55 years ago (1960):

Invermere was dealing with a water shortage brought on by a rapidly expanding population and a corresponding increase in development in the town. Officials called a referendum to determine whether they should try to increase the water supply by improving existing wells or by developing a resevoir at Paddy Ryan Lakes.

 

50 years ago (1965):

The Valley Echo finished moving from a location on upper Third Street to lower Third Street. The staff had made the move to the new location in August, but it wasn’t until early October that the printing equipment finally joined them.

 

45 years ago (1970):

A young Edgewater boy was found unharmed after spending a night out in the backcountry by Pinnacle Creek. The boy has been out hunting with his mother when the two became separated. Park warden Art Hanley found the boy the next morning. He had burrowed under a pile of tree boughs he had made in order to keep warm through the night.

 

40 years ago (1975):

The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors voted against the Kootenay Library System Society’s proposal to create a network of libraries across the Kootenay region. The directors pointed to a host of other expensive programs looming on the RDEK agenda as the reason for rejecting the proposal.

 

35 years ago (1980):

A pet elk habituated to humans was making news in Windermere. The elk was two years old and had been raised by the owners of JN Ranch after it had been orphaned as a baby.

 

30 years ago (1985):

Invermere mayor Joe Conroy, MLA James Chabot and provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Ritchie unveiled a new plaque at Invermere’s cenotaph. The event formally kicked off  the downtown revitalization project.

 

25 years ago (1990):

Residents of the village of Radium Hot Springs voted to officially incorporate their village. The referendum on the matter had 113 Radium residents voting in favour of incorporating and 78 residents voting against the move.

 

15 years ago (2000):

Local Canal Flats teen Jessie McKersie was named one of eight B.C. high school students to form a special advisory team for the Ministry of Education. Jessie was picked for the team due to her role on student council, her athletic achievements and her volunteer track record.

 

10 years ago (2005):

Local officials cut the ribbon on the new Mt. Nelson Athletic Park field house. It had been two years in the making