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.
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This week around the Cowichan Lake area…
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10 years ago
"Teens hope to keep, renovate dirt bike track despite overlap with new garden" was the front page headline on the cover of the Lake Cowichan Gazette of Jan. 14, 2015.
The story went like this: "The Cowichan Lake Community Garden proved to be one of the biggest stories for Lake Cowichan in 2014, with many local green thumbs expressing delight over the new project. Though while many are excited by the birth of a new recreational resource, another crowd is worried they may be mourning the loss of another.
"Behind the Cowichan Lake Sports Arena, just overlapping the borders of the upcoming community garden, is a small dirtbike and BMX track, complete with dirt jumps and a mound that riders use to gain speed. Though the track may be dilapidated and overgrown with brush, a few local riders are hoping to not only keep the track, but to give it some much needed upkeep.
"Beth Kidd, along with young rider Logan Wallace, took their plea to council at the general meeting last Tuesday (Jan. 6). Kidd said she was “very pleased” with the response their issue received."
"Has Lake Cowichan boiled its last drop?" was another headline in the same edition.
"After nearly four weeks, the boil water advisory assigned to Lake Cowichan was finally lifted last Tuesday (Jan. 6). after Island Health determined the turbidity of the town’s water supply had fallen to acceptable levels.
"While the town’s Chief Administrative Officer Joe Fernandez said that boil water advisories were relatively unheard of for Lake Cowichan, there’s some concern within council that this may not be the last time residents will need to treat their water themselves. The longevity of the boil water advisory can be partly attributed to Island Health’s growing standards for water quality, which recently came into effect.
"While in earlier years Island Health had a sliding scale for water quality, new guidelines state that any water source with turbidity levels of over 1.0 NTU must be issued a boil water advisory."
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25 years ago
"Midnight crash causes town blackout" was a top headline on the front of the Jan. 12, 2000 edition of the Lake Cowichan Gazette.
"A spectacular accident caused a blackout throughout the Town of Lake Cowichan last Friday. At just after midnight, early on Friday morning, a white 1988 Chevrolet Blazer collided with a power pole adjacent to Olson Manor on South Shore Road. The impact knocked the pole over and flipped the Blazer onto its side.
"The vehicle came to a rest lodged between the guard rail and the pedestrian handrail on the Cowichan River Bridge. Somehow, the driver — the only occupant — was able to escape from the vehicle. The 26-year-old man suffered only minor injuries and was apprehended by police at the scene. He is facing possible charges of Impaired Driving and Driving Over .08.
"'I tell you, he is one lucky person,' says Lake Cowichan RCMP Sgt. Gerry Poitras. 'If that guard rail wasn't there he would have gone straight into the river.'"
"Gateway pilot project set to unveil eco-tourism plan" was a secondary headline on the same front page.
"A public meeting to unveil a strategic business plan for promoting eco-tourism around Cowichan Lake is planned for Thursday, January 20. The Cowichan Lake Gateway steering committee will also introduce project manager, Renee Leger, at the time.
"'Eco-tourism opportunities have been clearly identified as an area of significant importance to the Cowichan Lake Region and the people who visit this area,' says Wendy Klyne, chair of the steering committee. "Having an opportunity to carefully plan and implement the linkage between front-country services and back-country opportunities is very exciting.'"
The Gateway project was first introduced to this area at a meeting of local business owners, developers and government officials in September 1999."
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40 years ago
"Oldtimers get nod for supervisory roles in revitalization," was a Lake News headline on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 1985.
"Organizers of downtown revitalization in Lake Cowichan will ask for long-time residents of the area to step forward to help keep an eye on the projects so that it follows the desires of all residents -- new and old. Tony White, manager of Community Services, an organizer of SEP Co, and a member of Lake Cowichan revitalization group, said at a meeting of the group Friday that he thought this sort of help would be invaluable.
"The other two members of the committee — Richard Ellis of the Cowichan Lake District Chamber of Commerce and Lake Cowichan alderman Rod Peters agreed.
"'They would provide stability,' Ellis said, 'and quality control,' Peters added.
"Trestle 'vital alternate route' was another headline in the Lake News this time 40 years ago.
"The Village of Lake Cowichan is trying to buy the CP Rail right of way and trestle bridge over the Cowichan River for one dollar. In a letter to H.L. MacAulay, the superintendent for CP Rail in B.C., village clerk Pat Akerley said that the minister of transport, Don Mazonkowski, had said that such rights of way and facilities were often handed over for 'a nominal sum' to the municipalities concerned.
"Akerley told MacAulay that 'financially, we are not in a position to offer any further amount,' adding, 'recently, we have laid off staff and continue our budget restraint program.'
"The acquisition of the 'transportation corridor' is of great importance to the village, she said, pinpointing two reasons. 'The bridge is the only alternate route across the river in emergency situations... 'As well, there have been many incidents of trucks not being able to pass under the CN trestle (over South Shore Road) safely. Whole logs have been severed, loads shifted and much debris has fallen to the road,' Akerley said."