-.._ ----- NORiH VANCOUVER E,. C . W”7 3B6 06/21/96 C In The Streets-- More than 500 spectators lined the course at the south end of Cleveland Avenue Sunday afternoon for Thunder in the Streets, the third annual Squamish/Whistler Car Club invitational auto slalom. Drivers from all over the Lower Mainland and Washington State competed Saturday and Sunday, testing their driving skills against the clock in super stock, street prepared and modified race cars. Patricia Heintrman photo New Hilltop House psycho-geriatric wing receives operational funding 3yPaPabiaHeintz~nan Ministry of Health spokesperson Kathy Sarttini said know it’s going to open.‘ government funding formulas - based on the number Dillabough said he wasn’t if thc snmc nunibcr ot It’s four months overdue, but the doors at Hilltop of beds, personnel needed and the facilities’ needs - jobs - n total of 5 1/2 full-timc jobs or tquivalvnt 3ouse‘s new 10-bed psycho-geriatric wing will finally were used to come up with the $221,242 fipn.. would be cmatcd if the anticipated $417, OW h,id corne )e open to care for the people it was intended to serve. ’The delay in funding was due to tight fiscal con- through - would he availablta with the ncw prorated In a letter to Squamish General Hospital administrator straints,“ said Santini, adding that she wasn‘t aware if and reduced budget. iohn Dillabough dated June 27, Ministry of Health con- public or media pressure had any impact on the fund- The challcnges that lic ahcd, said DillaLwu~;h,arc thr :inuing care division executive director Rod ing decision. ”We‘re committcd to funding (the new organimtion of both staff ,Ind pitierits during thc 5um- MacDonald announced the commencement of opera- Hilltop House psycho-geriatric wing) to the end of the mer months. tional funding for the new wing. fiscal year, which is March 31. Hilltop House wasn‘t the “Surnmcr is not the idcal time to ciyen the tww wing ‘I am pleased to advise you (Dillabough) that the con- only extended care facility that had a delay in funding. bccause of stdf vacations and thc familivs of yoli*ntial tinuing care division is prepared to commence opera- Eagle Park in the Parkrville, Qualicum area also had an wsidrnts being on vacation. But wc ridiLc thd dny tional funding to Hilltop House on August 1, 1995,” opening delay.” delay may affect the funding.” said MacDonald in the letter, adding that he appreciat- Santini also said funding allocations for extended cam If everything goes as planned, employment notices ed the cooperation and patience regarding the finaliza- facilities in the province are done on a year-to-year will go out in the next two week and staff at the new tion of budgetary requirements leading up to the open- basis, and funding for the new wing will be re-evaluat- facility will begin training Aug. 1 ing of the unit. ed for the next fiscal year. There are no guarantees the ‘If we don’t run across any glitches pcopltl should be The new wing, which will provide special care for 10 wing will get funding next year, she said. moving in by mid August,” said Dillahugh. “We’ve Alzheimer‘s and dementia patients, was finished in DiUabough wid he was relieved to hear the funding already prcpantd a plan for admissions standards SO February at a cost of $1.5 million but has been vacant news, but said some changes will have to be made to we’re hoping everything runs smoothly. since then awaiting operational funding. the operational budget to meet the reduced funding ‘The important thing is that we’ve got the money now The Squamish Health Care Society had originally amount. and we‘re finally going to start caring for pcople.” requested funding for an annual operational budget of ”We(the Squamish Health Care Society) aped we’re Dillabough said the IO-bed facility already has a 12- !3417,000 for the new wing. But since the funding does going to try it, but if we cannot operate with what we patient waiting list of people who an, either already wS- not start until Aug. I, a rorated amount of $221,242, have we’ll have to go back and ask for more,” idents in the 51-bed inkrmcdbte and extended CJW based on 277 days of the Piscal year ending March 31, is Dillabough said. “We have some ideas on how to man- fiilltop House, at another cxtendcd care facility in the amount funded, a shortfall of nearly s58,OOO over a age our money a bit bctter, but it would be premature North Vancouver or the Lower Mainland, or rrsiding at seven month period. for me to get into the details at this point. At lcast we a family home in the am. Zoning Bylaw Raises Queries More public input needed Says Legere Centennial Fisld page 12 & 13 I RACE& COMPANY Varroa mites infest DOUGLASB, CHIASSON Divorce Trial Lawyer Squamish area beehives Problem can be controlled if beekeepers are willing I Contested and Uncontested Divorces By Patricia Heintunan Child Custody and Access Strict transportation rules and a quar- Separation Agreements antine area imposed by the provincial apiarist were designed to protect Howe Child and Spousal Maintenance Sound area bees from the dreaded var- Cohabitation and Marriage Agreements roa mite. But .much to the chagrin of local beekeepers, varroa mites have been Property Division discovered in four different locations in the area, making the problems endemic Whistler Squamish to the whole quarantine zone, says Stein 3324370 Loiimer Road 201-1365 Pemberton Ave. Hoff, president of the Squamish 9323211 892-5255/932-6938 Beekeepers Association. A provincial apiarist tested several hives in the area in the spring of 1994 and found them to be mite-free. Hives were retested this spring, and varroa Renew mites were discovered in the colonies of four different beekeepers. The Lower your Mainland has been infested with the varroa mite for several years and a quar- antilie was set up in the area from Britannia Beach to Lillooet to help stay §QUAMISH INSURANCE the problem. Either a lack of awareness or a lack of concern by Lower Mainland Highlands Mall beekeepers has brought the potentially (inside mall, across from Post Office.) devastating problem to area. But Hoff - said there are preventative measures that can help a!!eviate the problem ''There must have been a breech in quarantine for varroa to be in the area but there is not much we can do about that now," says Hoff. "Beekeepers ought to be able to keep the problem under control if they go through the proper management protocol. If beekeepers fail to adapt to the new management proto- col and to accept the expenses involved with it, they are going to lose their colonies." I The microscopic varroa mites lodge Conditions #aVe Changed - kist year when provincial themselves between the plates that make apiary it7SpeCtOr Daniella Bates checked out beehives in the up a bee's exoskeleton and virtually Squamish area they Were free from VWOa mites. But Since suck the blood right out of a bee. then the microscopic insects have been discovered in four The mites can also end up in the brood, different locations in the area. Chief file phot0 where they feed off the larvae as it develops. The only possible way for the them. If you treat your hive with fluvalinate for HOURS varroa mite to travel is with the aid of a bee, and two generations, or 42 hours in the fall and the a bee only travels up to fiv e kilometres from its spring, then you ought to be able to keep the hive. problem dormant." ALL SUMMER Beekeepers can test for varroa mites by placing The varroa mite isn't the only enemy of Howe a strip of apistan in their hives, and consequently Sound area beehives. A bacteria that fouls the treat the hives with fluvalinate, a chemical which brood is prevalent in the area and a yeast organ- helps stops the mites' life cycle. ism can also create problems which can weaken a I JUNE 30 - SEI'". 5 The varroa mite problem is most devastating in hive. Hoff says so far the trachea mite, which agricultural areas that depend on bees to polli- attacks a bee's respiratory system, has yet to be nate commercial crops. Cranberry farmers in the diagnosed in the area. Lower Mainland were worried last year that there "But our biggest problem in the area has to do SKILLET SPECIALS would not be enough healthy bee hives to polli- with climate," says Hoff. "Our colonies have to 1 nate the cranberry crops. The varroa mite survive for long periods in incredible humidity." predicament was also evident in California, Fellow beekeeper Don Ross, who has the largest ' ALL DAY BREAKFAST where infestation threatened the success of the number of hives, 50, of the 24 beekeepers in the extremely lucrative almond crops. area, says the heat and lack of rain may pose a "There is horrendous devastating potential for problem for this year's honey production. agriculture," says I-Ioff."I have yet to find any in "The fireweed is already blooming,," says Ross, DINE IN ORTAKE OUT my colonies, but I'll be keeping an eye out for "but unless we get some rain it won't last." I #SUMMERSALE9 SAVE UP TO 50%OFF SELECTED FRAMED PRINTS! NEW SPECIALS DAILY! GREAT GIFT IDEAS! Enter our draw for a limited edition print ($10.00 minimum purchase) 892-5544 SHIP'S GALLERY 38163 Cleveland Avenue, Squamish 0 892-9590 t I <.,..- 1 -._-.._.