Welcome to Lake Flashback. Reporter Lexi Bainas has been combing through oldnewspaperswiththeassistance of the Kaatza Station Museum and Archives so we can jog yourmemory, giveyouthat nostalgicfeeling, or just a chuckle, as we take a look at what was makingheadlines thisweekaround Cowichan Lake in years gone by.
This week around the Cowichan Lake area…
10 years ago: “Town would get new tax revenue, says the mayor” was the headline in the Gazette on Sept. 26, 2007 as the Greendale Road amalgamation saga wound on.
The problem for some residents was that the town was offering a phase-in period on the taxes for the area, located just east of the community.
“’It doesn’t make any sense,” said Don Gordon, vice-chairman of the Lake Cowichan Ratepayers’ Association. “I don’t agree with the tax phase-in.’
He isn’t the only one with that opinion. Bill Wilkin, who spent about 15 minutes talking with Peake during the open house portion of the meeting, doesn’t like the idea of a tax rate phase-in either.
“My parents have paid full taxes for years, so why should these properties not have to for five years?” said Wilkin.
25 years ago:
“We’ll have our bus” was he happy message in The Lake News on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 1992.
Lake Cowichan council had been pressing for a bus service to connect the Lake with Duncan and Mayor Earle Darling shared the good news when he returned from the annual Union of BC Municipalities convention.
“Mayor Darling said he met with representatives of BC Transit who said that ‘one way or another we are going to get our bus,’” the story said.
He said they told him the buses were in the garage and waiting to go, and if for any reason the Cowichan Valley doesn’t use them they’ll be diverted to other areas that will. The mayor told the Lake News he hopes to have a bus service introduced with support of the village and Areas F and I of the CVRD, even though the rest of the CVRD does not join in…So now a bus service will be established with the support of BC Transit to serve the Cowichan Lake district alone.
Lake Cowichan asked for a bus service several years ago and need for a bus for the Cowichan Lake area was shown when Fletcher Challenge Canada supplied a free bus for one year.
40 years ago:
On Wednesday, Sept. 28, 1977, readers of The Lake News learned “School sprinklers to cost $250,000” for a combined system for Lake Cowichan Secondary and Stanley Gordon Schools.
The news “stunned” trustees, the story says. “‘ICBC has already indicated it would like to see construction of the sprinkler system underway as soon as possible and recent talks with the provincial insurer indicate that the sprinkling of the complex be carried out in stages due to the high cost involved,” a report prepared by Secretary-Treasurer Terry Kirk stated.
Kirk estimated sprinklers for the main LCSS building (excluding the industrial arts complex) would still cost in excess of $100,000.
That wasn’t all, either.
Meanwhile, a water pressure test prepared by ICBC during August indicates the water main leading to Stanley Gordon would have to be increased to six inches before sprinklers can be installed, the story shared.