WEST VAN

EDITION

\ND READY TO MEET WV
ON FUTURE OF AMBLESIDE

‘No plans to go and
pave park tomorrow’

SQUAMISH INDIAN chief Joe Mathias says the
band is willing to discuss the future of the 25.9
acres of Ambleside Park — returned to the band as

part of Monday’s cut-off land agreement — with
the district of West Vancouver.

“*We should make it clear
to the residents of the North
Shore that, subject ot the ap-

proval of the band council,
we're going to discuss the
future use of

Reachi

the park,*’

Mathias told The News
Wednesday. *‘We have no
plans to go down there and
blacktop the whole = arca
tomorrow °’

The return of the castern
end of the park to. the

Squamish band has cmerged
as the most controversial part
of the land and cash settle.
ment announced Monday
The Ambleside situation
appears to have come about
because of a decision of the
provincial government not to
purchase the park property.

According to Mathias,
there was a provision in the
final agreement that gave the
province the mght to retain
cut-off lands for public use,
providing they paid the band
for them at current market
value.

The province did not exer
cise that option nor was
Ambleside included with two
other parcels -- one that con
tains a highways department
work yard and the other a
scwage treatment plant — for
which leases were negotiated.

SUNDAY
sunny, with clouds

MONDAY
sunny, with clouds

Mathias said that he has
received a number of
telephone calls from North
Shore residents since the an-
nouncement of the agree-
ment, most of which have ex
pressed support for the band

There have been, however,
public statements from a
number of West Van
residents that the return of
the Ambleside lands to the
band 1s unfair.

The agreement announced
Monday calls for 115 acres of
land taken from the Capilano

Crow bill gives coal to feds: A13

THE VOICE OF NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER

POINT ATKINSON
SUNDAY

reserve in the 1920s to be
returned to the band. It will
also receive $1.5 million for
land that cannot be returned
and income of $115,000 a
year for at least five years for
the work yard and sewage
treatment plant.

When the News met with
band representatives Mathias
and Dave Jacobs, chairman
of the band council, the band
was still getting used to the