1979 - it certainly was a newsy one.

The City of Kimberley enjoyed some good times and over the months, the coming B.C. Winter Games, landed by the city became the focus of community involvement.

Two rather significant developments happened in the world of sports one an outstanding achievement.

On January 8 the B.C. government announced that the city would indeed host the 1980 Winter Games. The city was given the nod after only its second try, and in the afterglow of the statement, local officials expressed the view that the benefits of this project would rub Off on the entire East Kootenay.

Hockey News

Something many would care not to remember was the dismal state of affairs in the Western International Hockey League. Weeks after the Nelson Maple Leafs said adieu, the Calgary Stampeders franchise failed.

On January 3, the Dynamiters and other teams learned that the rest of the season would be an anti climax, with just three teams skating along.

Then residents began noticing something about their plumbing. It began with a frozen waterline up in Townsite, then Chapman Camp and suddenly all over the place.

In a matter of days the City of Kimberley was facing a major problem. The temperature from Christmas on, had plummeted to an incredible low, and a lack of snow cover dealt a blow that many would never forget.

The damage was tremendous, and thawing crews were busy a lot all through January and February. In fact the problem dominated city affairs for the first half of the year like no other subject.

It was a mess, and had to be the top news story of 1979 in Kimberley due to its prolonged affect on so many people.

In February, many were saddened by the sudden loss of Bob Leggett, a chap known well, for his musical contributions to Kimberley.

City funding

The City of Kimberley began its push to attract funding from the B.C. government to beef up its tourist potential.

On the sports scene in February, the big event was the entry of Kimberley representatives in the Canada Games in Brandon. Joe Pendry captured a medal, and the Diana Smith rink won the Provincial Girls Junior Championship.

To close out February, alderman Kurt Robinson resigned from the Kimberley City Council, and many eyes were turned away from the sun when the city came under partial influence of a solar eclipse.

The eclipse fizzled here due to heavy overcast. Not fizzling was the premier on the final day of the month of the Kimberley Community Theatre's production of Arthur Miller's thriller "The Crucible." It had been an eventful couple of months.

McCrimmon quits

In sports, Jim McCrimmon called it quits as Dynamiters coach and the defunct East Kootenay Angels came out of retirement to stage a special game against the oldtimers ball team at Coronation Park.

Climbing rocks in Morrison Subdivision was an issue facing city council because a group of climbing enthusiasts wanted to have the area set aside for that activity. The city declined to get involved and later in the year, elected not to buy the land that the climbing took place on.

A new chief began work at the local detachment of the RCMP. He was Staff Sergeant Harold Kryhul.

Early July Meant the oldtime accordion championships at McKim auditorium and Julyfest opened with a real bang. The Snowbirds aerial teain darted across a hot late afternoon sky at Wasa drag strip, signalling the start to a fest that was blessed with warm weather throughout.

On August 8, it finally happened. The dry forest conditions culminated in a tragic fire that destroyed hundreds of acres of land right in Kimberley, and threatened some homes for a while.

Elections start

Parties were well along to naming their candidates. The New Democratic Party chose Kimberley lawyer Sandra Smaill to carry their torch provincially, and the Social Credit Party later gave Jim Chabot, the sitting member of the Columbia River, the nod. Elections were pretty much the news here throughout April, with the B.C. campaign dominating the scene.

Development on the local scene reached new interest, with the proposed construction on the North Star Mountain. Go ahead was given for a hotel destination resort project in particular.

After some discussion, the site of the hotel was shifted slightly so that cross country skiers would not be inconvenienced. Ski chalets in a two phase project were also put forward to the Kimberley city council.

1980 - Kimberley man dead; foul play suspected

An investigation continues into the shooting death of a Kimberley area man over the weekend.

Dead is 45-year-old Raymond Joseph Brousseau. Mr. Brousseau died as a result of a gunshot wound during the late p.m. of May 2nd, 1980.

An RCMP release to the media noted that foul play is suspected in the incident. No suspects have been arrested to date.

Four persons arrested - First degree charges laid

The following persons have now been charged with first degree murder and have appeared in Cranbrook Provincial Court: 38-year-old Daniel Edward Simpson of Kimberley, 36-year-old Wayne Henry Ochs of Kimberley, 32-year-old Giselle Jeanine Dumolin of Kimberley and 26-year-old Michael L'Ortye of Grand Forks.

The charges stem from the shooting death of 45-year-old Raymond Joseph Brousseau of Meadowbrook over the weekend. The four have been remanded in custody.

Next.

Salute to Kimberley - Index Page

Front Cover  -   Inside Front Cover

Page One 1896 - 1910, -  Page Two 1900 - 1911, -  Page Three 1912 - 1920, -  Page Four 1921 - 1924, -  Page Five 1925
Page Six 1926, -  Page Seven 1927, -  Page Eight 1928, -  Page Nine 1929, -  Page Ten 1930, - 
Page Eleven 1930, -  Page Twelve 1931/32, -  Page Thirteen 1933 - 1936, -  Page Fourteen 1937 - 1939, -  Page Fifteen 1940, - 
Page Sixteen 1941/42, -  Page Seventeen 1943, -  Page Eighteen 1944/45, -  Page Nineteen 1945/46, -  Page Twenty 1946/47, - 
Page Twentyone 1948, -  Page Twentytwo 1948, -  Page Twentythree 1949, -  Page Twentyfour 1950/51, -  Page Twentyfive 1951, - 
Page Twentysix 1952, -  Page Twentyseven 1953, -  Page Twentyeight 1954/55, -  Page Twentynine 1955, -  Page Thirty 1956/57, - 
Page Thirtyone 1957/58, -  Page Thirtytwo 1958/59, -  Page Thirtythree 1959 - 1961, -  Page Thirtyfour 1961/62, -  Page Thirtyfive 1962/63, - 
Page Thirtysix 1963/64, -  Page Thirtyseven 1964 - 1966, -  Page Thirtyeight 1967, -  Page Thirtynine 1968 - 1970, -  Page Forty 1970, - 
Page Fortyone 1971, -  Page Fortytwo 1972, -  Page Fortythree 1973, -  Page Fortyfour 1974/75, -  Page Fortyfive 1975, - 
Page Fortysix 1976, -  Page Fortyseven 1976, -  Page Fortyeight 1977/78, -  Page Fortynine 1978, -  Page Fifty 1979/80, - 
Page Fiftyone 1981/82, -  Page Fiftytwo 1982/83, -  Page Fiftythree 1983/84, -  Page Fiftyfour 1985, -  Page Fiftyfive 1986/87, - 
Page Fiftysix 1987/88, -  Page Fiftyseven 1988/89, -  Page Fiftyeight 1989 - 1991, -  Page Fiftynine 1991/92, -  Page Sixty 1993/94, - 
Page Sixtyone 1995, -  Page Sixtytwo 1996/97, -  Page Sixtythree 1997/98, -  Page Sixtyfour 1998/99, -  Back Cover

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