Every Friday we feature Valley history taken from our back issues.
Five years ago this week in the Comox Valley Record:
A van collided with a northbound VIA Rail train at the railway crossing east of Livingston Road on Royston Road in Royston.
The van driver was uninjured. The van was damaged on the front end and the train only had a few scratches.
Lights were flashing at the time the train was going through but the crossing did not have remote barriers to block traffic from the tracks.
Ten years ago this week in the Comox Valley Record:
A Courtenay man went on a rampage in Cumberland.
According to police, the man crashed his car into the B.C. Ambulance building on Dunsmuir Avenue and Fourth Street. A woman passing by asked if he was alright, and he followed her to her home and forced his way inside.
Police claimed he then went to another house where he allegedly sexually assaulted a young person and threatened and assaulted several adults.
The man was charged with sexual assault, common assault, threatening and impaired driving.
Fifteen years ago this week in the Comox Valley Record:
The traditional Boxing Day Polar Bear Swim at Goose Spit was called off due to high winds and near zero temperatures.
“We calculate the wind chill factor at about minus five and that’s dangerously low,” said organizer James Robinson, adding organizers spoke to the fire department and decided “it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Despite his warning, a few hardy souls went down for a quick dip.
Twenty years ago this week in the Comox Valley Record:
Plans to extend Lerwick Road north of Ryan Road were under way.
Courtenay councillor Bill McConochie said the idea was to give Comox more direct access to the Island Highway north of Courtenay, but he noted people had been buying homes in the area, and some could be in for a surprise when the road is built.
According to a Transportation and Highways Ministry spokesperson, the exact path of the route was being kept secret to avoid land speculation in the area.
“During the past few months, we have been reviewing three options and as of last week, we narrowed it down to the shortest, most feasible route,” said the spokesperson.
Twenty-five years ago this week in the Comox Valley Record:
A bylaw restricting smoking in public in Comox was tossed out by the new Comox council, which took new Mayor George Piercy’s lead.
“I think to rely on the town to come down with a heavy hand and enforce a bylaw of this nature is unnecessary and I think it’s the wrong way to approach it,” said Piercy, adding businesses that don’t want smoking in their establishments should put up ‘No Smoking’ signs.
The bylaw had earned preliminary approval in November and was expected to be ratified.
