40 YEARS AGO: The Ashcroft Cub pack was awarded the plaque as the group with the highest score at the two-day Cuboree hosted by the Clearwater Well Gray Cubs on the Radmacher homestead. The Ashcroft Cubs got the best score among the 183 Cubs from 13 packs in the Kamloops district with the Wells Gray Cub Scouts take second. The boys were judged on their abilities in 10 events ranging from a bucket brigade to archery and compass reading. Because of their win, the Ashcroft Cubs will host the event the next year.
35 YEARS AGO: The theme of the 1987 Clearwater Senior Secondary graduating class “nothing can stop us now” was much in evidence as they organized and hosted the senior prom, a magnificent banquet and their commencement ceremonies. With help of many parents, particularly Bert Lambert, the grad committee and all seniors, the weekend’s event went off without a hitch. MLA Bud Smith in his address spoke of drastic changes in the last 20 years, but understanding those changes would help the young people face new challenges with enthusiasm adding, “you can make a difference — your participation will make a difference.”
30 YEARS AGO: Wells Gray Park and the Clearwater River were used to make a movie for a simulated river rafting ride in Japan. A crew from Apogee Productions of Los Angeles, which won an Academy Award for the special effects in Star Wars, used a wide format Showscan camera attached under the nose of local pilot Radar Reilly’s helicopter to make the footage. Technique used involved flying downstream at just above wave height through some of the wildest whitewater in the area. Filming from the helicopter climaxed with a flight own the Murtle River and over Helmcken Falls.
20 YEARS AGO: Just a couple hours after Legion branch 259 officially opened their new hall, many people walked across the Clearwater bridge to Dutch Lake Elementary and the ceremonies or the soon-to-be-finished RCMP building. After recounting some of the approximately 85 members in the detachment’s history — from officers in 1957 to the most recent addition the year prior — awards were given to auxiliary members and a dedication was made to 20-year clerk Donna Smith, who died in 1999. A tree is planted near the new building to honour her.
5 YEARS AGO: The road in Wells Gray Park was closed by fallen trees, campgrounds were shut down, at least one trailer near Clearwater was demolished and power was out for up to several days in some North Thompson localities after a windstorm pummeled most of southern B.C. Winds in Clearwater reached 91 km/h, the highest recorded in the storm. Most of the severe wind damage happened in Wells Gray Park. According to park contractor Merlin Blackwell, more than 200 trees fell across the park road.
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