Fonds consists of the records of the Cortes Island Ratepayers Association, an organization of the property owners and residents of Cortes Island from 1963 to 1984. They include administrative documents such as the constitution and membership lists, minutes of CIRA meetings, annual reports, newsletters to members, correspondence and materials related to the provision of services, land use planning and other issues of island concern.
The fonds is composed of the following series: Administrative Documents; Minutes; Financial; Newsletters and Notices; Correspondence; Subject; Community Planning and Land Use (Advisory Planning Commission); Clippings; and Maps and Plans.
The Cortes Island Ratepayers Association (CIRA) was an association of property owners and residents formed in 1963 to "further the development of the island and to have a representative body in dealing with the Provincial government."
The first activity initiated by CIRA was to lobby the provincial government for the provision of electricity and ferry service to Cortes Island. Their efforts met with success. Electricity was brought to the island in 1970 and ferry service from Quadra Island to Cortes Island began in 1969. CIRA also became an important forum for the discussion of other important services on Cortes Island, including roads, fire protection, garbage disposal, water quality, rural mail delivery and library facilities.
As a result of CIRA's efforts to bring electricity to Cortes Island, in 1967 the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Dan Campbell, designated Cortes Island a Local Improvement District. This made Cortes Island into a legal entity for the purpose of negotiating with the province for electrical power. In that same year, Minister Campbell invited CIRA to participate in discussions and committee work on the formation of a regional district level of government.
In 1968, Cortes Island was designated 'Electoral Area I' in the Regional District of Comox-Strathcona (RDCS) with an elected director. Under this system, a Regional Director is elected who in turn sits on the Board of the RDCS. Each Regional Director appoints an Advisory Planning Commission (APC), a committee of island residents who advise the Director on matters of island concern. In 1968, CIRA determined that the elected members of the executive of CIRA would form the APC for Cortes Island. This arrangement lasted until the dissolution of CIRA in 1984. The first zoning by-law was completed in 1970 and an Official Settlement Plan and zoning by-law in 1979.
In 1982, CIRA initiated a court case against Raven Lumber for non-compliance with the Cortes Island Official Settlement Plan and zoning by-law. CIRA won the case upon appeal, but in 1984 an Order in Council allowed Raven Lumber to proceed with their development. The court case had absorbed a great deal of CIRA energy and fund raising effort over a four year period. At the General Meeting in November, 1984 there were no candidates willing to stand for the executive. CIRA was declared inactive at that meeting and was never reactivated.
Custodial History
During the term of the last president of CIRA, the records were kept in the Gorge Harbour Community Hall on Cortes Island. After the dissolution of the CIRA in 1984, the records continued to be stored in the hall. The records were transferred to the Cortes Island Museum and Archives by the Whaletown Community Club (owner of the hall) in 2000.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the records of the Cortes Island Ratepayers Association, an organization of the property owners and residents of Cortes Island from 1963 to 1984. They include administrative documents such as the constitution and membership lists, minutes of CIRA meetings, annual reports, newsletters to members, correspondence and materials related to the provision of services, land use planning and other issues of island concern.
The fonds is composed of the following series: Administrative Documents; Minutes; Financial; Newsletters and Notices; Correspondence; Subject; Community Planning and Land Use (Advisory Planning Commission); Clippings; and Maps and Plans.
Regional Director of Electoral Area I (Cortes Island) fonds
Gilean Douglas fonds
Finding Aid
File list available
Arrangement
Materials were received in their original file folders, however the files were not in any discernible order. In the absence of original order, materials were arranged by function and subject at the series level and chronologically within series.
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures from Ginny and Bruce Ellingsen, the Lambert family, Dolly (Jeffery) Hansen and Maryann McCoy, with additional historic photographs of Smelt Bay from the early to the late 1900s at the back. It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures from Ginny and Bruce Ellingsen, the Lambert family, Dolly (Jeffery) Hansen and Maryann McCoy, with additional historic photographs of Smelt Bay from the early to the late 1900s at the back. It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and photographs documenting the social history of the Whaletown area. It was created as part of the Windows on Whaletown Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Additional information:
re photo on p 79: "Dell Tooker with Stephen Williams (son of Trefor Williams). The Titus’s were gone by 1960 when the photo was taken. This horse was “Lady” and belonged to Bert Hansen. He kindly loaned her to us sometimes which was so appreciated." (from Tari Tooker Chiasson, 5/2021)
Binder contains interviews, stories and photographs documenting the social history of the Whaletown area. It was created as part of the Windows on Whaletown Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Additional information:
re photo on p 79: "Dell Tooker with Stephen Williams (son of Trefor Williams). The Titus’s were gone by 1960 when the photo was taken. This horse was “Lady” and belonged to Bert Hansen. He kindly loaned her to us sometimes which was so appreciated." (from Tari Tooker Chiasson, 5/2021)
Binder contains interviews, stories and photographs documenting the social history of the Whaletown area. It was created as part of the Windows on Whaletown Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and photographs documenting the social history of the Whaletown area. It was created as part of the Windows on Whaletown Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains a photocopy of a Province of BC bulletin on how to pre-empt land (1929), and a list of pre-emptions from the records in the BC Archives in Victoria.
Binder contains a photocopy of a Province of BC bulletin on how to pre-empt land (1929), and a list of pre-emptions from the records in the BC Archives in Victoria.
Memories of Mansons Landing 2005 – Central Area – Bridge Hill and Smelt Bay Hill
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures from Mary and Bill Block, Larry Borland, May (Freeman) Ellingsen, Wilf Freeman, the Froud family, Robbie Graham, Bill Guthrie, Gloria Morrisette, Jean (Reford) MacDonald and Beth (Martin) Slater.
It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Memories of Mansons Landing 2005 – Central Area – Bridge Hill and Smelt Bay Hill
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures from Mary and Bill Block, Larry Borland, May (Freeman) Ellingsen, Wilf Freeman, the Froud family, Robbie Graham, Bill Guthrie, Gloria Morrisette, Jean (Reford) MacDonald and Beth (Martin) Slater.
It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Memories of Mansons Landing 2005: The Landing and the Lagoon
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures from Ken Summers, Bert and Victoria Summers, Ann Barton, Hiram (Buster) and Mabel Christiansen, Otis (Christiansen) Coulter, George and Rosemary (Gavin) Hawkins, Bob Martineau and Fred Reedel.
It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Memories of Mansons Landing 2005: The Landing and the Lagoon
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures from Ken Summers, Bert and Victoria Summers, Ann Barton, Hiram (Buster) and Mabel Christiansen, Otis (Christiansen) Coulter, George and Rosemary (Gavin) Hawkins, Bob Martineau and Fred Reedel.
It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and photographs relating to schools in Mansons Landing. It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and photographs relating to schools in Mansons Landing. It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
This memoir, written by Captain Frederic (Fred) Vosper, contains family history, photographs, clippings and stories of Vosper's life on Cortes and in coastal British Columbia. It is reproduced here with the kind permission of Patricia Vosper.
Frederic (Fred) Vernon Vosper (1935-2016) was born in Vancouver BC and grew up on the coast, always around boats and water. Occupations included tug boat captain and owner, hard-hat salvage diver, and hand logger. Fred married Patricia in 1956, and they had six children. The Vospers lived in Cortes Bay from 1975 to 1982, and returned to Cortes in 1990, after Fred retired.
Custodial History
A copy of the book was donated to CIMAS in 2021 by Patricia Vosper, who gave permission for the book to be scanned and made available online.
Scope and Content
This memoir, written by Captain Frederic (Fred) Vosper, contains family history, photographs, clippings and stories of Vosper's life on Cortes and in coastal British Columbia. It is reproduced here with the kind permission of Patricia Vosper.
Binder contains interviews, stories, clippings and photographs documenting the social history of the Coulter Bay and Carrington Bay areas. It was created as part of the Windows on Whaletown Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories, clippings and photographs documenting the social history of the Coulter Bay and Carrington Bay areas. It was created as part of the Windows on Whaletown Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories, clippings and photographs documenting the social history of the Green Valley/Bluejay Lake area. It was created as part of the Windows on Whaletown Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories, clippings and photographs documenting the social history of the Green Valley/Bluejay Lake area. It was created as part of the Windows on Whaletown Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures from Etta (McKay) Byers, Bert and Penny Hansen, Peggy Pyner, Frank Hayes, Vida (Trousdale) Hodgson, Bob Milton, Lorne Musclow, and Elton Anderson.
It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures from Etta (McKay) Byers, Bert and Penny Hansen, Peggy Pyner, Frank Hayes, Vida (Trousdale) Hodgson, Bob Milton, Lorne Musclow, and Elton Anderson.
It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and photographs relating to Michael and John Manson and their families. It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and photographs relating to Michael and John Manson and their families. It was created as part of the Memories of Manson's Landing Exhibit, curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures. Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures. It was created in 2001 as part of the exhibit "The Von Donop Creek Story - 1920-1960", curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures. Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures. It was created in 2001 as part of the exhibit "The Von Donop Creek Story - 1920-1960", curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures. Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures. It was created in 2001 as part of the exhibit "The Von Donop Creek Story - 1920-1960", curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures. Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures. It was created in 2001 as part of the exhibit "The Von Donop Creek Story - 1920-1960", curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson.
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures. It was created in 2001 as part of the exhibit "The Von Donop Creek Story - 1920-1960", curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson. Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures.
Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures. It was created in 2001 as part of the exhibit "The Von Donop Creek Story - 1920-1960", curated and mounted by Doreen Thompson. Binder contains interviews, stories and pictures.
Fonds consists of documents created and accrued by CES between 1988 and 2006, including financial statements, correspondence, meeting minutes, notes, maps, reports, legal documents, and publications. It includes 62 files arranged in thirteen series following the original order of the material.
.6 m of textual records (2 boxes)
29 photographs : col.
Extent
0.6
History / Biographical
The Cortes Ecoforestry Society (CES) was incorporated in March 1999, under the following mission statement:
"To work in partnership with the Klahoose First Nation, to gain community stewardship of the working forest lands on Cortes to create perpetual ecological and economic benefits for the entire community, and to serve as a model for sustainable ecoforestry."
Preceding names for the organization include Cortes Island Forestry Committee (ca. 1988-1990), Cortes Island Forest Resource Committee (c. 1990) and Cortes Island Forest Committee (ca. 1991-1999). A draft document from October 1991 states that,
"[T]he Cortes Island Forest Committee (CIFC) was formed in 1988. The purposes of the CIFC are to develop ecologically responsible and balanced forest use of Cortes Island forests, to develop a sustainable forest-based economy, to educate ourselves and the public regarding appropriate use of Cortes Island forests, and to work towards a broad based public consensus for the use of these forests."
In July 1999 Klahoose First Nation and CES signed an unprecedented Memorandum of Understanding, stating that the two parties would work together to create a community forest that used eco-system forestry. In 1999 and 2000 the Cortes Ecoforestry Society began planning and preparing a community forest proposal. In 2003, volume was made available for small community tenures, including Woodlot Licences and Community Forest Agreements (CFAs). Klahoose supported the efforts to revitalize the community forest proposal and a small, voluntary advisory group was formed (Bruce Ellingsen, Chief Kathy Francis, Liz Richardson and Ron Wolda). To ensure the proposal was seen to be inclusive of all islanders, the proponent name was changed to the Cortes Island Community Forest advisory group. The community forest proposal stalled, and CES, which at one point had a membership of 400 residents supporting their goals, became less active.
In May of 2011, the Cortes Community Forest Advisory Group was invited to apply for a Community Forest Agreement (CFA) by the Minister of Forests, and in September 2013 the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations issued a Community Forest Agreement to the Cortes Forestry General Partnership, which was established on June 2012.
The Cortes Forestry General Partnership is managed and governed equally by two partners, the Klahoose Forestry No. 2 Limited Partnership (KF2LP) and the Cortes Community Forest Co-operative. The tenure agreement lasts for 25 years and encompasses 3,869 hectares of crown land, about 35% of the island. The Klahoose Nation holds ancestral tenure over Cortes Island. They are currently at stage 4 in the process of negotiating a treaty agreement with the province of British Columbia and Canadian government.
Custodial History
Donated to CIMAS on Dec. 16, 2017 by David Shipway.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of documents created and accrued by CES between 1988 and 2006, including financial statements, correspondence, meeting minutes, notes, maps, reports, legal documents, and publications. It includes 62 files arranged in thirteen series following the original order of the material.
