Drinking driver gets one-year jail: sentence for death of woman ‘NV Halioween accident Nov. 790 THE NORTH Vancouver driver of a car in which a 19- year-old North Vancouver woman died November 1990 was found guilty Monday in Vancouver provincial court on drinking and driving-related charges. Dan Sedlacek was found guilty of impaired driving causing death and having a blood-alcohol level over .08. Sedlacek was sentenced by Judge Douglas Moss to a one-year jail term and placed on probation for two years. He also had his driver’s licence suspended for five years and was ordered to take a defensive driving course and to participate in an al- coholic rehabilitation program. A charge of dangerous driving laid against Sedlacek was dismiss- ed in February. Jana Atkinson, a passenger ina vehicle driven by Sedlacek, died when the speeding car went out of control and flipped over in the 2100-block of Kirkstone Road. She was one of five passengers travelling in a Dodge Omni. The group had been drinking and par- tying on Halloween. The dead woman’s mother, Jane Atkinson, said she felt the sentence was fair in light of recent court rulings concerning cases in- volving drinking and driv- ing-related deaths. _Said Atkinson, ‘‘I feel it's not a matter of revenge against him, but had he got off on it or a lighter sentence it would have been an indication to- him and everybody else that killing somebody in an alcohol accident is not a big deal. “I feel the sentence is fair and deserved, and we hope that lives will be saved because of this. By Michael Becker News Reporter That’s always been my _ philoso- phy. “She can’t come back, but if lives can be saved then she didn’t die in vain. And I hope that as far as Dan Sedlacek (is concerned), he will turn his life around and that this will serve as a deterrent to him,’’ she added. In a five-page victim impact statement Atkinson described some of her daughter's life to the court. Atkinson said her daughter was selfless, loving and a gifted musician. The impact of her daughter’s death continues to be felt. Said Atkinson in the statement, “When I was told of her death, it was like knives stabbing me. After this my body tingled for week eand my soul and spirit became numb. When this numbness disappeared the reality of Jana’s death became, and still is, a daily nightmare. “Part of me died with Jana and what was left were enormous wounds. Some of the wounds have started to heal. However, there will always be scars in my spirit, heart and soul.’ More than 500 people attended a memorial service held for Jana Atkinson at Highlands United Church. N. Shore shooting third by police in two years THE FATAL West Vancouver police shooting of a North Vancouver man during a drug raid Tuesday night is the third incident in just over two years in- volving the police shooting of suspects during police investigations on the North Shore. @in March 1990, David Lorne Glover, 32, was shot néar the heart seconds after he Opened the door to his North Vancouver basement suite for police conducting a searza for drugs. Glover was holding a TV remote control unit when he was shot by North Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Glenn Magark. The officer mistook the remote control for a weapon. Magark faced charges as a result of the shooting but was subsequently found to be act - ing within the law, and crimi- nal charges were dropped. @in January of this year, Magark again became the sub- ject of investigation following the shooting of an 18-year-old North Vancouver man. Shayne Hawkes was shot in the shoulder during a police response toa church burglary. Four months fater, both criminal and internal police in- vestigations of the case have yet to be resolved. Said North Vancouver RCMP Staff Sgt. Bill Roberts, “We sent it off to regional Crown for a decision (on the statutory criminal investiga- tion), and we're still waiting By Michael Becker News Reporter for a response from regional crown. We expect it any day. It’s one of those things. “They (Crown) have a pro- cess which they follow to en- sure that it’s looked at proper- ly. They'll go to one (attorney) he'll make his decision, and then it will be referred to another for concurrence, and if they concur then they come back with a direct reply, if not then it will go to a third. That's sometimes what is in- volved." Meanwhile, an internal police code of conduct in- vestigation into Magark’s ac- tions by the RCMP internal investigations office in) Van- couver is under way. Said: Roberts, ‘It's not a criminal action or anything like that. If we feel as a result of the investigation that the member did something inap- propriate or he breached a code of conduct of some kind then we can reprimand him in some way. A decision is pend- ing, but no formal action has been taken.”’ a . 3 NEWS photo Mike Wakotisid * CHILDREN’S AUTHOR Phoebe Gilman recently visited Canyon Heights Elementary School to speak to the students. The author looked forward to meeting one of the children in particular: Grade 3 student Alex Kilborn. Alex had called Ms. Gilman in Toronto to ask a question con- cerning one of her books, and the two finally met over Grandma and the Pirates. Report proposes new approach to developing upper WV lands Preservation of creeks, green belts top priorities states the proposal presented by municipal staff A LANDMARK report produced by West Vancouver _ municipal staff over the last 18 months proposes a revolu- tionary new way of developing property above the Upper Levels Highway. “We have determined that open space is most properly the framework within which the con- struction of new neighborhoods should occur,’’ said parks director Kevin Pike in his introduction Monday night of the Upper Lands Open Space Report to West Van- couver District Council. In creating this ‘‘coordinated approach” to planning the future development of the West Van- couver uplands, the report's authors concentrated on five prin- ciples: @ creeks; @ pedestrian linkages; @ unique features; @ greenbelts; @ parks. Parks manager Erik Lees em- phasized that ‘‘creeks,’’ which have been the subject of a recent municipal inventory, are at the top of this five-rung hierarchy. Using photographs and com- puter-gencrated images of West Vancouver slopes, the report il- lustrates how creeks form natural dividers in the municipality. Rather than looking at the creeks as development obstacles and obliterating them, a practice highly criticized by the public in recent years, these waterways will be permitted to divide West Van- couver into neighborhoods, or what Lees cailed ‘‘precincts."’ West Vancouver’s major crecks include Holgate, Brothers, Lawson, McDonald, Marr, Rodgers, Pipe, Goodman, Turner, Cypress, Eagle Harbour, Nelson and Larson. According to the report, creek study areas would be identified by measuring a 50-foot setback from the top of creek ravines, and these would later be developed into modified creek protection areas at the time of development or sub- division. After creeks, linkages consisting of a coordinated system of pedes- trian and bicycle tinks would be considered integral to any future development. By Maureen Curtis Contributing Writer Mayor Mark Sager The linkages might run within or adjacent to crecks, parks, schools, recreation centres and grcenbelts. Unique features, such as water- courses, rock outcrops, views and special flora would also be incor- porated into the “open space plan.’ Greenbeits would be established to provide visual! separation be- tween neighborhoods, create neighborhood identity and enhance a ‘‘parkway’’ image WEST VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL along such major roads as the Upper Levels Highway and Cypress Bow! Road. . About three neighborhood parks would be dedicated, in ac- cordance with the 1988 Official Community Pian, with smalier local parks distributed throughout the new neighborhcods. Lees emphasized that British Pacific Properties Ltd., which owns virtually al] of the remaining developable West Vancouver property below the 1,200-foot elevation level, contributed exten- _ sively to the writing of the report. The company also built a large, five-metre-long full scale mode! of the uplands area that can be viewed by the public. The report was referred to the municipality’s parks and recre- ation advisory and advisory plan- ning commissions for review. ‘ Public community input also be sought. ° Other issues connected with de- veloping the West Vancouver uplands, such as housing forms and density, the numbers and types of roads and degree of commercialism, must still be ad- dressed. will West Vancouver Mayor Mark Sager said the report ‘‘will cer- tainly assist us and future councils to develop these lands.*’ a T index @ Automotive @ Classified Ads. . 4 Ecolnfo g Editorial Page @ Home & Garden @ Trevor Lautens Weather Saturday & Sunday, sunny. Highs 19°C, Lows 8°C. 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