The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

001B6BD4 A Weekly Newspaper (ol. 1 Ctrculatittfri n the District of West Uancouver-- A mbleside, Holi@burn, Weston, Dundarave By Mail $1.00 per year. Caulfeildv WhyteCliff, CyPreSS Park, EtC. Newsstands 5c per Copy SIX PAGES HOLLYBURN P.O., WEST VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, OCT. 1st, 1926 No. 32 ,e tbv on ilv sd vbl vd av a vv sy Building Permits Fifteen building permits were issued for the month ending 28th September, the value of the buildings to be constructed amounting to $25,600. This was made up of 11 houses, value $23,150, 3 additions and repairs for $1,850, and one garage at $600. This shows a very healthy increase over the same month last year, when 14 permits were issued for a total of $ 10,952. Advertising Signs iv bv Removed from Narine Drive In accordance with the provi- sions of the new Billboards By- laws. the Chief of Police has been instructed to have all ad- vertising signs on Marine Drive removed or destroyed imme- diately. Block 4, D.L. 772 Now in Business Zone At a meeting of the council Wednesday night it was decided to increase the business area by the inclusto&ifif Block 4, District Lot 772. This now becomes part of the business zone. Those who endeavoring to keep track of town planning. bylaw as re- cently passed must keep this ad- dition in mind. Additional Street Lighting Next Wednesday evening the council will hold a special meet- ing to take up the question of additional street lighting. At this meeting it is anticipated that a decision will be made as regards the number of new street lights to be installed. Many requests for additional lighting have been received by the council, and, while it is ex- pected that a number of addi- tional lights will be given, it is possible that the council will not be able to grant all of these requests. Anyhow, after next Wednesday night, we should see more light ahead. Ratepayers'ssn. Will Meet The West Vancouver Rate- payers'ssociation will resume their regular meetings. On Tuesday, October 5th, a meeting will be held at Ambleside Hall, at 8 p.m., when a full attend- ance is requested and a hearty invitation is extended to all who may be interested in becoming members. The agenda for this initial meeting will cover the following questions particular- ly: Road by-laws, amalgamation, and Lions'ate Bridge. WANTS ACTION OVER LIONS'ATE BRIDGE Mr. Harrington, the engineer for the firm associated with Armstrong, Morrison & Co., has returned to Vancouver and is urging that an immediate choice be made as to whether his firm or their competitors build the bridge. He also intimated that, unless that choice was made promptly, there would be no choice, because his firm would probably withdraw. This is exactly what was to be expected. The amazing spectacle is presented of Vancouver's hesi- tating--there is no hesitation on the North Shore--to accept a $8,000,000 bridge, which her citizens will not have to use and consequently pay for, unless they want to do so, since the present means of communication will undoubtedly still con- tinue to function. In point of fact, it will be found that the foreign tourist will pay a large percentage of the tolls, and ~ ~ as the bridge will attract an increasing uumber of tourists by'irtueof the scenic tour it will render so easily accessible, Vancouver and Greater Vancouver will benefit materially. Mr. Harrington, in urging haste, is only following the usual course of a business man. Furthermore, we would expect much further delay will result in Dwight, Robinson & Co. acting in the same way by also withdrawing their offer. Mr. Hanes, the city engineer of Nmth Vancouver, has expressed his approval of the original bridge dimensions made by Mr. Harrington, and the latter has expressed his willing- ness to meet the requirements of the Parks Board with regard to the approaches. He further states that his firm is willing to hand over the bridge to the municipalities concerned after twenty years at cost less depreciation, which is a fair proposi- tion, considering that the tolls would relieve the ratepayers of any taxation for the purchase. If it is not a success, the municipalities naturally will not want to take it over, and nobody will be hurt but the bridge company. The only expert apparently who has not expressed his approval is the Vancouver engineer, Vancouver being the stumbling block for no valiil reason whatever. Vancouver has been lately holding out the hand of fellowship to the munici- palities comprising Greater Vancouver. It is time she was informed in no uncertain terms that West Vancouver, and the North Shore generally, must distrust any offers coming from a city which obviously is too self-centred. There has been too much procrastination in the construction of the Lions'ate Bridge and it is high time the bridge committee and the coun- cils showed a little more of the business ability and business acumen displayed by Mr. Harrington. This is a business pro- position, and for heaven's sake let us get down to business methods of handling it. Town Planning Committee Appointed Star's Report of P.G.E. Ry. Incorrect Tax Sale At the tax sale held at the Municipal Hall on Thursday morning fifty parcels of land were sold, for which $4,174 was paid in. The bidding was the most active ever 'seen at these sales, the upset price in some eases being raised from $200 to $1,000, thus showing the lively interest that is being taken in West Vancouver property. In any district the readiness with which tax sale lots are purchased is a sure index of the interest shown in the district. A Town Planning Committee has been appointed by the Muni- cipal Council. It is comprised of Messrs. George Hay, J. D. Bell and J. A. Baxter. Other members, by virtue of the offices they hold are Reeve Morgan, Councillor Ray, Chairman of the Parks Board, and Mr. Edding- ton, Chairman of the School Board. The work of this com- mittee will be of very particular interest to the people of West Vancouver and their suggestions and recommendations will be very carefully watched. Many of our residents think that the first object of their attention should be the town-planning by- law and THE NEWS would sug- gest that a copy of this bylaw'e made more easily available to the people most interested, i.e the residents and taxpayers of West Vancouver. In this morning's issue of the Star there appears an editorial on the North Shore Railway where the following paragraph appears: "According to a report frvvm West Vancouver, the municipal council there will suggest to the directors of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway that they suspend operation of the line from North Vancouver to Whytecliff during the winter, presumably because the exten- sion of Marine Drive affords fa- cilities for motor bus services." THE NEWS got in touch this morning with Reeve Morgan, Councillors Ray, Watt and Ley- land for verification of the above information. and each one states most emphatically that IT IS ABSOLUTELY INCOR- RECT. The P. G. E. approached the council with the suggestion that the service in winter be discon- tinued, owing to the non- profitable operation, but the council,,as is shown from their miru~~- went on record as be- ing opposeod to this. There has subsequently been a meeting be- tween the council and officials of the P. G. E. regarding this mat- ter and there will be still further meetings, but the people who are relying upon this means of transportation can be assured there will be a service this win- ter, and that at no time will they be cut off without means of pub- lic transportation. Two-Way Traffic Allowed As a result of a number of re- quests from residents of Ivhyte- cliff, the council has decided to abolish the one-way traffic regu- lation on the new highway for the winter months. FERRY SERVICE 0 0 MEETING TO DISCUSS BOARD OF TRADE The meeting of the busi- ness people and those inter- ested in the progress of West Vancouver is to be held in the G. W. V. A. rooms in the Ferry Office Building at 8 p.m. on Mon- day. This meeting is being caBed to consider the forma- tion of a Board of Trade or Chamber of Commerce or Business Men's Association for West Vancouver and it is expected there will be a particularly good attend- ance. Will the business people please take this as a personal invitation to be ~present. 0 0 Marine Drive May Be Rated a Secondary Highway The council has decided to ap- ply to the Provincial Legislature for the classification of a mile of Marine Drive, west of Capi- lano bridge, as a secondary high- way. This is the only section of the drive in the municipality that has not already been classi- fied. North Vancouver City and District councils will be notifie&l of this action aml asked to en- dorse the resolution. A letter was read at IVednesday night's council meeting from North Vancouver City proposing to divide the bVest Vancouver Feria waiting room into two rooms, leaving one room, approximately 16 feet by 24 feet, for West Vancouver passengers. In return North Vancouver City, who are the owners, would fix up the room with benches and would board up the shelter on the east side of the ferry float.. They would also keep the waiting room clean. The matter ivas laid over until next meeting. Attention Drawn to 10-Ride Commutation Tickets The heavy summer traffic on the ferry is about over, but the question of improving the ferry service is still in process of discussion. The Chairman of the Transportation Committee -'& has, we believe, made sincere efforts to 'develop a working schedule, but little improvement has yet been made. Up to 9 a.m. approximately 500 people travel from West Vancouver on the ferries. The experiment of operating a boat leaving West Vancouver at 7.45 a.m. has been tried for the past month and will, we understand, operate at anyrate for another week. Whether or not it is to be continued indefinitely will be de- cided at that time. The traffic on this boat, both to and from Vancouver, is comparatively light as compared with the boats sailing immediately before and immediately after. Taking th figures for three days haphazard, there was an average of 96 passengers carried to Vancouver on the 7.20 a.m. boat, 59 passengers on the 8 a.m. boat, and only 38 on the 7.45. An average of 115 passengers used the 8.15 boat and 63 the 7 a.m. boat. Hence it will be seen that the 7.45 is not very heavily loaded. That there is a very sincere desire for some change in the service is evident, but the problem is what to do to bring the greatest convenience to the greatest number. The Chair- man of the Transportation Committee has a problem on his hands, since, metaphorically, no two persons want the same schedule. When the question of transportation comes up for dis- cussion we would suggest to the Transportation Committee and the council generally that the ferries be considered as a municipal utility to be operated for the convenience of the public and as an aid to the development of the district rather than as a pure cold business proposition in which the most necessary thing is to show a profit. The fact should be borne in mind that the ferry service is not only meant to transport those who live here at present but as an inducement to bring to our district, as permanent residents, others who find it necessary to pursue their daily avocations in the city. Give a good and cheap service on the ferries and Watch West Vancouver Grow." It will, we think, be news to many people to know that there is at present in effect a commutation ticket of 10 rides for one dollar. This, unfortunately, has been restricted to the hours, we think, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This rate ivorks out exactly the same as the blue ticket, i.e., ten cents a ride. Such a ticket is a very great convenience, but why restrict it to certain hours? It should be in force all day and every day. One dollar at a time is sll that can be reasonably expected of anyone to put out for fares. If there is a real desire, as we believe there is, to popularize ferry travel, ive ivould suggest that this ten-ride ticket be made available for all-day traffic and that it be so made right aivay.