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
"Chamber of Commerce hosts All Candidates meeting at Centennial Hall" was the front page story on the Lake Cowichan Gazette of Nov. 5, 2014.
"The Lake Cowichan Municipal All Candidates Forum took place Monday night at Centennial Hall from 7 to 9 p.m. The hall was packed; more chairs had to be brought out and once those were filled people stood at the back of the hall. The Chamber of Commerce hosted the forum, which was moderated by George deLure. He asked the candidates a series of pre-determined questions created by the Chamber, which the candidates hadn’t heard before.
"Once the Chamber’s questions were finished, they opened the floor to questions from the public. All candidates touched on the need for a seniors care facility, improvements to infrastructure, and the need for a way to entice business into the downtown core. The forum was at some points heated and at some points relaxed as candidates and the public listened and interacted with each other."
In the same newspaper, "Town holds naming ceremony for new square" was a page 2 story.
Last Friday marked the official naming ceremony of Lake Cowichan’s new town square, which Mother Nature complemented by providing both sunshine and a rainbow. A group of about 25 people including the mayor, town council, First Nations council, the Lake Cowichan First Nations group and other spectators, gathered at Ts’uubaa-asatx Square, named by the Lake Cowichan First Nations group.
“'The choice of the name was where we come from. We called it Ts’uubaa-asatx, the people from the front of the lake, by the rivers, by the streams. It shows that we’re the people living by the lake,' said Chief Cyril Livingstone."
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25 years ago
The Lake News of Nov. 10, 1999 was an interesting one.
"Province says 'no' to Town, to sublease CLEC property" was the headline on the front page. "Same day Town celebrates signing in principle, Province says 'no'" was the sub head.
"A letter from the provincial government dated October 28 told Council flatly that it can't lease the CLEC to VisionQuest — at least not yet. The letter was signed and received the same day that Council was signing an agreement to lease the centre to VisionQuest. Cassie J. Doyle, chair of British Columbia Assets and Land Corporation, which is in charge for the province, said in her letter: 'British Columbia Assets and Land Corporation is not able to consent to a sublease of the CLEC site to VisionQuest at this time, due to our obligation to complete a review of aboriginal interests prior to such a commitment.'"
In less-shocking events in the same edition of the Lake News, was "Official opening for Kaatza day care".
"The official opening of the new Kaatza Daycare/Toddler Centre will take place in its new quarters in the Community Services building on Point Ideal Road, November 20, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
"Debbie Foster says she knows its election day but she hopes people will come anyway. It's also National Child Day, she says."
Another interesting piece of 'news' from the Nov. 10, 1999 paper was "Video Corner" a list of the top movies of the week. The Blair Witch Project was listed as the top video while Never Been Kissed and Arlington Road rounded out the top three.
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40 years ago
An awful story was one of several stories on the front of the Nov. 7, 1984 Lake News.
"Hunting accident kills man" was the title but it was even sadder than it sounds.
"A Victoria man died Sunday as a result of wounds received when his father accidentally shot him in the thigh. Kenneth Paul Dobbyn, 22, of Victoria, had been road-hunting with his father Clarence Dobbyn just after 7 a.m. on the 'M8' logging road in the McClure Lake area 13 miles southwest of Caycuse. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Lake Cowichan doctors' clinic, at 9:10 a.m.
"Cowichan Valley coroner Maurice Cherneff, who conducted an autopsy Nov. 6, said later that day that the younger Dobbyn's death had been caused by internal and external bleeding, inflicted by the gunshot. According to Cherneff, the two hunters had left their trailer at a campsite and had proceeded to drive along roads in the McClure Lake area. As they drove along M8, they spotted a deer. Stopping the vehicle, Clarence Dobbyn — a hunter with 40 years experience stepped out of the cab and, using the door as a screen between himself and the animal, proceeded to load his rifle — a 3030. Cherneff said that the rifle 'accidentally discharged' and the bullet passed through the seat and into the upper left thigh of his son, who was still sitting in the truck."
In equally disturbing news was the story "Hospital tightens rules after psychiatric patient cuts off arm in shop".
"An incident in which a man severed his arm while using hobby tools in the psychiatric unit at Cowichan District Hospital has forced the hospital board to step up supervision in the unit. An unidentified patient used a manual tool to sever the lower part of his left arm June 17. He was flown from Duncan to Vancouver General Hospital but doctors there were unable to re-attach the limb. CDH board chairman Joan Gillatt of Duncan said this week that she is satisfied that all possible precautions have been taken to avoid a similar incident, although there is no way to guarantee safety."
