1’60s stash uncovered

Robert Galster

News Reporter robert@nsnews.com

IT took Umeeda Switlo six years to realize that her hus- band Gary left behind more than just memories when he died of complications from AIDS in 1992.

Umieeda discovered by accident duriag a re ll whar she now realizes is an invaluable pop culrure time capsue. Filled with rock and roll memorabilia and per- sonal mementos, the collection was packed in several cardboard boxes in the basement of her North Vancouver hom

But they didn’t come to her attention until one of her water pipes burst and caused a small flood. Frantic efforts to salvage as many of her belongings as possible led to the discovery.

A friend helping her move items to higher ground kicked one of the boxes and a Creedence Clearwater Revival poster popped our. A closer look reveaied a variety of items

Paper trail for sale

ALTHOUGH remy such as b- and posters are a big part of the upcoming auction, other items to be sold include band tracts, @ led Zeppelin’s PNE rental contract tor the evening of March 1970, which calls tor “Led Zepplan” to receive 18% of the gross gate with a minimum of $1500; @ Ta) Mahal’s contract to p one show oat the Paradise Resort, Vancouver Pop Festivas on Aug. 22, 1969, for $3,000; B Guess Who's contract to play one 50-minute set oat. the Paradise Resort, Vancouver ival on Aug. 12, 1969, for $4,000; B An undated radio advernsing for $50 for the Bee Gees and $200 for Guess Who. — Robert Galster

spanning a life in the music indus- try.

“Why this collection is unique is because certainly the public wouldn’t own anything like this,” said Umeeda.

She is referring to contracts, signed posters, s and personal correspondence only someone in the music industry would have access to. While she has put aside the items thar are personalized to Gary, she has decided to auction off the rest with part of the proceeds going to the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation.

Gary Switlo started cut as a concert booking agent in the *60s. As the tumultuous decade was coming to a close, Switlo founded Concert x fices, which later became Ticketmaster Canada though Gary had since sold his interest in the company. In the meantime, he rubbed shoulders with the biggest names in music at the time, including The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Doors and The Who.

Umeeda may have discovered the boxes by accident, but she believes it was just like Gary planned it.

NEWS photo Paul McGrath

UMEEDA Switio and 11-year-old daughter Nareena show off some of the rock and roll memorabilia left behind by Gary Switio.

“Ef he didn’t tell me (about the collection), he meant one y for her (daughter Nareena) to find it.” said Umeeda, adding the nwo of them were in tears when they went through the box “This time capsule is not just related to the music

ence, but _ wasn't without its lighter moments.

“<Did they have any signed Spice Girls photograph Uineeda recalled her daughter asking at one point.

Details of the auction have yet to be released, bur Umeeda is leaning toward the ¢ lety.

“Fm not going to give Maynard’s a cent for this one,” she said.

The items will be open for a public viewing in about a month’s time. A location has vet to be determined, but a sneak peak at the items is available at Umeeda’s company web site (wew.nextlevel.cont/espace).

THE Who’s Pete Townsend (top to bottom), Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and The Who's Roger Daltrey are caught in the act during Vancouver performances.

Pub proponent ponders his next move

North Vancouver restaurateur loses licensing appeal

Robert Gaister News Reporter robert@nsnews.com

THE Great Greek’s Lower Lonsdale odyssey may have finally come to an

ick Vavaris, owner of the Great Greek restau- rant, Zor some bad news last w 11 appeal ofa Liquor Control and Licensing decision denying his application for a neighborhood pub was turned down last week. ‘The news was a shock although hardly a surpri we days later, his furure was no more clear.

“ZT don’t know what co do,” said: Vavaris. “1 really want to do something bur T don’t know what.

His choices are at best limited and certainly dif ficult. He could embark on another pub mission and heed the lessons he learned the first tinte around, but he doesn’t think that fine is on his side.

“I's hard. Cm nor a kid anymore. Pm 65 vears old,” said Vavaris. “In another five to cight years [im dopping down. fr's hard.”

His immediate future lies in the hands of his landlord. ona one-year grace period pending the outcome of the Vavaris is awaiting the landlord's next step.

In the meantime, he waits and ponders his oy .

“What do [do now?” asked a dejected Vavaris, “Put a gun to my head and blow my head of? Whac™

Vavaris has been at what appeared to be the end of his rope before. He even went so far as to ask the same question of a hap less North Vancouver City emplovee during a visi to city hall last April. The employee took Vavaris’s desperation at face value and

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property for a restaurant. Astronomical interest rates of the early 1980s forced him to abandon the pro- jeet, almost a broken man.

His work in the city has not gone unnoticed and at least a handfdl of its councillors hoped he would succeed in his pub bid.

Nick has given a lor to the community,” said Coun. Darrell, Mussatto of Vavaris’s wi on Emerald Park.

Vav ventually recovered and rebounded with the current Great Greek restaurant on Esplanade. When it became clear to Vavaris the restaurant was not going to be the success he was hoping for he hatched a plan for a neighborhood pub. He has worked on the proposal since 1990.

In 1994 the 1 residents at Vavaris’s expense, but surveying the opinion of some of the renters li in the area

The survey was subsequently deemed thawed and

”

NEWS photo Mike Wakefield couinci] decided to forego conducting another sur-

contacted the RCMP.

Later, a police officer showed up at Vavaris’s home with a court order and temporarily contiscated his hunting rifles.

Yhat, said Vavaris, is not the kind of city hall cooperation he was looking tor, At every curd during his bid fora neighborhood pub, Ya amplained bitterly thar he was a victim of city hall incompetence tizst and later a conspired effort on behalf ot the area’s ny pub owners to stop him.

Vavaris initially got the ball rolling on a pub proposal tor his restaurant site eight years ago.

H ried out as a restaurateur in North Vancouver Cit early 1970s and had good run until he took on the Emerald Park project that nearly wiped him out, Later renamed Hamersley House, Emerakd Park was a North Vancouver City-owned her itage house in need of work.

Vavaris took it on and sank all his money into refitting the

NICK Vavaris’s bid to secure a neighborhood pub license for the site of his vey. Instead councillors decided to proceed with a Lower Lonsdale restaurant has been dealt another blow.

public hearing to gauye the opinion of the area’s res: idents.

The hearings, hekd ac North Vancouver City municipal hall, received a ma turnout with both sur and opponents making impassioned speeches to air their

In May, 1996 the city approved the Vavaris pub application and sent a resolution to the liquor ficensing branch in Victoria. However, the resolution stopped short of sting that council was of the opinion the majority of the area’s residents supported a pub, Council merely approved the SSary ZONE.

“Tm obviously disappointed he. didn’t yet approval from Victoria,” satd Mussatto who supported Vavaris’s bid. “E thought it was a good location.”

Mussatto said he hopes thar Vavanis does’t give up and tries another bid fora pub in the Lower Lonsdale location. Vavaris has vet to get over the present before he starts looking to the future.

“Twas the golden Greek in the ‘80s when I did the Emerald Park and now Pm the God: damned Greek,” said Vavaris binterly.