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
It seemed not too many people cared to hear the town’s financial plan review this time a decade ago, or at least they didn’t feel like leaving their homes to do it.
“Low turn out for town’s financial plan review” was the front page headline of the Lake Cowichan Gazette of April 24, 2013.
“The turnout for the public review process of the town’s 2013-2018 financial plan was dismal to say the least. To a crowd of three, the town’s Chief Administrative Officer, Joseph Fernandez, along with Ronnie Gill, Director of Finance, outlined the proposed budget projections and the major projects planned over the next four years,” said the story, written by Tamu Miles.
Also on the front page, A.B. Greenwell students were up to fun stuff for Earth Day.
“The North Island Recovery Association from Errington, B.C. were at AB Greenwell School on Monday, April 22 to help celebrate Earth Day. They presented three in-school educational programs to each of the divisions including a live owl presentation and an interactive bones program. The Cowichan Valley Regional District was also there to present three different environmental educational workshops, Back to the Future Solid Waste, Trash Talk and Recycle Relay Race to all the students. The students went out in to the community for an afternoon clean-up.”
25 years ago
“We must find $125,000” declared the headline of the Lake News of April 22, 1998 but it was actually Mayor Jean Brown that “announced the Town of Lake Cowichan is in a deficit of $125,187 and services along with community grants will be cut sharply to balance the books by the end of this year. No street paving will be done with the exception of Johel Road and Stone Avenue. Other paving projects will only be carried out if the Town received a Federal/Provincial Infrastructure Grant. Some Town employees have been laid-off, others have had a cut in hours. Mayor Brown made the announcement in a Mayor’s report sent to local media. In it she said that three public works trucks will be sold, saving insurance and maintenance costs to the town and the new lunchroom in Public Works will not be completed and the sidewalk budget has been reduced from $30,000 to $10,000. These are just some measures Council has taken to attack the deficit before the year is out.”
In happier news, the “Crofton strike is finally over” the paper reported.
“Employees are returning to work at Crofton Mill following agreement to end the nine-month strike, reached April 14. The strike devastated the economy of the Cowichan Valley. The settlement provides employees with a 10 per-cent raise over six years and improved pensions and other benefits.”
Well that’s good news!
Right below that story was bad news, though.
“Child hit — police seek witnesses” was the headline and the story was about a nine-year-old girl who had been hit by a car while in the crosswalk on Cowichan Lake Road at the North Shore Road intersection April 9, and police are seeking witnesses.
I hope witnesses were found.
40 years ago
The April 27, 1983 Lake News was chock a block full of stories and it was hard to pick just a couple to share.
I chose the two with the most exciting headlines:
“River crayfish hogs threaten local resource” was the first.
“The Valley Fish & Game Club has expressed concern that Cowichan River crayfish may disappear because too many are being taken. Club president Joe Saysell, in a letter to Bob Hooton of the ministry of environment, has asked for a complete closure of any crayfish fishery or at least a catch limit ‘until their population has once again reached an acceptable level.’
“Saysell said the club was concerned because ‘the crayfish are one of the most important foods for brown trout, especially in low-water, summer months.”
The other exciting headline was “slam, bang, truck driver dumps load, brought to earth”. I just had to read more.
“A logging truck driver was given two jolts Thursday, April 21: he rammed the CN rail trestle on South Shore Road and was then hit with a traffic ticket for an over-height load.
“Gabor Kadar, a driver for Kia-Ora Contracting Ltd. of Cobble Hill, was driving eastward at 12:15 p.m. when part of his load hit the bridge and one large cedar log came off.
“Kadar stopped his truck and then went back and helped move the log to the side of the road under the trestle. He then reported the accident at the police station and gave permission for the logs to be cut up as firewood. A group of men with two pickup trucks and power saws cut the log into chunks and hauled it away. Within two hours of the mishap, the roadside was cleared. Kadar returned later to sweep up some of the debris.”
His ticket was for $50.
