Home buyers | upset over News story

New owners claim Valley house solid

Judy Smith Contributing Writer

THE new owners of the house at 1664 Birchlynn PI. wonder if they'll be living on easy street or nightmare avenue,

7. : Some of the history of the house,

’ | which was originally bought by John

~ and Angela Plavle back in 1991, was

told in last Sunday’s News.

After cracks appeared in’ their

; home's walls, engineering studies

were ordered by North Vancouver District.

A 1994 S.R.K. Robinson Inc. report stated: “Mr, Playle’s house sits upon unstable backfill placed into an old gravel pit and his property is sus- ceptible to profound movement and vibration.”

So after a long and involved strug- gle between North Vancouver F District, the district’s insurer, che b; Municipal Insurance Association i

$300,000 for the house and ke moved out.

Around the same time wo other houses on the street were bought by MIA and demolished because of simi- lar concerns.

But instead of demolishing the Playic house, MIA took tide to the property, had the district shore up the slope near the house and then con-

From page

-¥ Kirkaldy alleged Munro’s dual

K. roles led to the cancellation of a contract between BC Ferries and _ Duthie Books to supply the vessels with books. The contract was sub- ‘sequently awarded to the News Group, which is owned by Munro’s fellow West Vancouver resident fim Pattison.

But BC Ferries spokesman Eric Kristianson discounted her claims vehemently.

“His (Munro’s) duties as a director of the ferry corporation are quite separate from his duties at the Foresc Alliance,” — said Kristianson. “This (awarding of the contract to the News Group) was a business decision made by the cor- poration that the (ferry) board was not involved in.”

He conceded some B.C. books, inchiding The Great Bear Rainforest, which Kirkaldy referred to by name, have recently been unavailable aboard B.C. Ferries re vessels. Buc Kristianson said that is - the result of a dispute between the E News Group, BC Ferries and the '. Association of Book Publishers of B.C. (ABPBC), which resulted in member publishers refusing to sup-

ly News Group with books.

“We'd actually like to have the

executive — director

ABPBC

60%.

(MIA), and Playic, MIA paid Playle -

book (The Great Bear Rainforest) back on the shelves because it sold well,” said Kristianson.

tracted realtor Alan Waterfall to self it.

So when three voung men, Gavin Roy, Dan Cripps and Andrew Britnell, saw the house listed for $244,000 in a nice area of North Vancouver, they jumped at it. But acting municipal manager David Stuart was very sur- prised that MIA resold the house. He said MIA is a non-profit: insurance association created 10 years ago te service B.C. municipatities and can make decisions as an independent insurer. But, Sruart said, the only work done on the property to his knowledge is the slope stabilization MIA asked the district to do. He doesn’t know of any work done to the area bencath the house to stabilize it.

So he said the district has sent a let- ter to MIA asking it to sign a waiver absolving the district of any responsi- bility for future claims ansing from “furure foundation seitlement.”

The district also wants MIA to ensure any future buyers of the prop- erty be fully briefed on the house’s history.

New owner Britnell knew there had been some problems with the house but hadn’s been shown the engincering studies. He and the other men are angry about the new infor- mation on the property but aren’: sure where to direct it. They are upset with the News over its July 12 story, which they say now might adversely affect the value of their new property.

Ken Olive, executive director of

al;

5 . dents NEWS photo Mike Wakefield

GAVIN Roy, left, Dan Cripps and Andrew Britnell are unhappy with reports stating their new house is unsafe. They say there are only hairline cracks in the house and that it is otherwise jevel and safe.

MIA, said the non-profit association wouldn’t have sold the house if it wasn’t safe.

“I'm not sure why they're (the dis- trict) surprised,” said Olive. “It’s a mystery to me.”

He wouldn’t say whether work had been done to the house itself, just that the district had done the slope work. He said he’s read the letter from the district but hasn’t responded to it.

“L don’t know where Stuart is get- ting his information,” said Olive. “I’m nor an expert in geotechnical matters and I don’t think the acting municipal manager is either.”

Olive added that problems with the house are all a matter of history now.

When asked why the new owners weren't given all the information about the house, he wouldn’t com- ment.

“There could be legal ramitica- tions for the people who are involved in providing information that may or may not be correct.”

Olive said MIA has an engineering study but the association has deemed it confidential. “You'll have to get it from the district.”

Britnell hasn't seen this study and doesn’t know why it’s confidential. Asked if it seemed strange the report is secret, he said, “You'd think so. It does make me wonder a little bit. But Alan (Waterfall) has it.”

Even though he wasn’s told every- thing about the house, Britnell is sure the report says the house is built on solid ground and the house is fine.

For its part, North Vancouver District’s purchasing department doesn’t want the area of the three affected propertics to be used for furure housing because of the subsur- face problems.

| Boycott urged in ferry book battle

NEWS photo Terry Paters

PEOPLE'S Action for Threatened Habitat members (left to right) Hebe Kelly, Erika Kirkaldy and Doug Carter urge passers-by to boycott bookstores aboard the ferries.

Margaret

“As far as I know BC Ferries never pulled that book (The Great Bear Rainforest), it stopped being suppticd,” said Reynolds.

maintain that something is not quite right aboard BC Ferries. “te was pretty well positive. One or ove

Reynolds said the association’s concerns focused on’a clause within the News Group’s new con- tract with BC Ferries. A cultural initiative impte- mented by then-Miniscer Responsible for B.C. Ferries Glen Clark called for 80% of the books aboard the ferrics to be B.C. books. The new News Group contract saw that number shrink to

She added that Harbour Publishers, which published The Great Bear Rainforest, is one of the publishers that has declined to supply the News Group with books.

“We're now very close to having it resolved,” added Reynolds.

Kirkaldy was nevertheless pleased with the outcome of Monday’s protest and continues to

(motorists) were a little hot-headed but mostly positive,” said Kirkaldy. “We believe that there's an appearance of a conflict (of interest) there.”

Kristianson said the protest did not disrupt ferry traffic.

Munro is motorcycling in northern British Columbia and was unavailable for comment to press time Tuesday.

Avalon owner launches lawsuit

Anna Marie D'Angelo

News Reporter dangelo@nsnews.com

AVALON Hotel owner Ken Hutchinson is suing a former employee for allegedly make false and malicious allegations aimed at discrediting his reputation.

Hutchinson was found not guilty ef sexually assaulting the woman at the conclusion of a B.C. Supreme Court trial in 1996.

The woman’s name is banned from publication under a standard, permanent ban issued by judge which shields the identity of sexual assault complainants.

Before the trial, the North Vancouver woman filed a com- plaint against Hutchinson with the B.C. Human Rights Council. She alleged chat Hutchinson sexually harassed her and discriminated against her while she was employed at the Marine Drive hotel from 1987 to 1993. The B.C. Council of Human Rights hear- ing took 17 days trom August 1996 to January 1997. The woman’s complaint was dis- missed at the end of February.

On Monday, a lawsuit was tiled in B.C. Supreme Court on behalf of Hutchinson and the Avalon Hotel.

In the statement of claim, Hutchinson’s lawyer, J. J. MeIncyre alleges that the woman’s actions constituted an ongoing malicious prosecution.

The lawsuit states that in 1993, the woman wanted $50,000 to withdraw — her human rights complaint and

union — grievance — against Hutchinson. That was refused. The lawsuit states

Hutchinson has suffered mental anguish and depression and has been subjected to hatred, ridicule and contempt as a result of the woman's malicious allega- tions,