Neepawa of yesteryear - There’s a story that Black fell from the water tower
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- Published on Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Photo courtesy Cecil Pittman archives. CNR roundhouse, where all the locomotives were serviced and stored. Today, McDonald’s and Chicken Corral sit on that site.
By Rick Sparling
The Neepawa Press
Just to pick up some of the businesses around town that weren’t in the downtown area, we proceeded to the Creamery on the corner of 5th and Mill Street. E.P. Boyle owned the Creamery where they graded eggs and produced milk, butter and ice cream.
Some of the employees there were E.P.'s brother Jake, along with Neil Boyle, while Irene Boyle worked in the office. Pete Mogenson was the chief butter-maker.
From the Creamery we went east to the corner of Mill Street and 1st Avenue, just off the beaten path to Pasosky’s garage. Mike purchased this garage in 1959. It was a Studebaker dealership and he kept it until 1963, before selling it. Gordon Norwicky was his ‘ace’ mechanic. Mike and Evelyn had three children: Eleanor, who married Cliff Nicholson, Almer who worked the front end at the garage and married Carol Rankie and Pat, who married Dave Dick.
One of my memories of Pasosky’s Garage was when we (five of us kids) chipped in and bought our first car, a 47 Plymouth. It used so much oil (more oil than gas) that we recycled the dirty oil that Gordon had drained from doing oil changes and re-used it by straining it through a nylon stocking. For a trip to Clear Lake and back, it would go through about 12 quarts of oil. I can’t remember who all were the proud owners of that car, but I do remember Jack Tremain and Ronnie Bell were two of them. I was the only one with a driver’s licence, although the others participated.
Just north of that was the locker plant owned by Fred Powell. Some of the employees there were Nels Hawkins, Jack Whelpton and Snick Dare.
Continuing along south on 1st Avenue was Alsop’s Tires, owned by Don Alsop, which became Neepawa Canvas Works. Hipwell’s shop was next and there was a small shack sat on the lot of Dalton’s Plumbing that served as our ‘Club House.’ We carried on with our business there until it was razed about a year after the club was chartered. RFK (not JFK) was president. Mr. Dalton was Jackie and Donna’s grandfather.
The Hipwell’s Shop, run by Justin, manufactured fruit syrup which was a very popular beverage throughout the Prairies. Justin and Bernice had one daughter, Marilyn Joy, who married George Nadeau. George bought the company and carried on in Neepawa until 1976. They also ran Paris Furs Storage & Sales out of the same building during the slower months. Harley Hunt worked the summer months at Hipwell’s.
Next to the south was the Neepawa Fire Hall, with Gerald Parrot as the chief. Davy Cathcart, Bill Dimmery, Gordon Hall, Roy Thomas and Spawny Clark were all volunteer firemen.
Russ Craig managed the liquor commission next door. Allan Scott worked for Russ as did part-timers Gerry Buchanan and Bill Watson. Brian Scott was Allan's son. Two previous managers there were Mr. Charboneau (Phyllis’s father) and Vern Johnson. (Rod’s father)
Across 1st Ave., on the other, side there sat Calvary Chapel, the Roman Catholic Church and at the end of the avenue was the Presbyterian Church. We played many games, usually football or soccer, on the Presbyterian Church grounds. Since our family was Presbyterian, I also spent much time indoors. My father was an elder there and my mother played the organ for almost 50 years in that very building.
Back to The Neepawa Truck Service on 5th Ave. and going past the Curling Club towards the highway, was Harold Cleland’s Implements. He and his wife Isabella had two boys, Bob and Leonard. Rumour has it that Leonard, at one time, water skied across Lake Winnipeg, which at its widest point is approximately 110 kilometres. That’s a pretty good ride!
Next was The Bulk Esso Station, run by The Bennetts. Scotty and Marge had twin boys, David and Dargie. Then the Sieffert’s ran the station and later on, Cecil Bolton during the time we still lived in town. Earl and Mrs. Sieffert had four children. Dan, John, Parker and Janet. Cecil and Joan Bolton had two boys, Tim and Geordie, and a girl, Mary-Jo.
Heading west on the north side of Main Street was the CNR roundhouse where all of the locomotives were serviced and stored. Archie Pink and Bill Davidson worked there as did Bill Underwood. Alex, Bill’s son, took Cam Smith to the Roundhouse. Bill’s job was to service these locomotives and test them before they were let out for a trip. Cam got to go for a ‘test drive’ on one of these steam locomotives, which not too many kids got to do. It’s a memory Cam still recalls vividly to this day. Just in this location were two shops. The telegrapher's tool shop in which Lloyd Cruiser, Kaz Holod and Alec Moffat worked. The other shop was the section head's tool shop. Eric Bush was one employee there.
Just north of there was the water tower, which stood roughly 80 feet tall. There's a story that Murray Black fell from the top of the tower and lived to tell about it.
