10 years ago (2003): On October 28th, the Columbia Valley Arts Council announced that plans were afoot to raise $167,000 for renovation of the Pynelogs Cultural Centre and that it wanted to find a way to construct a $1.5 million to $2.5 million community cultural performance centre beside Pynelogs.
Pynelogs “has to be brought up to current code,” said then CV Arts president Cam Berry. “It is 89 years old and it’s got a lot of problems.”
On November 5th, 2003, the Canal Flats Incorporation referendum process began with advance voting on the question: “Are you in favour of the incorporation of Canal Flats as a municipality?”
15 years ago (1998): Despite strong community opposition, including that of the Area F director, the Regional District of East Kootenay board of directors voted in favour of a Turnagain Developments Ltd. zoning bylaw that would allow a 44-unit cluster development in Windermere. Opponents to the project felt the density was too high and feared it would lead to Windermere’s incorporation while project supporters felt the cluster development was a step in the right direction away from “Kelowna sprawl” and towards contained development.
20 years ago (1993): The school board was seeking answers to why David Thompson Secondary School students’ 1993 provincial exam marks were lower than the provincial average.
A teachers’ committee found part of the problem occurred because academic success was not a student priority, as demonstrated by a poll that listed students’ main reason for coming to school was “to meet with their friends.”
With an estimated roughly 25 per cent of students away on any given day, chronic absenteeism was another problem, the committee found. And Grade 12 students averaged only about 1.5 hours of homework per night, though three was recommended.
25 years ago (1988): Two bylaws that will allow Panorama Resort to develop an 18-hole golf course received second reading by the RDEK board of directors. Then-president of Panorama Resort, Mus Hadade, told the board that the golf course would be an economic plus for both the resort and the valley. The cost of developing the course was estimated to be $4 million and 2,000 Panorama property owners had expressed their support for the project, said Mr. Hadade.
30 years ago (1983): A striking DTSS teacher on picket duty at the high school was struck by a pickup truck in an incident of strike bitterness. The teacher, although shaken up, was not badly hurt. RCMP were investigating with charges pending.
40 years ago (1973): An off-shoot of the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters — the Harlem Clowns — actually played the DTSS gymnasium in November while on tour. Owner Al Pullins coined the name “Clownball” to describe his team’s style of play. The Clowns played straight basketball mixed with comedy routines and spontaneous humour. The article advancing the big event described the Harlem Clowns as “Masters of the Game… combining razzle-dazzle ball handling, precision pass patterns, trick shooting, fancy dribbling and comedy to make theirs the most entertaining show in the business.”
50 years ago (1963):
The annual Kinsmen Halloween party saw the usual number of starry-eyed children dressed in creations fashioned from every material ranging from sacking to sequins, parading the Lake Windermere Memorial Community Centre. Taking first prize as the best-dressed girl was UNICEF fairy Donna Pierce, who was collecting money for UNICEF and gave half her prize money to the fund. The best-dressed boy was Christopher Wenger as an old-fashioned gentleman.
