Celebration, new museum exhibit, marks Town of Comox’s 80th anniversary

Congratulations, Comox — you don’t look a day older than 79.

A celebration Wednesday night at the Comox Archives and Museum and the Pearl Ellis Art Gallery marked the 80th anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of Comox.

The event featured several guests sharing stories about the town’s past and the unveiling of the museum’s 80 Years: A Comox Time Capsule exhibit.

Mayor Nicole Minions was pleased to see the community come together to celebrate the milestone anniversary.

Mayor Nicole Minions comments:

“Comox Museum and Pearl Ellis Art Gallery put in a lot of effort to making this [celebration] happen,” said Minions. “We’re just celebrating where we’ve come over the last eighty years.”

Matthew Vandervort, a Comox Museum employee, played a key role in putting the Time Capsule exhibit together. He was delighted by the turnout for Wednesday’s event.

Matthew Vandervort comments:

“I can’t believe we got that big of a turnout, we are a small museum,” Vandervort said. “We are not member-run, we have a handful of members and volunteers, but I did not expect it [the exhibit] to have the impact that it did.”

Vandervort estimated 150 people attended the gathering at the museum.

Attendees heard from community members who reflected on different chapters of Comox’s history.

One of the speakers was K’ómoks First Nation chief Nicole Rempel. She said the first nation and the town have developed a strong relationship since incorporating in 1946.

Chief Nicole Rempel comments:

“When I think of our ancestors watching people come here in 1861, and the relationships we’ve built with the Town of Comox since then, it’s been very exciting as we work towards treaty and really establishing great working relationships with the current council, the previous councils before them.”

Other storytellers at the event included Wing Commander of 19 Wing Comox Colonel Christopher Shapka, former Comox mayor Paul Ives, and Comox Fire Rescue chief Gord Schreiner, as well as representatives from the museum and art gallery.

The Time Capsule exhibit is scheduled to remain on display at the museum, offering an ongoing link into Comox’s past.