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 was a great time for Sgt. Dave Voller but a bummer for the community as the RCMP officer retired after 33 years of service.
“Local RCMP sergeant exchanges holster for fishing rod,” was the story of the Lake Cowichan Gazette dated April 3, 2013.
“The next time you see Dave Voller strolling around town in civilian clothes instead of the usual RCMP uniform, it won’t be because he’s on his days off.
“A face Lake Cowichan has come to know and associate with the local area authorities, the former staff sergeant says he doesn’t really know what made him decide it was time to retire. Now that he has made the decision to retire, Voller looks back on a career which, unusually, started and ended in the same community.
“‘I joined the force here in June of 1980,’ he recalled. ‘I was logging around this lake, and I was staying in Caycuse Camp during the winter months.’
“From Lake Cowichan, Voller went on to work in a couple of small communities in Alberta, then Salt Spring Island, before getting posted back here.
“‘I’m fortunate to have ended my career right where I started it,’ he said. ‘Most RCMP will end up somewhere, and then you are given an opportunity for a retirement move. But I’m not going to take one,’ he added, ‘because I’m right where I want to be’.”
25 years ago
The Lake News of April 1, 1998 featured a short story about the church celebrating its 60th anniversary.
“April 10-12, events have been planned to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Youbou Community Church. Friday, April 10 at 8 p.m. a musical evening is planned at the church with Christine, Dawn Singers, Sheila, Borgy, and Stu.”
An anniversary tea followed the next day where a display of art and crafts by members and guests took place.
The Youbou Church held a service on Sunday, April 12.
Also two and a half decades ago, two could ride the bus for a buck.
“Today, Wed. April 1, two passengers can ride on the Cowichan Valley Transit System for a loonie, compliments of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. The special offer was created to encourage residents to try the new expanded service to Gibbins Road and Maple Bay areas.
“‘People feel more comfortable when they share an experience and using the bus is no exception,’ said Bruce Payne, chair of the CVRD transit committee.”
What’s more, Susan Lowe reported that the poor economy was to be blamed for more cuts to schools.
“An overall downturn in the economy in combination with the ongoing Crofton strike is blamed on an expected decrease in enrolment in School District #79 for September which will mean $1.2 million less in funding for this district, said Geoff Johnson, Superintendent of School District #79.”
40 years ago
Do you remember a few weeks back when we learned about a sign debacle brewing around town? Here’s an update.
“Community sign gets more flack” was the headline in the March 30, 1983 edition of the Lake News.
“Another Lake Cowichan business person has protested the community sign board for non-profit groups suggested by Lake Cowichan Community Services. Phyllis Fletcher, proprietor of the Logger Hut restaurant, told Lake Cowichan village council in a letter that she wanted to ‘register her disapproval’ of the sign.
“‘I heartily oppose this group offering free advertising to people who may in many respects be non-profit but whose business activities do draw clientele away from my restaurant on occasion,’ Fletcher said. ‘I don’t object to Community Services assisting people in need or using government grants to put people to work. I don’t think, though, that putting up a sign that will tend to draw away customers from existing businesses makes sense.”
And finally, in the same paper, “EBAP extended in forests” was a good news story.
“Nearly 300 Cowichan Valley people will continue to be employed under the Employment Bridging Assistance Program — better known as EBAP — even though the first phase of the program concludes officially at the end of the provincial fiscal year March 31. The second phase will start right after Easter — April 5 — according to Tom Walker, manager of the Duncan forest district. He said that 480 people will be ‘out in the woods’ in his district, more than 50 per cent of them in the Cowichan Valley area. The projects will provide 18,000 man-weeks of work.”