A pilot program to introduce pay parking in three West Vancouver parks has netted over $184,000 in just the first four months of operation. And district council has indicated it’s keen to expand the lucrative plan to as many as five more parks.
But the new parking program isn’t without its critics
Several park users have complained that cell coverage needed to use the virtual-only pay parking options is weak to non-existent in some parks, making for a frustrating experience.
Other people say the lack of physical parking meters is a deterrent to older people who may not be as adept with cell phones and apps.
Several groups have also requested that they be given the same $20 annual permit option as West Vancouver residents – something council will likely consider in the fall.
In the meantime, several park users say it would be helpful if they could use the pay parking system more easily.
Elliott Best said his choice of Lighthouse Park as a spot to propose to his girlfriend (now fiancée) almost got derailed recently when he couldn’t get a strong enough signal to use the parking app.
Sinkingship
Rescue volunteers save 18 people and a yacht from going down
COMMUNITY14
Touchgrass
Community invited to contribute to ‘Grassqawtch’ public art project
SPORTS19
Nationalchamps
Mount Seymour Little League juniors earn trip to World Series
Jackie Patton attempts to use the pay-by-phone system that stymied her mother at West Vancouver’s Whytecliff Park The pay parking system in select West Vancouver parks has racked up funds for the district while also causing frustration for some users who say they can’t use the virtual-only pay system. PAUL MCGRATH / NSN
Mystery spills plague North Vancouver’s Wagg Creek
JANE SEYD jseyd@nsnews com
The North Shore streamkeepers say there’s still a long way to go to protect local creeks from spills.
In an effort to nail down what is entering local creeks, the group is embarking on a new storm water quality monitoring program, which will involve gathering samples from stormwater pipes.
Coincidentally, the pilot project is being launched after two recent spills were observed at the same Wagg Creek storm drain outfall in North Vancouver
In the first instance, July 26, local dog walkers spotted a white milky substance draining into Wagg Creek from a storm drain and flowing downstream for several hours.
James Smith said he was walking his dog near the creek in the vicinity of the Fell Street Armoury when he was approached by another dog walker warning him not to let his dog go into the water
Smith said he could see something grey or whitish coloured draining from the uphill outfall pipe.
“It was the only colour of water that was coming through that pipe,” he said.
Smith speculated the substance could have been paint mixed with water or concrete, but added at the time, the area had not had any rain “so it wouldn’t have been storm drain runoff.”
Smith said he took photos of the stream and posted them on social media but didn’t call anyone to make a report But by the time city officials were alerted and went to investigate, the spill had already washed through the creek.
That’s unfortunate because “it’s difficult to identify once it’s washed out of the immediate area,” said Carolynne Robertson, vice-president of the North Shore Streamkeepers.
Robertson said officials count on the public to let them know when anything’s amiss and, “It would be really great if there was some signage that told folks where to call” so pollution could be nabbed at the source.
The catchment feeding into that drain is a large one, she added, going all the way over to Moody Avenue along 15th Street and up to 20th Street on the north. “I’ve had people comment to me it often has a strong greywater or chemically smell,” she said.
“There’s been soap washing out of there in the past.”
A spill of concrete wash would be especially concerning because it’s highly toxic and has led to fish kills in other North Shore creeks, she said.
“If it was a high enough concentration, it would kill whatever fish are in there.”
Not all spills are deliberate, Robertson added. If the spill went on for several hours, it was likely caused by some kind of “extended rinsing” activity, she said – like pressure washing of concrete, for instance.
One week later, Robertson was at the same outfall when she saw what appeared to be a significant sediment spill coming from the same outfall pipe.
“The water was completely brown. You could not see a couple of inches down.”
Robertson said she reported the spill to the city, which sent a crew out to investigate. But Robertson said sediment spills are an all-too-common occurrence in the area, particularly with increased construction.
While there are erosion and sediment control bylaws in place, it is all too easy for sediment management systems to fail if they are not being monitored and checked, she said
In an effort to nail down what is entering local creeks, North Shore Streamkeepers is embarking on a storm water quality monitoring program, which will involve gathering samples from stormwater pipes during times when significant rainfall happens following a period of drought.
Although both of the recent spills happened during dry weather conditions, research shows the concentration of pollutants that gets washed into local streams is higher during those “first flush” conditions
“It’s been known for a long time that heavy metals and all sorts of vehicle dust also accumulates on the road” then gets washed into local streams, she said. That includes the chemical 6PPD-Q, the tire toxin that is deadly to coho in tiny concentrations, as well as more common roadway pollution, which all “gets washed as a deadly soup into creeks when it rains,” she said
The stewardship group is working with environmental consultants to prioritize the outfalls for sampling, said Robertson, based on size and location of the catchment area.
“Urban runoff is one of the major threats
Rents set for new Neighbourhood House affordable housing
BRENT RICHTER
brichter@nsnews.com
City of North Vancouver council is crossing its t’s and dotting its i’s for 179 below-market and affordable rental homes and withdrawing the cash needed to rebuild North Shore Neighbourhood house.
Council voted unanimously July 22 to sign a housing agreement with Catalyst Community
Housing, the non-profit that will lead construction of the new 30,000-square-foot Neighbourhood House, along with the below-market rentals in a 15-storey mass timber tower on top.
Under the rules, Catalyst must keep all of the units as rentals for the entire tenure of their 60-year lease, all of which must be at least 10 per cent below market rents.
At least 30 per cent of the units will be designated as affordable,
which Catalyst has proposed be as $1,118 per month for a studio, $1,318 for a one-bedroom, $1,729 for a two-bedroom and $2,150 for a three bedroom.
Current City of North Vancouver residents or people who work in the city will have the first opportunity to rent in the building.
Catalyst will be responsible for means and eligibility testing for tenants annually
And the city has directed that any operating surpluses Catalyst brings in be put toward reserves to keep the building running smoothly and in good physical condition. Anything leftover beyond that should go to further reducing rents, the agreement states.
Council’s discussion at their July 22 meeting was kept largely to procedural questions, but Mayor Linda Buchanan did comment on
the estimated rents and number of two- and three-bedroom homes available within the building.
“If they can hold it at that, it will be great,” she said “It’s going to be a nice mix of tenures in that building.”
During the same meeting, council agreed to appropriate $35 million from its budget for the project to fund construction of the North Shore Neighbourhood
North Shore Streamkeepers vice-president Carolynne Robertson takes samples from Wagg Creek following the second spill into the waterway in a week. PAUL MCGRATH / NSN
TransLink to develop contested busdepot site in North Van
NICK LABA nlaba@nsnews.com
North Vancouver residents sick of seeing adefunct bus depot sitmostly empty for years will be pleased to learnofnew plans to redevelop the site.
TransLink saysitisexploring development options at 502-535 ThirdSt. East, former home of the North Vancouver Transit Centre.
The regional transit authority saidit has startedengaging with residents inthe area, and has handed out notices explaining plans to transform the site.
“This is partofTransLink’s real estate development program, which will generatelong-term revenues for transitservices through mixed-use real estatedevelopments,”TransLink told the North Shore Newsbyemail.
“It’searly days in terms of planning –the project is in the preliminarydesign phase. As such, timelines and project details have not been finalized,” the authoritysaid.
No formal application has yet been submitted to the City of NorthVancouver Whatever is suggestedtobebuiltat thesite is suretodraw the attention of the neighbouring community.
When plans to close the bus depot
emerged more than adecadeago,city council pushedbackagainst the move, arguingthatlosing the local depotcould pose arisktoriders if the nearby bridges shut down.
But TransLink decommissioned the site in August2016, moving the buses to the Burnaby Transit CentreonKitchener Street nearBoundaryRoad.
Atthe time, TransLinkestimated that building anew facility would cost an unfeasiblesum of $100 million, and consolidating it withthe Burnaby depot would save $20 million over 10 years.
In theevent of catastrophe, West Vancouver’sBlue Buses, which operate outofa facility offLloyd Avenue in North Van, could provide service,the transit authoritysaidatthe time.
The former depot drew morecontroversyin2022, when the community learned that the lotwould host apop-up location for UrbanRoots Garden Market. Localbusinesses said the low-commitment natureofthe pop-upgaveUrban Roots an unfair advantage, andthatlonger-term operators provide morevalue.
OnJuly29ofthisyear, Vancouver city councilapproveda mixed-usehighrise projectatBroadwayand Arbutus, TransLink’sfirst real estate development to get agreen light.
THIRD STREET
The siteofaformer bus depot has sat mostly empty sincethe North Vancouver Transit Centreclosed in August2016 PAUL MCGRATH/ NORTHSHORENEWS
LEAKY VESSEL
Volunteer rescue unit saves 18 people from sinking yacht
BRENT RICHTER brichter@nsnews.com
Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue volunteers saved more than a dozen people after their yacht began taking on water off West Vancouver July 27.
The Horseshoe Baybased unit was just preparing to head out to provide extra coverage for the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks show when they were alerted to the 48-foot Sea Ray with 18 people aboard, in distress near Passage Island.
The incident triggered an all-hands-on-deck response from numerous Coast Guard units and the Vancouver Police Department marine unit, but the RCMSAR folks were the first on scene, said Jason King, unit chief.
A language barrier between the volunteers and the subjects, who were clearly in a panic, made for something of a chaotic scene on the water, King said.
“It becomes a mad scramble at that point,” he said. “People were almost barging through each other to get off.”
Eventually, the RCMSAR crew got all of the subjects into PFDs and safely aboard the rescue vessels. An RCMSAR volunteer found the source of the leak and was able to stop it before the boat sank. The cause was a mechanical malfunction, King said. With the help of the fellow rescue agencies, they were able to tow the vessel to a Fisherman’s Cove boatlift and get it out of the water.
“It’s significant for sure,” King said. “Being able to get them before the vessel
went down and being able to stop the vessel itself from sinking is tremendous.”
King said he was proud of how the volunteer crew, including some veteran members, handled the scene. And the boaters were lucky to have crews so close by, he added.
“Consequences could have been serious loss of life. 18 people – [including] children – and not enough PFDs,” he said. “Any one of these calls can just be one or two steps away from being a disaster.”
The boating community should take numerous lessons from the incident, King said, including not overloading their vessel with passengers, making sure there are enough PFDs on board for everyone, keeping signal flares or smoke handy, and the importance of maintenance.
“It’s not a matter of if it’ll let you down. It will let you down eventually if you don’t take care of your assets. Proper maintenance is key,” he said.
Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue Volunteers get 18 passengers to safety after stopping a yacht from sinking off West Vancouver on July 27 RCMSAR 01
TROPHYLIFE
SamReinhartbringsStanley Cup home
NICK LABA nlaba@nsnews.com
On Sunday,July 28, the Stanley Cup took atrip to West Vancouver.
Sam Reinhart–who secured the trophy for his FloridaPantherswith the game-winning goal against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7ofthe NHL playoffsonJune 24 –held Lord Stanley high as he walked onto asmall stage at Hollyburn CountryClub, wherehis hockeyjourney began.
For Sam, bringing the Cup home was adream cometrue, and nice closurefor his season, said hisdad, formerVancouver CanuckPaulReinhart.
Sam’s Stanley Cup wincapped offanincredibleseason with57goals, second-best in the NHL. He alsojust signed a newcontractwith Florida for$69 million overeight years.
Havingthe Cup at the West Vanclub, whereSam played minorhockey forthe Hollyburn Huskies, wasalsoaspecial momentfor the youngskaters who currently play there.
“It’salittlebit of an incentive,” Paul said. “Dream bigand younever know–itmight come true.”
Next, the cup got aride to Capilano Golf andCountry
Club, where the Reinharts have played many rounds together.Playing the17th and 18th holes, Sam used LordStanley’smug as aball marker on the greens, while the rest of the group used miniatureversions of the cup
Thetrophyended its day at the Reinharthome. As for its role there, everyone got their fairshareofdrink from the cup,Paul said. Thetrophyalsoservedas adish for thefamily’sgo-to “Reinhart pasta,” which is made with chicken and black beans.
“Therecipe thatmywife [Theresa] hascreated over the yearsthat allofthe boys consumeregularly and for pregamemeals,”Paul said.
As friendscamebythe house to shareinthe excitement, LordStanley cametorest by Sam as hereclined on alawn chair.
Overall, having the Cup in town was agreat day for everyone involved, Paul said.
“Whenyou seethegenuine excitement and enthusiasm of being around the Cup,you understand the importance of hockey in Canada,” he said.
Imagine waking up eachmorning withthe freedom to design yourperfect day. HereatChartwell,this lifestyle becomes yourreality. Savour delicious, chef-preparedmeals daily, exploreanew hobby or rekindle an old one, and experiencepeace of mind, knowing that housekeeping, transportation services, and personalized support optionsare always available.
NHL playoffchampion Sam Reinhart brings the StanleyCup tohis home course, Capilano Golfand CountryClub
@FLAPANTHERS/ X
Spilling over
Not often do we go morethana few months without bringing you astoryabout chemicals spilling into one of our local creeks, killing the fishand spoiling their habitat. It’sbeyond maddening
And thoseare just the ones that we hear about. Unfortunately,the natureof spills in creeks is theyare fleeting. As long as thewater is flowing, the evidence will be washed away
If you see apollutant in astream, call your municipality immediately to report it. Ourcouncils should arrangefor signs to be posted at our sadlyfrequent hotspotsfor spills.
Toooften, these spills are traced back to work beingdonearound the house, like painting, concrete and power washing. Anytime we –orsomeone we’ve hired –is doing work with chemicals, we must take
the utmost responsibility to ensurethat not asingle dropends up in the stormwater system,which leads directly to fish bearing waters.
OurStreamkeepers groups and the Seymour Salmonid Society do huge amounts of heavy lifting, literally and figuratively,torestoreand maintain local fishhabitat and give our fishtheir verybest shot at survival. But all of those benefits can beundone quickly if someone negligently dumps toxins into the gills of fish.
Don’t be afraid to keep an eye on your neighbours and their property works as well.
With awarming climate, ocean acidification, creek beds drying up, pollution and parasites, theWest Coast’saquatic species arebeset on all sides.
And theyneed everyally on dryland that they can get
Instant heroesand somevillainyfor Canada’s Olympic run
ANDY PREST
aprest@nsnews.com
We’rewell into the secondweek of the 2024 Olympic SummerGames in Paris, and so far it’sbeen …trèsbien! It’sabit of apivotal momentinthe Olympicmovement, as recent host countries havebeen leftwith crippling debt, so much so that therearen’t many cities left willing to putinabid to host the Games. Paris faced little competition from other cities in securing the 2024 Games, and they vowed to dothings alittle cheaper this timearound. Of course, cheaperisrelative here– we’re talking cheaper as in buying aprivate jetbut not springing for thetinted windows –but at leastthey aretrying. So let’slook at how these cheap Games have gone.
Parisitself hashad astarring role in these Games, and it has provided astunning backdrop. Who needsanexpensivenew stadium when you can float your opening ceremonies down the Seineand turnthe Eiffel Tower into a giant laser?And Céline Dion! Oh my heart. ThoseOpening Ceremonies wereso satisfying, and not just becausethey got the“always angry” crowdeven angrier with somefolks in drag and other slightlyrisqué scenes.
Watching thegorgeous landmarksofParis fly by haselevated events like triathlon and cyclingtonew levels (justwatch out for the brown water, swimmers!), while the men’s 100-metresprint final was an incredible piece of theatre.The City of Light is beaming. Bravo, Paris.
Iloveitwhen arandom athlete in a random sportarrives on the scene with such authority that they become instant stars. For Canadians in theseGames,thatfellowseems to be Nanaimo’sEthan Katzberg, the longhaired,moustachioed 23-year-old who inhis Olympic debut in hammer throw chucked hisfirst toss more than four metresbeyond any other athlete would do in the entirecompetition. It was aperformance thatscreamed “what, like it’shard?”Ican’twait to seehim do it two or three moretimes as he becomes oneofour every-four-year heroes.
Canada’swomen’ssoccer team, the defendingOlympicchampions,was full of contradictions in these Olympics. Sohigh tech,solow brow.Somuch shame, so much pride. Theprogram is going to wear this
spyingscandal foralong time, andthey should.The spyingprogram is bad, and the way theygot caughtseems somehowworse. “Heywe’reprobably going to beat New Zealand,but justtobesure, let’sgain aminiscule advantage by sending adrone up over an Olympic training ground in the middle of alocked-down Paris no-fly zone to record their practice.” Breathtakingly stupid. And yetthe players won three-straightgames to advance to the playoffsdespite starting the tournament with minus six points.Their run, which ended in the quarterfinals,somehow felt just as impressive as apodium performance. Boo, and yay.
TwoCanadian legendswereondisplay in swimming this year.First, of course, was
MAILBOX
THERE IS NO EASY FIX TO LYNN CANYON CLIFF JUMPING DANGERS
Dear Editor:
I was saddened to hear of the recent cliff jumping death in Lynn Canyon. I worked at the District of North Vancouver in 2016 when the 17-year-old boy from Coquitlam died after jumping into the canyon. His body was trapped by a rock shelf underwater for three weeks before it could be safely recovered and sent to his grieving parents Everyone involved in the rescue turned recovery will remember his name for the rest of our lives
The public and media were understandably shocked and wanted to know what was being done to prevent further cliff jumping and associated deaths. Staff and elected officials at the district discussed every possibility and idea with our parks staff, our firefighters and the folks at North Shore Rescue. We came to understand that, logistically, there is only so much local government can do that will prevent another death. No matter what barriers are erected or safety warnings are given, people who are determined to cliff jump will still do it
We met with local high school students to see if there was any action we could take to deter them from cliff jumping. It was a sobering insight into how the local kids think about it. They asked us for a topographical map of the canyon floor so they could decide where the “safest place to jump” might be. They told us cliff jumping was a North Van high school rite of passage and that the local kids knew the risks and understood when the “safe times” to jump were; that the kids who perished “weren’t locals.” (Just for the
record, it is never safe, and locals have died.) Several said they had first cliff jumped with older relatives when they were younger. They also said, point blank, nothing you say or do will stop us from cliff jumping. This was particularly hard to hear for the first responders in attendance, many of whom are parents themselves.
We launched a social media campaign (the first of its type) and put new signs along the cliff jumping areas that had a different kind of language and messaging. It worked, it seems, for a while. The thing is that before the human brain is completely formed at about age 25, decision-making and self-preservation are in a day-to-day battle with risk-taking and gratification-seeking behaviours Add peer pressure to the mix and it’s no wonder we have some kids taking these huge risks in the canyon.
It is important that the community understand that there is no silver bullet solution to this situation. If there was a way to definitively prevent any further deaths from cliff jumping in that park, it would be done. The only way things will change is to modify the culture around cliff jumping, and that takes generations. Think about things that were tolerated a generation or two ago that are considered completely unacceptable now. If you have high school aged kids in your family and you know they hang out in Lynn Canyon, talk to them about thinking of the others in their lives, and how utterly devastated you would be as their mom or dad, grandparent, aunt or uncle if you got a call one day to say they had jumped and never surfaced
Mairi
Welman Salt Spring Island
BIKE RACK SALE
Continued from A8
Summer McIntosh, who at the age of 17 won three golds and a silver in a performance that placed her alongside other multi-medal greats. McIntosh, Penny Oleksiak and Cindy Classen are the only Canadians to win fourplus medals in one Games.
The other legend of the pool is Byron MacDonald, the colour commentator who has covered Olympic swimming on TV since 1984. He prides himself on knowing something about every swimmer in the Games, and he makes me and my kids laugh.
“In lane three we’ve got the Hungarian Henry Asboth. His Grade 4 teacher Miss Liztsky took the class on a field trip to a waterpark on May 8, 2009 and she jokingly told the kids she’d give a chocolate bar
to any of them who one day made the Olympics. Here we are, 15 years later, and who is laughing now? Oh Henry!”
Canadians have performed well at these Games, with silvers in women’s rugby sevens and women’s rowing eights among the standouts. And it’s not over yet – don’t miss B-Boy Phil Wizard of Vancouver, looking to dance his way into our hearts as breaking makes its Olympic debut on Saturday
There are other big guns left to fire, and there will most likely be another surprise or two as well So go ahead, fire up that drone –let’s see if we can spy a few more Canadians on the podium.
Andy Prest is the editor of the North Shore News. His humour/lifestyle column runs biweekly
703QueensburyAvenue,North Vancouver 604-985-2444 RegularHours MontoSat 10am-6pm Sunday11am-5pm Minutes East of Lonsdale Ave Easy Parking
TOWN CENTRE
Six-storey rental projectinLynn Valley set forpublic hearing
NICK LABA nlaba@nsnews.com
Aproposaltoreplace twosingle-family lots with66-unitsofmarket rentalhousinginthe Lynn Valley town centre will advance to apublic hearing.
At ameeting on July 8, District of NorthVancouver council voted to send the project to apublic hearing, as it requires an amendment to the official community plan for added density
Theproposed six-storybuilding at 1149-1155 Lynn Valley Rd.would have amix of studio,one-bedroom and twobedroom units, but no three-bedroom flats COURTESY OF DISTRICTOFNORTH VANCOUVER
But Couns. Betty Forbes and LisaMuri dissented in the vote, stating that it was prematurefor thepublic to weigh in when thereare still so many outstanding questions about the project.
In its current form, the proposal would build asix-storybuilding at 1149-1155 Lynn Valley Rd. That wouldinclude 53 one-bedroom units,11 two-bedroom units and two studios.Five of theunits would be
enhanced for accessibilityneeds.
The proposed units would be rented at market rates, which the developer told council areprojected to be around $1,800 per monthfor studio, $2,300for one bedroom and$3,350for two bedrooms.
In areport,staffrecommendedthat council refer the project to apublic
NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION
Proposed Zoning amendments for Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing to complywithMinisterial Notice
WHAT &WHEN: Council is scheduledtoconsider proposed Zoning BylawNo. 4662, 2010,Amendment BylawNo. 5351, 2024 regarding Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing at the 3p.m. special Council meeting on August 12, 2024.
WHERE: MunicipalHall Council Chamber,750 17thStreet, andvia Webexelectronic communicationfacilities. Attend in-person or via Webex(visit westvancouver.ca/webex); or watchthe meeting at westvancouver.ca/cc.
SUBJECT LANDS: Thesubject lands includea total of 381 parcels in the following zones: CU3,CU5 (only1768Argyle), CD4, CD41, CD47, CD48,CD49, CD77,CD80,CD81, CD82, PA2, RD1, RD2 and RD3.These lands have beenidentified by theMinister of Housingasbeing in a“Restricted Zone” asdefined by the LocalGovernment Act.
PROPOSED ZONING BYLAWNO. 4662,2010, AMENDMENTBYLAW NO.5351,2024: would amend thezoning regulations of thesubjectlandstocomply with Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing requirements of the LocalGovernment Act as identified by theMinisterofHousing
PROVINCIALPROHIBITION ON PUBLIC HEARING: Pursuant to the LocalGovernment Act,the District is prohibited from holding apublic hearing regarding the proposedbylaw.
MORE INFORMATION: Theproposed bylawand other relevant documents that Council mayconsider in deciding whether to adopt the proposed bylawmay be inspected at westvancouver.ca/news/notices and at Municipal Hall fromJuly 30 to August 12,2024(8:30a.m.to4:30 p.m., MondaytoFriday, excluding statutory holidays).
Visitwww.nsnews.com/other/contact-us fora full list of newspaperboxes
No below-market units included
Continued from A10
hearing, as it will add density along a major transit corridor without demolishing existing rental stock and because involves substantial public realm improvements at the developer’s expense.
Coun Jim Hanson said he was pleased to support the project, which he preferred over a previous pitch for strata on the land that council rejected in 2018.
Milburn said that analysis shows pre-development stormwater flows match post-development flows, but that staff can provide additional details on how those systems will be managed.
Forbes suggested the site could meet more dire housing needs than market rental.
“We’ve been looking for some place to find employment housing. It seems to me this would be a perfect place for employment housing,” she said.
“It would bring much needed balance to strata housing and rental housing in the Lynn Valley town centre,” he said.
Coun Jordan Back agreed with Hanson’s comments, but asked why below-market units weren’t part of the plan.
Contact mblack@van.net to arrangeabox for your neighbourhood
Planning manager Yan Zeng replied that the increase in land value for the all-rental proposal wasn’t substantial enough to make below-market rates financially feasible for the developer
While she liked the building’s design, Muri raised concerns that the new development would negatively impact the stormwater system. In the wake of new construction, a grove of healthy cedars has been removed from Kirkstone Park.
“Water has been diverted into a series of drain tiles and infrastructure … that is causing the park to dry out,” Muri said General manager of planning Dan
778-504-7493 to schedule an appointment.
“I think we have questions that we need to have history on before it goes to a public hearing,” Forbes added.
She introduced a motion that would direct the proposal back to staff for more information before going to a public hearing.
But Abdul Jiwan, president of the applicant Redbrick Properties Inc., warned that his company could not afford any more delays, and would cancel the project if it didn’t move to a public hearing.
“It will go up in smoke,” he said.
Ultimately, Forbes’s motion to defer the proposal was defeated Then, a majority of council voted to advance the plan to a public hearing, with Forbes and Muri opposed. A date has not yet been set for the public hearing.
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SURFACE TENSION
North Shore author’s debut listed as best thriller by Amazon
MINA KERR-LAZENBY MKerrLazenby@nsnews.com Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
According to the Association of Canadian Publishers, more than 10,000 books are published each year in Canada. That’s a sea of novels, an ocean of pages, and to be seen as more than a mere drop takes a certain special something.
As a debut author, the challenge of getting writing noticed is that much tougher. Not that Lynn Valley’s Lee-Ann McGuire Whitlock would know anything about that.
The author’s first ever book On the Surface, a popcorn thriller set in the sunny Bahamas, was published in June. Just weeks after, it was named as one of the best mystery, thriller and suspense books of July by Amazon, cementing McGuire Whitlock as an award-winning writer within just a few weeks of being a published author
“I didn’t really know what to expect. It’s my first time experiencing anything like this,” said McGuire Whitlock. “It’s like it’s all been happening in slow motion. It’s been a fun journey, but a slowly unwinding one.”
The novel, a collaboration between McGuire Whitlock and friend Rachel Graham, is a modern day whodunit complete with all the bells and whistles of a young, juicy drama. Drugs. Domestic violence. Internet sleuthing. Influencers.
The story follows Sawyer Stone III and Dani Fox, a YouTube famous couple whose adventures travelling the world via sailboat
are streamed daily to their colossal online following. When Fox vanishes after a particularly unruly boat party while anchored off the paradisaical island of Exuma, it’s presumed she drowned in the
clear blue waters of the Bahamas.
In the weeks that follow, pre-recorded video posts reveal a darker side to her seemingly faultless relationship with Sawyer. Accident morphs into murder, and the couple’s countless followers are determined to discover the truth of what happened to their social media star
McGuire Whitlock said On The Surface is meant to be “entertaining, fun, with commercial appeal.”
She’s always been partial to those types of stories herself – “something that is just entertaining and not quite so… literary.” And the debut writer will tell you she never set out to win a Pulitzer Prize. She has long wanted to create an easily digestible, gripping beach read that she would be proud to have on her own bookshelf.
The book had been a passion project written with a close friend, one neither of them ever expected to take off in the way that it has.
McGuire Whitlock met Graham while living in the riverside Arkansas city of Little Rock. The home of her husband, she spent 12 years there raising their two children and juggling her career as a lawyer In the end, it was the joining of a local book club that would set her on the path to becoming penman.
“I met Rachel through this great local book club and we just stayed
friends over the years, even when I moved back here, and she moved to California,” she said
The pandemic carved out the time for the two to kickstart a book project they had discussed for years, and long catch-ups over Zoom turned into story meetings discussing plots and protagonists and potential crime scenes.
To even have the book, written under the pen name Rachel McGuire, published is a feat they are both still coming to terms with, she said.
“It feeds into my imposter syndrome in some ways. We have this thing of wondering if it’s all just some sort of clerical error,” she said
“It’s so atypical from the normal path to becoming a published author, where you see years of toil and thousands of rejections. I just didn’t have to go through that. Which is good,” she laughed, “because I’m very thin skinned.”
With such unbridled success to come from the debut, thirsty readers will likely be asking questions of a follow-up The two authors are “well into” writing their second novel, said McGuire Whitlock. She does offer a warning however: it does stray in theme from the first.
It will still be a thriller, but this time with an element of … the undead.
“There might be a few more zombies this time,” she laughed.
Lee-Ann McGuire Whitlock’s debut On The Surface, written alongside friend Rachel Graham, has been dubbed as one of July’s best thrillers by Amazon. PAUL MCGRATH / NSN
TAKE YOURSELF THERE
JULY 24- AUGUST 18
SILK PURSE ARTSCENTRE
Mixed mediacollage duo Patti Henderson& KatarinaThorsen, &paintersAmber Nordstrand &Emily van LidthdeJeude reflect on thepast, thenatureofmemory& possibilitiesfor thefuture. For more info:westvanartscouncil.ca
CONCERTFOR CHARITY -SONSOFTHE EAST
TUESDAY,AUGUST 13, 7P.M.- 10:30P.M. THE PIPE SHOP
North Vancouver City Firefighters Charitable Foundation is proud to presenta Concertfor Charity- Sons Of The East.We're grateful to havethisAustralianfolkbandback again! Thisconcert is intended foradults but kids arealsowelcome. Allproceeds will go towardsthe BowenDoes ThatOne DayFoundation. For more info:bowendoesthatoneday.com
COHO FESTIVAL 2024
SUNDAY,SEPTEMBER8,9 A.M. -6 P.M.
AMBLESIDE PARK
Coho Festival features thefamousSalmonBarbecue, Live Music, Coho Swim,Squamish Nation ‘Blessing of theSalmon’,Stewardship Zone -withhands on activities, Tent Talks andsomuchmore!
For more info:cohosociety.com
TAKE PART IN THE ART
‘Grassqawtch’letscommunity membersbringart piece to life
FATEMEH FALAH Contributing writer
Anew creation, like the mythological character Galatea, isset to spring to life in West Vancouver’sJohn Lawson Park, next to the SilkPurse Arts Centre.
The West Vancouver Community Arts Council unveiled its sixth annual Community ArtProject, Grassqawtch, a collaborative public artinitiative designed by North Shoreartist RobertTurriff, during apublic event on Aug. 2.
This captivating sculpture, like the ivorystatue brought to life under Venus’ touch, begins as alifelessform made from steel,shade cloth, and soilpockets created by Turriff. Yet, like Galatea’stransformation, the Grassqawtch will blossom into aliving entity through the collective efforts of community members.
Throughout August, NorthShore residents areinvited to participate in this interactive artexperience by planting native grasses, specifically carex pachystachya,adrought-tolerant grass that grows naturally throughout the West Coast, into the sculpture’s soilpockets. Thegrasses will grow and cover the Grassqawtch and turn itinto agiant, green figure.
Deckchair Cinema
Thisartwork aims to celebrate the beauty of native plants and remind people of the significance of environmental stewardship and the impacts of climate change.
Creating something unique and beautiful together asacommunity mimics theworldwide co-operation necessary to safeguardthe planet, according to a description of the project from the arts council.
Turriff, the designer and creator of theGrassqawtch, grew up playing in the forests of North Vancouver,developing an
ArtistRobertTurrif showsoffGrassqawtch, acollaborativepublic artinitiative he created as the West Vancouver Community Arts Council’ssixth annual CommunityArt Project. STEVEN SNIDER
early fascination with plants andforests. He shares alove for gardening with his wife, and together,they have cultivated a remarkable garden.
Youare invited to the Ambleside waterfront to give life to the giant grassy Grassqawtch.
Community collaborations: Every Saturday andSunday in August from 2:30 to 4p.m. Participate in the creative process by adding moregrass to help Grassqawtch come to life.
FatemehFalah is an intern reporter with the North Shore News. Shecan be contactedat zohreh.fallah1981@gmail.com.
ANorth Vancouver man is recovering from asurprise encounter with a friendly local feline.
Paul Wiens had only lived as a Grousewoods local meredays beforehe was welcomed to the area by an unexpected neighbour: Abobcat, exploring the BCMC trailhead.
Wiens had been cutting through the Grouse Mountain trail on July24for a morningStarbuckscoffee when the “very curious” feline popped out from the growth, he said.
“I wasscared at first, but then Ifeltvery at ease with it.With the way it was looking at me, Idefinitely didn’t feel anythreat,” he said.“Ifelt areal connectionwith him. It was a really special experience.”
Wiens, aphotographer who movedto the area from EastVancouver,managed tosnap a couple of National Geographic-worthy shotsand video with his iPhone.
In one video,atawny coat sits stark against the forest as the catpeersatWiens from between the trees of the trailhead. In
another, it sits directly behind an abandoned excavator,its face peering out from just below the machine’sBobcat logo.
Itwas thishint given by his feline friend that enlightened Wiens to what hewas encountering –until then hehadn’t known what cat was,“otherthan itmusthave been partofthe big cat family,” and certainly wasn’t awarethat bobcatscould be spotted
Some users say they can’t get cellphone service to pay for parking
Best said the couple arrived at the park to walk their dog and after nabbing one of the last available parking spots, tried both pay parking apps “We couldn’t connect,” he said.
Eventually they walked closer to the park entrance and “we were probably standing there for 10 or 15 minutes” getting the app to load on their phones.
“I was really surprised they didn’t have any physical machines,” he said. “A lot of the parks are off on the edges (of the district) where cell service isn’t quite as good.”
Spencer Capier, president of the West Vancouver Teachers Association, said he’s had similar frustrations. Capier said he’s usually not able to get a signal on his Telus
phone service in the park and has resorted to paying ahead while still at his West Vancouver office.
“If you’re a casual user of the park, it’s a bit like saying ‘We actually don’t want you there. We would prefer if you didn’t show up,’” he said.
Exemptions requested
As president of the teachers union, Capier has also written to West Vancouver Mayor Mark Sager, asking that teachers who work in the district be able to buy annual $20 permits, like residents. But he said he’s still waiting for an answer
Most teachers, first responders and even district
employees aren’t West Vancouver residents, he added.
In a recent staff report on the first four months of the program, Jenn Moller, director of engineering, told council “We’ve had quite a few requests from various groups” for exemptions, ranging from business operators to non-profit and community groups.
A cursory look at other parks systems showed exemptions for veterans and people with disabilities are those most granted, she said.
Moller added, however, that exemptions are complex and need to take issues like equity, impacts on revenue and how easy they would be to administer into account.
Park user Jackie Patton said there’s one large group that’s already disadvantaged by the new pay parking system –elderly people who may not have an easy time dealing with cell phone apps.
Patton said her mom – a North Vancouver retiree –recently went to Whytecliff Park but “she couldn’t figure out how to do it on your phone” so “she just left.”
Patton said when she visited the park herself a few weeks later she was surprised to find no parking machines. “My mom would never know to scan a QR code with her cell phone,” she said.
According to Moller’s staff report, upfront cost is the reason the district hasn’t installed physical parking machines in parks.
Currently, to park at Lighthouse Park, Nelson Canyon and Whytecliff Park, visitors must either scan a QR code posted on signs in the parking lot and pay online or use the hangTag or PayByPhone smartphone apps.
According to the staff report, a contractor tested cell phone signal strength in the parks before the program started. But Moller acknowledged “signal strength did vary by park location and throughout the parks themselves,” as well as by cell phone provider The district’s IT department is now doing follow-up testing, she said. “We do know there are some inconsistencies,” she said.
While the district initially estimated pay parking would bring in about $255,000 a year, based on initial data, that number is now expected to be closer to $500,000, said Moller – with the potential to add more.
A staff report showed 87 per cent of revenue for the program came from pay parking, while 12 per cent came from resident permits and one per cent came from violation tickets.
Lighthouse Park was the biggest money maker, according to the report, pulling in revenue of over $102,000 in four months from its 82 parking stalls while Whytecliff Park garnered $62,558 from its 129 stalls and Nelson Canyon brought in $21,705 from its 42 parking spots.
About 15 per cent of revenue went to pay expenses, including the enforcement contract with Imperial Parking.
During discussion on the issue July 22, Coun. Sharon Thompson said she’d like to remove the annual fee for residents. But Coun. Nora Gambioli was opposed to that. “Twenty dollars is nothing,” she said.
Council is expected to consider another staff report on the issue in the fall which will also examine the possibility of expanding the pay parking program to Seaview Walk, Ambleside, Dundarave, John Lawson and Cypress Falls parks.
Coun. Christine Cassidy said the move to pay parking in West Vancouver parks is overdue “We are the last community in the Lower Mainland to have pay parking,” she said.
Cougar spotted on Bowen Island
so close to home.
“I would have never guessed that our paths would cross in Vancouver, especially in an area like that,” he said, adding how one of the reasons he moved to North Vancouver was to experience the local nature and wildlife.
“You always hope to see animals like that in their natural habitat as opposed to a zoo, so it was really wonderful to see it so free and happy and about in my community.”
Gabriela De Romeri, Wildsafe BC spokesperson, said while she is unaware of any previous sightings on or near the BCMC Trail, bobcats are known to be spotted around North Vancouver
Because of their smaller size – the felines are roughly twice the size of domestic cats – they are “generally not a big concern,” she said, but, as with all wildlife, they can be dangerous if startled or threatened.
“If that happens, you can make noise, make yourself look large, back away from the area and give the animal space so that it feels less threatened by you,” she said. “If it continues to follow you, then we recommend you throw rocks towards the animal and try to deter it.”
It wasn’t the only big cat sighting in recent weeks. On Bowen Island, residents
are still debating the safety concerns of having a cougar taking up residence in their hometown. Residents have reported sightings for more than a week, with the feline captured on local wildlife cameras and spotted peering in windows and roaming the streets.
“People on the island are worried, and that’s really understandable given that predators are fairly rare on the island,” said Carla Skuce, manager of environment & parks planning with the Bowen Island Municipality.
Skuce said the last time she can recall a cougar visiting Bowen Island was more than 20 years ago, and the municipality is currently in talks with the RCMP and conservation officers to determine the best course of action.
While cougars may be rare on Bowen, as with bears, wolves and coyotes, the big cats still occasionally visit by swimming to the island or travelling across via floating debris. De Romeri said the cougar might have been lured to the Bowen by its abundant deer population, or with hopes of finding a mate. Often, in their own time, they will swim back to the mainland, she said.
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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Emptybox?
When we switched some areas to newspaper boxes earlierthisyear, we couldnot haveimagined the demand forprinted newspapers.
In some locations,likeLynn ValleyCentre,weredeliver multiple timesand go through more than 500 newspapers everyweek
If youneed additional newspapers in your neighbourhood please letusknow by calling Denise at 604-986-1337
NATIONAL CHAMPS
Mt. Seymour team to represent Canada at Junior World Series
NICK LABA nlaba@nsnews.com
A win at the national level has quickly transformed the Mount Seymour Little League junior team into Team Canada, which is set to play at the 2024 Little League Baseball World Series this week.
On Wednesday evening, July 31, the North Vancouver team of 13 and 14 year olds claimed a commanding 22-11 victory against Quebec in the Canadian Junior Little League Championship final in Lethbridge, Alta.
In that game, Kyle Felderer hit two home runs including a grand slam in the first inning. With a three-run home run at the bottom of the sixth, Sam Boon walked it off, securing a win by mercy for his team.
Felderer went two for three, with two runs and five runs batted in. Boon went two for four, with two runs and three RBI. And Brett Kristensen went two for four, with two runs and three RBI.
On the mound, Kolton Ogawa
pitched 3.2 innings, with four hits, six runs, three earned runs, five walks and five strikeouts. Niko Jokic relieved Ogawa after that, pitching 2.1 innings with five hits, five runs, two earned runs, three walks and one strikeout.
The national victory came after a nail-biting semifinal on July 30, when MSLL was down 5-6 against Team Atlantic. With the pressure on, MSLL’s Emmett Kirkby hit a two-run single to walk it off in the bottom of the seventh inning, taking his team to the final.
As national champions, MSLL automatically qualified for the Junior World Series event, which kicked off Aug. 3 in Taylor, Mich.
Dashing back to North Vancouver from Alberta, figuring out flights and accommodations for Michigan along the way, Ben Boon – speaking on behalf of team manager, and car driver, Jenny Boon – said there was a lot of celebration when the boys became national champs.
“This was the dream, for the boys to make it to nationals,” he
said. “And to go beyond that was beyond their expectations.… They were having the time of their lives last night.”
After a late night trip to McDonald’s, most of the boys headed to Calgary, where they stayed in a hotel to get some rest before flying south Friday morning.
On Saturday, the boys were fitted with Team Canada uniforms and gear in preparation for their first game against Australia on Sunday
In the double-elimination tournament, eight international teams will play at least two games each. The winner will face the best of eight U.S. teams in the Junior
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World Series final.
It’s going to be an amazing experience, Boon said.
“They’re going to be a part of a huge global tournament,” he said. “They get to live in hotels and be fed and watered and looked after for the next 10 days which is rare … a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
For the team’s success, Boon credits coaches Ken Anderson and Dave Kristensen, and head coach Manabu Ogawa in particular
“He has been such an amazing stalwart supporter of the boys for years. He’s known most of them since they started baseball in kindergarten,” Boon said.
Ogawa is the founder of the Asahi Baseball Association in Vancouver
“He always said, ‘You boys can make the World Series if we play as a team,’” Boon said. “His leadership has got us there.”
The MSLL boys won their first two games, beating Australia 6-2 on Sunday and Mexico 3-2 on Monday They are scheduled play Asia-Pacific on Wednesday.
Mount Seymour Little League beat Quebec to become national champions on Wednesday, July 31. COURTESY OF BEN BOON
TIME TRAVELLER
A weekly glimpseintoNorth Shore’spastfromMONOVA: Museum of NorthVancouver
Mosquito Creek Dam
Builtin1911 to reroutewater from thecreek bed, theMosquitoCreek Damwashedawayduringa severe flood in May1915.
Here is aphoto of thedistrictforeman engineer,EdDavis,and BobHamiltoninfront of thewashedout dam. Ed stilltries to have asmoke with hispipewhile hissocks must be soaked!
Construction on thenew dam, whichcould hold approximately50,000gallons of water, wasstarted a month later. Thesiteofthe damcan stillbeseenfromthe upperpartofMosquitoCreek Trail today.
Visit monova.cafor more informationabout thehistory of theNorth Shoreand to learnabout MONOVA: Museum of NorthVancouver,now open at 115 West EsplanadeinThe Shipyards. MONOVA:Archivesof NorthVancouver is locatedat3203Institute Road in Lynn Valley.Contact:archives@monova.ca
Report pollutants immediately
to salmonids right now,” she said
The first phase will involve sampling water from among the more-than 10 stormwater outfalls on Wagg Creek during “first flush” rainfall events. In the second phase, volunteers hope to narrow down the outfalls to those which are most concerning and send samples for chemical analysis in a lab.
“Wagg Creek is a major tributary of Mosquito Creek,” she said. “It’s a super stressed creek and it’s not in good health.”
Later on, Streamkeepers hope to use the information to advocate for mitigation measures such as bioswales to absorb runoff before it gets dumped into the creeks
Robertson urges anyone who does see spills happening to call the municipality, adding local governments are required to treat spills into fish-bearing habitat as emergencies.
She also urges people to take a sample where possible – even if it’s just in a Ziplock bag.
Project gets provincial funding
House portion, which has an estimated total cost of $49.5 million.
In January, council voted to seek Municipal Finance Authority loans to fast track the replacement of the 1967 North Shore Neighbourhood House building, which is reaching the end of its life and has seen its community services, seniors and child care programs outgrow the space available.
At the time, the mayor said it would make the project more eligible for outside funding from senior levels of government. The next month, Premier David Eby
announced the housing project attached to the Neighbourhood House rebuild would be among the first included in the BC Builds program, which provides low-cost financing, expedited approvals and grants for affordable housing projects built on public lands Catalyst is already building an 89-unit below-market rental building and an 18,000-square-foot seniors’ respite centre on the same property
Previously, Phase 2 of the project hadn’t been scheduled to start until 2028. The city staff report says construction may now begin as early as September and according to the city, it should be completed by 2028.
“I want to be a supermom.”
We know you want to be asupermom,but you were up half thenight with thebaby, and there areonlysomanyhoursina day. You’re tired andyou needhelp around thehouse.Caringfor ayoung family is easierwhensomeone hasthe meals, thelaundryand housekeeping covered. Theyears whenyour kids areyoung areshort. We can help you enjoy thoseprecious years more by lending ahand. Whoknowsyou might even gettotakeawell-deservedmental health break!
Photo: NVMA,653
5.Eight-armed animal
Gateway
Serious
Long poem
Toward
place
additions
Ebb
39. Winter ill 40. Zooattraction
Physician, forshort
mammal 48.Halo wearer
rival
Constrictor
above
hotel 58. Concern 59.Pod veggies 60.Accounting term
1. Mom’spartner 2. Freezing
Ship’s pronoun
Fragrant wood
HOROSCOPE WEEK
ARIES March21-April 19
If arelaxing holiday wasn’t in thecards this summer, you’ll consider going on arefreshing getaway to recharge your batteries. This will be extremely rejuvenating.
TAURUS April 20-May20
You’ll feel the need to please everyone. However, you’ll realize that this is impossible. Follow your heartand trust your intuition. An extra dose of self-confidence would be beneficial.
Legendarytoymaker 30.WhiteHouse officeshape
Clean
38. Loafers
42.Bungalow
44. “____ Beauty”
45.Look forbargains
46.Rooflinedetail
47.Field of study
49.Naught
53.Yellowish brown
54. Miner’s goal
55.Sundayseat
GEMINI May21-June 20
After along vacation, returning to work may leave you feeling exhausted. Your partner and loved ones will requiremoreattention. However,you must take time to rest to get through the week.
CANCER June 21-July 22
You’ll be rewarded with success. This will clarify an unclear story. You’ll receive heartfelt appreciation that will reinforce your position of importance.
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
You’ll devote time to your family and enjoy the peace and quiet of your own home. Your relationship with your partner will be a priority.You’ll demonstrate your creativity,even in simple activities such as cooking ameal.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept.22
Youcould be in the mood to buy anew car You’ll spend alot of time negotiating and listening to endless speeches and presentations. At work, you could discover that you have hidden sales talents.
LIBRA Sept.23-Oct. 22
You’ll have astrong urge to spoil yourself, get anew wardrobe or change your hairstyle. Youmust be social and hang out with your friends. At work, overtime will be on the agenda.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
Youdon’t always listen to advice from others, especially if it’slong-winded. Trust your instincts. They’ll guide you in the right direction if you take the time to listen carefully.You’llhave
SAGITTARIUS Nov.22-Dec.21
Youmay need to step back beforeacritical turning point in your life. You must think carefully about your passions and how to manage stress.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
Your active social life could lead to overspending. Even though you’regenerally thrifty,you could find it challenging to manage your budget and pay offyour debts.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb.18
You’ll go to great lengths to impress strangers and family members. Your children will be asource of great pride. You’ll seize opportunities of abundance that come your way.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
At work, atraining course will bring about opportunitiesfor advancement, bringing you closer to acareer in line with your values. You’ll redefine your ambitions with anewfound conviction.
HOWTOPLAY:
Fill in thegridsothat everyrow,every column and every3 x3box contains the numbers 1through 9only once Each 3x3box is outlined with a darker line. Youalready have a fewnumbers to get youstarted. Remember:you mustnot repeat the numbers 1through 9inthe same line, column or 3x3 box.
aguardian angel watching over you.
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MARKETPLACE
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Inlovingmemoryof EdwardAlfred (Ted)Perry
August 28, 1947 -July 23,2024
Edward Alfred (Ted) Perry, belovedhusband of Corinne,loving father to his children Zach (Aleya), Alisma, and Andrina(Karen-Marie), andbrother to Gail (Harvey), died at home in Nanaimo on July 23rd.
Formoreinformation please see www.dignitymemorial.com
Mary Teresa August 14, 1934 -July 19, 2024
It is with sadness that we announce the passingof Mary, wholeft us peacefully in LionsGate Hospital
Marywas theloving wife of Steven,the mother of daughterOonagh Kerwin (Eric)and son David.
DICKIE, James Douglas (Jim) May 14, 1939 -June 7, 2024
Itiswithprofound sadness that we announcethe sudden passing of our Dad Jim.
Jimlived most of hislifeinNorthVancouver before moving to Agassiz ayear and ahalfago. Hiscareer in the golfcourse industry allowed him to make many lifelong friends. Hekeptintouch with alot of his North Vancouver Highschoolmates and enjoyed themany class of ‘58reunions. Whennot socializing, he couldbe found in hisgarden.Jim was a good neighbour, always willingtohelpout in anyway.Hewas quitethe character,charming when charmwas required, made jokes when a good laugh wasneeded and quite the tease as well.
Jimissurvived by hisloving family;daughtersGina (Doug), Sandra; son Sean; grandchildren Greg (Kate), Bryan, Brittany (Mark),Jaymi(Stephen); great-grandchildrenNelson, Mitchell, Payton, Hudson and Palmer.
Acelebration of lifewill be held on Sunday, September 29thfrom1:00pm -4:00pm at Seymour Golfand Country Club, 3733 Mount Seymour Parkway,North Vancouver.Please come and shareyour memoriesofJim with us.
Born in Co.Leitrim,Ireland, she is survived by sistersDympna andNuala,predeceased by brothers Ciaran,Albert, Brendan,Desmond, sister Una andson-in-law PaulTyson
Mary left Irelandin1950 to enter theconvent ina teachingorder.She was sent to Paris andthen New York,whereshe earned aMaster’sDegree. Shedetermined in 1965 that she was not suited to convent lifeand returned to Ireland. She taught in Irelandand then movedtoLondon, England, where she metSteven. They weremarried in 1967 andemigrated to Canada, eventually setting up home in North Vancouver
Mary wasvery active in HolyTrinity Parishand taughtfor aperiod in HolyTrinity School
Mary’s lifewas selfless and dedicated to her family She leaves behind alegacy of warmthand kindness.
Afuneral mass will be held at HolyTrinity Parish, 2725 Lonsdale Avenue,North Vancouver on Wednesday,August 7that10:30am
If desired, in lieu of flowers, please donate to theBCCancerSociety
PARRY (née Halcrow), Joan April 6, 1930−July 26, 2024
Joan Parry (née Halcrow) passed away peacefully on July 26,2024, afterafive−year journeythrough dementia.BornonApril 6, 1930, in Cranbrook, BC, to David and JamesinaHalcrow, Joan was the 11th of 12 children in alivelyfamily. In the 1930s, the family relocatedtoPenticton, where Joan graduatedfrom Penticton High School before joining the RCAF in Trenton,Ontario.
Uponreturning to BC, Joan moved to Vancouver, where shetrained as apsychiatric nurseand also pursuedbookkeepingcourses. In the late1950s, Joan settledinNorthVancouver, where shemet and married TomParry. Together they hadtwo daughters. Once herdaughters were in school, Joan earnedadiploma in Early Childhood Education. Shetaught kindergarten at Ridgeway Annexand latertookover the preschool at St Andrew’s United Church.
Joan cherishedthe bustling, joy−filledgatheringsof herlarge family, whichwere oftenmarked by laughter, music, and celebrations. Herlove for sports and the outdoors wasevidentthroughout herlife; sheenjoyed avariety of sports year−round well into her70s
Afterretiring from teaching,Joan devotedmuchof hertime to volunteering. Sheispredeceased by herparentsand hersiblings: JY,Sandy, David, Bill, Gordon, Cat,Jean,Bob, Marje, Liz, and Peter.
Joan is survived by herdaughters,ElizabethParry and Alison Parry (Steeve Routhier);numerous nieces and nephews; and hercherished grandsons, Thomas Greenwood and Jovan Routhier, whowillalways remember herloveand laughter.
Thefamily extends their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of LVCC Lodge 2for their exceptional care and supportduring Joan’sresidence there.
In lieu of flowers, please considera donation to the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation or acharity of your choice
LEWIS,
Obituaries
Obituaries
ADRIAN,
Donald Bernard 1941 - 2024
Donald Bernard Adrian passed away July 28, 2024 at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver
He is survived by wife Nancy, 7 daughters, 2 sons, a sister, plus many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many friends
After retiring from Allied Ship Builders, Don, in his trademark cowboy hat, could be found daily at Capliano Mall playing the numbers with his buddies. His hunting and fishing days were done Don will be missed dearly by the family and all who knew him.
Rest in Peace dear brother, father, grandpa and friend. A celebration of life was held in Seton Portage, BC on Sunday, August 4, 2024.
SKIPPON, Thomas "Tom" C.
March 23, 1954 −July 10, 2024
Heavy−heartedly, we announcethe passing of Tom Skippon,70, of North Vancouver, shortly after adiagnosis of stage IV pancreaticcancer. Beloved husband to Stephanie and adoring father to Courtney, he passed peacefully at home with them by his side. Those who would like to remember him are askedtocelebrate Tom’s life by raising aglass in his memory. Pleaseconsider donating in Tom’s name to Pancreatic Cancer Canada
GUNDERSEN, June Mary 1932 - 2024
Peacefully on Friday, August 2nd 2024, at the age of 91, at Carlingview Manor in Ottawa. Loving wife of over 60 years to the late Rolf Gundersen. Predeceased by parents Danie and Dorothy (nee Rank) Chisholm.
Proud mother of the late Frank (Sandie), Leif (Debra), Laureen (Tony). Beloved grandmother of Christine, Carl, Jennifer, Kristian, Morgan, and Mieke. Cherished great-grandmother of Deanna She will also be missed by brother-in-law Morgan (Betty) Gundersen. Predeceased by brother John Chisholm
June will always be remembered for her devotion to family and love for the North Shore Community. The family would like to thank the staff at Carlingview Manor for their care and dedication.
In lieu of flowers, In Memoriam donations to the Salvation Army are appreciated by the family.
As per June’s wishes, a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in Burnaby, British Columbia Condolences and Sharing Memories at kelyfh.ca
REMEMBRANCES
DOLL,
DenisEdward 1935 −2024
Denis Edward DOLL, 89, passedaway peacefully onJuly 30, 2024, surrounded by his loving family.
Denis was born in Lestock, Saskatchewan,in1935 to parents Alex and Cecile Doll. He completed a B.A. in Economics from theUniversity of Saskatchewan. He spent summers working on the development of the Trans Canada Highway in Saskatchewan and on the airport runway in Yellowknife. He went on to alifelong career in commercial property management and was president of BOMABCinthe mid−1980s.
Denis was alogician, and skilled with details and numbers. But his absolutepassion was golf −asa teenager, he made his own 9−hole golf coursein the cow pasture, using tin cans for holes. He was particularly proud of winning the Seniors Cup at Seymour Golf and Country Club, his home course. Aprairie boy at heart, he took part in winter sports like hockey and curling. He loved jazz and theBig Bands and enjoyed playing the drums. Denis found his peace by communing with nature and was knownasThe Bird Whisperer −talking to his fox sparrow and towhee friends, and they talked back.
But the true love of Denis’ life was his wife of 60 years, Ruth. They were married in 1963 and moved to Winnipeg tostart their family. In 1971, the family offive hopped in the station wagon and moved to North Vancouver, where Denis and Ruth have called home ever since.
Denis is alsomourned by his children Catherine (Kevin),Corinne (Simon), and Jodi (Syd); by his grandchildren Nicholas, Alexa, Lane and Estelle; by hissiblings Louise (Pat, deceased), Diane (Gil), Maurice (Catherine), and Richard (Adele); and by many nieces and nephews −somewho considered him asurrogate grandfather.
A devout Catholic, Denis had adeep and abiding faith. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, 1360 24th Street in North Vancouver, at 11 a.m.Saturday, August 10, 2024.
Heartfelt thanks forthe compassionate care given bythe emergency, cardiac and palliative care teams at Lions Gate Hospital, the staffatNorth Shore Hospice, and to Dr. Dana Haaf and Dr.Takashi Bourchier.
In lieuofflowers, contributions maybemade in Denis’ name to the BC Heart and Stroke Foundation or to the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation.
To offer online condolences, please visit: www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral−homes/ british−columbia/north−vancouver/ first−memorial−funeral services/3801
EAKINS, Dorothy
Dorothy Eakins, aged 98 years, passed away peacefully at her home in West Vancouver on July 26, 2024. She is lovingly remembered by her two children Gary and Debra (Dimas) and her granddaughter Danielle Dorothy was predeceased by her husband, Douglas
GOLDSMITH JONES, Leslie
July 31, 1959 −June 4, 2024
Our bright, shining sister, auntie, wife, best friend and beautiful daughter to Digbyand Rose.
From sun−drenched summers at Silva Bay on Gabriola Island, where childhood days stretched into adult years, Leslie etched herself into our memories.
Even as alittle girl, Leslie was always out front and leading.With her unique style and afirm grip on her fashion,Leslie launched herself into her passions andtook us along on her many adventures.
Herhumour and sharp wit challenged us and kept us in astate of readiness for her next inspired observation.
Atruly devoted daughter, Leslie cherished her British and Italian roots. She would dive into books and more books and immerse herself in her beloved Beatles.
Leslie enjoyed reconnecting with her Anglican faith and committed herself to living alife of love, forgiveness and understanding
In lieu of flowers, take apagefrom Leslie’sbook and read something new, attend asmall concert, or support yourlocal library or independent bookstore. Celebrate freedom of thought and expression. Go in search of afine Italian dark roast. Make sure you go play outside, jump in the ocean and skidown amountain
Please join our family and Leslie’s friends to celebrate this Summer of Leslie and hold her forever present in our hearts.
With gratitude,
The Goldsmith−Jones Family, Les Allen, and Leslie’s many friends.
To place an Obituary, In Memoriam, or Memorial Service, please call Nadia at 604-653-7851 or email nmather@glaciermedia.ca
Each Loss
Each loss is very different,
The pain is so severe. Will I ever stop missing
This one I loved so dear?
Good times we had together,
The moments that we shared
We didn’t have to tell each other
How much we really cared.
I never dreamed you’d go away, Never thought of sorrow.
So sure you’d always be here
Took for granted each tomorrow.
Now my life is all confused
Since you went away. You took a part of me And for help daily pray
But when God sent you to me
He never said that you were mine
That I could keep you always –
Only borrowed for a time
Now, He’s called you home, I’m sad and I shed tears.
Yet I’m glad He loaned you to me
And we had these many years.
EADIE, Marjorie (Mitzi)
Passedawaypeacefully at Sechelt Hospital on July 19,2024. Survivedbyloving husband John, sons John, Mike (Debbie) Terry (Kamaljit)and Robert; daughterKarin (Terry); grandchildren Jennifer, Alex, Melissa, Evan,SaraJane, Gaven, Branden; andgreat-grandchildrenBrooke andElian.
ACelebrationoflife on August 17th,2024, 12:30-3:30 pm will be heldat Royal Canadian Legion Branch, 60 58018th Street, West Vancouver
HERMAN, William John (Bill)
May 2, 1939 −July25, 2024
It is with greatsadness that we announcethe passingofBill on July 25, 2024, at Berkley Care Centre.Heissurvived by Anne, hiswifeof57 years; son Greg (Makiko) in Japan;son Jeff (Shannon)inN.Van; three grandchildren, Avery, Quinn and Tate; twosisters, Florence in ON and Jeanette in NS;threenephews,Bradley, Barry, Ian andone niece, Erin.
Bill was born in HudsonBay Junction, Saskatchewan. At an early age, his family moved to Kitchener, ON, where he graduatedfrom KCI Collegiate &Lougheed Business College. Bill was proud of his Ukrainian heritageand was an accomplished Ukrainian dancer in his youth. He movedtoVancouver in 1962, where he began work as an Insurance Broker, achievedhis AIIC and FIICand retired at age 60. He met Anne in 1963, andtheymarriedin1967. Bill and Anne joined the North Shore Winter Club in the 1960s, where he continued playing hockey andtennis for many years. He coached NSWC Minor Hockey teams while his two sons played hockey, enjoyed jogging andcurling, and was amemberofthe Mt. SeymourSki Patrolduring his younger years.Inthe 1990s,Bill began international travelwith Anne to visithis son Greg in Japan andhis son Jeff in Germany. He continuedhis love of travel and cruising during his retirement years. Agreat getaway for many years was the Kelowna condo on the Lake
Aprivate remembrance will be held.
HANCOCK,Richard
August 3, 1947 −July5,2024
RichardHancock, 76, of NorthVancouver,passed awaypeacefully on July5,2024. Rick was a beloved husband,father, brother, and grandfather. Heissurvived by his wife Janice, children Christopher (Daniela)and Deanne (Aaron),and grandchildren Carlo, Kyler, and Hayley. Rickwas known for his kindheart,integrity,and dedication to family and friends.
Amemorial servicewillbeheldonAugust10 at 11:00am at St.Paul’s CatholicChurch, NorthVancouver.
He willbedeeplymissed by allwho knew him Mayherestinpeace.
MONTGOMERY,Brenda Mary Thom February 25,1929− August 1, 2024
It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Mother,Stepmother, Grandmotherand Great−Grandmother,Brenda. Born in Quetta in 1929, Brenda came to Canada to marryher first husband,Donald MacNaughton Thom,in1951. She hadfirstmet Donald as achild when both their militaryfamilieswerestationed in EdinburghCastlebefore theSecond World War. They hadfour children− Ian (Darrin), Andrew (Darlene),Brian (Kim)andDavid(Sharon). After Donald’s death in 1971, Brenda,who worked as a preschool teacherfor mentally challenged children, married HaroldForbes (Monty) Montgomery in 1979.Harold’s three children, James, Anita (Eric) and Daniel, became avitalpartofher family. Together, Brenda andMonty hada wonderfullife, andfollowing their retirements,the two travelled the world
The coupleformed thecentre ofalarge and vibrant family, which gavethemboth great pleasure. Following Monty’s death in 2001, Mum increased her volunteer efforts. Along−time supporterofthe NorthShoreStroke Recovery Centre, Mumwas also akeenwalker andbridge playerfor many years. She hadtime for everyone. Ifyou neededa shoulder to cryonorsomeone to listen to your story, Mum was therefor you. She also enjoyed sharing stories ofher own family with others. Always willing to help, Mum was recognizedfor her volunteer work on many occasions. Mum never spent onherselfbut was generous to both her family andcharity.Mum was, inshort, everything agood personshouldbe. The last yearsofMum’s life werespent in Hollyburn House Retirement Home. Her family wouldliketo acknowledge theenormous care andsupportthat shereceived from thestaff there.
At Mum’s request, there willbenofuneraland floral tributes are gratefullydeclined.Anyone wishing tohonour her memory is asked to donatetothe North Shore Stroke RecoveryCentre(nssrc.org). Restinpeace, Mum.Welove you.
TELFER, Dr.Charles 1957−2024
Dr. Charles Donald (Chuck) Telfer, sonofDonald andFrances TelferofCalgary, bothofwhom predeceased him, passedawayonJuly13, 2024, at theage of 66, following almost threeyears of catastrophic health issues. He workedunstintingly and with an amazingly positive attitude to recover fromamassive stroke,only to be diagnosed with stage−4 coloncancerthathecouldnot overcome He is at rest now andfreeofpain and frustration
Intelligent,handsome, athletic, fun−lovingand devoted to hisfamily and hisprofession, Chuck was an accomplished orthopedic surgeonand voracious reader. Close friends and family recount themany practical jokesheplayed, hisquick wit andthe humoroustwisthecould bring to any situation −including hismany months in the ICUat Lions GateHospital.
Born andraisedinCalgary, Chuck was,asa child, into long bikerides, skiing, golfingand backyard games offootball with hisfriends. His passion for sports, specifically rugby, through high schooland undergradyears translated into hisinterest in a career in repairing physical injuries. He attended medicalschoolatthe University of Alberta, interned andcompleted residency and fellowshipsinthe Ottawa area, where he metand married hisbest friendand much−loved partner, JeannetteSavard.
They settled in Vancouver, where Chuck established hismedical practice specializing in arthroscopicshouldersurgeries,Jeannette developed her business, and they raised their children andmany beloved family pets.
Chuck was adevotedfather,sharingthe kids’ activities andnurturingtheir talents.The times he spent in Whistler with hisfamily were awonderful antidote to thehecticpace of hiswork life. He and Jeannetteloved to hike, golf, and bike, and he skied whenever he could find afreeday. He hadan unmatched ability to giftanyone with the perfect book andbecame an inspiredcookand aficionado of good foodandwine. In addition to endinghis plans foranactiveand relaxing retirement,one of thecruellest effects of hisstrokewas hisinability to eat, drinkorprepare foodfor hisfamily and friends.
Chuck is loved anddeeply missed by hiswife JeannetteSavard; children Carlosand Josee− Lynne (Josh Rugge); grandchildren Julietteand Jackson; sisterJacquieMcKechnie (Don McKechnie);nieces BlairMcKechnie, Kate Ayoubi (Khaleel Ayoubi) and nephewBrock McKechnie (Tallis Goulard).Inlieuofflowers, adonation to the OncologyDepartmentatLGH or the Stroke Recovery Association of BC in Chuck’sname wouldbeappreciated.
STEIN, Wanda (née Nerling) July 31, 1920 - July 16, 2024
Wanda Stein, affectionately known as ‘Oma,’ a beloved North Vancouver community member, passed away peacefully with family by her side on July 16, 2024, at 103 years old.
Born in Wola Lisowska, Germany, Wanda’s life was marked by resilience and love. She was the last of her seven siblings During World War II, she faced great loss when her first husband, Eduard Pinkowski, passed away in May 1945. Their deep ove was a cherished memory throughout her life. Together, they had a son, Rudi Pinkowski, who brought immense joy to her.
Wanda endured the difficult post-war period, yet she remained strong and hopeful In 1961, Wanda and Rud escaped communist East Germany and moved to Canada in 1964. Wanda is survived by her son, Rudi Pinkowski (82), his wife of 58 years, Donna Pinkowski, and their three children: Cary, Sherrie, and Lori.
In 1966, Wanda married Ed Stein in Edmonton, Alberta They shared a decade together before his passing in 1976. Through this marriage, Wanda gained two stepchildren: Frieda Renz, who passed away in 2021, and Richard Stein Later, she found a life partner in Ferdinand Arndt, who remained by her side unti his death in 2011
Wanda was the heart and soul of her family, known for her passion for her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren, her exceptional German cooking, and her love of sewing. Her family was always at the centre of her heart, and her radiant smile could ight up any room.
Wanda’s life was a testament to strength, love, and dedication to family She often shared the message to be happy with what you have, and always hope for the best. She leaves behind a legacy of warmth and kindness remembered by al who knew her She is also survived by her greatgrandchildren: Alexandra, Axl, Luca, Kaidyn, Kasha, and Varyk
Wanda Stein’s Celebration of Life will be held on August 1st at 11:00 a.m. at Boal Chapel & Memorial Gardens, 1505 Lillooet Road, North Vancouver. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart & Stroke Foundation in Wanda’s memory are kindly requested.
As you share the stories and the memories of howtheylived theirlives and howvery much theymeant, may you findcomfort.
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As you share the stories and the memories of how they lived their lives and how very much they meant, may you find comfort...
Celebrate the lives of loved ones with your stories, photographs and tributes
Announcements
Open House -Grief and Loss
Don’t miss thisopportunitytoask questions,meet Sean and I, as well as potential fellow members,and discoverhow this group can enrichyour life.Join us inperson on August 11th fora casual and informativeevening
Location: #111-1940 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver, BC
Time: August 11th, 2:00 pm- 4:00 pm PST
While no twoexperiences arethe same, thereisashared experienceofloss.Gatheringinasmallgroup,wewill create asafespacetoexploreyour grief,and howwecan collectively supportone another and build connections andcommunity.
Caregivingis hard I’m here to make it easier Ihelpwith strategies, communication,and navigatingsystems. Together,we’ll find balance for you and whoyou care for Book afree 15-minute intro call today Katrina Prescott is a Caregiver Consultant & National Award-Winning Caregiver Advocate katrinaprescott.com 778-789-1077
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