Men expose: women-only

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departs

Lease at issue, mall manager says

A FORMER tenant” of Capilano Mall is levelling accusations of inadequate secu- rity at the mall on behalf of his customers.

By Bruce Methven

Contributing Writer

Roy Baumgartner, mangger of Gold’s Health and Fitness Women Only, claims women using his facil- ities were subjected on numerous occasions to men who exposed themselves inside the parking garage and in front of the window enclosing the fitness centre.

“The whole purpose of the club was to accommodate women who telt uncomfortable around men,” Baumgartner said. ;

“Tronically, it ended up being a target for some men.

“As time went on, one of the biggest issues to women became that of safety,” according to Baumgartner.

He claims that despite repeated calls to mal! secur'ty, there was little or no response fron. the mall's staff.

Baumgartner claims that his business suffered because women became increasingly uncomfortable about the lack of security around the fitness centre.

“Our gross membership dues revenues have been reduced below half of what was once normal,” he said.

Women Only broke its lease and

moved out of the mall over the B.C. Day long weekend. Baumgartner indicated that he is considering suing Capilano Mall for lost rev- cnues as well as moving costs.

But Capilano Mall and ils parent company, Cambridge Shopping Centres, is considering legal action against Gold's for breaching its lease agreemeni.

Mall manager Richard Wood dis- putes Baumgartner’s version of events leading up to Women Oaly’s departure from the mall.

“This tenant has been a problem in this mall since day one,” accord- ing to Wood. .

He called Gold's “a disgruntled tenant who is in arrears and has abandoned their lease.”

Women Only occupied a floor in

the office tower above the retail shopping level and was a tenant at Capilano Mall since 1989, leasing approximately 630 square metres (7,000 so. ft.). The premises were abandoned with about two years remaining on t+ lease. * Women Oni: will reopen in mid- August, incorporated into Gold’s new 1,800 square metre (20.000 sq. ft.) sports clinic and fitness centre just south of Capilano Mall on Third Street.

Baumgartner claims the tit ting of breaking his lease and mov'ng into the new facility does not wo. k in his favor.

“We hadn’t planned on moving

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Wane : NEWS photo Pau! McGrath

AUDIENCE MEMBERS were invited to participate in dancing and drumming to African rhythms recently at Lonsdale Quay Market as part of its African Cays celedrations.

Parkway car collision sends six to hospital; charges considered

SIX PEOPLE were taken to hospital on Sunday afternoon after a dramatic accident on Mount Seymour Parkway ended with one car coming to rest near a tree on a boulevard next to Parkgate Village. ;

By Anna Marie D'Angelo

News Reporter

The North Vancouver accident occurred when a blue Toyota travelling west or Mount Seymour Parkway col- lided with a white 1992 Toyota turning left into Parkgate Village, according to Nortfs Vancouver RCMP Sgt. Dwayne Wetteland.

The blue Toyota was driven by Chris Philpotts, 18, of North Vancouver. The white car was driven by 68-year- old Elizabeth Freeze of North Vancouver.

A third vehicle driven by North Vancouver resident Lucy Leggatt, 18, was also involved in the mishap.

None of the injuries are believed to be life threaten- ing, said Wetteland. .

Freeze sustained a broken leg as a resutt of the acci- dent. She was the sole occupant of her car.

There were three people in Philpotts’ car and two in Leggatt’s vehicle, according to Wetteland.

Damage to the cars is estimated at approximately $16,000.

The boulevard area near Parkgate Village sustained $500 worth of damage.

Rescuers respond on Gambier ——

Bl A Day in Court....

North Vancouver man spent a cold night in forest as volunteers searched

A NORTH Vancouver man. was the object of a massive search by volunteers from var- ious organizations and the Gibsons RCMP when he dis- appeared while hiking on Gambier Island last weekend.

By Kate Zimmerman News Reporter

“We can’t believe how wonder- ful they were,” said John Rogers’ wife, Pat, an asthmatic who could net physically participate in the search for her 53-year-old diabetic husband. “J’m totally impressed.”

The Rogers had ventured to Gambier Island on Saturday in their power boat. John, who was wearing only bathing trunks, a T-shirt and running shoes, set out on a walk from Centre Bay to West Bay at 1 p.m, on a marked trail which he had successfully followed cn another occasion. It should have taken 3.5 hours to complete. When he didn’t return by late afternoon, Pat began to worry.

As the evening progressed, a man in a Sail- boat called the Berjaya brought a dinghy over to Pat's boat. He said he realized John should have been back and he offered to walk the trail, look for him and call her on his cellular telephone if he found the missing man. He called back to say he had not spotted John and told her she should phone the RCMP.

At 7 p.m, Pat made the call. The wheels of rescue instantly began to roll. Help arrived from

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NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

NORTH VANCOUVER’S John Rogers was lucky to sustain just a few scratches after getting lost on Gambier Island.

several quarters within an hour. Pat estimated that a minimum of 40 people searched for her husband, who eventually emerged from the woods on his own on Sunday at 3:30 p.m,

On Saturday night, the Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria dispatched a hovercraft and notified the North Shore Lifeboat Society (NSLS), which sent out a trio of coast zuard aux- iliary members. Lions Bay Search and Rescue sent a land team, and eight members of the Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue team partici- pated. An RCMP helicopter combed the area and a police service dog was brought in from Chilliwack.

Meanwhile, one of the Rogers’ sons, his friend and another family rented a boat from Sewell’s Marina. The company set them up with lights for night use and later declined to charge them any money for the two-day rental.

The search continued to | a.m. and resumed on Sunday at 7 a.m., when a fresh crew of NSLS mem- bers made a shoreline search for Rogers.

Pat said Monday that her three adult children were so impressed by the various volunteer organizations which contributed to the search effort that they are looking into joining similar groups where they live.

When John finally found his way to the water Sunday afternoon, he was at West Bay. about 7 kilo- metres (4.3 mi.) from Centre Bay. A bouter let him telephone Pat to let her know he had been found. When Pat heard her husband's voice, she said, “I didn’t believe (it was) him, ] was in shock.” The man transported John back to the Rogers’ boat.

He explained that be had found his way to West Bay ecusily the day before, but on the way back had ended up following the wrong set ef markers. By the time he realized his mistake. it was too dark to double baek. so he found a shel- tered spot in the woods and slept. The next day, however, the way wasn't much clearer.

John's “borderline” diabetes was probably kept under control by the two apples Pat had

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