50 YEARS AGO:
A hunter was accidentally shot and killed while returning from Wells Gray Park.
He had been standing behind a truck when a rifle held by a companion inside the vehicle discharged.
The bullet passed through the victim’s chest. The rifle’s handler was fined $500.
The new Topaz lounge in Avola offered fully licensed premises, sweet music and a cold buffet for only $1.50 per person.
45 YEARS AGO:
Bert Cleaveley was honored as Citizen of the Year at the annual Clearwater Chamber of Commerce banquet.
The site for a new Vavenby Elementary School was being surveyed.
The existing Clearwater Secondary was to be converted to an elementary school, while the new “North Thompson Secondary” was being designed to house 850 pupils.
A new elementary school was to be built on the same site in 1977 if enrolments continued to climb.
40 YEARS AGO:
The Clearwater branch of the Royal Bank celebrated its 10th anniversary with an open house.
35 YEARS AGO:
In Vavenby, more than 60 persons faced a head table consisting of Bob Craig, president of the North Thompson Teachers’ Association; School District 26 trustees E Shook and Ross Smith; and Vavenby principal Paul Edwards.
They discussed a teachers’ strike then under way.
Vavenby Fire Department responded to a fire in a trailer at Tum Tum Trailer Park. Helen Handy managed to get the two children out through a window, but suffered second and third degree burns to her back.
30 YEARS AGO:
George Marcyniuk and Edith Kinzel of the Clearwater incorporation committee went to Victoria to report on the state of the roads within the proposed municipality.
They hoped to have the information taken into account in determining the payments for road maintenance the proposed municipality would receive.
25 YEARS AGO:
Fire destroyed the home of Susan McKenzie and Neil Dunsmore in Birch Island.
A smoke alarm was credited with saving the family’s life.
Members of several fire protection crews watched in frustration as Birch Island was in a “no man’s land” between the Clearwater and Vavenby fire protection districts.
Clearwater Ski Club hoped to complete its ski lodge in time for a Grand Opening in the summer of 1994.
20 YEARS AGO:
Little Fort residents voted 83 – 18 to spend up to $10,000 per year to fund the community’s volunteer fire department.
A young dentist who grew up in Vavenby, Bob Rishiraj, returned to the North Thompson to temporarily assist John Cooluris in his dental practice.
15 YEARS AGO:
About 25 people from Barriere to Blue River met to start setting up a community foundation for the North Thompson Valley.
The foundation would benefit all residents of the three electoral areas in the valley — Area B (Blue River-Avola), Wells Gray Country (formerly Area A) and Area O (Barriere-Little Fort).
10 YEARS AGO:
Clearwater and Blackpool fire departments were called out to a fire at Safety Mart.
A wooden thrift store donation box situated outside the store was set ablaze. Fortunately, the fire was knocked down quickly before it could cause major damage.
Artist Doris Laner accepted a card of appreciation from Mayor John Harwood during the official opening of three murals she had painted on the Sportsplex walls.
Laner worked two summers on the project. The murals depict people playing hockey, figure-skating and curling on Dutch Lake.
5 YEARS AGO:
Clearwater council voted to contribute $3,000 towards a scoping study to look into getting Geopark status for Wells Gray Park and area.
Total cost of the study would be $25,000. Seeking Geopark status was included in plans for the McBride-to-Barriere corridor, said CAO Leslie Groulx.
Clearwater council approved spending up to $55,000 to help pay for an automated weather station.
“We are often asked why Clearwater is never mentioned in weather reports,” said Mayor John Harwood. “Now it will be.”
1 YEAR AGO:
Over 350 people turned out for Remembrance Day ceremonies in Clearwater.
Members of the color party leading the parade were Sgt. At Arms Murray Douff, RCMP Cst. Geoff Schnyder and Korean War veteran Bob Freeston.
A chimney fire caused extensive damage to a residence on Cameron Road.
Clearwater firefighters were called at 4:43 a.m. after the home’s occupants were alerted to the fire by a TV falling off the wall.
TNRD asked District of Clearwater to contribute another $15,000 in federal gas tax money to complete work on the septage receiving facility on the Flats.
“We’re in the position where we don’t have much choice,” said CAO Leslie Groulx.
Debbie Sallenback of Langley, the first ever female Grand Exalted Ruler of the Elks of Canada, visited Clearwater Elks Lodge #499.
Clearwater Theatre Collective, Squidamisu Theatre and North Thompson Arts Council were putting on the play Vigil in the art gallery at Dutch Lake Community Centre.
Lead roles were being played by Richard Stroh, Gretchen Reveille and Jean Nelson.
