Looking back - 1976: Neepawa Rotary Club celebrates its 25th anniversary
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- Published on Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Photo courtesy of Cecil Pittman Archives. 40 years ago; Thurs., May 20, 1976: George MacKidd was elected Charter President of the Neepawa Rotary Club.
By Cecil Pittman
The Neepawa Press
80 years ago Tuesday, May 19, 1936
M. Baronie and J. M. Fusee left Friday for Saskatoon to attend a convention of the National Parks Highway Association. It is the aim of the association to foster the move of having the transcontinental highway through Neepawa, Dauphin, Roblin, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, Kamloops, Chilliwack and Vancouver.
70 years ago Thursday, May 16, 1946
It has been announced by the Great-West Life Assurance Company that their local representative, E. W. Poole, who serves the company’s policyholders in this district, has again qualified for membership in the honour production club. The club is composed of leading life underwriters of the company throughout Canada and the United States.
60 years ago Thursday, May 17, 1956
Fifty-one boys and girls have been registered to start school at West Park in September, it was reported by school officials. This number is the same as had registered when the list was published in the Neepawa Press one year ago. The present enrollment in Grade 1 is 66 and this year’s total number is not expected to be above 70.
50 years ago Tuesday, May 17, 1966
Dr. Patrick Domegan, formerly of Dublin, Ireland, has arrived with his wife and family to make their home in Neepawa. Dr. Domegan will practice medicine here, after residing in three western Canada centres since 1960.
Born in Dublin, he graduated from the National Medical College and came to Canada after following his profession for a time in that city.
He first came to Saskatchewan and lived in Regina and Gainsborough before moving to Elkhorn, MB in 1962.
Dr. Domegan is married and has two sons and two daughters: Tom, 5, John, 3, Deirdre, 2, Clodagh, 1.
40 years ago Thursday, May 20, 1976
Neepawa Rotary Club marked the 25th anniversary Saturday night with a social evening at the Legion Hall. District governor D. A. “Biff” Crouch and his wife, Lucille, of Regina were present for the occasion.
Charter President George MacKidd, assisted by the district governor and club president Elmer Wiebe, cut a large birthday cake. John Kerr, a long-time member of the club, was master of ceremonies and gave a resume of club activities over the past 25 years. Jack Thomas had on display clippings from the Neepawa Press and other mementos, which drew much interest.
Charter members present were George MackKidd, Angus McDougall, Jack Thomas, Roy Birnie, Al Schulman and Bill Guinn.
30 years ago Thursday, May 15, 1986
Guest speaker Bruce Lee told 83 members of the Neepawa Chamber of Commerce, apathy is a greatest hindrance to the development of Lake Irwin as a major tourism stop over.
“We are standing at the crossroads and the choice is operating a campground in 1986, or dismantling it and putting it into mothballs,” said the Lake Irwin Park Community Centre District Board Chairman during the annual dinner meeting of the Chamber May 7.
Outlining the history of the development of Lake Irwin, Lee remarked, since the lake was first created by damming in 1958, through the ‘60s and ‘70s, it had become a popular recreation area, but in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, people’s attitudes changed.
This change came at a time of low water when warmer water temperatures and runoff of chemical from adjacent farmers’ fields began to promote the growth of weeds.
The weeds discouraged use of the facilities, but a Weed Witch Harvester (to cut the weeds) was purchased and the problem was rectified. Lee added the purchase of the weed cutter exemplifies the apathy. “When the Weed Witch became available, no one would take on the project, so [the Lake Irwin] board had to finance it.”
20 years ago Monday, May 21, 1996
Building permits indicate Neepawa is on the verge of its biggest building boom since the late 1980s, says Hartley Wilson of the Neepawa Area Planning District.
“It is a building boom, I’m not kidding,” said Wilson last week. “January, February and March were totally dead and the last month has just exploded.”
Wilson said despite higher lumber prices, permits for new housing and housing additions now stand at 10-double the number at the same time last year.
10 years ago Monday, May 15, 2006
Local man dies in house fire: A 63-year-old Neepawa man was found dead in his Mountain Avenue home Thursday afternoon, an apparent victim of a house fire.
RCMP said Nester Wisnoski was found in his home about 1:00 pm by a family member.
There was extensive smoke damage in the house, leading police to believe Wisnoski died of smoke inhalation. An autopsy is scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.
