Welcome to Lake Flashback. Reporter Lexi Bainas has been combing through oldnewspaperswiththeassistance 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 weekaround Cowichan Lake in years gone by.
This week around the Cowichan Lake area…
10 years ago:
In the wake of the 2008 municipal election, a huge Cowichan Lake story that emerged in the Lake Cowichan Gazette of Nov. 19, 2008 was: “Arena referendum narrowly passes”.
Here’s the tale.
On Saturday night and all day Sunday, Sheila McFarlane wasn’t happy at all. That’s because the early results of the arena renovation referendum, with three of four polls counted, showed it being defeated. The chair of the Cowichan Lake Recreation Commission didn’t realize, though, that the poll still to be counted was Lake Cowichan, which put it over the top in the yes column.
The final count was 1,050 in favour of borrowing up to $7.5 million to replace the roof, revamp the dressing rooms, build new offices and put a in concrete floor for the curling rink. There were 962 no votes.
“I’m thrilled,” said McFarlane. “To lose that arena by letting it get run down would have been a shame.”
Fellow recreation commission member Bill Peters was also very pleased with the result.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “I’m very impressed with how our manager got the word out.”
Al Grass, a vocal opponent of the renovation plan, said it’s too bad it passed.
“Half of the money will go toward offices,” said Grass. “I don’t see why they need all that. That’s a lot of money for offices and the curling rink.”
He said that with such a close vote they should consider revisiting what they’ve proposed.
With the referendum passing, [arena manager] John Elzinga and his recreation staff will begin preparing the plans for the work, including putting out tenders.
“We jump on our horse and get going,” said Elzinga. “The ball is, theoretically, already rolling.” Elzinga said he is hopeful things will get started in the spring, with construction starting next summer. “We want to disrupt programs as little as possible,” he said.
25 years ago:
Rather than re-hash old votes once again, we’re looking at “Youbou approves a $740,000 fire dept.” from The Lake News of Nov. 24, 1993.
“By a decisive vote of 235 to 24, the proposed new Youbou volunteer fire department won approval in a referendum Saturday,” said the story.
The vote followed an information meeting Thursday at which an audience of about 100 in the community hall was warned that insurance rates for some residences would skyrocket unless the new fire department was approved.
Up to now, fire protection has been provided by the Youbou mill. Coincidentally with a restructure program of Fletcher Challenge Canada Ltd., under which the mill becomes part of a new company, the fire service is to be withdrawn.
Though the cost of setting up the new service will be $740,730, taxpayers won’t have to pay for it all at once. In fact, the money will be borrowed and the residential tax rate will rise only $1.95 in the first year, Mike Caulfield, of the Cowichan Valley Regional District, told the meeting.
The increase will be capped at $2.10 on the residential rate unless the CVRD goes back to taxpayers to ask permission to charge more, he said. These costs mean, he said, that a house assessed at $100,000 would be charged taxes of $193 for the fire protection in the first year and $210 by the fifth year.
Basic equipment cost will be $100,000 and 20 sets of call-out gear at $20,000. Three vehicles will be bought, a new mid-size pumper, and used mini-pumper and tanker, which, along with the cost of upgrading existing equipment will cost $240,000.
40 years ago:
This week, we’re also taking a minute out from the election coverage of 40 years ago, to look at a front page story on a completely different subject from The Lake News of Nov. 22, 1978.
“Brown trout to be restocked” was the headline.
Money is the main problem when it comes to improving brown trout stocks in the Cowichan River.
That’s what fisheries experts told the Cowichan Lake District Chamber of Commerce, who asked the fisheries department to explain why the brown trout population is dwindling in the world famous Cowichan.
The experts have been keeping a close eye on the much-prized game fish, which finds a home in only one other river in B.C.: the Little Qualicum.
Angling enthusiasts and people who see the fighting game fish as an important resource, have expressed concern that Cowichan River stocks have been depleted to near extinction.
Planted in the Cowichan and Little Qualicum systems between 1932 and 1935, brown trout had taken rather well on Vancouver Island and other places in North America. The eggs for the Vancouver Island stocking program were purchased from Wisconsin and Montana by the federal fisheries department. The species originates in Europe and the British Isles.