Local historian Greg Scott highlights Nelson history pulled from the archives of the Nelson Daily News.
November 2, 1966
A miscalculated blast ripped up and buried several sections of track under tons of rock, delaying trains for over five hours and cutting phone communications on the Nelson-Taghum highway project.
A construction company spokesman attributed the incident to large unsecured boulders that came tumbling down on the track. The blast had been arranged with C.P.R. officials but "it sure wasn't anticipated to go off that way.
They just kicked loose and quite a bit of damage was done."
One Department of Highways' employee said, "When the blast went off, the big rocks just lifted up, coming right down all over the track. They were so heavy they had to be blasted away."
November 3, 1966
Nancy Greene and Pat Harton of Notre Dame University, dominating the NDU cross-country competitions, kept their records perfect last Saturday by winning the open events of First Annual Cross Country Race sponsored by the Kinnaird Junior Secondary School.
As part of their vigorous training program, the Canadian National Ski Team turned out in full force to run the course. Eight women entered the Ladies' Open competition with Miss Greene of the National Team taking first place in a time of eight minutes, 41.5 seconds.
Paced by Miss Greene the National Ski Team girl's brought Notre Dame top honors in the Ladies' open competition. In the team results Notre Dame beat out L.V. Rogers Secondary School of Nelson.
November 8, 1966
A seven per cent wage boost for Nelson City Police in 1967 was approved by council last night will still leave local officers the lowest paid in the province with a salary scale about $100 per month below the next lowest comparable municipality. First class constables in Nelson in 1965 received monthly salary of $456 per month.
The pay boost will take them up to $503 per month in 1967. Fringe benefits are worth another $40 per month. Police Chief H.M. Tomlinson noted that there are only seven constables on strength in Nelson at present with only two constables on duty per shift.
For interior British Columbia Municipalities, police strength of 1.4 constables per 1,000 population is considered standard.
On this basis the Nelson Department should have 14 constables. Chief Tomlinson went on to say that he feels the salary scale for first class constables in Nelson should be set at $600 per month "if we are to be able to attract qualified personnel."
November 8, 1966
Editorial
In what can be interpreted as nothing less than shortsightedness in the ultimate degree, the Regional District of Central Kootenay has unanimously approved two motions which have relegated its effectiveness in area affairs to the realm of the ineffectual.
The Regional District Board in rapid sequence action decided to terminate the employment of its planning director effective December 31, and to dispense with its planning department effective the same date.
The excuse given publicly was that the steps were made in an effort to curtail a skyrocketing budget for 1967.
One of the prime functions of the regional districts, when legislation for them was announced by the Department of Municipal Affairs, lay in the realm of regional planning.
The regional districts were established for two main purposes, regional planning and regional services.
All of the municipalities whose representatives voted in favor of ending the planning department stand to suffer as great a loss as Nelson, as regional planning is just as vital to these centres as it is to Nelson. Nelson city council, and the councils and commissions of the other member municipalities, should exercise great care and caution before approving any grants to the Regional District of Central Kootenay in 1967 if second thoughts are not given to dispensing with the planning department.
The vital function of the regional district since its inception has been regional planning.
When not performing this function a large portion of its value is gone.