WEST VANCOUVER MEMORIES 12 AUGUST, 2012 The following Wednesday, September 19th, our General Meeting will host Mr. Timothy Horton, an authority on the PGE, who will give us an interesting talk in the Marine Room of the West Vancouver Seniors Centre. The PGE turns 100 this year as well. Come out, have coffee and a cookie and learn something new about the railway. We look forward to seeing you there. Pumpkin Fest also occurs in October at the Recreation Centre and Seniors Centre and we will participate in the programmes on that day PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE by Ann Brousson We are three-quarters of the way through West Vancouver's Centennial Year and we have lots of good memories of the historical celebrations for this special time. Many people are to be congratulated for the amount of effort which was expended in order to have these successful events. The Historical Society has been proud to be able to help sponsor and assist in the festivities. In August on the BC Day long weekend we helped the Point Atkinson PALS and Elaine Graham with guided tours of the grounds of the Point Atkinson Light Station. The tours encompassed the base of the Light Tower and the Radio Room/Fog Alarm Building, which houses information on the history of the Light Station, its workings and the life of its keepers. The Lighthouse is also having its l00th birthday this year and is in need of some restoration. Although designated a National Historic Site in 1994, Point Atkinson has no financial endowment for ongoing site maintenance. Members of the Board of the Historical Society accompanied members of West Vancouver's municipal staff on a tour of the site some time ago and it was understood that the "block house", a concrete bunker which was erected in 1942 to provide power to searchlights located near the lighthouse, would be undergoing complete restoration. This project is yet to get underway and funding now seems to be an issue. Elaine Graham, one of our Board members and wife of the last light keeper, the late Don Graham, is keeping us appraised of the situation and we are attempting to help out in any way we can. We may in conjunction with the Point Atkinson PALS group have to start a fund raising campaign to augment any District funding. On August 25th our Annual Society Barbeque was held on the lawns of the Gertrude Lawson House. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, coffee, wine, beer and pie were all served for a small donation given by those attending. It is a great time to get together with old friends and we look forward to it every year Book sales of "Cottages to Community" are ongoing, but there are only approximately 350 copies of the 3000 printed still available. If you need extras, now is the time to purchase one from the Library Museum, or the local Following this, on Saturday, stores who have supported us so September 15th from noon until 3 well with their sales. The recent pm, their Heritage Day will be edition in the Vancouver Sun held on the Caulfeild green. This newspaper regarding West promises to be a festive and Vancouver's centennial contained informative occasion. The Society a lot of information gleaned from is providing guides for historical the pages of the book. tours of Caulfeild. Jim Carter will display his archival photo In May we held our Annual collection in the gym of St. Francis General Meeting with election of in the Woods Church, and vintage Board officers. We are please to games and a cream tea will be note that the entire Board (see served by Committee members. photo below) was returned to Chris Stringer and his group are office for one more year. working hard to make this a happy occasion for all ages. PAGE 2