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Page 4 WEST VANCOUVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY September 1998 SOCIETY NEWS Current Affairs and News of General Interest to Members SPECIAL EVENTS ACTIVHTES Laureen Jones - Director, Special Events Tour reported by Waring Pentland Our summer outings have covered many interesting places and events, including "Memory Cruises” along the waterfront in the Hollybum ferry, a Royal Hudson train trip with a side-trip to the West Coast Railway Heritage Park, Britannia Mines and Museum, Gibson's “Elphinstone” Museum, and recently the Capilano Watershed tour. These tours have been well attended, and we look forward to the 1999 Summer Outing! The following report “Touring the Capilano Watershed” was written by Waring Pentland. TOURING THE CAPILANO WATER SHED - July 4, 1998 - “Our Summer Outing” Our promotion did say "’’Rain or Shine ” and rmn it did. Twenty seven members and their Mends signed up for the event and we believe all of them showed up, despite the less than perfect conditions. This tour is part of the Greater Vancouver Regional District’s program to provide information to the public about watershed landscapes and management practices. The program runs regularly during the summer months in the Capilano and Coquitlam Watersheds. Information and registration can be arranged by telephone by calling 432-6430. Our bus was a 45 seat school bus, and over half of it was occupied by Society members and guests. We left the Grouse Mountain Sltyride Terminal at 12:30 pm with a bus driver and a tour guide. The guide did his best to make up forthe moist weather by providing a comprehensive review of Watershed management practices and historical background on the area. The route is a well graded gravel road which, for most of the trip, follows the old Logging Company’s railroad grade so excitement was limited to a few tight hair pin bends. The road skirts the east side of Capilano Lake during the early going but views of the lake are infrequent, except at the Windy Branch stop. We had a few sightings of wildlife - a feeding black bear and some browsing deer. The tour carried on north along the Capilano River after crossing Sisters Creek, eventually following Eastcap Creek to Rodgers Lake, where we saw a beautiful waterfall through the clouds draining from Palisade Lake into Rodgers Lake. Our stop was at the 2060 foot elevation level (thanks to a wrist altimeter courtesy of a tour member.) We also stopped at the Foundation Branch, the site of old settling tanks which were part of the \hncouver water system until 1954. The foundation remains of an old settler’s home are still visible but not specifically identified as associated with the water system. We also stopped to see the remains of an old railway trestle at Hollybum Creek, but the weather was too wet to approach it closely. Unfortunately, I had not prepared for Membership Rqtort By: Joan Stopper New Members: We extend a warm'welcome to all the new members. If you would like to be recognized, ask at the registration table at the next General Meeting and we will be happy to provide an identification tag for you. Below is a list of people who have joined since our last member list was published in June. P. Hunter Helen Jones William A. Jones B. KroU Jessie Rupp James Thomson M. Thomson P. Treadwell P. Witzke Aileen >^lkie Continued from previous column the tour and realized later I should have reread James W. Morton’s book, Capilano, the Story of a River, which I have subsequently done. It is now out of print, but it is’Still available in the local libraries and is well worth the read. The tour was not cut short because of the weather, but it made us late returning to the Terminal. Undeterred, our members shook off the rain drops and approximately twenty of us gathered at The Capilano Heights Chinese Restaurant for a pleasant group supper. Alastair McLean Nicol Alastair Nicol, a founding member and recent director of the West Vancouver Historical Society, and good Mend to many, died peacefully in Lions Gate Hospital on June 2nd, 1998, after a sudden illness. A1 served as a Flight Lieutenant (DFC) in the Air Force in World War II and upon leaving the service was involved for many years with the Air Force Officers Association, holding various offices, including that of President. As owner operator of a North Vancouver Super Value, A1 was active in differrat community afi&irs. After retiring he somehow foimd time to take part in many voluntary activities: working to ensure the founding of the West Vancouver Museum and Historical Society and latterly as a Director of the Society; serving with the Rotary Club (where he received the Paul Harris Award); acting as a driver for the Canadian Cancer Society and also being a very supportive member of Elder College. A man who touched many lives with his kindness and quiet good humoiur, Alastair will be very much missed by us all.