Remember When? (April 24th)

A look back at what happened this week in the valley over the past fifty years

The shape of glass containers changed in the 1970's

The shape of glass containers changed in the 1970's

10 years ago (2003):

The effort to turf Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Wendy McMahon was buried on April 28th as the proponents of a recall campaign conceded defeat.

“It’s fairly evident we’re not going to get the 8,068 signatures we need,” said the initiator of the recall.

Those signatures were needed to represent 40 per cent of the voting population during the time of the previous election in order to administer a by-election.

20 years ago (1993):

After developers announced their intention to build a supermarket at Pothole Park, the decision of whether or not to develop it was stirring controversy, as some residents felt it would be a good use of tax dollars, while others disagreed.

“Why does soothing have to be done with the pothole? I’m sure the deer, birds and children like it the way it is,” read one letter to the editor.

“Why don’t we just hydro-seed what fill is there and put in a couple of benches?”

30 years ago (1983):

Dave Barrett, leader of the B.C. NDP, was in Invermere for an hour on April 26th. He was met by local NDP candidate Don Duff and a crowd of over 100 supporters. Claiming that the incumbent Social Credit party was damaging the province, Mr. Barrett said those outside of government have no way of measuring their faults.

“We must have the truth of the financial situation in this province. We must come together and rebuild this province, not just one group, but everybody together, to work our way out of this mess, and we must know the extent of it,” he said.

40 years ago (1973)

One of Invermere’s pioneers, Jimmy Scott, was the first customer this year as the local Girl Guides began Cookie Week. Mr. Scott purchased the box of cookies from Heather Case of Canal Flats, who was named Miss Cookie in 1973. Uniformed guides were knocking door-to-door over the week to follow, offering the goodies and earning $2.40 for the organization from each sale.

45 years ago (1968):

Chief Municipal Officers in the province have all had their titles changed to Mayor. That means that the leader of the Village of Invermere, Marvin Tunnacliffe, was then referred to as mayor. Mayor Tunnacliffe was the first customer of Girl Guide cookies in the valley that year.

50 years ago (1963):

The monthly meeting was held for the local Parent-Teacher Association. “It was felt this conference was worthwhile and gave one a truer picture of the aims of the association,” said one of the parents.

A keynote address was delivered, stating that B.C. public schools were undergoing an educational revolution, and the speaker called for more planning to go into the development of Junior Colleges.

Scrapbooks that were made a few days earlier were displayed to help parents make sense of programmes and the history of the Parent-Teacher Association.

A motion passed to allow parent supervisors compensation for their help.

The meeting concluded with a short film titled, “Challenge to Mankind”, which reminded the audience of starvation in third-world countries.