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
The moral of the story today, and every day is, don’t drive drunk.
“Roadside suspensions handed to drunk drivers” was dominant on the Lake Cowichan Gazette’s front page on May, 15, 2013.
“RCMP received a report of a motor vehicle accident between two vehicles in the Sooke area. Eventually those vehicles showed up in Lake Cowichan with the vehicle which was damaged in the accident being towed by the other vehicle. Cpl. Larry Olsen said as they were going through the town, RCMP stopped the two vehicles for investigation due to the report received earlier on, and discovered that both drivers were intoxicated to a point that they were both given a 90-day roadside suspension.”
The story also noted that “on Monday, May 6 at around 5:30 p.m., a young child who was playing in Friendship Park in Lake Cowichan got nipped by a dog. While there was no break of skin, RCMP say it frightened the child, and they would like to take this opportunity to remind dog owners that dogs must be kept on leash in public places, according to the town’s bylaw.
In happier news, “Palsson Elementary school students are excellent at caring for fish”.
“On May 7 they released 181 chum fry into Oliver Creek that they had raised at the Lake Cowichan hatchery. Normally the fish are raised in the classroom, but an incubator problem required a different procedure this time around. The students went to the hatchery last fall and fertilized the eggs and had to wait until they hatched in February. The students followed the entire life cycle of the fish until they were released last week. Teacher Kim Walters, who has supervised students for over seven years, says the plan for next year is to be back in the classroom for the incubation process. ‘We have had a really good success rate every year except this year.’ she says.”
25 years ago
“Tax payers can breath a sign of relief today with the knowledge that we will not be responsible for Highway 19 through the Town of Lake Cowichan.” So said the top story on the front of the Lake News of May 20, 1998.
“Cowichan/Ladysmith MLA called the Lake News office last week to say two words: ‘we won’.
“According to [MLA Jan] Pullinger, she had heard that work in the legislature prior to the official announcement being released that the Town of Lake Cowichan was going to be removed from the list of communities that would be handed down portions of highway from the Ministry to maintain and pay for themselves.
“‘I have worked for months on this and I am relieved by this decision as it recognized the unique circumstances of Lake Cowichan’ Pullinger said in a press release.”
Also gracing the front page was the news that the paper itself had been sold.
“The Lake News has been sold to Hollinger International, which will bring it within the fold of one of the most distinguished newspaper groups in the world.”
The story went on to say that former owners, Thomson Newspapers, sold all of its Vancouver Island holdings to Hollinger.
In other news of the day, “Seniors learn building site is contaminated” caught my attention.
“Stove oil is polluting the ground beneath the proposed new Lake Cowichan seniors’ building, Sam Beldessi, in charge of the building committee, has told the Lake News.
“‘Just testing the ground is going to cost about $10,000,’ he said. Then polluted soil will have to be removed at an undetermined cost.
“Beldessi said he hoped that the problem won’t cause delay in the new building which is designed to provide low-cost accommodation for seniors.”
40 years ago
Drama on the logging industry front, the front page of the Lake News declared this week 40 years ago.
“BCFP blacklist charged,” was the headline on the front of the May 18, 1983 edition of the Lake News.
“The International Woodworkers of America has accused B.C. Forest Products of attempting to ‘blacklist’ certain workers. Jack Reiser, vice president of IWA Local 1-80, said Tuesday that methods being employed by the company at its Youbou sawmill ‘are out and out blacklisting as far as we’re concerned.’
“The problem has emerged as a few laid-off workers have run out of seniority and have been sent letters telling them they are ‘not re-hirable’ because of their record. Under the agreement, when laid-off workers run out of seniority, they are basically terminated and are sent a standard letter telling them they can apply for severance pay. They are also usually told they can re-apply for work at the mill if they choose to do so.
“The appearance of these letters that indicate the company does not plan to rehire certain workers even if they apply has prompted the union concern, Reiser said.”
A second front page story said that “schools need [an] extra $890,000, but tax bills same as 1982”.
“The mill rate will be at 79.02, an increase of 2.44 per cent over last year. The increase will not mean that the school board will gain more taxes, however, because the general level of assessments has decreased 2.39 per cent according to board figures. District homeowners will pay a slightly lower percentage of the school district’s total budget this year.”
