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Flashback: Halloween dance, VisionQuest deal, lights out... nearly

A look back at the history of the Cowichan Lake area

Welcome to Lake Flashback. Reporter Sarah Simpson 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.

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This week around the Cowichan Lake area…

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10 years ago

"Halloween dance at 50 Plus centre" took the front page honours for the Oct. 29, 2014 edition of the Lake Cowichan Gazette.

"Fifty-two members and guests attended the Halloween Dance on Saturday with or without costume and were kept hopping with the fabulous music of Jan Matthews. Those in costumes ranged from witches, cowboys, a CSI officer, a strange green Irishman and lighted cheerleaders to three blind mice and an English lady in full ball dress complete with powdered wig. It was nice to see some new faces among the crowd.

"Rinda Munslow was the driving force behind this dance and all previous dances at the centre. Her dedication, ideas and decorating skills are unmatched."

In other news, a "Local shop wins builders awards" was nice to see.

"Local business South Shore Cabinetry won a number of awards from the Victoria Residential Builders Association’s CARE Awards in September. The awards are held yearly and have a number of categories judged on 'criteria such as architectural design, quality workmanship, creative use of space, and energy efficiency.'

"'We’ve always done well,” said Roy Sandsmark, owner of South Shore Cabinetry. This year, the business worked on a project with a designer that they’ve worked with in the past, and the collaboration was an award-winning one. The house, known as 'Windjammer,' won a number of awards. South Shore in particular won Gold in the Best Custom Millwork category, and Silver in the Best Custom Kitchen category. Sandsmark said that the recognition is great for the team."

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25 years ago

It was a big deal on the front and page 3 of the Lake News of Nov. 3, 1999 when the agreement was signed between VisionQuest and the Town of Lake Cowichan.

"Town and VisionQuest celebrate agreement in principle" told the story.

"The Cowichan Lake Education Centre were alive with both people and colour Thursday afternoon. Red coats (RCMP) were everywhere, some VisionQuest members (some RCMP/Vision-Quest members being one of the same) and a few local residents. Even the Commanding Officer of the RCMP of British Columbia arrived by RCMP helicopter. What was the purpose for this major turnout of 70 people? A ceremonial event which took place at the shores of the CLEC and the signing of what turned out to be an agreement in principle of the Town of Lake Cowichan to lease out the CLEC to VisionQuest. 

"A lavish luncheon was served followed by the ceremonial event. An RCMP canoe filled with RCMP, VisionQuest, and supporters left the shores to row in rough waters and high winds turning around they returned.

"John Grant, RCMP member and president of VisionQuest in the bow of the canoe announced to Joe Thorne, Council member of Dididaht First Nations, 'we come in peace. We are coming home. We have been on a long journey which has taken three years.' Grant then asked permission to come ashore. Thorne welcomed the group calling them the 'keepers of the dream'."

In other news of the day, "May's convience story sold" was a headline, spelling error and all.

"May's Store, for many years the only shop open late at night and on holidays and weekends in Lake Cowichan, has been sold. Lee May, who had operated the store with her husband, says they decided to sell because the work was 'just too much'. May said the family will stay in town until school's over — she has a child in Grade 8, and will then move, probably to Victoria."

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40 years ago

I couldn't find the Oct. 31 edition of the Lake News so here's a little more from the Lake News of Oct. 24, 1984.

"Members of Local 1-80 of the International Woodworkers of America re-elected most of their present slate of officers unanimously at a meeting in Duncan last week. Returning for another two-year term are president Roger Stanyer, who has held that job since he replaced Fernie Viala in 1976; first vice president Jack Reiser, second vice president Hans Post; third vice president Ross Davies; financial secretary Jack Mumm; recording secretary Bill Routley and conductor Richard Tweedie."

"The Honeymoon Bay improvement district had to move fast last week to stop B.C. Hydro from shutting off the community's streetlights. Improvement district board chairman Mike MacDonald contacted Hydro Thursday to tell the company that the reason the account appeared to be in arrears was that the proper documentation allowing the district to pay the bill had not come yet from the provincial government. TAL Developments Inc. had been paying the bills while it had owned the majority of the houses in the townsite, but announced in the spring that it was ceasing to do so. The people of Honeymoon Bay at a meeting in June decided that their improvement district would take on responsibility for street-lighting in addition to fire protection and water distribution."