BY DUCK PATERSON
Every community has a history that it is proud of. Looking into the background of a community can be more than faded photos and yellowed documents. Remembering times past are being brought to life in Ladysmith the week of February 19-25. The Ladysmith and District Historical Society has a series of events planned to tie in with B.C. Heritage Week.
What started as a day of heritage awareness has evolved into a week-long celebration.
“Heritage Week in British Columbia [invites] communities to celebrate the people, places and stories that have contributed to the province’s unique history,” said Quentin Goodbody, president of the historical society. “The goal [is] to promote heritage activities, boost civic pride and create economic and social opportunities for the communities.”
The theme of this year’s Heritage Week is ‘layer by layer,’ and residents are invited to dig deeper into their community’s past and explore “the many layers and stories that our unique community holds,” Goodbody said.
On Family Day on Monday, Feb. 19, the Ladysmith Museum, 721 1st Ave., will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is featuring a guided tour of the exhibit Tree-mendous highlighting forests. Activity stations for children will promote forest themes with arts and crafts and a discovery table featuring leaves, seeds, bugs, fossils and a microscope. Clips from the silent movie era will be playing and there be free popcorn and juice.
Also as part of Heritage Week events, the Ladysmith Maritime Society is planning an open house on Monday, Feb. 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the LMS car shop where boat restoration projects are underway.
On Feb. 23, the annual Ladysmith Heritage Awards event will be held at Ladysmith Eagles Hall, starting at 6 p.m. Along with the awards presentations, there will be slideshows of Ladysmith from days gone by and a mix-and-mingle social will follow. Ed Nicholson will read excerpts from Ron Delcourt’s recently published book, The Magic Alley, which contains some delightful stories about growing up in Ladysmith during the Depression of the 1930s and the war years of the early 1940s.
Goodbody said the province provides funding for Family Day activities, while the Town of Ladysmith provides money to the LDHS to promote heritage throughout the year, including during Heritage Week. The society also pursues additional funding through external grants and donations.
This year, the historical society has come up with a unique activity for the public to participate in – a contest for the best cake recipe and design focusing on Heritage B.C.’s ‘layer by layer’ theme. The LDHS is asking contestants to create a cake, or any other dessert that is composed of layers, with each layer representing some part of the community’s rich history and how we have built upon the past. Contestants are asked to submit a recipe, step-by-step instructions and a photo by Feb. 19. The winning entry will be awarded a $100 prize. The society will serve up some of the best desserts this summer in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the society and the 120th anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of Ladysmith, and members of the public will have a chance to view and sample the treats at that time.
For more information, e-mail info@ladysmithhistoricalsociety.ca or call 250-245-0100.
READ ALSO: Ladysmith museum exhibit a ‘tree-mendous’ opportunity to explore forest history