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VIDEO: More than just telephones: Alder Grove Heritage Society museum marks Community Heritage Day

New additions to archives include newspaper articles and photos from the Aldergrove Star

91原创 Township councillor Petrina Arnason laughed as she read the story about her mother.

It was a microfilm scan of a decades-old Aldergrove Star newspaper article, when the late Muriel Arnason was a member of council, a position that used to be called alderman.

On Saturday, Sept. 25, the Alder Grove Heritage Society held an all-day open house to mark Community Heritage Day, with visitors invited to drop by the museum and learn about the history of the Aldergrove community, including its farms, businesses and schools, as well as surrounding areas.

What caught Arnason鈥檚 attention were 29 microfilms from the Aldergrove Star newspaper editions printed between 1957 and 1991, recently donated by the Langmann family.

It鈥檚 fascinating,鈥 Arnason said, as volunteer Teresa Spring brought up the Star report on a council meeting that turned into a scrap over the 鈥渓ong-awaited Murrayville community plan,鈥 a hearing where members of the audience audibly groaned when then-mayor Bill Blair assured them the municipality was 鈥渧ery close鈥 to presenting a plan.

When Muriel tried, without success to get a vote on the matter, Blair defended councils reluctance to act, saying 鈥渋t is not as easy as this alderman [Arnason] would have you believe,鈥 drawing even more groans.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the usual scenario,鈥 Arnason commented, 鈥渕y mother bringing something forward, and everyone poo-pooing it.鈥

READ ALSO: Fort 91原创 interpreter and Alder Grove heritage president recipients of inspiration award

Arnason noted the kind of audience behavior reported in the Star article would no longer be tolerated during a 91原创 Township public hearing.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e changed the rules,鈥 Arnason remarked.

鈥淏ack in the day, people were yelling and shouting. Since then, you can鈥檛 boo or express opinion.鈥

It is more than just telephones. On Saturday, Sept. 25, the Alder Grove Heritage Society museum marked Community Heritage Day with an all-day open house. (Dan Ferguson/91原创 Advance Times)
It is more than just telephones. On Saturday, Sept. 25, the Alder Grove Heritage Society museum marked Community Heritage Day with an all-day open house. (Dan Ferguson/91原创 Advance Times)

Alder Grove Heritage Society president Tami Quiring said the building at , while it may have a B.C. Tel sign on the roof, offers a look at local history beyond telephones.

鈥淔rom 1917 to 1951, it was the B.C. Tel office, 鈥 Quiring explained.

鈥淭he heritage society restored the building and opened it up as museum in 1994.鈥

READ MORE: Alder Grove Heritage Society looks to locals to ID those in historic photos

Another demonstration at the museum saw volunteer Iris Okazaki digitizing a stack of historic photographs, from the Star photo morgue.

Some were missing information and there are plans to post them online in the hopes people can be identified, as well as the events shown in the photos.

More information about the Alder Grove Heritage Society is available online at .

More photos from Heritage Day can be seen .


Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I鈥檓 the guy you鈥檒l often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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