Accidents on Upper Levels raise concerns THE PROVINCIAL gov- ernment should focus serious attention on a dan- gerous stretch of road along the Upper Levels Highway near the Capilano Road ‘turnoff, two North Shore ‘MLAs said this week. By Surj Rattan News Reporter ° West Vancouver-Capilano Lib- eral MLA Jeremy Dalton and West Vancouver-Garibaldi in- dependent. Liberal MLA David Mitchell both said a number of serious accidents have occurred at the intersection due to vehicles hydro-planing in wet road con- ditions. Meanwhile, West Vancouver Police. Const. Rick Burnett, a member of the police department’s traffic section, has been working on a report examining the condi- tion of the Upper Levels Highway for West Vancouver Police Chief Hal Jenkins. Burnett said the report, which he expects will be given to Jenkins today, was commissioned at the request of Mitchell. ‘_ NEWS photo Terry Peters WEST VANCOUVER-Capilano MLA Jeremy Daiton has raised concerns over the condition of the Upper Levels Highway at Capilano Road. He wants the pyovincial government to improve the sec- tion of highway, which has been the scene of a number of serious accidents. Dalton said he has not had any response from the Transportation and Highways Ministry over con- cerns he sent them on the condi- tion of the intersection. “The last time [ drove there in a rainfall, there was literally a puddle of water across that La RTE 2 ESTATE cials stretch,’’ said Dalton. He also noted that a lawsuit is pending against the provincial government in connection with a single-vehicle accident that took place along the Upper Levels Highway between Capilano Road and Taylor Way on Oct. 28, 1992, cut power to Lynn Valley illegal suite Residents left without heat for over three days A NORTH Vancouver District (NVD) resident and four i people living in her home, including a seven-month-olc baby; recently endured more than three days without heat “She apparently took her time. j There was heat there in the place, ; clectric heat," said Postle who; visited the home on Monday as or hot water after municipal officials turned off the gas to well. the house. Anne Gallagher, ber 16-year- old daughter, and three tenants living in an. illegal suite in’ her home, had less than four hours notice informing them that the gas was going to be turned off at 8 pan, on Friday, Oct. 22. “They (an NVD inspector) said to me, ‘I guess we are going to read about) this one,’ said Gallagher, who is a single mother. The tenants had complained bé They (a NVD inspector) said to me, ‘I guess By Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter it at the dime, Said) Ferguson, "We'd rather have hardships than have some people have some serious situation happen.”' Both inspectors said Gallagher told them to talk to her lawyer. Meanwhile, Gallagher admits we are going to read about this one.'9¥ about wiring in the suite to the municipality about two days be- fore the gas was turned off, said Gallagher. . .NVD_ property-use inspector Gordon Ferguson and gas inspec- tor Gordon Postle investigated the Upper Lynn Valley illegal suite. Postle said the investigation revealed a fire hazard involving a gas stove which did not have pro- per clearance. He also noted the stove could be touched by a bifold door when it was opened. “Once we realize there is a safety problem especially when there is a tenancy and the tenants themselves have complained, if we don’t act on it, we leave ourselves wide open for being liable,’’ said Postle. Ferguson said Gallagher would not discuss the situation and didn’t appear to want to deal with ~ Anne Gallagher she was not cooperative with the men who didn’t show her iden- tification or anything in writing about why they were at her home. She said the inspectors did not leave a work order or ‘‘notice of deficiencies’? concerning what modifications were necessary in the suite. Shortly after the inspectors left, Gallagher said her panicking te- nants informed her that the gas was going to be shut off in 3% hours. Said Gallagher, ‘‘isecause | did not cooperate, they cut off the power. | think that is an abuse of power,”’ ‘She subsequendy corrected the problem. Postle said he made himself available for an inspection on the Saturday and Sunday so that the gas could be reinstated. But Gallagher said the home was heated by gas, The tenants were able to use an electric heat source in the basement, but had no stove, Upstairs, Gallagher had no heat, but could use the electric stove, , Gallagher, who bought her home three years ago, noted there ure Hlegal suites “atl over" her neighborhood. She criticizes district council for not addressing the suite situation, Gallagher pointed out that’ in North Vancouver City, the municipality has approved second- ary suites with regulations, Said Gallagher, ‘‘Maybe tell them (district councillors) that while their heads have been buried in the sand, the people have been doing their own planning and their own zoning, It's based on supply and demand... “I'm sure there is room in the district for parents who aren't wealthy.’? The tenants are moving out at the end of this month. But they have had difficulties finding a place that accepts children, said Gallagher. She said she had received 30 calls a day from people wanting to rent her $900-a-month suite. Gallagher is getting two boarders to replace the tenants so she can afford to live in her $300,000 home. Meanwhile, Postle said he very seldom authorizes turning off gas to homes. Ferguson, who enforces : the zoning regulations, declined to give any estimates about’ the number of NVD illegal-suite com- plaints. In that accident, Jamie Coltart had been driving his vehicle in the rain when it ‘eft the road, slam- med into a concrete barrier and flipped over. The accident quadriplegic. In a letter to Dalton, Coltart’s left Coltart a 44 Serious accidents have occurred at the intersection due to vehicles hydro- planing ...99 lawyer Elliott Myers, said he believed Coltart’s car had hydro- planed on the night of the acci- dent. . Dalton said the provincial Transportation and Highways Ministry should be concerned about the condition of the Upper Levels Highway in light of the pending lawsuit. “The Upper Levels Highway is one of the major transportation links on the North Shore. There have been some safety concerns on the highway. The Capilano Road intersection is one of the areas where there has been concern,” said Mitchell. He added that Transportation and Highways Minister Jackie Pement has asked him to provide her with input on where money should be spent along the Upper Levels Highway. Mitchell said he has asked the RCMP to tell him which sections - of the. highway they consider to be problem areas. Hope for missing hiker fades as snow hampers search on Mt. Seymour HOPE WAS fading fast Thursday morning for a 28-year-old University of B.C, student who has been missing somewhere on Mount Seymour -since Sun- day. By Sur] Rattan News Reporter Ross Peterson, coordinator of the North aad West Vancouver Emergency Program, said search and rescue crews were again com- bing Mount Seymour and Indian Arm on Thursday. Two helicopters and 30 volun- teers from three different search and rescue crews were involved in the hunt for Steven Eby on Thursday morning. Additional searchers were being brought in from Squamish and Abbotsford. Meanwhile, members of Eby's family, who have flown in from Toronto and San Francisco, con- tinued to wait for word on his whereabouts and condition at Mount Seymour on Thursday. Peterson said Eby had decided to go hiking alone on Mount Seymour on Sunday, but failed to turn up for a scheduled dinner date with friends on Sunday night. Friends of Eby's raised the alarm on Tuesday when he failed to show up for classes at UBC. The North Shore Search and Rescue team was deployed into the Mount Seymour area at 10 p.m. on Tuesday. Peterson said his biggest fear is that Eby, who was was not equip- ped to spend a night on the mountain, is suffering from severe hypothermia. The search for Eby was hampered by heavy snowfall in the area on Tuesday and Wednesday. “Our belief is he's very poorly equipped. Most of his hiking equipment was found in his if 08 UBC STUDENT Steven Eby missing since Sunday. apes 13 apartment and his car. His car was found in the upper parking lot of the mountain and it seems it had been there for quite some time,"’ said Peterson. “His prospects (for survival) diminish the longer he’s out there, We have absolutely no clue where he was hiking. It’s a large area. We have at least 100 square kilometres to look at. “It makes for a long, intensive search.”’ Peterson added that hypother- mia could have set in quickly, especially if Eby is wet or injured. “This is one of the problems we have when people go hiking alone. The snowfall of the last day and a half has hidden any footprints,” said Peterson. ‘‘That really affects the search.” Peterson added that the Cana- dian Coast Guard auxiliary was searching the Indian Arm shoreline in case Eby had made his way to that area. “It doesn’t look good,” said a North Vancouver RCMP officer involved with the search,