Category Archives: history

Morden coal mine

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Katherine

Named after Colonel W. Grant Morden, one of the chief financiers of the mine, excavation of two parallel shafts for the Pacific Coast Coal Mines (PCCM) Morden mine commenced in March 1912, one a main production shaft, the other for … Continue reading →

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Puntledge Generating Station penstock

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Katherine

I set out to find out exactly where the 5.1 km long penstock pipeline for BC Hydro’s Puntledge Generation Station transitions from the welded steel construction that most people see, to the wood stave construction that is a bit off … Continue reading →

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The old and the new – Puntledge penstock pipelines

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Katherine

The old and the new Puntledge penstock pipelines, In the front, the old pipeline built by Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir) Ltd in1912. In the background, the new penstock pipeline built either by the BC Power Commission, or BC Hydro in between … Continue reading →

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The 40 Houses

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Katherine

In 1948, a project to be built in Courtenay was proposed by Central Housing and Mortgage Corporation. There would be 40 houses on the “old Cudmore property” which was bounded on the north by 17th Street and to the west … Continue reading →

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Sandra – a Bevan Mystery

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Katherine

  I saw this little white cross, just off to the side of the BC Hydro Puntledge access road. Sandra 1955 – 2009 Who was Sandra? I turned to one of my favourite sources of information about the history of … Continue reading →

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The mysterious pipeline – part 3

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Katherine

The third part to the mysterious pipeline story involved was hiking upstream along the Browns River looking for remains of the old dam that was used as part of the early Courtenay water supply. I found it, along with the … Continue reading →

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The mysterious pipeline – part 2

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Katherine

The second part to the mysterious pipeline story happened by accident when was hiking along the Browns River looking for remains of the old dam that was used as part of the early Courtenay water supply. To be accurate, at … Continue reading →

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Chemainus Murals

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Katherine

The Chemainus murals were born when the Horseshoe Bay Lumber Mill shut down in 1983 – instead of fading away when the major employer left, the town embarked on a program to attract tourists. 39 outdoor murals were created, depicting … Continue reading →

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Chemainus – more than murals

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Katherine

In 1862 a waterwheel powered sawmill was opened in Chemainus, an ideal location with a sheltered bay for log booming and shipping of lumber products by sea and later by rail. By the late 1970s the mill was antiquated and … Continue reading →

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Comox Lake – The forgotten forest

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Katherine

In September 2014 the water levels in Comox Lake were at some of the lowest recorded by BC Hydro in the 30 years of recorded history. When the water is this low you can really begin to see what logging … Continue reading →

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