Mayor's Report - June 1999

On August 22nd a milestone will be observed. On the eve of the new millennium, Belcarra will celebrate its 20th anniversary as an incorporated municipality.

A lot has happened over the past 20 years. At the time of incorporation, Belcarra's population was 400, and today it is 700. In 1979, our fire department was only two years old, and White Pine Beach didn't even exist!

The Woodhaven-Bedwell Bay Property Owners' Association and Belcarra Ratepayers Association were both very active, and had to deal with issues such as resident identification (car decals for police road blocks), garbage pickup (dumpsters), and the ever-creeping boundaries of Belcarra Regional Park. Like their successor, the Community & Recreation Association of Belcarra (C.R.A.B.), the two associations also played an important role by providing varied social activities for the community.

In 1979 your humble scribe was President of the Woodhaven-Bedwell Bay Property Owners' Association and, working with Electoral Area ‘B' Director Verna Barrett, the Directors of the Association struck an incorporation committee, chaired by myself, consisting of Verna Barrett, Ted Baxter, Al Beebe, Ralph Drew, Ian Hanson, Dave Reid, and Jim Threlfall. Our first task was to hold a referendum on incorporation.

The referendum was held in the spring of 1979 with an astounding 98% elector turn-out, and an equally impressive 96% "Yes" vote! Following the vote, we submitted a formal "petition to incorporate" to then Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Vanderzalm. Our challenge was to convince the "powers" in Victoria that we should incorporate, but many politicians of the day were not in favour of Belcarra becoming a municipality.

Some of the events leading to Cabinet approval have been recanted in "Between Forest & Sea: Memories of Belcarra". However, suffice it to say that approval was granted, and on the "hot and muggy" evening of August 22nd, 1979, the inaugural Council was administered their oaths by Judge Patricia Proudfoot at a special ceremony held in the old dance hall at the picnic grounds.

To mark this milestone, Council is hosting a reception on Sunday August 22nd from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Village Hall. A "20 years later" photo of Belcarra's first Council is planned, and the time capsule will be sealed to await Belcarra's 50th anniversary in 2029. Light refreshments will be served, and all residents are invited, so come and enjoy the celebration!

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