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Resampled001B6DF2 A Weekly Newspaper Ci rCulati fag $ 1.00 per year. Vol. II EIGHT PAGES in the District of N~est Uancouver-- Ambleside, Holi@burn, Weston, Duyfdarave Caulfei ld, WhyteCliff, CyPreSS Park EtC. Newsstands 6c per Copy HOLLYBURN P.O., WEST VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, OCTOBFR 21st, 1927 No. 29 VOTING TAKES PLACE NEXT WEDNESDAY RATEPAYERS'EETING REFUSES TO ENDORSE PROPOSED BY-LAW The proposed By-law to rebuild Capilano Bridge and widen and resurface Marine Drive through- out the Municipality at a cost of $220,000 to the Ratepayers came under the guns at one of the largest meetings of the Associa- tion last Monday evening. A storm of criticism was raised by reason of the fact that the Coun- cil had ignored a suggestion of this Association to make separ- ate by-laws for the Bridge and Marine Drive works, which latter it was felt was adequate for present requirements. A large umber of prominent resident ratepayers voiced their disap- proval on the grounds that pass- age of the by-law would so seri- ously impair the borrowing pow- ""er of the Municipality that it would be practically impossibl for succeeding Counci1s to con- sider making provision for other major requirements of which the most pressing it was felt were: Water, Increased Fire Protec- tion, Transportation, and devel- opment of local roads and side- walks. Many'esidents called at- tention to the lack of reasonable roads to their own homes and considered they had a certain right to relief before the con- struction proposed was under- taken, which it was felt would mainly benefit the tourist and visitor to West Vancouver. Con- siderable discussion also took place over the large difference of about $60,000 in the reports on Capilano Bridge by Engineer Hanes whose plans were adopted by the Council and the report of Engineer Swan, and that inde- pendent advice had not been sought on same. A further cric- icism voiced was the 30 year de- benture covering the proposed road-work far exceeded the life of the road. Warnings were sounded lest the good work of recent councils in rehabilitating the financial prestige of the Mun- icipality be lost by cutting too close to our borrowing-power, which should the by-laiv carry would reduce the margin to a mere $36,000 and inevitably lead~ to the taxing of improvements. After full and complete discus- sion on thege matters the follow- ing resolution was submitted and carried by an overwhelming ma- jority:-- "Whereas the Council of the Municipality of West Vancouver have submitted for the consider- ation of the ratepayers a propos- al to spend the sum of $440,000 for the rebuilding of Capilano Bridge and widening and resur- facing Marine Drive from the Eastern to the )Vestern Bound- ary and IVhereas the Council have stat- ed they have the assurance of (Continued on Page 7) Next Wednesday the property owners of West Vancouver will be asked to vote on a by-law for the building of a new bridge over the Capilano and the widening and recon- struction of Marine Drive. The by-law is being put forward by the Council, the members of which are unanimous in their opinion as to its necessity. The members of the Council have all sat on the council for sometime and have the value of past experiences to govern them in their actions. They are all resident rate- payers and from the fact that they are giving a good deal of time to the management of municipal affairs are more in touch than the property owner who only pays attention to them when his tax notice comes in. The Councillors are elected to carry on the affairs of the municipality and they bring in certain measures for the approval of the citizens whom they represent. They believe their measures are in the best interests of the municipality or they would certainly not advocate them and the fact that they are unanimous on this question should prove a very weighty and convincing argument in its favor. There is a sentiment amongst a certain section of the public to turn this by-law down because it was not divided, they thinking that separate by-laws should have been sub- mitted for the bridge and the road. The Council, however, in defending their action, claims that the bridge is an integral part of the road, and that a bridge without a road is equally as useless as a road without a bridge. Those people who have not had time or inclination to go into the question thoroughly would do well to vote upon the advice of their representatives. The money the taxpayers invest in this or any other improvements will ultimately repay them in the rising value of their property. We are giving prominence to several letters written by proponents and opponentsand ~~ also a.fairly„ fulLreport of the. Ratepayers'ssociation meeting with the resolution they passed condemning the by-law. These letters and report cover fairly thoroughly the various points for and against. At the different meetings w were bombarded with many figures and much engineering data as to construction, etc., which nine out of ten of us could not at all understand. Figures can be made to read almost anyway, and yet hold argument for truthfulness. We either want the work to proceed or we don't want it. Next Wednesday you will have an opportunity of expressing your wishes in a more forceful way by the exercise of your vote. Whether you are for it or against it should be decided by your own reason nnd your desire will be registered on Wednesday. Being a money by-law a three-fifths majority is necessary for the passage of this by-law. With the problem of the con- struction of a new bridge over the Capilano, I would appreciate the opportunity to suggest that before recording their votes next Wednesday ratepayers should give the matter of location more consideration. I have been a resident of the municipality for fifteen years, since about the first days when it began to as- sume a place in the sun, and my whole interests are now centreil here. The new bridge will be more permanent than any here- tofore planned, and once the site is decided upon, it will be too late to change the decision. It must stand for many years. It would be well to go slow at this time since so much in the future de- pends on what is done now. I am in favor of a new bridge, very much so, but I do not favor the , present location. I have talked with nlhyy others in the munici- pality and find that many sharc my opinion Everyone is familiar with the present bridge and the disad- vantages of its location. It is well known that when it was built some years ago, it was con- fidently thought that, no mis- hap would ever come to it. It was argued that the Capilano river at that point was wide aml that the current would never have force enough to do much (Continued on Page 2) I regret to have to say that at the conclusion of the Ratepay- crs Association meeting held ldonday night to discuss the a- bove subject I left with the im- pression that the meeting had been called for the express pur- pose of passing a resolution con- demn.'ng the bylaiv. Certainly ihe sponsor brought to the meet- ing, the resolution, pre-written, for pr sentation regardless. Most of us attend meetings for the purpose of gathering facts, but unfortunately, these facts are often lost sight of under the in fluence of one or more spellbind- ers. IVest Vancouver is some- &vhat differently situated from most places insomuch as the Bridge aml Drive is our only means of entry aml departure and &vhich accommodates the &vholc Municipality. Surely everyone interest d will admit that the state of both as at present are decidedly inade- quate. I think the Council should be given credit for tackl- ing the problem in a courageous manner, and that we shouhl not only assist them in their en- deavor to put the same in shape worthy of the Municipality, but also insist on this being &lonc. Yours truly, A. IV. LUNN IVith reference to the propos- ed bylaw and in view of the fact that an association is likely to print the resolution passed by that body on Monday night, I would like very much to state my views so that there may be no misunderstanding on the part of any ratepayers in the district as to the reasons for putting the b) laws. The reasons that the bridge and road was only one bylaw is because they are in reality one project and it would be onlv double expense to put them in two. The ratepavers through- out the entire municipality would be greatly benefited by the pass- age of the combined bylaw, but the westerly portion of the mun- icipality would be greatly ne- glected if the road was to be- come impassable, which is very likely. To be fair to the whole municipality we should consider the wants and requirements ot every portion of it and if either the bridge or'road were to be passed alone the result would be very unsatisfactory so far as a united )Vest Vancouver is con- cerned. As I said at the meeting in Hollyburn first consider the necessity of both projects, and I mean consi&ier them as affect- ing the &vhole municipality, aml then decide ivhether or not we can afford it. After months of consideration (Continued on Page 7) R. D. BREWIS WRITES A W L,UNN CRITICISES COUNCILLOR IVAT1"S VIEWS OF THE BY-LAW AGAINST THE BY-LAW RATEPAYERS'1EETING COUNCILLOR LEYLAND BOOSTS THE BY-LAW On IVednesday, October 26th the citizens of West Vancouver will go to the polls and make a decision on one of the most im- portant projects that has ever been submitted to them. The Council unanimously decided that the time had arrived when the Marine Drive, one of the most beautiful highways on the lower mainland, should be perm- anently resurfaced and widened from the Eastern boundaryof the Municipality to the IVestern boundary. Included in the road project is the Capilano Bridge, which, after all, is part of the road. If there were no other consid- ations than the protection of hu- man life, the scheme would be commendable, as it cannot be gainsaid that the narrowness of the road, the roughly patched surface, the sharp turns, and the deep drops are a continual men- ace to motorists and pedestrians. But from the viewpoint of economy, the scheme must com- mend itself to reasonable busi- ness men of sound judgment. The maintenance on the present unsatisfactory road will have cost the taxpavers this year over $ 10,000.00 and must be repeat- ed. The sinking Fund and inter- est on the proposed ne&v High- way (exclusive of the bridge) will cost no more, and we should then have a road which would give service to our citizens for many years to come, and some- thing that would reflect credit on IVest Vancouver, which is now considered the most pro- gressive 61unicipality of Greater Vancouver. If it is desired to even consider the bridge as separate from the Highway, though it is an integ- ral part of it, it seems to have ahvays been the opinion of the vast majority of the ratepayers that the present structure was an eyesore and disgraceful. Like the remainder of the road, it also is dangerous &vith its plank floori- ngg, bad turns and narrow width. As for, the permanency of the bridge itself, no engineer has been able to guarantee its life. The proposed ne&v bridge has no piers or other obstructions in the river bed, and in its safety. permanency, and artisticness would be &cell within keeping of the remamder of the High&ray. iVo doubt the reason that previ- ous Councils have not urged the ne&v Capilano Bridge was because mile one &vas not classified and the taxpayer ivould have had to assume the total cost. This mile has no&v been classified and the Government pays 50" of the ex- p& &is'e. Much has been said about building a road in the West en&i (Continued on Page 7)