Looking back - 1986: Tree planting spree puts extra life into downtown

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Photo courtesy of Neepawa Press Archives. 30 years ago; Thur. Oct. 16, 1986; Tree planting spreads on Main Street Neepawa.

By Cecil Pittman

Neepawa Press

Week of October 19, 2016

80 years ago, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1936

Preparations have been made for the flooding of the school board lot behind the Neepawa hotel for an open-air rink for the school children during the winter.

70 years ago, Thursday, Oct. 17, 1946

At an executive meeting of the Neepawa Board of Trade on Oct. 10 the following resolution was passed: that the council of the town of Neepawa be requested to take immediate steps to work out and inaugurate a system of numbering the buildings on the streets and avenues of the towns.

60 years ago, Thursday, Oct. 18, 1956

A raging fire, which was eventually brought under control during the late afternoon, last Thursday, caused damage of more than $13,000 to a barn and its contents at the Riverside Hutterite Colony, near Arden. The fire, the origin of which was not known, started during the noon day lunch hour, when the Neepawa fire department rushed to the scene to assist the Arden fire department, members of the colony and nearby residents, in controlling the blaze. The fire started in the south end of the building, which was to have housed spring chickens. 15,000 bushels of grain were also stored there.

50 years ago, Tuesday, Oct. 18, 1966

On Sunday, Oct. 9, the parishioners of St. Mary’s parish in Mountain Road had their first meeting, after the disastrous fire that destroyed their church in August.

A brief report was given by reverend A.W. Fyk, parish priest, on the parish events to date. After a brief discussion, a building committee was elected to look after the preparations and the construction of a new church in the spring. Those elected are Andrew Adamyk, Steve Senchyshyn, Bill Sawchuk, Victor Wisnoski and Peter Zahodniak.

40 years, Thursday, Oct. 21, 1976

People of all ages are interested in becoming healthier, last Friday’s blood pressure clinic proved.

373 people, ranging in age from nine to 90, took the time to stop in at the Bank of Montreal and have their blood pressure checked.

30 years ago, Thursday, Oct. 16, 1986

Now everyone knows what those holes in the sidewalks were for – trees. Last week there was a tree-planting spree on Mountain Avenue, which was the final part of the main street Manitoba project in Neepawa. Their branches are now bare, but with the turning into summer, the trees will definitely add colour to the downtown’s appearance.

20 years ago, Monday, Oct. 15, 1996

Elvin Toews, despite his association with three major projects during the course of a 40-year career with federated cooperatives, had never experienced anything like it. “You wouldn’t believe how happy I am this is finished,” Toews said moments after the grand reopening of the Neepawa-Gladstone Co-op’s grocery store on Mountain Avenue last Friday.

The one-million dollar plus renovations that expanded, updated and remodeled the grocery store ended a massive 18-month project for Toews.

Earlier this year, the store’s lumber and hardware departments moved to a new building located on Highway 5 north in Neepawa.

10 years ago, Monday, Oct. 16, 2006

A Minnedosa soldier injured in Afghanistan received a hero’s welcome as hundreds of people lined the streets of his hometown last Sunday.

Minnedosa mayor Duane LaCoste was the first to welcome Corporal Scott Collen back in town, asking him how he felt.

Collen’s reply? “Sore.” Collen suffered a collapsed lung, broken leg, bruising and tissue damage after a suicide bomber blew himself up in Kandahar Sept. 18. Four other Canadian soldiers were killed in the blast.