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.
This week around the Cowichan Lake area…
10 years ago
“The metal fundraiser for the Greenhouse Project at Lake Cowichan Secondary School is fast approaching with people in the community already saving their metal scraps and gathering items for donation,” according to the Lake Cowichan Gazette of Feb. 22, 2012.
“Michele Taylor, organizer of the fundraising event, is quite excited and anticipating a great turnout. ‘I have talked to people that are already saving their metal for the fundraiser,’ says Taylor.
“’Lake Cowichan Furniture is donating all the old appliances that they have stored that customers have returned when purchasing new ones. And, they will be letting us borrow their dollies to do so,’ Taylor added. Proceeds from the metal donations will go towards the completion of the community greenhouse and shed, as well as ongoing costs to keep it going throughout the season.”
Fundraising may also have been pondered as the same paper reported that the “Footbridge [is] showing its age”.
“It’s a Lake Cowichan landmark and one that is used daily by many pedestrians and cyclists opting for a shorter and more scenic route to the downtown area. The old railway bridge that crosses the river from Somenos Street to the town green space on the corner of Greendale and South Shore Road has garnered some concerns from local users.
“The pedestrian bridge has lots of bicycle and foot traffic and in the dim light of a foggy winter morning or at night, some of the hazards are difficult to see. The decking in place at the south end of the bridge is worn and in places there are holes between the planks wide enough for a bicycle tire to drop into them. The non-slip wire mesh in place on one side is showing wear and in places has broken ends that could easily cause a hazard for pedestrians.”
“’We haven’t gotten any complaints,’ said Joe Fernandez, chief administrative officer for the town. ‘Any complaints that we receive, we try to get right on them and deal with them.’”
25 years ago
“Like father, like son.” Ross Forrest followed in the footsteps of his dad in a very special way back in late February of 1997, according to the Lake News of Feb. 26, 1997.
“Twenty years ago, it was Ted Forrest who was honored with the Citizen of the Year award, and last night, his son, Ross standing amid his family and Chamber of Commerce Members, choked back tears to accept the title,” wrote Susan Lowe.
“‘Basically it all comes down to my family, the Apollos and all the organizers who help me,’ Forrest said accepting the award and passing all the accolades to those close to him.
“The Chamber this year, as last year, also offered two Community Service Awards. Recipients this year were Ray Miller, presented by Brannon Nelson, and Stacey Hickling, presented by Donna Clark.”
Also, it was birthday time for little Jerad Leelyn McArthur whose claim to fame was being born in the back of an ambulance the year before.
“…McArthur not only got his nickname, Roadie, but also his middle name when he became the first baby to be born in a Lake Cowichan B.C. Ambulance last year. Parents of Jared, Cynthia and Wayne decided to name the baby after the ambulance attendants, Lynne Wardrope and Lee Chance, who delivered their son.
“To celebrate the occasion of Lake Cowichan B.C. Ambulance’s baby’s first birthday, ambulance 1460, the ‘delivery vehicle’ was decked out in balloons and banners. A homemade cake arrived along with presents. One special present was a wooden ambulance, with the number 1460 and a plaque recognizing Jerad’s birth date.”
40 years ago
Here’s one that you don’t hear very often: “Vandals axe truck”. It made page three of the Feb. 24, 1982 Lake News
“A motorist who left his truck by the side of the road for an hour Tuesday, Feb. 16 returned later to find someone had attacked it with an axe.”
Poor Bill Beldessi! It was a 1978 4x4 pickup and “there were holes bashed in all over it, police said.”
In the same edition, but on the front page was a warning by Cowichan-Malahat MLA Barbara Wallace to get ready for an election.
“At the [Bob Strachan NDP] club’s annual meeting Feb. 21, she told the faithful that if Premier Bill Bennett’s recently announced restraint program provoked strikes and Bennett decided to call an election on the issue, the NDP would lose.
“She warned the local party faithful that there are no safe seats for the NDP in such an election, and urged they guard against complacency.”
Speaking of the Lake’s NDP contingent, “Frank Walker of Honeymoon Bay was elected as president of the Bob Strachan NDP Club at the group’s annual general meeting Sunday, Feb. 21 . He replaces Don Gordon, who stepped down after four years as president.”
