West Kootenay Advertiser
Thursday, April 22, 2021 A3
History
West Kootenay Power excavated Doukhobor ranch by Jonathan Kalmakoff and Greg Nesteroff
Fourth in a series on the history of Grohman Narrows Park By September 1938, the West Kootenay Power and Light Company had its corporate eye on the Skalistoye property west of Nelson, then owned by John G. Evin. At that time, it applied to the International Joint Commission to make certain river improvements upstream from its Corra Linn dam; namely dredging the Kootenay River at Grohman Narrows and excavating rock on the south side of the narrows at Evin’s property to improve river flow for flood control and hydroelectric power generation. The commission green-lit the project in December. Within weeks, the West Kootenay Power and Light Company acquired the east half of Evin’s Lot 5180 consisting of 24.3 hectares (60 acres); however, it is unclear whether it did so by purchase or expropriation. Presumably, Evin would have been a willing seller, since the east half contained the rockiest portions of his ranch. Between April and October 1939, the utility excavated some 500,000 cubic feet of rock, boulders and gravel from the shore of the east half of Lot 5180, along with nine million cubic feet dredged on either side of Narrows Island, thus successfully deepening and widening the narrows
John G. Evin, photographed in Cowley, Alta., circa 1926. He acquired the Skalistoye property in 1931. Photo: Jonathan J. Kalmakoff collection where Baillie-Grohman had failed 50 years earlier. Once the river improvement project was completed, the east half of Lot 5180 apparently reverted to the Crown. Four years later, on Dec. 9, 1943, a reserve was placed over it as part of an order-in-council securing all vacant Crown land in the province. However the land wasn’t actually
Dredging and excavation work is seen adjacent to Lot 5180 in April 1939. Photo: Fred Fransen, courtesy Thor Fransen vacant. At some point prior to 1939, chase the east half of Lot 5180, now Hadikin, who in turn sold it to Louis Evin rented out his Skalistoye ranch subject to the Crown reserve. The gov- H. Skapple in 1952. to William George Hadikin who oc- ernment approved his purchase request In 1950, Donna and Wilbert Andercupied it with his family. Owing to on May 8, 1946 by order-in-council son bought the west half of Lot 5180 some mix-up, Hadikin continued to at a price of $5.50 per acre for a total from the Evin estate and began farmpay rent for the entire Lot 5180 after of $330. ing, although the property was not the east half was transferred to West The reserve was cancelled but the actually transferred into their name Kootenay Power. This only became property transfer wasn’t completed until August 1954. By 1961, they also apparent in May 1946 after Evin died. until 1947. Hadikin died at his home purchased the east half of Lot 5180 In order to validate his occupancy of the following year at age 73 and his from Skapple. Next: The fight to create Grohman the land and protect the improvements wife Mary followed a year later. The he‘d made, Hadikin applied to pur- property passed to their son Bill W. Narrows Park
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