Skip to content

The Lodge / Outdoor Education Centre Collection

  • by

Hornby Island Community Archives

R.G. 36

Acc. No.:2019-05-27/75

Finding aid created by: Regan Fahey

Last Updated: May 2019

Title: The Lodge/ Outdoor Education Centre

Level of description: collection

General material designation: textual records

Extent: 13 cms

Creator(s): Hornby Island Educational Society, Islands Trust, Hornby Island Residents and Ratepayers, School District 71

Dates of creation: 1979 – 1987

Brief History: In 1978 the British Columbia governement and the Devonian Foundation purchased 72 hectares of privately owned land and estblished the Tribune Bay Provincial Park. Since the 1920’s “The Lodge” had operated on the property as a summer resort, under numerous proprietors – the last being Keith and Bertie Stonehouse. With the establisment of the Tribune Bay Provincial Park there were questions and controversy over the future of the Lodge, as the provincial governemnt and the Hornby Island community negotiated over its fate. The local school district (SD 71) expressed interest in taking over some sort of lease from the government to operate an outdoor education program in the facilities, and over the years many other groups had ideas regarding ownership and the use of the Lodge – including an arts center, a drop in center and the reestablishment of a commercial enterprise. The Lodge sat empty for a few years while no decisions were made, to the point that it was slated for demolition and removal by the government, much to the horror of the community which then renwed its efforts to “save the Lodge”. The government reversed it’s decision and asked for submissions of proposals, in the end choosing the joint application of SD 69 and SD 71 to operate the Lodge as an outdoor education program, which as of 2019 is still the case.

Scope and content: The collection follows the struggle of various community groups and individuals to retain the Lodge in some capacity after the establisment of the Tribune Bay Provincial Park, culminating in an agreement between the provincial governement and School Districts 69 and 71 to operate the facilities as an Outdoor Education progamme.

Immediate source of acquisition: All original accession date(s) and donor(s) are unknown as the Archives acquired the records several years prior to their being accessioned in 2019.

Arrangement: The original filing scheme was reconstructed during the archival process on the basis of chronological order.

Language of materials: English

Record no.: 36

Repository: Hornby Island Community Archives

Finding aids: Finding aid available with file level

Associated material: Other records relating to the history of the Lodge and the can be found in the Photograph Collection and the Hornby Island Community School Collection.

Accurals: No further accurals are expected

File Inventory

Box 1

1-1 Development Plan, survey and brief, 1979

Re: Tribune Bay Park Draft Development Concept, Tribune Bay Provincial Park Open House public comment survey, Brief presented to the Open House from the Denman Island trustees

1-2 Correspondence, reports and briefs, 1979

Re: correspondence from the Society for the Creation of a Tribune Bay Arts Centre seeking support for their vision of the use of the Lodge, support from the New Horizons Society for the HIRRA opinion on the course of development at Tribune Bay and that opinion, interest in School Distict 71 in expanding their Outdoor Education Programme, Tribune Bay Park Committee presentation to Elementary Principals, report on activities which would utilize the Lodge in Health and Phys. Ed, personal recommendations on development plan (Scott & Peters), brief from SD 71 to Minister expressing interest to acquire buildings and facilities of Tribune Bay for outdoor education program and miscellaneous

1-3 Correspondence and briefs, 1980

Re: Brief to the Islands Trust from the Advisory Planning Commitee asking that the Lodge be declared a heritage building and that the building be turned over to the residents of Hornby Island to be used as a Community Centre, correspondence from Island Trustee Betty Smith to Minisiter of Education Brian Smith and Minister of Lands, Parks and Housing James Chabot requesting Lodge and surronding property be leased to SD 71 as opposed to being sold, and miscellaneous

1-4 Correspondence, briefs and ephemera, 1981

Re: correspondence from Flora Island Enterprises offering a trade for 4/5th of Flora Island for the 10 acres and facilities at Tribune Bay, brief from Principals and Vice- Principals Association to Premier and Cabinet supporting SD 71 proposal to lease Tribune Bay property, dissatisfaction from HIRRA and others over governments lack of action in response to SD 71 proposal and concern that property will be used for commercial use, chronology of events, correspondence from the Premier acknowledging discussion stage of propsal by SD 71 and the Islands Trust opposition to any commercial development, and miscellaneous

1-5 Financial documents and correspondence, 1982

Re: expenses of Lodge Committee, chronology of events, request from HIRRA Lodge Committee for guardianship of the property, letters of support for this proposition, decision to remove the Lodge and outbuildings from the property, and miscellaneous

1-6 Correspondence, briefs, notices and ephemera, 1983

Re: Offers for structures and equipment, proposal for the use and management of Tribune Bay Lodge facilities by Hornby Island Education Society.press release from HIRRA to oppose government decision to remove Lodge and outbuildings, Save The Lodge notice from Lodge Committee, notice from government decision to put a freeze 1-6 Correspondence, briefs, notices and ephemera, 1983 (con’t)

on disposal of Tribune Bay structure for 45 days, proposed policies on use of Tribune

Bay Lodge from HIES, letters of support from local schools of the HIES initaive, , support from Heron Rocks Co-operative Camping Association for HIES proposal, appeal to Devonian Group of Charitable Foundations for support, minutes from SD Outdoor Education Committee, interest in the Hornby Island Trust Committee to take over ownership, support of Islands Trust Committee for HIES proposal, acceptance of the province in principle to the SD 69 and 71 joint proposal to use facilities as an outdoor education centre and miscellaneous

1-7 News release and proposals, 1983

Re: news release of governments rexamination of future of Lodge buildins and request for alternative proposals, background information and outline for proposals, proposal from School District 69 and 71, and miscellaneous

1-8 Correspondence, memos, minutes, notices and development plan, 1984-1986

Re: specifics of agreement between government and school districts, park use permit, SD 69 and 71 Tribune Bay Education Centre proposal and HIRRA response to it, quilt fundraiser for the Lodge, Lodge Committee meeting #11 minutes, questionnaire, notes from HIRRA meeting on possible long range use of the Lodge and miscellaneous

1-9 Notes, n.d

Re: David Yuill handwritten notes

1-10 Notes, n.d

Re: handwritten notes, author unknown

1-11 Epehemera ( 2 photographs), 1979-1983, 1985, 1987, n.d

Re: Hornby Island Lodge pamplets (2), newspaper clippings

11-1 Tribune Bay Provincial Park devleopment meeting c.1979?

11-2 The Lodge