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 March 30, 2016, edition of the Lake Cowichan Gazette was full of news. “Lumber harvest plans concern neighbour” was one of the stories.
“On March 22, Lake Cowichan town council passed an amendment to the official community plan and a zoning amendment bylaw allowing the Lake Cowichan First Nation to harvest lumber for commercial purposes from forested tracts along much of Lakeview Park Road. During the public hearing on the subject, Dalton Smith, manager of the Cowichan Lake Education Centre, which neighbours the land in question, expressed some concerns about the proposal.
‘The visual impact will be really, really significant. And we all believe in logging in this area, that’s why we’re here, but it would be a heck of a scar [on the land], and I don’t think it’s going to help our lake very much,’ he said.”
“Smith a gardening hero” was another story in the Lake Cowichan Gazette.
“Spring has sprung! This month’s hometown hero is appropriate to the season. Cara Smith is one of five directors of the Cowichan Lake Community Garden, located below the ball field at Cowichan Lake Recreation at the site of the old skateboard park. Smith has been with the gardens since its inception in 2014. Smith, originally from the prairies, grew up in Victoria and has been a resident of Cowichan Lake since 2007.
“The Lake Cowichan Community Gardens came about through the vision of Bob Day and collaboration between the Town of Lake Cowichan, VIHA, and the Cowichan Green Community (located in Duncan). There are two main components to the garden in addition to the food forest: 14 individual rented and maintained beds and the communal garden. The communal garden can be worked in by anyone, and all can share in the harvest.
“The Lake Cowichan Community Gardens are truly a community green space as they welcome and encourage people to walk through and spend time in the garden. As Smith aptly put it, ‘The fences are to keep the deer out, not the people!’”
25 years ago
The main front-page story in the Lake Cowichan Gazette of April 4, 2001, was “VisionQuest still interested in using CLEC”. We haven’t heard any updates on this story in a while, so let’s check in.
“The executive director for Vision Quest Recovery Society in B.C. says that despite some setbacks, the group will still likely hold counselling sessions at the Cowichan Lake Education Centre.
“John Hellemond said Monday that the main stumbling block has been difficulty in getting government funding, which forced cancellation of a week-long session that was scheduled for last January. That has since been postponed again.
“VisionQuest had originally proposed taking over CLEC entirely under an agreement struck with town council about two years ago, but after the municipal election, the agreement was reworked.
“‘We had hoped to start a short program by now, but again we need specialized funding,’ he said. ‘We do have some staff lined up and ready to go. There is a lot of frustration within because of how long it’s taking.’”
Also on the front page, citizens were told: “Water restrictions not in town yet”.
“Lake Cowichan town council has discussed early water restrictions, what with the unusually dry weather this past winter, but so far has not decided to join Cowichan Valley areas in imposing one.
“Other Cowichan Lake communities now face much earlier than usual water restrictions, including Youbou, Mesachie Lake and Honeymoon Bay.”
40 years ago
“They want to tax you for Duncan Centre”, declared the Lake News of April 2, 1986.
“A suggestion that Lake Cowichan residents and those in areas ‘F’ and others among should take part in supplying operating costs of the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan is strongly opposed by Ald. Earle Darling.
“He represents Lake Cowichan on the Cowichan Valley Regional District, where the report was presented. Later, copies were made available to Village Council.
“Apart from the taxation proposal the report recommends that: CVRD establish a park on the north shore of Cowichan Lake between the Village and Youbou; the Lake Cowichan Arena Commission take over the Community Services, Continuing Education and the Hall Board; an indoor swimming pool for Lake Cowichan would be prohibitively expensive and could not be justified without a much larger population.
“Ald. Darling objected to the idea that the Arena Commission should take over Continuing Education or Community Services, which he pointed out are differently oriented from the Arena Commission, and are doing a good job. The consultants who prepared the report said that: ‘These agencies operate in parallel in terms of serving the community…’”
And finally, “Peewees 2nd” was another headline on the same front page.
“Vancouver Island champs the Lake Cowichan Peewee E Lakers narrowly missed first place — and came second — in provincial championships in Kamloops this past weekend. On Saturday, they tied Burnaby 3-3 and won over Kamloops 3-2. But they lost Sunday’s decisive game to Kamloops 4-3, the winning goal coming in the last two minutes of play.”
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