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Friday, May 15, 2015
Vol. 7 • Issue 91
Touchstones exhibit recognized nationally See Page 8
Bombers dominate rugby finals See Page 20
Dallas Wolbaum bought Nelson’s unique Dairy Queen location on April 1. Though he’s introduced a debit machine, the rest of his operation will remain the same.
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58
years of ice cream
Shake up at the co-op
Two directors resign, long-time manager Deirdrie Lang reassigned
WILL JOHNSON Nelson Star elson Dairy Queen manager Bonnie Nystrom was born in 1957, which coincidentally happens to be the same year construction on both her workplace and the big orange bridge was completed. Having worked there for a decade now, Nystrom said the unique heritage location is a vital part of Nelson. “I was born and raised here, and one of my first memories is of my Dad gathering up the neighbourhood kids, loading them into the station wagon and driving us all down to get a banana split. Back then it was only 50 cents,” said Nystrom. “It’s such a unique location, and it’s been here for 58 years. We have generations who have worked here, and I think it’s great that Dallas has taken over.” Dallas Wolbaum bought the business and property on April 1 from his mother Shirley, who owned it for 23 years with his father Leroy. Having recently sold his business, the Mountain Hound Inn, he said he’s looking forward to the transition. “It’s a real part of this town’s history. When we open in the spring it’s a rite of passage. It’s wonderful, because people know spring is in the air when Dairy Queen opens and they know it’s time to put the lawn mower in the shed when we close.”
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WILL JOHNSON Nelson Star Two Kootenay Country Store Co-operative board members have resigned while the store’s long-time general manager has been relieved of her duties but will remain involved in the Nelson Commons development. Olindo Chiocca and Leon Pigott both told the Star they stepped down from the board late last month over concerns about the process used to determine
The rise of car culture Highway construction in the 1950s led to a significant rise in automobile culture and car-oriented tourism in the Kootenays. When the bridge replaced a series of cable ferries, which dated back to 1913, it initially had toll booths on either side. The lake-spanning road paved the way for both Dairy Queen and a since-closed A&W drive-in on the north side. According to the city’s heritage register, “the Dairy Queen is one of a number of modern buildings of the early 1960s that changed the character of the city blocks leading up to the bridge.” It goes on to say “the Dairy Queen building is highly valued in the community as a rare surviving example of the fast-food chain’s standard drive-in building design from the early 1960s … Its asphalt-paved site is important as a post-World War II extension of the suburban pattern of development in Nelson’s Fairview suburb.” The plate glass, concrete masonry, tar-and-gravel slope roofing and fluorescent lighting strips were all relatively cutting edge at the time. Wolbaum’s understanding is that very few of these locations are left, and his is unique in Western Canada. “I’m honoured to be here,” he said.
Deirdrie Lang’s future with the organization. They allege both Robert’s Rules of Order and the cooperative’s own policies weren’t followed during the multi-month process. “Since the first of January there has been no business conducted except on this one question. The board has been broken, and it’s going to take a lot of work to fix it,” said Pigott, who said he was heartbroken by the outcome. Chiocca echoed his sentiments.
Continued on page 16
“In my eyes this whole process, including coming to the conclusion that Deirdrie had to be relieved of her duties as general manager, was definitely against the board’s policies and rules. It’s very important that the membership knows about this, and about what went on. If the membership doesn’t mind and doesn’t care, that’s fine. But they need to know.” Continued on page 26
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