THE VOICE OF NORTH s * 96 pages : Office, Editorial 985-2131 Decision to run all-night sailings upsets WV officials A DECISION by the provincial government to run all- night sailings this summer from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo has angered West Vancouver officials. West Vancouver Mayor Mark Sager said he was told late Wed- nesday afternoon by B.C. Ferry Corp. (BCFC) chairman Frank Rhodes that there will be all-night sailings on the Horseshoe Bay- to-Nanaimo route five days a week at | a.m., 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. starting in June. Both Sager and West Van- couver-Garibaldi Liberal MLA David Mitchell warned Thursday that the move will increase dan- gerous cargo being transported along the Squamish Highway to and from Horseshoe Bay in the early morning hours. The pair added that they were angry that the provincial govern- ment did not consult with the communities that would be af- fected by the all-night sailing decision, something B.C. Finance Minister Glen Clark, the minister responsible for the BCFC, had said the government would do. “*The minister said consultation would take place, and it didn’t. We couldn't be more disap- pointed,” said Sager. ‘That steep hill (leading to the Horseshoe Bay terminal) is dangerous for Horse- shoe Bay residents, and this deci- sion will put more heavy traffic on that route.” Mitchell said Thursday that he asked Clark why the government maae the decision to run all-night sailings without first consulting West Vancouver residents. “I'm really disturbed about it. They'll (provincial government) go through with it, and (they) said theyfl consuit afterwards. They’ve got it backwards,"’ said Mitchell. He charged that the provincial government docs not care about the concerns that have been ex- pressed to Victoria over the issue by West Vancouver residents. Earlier this week Mitchell pres- ented the government with a 300-name petition from local res- idents opposing the all-night sail- ing move. **Whoen I talked to Clark he was joking in the legislature about it. By Surj Rattan and John Pifer It’s not a joking matter for the people who live along the Sea- To-Sky Highway,’’ said Mitchell. “Dangerous cargo will now be encouraged to travel along that highway.’” Earlier this week, Clark said the idea to run all-night sailings was only one of several proposals the government was considering to improve service along BCFC routes. Defending the move to 24-hour sailings, Clark said that having six-hour ferry line-ups during the summer ‘‘is not good for local people, not good for tourism and is not acceptable to the govern- ment. We have to take measures to try to improve that.”’ He added that getting truck traffic off the peak period loads and on to late-night trips would be ‘ta distinct advantage because it would free up so much more capacity for cars and for tourist traffic.”’ Clark denied that the 24-hour proposal had been announced without consultation with Nanaimo or Horseshoe Bay of- ficials. “There already have been some discussions with the communities affected, and | am advised that there will be more before an an- nouncement is made,’’ Clark said. He added that although he was concerned about any impact on those areas from the increased service, improving travel facilities for the general population and visitors took priority. “There is a ferry terminal at Horseshoe Bay. }t is not being moved...and if we can make bet- ter use of it then (we should).” Clark said there would be a review period to assess the de- mand for the 24-hour service and to evaluate the impact on the communities affected. CSSA ALIAS SOCRATES Index Automotive .. & Classified Ads..... @B Ecolnfo...........00. GH Editorial Page & Home & Garden B Mailbox @ Paul St. Pierre... .. @ W What's Going On ......13 Trevor Lautens......... 4 Weather Saturday, rain. Sunday, mostly cloudy with showers, Highs 17°C. Second Class Registration Number 3885 AMD WEST VANCOUVER Test drive the Subaru Legacy Automotive: 29 Display Advertising 980-0511 Classifieds 986-6222 Distribution 986-1337 NEWS photo ery Peters e e . ; Surprise visitor MELISSA WHITE and other handicapped children at Quinton House received a surprise guest last week when Mickey Mouse dropped by to say helio. Mickey was in town to promote a Disney film festival put on by the Cartoon Corner Art Gallery in Vancouver.