The Canadian Legion of the British Empire Service League united numerous Veterans groups and societies together as one national entity. Over 160 Legion branches were founded that first year of 1926. This included Courtenay Branch #17 which was followed locally by Cumberland Branch #28 and later by Comox Branch #160 in 1939.
Long-time Courtenay meter reader Billy Hayman with a good catch, ca. 1920. This photograph appears on page 168 of Step into Wilderness: A Pictorial History of Outdoor Exploration in and around the Comox Valley.
The Museum Gift Shop has added some fabulous new Vancouver Island maps to the selection of charts for sale. These “placemat” maps are laminated, measure 17 x 11 inches, and serve as a more budget friendly option at $9.50 plus tax.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Hot Chocolates opening for business in downtown Courtenay. The newspaper ad seen here, celebrating one year in business, appeared in the June 12, 1987 edition of the Comox District Free Press. Note the original shop location on Duncan Avenue where the Backdoor Gallery & Studio is today.
It’s now the perfect time to plan an unforgettable outdoor adventure! Be sure to reserve your spot on one of our world-famous fossil tours, led by Natural History Curator, Pat Trask. Running from now through the fall, these guided experiences offer a unique opportunity to explore and uncover the region’s ancient past.
June 21st marks National Indigenous Peoples Day, and the Comox Valley will have no shortage of activities to celebrate this important day and month. Celebrations will be held at the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds on Saturday, June 20 from 2:00 pm until 7:00 pm.
Watch our 24-hour Vaux’s swifts livestream on YouTube to view the birds as they enter and exit the museum chimney. Tune in around sunrise and sunset for their departure and return, and scrub through the previous 12 hours for any sightings you might have missed.
These new wind-up swimming bath toys from Rex London are making a big splash in the Museum Gift Shop this month! Continuing the beach theme, we also have decorative wood houses, and locally-made fabric door stoppers with various prints.
The Courtenay and District Museum will celebrate Canada Day with an open house from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm on Wednesday, July 1. Guests are welcome to enjoy live music by Alan Jossul, enter to win a door prize, and try their hand at kids’ crafts.
For the community, this was front page news on May 5, 1976 in the Comox District Free Press newspaper: “The ribbon has been cut and the doors are officially open at the new shoppers’ mall in Courtenay.”
