Edmonton Journal from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada • 20

Nelghtortoo EDITOR: CATHERINE CARSON Monday, February 14, 1977 20 I Students learn what it's like to be blind i Is 5 St." fy If' 1 19 fold his or her money in certain ways so he or she will know what denomination each bill is. It was after that the students donned blindfolds. During their snack they tried eating with their eyes closed, finding food items by feel. Other students guided them by using the clock system that is, anything directly in front is "at 12 o'clock" while anything behind is at six o'clock. Mr.

Owen brought along braille alphabet cards, pamphlets, and a comic book explaining how seeing eye dogs are trained. The students also had a look at an edition of the Reader's Digest, printed in braille. Books by Helen Keller were on special display in the school library. Individual teachers carried on special discussions and projects in their classrooms through the week. Blindness, even when it's only tempo-j rary can still be frightening.

This lesson was driven home to about -130 students at McArthur Elementary School, 13535 134th St. as they began a week of special projects to mark White Cane Week. The students donned blindfolds so they could find out for themselves what it was like to live in a world of darkness. Other students led them around for a while, then they tried to move about on their own. "Some of the children were literally frightened," said one of the teachers.

The week began with a visit by Bill Ow-en of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind accompanied by his seeing eye dog, Geri. He told students what it was like to be blind and how he has had to learn to get along. For example, a blind person must its' s4Sst'ft 4 11 if Ml Students are intrigued by seeing eye dog Geri who leads her master Bill Owen of the CNIB city eouNOtm Firm loses exemption bid WEST City applying for court order CITY BOUNDARY Mike Rrailhwaile is your neighborhood reporter. Contact him at The Journal. 425-91 20, news of your area.

Deadline 5p.m. Wednesday for publication Monday. City council is applying for a court order to stop a trailer rental and sales business from operating at 16101 107 A Ave. business operated by James Douglas and Sharon Lea La Rose is in an area zoned R-l residential in which only single family residences are allowed. Council was told the inspection of the lot last May found a business was being operated there.

There were 10 trailers on the site at that time. Last June Mr. La Rose applied for a development permit but was turned down by the the bylaw was in effect when the new proposal was put forward, the firm shouldn't be exempt. The fact the developer plans his own landscaping shouldn't enter the picture, either otherwise every industrial development would have to be considered for exemption and the bylaw would be unworkable. Council also gave two readings to a bylaw to amending the zoning bylaw torezone a piece of land south of 105th Avenue and west of 170th Street from AG-MR 1 (industrial reserve) to M-l and M-2 (both industrial districts).

The M-l area involves tight controls on both appearance and landscaping while M-2 is somewhat less A permit was obtained, but the development didn't proceed then. More recently the firm decided to delete the warehouse space and proceed with a one-storey office complex. By that time the bylaw had been introduced and under its terms, the firm would have to pay $35,900 into the redevelopment levy which goes toward the development of parks and public reserve lands. Mr. Thomas argued that since the redevelopment of the site had originally been proposed before the bylaw was passed, the firm should be exempt.

The firm wants to landscape the property itself with grass and mature trees, at a cost of about $25,000. Aid. Ed Kennedy said that, since A bid to exclude a development from provisions of a bylaw that came into being after the development had started, was lost in council last week. The bid was contained in an amendment to the redevelopment levy bylaw which would have saved the developer $35,900. However the amendment was defeated on first reading.

Stewart Green Properties Ltd. is planning an office complex on the Bremner estate along the west side-of 142nd Street between 116th and 118th Avenues. The firm's solicitor Denny Thomas told council development plans were first brought forward before the bylaw came into being. Initially an office-warehouse complex was planned. Buses speeding again now roadway is clear Coming events development officer.

That decision wasn't appealed. An inspection on Aug. 31 found six trailers on the site. A registered letter was sent Sept. 2 on behalf of planning superintendent S.

C. Rodg-ers to Mr. La Rose, requesting he cease operations. An inspection Jan. 1 1 revealed four holiday trailers still on the site.

Council has authorized its legal department to apply to the district or Supreme Court of Alberta for an injunction or any other order the department deems necessary to stop the operation. Police investigating snowmobile complaints When the ice and snow melted off 100A Avenue between 156th and 163rd Streets city buses began speeding again, a resident complains. Joe Koopmans of 15903 100A Ave. says in a letter to Utilities and Engineering Commissioner Phil Walker the buses had slowed down then began speeding again as soon as the ice and snow had gone. Mr.

Koopmans first became involved in the dispute last fall after a number of bus routes were relocated along 100A Avenue so they could have better access to the bus terminal on Stony Plain Road west of 156th Street. He took a petition with 59 Police are investigating reports of snowmobiles operating in Laurier Park. Police have received com- signatures, representing 90 per cent of the avenue's residents, to council. The matter went to utilities and engineering committee and transit officials imposed a 20 m.p.h. speed limit on the avenue.

At a later committee meeting, Mr. Koopmans reported most of the buses had slowed down. But now that the avenue is clear, buses are again speeding at 35-40 m.p.h. Most of the speeding is in the evenings or on weekends when transit officials aren't there to check. He saw one bus travelling at about 30 m.p.h.

and went down to the terminal to talk to the driver about it. "He was annoyed and denied speeding He reiterates his earlier stand that the only answer is a 20 m.p.h. speed limit for all traffic so the police could enforce it "since Edmonton Transit officials cannot control the speeding of their own drivers." City council to consider zoning bylaw amendments plaints from people living near the park that they hear snowmobile motors and vehicle tracks have been found. Snowmobiles are prohibited in Laurier Park and police are prepared to prosecute anyone using the machines there. A police spokesman said there are only two areas of Edmonton where the machines are permitted on a parcel of land along 142nd Street about a half mile north of 137th Avenue; and in the Clover Bar area, two miles north of Highway 1 6.

Otherwise, it has been quiet in west Edmonton this past week, police report, with no serious crimes or unusual activities. 114th Ave. Chartered accountant Jim Stout will be on hand. PUPPET SHOWS will be presented by Woodcraft Puppeteers at 2 p.m. Saturday, also at the library.

GREEN THUMB gardening will be the topic of three Monday evening sessions sponsored by Parkview Community League, 9135 146th St. Gail Rankin of the parks department will cover such topics as indoor seeding, pruning and lawn maintenance. Pre-register by calling 488- 5112. The first session is at 8 p.m. next Monday.

THREE FILMS for children will be shown at 2 p.m. Saturday in Jasper Place library, 9010 156th St. Pre-register by calling 489- 0310. ADVICE ON HOW to file income tax returns will be offered at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Woodcraft library, 13420 DAB grants approval The Development Appeal Board has given approval to two men to operate a restaurant in the west end as long as adequate parking is available.

Chris Pappas and John Bianchini told the DAB they have a five-year lease on property across the street from the proposed restaurant in a shoping centre on 149th Street and Stony Plain Road. They intend to use the leased property for parking. Addition approved City council has given first reading to a money bylaw for $100,000 for extensions and improvements to the Jasper Place library, 9010 156th St. The extensions will add 2,000 square feet to the branch which is one of the busiest in the city library's branch system. Work space for staff has become critically short.

Council will also consider an amendment to the redevelopment levy bylaw to exempt a property on 128th Street north of 125th Avenue. The levy, introduced last year, requires developers in established industrial areas to pay into a fund for the development of parks and public reserve lands. A zoning bylaw amendment clearing the way for a substantial expansion of west Edmonton residential areas goes before council Feb. 21 The amendment would rezone a large parcel of land between 62nd and 71st Avenues and 184th and 187th Streets from AG-UR (agricultural urban reserve district) to various categories of residential zoning. Most of the parcel especially the north and west would become R-l (single family houses only).

A large chunk in the middle would be R-2A (town houses) and two smaller pieces toward the southeast R-3 (walk-up apartments). There would also be a P-3 (public housing) area in the southeast between the two R-3 parcels, and a large section adjacent to these for a public park. The municipal planning commission supports the amendment. People rrafc kevival planned for youth group Scott Jarron andValerie Curtis didn't win the championship but "we're pretty proud of them anyway." says Hillcrest Junior High School counsellor Alfred Schalm. The two Grade 9 students made the finals of the northern Alberta high school debating championships.

They lost out to a team from Queen Elizabeth Composite High School. Aldergrove in the new part of west Edmonton has elected its first slate of officers. Gordon IngersoH was elected president; Bob Carter, vice-president; Janet Canvell, secretary and John Dav-ey, treasurer. The new league used to be part of the Thorncliffe Community League until the area became large enough to support a league of its own." Joan McComb is looking for young people to help revive Dovercourt Team Group. Joan, a second-year student in youth development Agreement approved John Zyp, principal of St.

Vincent School found himself at loose ends recently when Sonya Burak, a Grade 9 student, took over for a day. She had won the school's Education Week essay contest and the temporary principalship was her reward. She now gets a shot at the provincewide Education Minister for a Day essay contest. at Grant MacEwan College, wants to revive last summer's successful group. She is on a student placement program with West 10.

Her role in the group is strictly that of volunteer. The group started primarily to combat vandalism that appeared to be growing in the area. By giving young people a place to go, the problem was resolved and the young people were anxious to see it continued. She hopes to run it from 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays but there hasn't been much response.

It is aimed at the 13-17 age group. Activities would include hayrides, bin-gos, fund-raising projects and games. The group is using Dover-court Community Hall, 13510 Dovercourt Ave. as a drop-in centre. Joan will be with the program through June.

Further information can be obtained by calling Joan at 452-6193 or 488-7723. Rosemary Seaman volunteer co-ordinator of West getting requests for volunteers to visit senior citizens and to tutor elementary school children. Also a child care worker is needed for a parenting group on Thursday afternoons run by city social services. i Anyone interested can contact her at 452-6193. Mural makers, from left, Robert Cherwonka, Greg Yaremko, Darrel Tulod2decke and Dave McCune Vibrant mural adorns wall City council has approved an agreement with Belvedere Developments Ltd.

to develop .83 acres west of 176th Street and north of 95th Avenue. Known as Neighborhood 1, West Jasper Place, the parcel will include 14 single family houses, 468 multiple units and a 16.5 acre school and park site. It is included in the tentative development program for this year. The anticipated population is 1,730 people. Under the agreement 40 per cent of the land will be given up for public purposes such as roadways, parkland and school sites.

Density in the R-2A areas (town houses) will be restricted to 12 units per acre. Public housing sites will be accommodated on 6.86 acres in the parcel. Another 8.23 acres will be devoted to school sites. A reunion of high school graduates from Westglcn School is being planned for July 1 and 2. The school accommodated high school grades from 1940 until 1957 when Ross Sheppard High School opened.

Former graduates interested in taking part can contact Sheila McKay at 1 4. ning out from it symbolize "the spread of peace throughout the world." In addition to motivating the students, the mural project "gives a little more visual appeal to the school entrance," says Mr. Zyp. The mural is mostly complete now but there is still some trimming around the edges to be done. The boys found out there was more to the project than they had originally thought.

"They have been coming in on weekends and after hours to finish it." Darrel Tulodziecke, 14 of 14528 106A by Dave McCune, 15, of 10815 132nd Greg Yaremko, 14, of 10844 140th St. and Robert Cherwonka, 14 of 10607 146th St. They started the project last year when they were in a Grade 8 art class taught by Mr. Zyp. Mr.

Zyp divided the class into groups to create a design for a mural. When The students then chose the one they liked best. Darrel says the mural is centred with a peace symbol. The lines run The wall at the entrance to St. Vincent Elementary-Junior High School, 10530 138th used to be a dull expanse of fading yellow paint.

Then some art students went to work on it. Now it's adorned with a large mural symbolizing peace. Before long principal John Zyp hopes to have more murals on it. "It's something permanent it gives the students motivation." This first mural designed by Election fever is really catching at Jasper Place Branch 255 of the Royal Canadian Legion. The branch elects its 1977 executive March 4 and 5.

Herbert Worden is seeking re-election as an executive member; Lin Anderson, second vice-president, is seeking the first vice-presidency as is Bob Gleason, now an executive member. R.J. McConnell also wants to join the executive. Fire calls Edmonton firemen answered 14 fire calls in west Edmonton in the past week, none of a serious nature. There were also four medical aid calls..