50 years ago (1965):
Attendance figures for the Radium Hot Springs pools and for Kootenay National Park for the April 1964 to March 1965 financial year were down as compared with the previous financial year. In the April 1964 to March 1965 financial year 190,411 vehicles carrying 548,515 passengers passed through the park gate in Radium, while 255,728 admission tickets were sold to the pools (then called the aquacourt). The previous financial year (April 1963 to March 1964) 195,047 vehicles with 567,291 passengers passed through the Radium park gate, while 287,924 bathers visted the pools.
45 years ago (1970):
Local school bus drivers were honoured for their service at a luncheon. Particular acclaim went to Mrs. A. M. Falconer for her 30 years of safe driving.
40 years ago(1975):
Okanagan-Kootenay MP Howard Johnston spoke to valley residents during a dinner hosted by the Windermere District Chamber of Commerce at Radium Hot Springs. Topics touched on during the converstaion included the increased fees being chaged for entry into national parks, the Columbia River Treaty, the redistribution of federal election ridings, Canada’s immigration policy and its recent adoption of the metric system for measurement.
30 years ago (1985):
The Invermere fire department upgraded its technological capability and made response times faster by upgrading its old fire siren (used to summon fire fighters to the hall) to a system involving radios and pagers. The new radio-pager system cost $23,000
20 years ago (1995):
The valley’s two major nonprofit business organizations — the Invermere Business Association and the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce — decided to merge into a single entity. As part of the merger the association officialy became a subcommittee of the chamber.
15 years ago (2000):
The District of Invermere announced plan to turn the infamous natural pot hole (located just west of the north end of the main street, 7th Avenue) into a park. The pothole is a naturally occuring sinkhole that drains a signficant part of Invermere’s runoff. Estimates of its age put it at around 10,000 years old. Plans to turn it into a park had been discussed for more than three decades before action was finally taken.
10 years ago (2005):
The Columbia Valley Range Patrol celebrated its 21st anniversary and heard from local RCMP Corporal Dale Morgan at its annual general meeting. Cpl Morgan commended the patrol for its diligent effort in monitoring the backcountry in partnership with the RCMP.