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…
10 years ago
"Bell crowned as Lady of the Lake for 2015/2016" was the one and only headline on the front of the Lake Cowichan Gazette of June 17, 2015.
"This past Saturday (June 13), Lady of the Lake candidate Crystal Bell saw her months of training and preparation come to fruition as she was crowned Lake Cowichan’s top ambassador for 2015/2016, in front of the public upon the Saywell Park stage.
"Along with Bell, Kirsten Mackie and Sidney Fothergill were named First and Second Princess, respectively. The crowns were passed on to the three girls from the now-former Lady of the Lake Lauren Frost, First Princess Madisyn Young and Second Princess Marigold Arbic, who took on their duties as Lake Cowichan’s ambassadors at Lake Days last year."
"Wilderness Watch cleanup cancelled this year, residents reminded to be on the lookout for invasive plants" was another headline.
"Though early June typically marks the annual Wilderness Watch cleanup, which sees the community clear Lake Cowichan, Honeymoon Bay, Youbou, Mesachie Lake and Skutz Falls of forgotten trash and debris, organizer Denis Martell recently announced that the cleanup would have to be put on hold this year. Among the contributing factors of the cancellation is the overwhelming amount of invasive plant species continuing to crop up around the area. Among the biggest culprits this summer are gorse (Ulex) and giant hogweed heracleum Mantegazzianum), a phototoxic weed originally introduces as an ornamental plant.
"'It looks like a beautiful white flower until it touches your hand and melts it, it’s like battery acid,' Wilderness Watch coordinator Denis Martell said. 'With gorse, the deer won’t even walk in it.'"
25 years ago
The Lake Cowichan Gazette of June 21, 2000 praised firefighters for their fundraising efforts in the front page story "Firefighters do it again: Raise $30,000".
"The little fire department that could has done it again. Mesachie Lake's volunteer firefighters have once again managed to raise a phenomenal amount of money to fight Muscular Dystrophy. More than $30,000 was raised last week-end at the 21st annual Mesachie Lake Firefighters ball tournament and auction. 'That was wonderful,' says Sherry Sohye, the wife of Mesachie Lake's fire chief Nick Sohye, and one of the event's perennial organizers. 'The auction did fairly well. It started off slowly, as it always does.'
"Every year, certain items manage to fetch astronomical amounts. This year the big ticket buy was a Houseboat Holiday sponsored by Norm Brooks' gas bar. The Honeymoon Bay Volunteer Fire Department paid $5000 for the vacation package and then promptly donated the deal back to the auction. The Caycuse Volunteer Fire Department came up with a further $800 to bring the total raised from the houseboat excursion to $5,800. Another huge fundraiser was a cross-stitch with a firefighter theme. Created by Jennea Roberston, daughter of the Duncan fire department's deputy chief, the work went for $4,100 to the Youbou Volunteer Fire Department. "'It's a beauty,' says Sohye. 'It's one of the nicest ones we've ever had.'"
In other news of the day, "Town looks into making parkland out of commercial riverfront" was a secondary headline.
"We live near it but it has surprisingly little presence for many people in the community. The Cowichan River winds its way through the Town of Lake Cowichan but there are few places where it can be accessed by the public. That could change if Town Council is able to bring its latest vision closer to reality.
"'One of the issues that has been discussed at length by council is access to the river, access to the lake,' says Mayor Jack Peake. He says that over the years much of the riverfront has become commercial space, and much of that sits empty. Council's plan rests with the transfer of the former CN Rail right-of-way. Now that land belongs to the town, as many as 22 new lots could be created. Once those sell, the Town will have some extra money that could be used to increase downtown riverfront park space.
"'We're prepared to listen to what the public has to say,' says Peake..."
40 years ago
"NDP nominee" was a concise headline for a front page story on the June 19, 1985 Lake News.
"Vicki Robinson has announced she will seek nomination as New Democratic Party candidate, Cowichan-Malahat. Barbara Wal-lace says she will not seek re-election and the NDP plans to hold a nomination meeting October 20 to choose their next candidate. Robinson, 42, is an elected trustee of the Cowichan District Hospital and chairs the board's policy development committee.
"She has helped to get going a number of community groups since coming to the Cowichan Valley in 1976. These include the Cowichan Valley Volunteer Society, the Cowichan Valley Hospice Society and WAVAW. She currently works as a coordinator at WAVAW and part time as a court house librarian. Robinson says that the frustrations experienced in "seeing the possibilities for social and economic development in this area come up against present government policies which drain rural and small town B.C:' 'have been a factor in her taking this step."
And finally, "Stores can stay open all day Mondays" was a headline.
"A 17-year old bylaw that almost all businesses be closed for the day after noon on a Monday — on pain of a $25 fine — will be repealed by Lake Cowichan village council. The bylaw dates back to July 22, 1968, and was brought before council by village clerk Pat Akerley at the June 11 council meeting.
"'This bylaw has never been repealed and it should be repealed or it's not being enforced."
"The bylaw states that, in addition to the Monday closing hours, stores could not be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays later than 6 p.m. or Friday nights later than 9 p.m. There is no mention of Sunday shopping."
