In our last few columns we have looked back to the Hyack Fire Hall and Dufferin Street Cemetery of the 1860s, to Captain Irving's death in the 1870s, and to a wonderful old chair from the 1880s.
Too often this "old" local history takes on a greater importance to many people than the more recent past. Today we will remind everyone of a very important time in our "recent period."
Twenty-five years ago, if you were in B.C., you were reminded that an event was nearing its end and you needed to make plans to visit.
At many places around the world, similar notices appeared noting that this special event was nearing its closing date.
As we write this column a brochure on the desk states: "Expo 86 Ends October 13th, Time is Running Out, Don't Miss It!"
Twenty-five years ago, in the first days of September 1986, many people took time to plan out the visits they would make to the extremely popular Expo 86, because they could now clearly see that it would end in a matter of weeks.
For months there had been lots of time, but now time was running out. For some this world fair held no interest, but for others the months of 1986 that featured the fair had been one constant stream of events and occasions; things to see, places to eat, performances to take in, and so on.
Expo 86 had promoted and encouraged visitors to spread out their times of attendance and not try, unless necessary, to see everything in a short time but there was simply too much to see and do.
In the brochures from the fair's last weeks, such as the one noted, checklists were often included so that the visitor could note what they had perhaps missed so far, or maybe they had been awaiting the performances and presentations that were part of the last weeks' scheduling.
So many memories from 25 years ago are triggered by this brochure. The World Festival still offered, until Sept. 4 of 1986, a couple more performances of La Scala I Lombardi, and at the end of September was Anne of Green Gables from the Charlottetown Festival.
At the Expo Theatre, still to come were such acts as John Denver, the Temptations, Anne Murray, Sheena Easton, and Peter, Paul and Mary.
Twenty-five years ago we can remember, as will thousands of others, reviewing the photos that we had taken of the site of the exposition.
Was anything omitted? Anything needed to complete a photo set for future use or reminiscence? Were more images needed of the International Nights of Fire, the fireworks and laser show that dramatically ended the fair each night? Expo 86 is a piece of our modern history that has all too quickly become 25 years ago.
