Wednesday, May 26, 1999 — North Shor Niws- 3 Second fast ferry lau Kevin Gillies News Reporter “GOD bless this ship and all wo sail on her.” With those words by project welds. Juanita Dirks, and a bottle of B.C. sparkling wine smashed against the catamaran’s bow, the launch of a see- ond fast ferry was under wav. During the launch ceremony Tuesday morning, speakers, shipbuilders and media representatives stood under the hulking bow of the 122-metre alu- minum catamaran built to ferry passengers between Horseshoe Bay and Nanaimo. B.C. Premier Glen Clark said one of the main goals of the fast ferry program is “to save money on the huge infrastructure that would be required at Horseshoe Bay and in Nanaimo if we were to build super ferries on that route.” “Six- or eight-hour line-ups at Horseshoe Bay are not uncommon in the summer months,” he said. The fast ferries are meant to improve service and reduce wait times. After the ceremony Clark said the alternative was to use super ferries currently in use between Tsawwassen and Schwartz Bay. “You would have to build, at Horseshoe Bay, a six- or seven- or cight-storey parkade just to hold the cars,” he said. “We've avoided all those costs tor this.” Clark acknowledged the project has been con- troversial and has had a lot of critics, but he said his faith has never wavered. “Yoday we are here launching the second of what I think will be maay aluminum vessel catama- rans here in British Columbia. It’s a great, proud Third PacifiCat 40% complete; province vows industry support moment for me and T want to congratulate the workers here today for the work that they've done.” Clark said an international fast ferry convention is taking place in Victoria in two weeks and the PacifiCats will be front and centre. “Now that we've got the second one in the water shortly, and the third one soon and the first one goes into service in July ... people all around the world are coming here to look ar the product, to look at vour work... This is just the beginning of a new industry.” Afterwards he admitted there were as of yet no buyers tor the ships which can carry 250 cars and 1,000 passengers. “After some time, it proves out and we get the other pwo in the water [think we'll be in a much better position,” Clark said. “It's a very competi- tive business.” The first ship, due to begin service in six weeks, has a projected cost of $116 million, the second $105 million and the third $10] million. All three will operate at Horseshoe Bay. “It’s very competitive with the world market,” he said, noting operating costs will be higher than standard ferries and government subsidized. “The operating costs of these are a little higher, burt thev go faster so you get more trips in in less tine,” Clark said. Said Gordon Wilson, the minister responsible tor BC Ferries, “One of the difficulties we've had with the ferries is thar the original projections were somewhat unrealisiic in terms of the cost of con- struction.” : But still Wilson said the new aluminum catama ran industry would “put noc only fast catamarans in the water, but will have long-standing work for those people who have pur their time and energy into building this ship today.” He told shipbuilders in North Vancouver that BC Ferry Corporation is being reconfigured tinan- cially to improve stability. “T think you can take comfort in the fact that the work that you now have engaged in, the train- ing vou've undertaken, the opportunities that vou will have and your children will have in this indus- try is here to stay in British Columbia. It will be solid and it will be maintained.” All this is good news for North Shore ship- builders. “T chink this is great,” said 37-year-old Dave Zeiter of North Vancouver. “ve been here the whole three and a half years. I do all the ventila- tion. When they announced this program it was tanrastic,” said the soon to be father of two. “There were a lot of problems, but once they got it going it was fantastic. I see the differences berween the first one and the second one.” Gavin Cooper, Catamaran Ferries Internation- al’s chief financial officer said getting the program up and running was a challenge. “It’s not been easy. The learning curve has been very steep. There have been times, in fact, that I’ve doubted we could do it. But we have.” The third PacifiCat, now about 40% complete, moves into the North Vancouver assembly shed soon. Howe Sound traffic Studied Kevin Gillies News Reporter TRAFFIC along Highway 99 will be examined by the provin- cial government with an eye to increasing the highway’s capacity. Last week ‘Transportation and Highways — Minister Harry Lali announced a $375,000 study of the corri- dor — trom Horseshoe Bay to Lillooer and bevond — that will recommend short- and long-term transporta- tion improvements. The plan will try to iden- tify. safety and operating improvements tor Highway 99 as well as opportunities to improve rail, bus and marine transportation along the route. The study will also look to enhance the 2010 Winter Olympics bid for Vancouver/Whistler headed by Acchur Griffiths’ group. But BC Rail spokesman Alan Derver said improving service for the Olympic bid has already been examined by the Crown corporation. He said BC Rail has determined that it could reduce the travel time between North Vancouver and Whistler by a maximum of about 30 minutes by improving track infrastruc- ture. “... it could never get down to the hour trip that people were suggesting,” Derver said. Reducing the crip time and the number of rail trips is a big part of the study, said Sce Better page S Star Wars versus union wars Bob Mackin News Reporter WHICH saga at local movie theatres will end first: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace or the B.C. Projectionists’ Union lockout? Union president Dama Faulkner hopes the latter, because George Lucas’ blockbuster prequel appear: headed for a long run. ft opened worldwide last Thursday morning and is playing focally. ar Cineplex Odeon's Park and Tilford Cinemas. Pickets have spent little time at Park and Tilford. They have instead opted to inform crowds at the Lower Mainland’s larger theatres about the long-running labour dispute. Projectionists were locked out last December after refusing demands by Cineplex Odeon and Famous Players for wage rollbacks up to 60%. Faulkner said pickets are urging moviegoers to boveott the concession stands and complain directly to Lucas" production company should their Star Wars experience be less than out-of-this world. If Lucas’ THX receives 15 or more complaints about the presentation quality of a single showing, Star Wars could go elsewhere. “The people running the equipment are well-trained and have been running the equipment successfully now tor 22 weeks,” said Famous Players and Cineplex, Odeon spokesman John Nixon. “We don’t expect problems, but if che union is erying to orchestrate some sort of campaign to call that num- ber, it’s not going to work. Both Lucas and the filin’s distributor know in B.C. we're in the midst of a labour dispute and they'll be somewhat suspicious.” Faulkner said the theatre chains only carn 10% on cach admission ticket. Most revenue is from concession stand sales. “They have to make their money on concessions and they're very skillful at that,” he said. “In a movie like Star Wars, people are very interested in get- ting a quality seat in a quality theatre and they tend to bypass the concessions so they need a tremendous volume of people in movies like this to actually make any money at the concessions.” Nixon said no talks are scheduled, but it’s business as usual ar both com- panies’ theatres in B.C. He declined to NEWS photo Julie iverson DUSTIN Dubie! (left), Kris Keaveney and Cody Wilson emerge from Cineplex Odeon’s Park and Tilford cinemas after Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. say whether the lockout is affecting box office or concession sales. The top rate for projectionists, he said, is $38.31 an hour. “The companies are trying to pay a fair wage that is reflective of what's fair to the relatively simple nature of this job,” said Nixon. The union is angry that the compa- nies want to cut wages while both chains are rapidly expanding. Star Wars fans interviewed at Park and Tilford Monday afternoon gave the movie rave reviews. “It’s pretty much what | expected: a good guys against bid guys story,” said Kelly Karran. “It was the second time I’ve seen it.” Kris Keaveney said the movie has a noble theme. “Bottom line, it’s a good heaithy message for kids,” she said. “We seek truth, love and peace and prosperity.” She said she wasn’t deterred by the projectionists’ lockout. She has a labour dispute of her own to deal with: the ongoing community social services workers closure of daycare centres and ather facilities. “T think it’s insensitive.” Father thanks searchers From pane 1 Manning, an Ontario hiker who was killed in an avalanche on Jan. 27, jest two days short of his 25th birthday. “This peautitul, friendly dog, this is who should get credit,” said NSR team leader Tim Jones, “This is a hero.” The dog belongs to a neighbour of MSR member Don Jardine. When Jardine saw him frantically sniffing the area around 11:20) a.m. Monday, he used a metal pole to prabe what lay beneath. The pole made contact with a hard surface that turned out to be a three-inch thick ice cast sur- rounding Manning's body. His Wrist was exposed. “I hit the material on his jacker with the probe,” Jardine said. “That's a spongy feeling when you hit a jacket. I knew it was probably him so [ got out my shovel and dug.” Jardine uncovered Manning’s hands and immedi- ately called the coroner's ser- vice. “(Lioubov) was moaning and groaning a bit when we were digging the body out,” he said. “I think he realized there was something wrong.” The body was removed from the area by helicopter about 4:40 p.m. “We don’s profess to say we knew he'd be there,” Jones said. “We were very lucky and we really owe it to that dog.” Jardine said Lioubov has no training as a search dog. But that didn’r matter. “Any dog has a very keen sense of smell, a lot better than we've gor.” Dr. Bert Manning said in a phone interview from Ontario Monday night that he was thankful his son’s body was finally found after four months under snow. “I feel a great sadness tinged with a certain sense of relief,” he said. “I don’t think there's a way to describe what's in your heart at this moment.” Manning was in Vancouver on the weekend when unsuc- cesstul searches were conduct- ed by North Shore Rescue and the Canadian Amphibious Search Feam. “Thank-you to anybody who had searched for my son, and that includes North Shore Rescue,” Manning said. “But I'm lett with total respect for only one group.” That one group is CAST, an Abbotsford-based private company hired by Manning in February to find his son. North Vancouver RCMP and NSR_ refused to conduct ground searches for several weeks after Manning, was pre- sumed dead. Further deadly avalanches were feared because of the record snow depths. Manning paid CAST to conduct an independent search, but declined to say how much, “Ason doesn’t have a price,” he said. “I adored him.” RCMP threatened CAST with criminal charges for going to the trail, which was closed after the tragedy. RCMP Insp. Keith Thorn said he told Manning that CAST would be responsible should someone be injured or killed during a search. Police doubted the credibility of CAST. Unlike NSR, CAST isn’t registered with the Provincial Emergency Preparedness Program. Manning claimed he was treat- ed poorly by the RCMP.