RIVERS
BANNER September 16, 2016
ersary v i n Celebrating our 108th An
Gazette-Reporter Serving the Rivers, Rapid City and Oak River areas for 107 years
Volume 109, Issue 12
89¢ + tax
“McTavish’s” making a move By Sheila Runions Banner Staff
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ootprints & Chalkdust, a Cardale/Roselawn/ Raven’s Glen history book from 1892-1982, claims Cardale Siding came into being in 1907 and by 1913 it was a “thriving village.” In 1910 share certificates were sold to area farmers who were able to build a store in 1913. Charles Beattie of Rapid City rented the two-storey building and operated Beattie’s General Store, which had a community hall on its upper level, until 1915. Beattie’s General Store also housed Cardale’s first post office, and did so until 1922. Sid Smith bought the store in 1916, which was managed by his brother-in-law George Simmie, while he was serving in the First World War, 1916-19. Sid and wife Edna (married Dec. 29, 1920) ran Cardale United Store until their retirement in 1951, when they sold to Ches and Isabel McTavish. Because of failing health, McTavishes sold to Al Graham in 1965 but three years later, Al left the community and the store sat empty. Ches and Isabel purchased the store for a second time and after four months of extensive renovations, reopened McTavish’s Solo Store on Nov. 1, 1970. In 1974 the old store once again became home to Cardale Post Office; it remained the outlet for the mail corporation until 1979 — the year Isabel turned 65; Canada Post forced her to retire and moved the office to Cardale Co-op. Ches died June 18, 1978 but Isabel continued to run the store until 1997, though hours at that time were somewhat sporadic and stock was very limited. Isabel died in 2002 and an auction sale was held to dispense of stock and furnishings; Ches and Isabel had no children. In 2008 George Thomson of Elphinstone bought the corner store — it was built on the northwest side of the Main Street/ Railway Avenue intersection. A
Photo by Sheila Runions
A former grocery store in Cardale has been moved off its foundation and set on beams to prepare for transport southeast of Austin.
year later, he sold to Justin and Pauline Moyer who discovered a building “plugged full of every antique you could think of,” says Pauline (nee Skiftun who grew up in Cardale). “When we bought it, we had movers come in to see if it was sturdy and they said it was a solid structure and lean-to, just the basement foundation was starting to crumble. We planned to renovate it and move it; however, essentially
the bank wouldn’t let us do three things — renovate, buy land and move it. We ended up gutting it so it’s very easy for someone else to renovate it; we sold to Brian Scarrow.” Brian, son of Garnet and Muriel, who lived in Rivers from 1961-2009 (Muriel died in 1968), attended school in Rivers and worked for Taylor’s Transfer. Upon graduation he moved to Alberta and started his
own trucking company, which he recently sold to his son Jim. Brian has retired from Calgary and is beginning the process of moving McTavish’s store to land southeast of Austin, where he currently resides. The building remains on moving beams on the west side of Railway Avenue while Manitoba Hydro corrects its original plan to lift wires and co-ordinate manpower on the long journey. The store was to
Crash claims life By Sheila Runions Banner Staff n Sept. 12 Brandon RCMP were called to a single-vehicle collision on PR 110 West near the intersection of PR 65 North. The 6:30 p.m. crash in the RM of Elton claimed the life of Paul Houle of Wheatland. RCMP forensic collision reconstructionists are working with the Brandon detachment in their ongoing investigation of the accident. According to the police press release, “When officers arrived on scene, they found a pickup truck had collided
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with a hydro pole. A 28-year-old male from Rivers was deceased inside the vehicle.” Paul began working at a new job less than three months ago. He leaves behind his girlfriend Jen Vanderveen, a toddler son Landon and a two-month-old daughter, Rozalee. A Go Fund Me page was created on Sept. 13; in 24 hours, 28 people had donated more than $1,700. If you wish to support this grieving family, please visit gofundme.com/26urb7re.
have been moved Sept. 6 but was still in that hamlet on Sept. 14; the community was told on Sept. 13 that it may finally be moved on Sept. 19. Attempts to reach Brian were unsuccessful but community gossip is that the store will become his retirement home 10 miles south of Hwy. 1 and a little west of Hwy. 34. Brian has extended an offer to the Moyers to visit the home once he is done renovating.