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 July 4, 2007, readers enjoyed the headline, “Lightning doubles as fireworks during Lake’s Canada Day festival”.
Despite a temperamental Mother Nature scaring some would-be party goers away, Canada Day celebrations at Mesachie Lake were a success, raves the organizer.
“I’m very happy,” said Linda Backlund, of Cowichan Lake Recreation.
“The music was great, the atmosphere was great, the people who came had fun. That’s what it’s all about.”
Celebrating the country’s birthday came early at the Mesachie Lake Skydome. Pouring rain forced the event inside, where a clown and live band helped keep attendees entertained. The band, Bijoux du Bayou, was led by Lake Cowichan’s Mary Egan Generaux.
When the lightening arrived, Backlund said they couldn’t have asked for better fireworks. “Even though we had buckets of rain, the lightening was spectacular,” she said, adding: “When (it came) people started running.”
Usually, a handful of Canada Day celebrations happen throughout Lake Cowichan, but this year they were amalgamated into one. Next year, organizers will again plan for one joint celebration.
25 years ago:
Under the headline, “It’s ‘no’ to change,” The Lake News of July 1, 1992 stated baldly, “There will be no larger municipality running the district. The matter won’t even go to referendum.”
Over the years, the subject of joining all the Cowichan Lake communities into one municipality has been raised, and 1992 was another one of those years.
Members of a Local Government Restructure Committee voted against proceeding to referendum at a special meeting on Friday, June 26, 1992.
The vote was clear: eight to one, with one abstention.
“Those voting against a referendum cited a multitude of reasons: the increased tax burden in some areas, the need for more information, particularly on highway costs, unacceptable boundaries, and the higher costs of fire and police protection,” said the story.
Area I’s director, John Ward, suggested no further studies be done into the question for at least 10 years, unless there’s a push from the public. Lake Cowichan Coun. Dennis LaForge said he saw only one reason for any study: preservation of water quality. And Area F director Joe Allan said he thought there should be another look at area planning, growth, and water quality.
40 years ago:
In the July 6, 1977 issue of The Lake News, the headline “Shake splitter injured” reminded everyone that the forest industry could be a dangerous place to work.
“A Duncan man had three fingers on his left hand severed in an industrial accident at Island Shake and Shingle recently,” ran the story.
“Peter Aleck was splitting shake blocks on a hydraulic axe when the accident occurred shortly after the start of the evening shift on June 26. Aleck has been a splitterman with the company since last August.
“He inadvertently put his hand underneath the axe and his shoulder hit the control” causing the blade to strike his hand, company spokesman Don Rodenbush said. Rodenbush said Aleck is now in “good spirits.”