Vancouver Wharves back
in court; pollution alleged

NORTH | Vancouver-
based Vancouver
Wharves Ltd. has been
hit with more charges of
polluting Burrard Inlet.

By Anna Marle D'Angelo
News Reporter

The latest charges against
the bulk-ioading terminal were
filed June 15 in connection
with an Aug. 7, 1992, spill of
zinc concentrate.

Last year, Vancouver
Wharves was fined $50,000 for
spilling an ore concentrate of
lead, zinc and arsenic into Bur-
rard Inlet on April 7, 1991.

The lead was fully recovered
from the water, according to
the B.C. Environment ministry.

If convicted on the latest
charges, Vancouver Wharves
faces maximum fines of $1 mil-
lion under the B.C. Waste
-Management Act and $300,000
under the Federal Fisheries
Act. :
In addition to the pollution
charges, two sets of unsafe
workplace charges against the
company are currently before
the courts.

The B.C. environment
ministry recommended charges

e laid against Vancouver
Wharves after..zinc. was
unloaded from an, Alaskan
bulk carrier at the terminal.

“Vancouver, Wharves
management reported the spill.
“This is an isolated incident.
We reported the possibility of a
very small amount of zinc con-
centrate spilling into the water
behind our Berth - One,’’said
Vancouver Wharves vice-
president John Mackay.

“Nearly a year later, we find

_ ourselves charged. We are ob-

viously disappointed and con-
cerned.’’

.But B.C. Environment in-

dustrial investigations officer

James Hilgemann said a
backlog of cases coupled with a
limited number of Crown pro-
secutors available to deal with
environment cases in 8.C.
delayed the laying of charges
against Vancouver Wharves.
“We have regulations about
reporting spills right away.
That doesn’t protect them in
“any way from prosecution,”

#8 Classified Ads

‘8 Crossword. . .:

8 Ecolnfo...
Editorial Page...
Bi Home & Garden

said Hilgemann.

Mackay said Vancouver
Wharves was currently
operating in compliance with
all permits and requirements.

“Unfortunately, from time
to time incidents will occur.
We try to learn from them and
make changes if possible,’’ said
Mackay.

Meanwhile, Vancouver
Wharves representatives are
scheduled to appear in North
Vancouver provincial court
twice in December for pre-trial
conferences concerning charges
of unsafe working conditions.

@ On Dec. !0, the company is
scheduled to be in court in
connection with three charges
of contravening the Canada
Labour Code.

’ Vancouver Wharves is alleg-
ed to have failed to ensure
worker safety by failing to
remove sulphur, dust and dirt
from the construction floor of
Stacker Tower No. 422, caus-
ing the floor to deteriorate.

The charges allege that the
floor gave way under an
employee's weight resulting in
his serious injury on May 9,
1992.

@ On Dec. 22, the company is
scheduled to be i in court to face
charges that Vancouver
Wharves failed to provide safe-
ty instructions and other in-
formation to a shiploader op-

‘erator and failed to ensure a

shiploader operator was aware
of hazards as he was loading
the vessel M.V. Pan Tide on
Dec. 12, 1991.

Vancouver Wharves’
shiploader Bil} Bernier, 57, was
critically. injured after he fell
approximately 60 feet (18 m)
when the shiploader he was
operating collapsed in heavy
winds on Dec. 12, 1991.

Vancouver Wharves is
located on the North Van-
couver waterfront at the south
end of Capilano Road.

‘The company, which was
purchased by BC Rail in March
for $15.75 million, employs
approximately 250 people, in-
cluding about 220 unionized
longshoremen,

Vancouver Wharves’ first
court appearance on the charge
of spilling zinc has been sched-
uled for mid-July.

Weather
Saturday, mainly sunny. High 22°C, low 12°C.

. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement Number 0087238

~ Lions Club) WN
Seniors - 40 units

CURLING AVENUE

\
Amenity
(private)
2 11/2 storey:

* Two Residential Towers 400,000 sq. ft.

* Seniors’ Residence

‘Tower 2
20-21 storeys
£3 140-150 unit

* Community Centre

* 700 Underground Parking Spaces

Creekside Architects + 8 June 1993

Gadsby involvement questioned

From page 1
business, he said.

“Y think the landlord is clearly
interfering with my client's use of
the premises and causing substan-
tial damage to my client's
business,’’ Cadman said.

But Lalji said McKenzie doesn’t
have a case. He cited the demoli-
tion clause in the Jease with the
club which allows the landlord to
terminate the lease prior to expiry
if the landlord decides to demolish
the existing building and replace it
with another structure.

A previous offer of $400,000, to
compensate McKenzie for his in-
vestment in the club, is still valid,
he added.

But Lalji said, ‘“‘We're not go-
ing to leave it open indefinitely.”

McKenzie, who has rejected the
$400,000 offer, also questioned
the involvement of North Van-
couver District Coun. Joan
Gadeby in the matter.

McKenzie said Gadsby re-

quested a meeting with him to
discuss Larco’s plans. At the
mecting, Gadsby tried to convince
him of the merits of the develop-
ment, he said. She also. acknowl-
edged a personal connection with
Lalji, he said.

“{ think she definitely is in a
conflict of interest,’’ McKenzie
said.

Gadsby said that while ‘she
knows Lalji and his family, she
met with McKenzie solely because
of her role as councillor.

“IT think Keith, frankly, is
grasping at straws,’’ Gadsby said.
“I know a lot of people up here.
Because you know a lot of people,
you ‘re bound to run into them
again.”

Gadsby added that Larco
should be given a chance to make
its case for the development. .

“‘l think what they’re proposing
is good for the overall community
and the North Shore,”’ she said.

A formal rezoning application

to the North Vancouver District
hasn’t been made yet.

Howard Barbour, a_ resident
who lives four blocks from the
club, said the development
shouldn't be allowed to proceed
until a review: of the area’s Of-
ficial Community Plan is com-
pleted.

Barbour, a member of
Lower Capilano Community Res-
idents Association, said: he was
present at a meeting earlier. this
month where John Haibeck, a de-
velopment manager under contract
to Lareo, revealed the three de-
velopment options.

“Basically, we told him to go
back to Lalji and tell him to stuff
it,’’ Barbour said. ‘‘They’re trying
to break up acommunity.”.  -

Lalji said the proposed devei-
opment will substantially. increase
tax revenue in the district. He ad-
ded that Larco will ensure the
district has a tennis bubble:

'V accused denies couple —
experienced money trouble

Murder trial of Gerald O'Grady entering, final stages

LIFE LOOKED rosy to Gerald O’ Grady as he watched

the Wheel of Fortune on television after dinner on the

fateful evening of May 18, 1992.

““We have it made,” his wife,
Beverley, told him earlier that day
in their Park Royal Towers suite.

The elderly West Vancouver
couple’s dream to retire in security
seemed firmly within grasp. .

The dream was shattered by
Beverley’s murder.

O’Grady’s fate is in the hands
of the six women and five men of
a B.C. Supreme Court jury. He
faces a charge of second degree
murder in connection with his
wife's death.

Final arguments in the trial are
expected to be heard today.

The last time he saw Beverley
alive was jusi after the start of
Night Court on their VCR,
O’Grady told the jury Wednesday
before a packed courtroom in the
Vancouver courthouse.

O’Grady said he removed the
headphones he used. to listen to
the TV shortiy after his wife left
the den.

Oy yelled out, ‘You'll, want to
see this, it’s extremely funny,’ ”’
he told police in a 3%-hour inter-
view that night.

He said that he thought he
heard his wife respond.

“i then’ watched 10 rounds of a.

boxing tape f for. 30 minutes, it was

By Brent Mudry
Contributing Writer

zilch and third rate,” O’Grady
told the court.

It wasn’t until he went for some
coffee that: he found the lifeless
body of his. wife’ in’a pool. of
blood in the kitchen. He. said he
attempted mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation to no avail, | ;

He then dialed 9-1-1. and said
he thought a burglar had killed his
wife. .

Police found no ‘trace of £ blood.

on the patio, outside . the: suite,

down the hall, in the elevator or:

in the stairway. ‘

His court claim of wearing ,
headphones and. watching boxing’
while his wife was attacked was
not revealed to West Vancouver
Police in initial extensive inter-
views with the accused. |

Meanwhile, O’Grady denied to
Crown. prosecutor Hank Reiner
that he was in financial irouble.

: The couple had a pension and a
monthly income of $3,600 from
his taxi-driving job. . He had
refinanced. his two Surrey rental

homes at: lower interest rates on
May, J,

1992.:,The. resulting $350
- increase’ in cash-flow afforded the

couple a small surplus.

“We were sitting pretty. In no -.

time at all, the house we bought

. for $112,000 was worth $150,000,

and the other went from $148,000
‘to $190,000,’’ he told the court... -

‘Reiner noted that O‘Grady
spent $6,500. from the bank. deal
the same day to pay off.a $4,000
credit card balance and to meet
two mortgage payments that. were.
due.)

O’Grady had spent:. to $131 06°

-under: his total limit of $12,500 on ~

his Visa and MasterCards..
’ “Credit. cards: are.a very.

. desirable ‘form ‘of.-short-term fi-
nancing,’’ O’Grady told the court. . -
’ “J know people :who’ve bought

houses on credit cards.’?.-::.

With ‘reserve, O’Grady an-
swered a barrage of . blunt ques".
_ tions by Reiner. .

He calmly demonstrated how he

“had. bruised his hands and arms

while fixing the garburetor with a
hex-key wrench. °

O’Grady showed no emotion:
when .Reiner handed him a‘ 1{5-
inch .(38 | cm) ».wooden-handled

knife-sharpening ‘tool ‘that: police :
‘found at the scene.

A’ piece of Beverley’s hair was
found to be on the utensil.

‘*You were hitting her with your -
right hand and holding her with
your left,’’ Reiner claimed.

/“No,: that’s» not, correct,”

the .

See Judge page 5