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MARCH 10, 2011
This Was Then... March memories
With Old Ike
Shelley Harding, education curator at the Alberni Valley Museum, takes a close look at a Great Horned Owl on March 7, 1997. The owl was one of 16 species featured in the “Birds of Prey” exhibit that opened on March 8. Were you one of the local students who visited the Museum on a school program designed in conjunction with owl exhibit?
Remember when Amnesty International came to Port Alberni back on Saturday, March 22, 1975? The group, that works for abolition of torture devices used on prisoners of conscience, gave local residents an opportunity to experience the “Tiger Cage” that was set up downtown. Julie Turner, Brian McCombie and Mark Mosher agreed to be manacled together and spend time behind bars.
Port Alberni’s Gord Racette gets one of his required eight kicks away against World Karate Association heavyweight champion Maurice Smith in a title bout between the two at Nanaimo’s Civic Arena on Friday, March 1, 1985. Racette kicked well, but couldn’t bring his superior power into play against the elusive Smith, and lost a split decision.
It was at the annual spring luncheon on Monday, March 15, 1982, when the Women’s Auxiliary to the West Coast General Hospital, honoured two of their members. Mrs. Louise Webster, 1st vicepresident presented a life membership pin to Mrs. Peggy Helm (picture on the left) and Mrs. Elsie Braithwaite was presented with a pastpresident’s pin (picture on the right).
MARCH 10, 2011
Pennyworth • 31
This Was Then... With Old Ike
A rare look back at the corner of Third & Angus What can you tell me about this picture? It shows the Canadian Bank of Commerce, Mowat’s Shoes, Mowat’s Shoe Repairs and a Bakery/Delicatessen. After chatting with Jim Spencer, I believe it is from the early forties. “My family came here in 1927,” Jim reminded me. “ So, I have a good idea of what was where. I went overseas in 1937, returning in 1945, and I think this picture was taken during that time. Jim Mowat owned most of that side of Third Avenue (from the corner up to where the Royal Bank is now). One of his sons, Tom Mowat, ran the shoe business and I remember Joe Schraefel worked in the shoe repair shop for the Mowat family before opening his own business down on First Avenue.” Please continue to send any memories/ photos of street scenes from the past to: ikepatterson@ telus.net because it helps everyone to understand and appreciate those who helped get us to where we are now.
Remember to wear green next Thursday, March 17
Did these Brownies sell you cookies 35 years ago?
St. Patrick’s Day memories will be rekindled with this picture taken during the Sunshine Club’s special events day in 1976. Pearl Duck shows her small guest, Billy Gust, how to put the icing on the cake as they celebrated the “luck of the Irish” at Echo Centre. Although the picture is in black and white, I’m told Pearl and Billy were both wearing green 35 years ago.
Back in April 1976, Laura Richmond (left), Laurel LaCharity and Chrissie Richmond, were selling Girl Guide Cookies along with other Brownies and Girl Guides in the Beaufort Division during a weeklong campaign. This year, the classic vanilla and chocolate Girl Guide Cookies will go on sale starting the first weekend in April. Watch for times and locations on these pages.
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MARCH 10, 2011
This Was Then... With Old Ike
Hard working local group hosts March 10, 1995 – I Love Port Alberni Day at the Alberni Mall show again this weekend Rock & Gem Club’s popular event is at Cherry Creek Hall
Sixteen years ago March 10 was declared as I Love Port Alberni Day at the Alberni Mall. It was a Friday and shoppers who wore their I Love Port Alberni buttons, t-shirts or hats received entry forms for prize draws from the Mall Merchants. The special shirts and hats worn in this picture by, left to right, Mall Promotions Manager John McGeachy, Sharon McRae of Spencer’s Place, Penny and Ron Ohama from Magic Moments T-Shirts, were available for all residents back then at Magic Moments. Personally, I think it’s time to dedicate another day to the “I Love Port Alberni” theme, especially next year when we celebrate 100 years as a city. What do you think? Do you still have a shirt, button or hat from the idea that goes back to the early ‘80’s? Lets discuss it at: ikepatterson@telus.net Qualicum paleontologist Graham Beard, shown here holding a slide of the magnolia fossil found on Vancouver Island, which was named for him as its finder, was a guest speaker at the 1995 Rock & Gem Show. Over fifteen hundred attended that show, up from almost thirteen hundred in 1994. This year, members of the Alberni Valley Rock & Gem Club are hoping to attract well over sixteen hundred visitors to the Cherry Creek Hall. “The show runs from 10 am to 5 pm this Saturday and from 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday,” said organizer Dan Mooney. “Admission is the same as last year, $2.00 a person and children under 10 free with an adult.” Dan can be reached at 250-724-2832 if anyone needs more information about this weekend’s Rock & Gem Show, which will feature 12 dealers and plenty of family fun. By the way, the fossil that Graham Beard is holding in the 16-year old picture above is called Litocarpon beardii.
Reader response
About that “parade moment” picture from Feb. 24 – • Satch Willis emailed to say that he couldn’t tell me much about the picture of the car going by the Three Sisters Café, “other than the car is a 1939 Nash Lafayette Cabriolet. It was obviously a beautiful and probably pretty rare car back in ’48, so perhaps this may help jog some old-timers’ memories as to the owner. Keep up the good work.” • A couple of days after hearing from Satch, I received this brief email from Arleen Perry, identifying the car’s owner.
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“The car belonged to Peter Czar. He was a longshoreman here and left in the middle 50’s to live in Alberta. The person who recognized it remembers riding in the car.” • ALSO from the Feb. 24 column – Dave Tranfield, of the Industrial Heritage Society, stopped by to remind me that the “no U turn” flashing light at Third & Dunbar, shown in that 1954 parade photo, has been completely restored and is operating inside the Heritage Centre (old arena) on 9th Avenue.
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MARCH 10, 2011
Pennyworth • 33
This Was Then... With Old Ike Saturday, March 7, 1981 – official opening of Fir Park Village **Ike’s note** Yes, I know this has been written about before, and I realize that Fir Park Village’s 30th anniversary was celebrated a couple of months ago (Jan. 26) on the day it actually opened. However, the realization of the first multi-level care home in the Valley was such a major accomplishment, and because Fir Park Village has meant so much to so many residents and their families since 1981, I feel we should acknowledge the 30th anniversary of the official opening. It is on record that as hundreds watched then Provincial Minister of Health, Jim Neilsen, cut the ribbon and declared Fir Park Village officially open on Saturday, March 7, 1981, and Walter Behn, then president of the Alberni Valley Intermediate Care Home Society, cut the “villageshaped” cake. So, at this time, I would like to recognize and thank once more some of the thousands of residents who made Fir Park Village a reality. These pictures reveal some of those people.
This photo (taken from the AV Times on Feb. 26. 1981) shows Bernard Kimble (center-left), public relations officer for MB Ltd., presenting the second half of a $20,000 total donation from the company to Fir Park Village. Accepting the cheque are, left to right: Terry Whyte, Fir Park administrator, Dr. Norman Jones, Lin Gardner, Elise Good, Ken Hutcheson, Kathy Allen, William Johnson, vice-president and (centerright) Walter Behn, president of the Care Home Society board. When this picture was taken (a week before the official opening) Terry Whyte told reporters that everything was going well at the Village with 50 of the 67 residents now moved in. “The key to our success,” he said, “is really the volunteers from the community. We get at least two volunteers in every day.”
Folk Song Circle singers kicked off the entertainment portion of the official opening of Fir Park Village with a tune they wrote especially for the occasion entitled “Fir Park Village is Open Now.” Diane Dvorak, the group’s leader now, was one of those singers at Fir Park 30 years ago. “It was a wonderful occasion back in 1981,” she commented. “The group played for the residents this year, the day after the 30th anniversary celebration for the public.” By the way, the Folk Song Circle will be celebrating their 50th anniversary on Saturday, May 14. “We are inviting former members to a reunion-style dinner at the Lawn Bowling Club,” Diane added. “Further details will be made public soon.”
Cheque presentations were part of the opening ceremonies at Fir Park Village on the afternoon of March 7, 1981. Marvin Lockwood (left) and Bob Eyford (center) of the Alberni Valley Lions Club presented a $1,150 donation to Walter Behn. Other community groups, including the Kinsmen, Chinese Canadian Society and the Catholic Women’s League, presented cheques for $1,000 each along with their best wishes to the new care home.
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This Was Then... With Old Ike
More on that historical Port Alberni bracelet
Ev Towle sent these pictures of that special, decades-old bracelet. “I believe that it is most likely pewter and the joining rings are not silver but a gold/brass colour,” she explained. “I still can’t remember who gave it to me so the date is still murky. I may have gotten it for myself, in which case would possibly have been from the Nootka House.”
Ev (Miller) Towle emailed after seeing the “5 most amazing things about Port Alberni” souvenir bracelet story in the Feb. 17 issue. “Some time ago I mentioned this piece to you – never got around to following it up,” Ev wrote. “It is from the late 50’s or early ‘60’s (hopefully my memory will pop the answer out at 3 a.m. and I’ll be able to give you the exact date). I still have mine and I believe it is a special piece that was commissioned, but due to the price was not accepted for sale. It may have been a product of the Gyro Club or the Chamber of Commerce. Alternately, it could have been sold out of the Nootka House.” Ev said her bracelet has a broken link, but she would send photos to confirm it’s the same as the one Bob Graham brought in. “By the way, Ike, I have seen mention of the Franklin Camp and others in This Was Then,” Ev added. “My father (G.T. Miller) had the contract to paint camps and schools all up and down the coast. If the buildings were turquoise and green, he painted them in the very late 40’s or very early 50’s. Maybe that would help date some photos.”
A letter from Norm Bradley Too late for last week Last Friday I received a letter from Norm Bradley in Kelowna (dated Feb. 27) regarding a small item on the original Port Boathouse (at the foot of Argyle) I had in back on Jan. 13 of this year. “Bill Clayton also owned two dugout canoes,” Norm said. “I know that because I bought one for $10.00 with a set of oars in 1947. Ted Gunnerud, a Norwegian, ran (with his wife) the Seaman’s Haven on Kingsway. My mother volunteered there. Ted taught me to fish salmon. We would rent rowboats from whoever owned the Port Boathouse before Pitt & Bill Clayton. Mr. Gunnerud’s criteria were “you be here at the time I tell you or I go. We have to
be across the canal at daybreak. Also, you don’t wake your mother, you get up yourself.” I was never late but he was always waiting for me. He was a fine gentleman. Ted bought a small dinghy for himself so I still rented from the Port Boathouse. I forget the price but the dugouts were half the cost per hour of a rowboat. I was 12 years old and I still remember Bill Clayton saying, “You are going to be out of luck. You are the only person that rents the dugout so we’re going to get rid of them.” I asked how much for the one I rent and he said, “ten dollars and I’ll throw in the oars.” So, at 12 years old, I became the proud owner of a 16-foot dugout canoe with a 3-foot beam. It was the most stable and safest
boat I think I’ve ever had. I could row it for hours tirelessly and I caught a lot of salmon. I caught a 27-pounder the first time out with Ted. The Pennyworth goes from Beaver Creek Road to Eugene, Oregon, then to me in Kelowna. Always good reading! Norm also notes in his letter that he lived at 223 2nd Avenue South when growing up in Port Alberni a lifetime ago. “That’s the corner of 2nd Avenue and Mar Street,” he wrote. “One block from Marvin “Swede” Hansen, Dave Imlach and Ed Olander. I was at Ed’s house on the Sunday morning in 1946 (June 23) when the earthquake hit.”
Here is an email from former resident and Nanaimo freelance writer Darrell Ohs that didn’t make it into last week’s column. Darrell was replying about the “trestle photo” in This Was Then on Feb. 10. “The remains of the bridge your readers described spans Boot Lagoon to connect to the Great Central Lake Sawmill,” he wrote. “It was a crossing along a branch line of the E & N Railway which ran from the Great Central Sawmill and town site to the Port Alberni harbour. I can pipe up with a couple of stories about it; The Bloedel, Stewart and Welch Shay No. 1 locomotive on static display at the entrance to the B.C. Forest
Discovery Centre, has crossed that bridge many times with lumber cars from the mill to the shipping docks at the harbour. Another story, central to the bridge, that I remember hearing was about Great Central logging camp superintendent Charlie Koski. Koski was a notoriously wild driver and one time when Great Central Lake road was closed for some reason, he drove his car onto the tracks and across the bridge in an attempt to reconnect with Great Central Lake Road at the next crossing. On this trip, or one soon after, Koski, speeding on his way to Port Alberni to attend a safety meeting, died in a headon crash while passing on a blind hill.”
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