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 lot of headlines being made on the water this time a decade ago. “Pilot and passenger OK after plane flips on Cowichan Lake” was one of them while “Midnight swim turns tragic” was another.
“A Duncan pilot is counting his blessings after his Volmer VJ-22 Sportsman seaplane flipped while launching Sunday afternoon on Cowichan Lake. Pilot John Howroyd and his passenger daughter suffered nothing more than minor injuries when the custom-built amphibian aircraft caught a wave when attempting to take off and flipped over at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday in Marble Bay.
“The amount of boaters on the lake on the long-weekend Sunday was both fortunate and unfortunate for the pilot. Police confirmed one of the aircraft’s wheels caught a boat wake, causing the plane to overturn. On the other side of the coin, there were many witnesses and folks ready to assist with the rescue in a matter of seconds.”
The other story didn’t end so well.
“A 50-year-old Victoria man died en route to hospital after he collapsed in Cowichan Lake near Heather Campground Monday morning. An RCMP press release states police and BC Ambulance Services responded to the distress call at 3 a.m. near the boat launch at the campsite.
“‘The male was seen to be swimming then collapsed in shallow water,’ the press release states. ‘He was brought to shore where witnesses performed CPR until paramedics arrived.’ The man was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital. Foul play is not suspected.”
25 years ago:
“17th Appollos Ball Tournament this weekend” was a page 2 headline on the Sept. 2, 1998 edition of the Lake News.
“This is it — this weekend is among the busiest Lake Cowichan has each year when ball teams from all over and their families travel here for the Annual Appollos Ball Tournament, now in its 17th year. This year there will be 77 teams take part — up a bit from last year which had 66 due to poor weather which kept some teams from taking part. Games will begin Friday evening and will be played on fields all over Cowichan Lake through the weekend.”
Fun and games aside, this paper also featured a notice about the death of a former Lake Cowichan mayor.
“Ted Forrest, former Mayor of Lake Cowichan and Citizen of the Year passed away last Wednesday, in his sleep, at the age of 72. A tea was held at the Seniors Centre last Saturday with 300 people in attendance. Ted was born and raised in Duncan, B.C. and was the eldest son of Eddie and Eileen Forrest. He is predeceased by his first wife, Peggy of 46 years. Ted and Peggy were married in 1946 and moved to Lake Cowichan with their daughter Barbara-Lynn shortly after. After Barbara-Lynn, the couple had three boys, Grant Edward James, William Ross and Michael Ward.
“Through his time in Lake Cowichan, Ted was employed as a logger until a back injury formed him to give up logging. Ted served on the executives of the Royal Canadian Legion and served as Zone Chairman for the local Lions club. He was also Village alderman and Mayor and was honored as Citizen of the Year in 1976.”
40 years ago:
And finally, 40 years ago in the Lake News, some long-standing issues were finally resolved.
First, “Paving fiasco paint damage payment okayed” was a top story.
“The Insurance Company of B.C. has decided, on the urging of the B.C. ombudsman, Karl Friedmann, and MLA Barbara Wallace, to consider payment of claims for paint damage during the ‘sealcoating’ of Highway 18 in 1980. Wallace said last week that Friedmann had notified her that ICBC had agreed to accept his recommendation that any claims previously reported to the 1CBC claims centre, Wallace’s office, the highways ministry, or his own office be considered for payment. He said that the insurance corporation would consider their claims as long as documentary evidence can be provided that the paint damage was repaired before the end of 1980. Wallace said, in a statement released Thursday, that ‘it has been a long, long wait, but finally we appear to have won’.”
Second, “TAL development goes thru — finally” was another headline on the front of the Lake News.
“The Cowichan Valley Regional District board gave final passage Aug. 24 to the last three bylaws needed to allow the TAL Developments proposal for Honeymoon Bay to go to the department of highways for sub-division. Developer Paul Watson, president of TAL, breathed a sigh of relief after the board meeting. ‘I’m just happy it’s over,’ he said. Gerry Giles, chairman of the CVRD board told the other directors prior to the vote that two required covenants ‘have now been drawn satisfactorily to our solicitor’s approval.’ One still required a signature but Giles said she had been assured this would be affixed the following morning.”
And finally, “A Youbou landmark vanished last week as the old Woodland Theatre building was demolished. The theatre, built in 1944, has been standing empty in recent years but when first opened, it drew regular patrons even from Lake Cowichan.
“Long-time Youbou resident Clarence Whittingham ran the projector in those days. He had been showing movies in the old community hall, but this was felt to be an unsatisfactory situation, so Industrial Timber Mills — the forest company that owned the town — decided to build a theatre. ‘It was up to date and well-equipped, with sound equipment,’ Whittingham said in an interview Tuesday. ‘It was the best around the area in those days.’”