40 YEARS AGO:
Three schools were the targets for breaking and entering this past week. On April 6, Dutch Lake School reported it had been broken into. Entry was apparently gained through a window. Approximately 50 cents in change and a screw driver were taken.
Vavenby Elementary School reported, on April 9, a break-in. Entry was also gained through a window — a double-paned window that was completely smashed in one of the classrooms. This time nothing was removed.
The last break and enter occurred at Clearwater Secondary School April 9 about midnight with the culprit being scared out of the building when a teacher had returned. Evidently, the culprit left empty-handed.
35 YEARS AGO:
The provincial government provides $50,000 annually to help groups and individuals carry out voluntary conservation projects. Under a new agreement Wildlife Habitat Canada is contributing up to another $50,000 annually to be disbursed through the fund.
Grizzly Anglers Association in Clearwater, B.C. was one of eight groups to receive a grant through the program of $1,178.
The projects undertaken by the conservation groups include enhancement of winter ranges for moose and deer, repairing a dam to save a lake fishery, provisions of trout spawning beds and monitoring the migrations of bighorn sheep.
30 YEARS AGO:
Last weekend was a dream come true for the mother of a Clearwater resident. Mrs. Dorothy Lucas, a Merritt resident, arrived at the home of her daughter, Doreen Wallin for a double event: to celebrate her 73rd birthday, and to meet her brother, Gordon Paisley, for the very first time.
Mr. Paisley and his wife Lillian travelled from their home in Portland, Ore., for the event.
According to Mrs. Wallin, her mother who was born in Saskatchewan was given up for adoption when she was two years of age.
Several years later Mrs. Lucas’ employer required her to be bonded for her job so she applied for a birth certificate. She was most surprised to receive one in her birth name of Vermeulen.
25 YEARS AGO:
East Blackpool residents found themselves cut off from Clearwater for the better part of 24 hours over the weekend when a large slide covered approximately 100 feet of Dunn Lake Road with a mound of mud, rocks and trees ranging from four to 16 feet in depth.
Blackpool resident Lynette Bender said an acquaintance, Morris Wallace, travelled over the stretch of road affected at 9:10 p.m., “and there was nothing,” she said. “Then when I got here at 9:20, it was like, ‘Where’s the road gone?’”
Fortunately, Bender was not injured when her pickup truck smashed into the slide heavily damaging the front bumper.
20 YEARS AGO:
Roland Neave, owner of a tourist chalet next to the Clearwater River, is worried that foot and mouth might spread to cattle in Upper Clearwater.
It could then devastated the moose, deer, mountain sheep and mountain goats in Wells Gray Park, he believes.
Few places in Canada have so many tourists from Europe in such proximity with cattle as in Upper Clearwater, he noted.
The business owner has brought in a policy that visitors from Europe must be in the country for a minimum of three days before they can stay at his chalet.
“It is unfortunate, but I think it’s more important to protect the ranchers of the valley,” said Neave.
15 YEARS AGO:
“We have tons of lambs at Aveley Ranch,” says Jamie Green, administrative assistant and evening cook at the ranch. With “tons more” to come, the ranch stock of Corriedale sheep contains approximately 950 ewes and 50 rams and is at the peak of lambing season.
The ranch, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, has opted to break into agri-tourism and is offering tours.
“We have had a lot of twins and triplets born this year,” says Green.
With triplets born, an ewe can only manage to feed two, which creates an “orphan.” Among the many experiences offered in a tour, bottle feeding the orphans is one.
10 YEARS AGO:
Yes, Vavenby does exist, says Elections Canada.
The federal government’s polling authority has reversed a decision to eliminate a polling station in Vavenby for the upcoming federal election.
“It was a mistake,” said Elections Canada spokesperson Susan Friend. “We’d like to thank the newspaper for asking about it. It brought to light a situation that might have inconvenienced voters.”
If the decision to close hadn’t been reversed, the nearest polling stations to Vavenby would have been at Avola and Birch Island.
5 YEARS AGO:
Amendments to statutes introduced recently could affect Wells Gray Community Forest in two areas, according to community forest manager George Brcko.
The first would be changes that would allow community forests to expand.
The second would allow BC Timber Sales to be given a reserved volume within new community forests.
“There was no mechanism before to expand a community forest,” Brcko explained. “We have an expansion application underway and this should help clear up how that might happen.”
Although most consider Wells Gray Community Forest to have been a success since it began operations in 2006, it is the consensus among many that its harvest volume is the bare minimum needed to be sustainable.
newsroom@clearwatertimes.com
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