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:
“Senior women’s curling provincials here this week” said the Lake Cowichan Gazette of Feb. 13, 2008.
Some of the best curlers in B.C. were obviously coming to the Lake.
“The competition starts on the afternoon of February 12. The first draw is at 1:30 p.m. at the Cowichan Rocks Curling Rink, with Team Kofinoff against Team Sanders, Team Adam playing Team Richard, Team Vickers against Team Ernst and Team Smiley versus Team Lepine. The opening ceremonies will be at 6:30 p.m. on February 12, followed by the second draw at 7:30 p.m. Kathy MacKenzie of Curl BC will be the head official for the provincial championships, while Cowichan Rocks is providing volunteer officials.”
25 years ago:
History was happening in Youbou in 1993, according to the Feb. 10 edition of The Lake News as “Will close post office in Youbou” was the top story.
“The Youbou post office will close forever on Feb. 24, the first area post office to fall victim to the cutbacks being carried out across the country to Canada Post in the interests of economy,” the story said.
“Post boxes will remain where they are at present, said the popular postmistress Frances Stokes, and are expected to be replaced eventually by ‘superboxes’.”
“Other postal services will be supplied by the Mini Mart grocery store, she said.
“Mrs. Stokes will retire when the post office closes. She has been there 31 years. She came to Youbou in 1949 from Pouce Coupe, seven miles from Dawson Creek. Her husband, Ray, was postmaster at Youbou. She succeeded him. She said that she and her husband hope to travel across Canada in their motor home.
“Joy Tardiff, of the Mini Mart, said, ‘We’re ready to go. We’re just waiting for one more piece of equipment from Canada Post. We’ll open Feb. 25.”
40 years ago:
The world has really spun round and round since Feb. 8, 1978 when The Lake News published that “IWA-Village sign” a contract for the Village of Lake Cowichan public works crew.
The 1978 contract “will see the pay of outside workers boosted by 72 cents an hour.”
Doesn’t seem like much now, but remember. In those days, the minimum wage was well under $2 an hour.
“The new contract will also put the five outside village workers group insurance plan closer in line with the IWA’s agreement with Forest Industrial Relations.”
Yes, the big guys.
“The package also includes improvements to the dental plan, bereavement leave, and leave of absence.”
So, c’mon Tony and Manfred, what was the actual wage?
“The increase will put the basic scale for outside workers at $8.39 from $7.67 last year.”
Hoo boy! Those workers could afford to buy a house, a nice vehicle, even perhaps a boat or a camper, on those wages, which were, after all, more than four times the minimum wage. As we said. Times have sure changed.