Terrace Review — Wednesday, August 1, 1990

‘Riverboat Days

’

Flashback

Contributed by Mary Ann Burdett

In 1982, Dave Mallett, as president of the Royal Cana-
dian Legion in Terrace, -had an idea, a dream, and set to
work with the aid of a number of interested citizens of Ter-
race to make that dream a reality. |

The idea was to have a festival in Terrace each summer
like many of our sister-communities have — something that
would be uniquely Terrace, something that the people of
Terrace would enjoy and participate in, something that
would generate enthusiasm for ‘‘Our Town’’ and bring
visitors from near and far to share it with us. It was re-
called that some years back the Lions Clubs in Terrace had

_ sponsored a fun event they called ‘Riverboat Days’’. it

was decided that this event should be rejuvenated and ex-
panded upon, and thus ‘The Riverboat Days Society’’ was
born.

The Riverboat Days Society was to be an umbrella under
which any and all local service clubs would be coordinated
into a combined, total community effort. Dave Mallett
stood as the first president of this committee, with Hugh
Hepburn as vice president, Rod Cox as treasurer and Mary
Jane Asarte as secretary. This group, with a number of
willing directors and helpers, enthused local service clubs to

get involved by sponsoring events and participating and

promoting this festival in all possible ways. Local
businesses were approached to join in the spirit of things
with window displays and period costuming.

Sports clubs added to the schedule of events as did many
ethnic and cultural groups, and over the years ‘Riverboat
Days’’ has continued and expanded to the celebration we
will be participating in this coming August 2nd through
6th.

From the rebirth of Riverboat Days there has been con-
Stant cooperation and encouragement from the City of Ter-
race, the Chamber of Commerce and many, many of the
service organizations, including Branch #13 of the Legion,
who have sponsored the ever-improving parade from the
beginning. Over the past eight years, with able direction
and organization of such presidents as Hugh Hepburn,
Terry Morris, Lynda Young and Joan Cox, many people
have given generously of their time and talents to this
special event, and the present executive with Maria
Thomsen as president, want to relay their thanks to each
and every person who has served on the Riverboat Days
committee, to all service clubs and businesses in Terrace

. who have added to this event, and especially to the City of

Terrace and its citizens who support and enjoy this event
each year.

We must work together to make sure that this event con-
tinues on in the years to come and continues to grow in in-
terest and in stature.

a “g fae: taee\ oa a

Heritage Par .

a,

eet Ne em ee

.. Samsonite

2100 Series

casual elegance with tough, long fasting}
durability - all backed by the renowned |

Samsonite three year warranty - siatus plus!

- your SAMSONITE.
dealer in Terrace.

4605 Lakeise Ave.,
Terrace —

_phone 635-5420.

A fascinating Terrace pioneer

‘is Dave Bowen-Colthurst. He

emigrated to Canada from
Ireland with his parents in 1922.
Dave was three years old.

His mother was the daughter
of Lord and Lady Dunboyne;
his father was a captain in the

‘Imperial Army. He’s certain his

father chose -to settle in Terrace
because of the great fishing.

Dave is in the process of
writing a book about his life, so
I promised to only lightly skim
through all the excellent infor-
mation he gave me. I wouldn’t
want to give the book away.

‘‘We had a farm, 24 acres,
from Kalum Lake Road on
down to where Lindsay Storage
is now. I used to go to school
where the school board office is.

~~ David Bowen-Colthurst. |
remembers "the good old days"

I’d walk to school in the sum-
mer; in the winter I’d catch a
ride with one of the logging
teams. Sometimes they’d let me
drive the team. That was some-
thing! An eight-year-old driving
a team of six horses to schoo]!
“Life in Terrace was hard for
my mother, Her family in
Ireland was’ quite well-to-do.
She missed a lot of things from

She ot

er

_ Benson Optical Laboratories Ltd.
. 4608 Lakelse Avenue
Terrace, B.C., V8G 4C3
on ne (604) 638-0341

SAME DAY SERVICE|

@ laboratory on premises
@ contact lenses
® prescription and non-
prescription sunglasses
—@ repair services |
@ large selection of frames