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…
10 years ago
"Literacy Bus makes a stop at Lake Cowichan" was the front page story on the March 4, 2015 edition of the Lake Cowichan Gazette.
"Though Lake Cowichan may be falling behind in early childhood education there are still some resources to serve the community, like the Books 'n' Bubbles literacy bus. The literacy bus, a 41 foot Bluebird School Bus, travels around the Cowichan Valley all week, serving communities lacking in early education opportunities, and making a stop in Lake Cowichan's Saywell Park twice a week, on Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
"The Books 'n' Bubbles Bus is essentially a mobile preschool. Aboard the bus kids ages zero to five, accompanied by their parents, sing songs, make arts and crafts, have stories read to them and play with one another."
A report came out about the state of early education around the Lake and that story was on page 2.
"Dr. Paul Hasselback, Medical Health Officer for Central Vancouver Island, recently presented the region's Local Health Profiles. The document contains data for each of the region's municipalities, concerning issues ranging from birth rates to water quality.
While Lake Cowichan fared well in several categories, the report revealed a concerning drop in the quality of early childhood education. Lake Cowichan's Early Development Index (EDI) was significantly higher than the averages for both the Cowichan Valley and British Columbia as a whole. Research shows that approximately 49 per cent of children in the Lake Cowichan School District are inadequately prepared when entering the education system as opposed to the province's 22 per cent average."
25 years ago
The Lake Cowichan Gazette of March 1, 2000 had two front page stories.
The first was "Say bye to berm on CN Rail land".
"The "t"s are crossed and the "i"s are dotted, and now the Town can set about correcting a number of traffic anomalies in the downtown core. The province has reached an agreement with the Town to hand over the old CN Rail right-of-way that snakes through Lake Cowichan.
"'Now that we've got it and it's officially ours I want to get going on cleaning up the downtown core,' says Mayor Jack Peake. 'I'm just so pleased and excited about that — you have no idea.' Peake says Lake Cowichan's stores and motorists will benefit from having a more coherent central section."
The other story was about the mill. "Sale could shut down Youbou mill" was the headline.
"Initial optimism about the sale of the Youbou mill has turned into gloom as bits and pieces of information leaked out about the deal between TimberWest and JS Jones. TimberWest is selling their Youbou mill along with Tree Farm License 46. Other potential suitors included Cowichan Tribes, Doman's and a company called Renaissance, but TimberWest decided to focus on JS Jones.
"'The reality is the same,' says TimberWest spokesman Steve Lorimer. 'We're still in a period of exclusive discussions. No decision has been made.' Lorimer says any talk of closing the mill is 'pure speculation.' 'It's not for me or anyone else, at this time, when there's a negotiation going on, to speculate on what may or may not happen.'
"However, local 1WA president Bill Routley says he was told by JS Jones that, if a deal is reached, the mill would be shut down."
40 years ago
The Lake News of March 6, 1985 featured a story about culverts on the front page. "Culverts 'costly' replacement" was the headline.
"The removal of culverts that have lain under the Canadian Pacific rail line for up to 70 years could cause considerable damage and expense, a Lake Cowichan alderman said last week. Ald. Don Gordon suggested that the village of Lake Cowichan should object to a plan by the railway to lift all the culverts from its now-abandoned rail bed. The rest of council decided that he was the best person to speak to CP Rail about the situation because he had investigated the line in preparing opposition to the abandonment bid.
"'This has some potential of causing some pretty serious environmental and personal damage if it's not handled properly,' Gordon said, adding that he was pleased to know that the environmental ministry was involved in the process. 'We have to keep in mind that a lot of these culverts have been in for more than 70 years and there have been some changes in the topography. These areas have been developed.'
"Gordon said that careless work in lifting the 140 culverts on the Lake Cowichan to Duncan line 'could really cause havoc with some salmon-rearing streams.'"
And finally, "2-stage renewal proposed" was another headline.
"If Lake Cowichan needs a lift, the rejuvenation should be done in two stages, members of the Lake Cowichan Renewal Group decided last week. The short-term attack will be aimed at brightening and cleaning up the village to make what is already here more appealing to both locals and visitors. This change would also involve a more welcoming attitude among both store-keepers and residents alike. The longer-term plan would involve construction of tourist facilities and more extensive fix-ups and changes in businesses."
