New NV photo radar site set Anna Marie D’Angelo News Reporter dangelo@nsnews.com PHOTO radar speeding tickets will be taken from a new angle next month in North Vancouver City. The new spot for pho- rographing speeders is sched- uled to. be located on the West Keith Road hill near St. Thomas Aquinas high school. Staff Sgt. Mike Clark of the Integrated Traffic Camera Unit for the Lower Mainland said last Friday that new photo radar sites are located where crashes that involved speeders have occurred. He said the North Vancouver RCMP requested the new site. a ee ba ee There is presently only oy vane one photo radar location on the North Shore: in the 506- draws fi . 1999 — North Shore News - 3 Heart recipient reiurns Bab Mackin Contributing Writer BABY Jack is coming back. Doctors in’ Loma finda. Calitornia, have given the son af North Vancouver's Brent and Jessica Palmer clearance ta head hame before Easter. Jack was born Ocr. 10, 1998, with a heart defect thar couldn't be repaired locally, He was tlowa with his parents to the world-renowned Loma Linda University Medical Centre near Los Angeles on Nov. 21. Seven days later, his lite was saved with a heart transplant. Before his departure date is confirmed, he must under- £O MOFe tests, “He's seen many doc- tors,” said Jack's father Brent. “LT couldn’t put a number on it.” Jack's new heart came mm from an anonymous donor in re the castern U.S. Brent and NEWS photo Mike Waketie'd LORNE Rettie examines some garbage dumped at Park Roya! South. He'd like to see it cleaned up. A mall management representative said people are illegally Jeaving refuse in a vacant area at the mall. Jessica. wrote a thank-you note to the donor's surviving family members with a photo of Jack ateached. “That was the hardest ler- block of East Keith Road in North Vancouver City. The controversial speeding pro- gram set up by the provincial government started ticketing motorists by mail in 1996, Clark said that West Vancouver Police administra- tion has thus far not “invited” photo radar into the commu- nity. North Vancouver District council has not approved photo radar despite photo radar warning signs posted in the commenity. Clark said the photo radar warning signs are posted by Transportation and Highways staff. The warning signs are posted because photo radar is supposed to be a province: wide program. Katharine Hamer Contributing Writer BEHIND the pristine facade of West Vancouver’s Park Royal Shopping Centre, in the waste- land once allotted for the recently-vetoed big box stores, stands a pyramid of garbage. Lorne Rettie wants to know who's responsible. The North Vancouver resident describes the growing inound of refuse as “a potential vermin breeding ground and source of disease,” and wonders whether it’s a way of Park Royal owner Larco Investments “getting back ar (West Vancouver) council” for the failure of the big box proposal. Rettie plays golf regularly at the dri- ving range adjacent to Park Royal, and says his route from North Vancouver always takes him around the back of the Golfer irked by trash near Park Royal mall shopping centre, with a clear view of the rotting rubbish. “Why is that land sitting idle?” he said, suggesting that it could be cleaned up and developed by a community group fur such uses as the proposed West Vancouver arts centre. However, the native-owned land is part of Park Roval property, and Larco Investracnts says it has no immediate plans to develop it. Larco’s Rick Amantea said he’s aware of the problem, but points out that it’s been going on for the last four to five years — long before the big box saga drew to a close — and said it’s “no big deal.” “We had someone trom Environment Canada go round there with us,” he said. “They haven't gor back to us with a report, so I'm assuming they don’t have anv concerns.” He said there's little that Park Royal management can do to stop members of the public from dumping garbage at the site, which is not serviced by municipal waste disposal workers. “People are bringing debris that they don’t want to pay to dispose of,” he said. “Mattresses, tires, garbage bags — you name it.” “We have our own internal garbage removal system, and whenever we notice it, we go around and pick up (garbage from the site).” “There used to be a trailer there that blocked off the raw Jand,” he said, “bur that was removed three months ago. We’ve put up a wind barrier now to try and hide the unsightliness from the shop- ping centre.” Amantea said he’s had no complaints from the restaurant and feisure facilities backing onto the site. ter we had to write, to articu- late those emotions,” Brent Palmer said. The balmy California weather has allowed Brent and Jessica to take Jack for daily outdoor walks. Jack’s immune system remains frag- ile, so he can’t spend time in areas crowded with people. Brent Palmer said the fam- ily has been showered with gifts and donations from indi- viduals and groups — many they’ve never met before. The Palmers hope Jack’s struggle will inspire people of all ages to sign-up with the provincial organ donors’ reg- istry. Ask vour doctor for information or call the B.C. Transplant Society at 877- 2121. at crossing | News sports Many ‘close cal! From page “Half the problem there is they (motorists) can’t be both- ered (to slow down or stop),” said Diane Scovell, a concerned Cleveland clementary parent. The flashing yellow pedestrian light did not prevent nine- year-old Stephanie Pediow trom being struck by a car while in the intersection on her way to school in the morning. The intersection is near a S-shaped bend on tke hill. North Vancouver RCMP Sgt. Bob Beaudoin, head of the traffic sec- tion, said that some motorists pick up speed on the bend before the crosswalk, Barbara D. Foreman, who has lived in the area since 1941, witnessed the accident. “She (Pediow) did everything right ... the way she should do,” said Foreman, 80. Foreman saw the young girl press the button for the light, wait for it to flash and then start walking into the crosswalk. Foreman said Pediow went into the crosswalk about six feet (1.8 metres) when owo black cars zipped by the youngster, “They didn’t give a damn that she was there in the cross- walk,” said Foreman. She watched the youngster return to the curb. With che lighe still blinking yellow, the girl started back into the cross- walk. The girl was struck by a car turning on to Capilano Road from Eldon, said Foreman. The car had just accelerated in the turn when it struck the ir]. : Foreman estimated the youngster was sent about 15 feet (4.6 metres} down the read. Pedlow was on the ground and not moving. Ie was not until a passenger in the car, a man, went to the girl that she stirred and got up. The driver remained in the car and appeared stunned, said Foreman. Pedlow had scrapes on the side of her face. Incredibly, she went to school. “They let her go. I was surprised to see them drive off,” said Foreman. She said the younger man, who was the passenger before the accident, drove the car away. ; According to the North Vancouver RCMP, Franco Joseph Anglesio, of North Vancouver, was charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian in connection with the incident. The charge was laid under the Motor Vehicle Act. Foreman has been concerned about safety at the intersec- tion for several years. She has scen. many “close calls.” About two years ago, she donated $5,000 to the district to help pay for a full traffic light at the intersection. Foreman said district staff returned her cheque. Scovell said her son was almost struck by a car in the cross- walk last year. The car was subsequendy rear-ended after screeching to a halt. Meanwhile North Vancouver District’s transportation and public works manager Gavin Joyce said that he was meeting with Beaudoin to discuss the intersection and review what hap- pened during the accident. “We are open to look at it. Sgt. Beaudoin obviously has concerns as well ... We'll review and adaress it,” said Joyce. Joyce said that flashing yellow crosswalks such as the one at Capilano and Eldon have excellent safety records. “There is no guarantee or rationale that there would be an enhanced safety record with a full stop,” said Joyce. Joyce said that district staff look at the number of cars cross- ing and the number of pedestrians using a crosswalk when deciding what type of traffic control to put in. He said advance warnings of a pedestrian intersection depends on driving visi- bility. Joyce said district officials have not been asked to study the driving visibility at the intersection. Joyce said a red light at the intersection would cost about $55,000. He said a red light was installed on Capilano Road at the Suspension Bridge. It was paid for by the tourist attraction’s operators. Joyce said hundreds of pedestrians cross that part of Capilano Road at peak use. He noted that many of the pedes- trians were tourists who are not familiar with the area. editor honoured NORTH Shore News’ sports editor Andrew McCredie has been honoured for his work in promoting women in sport. McCredie reevived a Promotion Plus Leadership Award in the media category ac an awards banquet in Vancouver curlier this month. The News’ Athlete of che Week feature was praised by the awards committee, which noted “it increases the profile of girls’ sports to the community and emphasizes the impor- tance of sports for high schaol girls.” Other award winners included: Individual: Chery) Thomas, Aboriginal Sport/Recreation Association; Team/Program: Merritt secondary school physical educa- tion department; Young woman: Jasmine Dowker, Vanier secondary school wrestling team; Organizacion: Osteofit Program at BC Women’s Hospital; Provincial sport organization award: BC Women and Karate. The Promotion Plus Leadership Awards recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of individuals and groups in B.C. who have challenged the traditional limits attributed to girls aud women in physical activity and sport, and in doing so have encouraged them to participate more fully as partic- ipants, competitors and leaders. NEWS sports editor Andrew McC. edie.