6 - North Shore News — Wednesday. September 27, 2000 Snnenranart naeaaerguansesdenmggasiessimenerrrrarsassmemaeast li @ ORTH Vancouver District council’s decision to initiate a management audit of the municipality’s parks and engineering department sounds like the right thing to do. After all, the recent investigation into the actions of five department - employees involving what has politely been termed “theft of time” indicates that something is seriously amiss at the heart .of parks and engineering staff motivation and discipline. ‘Especially when you consider that the investigation took place only after repeated ‘complaints from the public and’ other sources about flagrant examples of malingering on the job. . ..* But-audits can be as cumbersome “| as they are expensive. “i And there’s no guarantee that the audit approved .by council will VIEW POINT. tions address the core issues at hand in the district. Before embarking on an external audit, council could pursue a far more direct route to get to the bottom of the parks and engineering personnel issue. As suggested by Coun. Ernie Crist, that route involves requiring the municipal manager to provide a reckoning of the department's opera- tion — a report with answers to such basic questions as: why is there no control over district staff in the dis- trict’s works yard and what steps will be taken to ensure “theft of time” doesn’t reoccur. If council determines the report’s answers to be inadequate, then a full audit could be the next step. Council’s current approach guar- antees a report long on cost and com- plexity and short on solutions. mailbox Aves Valley has no _kid’s welcome wagon ms Dear ‘Editor: /te. Coming from Ontatio, I T have lived in Lynn Valley for five years now, and appalled atthe amount of bull that the ood residents have to put up with. = Tust what in the world do you expect, kids to be doing in . their spare time? No: street -hockey,. take away the basketball hoop — what's next? Oh I know, now let’s get after them fort getting into trouble because they" re bored and there isn‘t anything Ise to'de but make for some new excitement. We came here because the violence in Toronto was hor- for kids: We. wanted then to have a chance ata better way-of living, ». We left our homes, our jobs and our friends for our chil- dren and‘ I. must say if I was financially able, I'd go back. nn Valley has to contain the most stuck up, hypocritical inch of people I have ever met. ‘am ashamed of some of the people that reside around You can be sure that the person/people who are respon- t: the’ complaint that: brought down’ the: hoop are one other than’ empty nesters, whose kids already had the joyment of it and have now moved on: 7 Perhaps. we. are living in the wrong neighbourhood, and: f so please tell us where to move where families (and pets) are. welcome, and it is great to see loads of kids running in” thie front yards having fun like-we used to. as children, and ; . echele1967@aol.com North Vancowver.. : BO vou HAVE A STORY DEA? Business Hours: Sharon Cacomile *: : « ANOTHER POSSIBLE (METHOD OF STORING FAST CAT FORRIES: storie? Sree UeabIh Kick-start NV City deve GET on with it. Hotline radio host Peter Warren's sig- nature vocal prod to talk show windbags should be adopted by North Vancouver City as its new motte: Get on with it, coun- cil; get on with redevel- oping Lower Lonsdale and the North Vancou — industrial waterfroni. Get on with launching, some rockets - across the harbour to the Vancouver Port Corp. (VPC) offices to inspire some action from that inert body on upgrading its north side port properties. Tradition dictates that major develop- " ment south of Third Street progresses at a geological pace. But pre-election commit- “ments promised to retire that tradition. Insert new city motto here. Consider, for example, the waterfront ghost town that, aside from the still buoy- ant Vancouver. Drydock operation, now - stretches from Lonsdale all the way east to the Pioneer grain terminal. Not very dynamic, I’m afraid. Especially wi shen you consider. that the Versatile ship- yards site — that 12.2 acres of prime waterfront redevelopment potential — has - been vacant for close t0.10 years. But hope for something to get on with | -is on the horizon. The property, which has : been locked in a staring match between | ~ receiver PricewaterhouseCoopers and the -VPC, could soon be available for more than ‘film backdrops and graffiti canvas, The receiver is hopeful that retaining > hurdles to initiating development plans on the site will be cleared within the Hext month, Those hurdles have included agree- ments over the environmental cleanup of the site, land swaps with the VPC anda late-breaking BC Rail complication. The Crown-owned rail- way's PGE predecessor originally had claims to : four parcels of railway right-of-way immediately east of Lonsdaie. Whether those claims have been extinguished iaiotiiy nshaw ripping yarns Versatile is key to a host of other city projects. Marine City, for example. The major waterfront attraction that would incorporate the North Vancouver Museum and Archives and the DEEP Foundation’s homage to B.C.’s deep-sea diving industry seeks to secure the shipyard’s old 38,000- ft. machine shop. And the highly regarded but sparsely’ patronized Presentation House. Gallery .., _ Needs a proper facility for its exhibitions. has yet to be determined. : April, requires that the build be from the site. Further to the east of “that moi oes to NDP mega-project ineptitude is used to be the Cassiar Asbestos dock: tt been closed for most of the past dec: _ The 64-acré Vancouver Port Corp. _ property is currently being used to “weeds and provide'a landing strip for:; Canada geese and other marine There are no current plans for its use . Meanwhile on the west side of Lonedat sits what is romantically known’as ; Lower Lonsdale residents will] by betier as the former Hollyburn property. It’s bounded rough Chesterfield Avenue, Esplanade, Street and Rogers Plaza It's been pretty much.a gravel. parking: lot since Hollyburn Lumber m the location in the late. 1980s Word has it that 2 $55, milli cial /residential development ‘Site 5. If so, can we get on'¥i that opportunity takes roo Right now it’s cramined in the ventilation: i” challenged upper floor of Presentation House. The gallery is seeking a new. 10,000-sq.-ft. home in Versatile’s old Coppersmith shop, which fronts‘on” 2... Lonsdale Avenue and would provide the gallery with the exposure it deserves. - . Another recent addition to the water: front ghost town is the Cazamaran Ferries International (CFI) site. It’s been vacant . _ Since the end of August. The seven-acre:- - property includes the 55,000- ing used to assemble the ‘three fast ferries. Great waterfront view. Building like new. No takers yet, however. Minor complication: the land is leased’ . from the port; but the building belongs.to ” CFI, and the lease, which runs olit next™ "LETTERS TO THE EDITOR must include you : wate development of Low So asa priority during the election. That priori reeds attention: "No one expects, 7 Lonsdale properties to * same time. But éxpectations “"at least One will be'd .-ft. build-.~ “sometime. “name, full address and telephone | number. Submit sla e-mail to: mbecker@nsnews.com . nies ‘Attar Hours Hews Tl 985-2131 (press 3): Terry Peters... § Tirathy Renshaw Editorial Manager : Executive Editor 885-2131 (160) 985-2131 (756) pelerseensnews.com drenshavegnsnews com raph 111 af the Excise Tax Act is published ednesday, Friday and Sunday. by HN blcations Company and Gistributes to every door on the North’ Share.~ ‘Canada Fost ; Canadian Publications Mail Sates Product Agreement No. 0087238. Maiting rates available on