midweek edition WEDNESDAY, NOV. 24, 2010
Vol. 101 No. 94 • Established 1908 • East
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Tattoo you
Marvelous Marino
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School board aims wrecking ball at 24 playgrounds Elementary hopes to raise $50,000
Naoibh O’Connor Staff writer
Tyee elementary parent Karen Cooper is fundraising to replace the school’s old playground.
photo Dan Toulgoet
Twenty-four Vancouver schools have been warned they’ll lose their aging playgrounds by June 2012 for safety reasons, sending schools scrambling to raise tens of thousands of dollars for replacements. The pricey equipment can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $70,000—and even upwards of $100,000 depending on how elaborate the equipment. Parent groups, not the school board, are responsible for covering the bill. That troubles parent Karen Cooper, who’s on the parent advisory council for Tyee elementary, one of the schools that received a warning letter. The small
Montessori school at 3525 Dumfries St. is trying to raise $50,000 to replace its old wooden equipment. It’s holding a walkathon Nov. 25, a silent auction in the spring, and smaller fundraisers such as penny drives, in between. Some businesses have agreed to donate to the cause. Cooper is happy the VSB is addressing health and safety concerns by removing potentially dangerous playgrounds, but she questions the lack of warning and argues a five-year plan should be in place. “The VSB has slated the removals at the same time, and consequently, every school is struggling as they compete with one another for funding,” she said. See PARENT on page 4
Dunbar neighbourhood targeted by debit card scammers Victim says police aren’t doing enough to catch the thieves Cheryl Rossi Staff writer
After she was the victim of debit card fraud for the third time in a year, Tina Crouse sent an email to the 400 to 500 members of the Dunbar Neighbours listserv. Within 24 hours after Thanks-
giving weekend, she heard from 26 neighbours who’d also been victimized by debit card fraud. Crouse realized the fraud could be located within Dunbar when the debit cards of her daughter and two co-workers in the West Side community were compromised around the same
time as hers. They all use different banks. From all the information she’s collected, Crouse suspects cards are being skimmed at businesses on Dunbar between West 26th and 31st avenues. Her bank, TD, reimbursed the approximately $1,000 she
lost each time. But Crouse wonders why banks and the police aren’t doing more to catch the thieves. “If the police could put any time to this, it could be solved relatively quickly, I would guess. There’s just enough here to really get focused in fairly
rapidly,” Crouse said. “Who knows if it’s happening in other communities in Vancouver who don’t have a listserv.” Crouse phoned the Kerrisdale Oakridge Marpole Community Policing Centre last month but didn’t hear back. See COPS on page 4
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