Pinawa at 50 - greatBIGnews

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P I N A W A
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Pinawa at 50
The history of a town planned for the future
Welcome!
This is an update of the Pinawa
History Committee’s project of a
commemorative book, DVD and
website which, when complete, will
provide the most comprehensive
history of the town of Pinawa ever
compiled.
The committee is a subcommittee of
the LGD of Pinawa. The core
committee members are Louise
Daymond (The Paper), Chris
Saunders (Pinawa Foundation) and
Rob Murray (Pinawa Christian
Fellowship).
Our earliest residents have the
stories to tell
Pinawa at 50.
The story of how it all began,
and the milestones reached over
5 decades.
Save the Date!
Pinawa Birthday
July 20-23, 2012
Pinawa Birthday
August 2012
Official launch of
the ‘Pinawa at 50’
history project and
countdown to
publication
July 13 – 21, 2013*
PINAWA HISTORY COMMITTEE
UPDATE JULY 2012
July 2012 Update
We’re gathering information, seeking sources,
and getting organized – all we need is YOU!
Evolution of The Book
Five decades of milestones
The book outline tells our history in ten year
increments. Progress at the AECL plant site and the
Pinawa town site are detailed in chapters that detail the
beginnings of our school district, places of worship, and
town services.
Five decades of volunteers
No community can survive without its volunteers, and
Pinawa is no exception. The first Scouting and
Guiding leaders organized themselves in Deep River,
Ontario before ever making their way to Manitoba.
Volunteers established the framework of organizations
such as the fire department, minor hockey and curling.
Five decades of people
In 1963, one person filled the role of town
administrator and school trustee. Who were the people
who stepped up to be the first to serve as Mayor and
Councillors? School Board trustees? And what has
happened to the hundreds of students who have passed
through the doors of our schools? Who are our
authors, doctors, teachers, scientists, philanthropists,
and adventurers of note? We want to list them all!
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PINAWA HISTORY COMMITTEE
UPDATE JULY 2012
Early Development at Pinawa Townsite
as recalled by W.L. Wardrop, P.Eng. (1970)
Our firm was engaged by Central Mortgage and
Housing Corporation, early in 1960, to carry out a
Feasibility Study relative to four possible locations
for a Townsite to serve the Whiteshell Nuclear
Research Establishment. CMHC’s first choice was
the area of land north of the Winnipeg River,
adjacent to the Pinawa Channel. Our main
assignment was to determine whether servicing the
property could be accomplished at a reasonable cost.
Alternative sites considered included the area south
of the Winnipeg River, a site at the mouth of the
Whitemouth River and one east of the Village of
Lac du Bonnet. Consideration was also given to
expanding the existing Town of Beausejour and
Village of Lac du Bonnet.
… Following completion of our preliminary report,
two Architect Planners from CMHC in Ottawa
visited the site in July, 1960, and on return to their
office reported that we must have been ‘out of our
minds’ to consider such an unsatisfactory site. Low
areas were filled with water; the flies and
mosquitoes were plentiful and most unfriendly.
This prompted an urgent phone call to our office to
confirm whether we were sure that the area could
be made into a desirable Townsite. Needless to say,
once drainage facilities were provided and roads
paved, the area was soon transformed into an
attractive town, nestled in its resort-like
surroundings.
[Sample of our town’s history as told by the people
who were there.]
Help Wanted
We are grateful to the
organizations who have
already submitted their
histories, but there are
many stories yet to tell.
We welcome articles
and photos for the book.
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Not sure how to get started? We have
developed a checklist that will make
the job a lot easier.
No writers in your group? We have
volunteers who will be proofing and
editing every word that goes into the
book. Also scanning services for
photos.
PINAWA HISTORY COMMITTEE
UPDATE JULY 2012
Keeping track of it all
FIFTY-2-50 – your source for updates
A comprehensive marketing plan and project timeline
to keep us on track and get the word out there. Each
and every week there will be updates in The Paper, on
Facebook and Twitter and monthly via the PCDC
newsletter. You can help by directing your friends to
our sites with links in your emails.
We will be looking for champions to coordinate the
technical aspects of the project, such as
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scanning, audio and video services,
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typing, editing, proofreading,
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research and archiving.
Let’s get together soon!
In the coming months, we will be hosting coffee parties
where we will collect your memories, anecdotes, and
photos that aren’t necessarily part of an organization.
Once we have identified our Champions, we’ll get
together to establish milestones on the project plan and
we’ll be on our way!
The last word
Until his untimely passing in May 2012, Councillor
Ron Drabyk was the co-chair of the Pinawa History
Committee. He was passionate about recording the
history of our community, and was excited about how
it was taking shape. We hope to honour his memory
by emulating his dedication to not only this project but
every project in which he had a hand.
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