Looking Back — Nov. 7, 2023

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/11/2023 (1072 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SIXTY YEARS AGO

The ward level oratorical and spelling competitions were held in Waskada School auditorium recently. Winner of the spelling competition was Dan Downey with Keith Kontzie placing second and Paulette Fairchild third.

The appointment of L.T. Arnold as Canadian National Railway’s trainmaster at Brandon was announced. Arnold, formerly the trainmaster at Melville, Sask., succeeds E.W. Graham, who has retired after more than 45 years of service.

FIFTY YEARS AGO

The United Appeal campaign is past the halfway mark, raising more than $79,000 to date of its $155,000 target.

The federal government has empowered a Crown agency to buy crude and refined oil on international markets, increasing speculation that a national petroleum corporation may not be far away.

FORTY YEARS AGO

There is no good news for Brandon apartment hunters — a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation survey shows the city continues to have a zero vacancy rate.

Students and staff at Vincent Massey High School had to go thirsty today when a toxic chemical temporarily contaminated the school’s water supply.

THIRTY YEARS AGO

Brandon’s Lance Lidster has agreed to become the vice-president in charge of administration and finance for the 1997 Canada Summer Games.

The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce wants the city to follow Portage la Prairie’s lead in approving wide-open Sunday shopping — a move it estimates will create a million hours of employment.

Organizers of Winnipeg’s Remembrance Day service have decided to allow Vietnam War veterans to march with soldiers from other wars.

TWENTY YEARS AGO

High demand for housing in Brandon is seeing general contractors, such as Brandon’s Jacobson and Greiner, building more new homes on speculation. The number of building permits handed out by Brandon and Area Planning jumped to 52 in October, up from 42 in October 2002. Contractor Jared Jacobson says the “spec” homes are being snapped up before they’re even complete, mainly by people who can’t find an existing house they want.

A construction worker found a copper time capsule, dating from 1961, in the walls of the Brandon hospital during renovations this past summer. Brandon Regional Health Authority staff held on to the box all summer, finally deciding to reveal its contents at yesterday’s opening of the new surgical building. Found inside the box was a Brandon Sun dated June 30, 1961 with the headline, “Premier Does Honours As Hospital Makes History,” a story about a new, $4-million hospital wing; and a Brandon Daily Sun dated Aug. 6, 1904, with the headline. “Surgical Wing Formally Opened.”

TEN YEARS AGO

Liberal candidate Rolf Dinsdale remains in the lead when it comes to voter support in the Brandon-Souris riding, according to a new poll released by Forum Research Inc. The poll, released Wednesday, shows Dinsdale with the support of 40 per cent of voters, ahead of Conservative candidate Larry Maguire, with 35 per cent.

Twelve pavilions have been confirmed for the 11th annual Lieutenant Governor’s Winter Festival, which will take place Jan. 30 to Feb. 1, 2014.