6 — Wednesday, June 3, 1992 ~ North Shore News

Gambling on a ‘what if game with our money —

WHEN YOU style yourself ‘‘chief executive officer’? — like O & Y’s Paul Reichmann or West Van schools super- intendent Doug Player — naturally you have to think big, whether it’s $14 billion or $14 million.

Death and diving

has come to be kuown as the “‘killer canyon.”

Implicit in the bombastic label is the no- tion that somehow nature, the canyon itself, is a dangerous entity of mal<vclent intent.

Nature is neutral. With God-given common sense we interact and enjoy it at will and in safety.

The danger at Lynn Canyon Park pres- ents itself to those who choose to become risk-takers.

The B.C. Paraplegic Association notes that injuries are the leading cause of death in children and young people in Canada.

I N RECENT yeers Lynn Canyon Park

Diving is the top sports risk for injuries.

On Saturday, June 6, at 1:30 p.m. a cliff-diving awareness event will be held at the park. The eveni will highlight the risks of cliff diving at Lynn Canyon. It aiso marks the beginning of National Red Cross Water Safety Week.

The past record of water-related death and injury at the park is grim.

Over the fast five years, North Van- couver District Fire Department firefighters responded to 64 canyon rescues involving injury or death.

Summer fun beckons. This year death and injury will not be part of the picture at Lynn Canyon Park. Righi?

LETTER

Just what is ‘politically correct”?

correct’? 1 wish someone would define to me just what being politically cor-

Dear Editor:

I have to congratulate the North Shore News for continuing to publish Doug Collins.

1 agree totally with Doug that discrimination does not have a particular racial or gender owner, father its master is ignorance and cowardice, and I believe every human on the face of this earth is unlucky enough to own these genes.

It is my belief that these nasty characteristics rear their ugly heads when one is being ‘‘threat- ened?’ in any way at all. The other

r Managing Editor . . Associate Editor Advertising Director . Comptroller

Peter Speck

. Timothy Renshaw Noel Wright Linda Stewart Doug Foot

side of discrimination is hypocrisy, which in my opinion is sadly alive and well in North Vancouver.

If anyone wants to test the water just try and make any statement that is not “politically corr

One ‘of the easiest ways to feel the most subtle and nasty forms of discrimination is to question any policy of North Vancouver School District 44, the very folk who are supposed to be teaching our children tolerance! Tolerance for what, apathy, submissiveness, the ultimate in being ‘‘politically

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rect means. Perhaps School District 44 could introduce it in their adult education courses so people like Doug Collins and myself can finally learn!

The North Shore News is pro- viding a very valuable service to the North Shore, as it may be. the last place left where my children can truly learn what freedom of speech is all about.

Sue Cook North Vancouver

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But with Hillside schoo] we’re talking of the public’s money, not Mr. Player’s. And what the public has learned so far about the Moodie Report recommending sale of the Hillside site to raise $14 million for a new, smaller school in Caulfeild leaves numerous loose ends. ©

Moodie conveniently values the Hillside site today — if subdivided into 30 lots — at approximately $14 million, but it would not be sold until AFTER the Caulfeild school has been built in 1994. So there would be at Icast two years of debt-servicing charges. At 7.5% on the estimated $14 million building costs these would come to around $2.2 million, for a total of $16.2 million — if ali goes right.

No problem, says Moodie — the Hillside site will appreciate by 11% a year to about $17 million in 1994. With 30 lots thus selling for some $567,000 apiece, that’s eventually 30 new homes priced not too far short of $1 million. Even for West Van it sounds pret- ty rich.

Virtually every economist now agrees the 1960s-1980s boom years are over for good — their ever-upward patterns no longer any reliable guide to the future. So the ‘‘what if..." questions abound. .

What if Hillside lots appreciate only 5% a year by 1994 -— or even less? What if the new Caulfeild school costs quite a bit more than $14 million (as similar new schools reportedly have)? What if debt costs rise as the dollar falts? Change percentage points even quite conservatively under the various headings and, at the end of the day, who picks up the tab for, say, a $3-4 million shortfall?

If Pau! Reichmann — once reputedly the world’s shrewdest real estate operator — flunked the ‘twhat if...”’ test, how do we grade CEO Player and Moodie Consultants? Remembering Reichmann at least had the decen- cy to gamble with his banks’ dollars, not ours!

MEMORY MAN: Befitting the home of the highest percentage of

RUPERT HARRISON... memory man honored.

Noel Wright

HITHER AND YON

over-65s on the B.C. mainland; the nostalgic theme of West Van's Community Day bash this Satur- day, June 6, is “Memory Lane.”’ So what better day to honor a lifelong resident and one of its best-loved seniors?

Retired municipal clerk and ar- chivist-in-chief Rapert Harrison joined the municipal staff 54 years ago. Over the next four decades - he served 13 reeves and mayors, 44 counci! members and quarter- . backed 2,047 bylaws.

Throw in his roles as J.P., past president of the B.C. Municipal

Officers Assn., Chartered Institute ~ .

of Secretaries fellow, charter president of West Van Rotary, plus amateur theatre and church activities, and meet West Van’s unchallenged ‘‘memory man.”

So on Saturday, Rupert is hon- . orary marshal of the giant parade at 10:45 a.m. from Ambieside Park to the rec centre for six hours of wall-to-wall fun — sports, games, dancing and music of every kind ... lunches and beer garden ... swimfest, dunk tank, kids’ activities galore ... and

scores of great new 1992 memories con

for Rupert to add to his already bulging archives. -

WRAP-UP: Artistes from one of B.C.’s top choirs —- Capilano Coltege Singers — at the 8 p.m. recital in St. Andrews United — Church Friday, June 5, are Bette Cosar (soprano), Lars Kaario

’ (tenor) and Gaye Alcock (piano). © :

Proceeds will help the choir com- pete in a major international choral festival this summer ... In- terested in a music camp for adults and families July 19-26? - Call Jack Downs, 980-5341, about Shawnigan Lake Music Holiday

.. If you call B.C. “The Country That I Love,’ be sure to see artist Rath Quayle Grant’s exhibition of that name at West Van Ferry Building — on until Sunday, June

. And happy birthday today,

june 3, to West Van's Margaret Dalton.

WRIGHT OR WRONG: Surveys show those who rock the boat often make the best managers — unless what they’re managing is a boat.