umed up Over city’s heritage It THE fucure is looking grim for North Vancouver City’s past. Hentage is taking some heavy bits trom different SOUTERS. On Deg. 31,1997, tor example, Lower Lonsdale’s Paine Hardware was destroved bv fire, Up in smoke went more than the store’s eclectic inventory and creaking hard wood floors. The tire took an invaluable piece of North Vancouver City’s historic per- sonality, And one of B.C.'s oldest continually operated businesses. The 1910- vintage Aberdeen Block, heme to Paine for close to 88 vears, is described in the city’s heritage inventory as “a reminder of the prosperity of the Edwardian era, and a svmbol of the confidence in the fast- renving settlement of North Vancouver...” Well, the New Year's Eve fire scorched that reminder senously, And Paine’s return to the Aberdeen Block is very much in doubr. In February, meanwhile, the old Ming Court rest rant, better known to heritage bulls as the Gross House, was damaged by a fire of suspicious origins. Charles Gross’ 1904- vintage home was built by Albert Nye. It remains one of the city’s oldest surviving houses. But any more fires or low-rent restaurants and it is unlikely to survive much longer. And most recently, on Oct. 3, the Barraclough Block on the northwest corner of Second Street and Lonsdale Avenue was destroyed, again the victim of fire. But there are other heritage fixtures in the city that are under threat from other quar- Dr. Morgan L. Brache Dr. Mitch Rubin ripping yarns ten. ‘Fake the Seven Seas, tor instance. Some might be tempted to fll in the old Henny Youngman joke here, but there are far more who would be as aghast as am | at the prospect of ne vintage ferry to anchor Lonsdale Avenue. At one tinw the money-lay- ing North Shore-to- Vancouver ferry fleet included five vessels. The ship that currently houses the Seven Seas is the fast local survivor of that fleet. But its place on the city waterfront is far from secure. The machinery of water- front revitalization set in motion by the demise of the once vital Burrard Shipyards operation could sink the Seas for good. It’s an unpleasant reality faced by Seven Seas ewner Diamond Almas. The soft-spoken 59-year- old son of a Greek immigrant has owned and operated the Seven Seas restaurant since the vail-end of the Fabulous Fifties. During that time he has built it into a tourist mag- net that is synonymous with North Vancouver City and its watertront. The Seas generates business for the area; it employs local residents. Like any long-time member of the community, it has had its financial ups and downs. Skipper Almas has survived them all. But his good ship Seven Seas is currently navigating some datverous bureducnane shoals. Miscaleulanions on the bridge coud bosch it tor youd or torve it te set sail tor desi haters unknown There is ne argiment that North Vancouver City water front needs revital aber But there are esisuny Waterfront teatures that should receive caretul consideration, Phe Seas is one af tiem. Regardless of what vou think of the vessels culinary offerings the structure is worth saving and worth keeping on our wateriront. The orginal idea to anchor itatthe feot of Lonsdale was cultivated by such focal fumi- nares as former West Vancouver mayor and North Vancouver alderman Derrick Humphreys, whe saw an opportanity decades ago to bring commercial lite in the form of a Fisherman's Wharf: style development to an area fast losing, its industrial base. Sound familiar Abnas acquired Ferry No. 5 in 1959. He sunk $140,000 into its overhaul and docked it at the foot of Lonsdale. The former North Vancouver City and District alderman has invested additional millions into the vessel over the past 40 years. But those efforts appear to count for little at city hall. Earlier this year, Almas was given three months to weigh anchor and depart to make way for che new city water- front. The Sept. 30 deadline has since been extended to the end of October, Waterfront lease negotiations berween the city and Almas continue. If they fail, the Seven Seas will be cast adrift. And thar would be a loss for North Vancouver's fast-croding heritage character. Apart from its being a viable business that employs local people, the Seven Seas is Dz. Rosalynd Holdsworth Dr. Sabrina Class are pleased to announce the opening of The Mount Seymour Clinic Family Medicine and Urgent Care Appointments Optional Registered Massage Therapist Available 9am to 9pm 7 days/week 2nd floor Real Canadian Superstore 333 Seymour Boulevard, North Vancouver 904-7712 Jtink with the past that should nat be severed thoishtlessd Fire has destroved enough We need to preserve ele meats of the communmo’s past to enrich its present and future Jj And speaking of valued COMMUNITY resources squan dered: the North Shore has fost a valuable health adiminis- trator, Bob Smith recently depart- ed the North Shore for Hahitas, where he will rake over as the president and CEO of the Queen Elizabeth Uf Health Services Centre. Sounds like an East Coast hospital ship, but, with 1,100 beds and 6,700 employees, it is Nova Scotia's biggese Lospi- tal. Smith of course was the able and well-respected Boss of the North Shore's Lions Gate Hospital until he was ousted at the end of February 1996 ina political power play. Following Smith's ouster the hospital fell inte a down- ward spiral of acrimony and contusion that was only recently halted with the dis- missal of the local regional health board and its boss Inge Schamborzki. He leaves the North Shore with regrets, but Smith will be heading a hospital with a $350 million annual budget shat is one of 16 major teaching hos- pitals across Canada. It’s a good place for Smith and his admirable set of skills. A better place for him would have been Lions Gate, but we blew that one. Sunday, Gctober 25, 1998 — North Shore News - 7 The bran drain cast has taken another good local tal ent. 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