Welcome to Lake Flashback. Reporter Lexi Bainas has been combing through old newspapers with the assistance of the Kaatza Station Museum and Archives so we can jog your memory, give you that nostalgic feeling, or just a chuckle, as we take a look at what was making headlines this week around Cowichan Lake in years gone by.
10 years ago:
The Lake Cowichan Gazette of June 20, 2007 reported that for the second time, a provincial government had to apologize for a failed seal-coating job on Highway 18. In 1992, it was Minister Kevin Falcon who carried the can for the fiasco.
“Thousands of claims were filed through ICBC from people whose vehicles were damaged by flying rocks and debris.
“We had that terrible problem with Highway 18 resurfacing and I apologize on behalf of our ministry,” Falcon said.
“A $6.5 million project to repave the highway is expected to be completed by early July and is being done by Duncan-based company, Island Highway Surfaces.”
25 years ago:
“Decision on referendum is expected this Friday” said The Lake News on June 24, 1992.
It was all about changing the political landscape in the Cowichan Lake area.
“Inclusion in a restructured community was not favoured by Paldi and Skutz Falls residents, who attended the Lake Cowichan Restructure meeting Monday night in Lake Cowichan,” the story said.
Possible boundary expansion had planned to include that area.
“What area do I belong to?” asked a woman who lives on Stoltz Road. “I feel we belong to Duncan.”
Other residents objecting to the increase in taxes wanted to know what their benefits would be. They pointed out that only about 100 familes live in the area and their influence in a referendum would be negligible.
Earlier Tom Reid of Sussex Consultants, had pointed out that there were a lot of ‘What If?’ factors to be addressed in considering restructure.
“Youbou, Caycuse, the highway east of the village, Skutz Falls, and Paldi would have he largest increase in a five year period increase over a five year period,” Reid said.”
40 years ago:
Lake Cowichan Secondary School students will not be allowed to have a smoking area at the school, said the lead story in the June 15, 1977 edition of The Lake News.
At the June meeting, the school board accepted the recommendation of the special smoking committee not to approve a designated smoking area at the high school, but the board did not rule out the possibility of providing the area at a later date.
At the same time, committee chair Buck Hollingdrake called for a ‘tightening up’ of the present policy of smoking in schools.
The committee was formed to look into the smoking problem at LCSS after principal Don Service approached the board with the idea of creating a smoking area to help reduce the number of offenders in school washrooms.
At that time, Service said he did not ‘condone’ smoking in schools but the practice in washrooms led to messy, crowded conditions and presented a potential fire hazard.