Hynes Share: In the late 1930’s, there was a triangular piece of property that every resident considered to be a park. It lay on the Island Highway across from the old Island Hall (now the Beach Club Resort). George Wilson wanted the land to become the first shopping...
Marks Share: Ernest and Edith Marks were married in 1908, left England in 1911 and arrived in Parksville in 1912. Ernest became farm manager for A. Lodington Smith, who owned 115 acres along the highway across from where the Quality Bayside Resort now stands. In 1940,...
Ward Share: In July 1996, George Ward celebrated his 85th birthday at his home in Coombs; George lived on the same property for 80 of those 85 years – how many people can say that? George was born in Vancouver and moved to the Island travelling by train to their new...
Shelly Share: Shelly Road, Shelly Park – where did the name come from? Frederick Shelly, born in 1884, enlisted for the Boer War until his mother brought him home as he was underage. Undaunted, he ran away again and did serve in the army. On return from the war, he...
Thwaites Share: Well, we see the name on the insurance business in both Parksville and Qualicum Beach, ‘Thwaites – Norris’ but what’s the story behind the name? In 1912, Edgar Dundas (E.D.) Thwaites moved to Parksville with his family and set up a real estate and...
Leffler Share: Like the present day snowbirds flocking to Vancouver Island to avoid the cold winters, the same was happening in the early 1900’s. Ernest and Maud Leffler left Winnipeg and arrived in 1913 and bought 10 acres of land in Errington at $40 an acre with the...
