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Terrace a great place to live in the old days

Dear Sir: Just saying hello to a pretty little town that I worked in when the Kitimat-Terrace rail line was being built, and that was a long time ago.

Dear Sir:

Just saying hello to a pretty little town that I worked in when the Kitimat-Terrace rail line was being built, and that was a long time ago.

I was a reporter-photographer for Tommy and Kathy Fraser’s Omineca Herald when the quake hit the railroad right of way. That would be about 1953, I believe.

I got someone who drove a logging truck to take me out to the scene as far as he could go.

Even a huge earth moving machine disappeared into a huge hole.

Terrace was a thriving town then with all the construction crews about. Volunteers were busy clearing land for a ski lift and we had a regular column in the paper with the purpose of getting people out to help.

We had men from various parts, who had settled in Terrace, even if temporarily, who were willing to teach three different methods of skiing.

Gerry, who owned the men’s clothing store, was an expert in one, Ernie, a schoolteacher, was an expert in a Nordic method, and Heinz, from Germany, was an expert in another style. I have left their last names out intentionally. The enthusiasm was marvelous!

I don’t think the population was anywhere near 11,000 back then.

There was a music store and a butcher shop, one drug store, a dance hall, three cafes, a nice new bank, one hotel, a travel agency, a gambling club, and perhaps three or four other stores that I remember.

Someone offered me a job as a dealer at the gambling club when I was working for the Omineca Herald.

I was astounded when I was covering one council meeting, to hear one of the councillors suggest they put parking meters on the street. There was so much parking space around at the time that I wondered who would put money in a meter.

A new teacherage had just been built at the end of town and some of the teachers (who were usually only there for two or three terms and moved on) were anxious to get into the new accommodation.

Only one movie house. I remember being invited to see a movie three times in one particular week, by three separate gentlemen.

It was a good movie, but now I can’t remember the name of it. I guess everyone in town wanted to see it.

Best wishes for your very lovely part of the world. I hope your local economy really begins to thrive this summer and beyond.

I have been enjoying looking at the photographs of Terrace posted on the site for the town. Beautiful!

Marie Reid,

 

Toronto, Ontario