| passport ads

Concern raised over “lost” documents

Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter dangelo@usnews.com

BECAUSE of concerns over the validity of some iost pass- ports, the North Shore News classified department will no

longer accept lost passport ads.

The newspaper has accepted the ads for mare than six years. Phe number of the ads published in the paper has been as high as four per issuc.

arly this vear, there were only a few lost passport ads in the News, but the number has increased in the past few months,

Ad of the lost pasports originated in Tran.

News classified manager Val Stephenson said she contacted the ROMP 18 months ago about the advertisements. “The newspaper, however, continued to accept the ads. But Stephenson said the decision to refise accepting the ads was made this week becuse News management had continuing concerns about the validity of some of the lost passports.

Speaking from the Iranian: consular office in Ottawa vesterday, Consul spokesman) Mohammad) Nourian told the News that he was not aware of Tranian passports being used illegally. He said chat ifan Tranian national loses his Passport and wants another one, he must tay a police report about de lost pass- port to the consular office in Ottawa.

“If we receive the fax, we can issue the (Iranian) passport,” said Nouran,

Nourian said chat Iranian identification is also needed along with a com: pleted passport application. He said that Tranian passports are valid tor LO years, providing the holder renews the passport after five years.

An Tranian living in Canada, he said, can get a new Tranian passport trom Ouawa for $69 in a Canadian money order.

Ifthe Iranian has come here “illegally,” said Nourian, without a passport, the cost of getting a new Iranian passport through the Ouawa consul office is $129.

Immigration and Passport section RCMP Staff Set. Gien Rockwell. said police keep track of reported lost passports and circulate the information through Interpol.

“The potential of criminals using those ‘lost’ passports is a very big concern of ours,” said Rockwell, adding RCMP in Ortawa are aware cf the problem.

North Vancouver MP ‘Ted White was unavailable for comment fo press time Tuesday. Bur in a previous News story, White said he had received frequent complaint calls regarding lost passport ads.

Saturday blaze destroys Barraclough

From page 1

from an alarm system in the Great Outdoors Equipment store which straddles the downstairs retail corner space and another from the Bean Cate, shorty after 6 a.m. When firefighters arrived light smoke was coming from the tront of the building and heavier smoke from the rear. Smal! tires at both locations were quickly extinguished, said Burgess, but heat coming trom the walls in the structure indicated more trouble spots. Burgess said firefighters ended up “chasing the fire” throughout the building. North and West Vancouver dis- trict firefighters assisted their city counterparts throughout the day.

“The fire ultimately broke out on the roof which then collapsed,” said Burgess. “The city and community lose a beautiful heritage building but a fot of residents also lost a lot of their belongings.”

An original structure on the 2nd Street site burned to the ground in 1920, The current building was built in 1929 and a second tloor was added in 1940.

Throughout Saturday's ordeal, firefighters also concentrated on protecting a transformer located adjacent to the building. The transtormer supplies elee- triitv to much of Lower Lonsdale, including Lonsdale Quay and the ICBC building.

Once the fire started, residents living in the building’s 10 second-storey suites were given little netice to vacate their premises.

“The only reason we woke up was because of the tireraen banging on the doors,” said Sue Nicol, who lived in one of the suites. “We didn’t have time te lo anything. We put on some clothes and left.”

Nicol grabbed her wallet but everything else she owned went up in flames, including three birds that belonged to her roommate.

Nicol said that one of the businesses lost in the fire that will be missed the

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

Bench strength

SHELDON Kennedy takes a breather on the bench during his appearance at Karen Magnussen Arena on Monday night. The former NHLer visited the North Shore as part of his cross- country in-line skate to raise awareness about child abuse.

lock

most will be The Bean Cafe, which was a mecting place for the area's resi- dents.

The cate’s co-owner Lorea Hillstrom said she has received nothing but support front her former clientele and hopes she'll be able to reopen.

“Our customers have been just our biggest help... they just won't fet us not reopen,” said Hillstrom. “The support, the the tlowers, the hugs -— they are our social tite and they are our good friends.”

Hillstrom arrived at the cate on Saturday morning and called 9-1-1} when she smelled smoke. Once the firefighters arrived she was not allowed to re- enter the cate.

“Basically we just huddled together in the rain and just watched it burn out,” said Hillstrom.

Chris Boothroyd, owner of Great Outdoors, likewise lost everything, but his store was fully insured.

“Take away the fire detectors, take away the people in the restaurant (and) 2 lot of people ceald have died.” said Boothroyd of the sccond-storey resi dents, “It isn’t even on the scale of one human fife. [t's not a tragedy -— it’s a shame, it’s sad —- but it's not a tragedy.”

He also had a suggestion for municipal lawmakers and inspectors.

“Ethink out of this they have to go into all those heritage buildings which are basically tinder boxes and put in some sort of a warning system,” said Boothroyd.

‘Two trust funds have been set up for those displaced by the blaze.

They are the Bean Cafe Fund with account number 544 and the Fenant Fire Relief Fund with account number 549, Donations can be made at any Toronto Dominion Bank branch by quoting bath the fund account number and branch number 9400.

NEWS photo Brad Ledwidge/Cindy Goodman, inset

IN spite of the best efforts of firefighters, last Saturday's blaze destroyed North Vancouver's Barraclough Block. Several business- es and tenants of the heritage building were left with nothing once the fire was finally extinguished.

From pave 1

going to share it with the com: munity?”

Parker and) his supporters tilled West Vancouver council chambers on) Monday to hear BC Ferries representatives answer counci)’s questions regarding the proposal.

vAs dong as council is inter: ested in requiring BC Ferries to de anvthing, then that’s got some hope.” he said. “Our pri- mary position in this is to empower councl and the only way we (can do than is by pub- he opinion and public inipres- sion,

So far, council scems to be listening.

“En surprised that a private developer can do (this proposal) without consulting us,” said Coun, Durman upon learning that the corporation will noc be applying to the municipality for any rezoning.

He proposed a motion to require municipal solicitors to Jook into the public-private part- nership Jand matter more closely.

Coun. Bill, Sopravich pro- posed pvo motions. “The first would require the corporation to undertake an overall environ- mental assessment of the area. The second calls for BC Ferries to put on hold all of its plans until an independent, integrated trattic and parking master plan can be prepared for the area. He also wants BC Ferries to pay for the assessments, Couneil agreed.

“The peopl: of Horseshoe Bay come first and the terry cor- poration comes second,” he said.

But said BC. Ferries project manager Wilson, “Well it’s not up to us to comply with (coun- cil), TL think the motions were directed at the provincial gov- ermment to require the ferry corp to submit to an environ- mental assessment,” he said. “The B.C, Assessment Act does not contain provisions for doing, an environmental review on a project like this.”

Wilson also said that, accord- ing to BC. Ferries’ lawyers, everything as described Monday is legal and the project is under way. An environmental study has been done for the terminal maintenance facilicy.

Soprovich also said that council is upset by BC Ferries* lack oof a comprehensive approach. *(The projects) are coming to us piecemeal,” he said. “And that’s what's bother- ing us.”

Councillors: Liz Byrd and Allan Williams agreed.

Byrd scolded the corporation for holding its intormation ses- sion during the summer when many area residents were away.

Said Williams, “BC Ferries (had) made up its mind that its not going to spend any moncy on this development. Therefore its going to get it from the pri- vate sector.

“You only get (money) from the private sector if vou give then something hack and you're giving them the rent (and) 6,000 sq. ft. of commercial space. That's what pays tor this,” he said. “But the (existing) mer- chants of Horseshoe Bay pay.”