Welcome to Lake Flashback. Reporter James Goldie 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 Cowichan Lake …
10 years ago:
A Lake Cowichan man has been charged with first degree murder in the death of a local man early Sunday morning. Douglas Donald Ward, 26, was scheduled to appear in court this week to answer the charge he killed Cory Anderson, 27, who was pronounced dead at the Cowichan District Hospital in Duncan shortly after arriving by ambulance. Police were called to a house on MacDonald Road in Lake Cowichan at approximately 3 a.m. after receiving a call about an injured man. Anderson grew up at the Lake and had recently moved back to town.
25 years ago:
It’s not clear how important renovations to the Honeymoon Bay Hall will be funded, following news that a $100,000 grant the hall’s board of directors had applied for was ultimately unsuccessful.
While the building does not need to undergo any major structural changes it does need a new roof, new washrooms (with handicapped access), ceiling insulation, new fire exits and a sprinkler system.
So far the board has fundraised $18,000 and Fletcher Challenge Canada has committed $11,000 for the project.
The board is seeking help from the CVRD in applying for a GO-BC grant.
40 years ago:
The Canadian National Railway has submitted an application to the Canadian Transport Commission to close two sections of railway between Youbou and Cowichan Bay.
The proposal would see the closure of 38 kilometres of railway from Youbou to Deerholme and then an additional 12 kilometres from Deerholme to Cowichan Bay.
“There are several bridges between Youbou and Cowichan Bay which are in poor condition and which will have to be rehabilitated if the CNR is to continue operating trains,” the application stated.
B.C. Forest Products at Youbou is the sole user of the line to transport lumber to eastern Vancouver Island ports, however, between 1972 and 1974 the annual trains running this route declined from 56 to 31.
In Lake Cowichan, village council voted not to oppose the abandonment of the railway line.
Mayor Bert Brown referred to the operation of the railway on the Youbou-Deerholme line as “a lost cause.”
Compiled by James Goldie, Gazette
