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
A follow up story to a previous piece in the last Flashback, “Town finds money to cover cost of Town Square contractor” was the page 2 story of the Lake Cowichan Gazette of April 30, 2014.
The Town of Lake Cowichan has found the money in its budget to cover the cost of the building contractor for the new Renfrew Town Square. Recently, a bid of over $430,000 came forward from APEX as the contractor, which the Town decided to accept, despite the fact it had only budgeted just more than $356,000 to cover the cost. However, the town also received two other bids but the one from APEX was the lowest by a long way.
“’We have fine tuned our operations budget,’ said chief administrator Joe Fernandez at the regular council meeting last Tuesday. ‘We have pulled money from the road construction budget, as well as the parks budget, that we didn’t have plans for yet. The town’s budget still remains the same’.”
In other news, “Town to install plaque at Saywell Park” was a secondary story.
The Town of Lake Cowichan is set to insert a plaque at Saywell Park in order to recognize the financial contributors to the improvements there. The original plan was to place a cairn at the park but council decided at April’s Finance and Administration meeting that would be for more of a memorial feature.
“The town wishes to recognize the following organizations for their financial contributions for the floating dock as well as public washroom facilities at Saywell Park: Youbou Lands, Lake Cowichan School Class of 2013, TimberWest, Catalyst Paper, Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society, and Jornic Marine.
“’We could place the plaque at the start of the trail at the end of the parking lot by Jakes at the Lake,’” said [Mayor Ross] Forrest. “It can be something that is raised off the ground and set into a rock. We’ve got a month and a bit so not a lot of time.”
25 years ago
Sam Beldessi was named Citizen of the Year 25 years ago this week. On the cover of the April 28, 1999 Lake News a stoic Beldessi received his award from Pat Foster.
“Wednesday night, the Chamber of Commerce announced Sam Beldessi as Citizen of the Year for 1998. Every year the Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Citizen of the Year. This year, after a shortage of nominations, and without any nominations fitting the qualifications, the regular February event had to be held off until last Wednesday night. Beldessi is being recognized for the volunteer work he has done in the community and most recently for his efforts with the Seniors Affordable Housing project.”
On the same front page was “Lay-offs confirmed by SD #79” — news not too many were excited to read.
“School District #79 has confirmed the lay-offs of teachers, support staff, and administrative officers in their attempts to manage their budget — and major short-fall of funding. Included in the lay-offs will be 12 full-time teaching positions, approximately 14 support staff which will include maintenance workers and custodians. Two administrative positions, Director of Instruction and Principal of Student Support Services, will be absorbed during the next two years when those currently filling these positions, will retire. The cuts are coming in an effort to balance the $62.4 million preliminary 1999-2000 operating budget while also attempting to deal with a declining enrolment.”
40 years ago
The year was 1984 and it was getting to be spring. Young boys were out and about climbing trees but older folks were out and about as well, doing, let’s say, less wholesome things.
“Booze big factor in accidents here” was a top headline on the front of the April 25, 1984 edition of the Lake News.
“Drunk drivers are causing carnage on Cowichan Lake highways at a rate far greater than in other Cowichan Valley communities. Figures released by the Insurance Corporation of B.C. for the first six months of 1983 show that alcohol is involved in 50 per in cent of all accidents in the Cowichan Lake district, more than double the tally for Duncan (21.3%) and Duncan-North Cowichan (22.5%). Driving without due care and attention was the cause of a large percentage of serious accidents throughout the Cowichan Valley but the figures were highest here, according to ICBC.”
In other nefarious news, “Drug caper nets couple 7 years” was a second front-page headline in the same newspaper.
“Donald and Hedrica Roden former Lake Cowichan residents, were each sentenced Wednesday, April 18 to seven years in jail after being found guilty in New Westminster of a drug-smuggling charge. Judge William Selbie handed down the minimum sentence for a charge of importing a narcotic into Canada — in this case 4.22 kg of cocaine brought across the border from Washington State at the Douglas crossing in Surrey.
“The couple was charged after their car was stopped and searched at the border crossing August 10, 1982. Customs officials found the cocaine in the false bottom of two suitcases.”