Interview of Trude Albright Sweeny by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. Subjects covered include Trude's childhood in Austria; marriage and move to the US; Trude's brother Hans; how she came to Cortes; her marriage to Sedley Sweeny; Trude's Cafe; Cortes projects. (28 minutes)
Interview of Trude Albright Sweeny by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. Subjects covered include Trude's childhood in Austria; marriage and move to the US; Trude's brother Hans; how she came to Cortes; her marriage to Sedley Sweeny; Trude's Cafe; Cortes projects. (28 minutes)
Interview of Brigid Weiler by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. The introduction to the interview is on File 1. In File 2 Brigid talks about growing up in Whaletown in the 1950s and 60s, the people who lived there and the location of their houses. (43 minutes)
Interview of Brigid Weiler by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. The introduction to the interview is on File 1. In File 2 Brigid talks about growing up in Whaletown in the 1950s and 60s, the people who lived there and the location of their houses. (43 minutes)
Interview of Emilie Hansen by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. Emilie talks about moving to Canada with her husband Gunnar; moving to Cortes in 1961; different properties they lived on; making a living on the island. (41 minutes)
Interview of Emilie Hansen by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. Emilie talks about moving to Canada with her husband Gunnar; moving to Cortes in 1961; different properties they lived on; making a living on the island. (41 minutes)
Interview of Jean Campbell by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. Jean talks about growing up, meeting Dan Campbell, his political career, moving to Cortes in the 1960s, island life, people and events. (49 minutes)
Interview of Jean Campbell by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. Jean talks about growing up, meeting Dan Campbell, his political career, moving to Cortes in the 1960s, island life, people and events. (49 minutes)
Recording of Norm and Lisa Gibbons talking about their experiences at Refuge Cove, recorded by Lisa Gibbons during a museum-sponsored trip to Refuge Cove on the "Misty Isles". See also the digitized photographs from Norm Gibbons' album which illustrate many of the stories in the recording. (Cortes Island Museum & Archives Society fonds, Series 5, File 2)
Recorded by Lisa Gibbons on her iPhone, July 15, 2023
Scope and Content
Recording of Norm and Lisa Gibbons talking about their experiences at Refuge Cove, recorded by Lisa Gibbons during a museum-sponsored trip to Refuge Cove on the "Misty Isles". See also the digitized photographs from Norm Gibbons' album which illustrate many of the stories in the recording. (Cortes Island Museum & Archives Society fonds, Series 5, File 2)
Interview of Dennis Newsham and Ann Dewar by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. Frances Guthrie was also present. Dennis and Ann talk about their memories of growing up in Whaletown.
Interview of Dennis Newsham and Ann Dewar by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. Frances Guthrie was also present. Dennis and Ann talk about their memories of growing up in Whaletown.
Interview of Julia Rendall by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. Julia talks about moving to Canada from England; her experiences in BC and on Cortes Island including her involvement with Cortes ambulance service and aquaculture.
Interview of Julia Rendall by Bernice McGowan and Jill Milton. Julia talks about moving to Canada from England; her experiences in BC and on Cortes Island including her involvement with Cortes ambulance service and aquaculture.
Interview of Paul Kirmmse by Bernice McGowan, Jill Milton and Monika Hoffman. Paul talks about moving to Cortes in 1971; various experiences on the island; the formation of the Redlands land cooperative.
Interview of Paul Kirmmse by Bernice McGowan, Jill Milton and Monika Hoffman. Paul talks about moving to Cortes in 1971; various experiences on the island; the formation of the Redlands land cooperative.
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.
Series consists of CIRA general correspondence and APC general correspondence, as well as CIRA correspondence on specific issues, including ferry service, electrical and telephone service, the Regional District system of government, medical services, parks, wharves, environmental concerns, tax assessments, log dump and beach salvage, predators (wolves and cougars), oyster poaching, the road network, garbage collection and disposal, historic sites, library services, emergency response and policing, and the Raven Lumber subdivision proposal and ensuing court case.
Series consists of CIRA general correspondence and APC general correspondence, as well as CIRA correspondence on specific issues, including ferry service, electrical and telephone service, the Regional District system of government, medical services, parks, wharves, environmental concerns, tax assessments, log dump and beach salvage, predators (wolves and cougars), oyster poaching, the road network, garbage collection and disposal, historic sites, library services, emergency response and policing, and the Raven Lumber subdivision proposal and ensuing court case.
