Wednesday. March 10, 1999 — North Shore News - 3

arts centre site not firm

Catherine Barr

Contributing Aviter

WEST Vancouver's proposed arts centre will

remain homelh.ss until council sees the results of the district’s :ecreation facilities master plan.

The plans West Vancouver's latest attempt to gauge pub he opinion on recresnon, arts, parks and cultaral venues,

The municipal plaaners are anempung to determine where to build new feilines.

Workshops began in February and will continue Later this menth.

According te coundi, the tinal report idue out in carly May) wall contain the answers to many ot the questions sur rounding the location of s proposed West Vancouver arts con tre.

Previously, council had announced its intendions te allow the West Vancouver Arts Centre Trust AWVACT > to build the arts centre ona piece of land at Ambleside Park.

Bur the suggestion drew tire from West Vancouver groups and residents.

The most vocal opponents were members of the West Vancouver soccer community. Many were angered at the pos sibility of losing an Gatdoer playing field.

Proposal for facility will be considered in municipal recreation master plan

Located atthe corner of 3th Street and Marine Drive. the site is currently heme toa parking fot, tennis courts, and an dihumnated sand and gravel, all weather saceer field.

Asie at 22nd and Manne Drive, adjacent to the existing Ina recreation centre, 1s alse being considered by the muni ipality asa possible focanion for an arts centre

But on Monday, councillors were quick to emphasize that ho firm decisions have been made texarding either site.

“This council has not vet committed any land to the West Vancouver Ares Centre Trust.” said Coun. Allan Williams to a crowded council chamber audience.

He said that the proposed arts centre must be considered within the contest of the recreation master planning process,

He also reminded: audience members that the WWACTE must satiny stringent conditions, including the ability to tully finance, support and operate the proposed arts centre.

His call for further investigation mto the matter was sup- ported unanimously.

NEWS photo Paul McGrath

Family searches

KOBRA, !eft, and Azim Ebrahimi, joined farsily and friends in a search at Lynn Canyon Park Saturday for their missing son Elmir, 24 (inset). The mentally ctsallenged man liked to walk in the park. He was last seen on Fed. 25.

From page 1

the Cut en the Trans-Canada Highway. The rig rolled numerous times down the hill, crashing into the centre median and cars. The Brennans sued Singh, Marr Contractors and Midtown ‘Truck Services Inc, Marr Contractors owned the runaway truck. Midtown Truck Services maintained the rig's brakes.

Midtown’s Jawyer Als Martin Ross declined comment. Singh's and Marc Contractors’ lawyers Richard Blair Lindsay and Wesley Mussio were unavailable for comment.

ICBC spokesman Dean Pelkey said the

insurance corporation will pay its share of

the settlement as the insurer of Marr Contractors. Mare Contractors were the registered owners of the commercial trac- tor-trailer rig and had enough ICBC liabil- ity insurance to cover $2.3 million in dam- ages. But Pelkey said he didn’t believe 1c BC would cover, Midtown Truck Services’ assessed portion of the settle-

italized for 14 ma

ment. Meanwhile B.C. Supreme Court Mr. Justice R. Bruce Harvey stated that Singh's representative and Marr admitred fault for the accident. Singh’s representative and Marr claimed Midtown Truck Services also contibuted to the accident.” The issue of faut,” or how much of the $2.3 million will be paid tor by Singh, Marr Contractors (ICBC) and Midtown Truck will be the focus of another tial slated for March 22, On Aug. 16, 1995, the Brennans were

in the province for the wedding of one of

their sons, Their car was struck from behind by the speeding tractor-trailer rig.

The Brennans’ car was “catapulted over the centre line concrete barrier and into the path of a northbound vehicle where a sec- ond collision occurred,” wrote Harvey in his judgement released on March 4.

‘The Brennans were taken to Vancouver Hospital. Marcia was in a coma tor three to tour days and had “fluid in the brain.” She stayed in hospital in Vancouver and in Ontario for 14 months. Before the acci-

dent) Marcia had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. She is currently con- fined to a wheel chair.

Ronald was a retired teacher who worked part time marking papers for the Weterloo Regional School District atthe time of the crash. He suffered two: frac: tured vertebrae in his lower back along with neck injuries which were “exacerbat- ed” by the demands in caring for his wite.

The Brennans’ testimony was video taped trom Ontario, said Laxton.

Laxton said a leading world expert in Parkinson's Disease was brought in from Saskatchewan. There was extensive testimo- ny regarding how long Marcia was expect- ed to live, Her estimated life span ranged trom less than 10 years up to 19 years,

“I find Mrs. Brennan's life expectancy te be 15 years from the date of trial,” wrote Harvey. The 20-day trial started on Jan. 25. Harvey ruled that Parkinson's Disease would nor affect Marcia’s life expe ;

Harvey allowed for 20 hours care a day by a registered practical nurse.

Coun Fall Soprovich said he wanted to wan tor advice tram the maniwipality’s legal counsel betore proceeding. espe ently wath the Ambleside site,

He also recened a round of applause trom the couned audience tor his suggestion that the matter be put to a reter endunt

But WVACT chairman Magyie Pappas sani that there would be plenty of opportunity tor the pubic to have a say.

“We wll build what the community wants.” she said. “Tf ithe plany doesn’t wark, then we will abandon the project.”

She alse guaranteed council that all necessary funding will be in place before the trust proceeds with its plans

“We can’t allow issues to magnify out of control,” said Pappas. “This community has to werk together.”

West Vancouver Suceer Club president: Rob Leanex agreed. “Pim not here fora fight,” he said. “Bur the biggest concern that Ehave is with the (statement) that the arts cen tre will be at no cost to the municipality.”

He said that the price of relocating fields must be part of the planning considerations,

“What we have is perfectiy adequate right now.” said Lennox. He asked council to approach the problem responsi- bly and to consider carefully the ramifications of the Ambleside proposal. “Once that park is gone, it’s gone for good,” he said

Luckiest duck belonged to WV woman

Sarah Woodend Contributing Writer

GAIL McCormick swas just finishing dinner at 7:30 p.m. Sunday when she learned she would soon be in the Tahitian Islands.

MeCormick was the grand prize winner of the Rotary Clubs of the North Shore’s 11th annual duck race.

Although she wasn’t able to attend the race, MeCormick celebrated the win with her fiance and a good triend. “It was a wondertul high. [can’t wait, it’s such a beautiful place,” she said.

Her fiance will join her sometime in the nexe vear on a seven-night lusury cruise around the Tahitian Islands.

They will stay in a bateony stateroom. The $15,000 trip is sponsored in part by Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, Infinity Travel and the HSBC Group.

MeCormick has lived in West Vancouver for 10 months. She bought her winning duck at the Capilano Mall.

Qn Sunday afternoon 15,000 brave rubber duckies plunged into the icy waters of the Capilano River for the race,

Spectators were treated to the sounds of the West Vancouver Band and bagpipes while jugglers and the Big Duck mascot entertained beside the river, Approximately 250 race volunteers lined the banks of the river for the 20- minute race.

Rotary Club president: Bob Nowell believes that. approximately $25,000 was raised by the event.

The money will go primarily to North Shore Rescue and a range of charities and non-profit organizations.

Last vear the Rotary Clubs bought the rescue unit a helicopter lift.

The apparatus was used on the day of the duck race to retrieve a snowboarder stranded on Cypress Mountain.

Among the other race winners:

8 Alison Davidson of North Vancouver won second prize,

a $2,500 set of Daiwa golf clubs donated by Daiwa;

@ J. Hodgson of North Vancouver won third prize, a

$2,500) Save-On-Foods shopping spree donated by

Overwaitea Food Group Ltd.;

B Carolyn Taylor of North Vancouver won fourth prize, a

$2,500 trip to Calgary on the Great Canadian Rocky

Mountaineer, donated’ by the Great Canadian Rocky

Mountaineer Co. Ltd.;

@ Robin Loucks of North Vancouver won fifth prize, a

$2,000, three-day stay for four in Disneyland sponsored in

part by B.C. Tree Eruits;

@ Karen Mercaldo of West Vancouver won sixth prize, a

$1,700 Whistler ski trip including a three-night stay at

Club Intrawest with meal vouchers and a 10-day ski pass

sponsored in) part by Intrawest Resort Ownership

Corporation;

& Mike Sorochan of West Vancouver won seventh prize, a

$1,350) custom-made diamond ring from Edgemont

Village Jewellers;

@ Don Anderson cf North Vancouver won eighth prize, a

$500 propane barbecue trom Johnston’s Barbeques and

Fireplaces;

@ M. Browning of North Vancouver won ninth prize, a

$400 Pacifi: Starlight Dinner Train trip for four donated

by B.C. Rail;

Kate Fitzsimmons of North Vancouver won tenth prize, a $370 Grouse Mountain Favourite Night Family Skt Pass

and dinner for wo ar the Hiwus Feasthouse, donated by

Grouse Mountain Ski Resorts Ltd.

The North Shore News was a co-sponsor of the event.