Delta Marsh History Initiative, Steering Committee Meeting

9:00 am, 15 March 2004
Home of Shirley Christianson, Portage la Prairie

Present: Barry Bills, Shirley Christianson, Denzil Gamble, Gordon Goldsborough (sec), Bob Jones, Cynthia Jordan, Glen Suggett

1. Minutes of the last meeting (16 February) were approved by consensus.

2. Old Business

a) Fish fry – A total of 254 people attended the fish fry. Net cash, after paying $6.50 per person to Maurice Blanchard, of $756.45 has been deposited to our bank account. Rent to the Prior Centre of $150 is offset by $180 in ticket sales taken in by Prior, so they owe us $30. The cost of coffee and tea supplies were taken out of cash on hand, as was payment to Bills of $37 for miscellaneous expenses. A $20 donation was received from Barry Christianson. Den Haan was paid $5 for bottled water. Maurice is still owed $117 for 18 tickets sold at the Prior Centre. Discussion ensued on plans for the next fish fry. We had received several complaints on the lack of dessert; Andy Rutherford told Shirley Christianson that he would donate ice cream for the next fish fry. The door prizes were well received, and should be done again. (Donations will be solicited from among ourselves.) Mashed potatoes were very well received as an alternative to French fries and should be recommended to Dennis Blanchard. The next fish fry will be at Delta, on Canada Day. Shirley will check with the City of Portage la Prairie to see if the event can be advertised with their Canada Day promotional literature. Den Haan will check with the Delta Waterfowl Station to see if we can use the interpretive building.

b) Open houses – The meeting at St. Ambroise was attended by six people. Overlap with the Manipogo Days at St. Laurent may have reduced attendance. Video and audio tapes were made but the sound quality was poor due to echoes in the hall. No one attended the Westbourne meeting. Discussions were held with Denzil Gamble regarding Lakewood Club. He suggested that we should talk with his daughter Marcy, who has much information. A donation of $45 was suggested for the Portage meeting at the Prior Centre. Oakland requests $45 for use of the rink. Den Haan will call Lynn Love to get the key.

3. New Business

a) Dickenson photo – Elaine Dickenson of Poplar Point loaned a photo of her uncle, Fred Webster, seated in a canoe on Delta Channel, circa 1912. Goldsborough scanned it at the meeting so it could be returned immediately to Ms. Dickenson.

b) 1923 marsh map – A sketch map of Clandeboye Bay was found among Bob Jones' government files now stored at the Delta Marsh Field Station. Created by a person named Hare, it shows the locations of lodges. Glen Suggett will arrange to have it copied.

c) Forsythe – Long-time Delta cottager, Lois Forsythe, should be interviewed. Bob Jones will visit her.

4. Next meeting: The next meeting will be held at the home of Shirley Christianson (118 Wilkinson Crescent, Portage la Prairie) at 9:00 am on Monday, 19 April 2004.

5. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 10:05 AM.