45 YEARS AGO:
About 50 persons turned out to support plans to retain the Clearwater Prison Camp last Friday evening.
Visiting from Kamloops were MLA Gerry Anderson, who was accompanied by Agriculture Minister Dave Stupich. Also present was Kamloops Justice Council head Bill Mercer.
According to steering committee chairman Gary Dickson, he felt the visitors favoured keeping the camp open and would present a good report.
A second brief has now been formulated for presentation in the committee’s efforts to keep the Camp open and the 18 men employed.
40 YEARS AGO:
It was decided to register the Clearwater and District Airport Association under the Societies Act in order to become eligible for assistance from the B.C. Government Airport Assistance program. The action was taken at the group’s recent meeting.
A new air strip site has been located on crown property and it is believed approval could be obtained from the Ministry of Forests.
The group is presently waiting to hear from the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the civil aviation inspector, Al Weekes, regarding studies and inspections undertaken.
35 YEARS AGO:
The Times celebrates 21 years of service to the people of the North Thompson.
Back in 1964 after several months of thought the decision was made by our founder David Berryman to establish a newspaper in the Clearwater area to service the new highway between Valemount and Louis Creek and premises were taken in what was formerly the Clearwater Esso building.
The Berryman family established a stationary store and then purchased tons of letterpress equipment, printing the early issue on an old platen press. The paper hit the streets for the first time on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1964.
30 YEARS AGO:
An angry crowd of about 80 people confronted two B.C. Parks officials in front of the Clearwater Information Centre Monday of last week.
Major concern was a rumor that Parks planned to ban motorboats on Clearwater and Azure Lakes next year.
A regulation brought in this year restricted three of the 11 campgrounds on Clearwater and Azure Lakes to use by canoeists only. Another prohibited water-skiing or towing by a motorboat.
Organizers of the protest felt these regulations were just the first step towards banning powerboats altogether from the lakes.
25 YEARS AGO:
The long-awaited, much anticipated, brand-new Clearwater and District Highway Rescue Society rescue truck is coming home.
Factory completion is scheduled for Sept. 28, and plans are to have the rescue truck make its first public appearance at the Clearwater Stockcar Association Races at Clearwater Raceway.
20 YEARS AGO:
One hundred and thirty participants took to the roadways. Some were young, some were old. Some ran, while others walked, pushed strollers or cycled. For some it was easy, for others hard. How they completed the 10 km trek was irrelevant. The relevant fact was their presence and that together they raised nearly $3000 in Fox’s name.
“I am so pleased with how everything turned out,” said long-time organizer Joanne Wright. “This was our best year. The number of participants was up about 25 per cent over other years, and we’ve made about $800 more. It was great.”
15 YEARS AGO:
Clearwater and Barriere should incorporate, says the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board.
Bert Walker and Bill Kershaw got support for incorporation for both communities from their fellow TNRD directors during a board meeting held in Clearwater.
The TNRD directors approved a motion by Walker that asked the provincial government for a review of the local governance study for Clearwater done several years ago, before the last incorporation referendum, held in 2001.
10 YEARS AGO:
The first annual Show and Shine hosted by Clearwater A&W was a great success, according to Jackson Rempel, general manager of the local Jim’s Food Market.
“We had about 40 entries, with people coming from as far as Kelowna, Valemount, Whistler and Richmind, just to enter,” he said.
The event raised over $250 for the fight against multiple sclerosis.
The People’s Choice car award went to Gary Hall from Clearwater for his 1949 Mercury.
Colt Bond won the People’s Choice bike award for his custom chopper, which was created by Birch Island Customs.
5 YEARS AGO:
Former Clearwater mountie Mike Savage has received the Order of Merit, one of the most prestigious distinctions an employee of a police agency can get.
Governor General David Johnston presented him with the medal in Ottawa.
Savage came to the Clearwater RCMP detachment from Saskatchewan as a constable in 1991. He left in 1999 but returned as a corporal in 2005 and left again in 2008. He was a staff sergeant with the Kamloops detachment at time of publication.
