Although spring began just over a month ago, it has only very recently begun to feel like spring - a bit warmer, a sweeter smell to the breeze, and lots of new growth beginning to show. In preparing a talk for the residents of the Queens Park Care Centre, we collected some wonderful spring newspaper clippings from early New Westminster. From springtime of a century past, here are some samples of our seasonal history.
A reporter in April of 1884 said, "at night the air is cool and perfumed by those darlings of nature, the wild flowers which are now decorating every nook and corner in the district."
As things warmed up and the river was less frozen, communities along the Fraser watched for the return of the sternwheel steamboats that had taken refuge from the danger and potential damage of the ice flowing downstream.
One newspaper report noted, "Our wharves once more have assumed a busy appearance by the arrival of all the upriver steamers from their winter quar-ters."
Everybody likes to talk about the weather and in spring the results can be quite wonderful, as noted in the following: "The gardens look beautiful between the flowers and the bloom on the trees.
Flora has donned her gayest robes, and it only requires the brightening influence of 'Old Sol' to put all nature in a good humor," and "during the last few days we have been blessed with some nice warm rain, just what the farmers are most in need of."
And then there was a springtime concert in the city streets - well, not quite in the streets but slightly above them.
An account from 1882 described a simple concert given for the town, in which the Militia Brass Band "assembled on the balcony of the Hyack Hall yesterday afternoon (which) performed about a dozen tunes in the most creditable style.
We need hardly say that this band bids fair to be the best in the province and should be encouraged by the citizens of this city."
An item from April of 1886 painted a delightful image of a holiday, probably Easter, "the people of this city had a real fête day on Thursday last, the city was gay with bunting, and the stores being all closed, gave the streets the appearance of a real holiday."
