ow the election’s over, it’s time to see if our city council

can not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk, Having °. .

_ Nz: to'put either the library expansion or the nebulous .
community-convention centre on a referendum ballot, they can
comfortably put electionccring behind them, get out of the mega-" -
project mentality, and take a serious look at what’s going on around:
the community, what we need, what’s practical, and what we can

afford oo. oe

Kalum street is figuratively erupting with ideas at either end, -one
being the library expansion and the other a. recently announced -
proposal to replace the Terrace Little Theatre's McColl Playhouse
with larger, more modern and more congenial setting for its produc-
tions. Down the street, the art gallery is in the last stages of suffoca-

tion in the basement of the existing library, and the Art Association’s

desperate plea to the city to underwrite a full time gallery administra-
for is unlikely to get a favourable answer. The library, having in all
probability been done out of a Growth and Opportunities grant by the
_sudden appearance of the convention centre idea, is facing a lengthy
delay in its plans.

With time on its hands, the library board might view the delay as
an opportunity rather than 4 source of frustration. A multi-purpose
area attached to the expansion could solve a multitude of problems.

The Little Theatre’s ambitious plans will fill the need in the com-
munity for a small-scale performing arts centre, but those plans still
won't fix the awkward location; if it succeeds and the number of
events increase, so will the traffic problems. Building the new theatre
requires not only a zoning change but also an amendment to the
community plan. Combining the theatre plan with the library expan-
sion would make more sense from that perspective, and the theatre

-could also double as an att gallery, which would give the Art Associ-
ation a boost in exposure. The exhibition centre at Ksan in Hazelton
serves as a gallery, theatre and meeting room, and the three uses are
not just harmonious, they enhance one another.

There are several member organizations within the Terrace and
District Arts Council that might take an active interest in the idea.
Each organization carries operating grants that would be more effec-
tive in combination than in isolation, particularly in respect to build-
ing maintenance and administrative costs. Fine arts, music and drama
fit well with the spirit of a library.

It is, of course, up to the individual organizations to approach the
library board, but if a concept comes out of it the execution would
require the support of council. As it stands now we have a divided
effort in the community that serves no useful purpose. Council has
blown it once by not jumping at the chance to have the Peaks’ —
gymnastic complex built on city land. The aggressive Peaks organi-
zation went out and got their government grant and have given birth
to a building in Thomhill while the Terrace convention centre is still
nothing more than a gleam in council’s eye.

The convention centre idea becomes increasingly reminiscent of the
line from Field of Dreams, "If you build it, he will come." Even if
library goes it alone, council’s attitude comes down to a question of

- whether we should build a massively expensive complex to host
visitors who may or may not arrive, or whether we should build a
centre of culture and learning for the people who already live here.

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"T ELLIO

{105 KEITH SPICER ON
THE PHONE... HED LIKE

“1 -TO REAR YOiR OPINIONS
\ OvBE GUN.

in ‘

a}

Sass

... VICTORIA — The statistics.

are staggering. There are
18,000 children and teenagers
in British Columbia whose
“parents” is the government.

_ Yes, eighteen thousand.

In care homes, foster homes,
institutions, and the like, these
young people need help. Many
of them receive ity many do
not. | |

And now a 150-page report

“from the Ombudsman has

spelled out why the system
often fails.
The author of the report,

Brent Parfitt, deputy om-

budsman for children and
youth, shows that the bureau-
cratic entanglement of no less
than eight government minis-
tries, and the lack of coordina-
tion and cooperation among
them, are major contributing
factors to the failures.

The office of the Ombuds-
man last year recorded more
than 2,000 complaints from
amidst the 18,000 youngsters in
care. That disturbing statistic
(more than 11 per cent) gets

_even more scary when you con-

sider the hundreds of probably
justifiable complaints which are
never officially made.

So what can or will be done —
about it, you ask?

‘Well, the government has set
up a committee.

The new Child and Youth -
Secretariat is supposed ‘‘to
coordinate and (to) implement
inter-ministry policies and pro-
grams”’ for those young peo-
ple. -

At the risk of-appearing to
be cynical or sarcastic, this |
writer wonders whyinhell it: has
taken so long for-someonie to ©
recognize how muddled up the -

‘The view from
Victoria —

by John Pifer

system was and-to do some=""~
thing about it.

And I also wonder whether
setting up a committee of four
assistant deputy ministers (so-
cial services, education, health
and solicitor-general), to work
with three (yes, only 3) senior
full-time staff, is really the
answer.

No doubt that there are hun-

- dreds of capable, hard-working

men and women working in so-

cial services, health, attorney-

general and other ministries

‘who truly do want to help kids

who are abused, abusive, ne-
glected, and rejected.

But there are also a few nar-
row-minded, unimaginative au-
tomations who don’t give much
of a damn about any other hu-

‘man being, and we can only

pray that they get weeded out,
and soon. |

Perhaps the new secretariat
will consider that to be one of
its priorities.

Perhaps Parfitt’s report will
bring a breath of fresh air into
the care of children as operated
by an administrative behemoth .
that is government.

And perhaps necessary chan-
ges actually will occur, as to
how we view and treat trou-

‘bled, frightened, confused, and

suffering kids in care.

Do A Number

On Your

Garbage.

Fos information ont how, what and where 0 recycle
fat Greaur Vascowver call

RECYCLE

(732-9253)

8006674321

veer

-4Tf-any of'you dear readers ~

can participate positively in any
way toward such goals, please,
please, do so.

MAILBAG:

@ One loyal reader writes
that I am ‘‘doing my best to
elect socialism in B.C., when
the rest of the world is running

‘as far away as possible. Why?”

This amazing leap in illogical
thinking stems from the fact
that this humble scribe has
been known to criticize (per-
haps an understatement here?)
Premier Bill Vander Zalm for
being untruthful, devious or
malicious in his actions and
statements.

Would it not be much more
accurate to suggest that for
four years, Mr. Vander Zalm ~
has been doing HIS best to
elect socialism in B.C. through
his style and lack of substance?

@ Another correspondent
accuses me of being a staunch
Social Credit supporter ‘‘as —
shown by your efforts to make
the party get rid of Vander
Zalm, You know they then
would stand a chance of win-
ning re-election.”’

Some days you can’t win, no

matter what direction you.
head!!

B it a f ‘ 8
BOB Hin eer ie