3 ~ Wednesday, July 13, 1988 - North Shore News NEWS photo Cindy Bellamy MEN AND women paddlers from Native groups in the Lower Mainland, Washington State and Vancouver Island competed in the annual Ambleside Park War Canoe Races Saturday. Hosted by the Squamish Indian Band, the races drew large crowds. Above, teams compete in the two-man crew event. Crowd causes THE OVERWHELMING presence of more than 200 spectators, plus three televi- sion cameras, sufficed to - close down Monday’s reconvened public hearing into the proposed develop- ment of twin 2i-storey apartment towers at 320 Taylor Way in West Van- couver. By MAUREEN CURTIS Contributing Writer There were few smiles around the West Vancouver District Council table, which was almost entirely surrounded by people lin- ing the walls two deep with the overflow extending out into the lobby. Attempting to carry on with the proceédings,.. council was inter- rupted repeatedly by people com- plaining that they couldn’t hear the public address system into the lob- by, and demanding provision of an alternate meeting place. DOUG COLLINS ON THE TWIN TOWERS ISSUE: 9 “We're entitled to a hearing. We were chastised last time for being a handful of people. Look how many are here now,’’ boomed West Vancouverite and Interna- tional Woodworkers of America boss Jack Munro. Ald. Alex Brokenshire explained that it was too late and probably illegal (meeting times and places must be advertised ahead of time) to arrange a larger meeting place for that evening. Resident Tom Reid reminded those in attendance that West Vancouver is a community that is often held up as one of good man- ners and respect. “T don’t like to use the word, ‘rabble,’ but we’re behaving like it,"’ protested Reid. ‘‘If this meeting isn’t adjourned, it’s going to leave a bad taste in the mouths of people.”” Ald. David Finlay’s call for an V towers to be adjourned adjournment of the hearing was supported by council. The meeting will probably not be reconvened until the fall. According to municipal clerk Doug Allan, the date will be published in the North ‘Shore News, with additional notice sent to people living in the immediate area and to those who have cor- responded with the municipality on the matter. “Il am overjoyed,’’ commented Dr: Marion Crowhurst, who led the Save Public Land Committee in spurring on pretest against the proposed development and press- ing for a park on the site. Although the adjourned hearing was set to deal only with a variance on parking lot restrictions, public interest into the development at the corner of Taylor Way and Marine Drive mushroomed. Meetings con- cerning the design of the buildings have been planned for the fall. Ay; ES y NEWS photo Neil Lucente Airliner downing protested APPROXIMATELY 150 people gathered Friday night at recCentre Delbrook, 600 West Queens, North Vancouver, to protest the July 3 downing of an Iranian airliner by the U.S. missile cruiser Vincennes. Protest organizer Nasser Jad said the rally was non-partisan and had been organized for everybody, not just Iya- nians, outraged by the destruction of the airliner and the deaths of all 290 people on the flight. ‘‘It was an. absolutely barbaric act,” Jad said. ‘It cannot be justified under any circumstances.” MEETING REQUESTED NY, City slams bus move B.C. TRANSIT will be clos- ing the North Vancouver bus garage, recently repaired for $806,000, to save $565,000 annually — despite North Vancouver City Council’s objections. Van Council members were offended by the way B.C. Transit handled the closure, and expressed concern as to what the effect will be of los- ing 75 buses on North.’ Shove emergency relief plans. “Tt locks -like they reached a decision (tc close the facility) and then started to talk about the con- sultative process,’ said Ald. Frank Morris at Monday’s meeting. Council passed Morris’ motion calling for B.C. ‘Transit to meet with North Vancouver City and District to look/at the issue of bus garages on the North Shore: Roodert Yanow, B.C. ‘Transit’s Vancouver regional vice-president, said the move is necessary and justified. ’ “The present North Vancouver facility is operating at' full capaci- ty, and is small, dilapidated, and unable to achieve economies of scale in administration, operations and maintenance,’’ he said. He also revealed under question- ing from Ald, Frank Morris that recent work replacing fuel tanks, tepaving and installing a new bus washer at the ‘facility had cost $806,000. ; The garage’s operations will be moved to the Burnaby Transit Centre, near the south end of the Second Narrows Bridge. The cen- tre was ‘built in 1985 and is operating at only 70 per cent ca- pacity, he added. He said 188 pecple currently work at the North Vancouver garage and 134 of them live on the North Shore. He acknowledged that some of them may move to be nearer to the new facility. Ald. Barbara Sharp said the 75 buses parked at the present North Vancouver facility represent an important part of emergency evacuation plans. Each bus would carry eight to 12 stretchers, she said. Yanow said the buses would be serving the city all the time, except for two hours at night, so their new base shouldn't present a pro- blem in an emergency. Other concerns centred on B.C, transit’s long-range plans and the future of the West Vancouver garage on Lloyd Avenue. Yanow said the 3.27-acre site, which currently serves 28 buses, could be expanded to accommo- date up to 200 buses when demographic pressure makes that necessary. ‘Expansion is in the long-term plan.”’ North Van City’s assistant plan- ning director Richard White sug- gested in a report that if the bus facility closes, the area should be developed for single-family hous- ing, which is the major surroun- ding land use. Council passed a motion instructing staff to draft a bylaw implementing this recom- mendatioy. '