Looking back to 1987, the Oak Bay News’ precursor, the Oak Bay Star, featured the municipality’s new mayor, Susan Brice and her views of what the year ahead would bring.
Welcoming long-time alderman Peter Bunn, with then newcomers Christopher Causton and David Nicholson, along with sitting aldermen Diana Butler, Ed Flanagan and Gordon Holms, Brice looked forward to Oak Bay’s co-hosting of the B.C. Summer Games in 1988.
Not only would the regional Games be an opportunity for the local volunteer community, but “they will provide invaluable experience for Greater Victoria in preparation for the hosting of the 1994 Commonwealth Games.”
Brice also looked forward to the 50th anniversary of the Oak Bay Fire Department coming up in 1988 and credited the hard work of the Oak Bay Police in the municipality’s citation as having the lowest crime rate among 55 B.C. centres.
On the police blotter this week in 1987, a would-be thief chose the wrong car to try to steal. When a Victoria police officer caught the apparently drunk would-be thief trying to hotwire his car near Oak Bay High, the 19-year-old was soon arrested.
In Oak Bay sports action, Oak Bay High took home the gold from the 1987 Victoria City Police Association’s high school boys basketball tournament.
Upsetting the Abbotsford Panthers 65-50 at Belmont High, Tristan Tonndorf, Peter Walton, Jamie Ball, Bill Jones and Christ Whittaker were cited as standouts for Oak Bay in the final game.
In the community, members of the Bays United Division 6A Rangers were shopping holiday holly door-to-door to help boost team travel funds.
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Fast forward to the Dec. 10, 1997 issue of the Oak Bay News, and Christmas captured the front page as the district prepared to light up municipal hall for the holiday season.
“Thanks to your generous donations of outdoor Christmas light bulbs, the Oak Bay News is able to light up the large maple tree in front of municipal hall Friday night,” the News reported. With promises of photos with Santa at Ivy’s Bookshop and complimentary candy canes and Mandarin oranges, “It’s an evening for the whole family. Please come down and join us as we officially kick off Christmas 1997.”
In local schools, the battle for music education was heating up, with Maureen Luney, chair of Advocates for Music in Our Schools, arguing that while music might be an easy target for budget cuts, fine arts should in fact be a part of the basic education program.
“Music doesn’t make you the bright shining star,” Luney said, “but it helps.”
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What it cost
December 1987:
• Perm/Body Wave special at Fantastic Sam’s: $19.87
• Mincemeat tarts at the Village Bakery and Deli: 60 cents
• Portable electric typewriter from Island Office Equipment: $499.