WORTH AND West Van- couver have lost their joint bid to host the 1995 Western Canada Games.

[ By JOHN PIFER Contributing Writer

Recreation Minister Lyall Han- son announced Friday that Mats- qui and Abbotsford would be the site for the event, which will at- tract more than 2,000 athletes, coaches and officials covering 23 sports.

The North Shore bid, which

was a combined effort of North Vancouver City, District and West Vancouver, joined Prince George and Vernon on the list of centres that lost out to the Fraser Valley twin cities.

The three North Shore municipalities agreed to join together in April and make a pitch for the prestigious sporting event, which would have focused wide- spread media attention on the North Shore and attracted mil- lions of dolfars to the area.

The North Shore proposal was a considerably smaller one than the upcoming 1990 Western

Canada Games to be held this August in Winnipeg. This year’s games will include about 35 sports and 3,000 athletes; the event pro- posed for the North Shore would have consisted of 20 sports and 1,500 athletes.

Had the North Shore bid been accepted, an athletes’ village would have been set up at Sutherland and Argyle Secondary Schools in North Vancouver and the events, ranging from track and field to badminton and baseball, would have been staged at vavious North Shore sites, including the Capilano College sportsplex and

NEWS photo Neil Lucente

LIONS GATE Hospital vice-president of human resources Uli Haag (left) and LGH executive vice-presi- dent Eric O’Dell view LGH’s new $136 million master plan. If all goes well the expanded hospital facility should be completed in 10 years, although plans which call for the closing off of St. Andrews Avenue and the demolition of the old activation building may not sit well with some people.

LGH plans would need city support

From page 1 469. pas

In November 1987, LGH’s board of directors hired Poon Gardner Billington Architects and Planners to come up with a master plan for the hospital.

Haag said one of the things the hospital asked the architectural firm to do was to determine the LGH's building need I’ years from now.

LGH_ executive vice-president Eric O'Dell said the hospital must also address changes in building and fire codes.

The old activation building, he said, is not designed to meet the hospital’s future demands.

O'Dell said upgrading the main building would cost 75 per cent of the total cost of building a new facility.

Estimated cost to upgrade the main building is $21 million; estimated cost of building a new nursing tower the same size as the existing building is approximately $25.7 million.

“On the basis of the above comparative costs a new (lower appears worthy of consideration,"* the architect’s report states.

Other master plan recommenda- lions call for increasing hospital parking from 575 ‘to 937 spaces.

The master plan also targets a number of inadequate facilities at the hospital, including inade- quately sized in-patient rooms, an undersized coronary-care unit and patient cubicles and inadequate space in the loading dock, maintenance and nutrition-services areas. .

Smith said he hopes the master plan will go before city council this summer for rezoning approv- al.

3 - Sunday, June 17, 1990 - North Snore News

N. Shore loses Games bid

the proposed Parkgate reeCentre.

The Western Canada Games will be the third in a series of ma- jor sports championships in the province, after the 1993 Canada Summer Games in Kamloops and the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria.

Hanson told a press conference that selecting the B.C. winner for the 1995 event was not easy.

“All of them presented quality bids (but) Abbotsford/Matsqui were able to demonstrate a supe- rior level of organizational ability and an unequalled commitment both by the elected officials and

the citizens 1owaru ine success of their project,’’ said Hanson.

The estimated budget for the games is $4 million for operations and $2.3 million for facilities. The provincial contribution towards the venture will be announced later this year.

Hanson said the sporting event would be a considerable economic boost to Matsqui and Abbotsford.

More than 5,000 volunteers will be needed to organize and to operate the event, which will draw competition from the four western provinces and the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

W. Van faction still opposes golf course plan

ALTHOUGH THE redesigned plans for the proposed Cypress Ridge Golf Course in West Vancouver satisfied some of those concerned about a stand of huge old-growth trees on the 350-acre Hollyburn Mountain site, a resolute few stood firm Monday night in their campaign against the

course.

Following a three-hour public hearing attended by about 200 people and serenaded outside by the Raging Grannies, West Van- couver District Council decided to delay its vote on the rezoning of the municipally-owned site until its June 18 meeting.

Residents at Monday night’s meeting added their opinions on the golf course issue to those ex- pressed in 77 letters and a 556- signature petition in favor of the golf course and in 36 letters against the project.

An amended course design presented Monday night has add- ed an extra two acres along the course’s western boundary to the 20.3 acres already reserved for the preservation of the old-growth stand.

Frank Sojonky, a principal of course developer Cypress Ridge Golf Ltd. (CRGL), said there were only four trees over 150 cm in diameter in the two-acre area, “but (CRGL) has agreed to remove the 22nd hole from it.’

The statement delighted members of the council-appointed Golf Course Advisory Committee, members of the Parks and Recre- ation Commission, and even local environmentalist Paul Hundal.

“I congratulate you on your sensitivity and | think you have responded quickly and well,’* said Glen Patterson, a_ professional forester recently appointed to the committee after speaking out in favor of saving the old-growth stand.

Hundal was grateful for this “compromise solution,’ but em- phasized the need for a buffer zone of forest around the old- growth stand in addition to a legal separation from the golf course.

“‘Mistakes can happen...save it and take it out of the lease,’’ said Hundal.

Local hiker Elaine Fonseca, who has taken many people up to see the old-growth trees, begged council to protect the area by designating it parkland --- some- thing Ald. Mark Sager has an-

Affluence & Influence... .20 Business ...... Comics

Contributing Writer WEST VANCOUVER “DISTRICT COUNCIL’

nounced plans to promote.

Several students attended the meeting, and all spoke against building the golf course in the proposed location.

“I hope you'll save this area for my generation and the next,”’ said Dave Enright.

Katherine Steig said it was ironic that West Vancouver Mayor Don Lanskail would want to open the area to golfing when he is 2 proponent of saving Holiyburn Ridge for the public.

She called for a moratorium on all development in the area, pen- ding a detailed park study, and consideration for adding the site to a provincial or regional park system.

But Parks and Recreation Commission representative Lilian Thiersch advised council that West Vancouver should not take on another park when it is under severe criticism for not doing justice to the parks it has.

But while the uniqueness of the stand of red and yellow cedar trees was touted, so was the golf course proposal.

“} think we would make a great mistake if we did not take these people up on this opportunity,”” said golfer Ken Williams.

But golfer Bob Mallett said he was unhappy with the use of public land for a course and ques- tioned provisions for public ac- cess.

“Nine holes is not a_ golf course. The municipality does not build tennis courts and stop at the net,’ said Mallett.

But CRGL spokesman Steve Hynes explained that the public would have access to all 27 holes: 18 at ali times and 27 holes two days per week.

WEATHER

Sunday, mostly cloudy with a chance of shawers. Monday and Tuesday, mostly sunny. Highs near 20°C.