55 YEARS AGO:
Nearly 200 friends and relatives of the Cubs and Scouts from Blue River to Little Fort went out to the Field Day held at Miller’s Farm. The event of the year was sponsored by the North Thompson District Council.
A potluck supper was organized by the Group Committee who also managed to serve soft drinks and ice cream to all those attending. Star Lake Cubs ended their day with the highest number of points, 50; Clearwater was next with 34, then came Birch Island with 25 points, Blue River with 23 and Little Fort with 18.
The Scouts almost drew with Birch Island coming out on top with 75, only one point ahead of Star Lake’s 64.
50 YEARS AGO:
A woman and two children were slightly injured when their vehicle overturned on Clearwater Village Road east of Wells Gray Motor Hotel.
Her husband told Clearwater RCMP that she rolled their car. On investigating police found the vehicle on the road shoulder standing upright. The woman told peace officers something like a bee hit her in the eye through the open window.
She then swerved onto the loose gravel shoulder only to be pulled into the ditch. The vehicle, which was travelling at 30 mph, turned over, then righted itself back onto the shoulder of the road.
45 YEARS AGO:
The Central North Thompson Chamber of Commerce advised that a joint meeting will be held with the Clearwater Business Association at the Dutch Lake Resort to discuss the purpose of a Chamber of Commerce and if the goals are being reached in the Central North Thompson Area.
Unless there was a favourable turnout by concerned residents, from Round Top to Avola, the chamber would disband with the records to be stored at the Clearwater Improvement District office until there was enough interest to re-activate the group.
40 YEARS AGO:
Two Clearwater men were striking a committee to organize an annual high school rodeo for the area. Frank Richter and Morris Zakall had both been involved in the high school rodeo circuit for several years and were in negotiations with the school board and the Sportsplex Committee to discuss the possibility of holding an indoor rodeo.
“I think there’s sufficient interest in the community to have a rodeo,” said Richter, and as far as community benefit goes, he said it could be a much needed additional use for the Sportsplex.
35 YEARS AGO:
Nearly 140 Clearwater residents turned up for a public discussion of the future of Wells Gray Park held at the Wells Gray Hotel.
The meeting was the latest step in a process to develop a master plan for the park.
Questions had been raised regarding the nature of this process as well as the content of the plan.
Some but not all of these questions were resolved at the meeting. The non-democratic nature of the planning process was the topic of major concern.
“It was repeatedly pointed out by the consultant that if people objected to the process they could either ‘dump’ on the parks representatives at the meeting or work through the political process, and he encouraged people to do both.
30 YEARS AGO:
There was sufficient interest shown in a swimming pool for Clearwater’s aquatic group to proceed with fundraising plans. Ten people attended to hear a progress report given by Larissa Hadley.
Hadley said two committees were needed — one for fundraising, the other concerned with construction.
Under consideration was a 25 ft. by 75 ft. vinyl swimming pool to be located within the Sportsplex during the months from April to September.
25 YEARS AGO:
A Vavenby resident had been charged as the result of a break-in at the Legion premises in Birch Island that happened a month previous.
A 24-year-old man had been charged with break, enter, and theft and was scheduled to appear in court in Clearwater.
A second suspect was also to be charged.
Entry was gained by smashing the glass door into the Royal Canadian Legion branch 259 building sometime between May 10 and May 17, and approximately $500 worth of liquor was taken.
20 YEARS AGO:
Soggy spring weather may have slowed the tourist trade at some North Thompson businesses, but the number of visitors through the doors of the Wells Gray Infocentre were up significantly over the previous year.
That was the report from Kathy Downey, Infocentre manager and gift shop operator.
Total number of visitors at the Infocentre that year in May was 9,188, compared to 7,731 in 1999.
15 YEARS AGO:
A photograph that appeared in the Times was being credited with helping get approval for a heli-pad at the Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital. Interior Health has given the go-ahead for a helicopter landing pad at the hospital, Wells Gray County director Bert Walker reported at a WGX services committee meeting.
Walker said he had already spoken to local pilot Jeff Campbell of Yellowhead Helicopters for advice on where to locate the pad. 10 YEARS AGO:
Plans to provide more local housing to seniors and others took a big step forward when the District of Clearwater council approved entering into a 60-year lease with B.C. Provincial Rental Housing Corporation for a property located between Evergreen acres and Park Drive.
The lease arrangement would allow the corporation to provide housing for persons with special housing needs and/or limited incomes, not just seniors.
Councillor Christie Dobi questioned why the lease was not limited to seniors. Mayor John Harwood pointed out that Evergreen Acres Society would run the housing project for the corporation and it would be up to the society to select who moved in, whether seniors or not.
5 YEARS AGO:
A pile of rubble was all that remained of a home following an overnight fire. According to a neighbour, the fire began in a nearby shed and then spread into the main house.
The home’s two occupants escaped, apparently unharmed, after being awakened by another neighbour.
Clearwater Volunteer Fire Department received a report that a shed was on fire on Clearwater Station Road at 12:24 a.m., said fire chief Mike Smith. Upon arrival, the firefighters found the blaze had spread into the house. The fire spread quickly inside the house and was difficult to fight, he said, due to the building’s age and the presence of a metal roof.
1 YEAR AGO:
One of Clearwater’s newest charitable groups had success with its first initiative and organizers were confident it would only get better going forward.
The group, 100 People That Care, holds gatherings four times a year with each member donating $50 per meeting, which goes toward one of three charities, volunteer groups or causes nominated and selected that evening.
