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…
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10 years ago
“Community Connections business showcase” was a nondescript headline on the front of the Lake Cowichan Gazette of Oct. 15, 2014. What does that even mean?
“This Saturday at 10 a.m. head down to Centennial Hall in Lake Cowichan for Community Connections: A Business Showcase. This local business symposium is free for attendees and boasts $400 in door prizes. Attendees from around the lake will find displays from almost 40 local businesses like South Shore Cabinetry and Gerald’s Specialty Foods, and from the eight sponsor businesses.
“‘It’s more than a trade show. We’ve invited artisans as well because we have some really amazing artisans in this community,' said Glenda Osborne-Burg, organizer of the Community Connections showcase. Businesses had to pay to participate and the 40 spaces at the showcase were, at the time of writing, almost sold out. The showcase was sponsored by eight local businesses and individuals.”
Well, now we know!
On the same front page, “17 school trustee candidates for SD 79” told us of a throng of willing candidates.
“The most familiar face at Cowichan’s next school-board table could be Ladysmith’s longtime mayor, and regional chairman, Rob Hutchins. The former Ladysmith area teacher has chalked his name on district 79’s slate of 17 trustee candidates, seeking four-year terms in seven desks Nov. 15.
“The district’s former school board was fired by the education ministry after submitting a controversial deficit budget to protest per-student funding levels. Of the 17 candidates for trustee, five are from the fired board; some of the others have previous political experience. Newcomers include Dana Arthurs, Kayla Barrett, Connie Buckner, Keith Chicquen, Roger Chin, Elizabeth Croft, Joanne de Lure, Randy Doman, and Amy Matamba. Incumbents, or familiar school-board faces, looking for election include Barb de Groot, Deb Foster, Ellen Oxman, Amrik Prihar, Cathy Schmidt, Candace Spilsbury, and Joe Thorne.”
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25 years ago
“Dog's life saved with costly surgery” was the page 2 story in the Lake News of Oct. 20, 1999.
“We've nicknamed her Lucky. Although her luck was not too good when she was hit by a car, ever since she has run into caring humans interested in her well-being. Firstly, the man who hit this young shepherd cross went to the trouble to take her to the vet, the Lakeside Pet Hospital in Lake Cowichan. From there she went to the SPCA and from there to Prevost Veterinarian Clinic in Duncan. Lucky, as we call her — no one has come forward to claim her, is suffering from a large wound on her shoulder which extends down to the muscle and a broken leg. The leg bones are shattered and pins are required as well as a metal plate to heal the leg. Surgery is expected to cost $1,000.”
The newspaper pleaded with the community to help raise the money to pay for the surgery so the dog wouldn't be euthanized.
“We decided to plead to our subscribers to donate anything they can to help pay for the surgery,” said the story.
In other news of the day, “No decision on VisionQuest” was on the front page.
“Ed Gilman, Town Administrator said it is fair to say that Council is trying to `fast track' the deal between the province and CLEC before the local elections take place November 20. The CLEC/Lakeview Park which is within the Town Boundaries but owned by Crown Lands was to be turned over to the Town a month ago. But the province has not yet done so.
“Meanwhile the Town is trying to negotiate with VisionQuest — a recovery centre for all addictions, to lease them the CLEC property but can not do so until the province grants the Town the land. Mark Hellam, Manager of Land Sales of Vancouver Island of B.C. Assets and Lands for the province said the Town currently holds a tenure to CLEC which allows them to use CLEC as they have been over the years. But he said the province will do nothing with the CLEC lands until discussions with First Nations are over.
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40 years ago
“We hate bomb[s], says peace group” was one of the top stories on the front of the Lake News of Oct. 17, 1984.
“Lake Cowichan residents will be polled for their opinions about various aspects of the disarmament issue. Members of the Lake Cowichan peace group will station themselves at the post office once a week in an effort to find out local views on the subject and to hand out information about the issue, according to Angela Wiles, one of the group members. The question this month will be ‘do you support unilateral disarmament?'
“‘We want people to know what we're doing,' Wiles said.
And finally, “Businesses protest 100%-plus assessment boost” was the front page story above the fold.
“Unhappy Lake Cowichan business property owners are up in arms about skyrocketing assessments this year. Some are considering approaching the court of revision as a group to protest increases of 50, 60, 100 per cent and even more. ‘It's ridiculous,' seemed to be the most frequent comment heard during a poll of owners of commercial property taken this week by the Lake News. Dorothy Ryan of Dorothy's Style Shop said Monday that her assessments had more than doubled in one year. ‘We're up $55,000, and this is the first year we haven't done anything to improve the property.'”
