1958: 26.4 percent voter turnout in civic election

By Fred Mellen
Down Memory Lane #285
These items were taken from the October 16, 1958 Graphic Newspaper
Bow Island
– Light Vote Recorded in Civic Election: Out of 645 eligible voters only 170 people voted in the election of Town Councillors on Wednesday, this is only 26.4%. Judd Couillard topped the poll in his first try in local politics with a total of 111 votes. He was followed by Pat Malo with 106 votes and Ken Evans with 103 votes. Roy Loney and Nick Ancion were the other candidates. Judd and Pat will serve on Council for three years while Ken will serve one term the un-expired term of Tom Noad who resigned. O.F. Solberg was Returning Officer.
– Charlie Adair had the misfortune to break some of his ribs and received internal injuries when he accidentally stepped into an open trap door at his home Friday evening. He is presently at the Medicine Hat Hospital.
– Artificial Ice for Skating and Curling to be Ready for this Year. The vast amount of behind the scene work that has been done by the Community Centre Committee and the Curling Club is beginning to come to light with the announcement that the ice will be ready this year for skating and curling. The months of preparation and many hours of work and worry have now brought the large building into use for the betterment of the community and surrounding districts.  Before going further we say “Hats Off” to the workers who have so unselfishly labored for this great milestone in the recreation department. The ice plant has been ordered and will be delivered in plenty of time. The plant is large enough to make ice for both buildings so that when the curling rink is available it will be a relatively simple matter to put ice there. Ferrel’s Plumbing and Heating are busily engaged in the installation of the plumbing and heating and A.B. Carlson is pouring cement for the plant room and the front end. Jubilee Contractors of Medicine Hat is in charge of the electrical work. George Calder is in charge of the construction and he, and the committee, requests the help of anyone so that skating and curling will get started as soon as possible. Anyone interested in helping in this project are asked to contact Ormand Mitchell or Elmer Bergh.
– With the continued nice weather construction is really going ahead in town. Work at the hospital is progressing favourably; the interior of the new United Church is nearing completion and bricklayers are now busy on the exterior; volunteer work men at the new Evangelical Free Church are really turning out in numbers and walls will soon be going up; an extension is being built to the Marshall Wells Store and several local residents are painting their homes.
– The front page of this issue features a picture of the wedding of Sheila Halpin and Edward Torscher. A lengthy write-up accompanies the photo.
– The organization meeting of the Gershaw High School Students Union was held on October 15. The new Students Union Council held a discussion about the attendance at the meetings, union cards, regulations, Christmas prom, charity and sick, socials, awards, newspaper, pictures and graduation. The new executive is President, Howard Solverson; Vice President Francis Annon; Secretary, Carol Coffman; Girl’s Sports, Sharon Starner; Boy’s Sports, John Hopkins; Grade XII Rep, Iris Hoolihan; Grade XI Rep, Annette Arsenault; Grade X Rep, Doug Dyer; Grade IX Red, Karen Babe; Grade VIII Rep,  Arthur Shatz; Grade VII Reps, Shirley Willis and Richard Hofer.
This has been another Stroll Down Memory Lane with Old Fred Mellen

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