1% - Friday, Augus

Ecology centre sponsoring
programs all summer long

LOOKING FOR some
summer fun that takes you
outdoors, is inexpensive or
free, great for the whole
family and is even — gasp
— educational?

The North Shore offers en-
vironmental attractions that will
interest long-time residents or
out-of-town visitors.

Always popular is the Lynn
Canyon Ecology Centre in Lynn
Canyon Park, which is open from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and free
to visitors interested in their
nature displays, films or daily (2
p.m.) canyon nature walks.

This year, the centre is offering
a number of programs for
children aged three to 13, and
free, half-day Sunday nature
walks around the North Shore for
‘children and adults alike.

Children’s programs run all
summer, and kids can sign up for
one day or several.

Programs include Five Senses
for three and four-year-olds, Art
in the Park or Ecological Explor-
ers for five to seven-year-olds,
and Ecological Enterprises and
Nature Scientists for eight to 13-
year-olds. ~

Canyon Trekkers, ar. ail-day
hiking program for 10 to 13-
year-olds, is also offered.

“Even with the cloudy weather,
there are more people visiting the

Make sure
mspection

conforms to

standards

CHARLIE PERKINS, president
of. Cornerstone Home Inspection
Services of North Vancouver, of-
fers the following tips:

@ All inspections should conform
to standards drawn up by the
American Society of Home In-
spectors,

There is now a Canadian group
affiliated with this society and

- members agree to adhere to a code
of standards and ethics.

Average price for an inspection
is between $235 and $295.

‘@ Make sure the inspection com-
pany has insurance coverage; if an
inspector puts his foot through the
‘goof, you want to make sure you
are not the one picking up the bill
for repairs.
@ If you intend to make your
offer to purchase subject to a
satisfactory home inspection, call
.the’ inspection company im-
‘mediately after your offer to
‘ purchase has been accepted by the
’ vendor.

Your realtor will write into your
proposal a subject removal date
which is normally no more that 72
hours after the deal is signed.

Make sure the inspection com-
pany is able to conduct the in-
spection and present a written
report within that time and
stand by it.

@ Accompany the home inspector
during the inspection.

‘The average inspection takes
about two hours and by being
there to observe and ask ques-
tions, you will not only learn
about your home but gain some
valuable tips on maintenance,

Home-buyers on the North
Shore who want free advice on
home inspections can stop by the
Cornerstone office at Suite #1-
1558 Lonsdale Ave., or call their
hotline at 986-6658.

Peggy

4

Trendell Whittaker

ECO INFO

centre this year,’” says summer
program coordinator Fred Weil,
who advises that there is room in
August programs.

Enthusiastic gardeners — or
those who just enjoy looking at
the horticultural results of some-
one else’s labor — can visit Park
and Tilford Gardens at
Brooksbank and Main Street in
North Vancouver.

The garden includes a compost
demonstration area that shows a
variety of different backyard
composters in action, and offers
information for residents inter-
ested in starting a compost.

Staff at Park and Tilford

Direct from the
manufacturer

* Custom bullt closet
organizer

installed or Do-it-
yourself

Mirror doors
Melamine finish
Elfa baskets
Wire shelving
Accessories

Showrvom Open

Bi

Garden, says head gardener Todd
Major, are happy to answer
visitors* questions about Park and
Tilford and about problems in
home gardens as well.

The gardeners are a good
resource for people wanting to
eschew chemical fertilizers in favor
of organic techniques, as they
have been decreasing their chemi-
cal use wherever possible over the
last few years.

in the battle with aphids, for
example, Major says the rose
garden hasn't been chemically
sprayed at all this year. Instead,
they’re leaving the aphids on the
plants, which then attract natural
predators that kill off the aphid
population.

He is going to try putting staff
members on at night, both to
answer the questions of evening
visitors, and to form an offensive
unit against the weevils and slugs
that can only be spotted and
picked off the plants after dark,

The garden is open from 9:30
a.m. to 9 p.m. in July and
August, seven days a week.

Another compost demonstration
area is located at the foot of }5th
Street in West Vancouver, and
makes an interesting stop for peo-
ple walking from Ambleside along
Argyle to John Lawson Park.

Any iesidents with composting
questions can call the Compost
Hotline at 736-2250.

OM

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TOPS raises

TWENTY-NINE members of
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sen-
sibly) chapters from around
the Greater Vancouver area
took on another challenge and
gathered nearly $3,000 in
pledges for the Heart and
Stroke Foundation of B.C. and
Yukon.

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Arch, TOPS members rode the
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Heart and Stroke Foundation.

TOPS riders, including
Marguerite Stephen and Liz
Storjie of North Vancouver,
deemed the event a huge suc-
cess and great fun. They con-
cluded that next year they will
beat this year’s pledges.

For more information re-
garding TOPS in your area call
Marguerite at 985-6538.

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