Welcome to Lake Flashback. Reporter Lexi Bainas has been combing through old newspapers with theassistance of the Kaatza Station Museum and Archives so we can jog your memory, give you that nostalgicfeeling, or just a chuckle, as we take a look at what was making headlines this week around Cowichan Lake inyears gone by.
10 years ago:
“These winners making town gardens look more beautiful” says a story in the July 25, 2007 Lake Cowichan Gazette listing the Lake Beautification Competition winners.
Dean and Christina Tipton won the Mayor’s Award, $500 and a carved wooden trophy donated by Jack Peake.
“It was the fourth annual beautification awards, put on by the Lake Cowichan Communities in Bloom Committte, and it was one of the best yet.
”’We judged over two nights because there were so many entries,” said Nancy Rizk.
The other top winners were Kathy Edwards and Bill Bush who won $300 and a plaque for the best major renovations.
Other winners include: Rick and Lucy Vermiere for best established flower garden; Ron and Debbie Humbe for the best new flower garden; David and Sheryl Gillis for the best window boxes, planters, and balcony; Jenny McPherson for the best front yard; Sue Kokkins and Edith Strocen tied for best back yards; Aime and Evelyn L’Heureux for the best entrance and deck; and Village Phamacy for the best commercial improvements.
25 years ago:
In the July 22, 1992 edition of The Lake News, the major story was “Protesters hit Walbran again”, showing that old growth logging was a big subject.
A Pat Carson Bulldozing off-highway logging truck was damaged and protesters occupied the offices of MacMillan Bloedel as trouble broke out last Thursday in the Walbran Valley.
Const. Wayne Curle, RCMP, said that the Carson logging truck has “sand and other debris dumped into their fuel tanks.”
It had been parked along the route between the Nitinat Bridge and Franklin River. Police are investigating.
At 7 a.m. Thursday, he said, ‘a group of approximately 17 environmental protesters blockaded a bridge at Franklin River.
“At the logging camp the protesters made an attempt to occupy the office building but were evicted by M and B employees. The protesters than blocked access to the building for approximately one hour by sitting in front of the office doors.”
The protesters left after discussion with RCMP from Lake Cowichan and Port Alberni. No arrests were made.
40 years ago:
In the July 27, 1977 version of The Lake News, we learn that Island Shake and Shingle had finally received approval for the construction of a mill and log haul out at Cowichan Bay.
“In a letter sent to Morrow Engineering of Vancouver last week by the acting director of the fisheries habitat protection agency, tentative approval was granted for construction of the mill on a six acre site in Cowichan Bay.
The letter stated: “Subsequent to an onsite inspection of the subject area, we conclude that the proposed shake and shingle mill can be constructed without jeopardizing the extensive fisheries resource in the Cowichan Bay area.”
Final approval was still waiting for detailed plans of the mill, taking into account eight conditions and Island Shake president Bert Rodenbush said “there is still no word from the Municipality of North Cowichan on issuing a building permit for a project.”