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.
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This week around the Cowichan Lake area…
10 years ago
"Residents show concern, support at Sunfest meeting" made the front page of the Lake Cowichan Gazette of Aug. 26, 2015.
"Organizers of the annual country music festival Sunfest were in town last Thursday (August 20) to host a public meeting regarding their proposal to move the festival to a new site off the Youbou Highway. Several hundred residents turned up to the meeting, and though Sunfest owner Greg Adams was grilled on almost every aspect imaginable, a majority of those in attendance seemed to be in favour of the new addition to the community.
"Though the relocation of Sunfest, which drew over 50,000 country music fans to the Cowichan Exhibition grounds in July and August, was what drew residents to the meeting, Adams took the opportunity to explain the full extent of what his company wanted to place on the plot of land."
In other news of the day "Conservative nominee John Koury pulling out of race" was a page 3 headline.
"John Koury, the Conservative Party's nominee for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, recently announced that he would be dropping out of the race to be become the new riding's first Member of Parliament. Koury announced his decision last Monday (August 17).
"'It is with mixed feelings that I make this decision today to withdraw from the nomination process," he said in a release. 'Many people in the community have expressed their hope that I will run in the nomination and I am sorry to have to let them know that I will not contest the nomination.'
"Koury explained his decision, citing 'family needs' as the main factor for his withdrawal."
25 years ago
The Lake Cowichan Gazette of Aug. 30, 2000 featured a headline of "Pool society renews lobby".
Will there ever be a pool at the lake? Just over two decades ago, a guy named Pool hoped so.
"A proposal for an indoor pool in Lake Cowichan has resurfaced. The Cowichan Lake Leisure Pool Society was recently formed, taking off where the Kiwanis Club left off a few years ago. The society plans a door-to-door campaign in the next few months, says spokesman Terry Pool, at which time it hopes to sell memberships and explain its proposal.
'He hopes that by that time new drawings will be available, along with preliminary costs. Pool said the main difference between what the society will propose and what was proposed five years ago, when Professional Environmental Recreation Consultants Ltd. did a feasibility study, is a waterslide or two and two more swimming lanes."
In other news of the day, "Property owner says he won't give assessment agency rental income info" was another headline.
"A Lake Cowichan property owner says he's being penalized for his business goodwill. Lucky Berner, owner of Cottonwood Industries Ltd., says he is being dinged twice on his rental income when it is included in the assessment of his property. He owns the building and land that houses Lake Bakery and Penny's Hair Care on King George Street and he is being asked by the British Columbia Assessment Authority to provide, in detail, his rental income.
"'It's bad enough that I get taxed to death on my rental income through my income tax,' said Berner. 'It's kind of like a double jeopardy that I get taxed twice on my income. It seems to me they've gone way overboard. How many ways do they want to ding us on taxes?'
"Berner said he has worked hard at being a good landlord by keeping the building properly maintained and responding quickly to any problems that may arise. According to the documents he received, he had three weeks from Aug. 22 to complete the forms and return them to the Assessment Authority.
"'I'm not going to answer these questions,' says Berner. 'I guess if I get into a battle with them, I will.'
40 years ago
The Lake News of Aug. 28, 1985 wrote that "Ambulance may move to Duncan".
"Spurred by the concern of her Lake Cowichan constituents, Cowichan-Malahat MLA Barbara Wallace has asked Health Minister Jim Nielsen for reassurance that the Kaatza Health Unit and the Lake Cowichan ambulance service will not be closed down. In a letter to Nielsen dated August 12, Wallace told the minister 'there is a lot of concern around the Lake Cowichan community that the Kaatza Health Unit may be closed and moved to Duncan. I certainly hope that this is not the case because even though Lake Cowichan has suffered quite drastically economically during the forestry slump, the population has maintained almost a constant level,' she said, adding that the hard times have made it essential that the facility be 'located conveniently for the people who use it.'
"Wallace asked Nielsen for his assurance as minister 'that it is not your intent to move this much-needed facility out of the Lake Cowichan area.'"
And finally, "To tax us for Duncan Centre?" was a headline in the same paper.
"A study into parks and recreation in the Cowichan Valley Regional District has recommended that Cowichan Lake district residents be taxed to support the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan. The report was prepared earlier this summer, but was scheduled to come before the CVRD board of directors for public discussion at this week's meeting."
"Arguing that because the centre's facilities — most notably, the Aquannis Pool and Cowichan Theatre — are used by people from outside the facility's tax boundaries, the consultant that drew up the study has said that the tax base should be broadened to include such districts as Lake Cowichan, Cobble Hill and Shawnigan Lake, which currently do not pay taxes toward maintenance of the centre."
Was this the true beginning of the regional recreation debate or did it go back even earlier?
