Looking back - 1968: Seven digit dealing arrives in Brookdale

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By Cecil Pittman

Neepawa Banner & Press

80 years ago. Tuesday, January 18, 1938: The biggest storm of the season hit the district Saturday night, continuing most of Sunday. Drifts were piled several feet deep by the steady wind, closing side roads to auto traffic. A snow plow came through from Portage La Prairie Sunday and returned Monday morning, opening up that highway. A redeeming feature of the storm was that the temperature was not severe.

70 years ago. Thursday, January 22, 1948: Sixty minutes of uninspired hockey was witnessed by 500 fans Tuesday night when Neepawa Intermediates took the long end of a 12-2 score over a Dauphin team that had little to offer in the way of hockey ability. The visitors were not too careful of the rules and Referee Ron Guinn conducted a brisk business at the penalty box. Jack Johnstone showed nice boxing form in an exchange with Moore when things got rough in the final period. Lloyd Whitman was effective around the nets. Ray Rush turned in a good game after his lay-off and Skinner Bell, diminutive centre-man gave the opposition plenty to worry about. 

60 years ago. Tuesday, January 21, 1958: Neil Hannah, well known Eden district farmer, suffered a painful eye injury Saturday afternoon. Mr. Hannah was driving a four inch spike into a plank at his farm when the spike apparently struck a knot and flew back, piercing the skin of his eye and striking the eyeball. After taking treatment in Brandon, Mr. Hannah returned home.

50 years ago. Friday, January 12, 1968: Residents of Brookdale will begin using their new seven digit telephone numbers Thursday, Jan. 18, coincident with the opening of the communities automatic dial exchange. The new facilities will be placed in operation at 9 a.m. after a brief ceremony with civic and Manitoba Telecom System officials taking part. Following the cutover, telephone users in Brookdale, Neepawa, Arden and Eden will be able to call each other by dialling the directory listed number of the person they are calling. When placing calls to Carberry, Brookdale residents will dial 357 to reach the Carberry operator. 

40 years ago. Thursday, January 19, 1978: Carman Lindsay has retired after 20 years of working for the Town of Neepawa at the Water Treatment Plant. He remembers well the way he was hired to work for the town. He was delivering flour for the elevator at the back of the Tom-Boy Store when councillor Cliff Kilburn (the former chairman of waterworks) and town superintendent Ken McClelland (the present councillor in charge of waterworks) came along and asked him if he wanted a new job. “The first year I turned them down because they were only offering $185 a month.” he joked. “But the second year they offered more money so I took the job at the Water Treatment Plant, and I’ve been there ever since.” Mr. Lindsay hasn’t worked the longest of the folks at the Water Treatment Plant, but his dedication and sincerity have won him many friends and we wish him a long and happy retirement.

30 years ago. Tuesday, January 19, 1988: The Town of Neepawa is asking for help from the Neepawa and Area Planning District and the Provincial Municipal Planning Department to investigate alternate sites for a nuisance ground as the present site is nearing the end of its capacity. “In the conditions now, without some major revamping, we’ve probably got three years (of use), so we have to start looking now,” said town superintendent Richard Chorneyko. Chorneyko said the town wants to get a head start on finding an alternate site, or on making adjustments with the present nuisance grounds site, so they wont be stuck three years down the road with lots of garbage and nowhere to put it. Chorneyko said for the volume of garbage the town deals with a nuisance ground is still the most viable method of garbage disposal.

20 years ago. Monday, January 19, 1998: A petition started by two Neepawa Collegiate students as part of a classroom assignment may wind up in the hands of town council. Shane Nagorski and Rob Harbour created the petition for a community-based geography assignment. In it, they call for more activities and a permanent drop-in centre for young people aged 13 to 19. Nagorski said they received almost 100 signatures on their petition. Nagorski said if the project goes over well, their geography assignment could form the backbone for a more detailed petition for youth activities. 

10 years ago. Monday, January 21, 2008: The 12th annual Neepawa and area Lily Festival will be held over three days beginning on July 18. This year, the Lily Festival will be held in conjunction with Neepawa’s 125th anniversary celebrations. Lily Festival organizers and several local businesses have began selling tickets for those interested in attending this year’s event. The parade’s theme this year will be 2008 Homecoming and the parade committee is hopeful there will be a good number of family entries.