- lished by the Greater Vancouver Regional District Livable Region Strategy. The strategy calls for coordinated plans and actions to increase job growth where people live as well as to provide a focus for cultural, educational and specialized services. Merchants, office workers, property owners and_ residents have discussed ways to make the Lonsdale strip a more vibrant commercial area. North Vancouver City has hired a team of consultants to examine the area. A survey of merchants doing business in Lower Lonsdale is in- cluded in a report received. by North Vancouver City in -. December. The Lower showed that: ; @ 38.6% of businesses have operated in the area for one to five years; : @an additional 10.5% have ‘operated for less than one year in Indoor lab operations — establish. presence From page. counsel. Jay Straith has prosecuted / drug cases since 1986. He agrees with. Macdonell that the THC fevel of marijuana has increased dramatically over the years. Straith said that during the 1960s most marijuana grown had a THC level in the one to three per cent range. “Three per cent was considered by the hippies to be the good stuff. Now they’ve come darn close to perfecting the hydroponic operation. They board over base- ment windows so no one can see in, bypass the Hydro meter and set up elaborate growing lights,’’ said Straith. “This marijuana is very power- ful. Back in the 1960s, and even today,. people said we should just legalize marijuana. But now we're running into an over-proof situa- tion with 29% THC,’’ said Straith. Lonsdale survey He said the hydroponic growing labs seen today were unheard of seven years ago. ; “There’s getting.to be mere and more on the North Shore. Just recently we had a Vietnamese ref- ugee selling drugs and he pulled ‘up in a'Corvette. This is a ref- ugee,”’ said Straith. Lower Lonsdale; © most of the businesses lease or rent their premises; @ most are not open on Sundays. While more than 56% of respondents plan to make changes to their businesses, 12% of the group planned to move from the area, Rental and Jease costs, high taxes, poor business prospects, poor reputation of the area and a rundown appearance were among the reasons given for a desire to leave. Meanwhile, in Central Lons- dale, 33.3% of businesses have been operating in the area for one to five years. Another 10% were there for less than a year. About 50% planned changes to their businesses, while 8% of that group said they planned to move from Lonsdale. Many Lonsdale Avenue business respondents identified the lack of sufficient parking in the area as a major barrier to attracting more ~ customers to their stores. A perceived poor reputation and the present. character. of the area were also identified as harriers to in- creased business patronage. -- A detailed action plan on how to achieve revitalization goals will be discussed at the Monday meeting. The session will be the last held prior to the delivery of a consultants’ report to council. People seeking input into the initiative are encouraged to attend the meeting. For more information contact Gary Penway at North Vancouver City Hall, 985-7761 (local 216). PARKING * Improve signage tor off-stroct parking * Narrow Lonsdale at intar- sections to accontuate parking fanos * Allow angle parking on Lower Lonsdale COMMUNITY * Re-ostablish streatcar or provide shuttle bus ® Establish store directorios on oach block ® Encourage theme ovants along stroot LOWER LONSDALE ® Rainforce marine theme ® Encourage historic bullding rastoration aiid Ae meta NV motorcyclist awarded settlement for 1991 crash Carson grad receives $732,000; found 25% at fault A MOTORCYCLIST in- jured while speeding up Lonsdale Avenue in 1991 has been awarded $732,000. By Brent Mudry Contributing Writer Darry! Huber, 31, of North Vancouver suffered shoulder, hip and thumb injuries from the accident. The 1980 Carson Graham sec- ondary grad has also suffered memory loss, personality changes ana has been forced to abandon his career as a heat and frost mechanic. Huber was travelling north at noon on May 21, 1991, when southbound driver Frances Har- G2 Cocktails & Caviar ..... & Fashion long-term | ris turned left across his path. Harris testified that she never saw the motorcycle and that the impact spun. her GMC Hornet across the intersection. Traffic accident experts estimated that Huber was travel- ling at speeds ranging from 56 km/h (35 mph) to 75 km/h (50 mph) in a 50 km/h (30 mph) speed zone. Huber had no time to brake, and was sent flying over 75 feet (23 m), landing on a passing bicyclist. iis motorcycle slid 60 feet (18 m). The motorcyclist required three major surgeries in five weeks at hospital and had four left hip operations, ending this. spring. Huber fought hard through therapy and now lifts weights Gi Travel ........ M2 What's Going On _ and rides a bicycle three times a week. “It is a testament to the sheer force of his will,’? noted Madam Justice Cathy Ryan of the B.C. Supreme Court. Huber was found 25% at fault after a five-day trial that ended May 14. Huber’s award includes $150,000 for. damages, $112,000 for past loss of income, and $685,000 for future income loss. The judge subtracted $244,000 for his share of negligence. After a four-year program, Huber was close to receiving his journeyman’s ticket, and would likely have become a foreman, the judge noted. “Mr, markable tenacity even after the accident,’’ noted the judge. Weather Monday, cloudy with showers. High, 21°C. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreament Number 0087238 Huber displayed a re- ~ Lower onsdale area to become . shore showcase NORTH VANCOUVER CITY COUNCIL by Stephen Wisenthal NORTH VANCOUVER City wants to move forward quickly with its plans to make Lower Lonsdale a focal point for the North Shore. The city will hold a public forum at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel on Saturday, June 26, to gather public input to a wish list. for changes to the area, A report by city planner Robert Spencer reveals that the city owns 37% of the developable land in the study area, which is bounded by Esplanade, ‘Chesterfield Avenue, 3rd Street and St. Georges Avenue. 7 Spencer pointed to the possibili- ty for mid-block pedestrian routes running north from . Lonsdale Quay and the Versatile shipyard site. He suggested that the Versatile site could become a ‘Granville Island-type’’ development. | Councillors. said they want to see amenities such as a museum and a community aris‘centre built in the area. Coun. Stella Jo Dean said the city might use ‘‘bonusing (offering concessions to developers to get facilities built) so it doesn’t cost the city any money.’ Goals of the planning depart- ment’s study include: 4 encouraging ‘‘the Lower Lons- dale area to act as'a major office, entertainment, retail, and residen- ‘tial focal point for the North Shore’; @ preserving and enhancing areas and features, natural and man- made, which are of cultural, his- toric and esthetic importance; optimizing the benefits to, the community from the sale of city-owned Jands in the area; B encouraging ‘city-wide and local involvement in commenting on the study at various stages.”” The planning will also take into account 12. other studies of the area and region undertaken over the past three years. Coun. Barbara Perrault said: .“‘1 am looking forward to the day when we can go down and show, perhaps, the jewel in the crown of the North Shore.’’. Coun. Rod Clark said it-has al- ready been a ‘year since council decided to study: the area before -marketing city-owned lands,. and called for the planning process to be completed ‘‘as quickly as possible,”’ A variety of organizations, in- cluding business, arts and com- munity groups are scheduled to attend the all-day Issues and Vi- sions forum. Experts will also present critiques of city staff pro- posals for the area.