From page 1 children. He believed if they died, he would dig knowing they wouldn't suffer in their lives.” Darlene said she escaped after Pryce left the next morning with their preschool children to pick up their son from his kindergarten class at 11:45 a.m. She fled to a neighbor's home and called police. “PT tried to make it very clear to (police) that if he got back in the house that was it. I wish police believed me more,"’ she said. Once inside, Pryce shot Clayton, five, Kristall, four, Kendall, two, and Clinton, 11 months, before setting fire to the house and com- mitting suicide. But on: of the first RCMP of- ficers called to the scene said he was instructed not to make contact with Pryce, who police believed was armed with a .38 calibre han- dgun. Cst. said Robert Huagymasy proce there were neo plans to prevent the father from going back inside his home, at 317 West 4th Street, with his children. Police did not enter the house until the fire broke out around 12:45 a.m. Hagymasy said he was not ad- vised of the mother’s warning not to let Pryce into the house, because he would find her gone. But even if he had, he said, he would still not have made contact with Pryce. “We were only told he would shoot the children if police were seen.” Hagymasy said although police were in the area, Pryce was not spotted entering the house with his children. North Vancouver RCMP Staff Sgt. Fred Zaharia said the police’s plan was to negotiate with Pryce, and contact would first be made by friend Dan McNeil telephoning him. But he said the call could not be made until the Emergency Response Team was on site. He said the earliest the team could be there would be 1:30 p.m. “It’s asinine not to follow pro- per procedure — to storm a building when certain things are not in place.’’ Zaharia said. ‘‘To do anything otherwise would jeop- ardize the lives of the children. Given the same set of cir- cumstances, 1 would make the same decision."" On Wednesday Pryce’s family doctor, a social worker and two friends testified Pryce was a loving father who showed no signs of vio- lence. Social worker Carol Goozh said Pryce was a very involved father. “What was unusual about the family was Ron was active in the physical care-giving,”’ she said. Pryce also had four children by previous relationships. His son Drew, 16, and daughter Melissa, 10, lived with the family, and both re 3 - Friday, December 3, were unharmed. Drew wits in Squamish at the time of the inci dent. Drew said Wo anything his father was too loving. “E didn’t want to sit down and talk with him, because he'd want to talk for hours and hours. He spent most of his time with (the younger children), as he did with me when | was younger,’* he said. Drew, who called and talked with his father the day of ‘the shootings, said there was nothing to indicate from his father’s behavior that anything was wrong. Friend Dan MeNeil, who met Pryce in °63 in Montreal, said Pryce was once a member of the Satan’s Choice motorcycle gang and experimented heavily with drugs. McNeil said Pryce abstained from drugs and rarely drank after his marriage to Darlene. He said before marrying Darlene, Pryce NEWS photo Terry Peters CAULFEILD ELEMENTARY School students stand outside their school with signs to advise motorists. Children have been out in front of the school every day this week promoting Traffic Safety Week. Pietured above are Becky Bradshaw, Grade I and Steve Hoole, Grade 6. RETIREMENT ACCOMMODATION Co-op counters costs A UNIQUE $3 million co-operative housing development is being planned to help West Vancouver retirees beat the soaring cast of accommodation in that municipality. Construction is scheduled to begin on the 42-unit Ambleview Place Housing Co-operative (APHC) in February. As of early December, it was 90 per cent sold. With its one and two-bedroom unit costs ranging from $53,000 to $78,000, the project’s primary at- traction is price, according to APHC board chairman Bill Mur- doch. “My rent in a West Vancouver highrise was $190 per month 15 years ago,’’ Murdoch said. ‘‘Now it’s $760. I just can’t afford it anymore.” Murdoch, 73, said he and his wife attended a meeting in July that outlined the proposed plans for the co-operative. They signed up immediately. Located on West Vancouver municipal fand at 14th and Es- quimalt, the co-operative will be financed entirely by its member- ship, which is restricted to people over 60. West Vancouver residents have priority over non-residents. The project’s unique financing and non-profit structuring, along with municipality land provided at about 75 per cent of market value, have combined to do away with expenses arising from price speculation, marketing and developer fees. The result is ac- commodation that will be at least 25 per cent below market value. P-ospective co-op members pay an initial $1,000 deposit. Once they have selected a unit, members then pay a minimum 25 per cent down payment. The APHC member then owns a portion of the co-op. A single 25-year mortgage will be taken out by the co-op with each member responsible for his share of that mortgage. Monthly payments for a $53,000 one-bedroom co-op unit with a 25 per cent down payment and 75 per cent mortgage would be $490. The cost includes a $11! monthly maintenance fee. For a $78,000 two-bedroom unit, monthly payments, with a 25 per cent down payment, would be $720 and would include a $164 maintenance fee. The unit price to market value ratio of each unit, which is cur- rently estimated at 25 per cent below market value, will be calculated when the project is completed and will remain cons- tant. So if $78,000 is calculated to be two thirds of the current: market value for two bedroom suites in West Vancouver, the APHC member will receive two thirds of what is the current market value for that unit when and if he leaves or sells. Units can only be sold to per- sons 60 or over. Land for the project was leased to APHC by the municipality for $775,000 over 60 years. Building costs for the project have been estimated at $1.8 mil- lion. West Vancouver social planner Richard Wagner said the municipality acquired the 14th and Esquimalt site with the idea of creating alternative housing for West Vancouver seniors. The project, which is scheduled to be completed in late 1987, is be- ing developed by the Ambleside Development Group. Included in the group are de- signers Isaac-Renton Architects, co-op consultants Inner City Housing and financial advisor Jack Clerkson of Murray and Company Ltd. Guavin Construction be the project’s builder. For information call 682-1344. Lid. will 8G - North Shore News had many relationships with women and one previous marriage. “It would seem his life would Jus Start to straighten out and the woman wcitd leave,’ he said. cy RON) PRYCE... killed then himself. children recounts minutes before killings MEMBERS of the media told a coroner’s inquest they were able to go to the scene of a hostage-taking incident unimpeded by police. Two CBC cameramen said Thursday they took steps not to be observed by Ron Pryce, who later shot his four children before committing suicide. Cameraman Ted Huang, who was on the scene at 12:15 p.m., said he parked his unmarked van half a block from the Pryce’s house on the opposite side of the street. He said he saw no move- ment in the house, until a fire broke out at 12:45 a.m. Huang said he was surprised to see pedestrians in front of the house before the tragedy. Another reporter from CKVU TV, Grant Fredericks, said he was “*flabbergasted”’ that no police pe- rimeter was established. North Vancouver RCMP Staff Sgt. Tom Hill said there were no perimeters set up for obvious reasons. “It was a unique situation. Darlene Pryce indicated if police were seen on the scene harm would come to the children.” He agreed the potential existed for members of the media and pe- destrians to be in the tine of fire if shooting occurred. Both Fredericks and Huang testified they learned about the in- cident by listening to their police scanners that morning. Huang said when he arrived at the scene he saw Pryce’s car park- ed in front of the house. He said according to the police radio channel he realized police were not aware Pryce had returned home. “TI tried to radio my station to tell the office to call the RCMP, but | don't think my call was heard,’’ Huang said. Huang said he believes it would have been advantageous if he had direct. radio contact with police. Hill said the media did not in- terfere with police during the actu- al incident.