MAD HATTER 2

FRASER PORT
by students at Douglas and Kwantlen College

The story of Fraser Port is the story of a community whose
living has always hinged on the sea - its moods, its bounty,
and the ships it brings. The story is hinted at with the arrival of
fur traders early in the nineteenth century, but it really begins
with efforts to control the gold rush of the late 1850's. Those
efforts resulted in a distinct and determined lower Fraser
society that battled for survival and then fought the
mushrooming city on Burrard Inlet to keep a place in the sun.

In the twentieth century, a great role in the continuing
competition has fallen to the New Westminster Harbour
Commission latterly the regional Fraser River Harbour
Commission: generally innovative for its times, sometimes
cool, sometimes feisty, and always determined to keep its
facilities up to date. Its more intimate story is intertwined with
the area's history, and has been crucial to it.

This story, with the student projects on which it was based,
was sponsored by Douglas and Kwantlen Colleges and the
Fraser River Harbour Commission of | 980-81: Chris Brown,
Chairman, John Watson, Marvin Johnson, Frederick Gingell,
and Donald Mott. Board members also gave individual
assistance to project researchers. Their staff, in particular
Rick Pearce, Post Manager, and Tom Grozier, Harbour Mas-
ter, provided continuous advice. Marilyn Smith Pattison,
while Dean of Student Services at Douglas College in | 980,
arranged for the initial meetings on the study. She appointed
Jim Doerr, now Dean of Community Programs and Services,
as administrator of reference at Douglas College. He and his
staff gave technical support to the work undertaken by
Jacqueline Gresko, history instructor, and Elizabeth Peer-
less, geography instructor. Their students wrote assign-
ments which were the beginnings of the written part of the
story. Midway through this effort, Douglas College was split
into two colleges, Douglas and Kwantlen: the project faculty
remained at Douglas in New Westminster. The New West-
minster Chamber of Commerce Education Committee
helped arrange for the loan of its records on microfilm from
Vancouver City Archives.

Project research was made much easier by the archival
organization of Fraser River Harbour Commission records
carried out by Judith Cameron in 1980. Thanks are also due
io other librarians and archivists at the two colleges, the New
Westminster Public Library, and the University of British
Columbia Special Collections Library. Two student assis-
tants, Janet Mill from Douglas and Mary Vandermoor from
Kwantlen, researched the chronological survey essays.
Many individuals associated with the Commission gave their
time in interviews and research. Regrettably, there is not en-
ough space to thank all of them here.

The Fraser River Harbour commission acknowledges the
editorial direction provided by Richard Howard in preparing
the first nine chapters of this work for the press, as well as his
writing of the last.

 

LIGHTS
To All Staff, Faculty and Administrators:

Would you please ensure that lights are turned off in areas
when not required.

Terry Leonard

 

OVERHEADS

Once again this summer, I.M.S. has undertaken cleaning and
adjustment of the overhead projectors throughout the build-
ing. All units should be in good operating condition. A remin-
der - Field Base offices have emergency stock of lamps and
acetate rolls for your convenience.

If you must borrow a unit from a different classroom, please
return it! Failure to do so causes chaos and problems for your
colleagues. Room numbers are on each unit.

Please report any problems as soon as possible to David
Young, I.M.S. local 3144, or Audio Visual local 2116.

Lamps and acetate rolls are available in the Library A-V.
Please help us keep the units in good condition as follows:
- Leave the unit on the table whenever possible. Continued
movement causes head alignment problems and premature
lamp failure.

- Keep the unit away from the chalkboard.

Note: Units are checked weekly by a Library student assis-
tant who provides lamps/acetate rolls where required and
carries out minor cleaning.

David Young

 

THE GOVERNANCE SYSTEM

| have instructed the Deans to immediately implement the
modified governance system as circulated to all college em-
ployees and | have advised them that | expect the system will
be fully functional in October. The first meeting of the revised
committees will, therefore, be scheduled during the month of
October.

Bill Day