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
Do you remember the truck wash issue in Youbou a decade ago? The Lake Cowichan Gazette’s front page story of March 19, 2014 was about just that.
The prospect of a truck wash for Youbou continues to motor on, slowly but surely. CVRD Area I (Youbou/Meade Creek) director Pat Weaver has confirmed that TimberWest, the company that would set up and fund the wash, has declared its preference of site and location for the function.
“‘For TimberWest, there is Site A and Site B and they want Site B which is the old mill site where the helicopter pad used to be,’ said Weaver. ‘But that’s on Youbou Lands’ property and a future park designation. We’re still negotiating.’
“Weaver herself declared frustration at the lack of pace surrounding the installation of the truck wash and wanted it installed a number of months ago… Weaver is calling for a swift end to a process that in her mind has dragged on long enough and sees the truck wash as a necessity to prevent dust and mud problems.”
On the topic of trucks, “Town set to purchase new garbage truck” was a page 3 story.
“The Town of Lake Cowichan is on the verge of purchasing a new garbage truck for use around town.
“Mayor Ross Forrest believes it is something the town should crack on with as the current truck is on its last legs. ‘The $300,000 is less than what we anticipated and we know the life is up on our existing garbage truck. It’s a wise move. We can’t get into organics without a new truck. Lets go for it.’”
25 years ago
Here’s one from the March 24, 1999 Lake News that gave me quite a chuckle.
“’Raid’ for illicit gambling on local Senior’s Centre turns up no suspect activity” was the headline.
“The Seniors’ Centre was ‘raided’ last week for illicit gambling. The RCMP and the Gaming Commission showed up with questions, Sam Beldessi told The Lake News. It seems to have been all quite gentlemanly, though. Beldessi said that some ill-intentioned person told the police that the Seniors were holding illegal bingo and raffles. ‘I know there are people who don’t wish me well, and I suspect they were responsible,” he said. He said he had no trouble satisfying the authorities that the Seniors had all the correct licences and that everything was being conducted properly. Someone had even claimed that Beldessi was being paid to run bingos, but that was not true, he said. ‘I have never been paid a penny,’ he said.”
In school budget news of the day, “Minister of Ed. doesn’t sympathize with SD #79 deficit” was a top headline.
“While School District #79 is facing a $400,000 deficit this year and will have a reduction in funding of $1 million, Minister of Education Paul Ramsey wasn’t too sympathetic Monday during a conference call he held with media in the Cowichan Valley.
“Trustees and administrators of School District #79 point to a decline in enrolment as to the cause for the deficit and funding reduction. This year SD #79 expects enrollment to fall by 113 students, that’s added to the 100 they lost last year. “‘People are leaving, they are leaving the area and some are leaving the province,’ Bill Brown, Treasurer of SD#79 told the Lake News Monday. He added that $300,000 of that funding will be coming from Special Education. ‘Cowichan is dealing with a slight enrollment decline and we can’t fund empty classrooms,’ Hon. Paul Ramsey said Monday.”
40 years ago
“Mill, woods back as pickets pulled” was good news for all involved in the industry this time 40 years ago. The March 21, 1984 reported that: “Secondary picketing by the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada and the Canadian Paperworkers Union, which cost the loggers and millworkers who work in the Cowichan Lake district an estimated $1.25 million, was lifted this week, allowing the area’s major forest operations to return to the job.
“The B.C. Forest Products sawmill at Youbou returned to full production Tuesday afternoon following a surprise announcement Monday that the two pulp unions were withdrawing their secondary pickets throughout B.C. Meanwhile, the two BCFP logging camps at Caycuse and Gordon River are scheduled to resume. ‘I was delighted,’ Routley said. ‘I hope the thing continues’.”
And finally, “Spic n’ span brigade poised for massive village, area clean-up” was a secondary front page headline.
“Final plans are being made for the big Cowichan Lake clean-up scheduled for next week. Tony White, of Lake Cowichan Community Services, who has been coordinating the project since its inception, said Monday that signs advertising the SEP co-project will be up in Lake Cowichan this week, and that the campaign will start Thursday. The highways department is sending its street sweeper through Lake Cowichan March 22 and 23 to do the main road, and White said he considered this the official kick-off to the clean-up.”