6 - Wednesday, November 11, 1987 - Narth Shore News

News Viewpoint

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EYMOUR AREA residents are hopping mad —

and rightly so.

The evercrowding of the area’s schools is a
joke. An elementary school planned to serve the new
Indian River community has not materialized. Sher-
wood Park Elementary School is supporting 60 more

studenis than it is supposed to.

And ramshackle Bur-

tard View Community School was to be replaced five

years ago.

The schools can hardly support existing enrolment

levels,
deteriorate.

and unfortunately,

the situation will likely

The provincial government is to blame for the mess.
Area residents are experiencing first hand the Vander
Zalm government’s appalling attitude towards educa-
tion. The Socreds will bail out football clubs and waste
millions on grand decentralizing schemes, but the
premier and his cronies will not cough up enough
funds to properly educate our children.

Millions of doliars in provincial taxes have been
pumped out of the Seymour area, and much more will
continue to be pumped out, as the area is one of the
fastest growing neighborhoods in the Lower Mainland.
It is time some cash flowed back into the area. Action

must be taken.

Public meetings held by area residents to address the
issue are steps in the right direction. But the North
Vancouver school district and district council must
back residents’demands and lobby for adequate educa-

- tional facilities. It is essential that the community band
together to ensure high educational standards are met

on the North Shore.

to move al

GETTING AROUND when legs
no longer obey the mind can be an

insoluble problem for seniors. But

now there’s new hope. oo

It's called the ‘‘Easy Walker’’
and it’s as different from the
cumbersome frame ‘‘walker’’ as
chalk from cheese. With brake-
able wheels and a basket (which
can double as a rest seat), it
resembles a personal shopping
cart. The user doesn’t even LOOK
infirm but, rather, appears to be

out shopping — and that’s impor-
tant psychologically. Ask 73-
year-old Charles Pope, resident of
West Van Kiwanis Lodge, whose
life it’s changed.

Charles .suffers from Parkin-
son’s disease. Until recently he had
to take a taxi everywhere he need-
ed to go. Today he regularly walks
the three blocks to the Dundarave
stores and can enjoy the Seawalk.
He uses his Easy Walker to get to
his daily workouts at the Rec Cen-

et o-
is pee ss
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NEWS photo Noel Wright

MOBILE ONCE MORE...rejuvenated Parkinson's victim Charles Pope
of West Van calls his Easy Walker ‘‘heady stuff."’

: 1 .

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apADET Nd auahted under Schedule Il,
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SDA DIVISION

HOW TO OPO} WHO IN THE
OFFICE PLAYS THE

ping the infirrn
out again

tre gym and pool, and to, his
gardening. Nor has his enthusiasm
stopped there. Last month he and
a friend purchased 10 “of the
devices and launched the ‘‘Kiwanis
Waikers’ Club” for his Lodge
neighbors. They can either buy one
from him at the current price of
$188 or rent one at $1 per week.

Easy Walker is the brainchild of
Norm Rolston who runs a family
freight business/in Burnaby. He
got the idea during a trip to Nor-
way where somewhat more
primitive wheeled walking aids are
a common sight. After designing
an improved version he eventually
found a Taiwan firm capable of
manufacturing it to specifications
and the first 720 were shipped to
Vancouver this summer. North
Shore sales agent is Vi Wall of
Vital Distributors (926-3793).

“Nothing is so exhilarating as .

the sense of independence
generated by the ability to move
about,’”’ says Charles Pope. ‘‘It’s
heady stuff.’’

He should know!

ee

GOOD HUMOR — laced with
plenty of real humor — was the
keynote of West Van’s annual civic
dinner Saturday hosted by Mayor
Don Lanskail and his merry coun-
cil at Gleneagles Golf Club. One-
liners good enough for Bob Hope
came thick and fast as aldermen,
in turn, honored by name the
dezens of volunteers on the advi-
sory bodies, boards and commit-
tees that work with council. His
Worship even had kind words for
us ink-stained media wretches and
our watchdog role — albeit spiced
with a good-natured little dig. *'l
keep having this nightmare,’’
quipped Mayor Don, ‘‘where I’m

‘walking on the water at the foot of

i4th to check on those noisy
bulldozers when my old friend
Noel passes by. Next thing I see is
the headline LANSKAIL CAN’T
SWIM!” It was that kind of fun

evening.

Entire contents ©
1987 North Shore
Free Press Ltd
All rights reserved.

Noel Wright

® wednesday world @

POSTSCRIPTS: Since our item on
this coming Friday’s ‘‘roast’’ for
Mr. Speaker, West Van MLA
John Reynolds, at the Vancouver
Convention Centre his office has
been inundated with inquiries
about tickets, of which some 800
have already been snapped up. But
there might still just be a chance to
join the fun if you call 926-6616 —
like RIGHT NOW ... Also on the
bigwig rubber-chicken circuit this
week is opposition leader John
Turner, who’s scheduled to ad-
dress tomorrow's annual Liberal
dinner in the Hyatt Regency. His
theme (you guessed!): Prime
Minister Mulroney’s ‘‘wicked free
trade pact’’ with the Yankee horse
dealers ... Awarded the St. John
Lifesaving Medal 10 davs ago in
Ottawa by Governor General
Jeanne Sauve was North Van’s
Donald Scott, whose first aid cer-
tificate paid off last year when he
was instrumental in saving the life

of a car crash victim on the

Lougheed Highway ... ‘‘Pet Lady’’
Doris Orr wants to say a big public
thank-you to the management of
Lynn Valley mall for the empty
store thcy let her use the entire last
week of October. As a result,
homes were found for 39 cats and
a dog — a good prelude, says
Doris, to DONATE’s. upcoming
Christmas rummage sale, Nov. 28
at Highlands United Church ...
And while we’re on that beat,
don’t miss stocking up with Santa
goodies this Sunday, Nov. 15,
from 10 to 4 at St. Thomas
Aquinas Schooi’s Christmas Craft
Fair — offering the works of 75
professional artisans, home bak-
ing, refreshments, raffle, babysit-
ting and more.

eee
WRIGHT OR WRONG: When it’s
hard to make decisions, remember

staying out of sight may not mean ©
Staying out of trouble, : ;

NEWS photo Nell Lucente

“OVER TO ME"’...Major John McKay (r) assumes commaiid of 6 Field
Engineer Squadron from outgoing CO, Major Bill White (1), at Satur-
day’s ceremonial parade. Centre, Brig. Gen. P.B. Kilby, brigade com-

mander.

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