3 - Wednesday, December 6, 1989 - North Shore News NEWS photo Neil Lucente ' A NORTH Vancouver firefighter applies absorbent in the aftermath of a head-on collision Friday morning near the intersection of East Keith Road and Shavington Street. According to a North Vancouver RCMP investigator, a car travelling east on Keith passed a dump truck, lost control, crossed the centre line and struck an oncoming car. The driver of the crumpled Honda was sent to hospital. Investigation of the accident continues. “THE MURDER of cur precious daughte" Leny has turned our lives upside down. I have no interest in anything anymore. My husband’s mental health has zone down so much that he doesn’t remember things I teli him an hour before. “Casey had open heart surgery in 1985 after two heart attacks. This last year, his breathing has been very difficult because of the pain of our loss. | am so scared that I may lose him, too. My emo- tional and physical health have been greatly affected. I go around feeling like 1 will explode all the time’? —- March 1989 Victim Im- pact Statement of Klazina Van Rikxoort. The above statement was con- sidered earlier this year in B.C. Supreme Court at the trial of two Mission teenagers who, in January 1988, used axes to hack to death four of their own family members. Murdered were Leny Madsen, 30, Jason Madsen, 11, Michelle Madsen, 9, and Karsten Madsen, 38. At the trial, the court was told that a drdnken Tyrone Borglund, the Madsens’ foster child, attacked Karsten Madsen as he slept and then killed Leny before murdering the two children. Eric Peever ad- mitted to striking Leny with a hatchet before fleeing the bloody scene. Peever and Borglund were con- victed of first-degree murder and received life sentences, with no parole for at least 25 years. But the Van Rikxoorts, who live in North Vancouver, received life sentences of their own. The loss of their daughter Leny, grandchildren Jason and Michelle, and son-in- law Karsten, has torn a hole in By MICHAEL BECKER News Reporter their lives too big to close. Said Klazina) Van Rikxoort: “It’s bad especially around Christmas. Our (wedding) anniver- sary is on the 20th of December. Leny was born on our thirteenth wedding anniversary, so it’s dou- ble. My Sundays are iny hardest days. They drive me nuts. At home there is nothing to do for me anymore after raising 10 kids. I have to work, otherwise | would go nuts thinking about what hap- pened. I want to work as long is ! can. It helps me. i have terrible days where I'm so bitter.”" During the trial, the couple received active support from members of the North Shore-based Citizens United For Safety And Justice (CUSJ), a judicial reform advocacy group. The Van Rikx- oorts have since joined the group. Said Van Rikxoort: ‘‘They were such a help to us, that’s why we are members too. They give us support and do the things we can’t do alone.”’ A CUSJ member was in court daily for five wecks to lend sup- port to the North Vancouver cou- ple during the March trial. Said CUSJ coordinator Noreen Provost: ‘‘When people become victims of crime, they’re often again victimized by the system. It is improving — certainly with the Victin’ Assistance Program, and Water centre to he THE GREATER Vancouver Regional District board of directors has voted to proceed with the construction of a new multi-million dollar operations centre that will result in the move of the GVRD water-control centre from North Vancouver to Burnaby. The board met last week to re- consider the project after tendered . costs to build the new centre were approximately $2.3 million over origina! estimates. According to original estimates, the centre would have cost $7.5 million. The project will now cost approximately $9 million. It will amalgamate GVRD operations into one central loca- tion that will incorporate up-to- date technologies and be built to earthquake standards. The Lower Mainland water con- trol system, which has been in the Business .............. 50 Classified Ads..........60 Comies................56 Dr. Ruth...............54 Editorial Page...........6 Bob Hunter............ 4 Lifestyles...... Mailbox ............. North Shore Now.. Sports .........-20006- 17 TV Listings............40 What's Going On........59 WEATHER Wednesday, cloudy. Thursday, periods of rain. High near 9°C. | Secoad Class Registration Number 3885 | FAMILY OF MURDER VICTIMS CAN'T ESCAPE PAIN OF MISSED LOVED ONES NEWS photo Mike Wakatietd KLAZINA VAN Rikxoort (left) and Citizens United For Safety And Justice coordinator Noreen Provost discuss the tragedy that brought the two women together. Van Rikxoort and husband Casey recently joined the judicia! reform advocacy group. The coupte lost a daughter, two grandchildren and a son-in-law when the Mis- sion farsly was axe-murdered by two teens in 1988. that is a wonderful service. “But we try to explain to the victims what the laws are. We ex- plain to them what they can ex- pect. If they run into problems where they’re not getting answers from a specific department, an organization such as ours can have a fair deal of influence,”’ she said. While Van Rikxoort feels ap- propriate sentence was passed in the murder case, she feels a life sentence should mean lifetime im- prisonment. ‘‘t like that they got life, but it should be life — not out after 15 years. | think they shouldn't be out at all. The foster kid is dangerous. He's a psychopath. So he’ll do it again,” she said. Anyone convicted of murder, who must serve more than 15 years moved off N. Shore GVRD Beach Yard in North Van- couvers for the past 20 years, will be computerized and incorporated in the new centre. GVRD_ spokesman Bud Elsie said the new system could be in operation within two years. He said the Beach Yard, which is located at the foot of Riverside Drive just east of Seymour River, will remain open. Portions of it, he said, might be used by the adjacent GVRD for- estry operation. in aauition to compulerizing the GVRD’'s water control centre, its relocation to the new Burnaby location will move it away from North Vancouver chemical plants and other waterfront industries. GVRD engineers have expressed safety concerns over having the heart of Lower Mainland fresh water control located so close to those industries, especially in’ the event of a major natural catastro- phe such as an earthquake. before full parole eligibility, can apply after 15 years for judicial review to advance parole dates. “They can be released,’ Provost said. ‘‘There have only been two heard so far. One was released and one was not. It’s been about 15 years since this was first brought in so we're going to be seeing more and more of this kind of judicial review.’’ GVRD_ spokesman Bud Elsie ...Beach Yard to remain open.