Inception and the Seventies

 

1977

The Vancouver chapter of the Canadian Hosteling Association (CHA), wanting to establish a Victoria chapter, holds a meeting in Victoria with slides of Nepal. Matthew Nicoll, who had recently returned from traveling, attends the meeting and is elected chairman of the new Victoria chapter of the CHA. The Pack and Boot Shops, an outdoor recreation equipment supply store sponsored by the CHA, is established in Victoria and becomes the local CHA information center.

1978

In January, Matthew Nicoll leads a small group on the first outdoor event: a cross-country ski trip to Whistler (this is prior to the development of the Whistler and Blackcomb Ski Complex). Monthly "general" meetings are held to announce up-coming events and to obtain feedback. Each meeting features a slide show on some aspect of traveling and/or the outdoors. Many outdoor events, including those to Whistler, take advantage of CHA shelters as a base camp. Dave Cotter emerges as the bicycle trip "specialist", Linda Priestley shows leadership in canoe trips, and Matthew becomes the ski trip "leader". The first executive is elected at the May 10th meeting and the first Annual General Meeting is held in December.

 

President:

Matthew Nicoll

 

Norm Tandberg

 

Gill Tandberg

 

Dave Cotter

 

Felicity Page

 

Eugene Evans (age 16)

1979

The number of events expands to a day trip or a weekend trip just about every week. A collection of "regular" destinations and activities begins to emerge. They include Whistler, East Sooke Park, Strathcona Park, Long Beach, West Coast beaches, and Sooke area mountains. Emphasis is on backpacking trips with day hikes as "fill-in" activities. First annual Halloween Party held at Norm and Gill Tandberg's.

 

President:

Matthew Nicoll

 

Norm Tandberg

 

Gill Tandberg

 

Dave Cotter

 

Felicity Page

 

Eugene Evans

 

The Eighties

1980

 Bruce Archibald, an expert sailor, adds sailing trips as a new dimension to the club. First annual Christmas Party with "Santa" and gift-exchange is held at Linda Priestley's parents place. The Forbidden Plateau 'round-house' becomes a base camp for ski trips to Forbidden Plateau.

President:

Norm Tandberg

1981

Matthew leaves Victoria to travel in Africa. Norm Tandberg is president. Dave Cotter designs and produces a silk-screened CHA T-shirt which is sold to members. The Rossalan trail is built by the Outdoors Club of Victoria and they invite the CHA chapter to use it. The number of social events is expanded and includes evenings at Harpo's.

 

President Norm Tandberg

 

1982

Friday night "Sports Night" is established after a summer of softball. Organizers include the president, Linda Priestly, Bruce Archibald, Jeff Hawker, Dennis Haller, and Norm Tandberg. All are welcome at the Oaklands School gym for drop-in activities including volleyball, basketball, indoor soccer, and floor hockey. First ski trip to Mt. Washington organized by Bruce Archibald and Norm Tandberg. A condo is shared by 12 members. Jeff Hawker and Dennis Haller produce the first newsletter. It contains the event schedule, club news, book reviews, camping recipes, etc.

 

President Linda Priestly

 

1983

Each quarterly schedule contains about 10 events and is printed on one side of standard size paper. Approximately 80 percent of the events are outdoor activities. Members include: the president,  Linda Priestley, Gary Norris, Norm and Gill Tandberg, Russ and Marjorie Raine, Rick Roberts, Sue Wilson, Bruce Archibald, Marilyn Simes, Dave Cotter, Nick Evans, Dennis Haller, Ron Armstrong, Bill Nicholson, Sarah Ebell, Felicity Page, Bill Bradley, Ray Hall. An effort was made to schedule a wider variety of activities and to make a commitment to completing events as planned. Car-pooling costs were set at the cost of gas plus 10%.

 

President:

Linda Priestley

 

1984

The quarterly activities schedule is expanded to include club news and is printed on both sides of legal size paper. Each schedule contains information about the new Victoria Hostel, the B.C. Federation of Mountain Clubs, outdoor recipes, and a book review. The number and title of positions in the executive changes throughout the year. The schedules contains between 13 and 18 events. Norm Tandberg and Dennis Haller represent the Club at the B.C. Federation of Mountain Clubs. The Federation is designed to liaise with government and private industry to establish a provincial policy on land use with special attention focused on Strathcona Park and Mt. Washington. Other participants include the Sierra Club and the Alpine Club. Discussions become heated as the government proposes mining and logging contracts for these areas. The Friends of Strathcona Park, a political advocacy group, is established. The Victoria Hostel is established.

 

President:

Nick Evans

Sec/Treasurer:

Marjorie Raine

Vice President:

Rick Roberts

Activities:

Gary Norris

Publicity:

Ron Armstrong

Prov. Delegate:

Russ Raine

 

Rick Roberts

 

Gary Norris (alternate)

Newsletter:

Dennis Haller

 

Jeff Hawker

 

1985

A new executive structure is established. The schedules contain around 20 events. Newsletter-oriented "trip reports" begin to appear on the schedules. The recommendation to form an outdoors club, independent of the CHA, is met with an even split in votes.

 

President:

Barbara Sickling

Sec/Treasurer:

Ann Tarves

Publicity:

Ron Armstrong

Newsletter:

Dennis Haller

 

Jeff Hawker

 

1986

Concerned about liability, the Canadian Hostel Association decide to sever relationships with the Victoria Outdoor Section in December. A group of VOS members decide to carry on in the following year as an independent group.

President:

Barbara Sickling

Sec/Treasurer:

Ann Tarves

Publicity:

Ron Armstrong

Newsletter:

Dennis Haller

 

1987

The new club is formed. Ron Armstrong coins the name "Club Tread" and Betty Walsh designs the boot-print logo for the newly founded club. Dues are charged for the first time - $8 per year. Buddy Bhandar offers his house in the hills of Shawnigan Lake as the site for the annual Halloween Party.

President:

Ann Tarves

Treasurer/Membership:

Gary Norris

Publicity:

Ron Armstrong

Newsletter:

Betty Walsh

 Year end membership: 44

 

1988

The new Club Tread experiences significant growth. Dues are increased to $12 per year and the quarterly schedules contain between 26 and 43 events. The composition of the executive is expanded early in the year. The location of the departure point is changed from Mayfair or Tillicum malls to the Saanich Municipal Hall. "Official" Club Tread T-shirts are created and sold. Annual Christmas party is moved to the Norway House and a D.J. is hired. This continues to be a potluck event. Rob Denny takes over as a leader in sailing events with his 30' sail boat Waxwing.

President:

John Lindeblom

Treasurer/Membership:

Dave Steffy

Outdoor Events:

Cass Laird

 

Rob Rix

 

Ray Hall

Social Events:

Shirley Turcotte

Sports:

Dennis Haller

Publicity:

Ron Armstrong

Newsletter:

Betty Walsh

 Year end membership: 60

 

1989

Founding members begin to leave the Club for a number of reasons including new-found family responsibilities and a feeling that the group has grown too big. Some begin to feel that the Club is evolving into a "singles" group and are discomforted by this. A small faction opposed to the proliferation of social events emerges. Two different schedules of activities are produced - one available to Club members and the general public containing only outdoor events, and the other for Club members only containing just social events. Dues are increased to $15 per year and the quarterly schedules contain between 25 and 41 events. New memberships are actively pursued.

 

President:

Brad Watson

Treasurer/Membership:

Irena Jazwinski

Outdoor Events:

Cass Laird

 

Russ Page

 

Rob Denny

Social Events:

Phyllis Kynas

Sports:

Janet Peterson

Publicity:

Ron Armstrong

Newsletter:

Wendy Fischer

 Year end membership: 99

 

2009

President

Gail Clarke

Past President

Tom Gore

Vice President

George Welsh

Secretary 

Liz Williams

Treasurer 

John Ward

Outdoor Events:

Don Ferster

Membership

Jacquie Hunt

Webmaster

Mike Motek
Publicity Judy Brown
Schedule Editor Sue Ward

Newspaper Editor

Barry Gaetz

Social

Dana Waite

Social

Liz Williams

 

 2010

President

Gail Clarke

Past President

Tom Gore

Vice President

George Welsh

Secretary 

Janine Silk

Treasurer 

John Ward

Outdoor Events:

Don Ferster

Membership

Jacquie Hunt

Webmaster

Mike Motek
Publicity Judy Brown
Schedule Editor Sue Ward

Newspaper Editor

Barry Gaetz

Social

Dana Waite

Social

Liz Williams

 

 2011

President

Gail Clarke

Past President

Tom Gore

Vice President

George Welsh

Secretary 

Janine Silk

Treasurer 

John Ward

Outdoor Events:

Donna White

Membership

Donna Medgyesi

Webmaster

Mike Motek
Publicity Carol Madsen
Schedule Editor Fred Trudell

Newspaper Editor

Barry Gaetz

Social

Sue Warren

 

2012

President

Gail Clarke

Past President

Tom Gore

Vice President

George Welsh

Secretary 

Janine Silk

Treasurer 

John Ward

Outdoor Events:

Donna White

Membership

Donna Medgyesi

Webmaster

Mike Motek
Publicity Carol Madsen
Schedule Editor Graham Hayes

Newspaper Editor

Barry Gaetz

Social

Sue Warren

 

2013

President

Barry Gaetz

Vice President

Henry Dembicki

Secretary 

Veronica Allan

Treasurer 

Judy Leonard

Outdoor Events:

Donna White

Membership

Donna Medgyesi

Webmaster/Communications

George Welsh

 

2014

President

Barry Gaetz

Vice President

Anne McCormack

Secretary 

Christine O'Leary

Treasurer 

Judy Leonard

Outdoor Events:

Donna White

Membership

Graham Hayes

Webmaster/Communications

George Welsh

 

2015

President

Donna White

Vice President

Anne McCormack

Secretary 

Christine O'Leary

Treasurer 

Sue Ward

Outdoor Events:

Wendy Keeping

Membership

Sheila Hunter

Communications

Penny Pattison

Webmaster

George Welsh

 

2016

President

Donna White

Vice President

Gail Clarke

Secretary 

Jane Burford

Treasurer 

Sue Ward

Outdoor Events:

Leanne Ihmel

Membership

Sheila Hunter

Communications

Penny Pattison

Webmaster

George Welsh

 

2017

President

Donna White

Vice President

Gail Clarke

Secretary 

Jane Burford

Treasurer 

Sue Ward

Outdoor Events:

Leanne Ihmel

Membership

Sheila Hunter

Communications

Penny Pattison

Webmaster

George Welsh

 

2018

President

Larry Pontus

Vice President

Pamela Smirk

Secretary 

Jane Burford

Treasurer 

Katherine O'Leary

Outdoor Events:

Donna White

Membership

Sheila Hunter

Communications

George Welsh

Webmaster

George Welsh

 

2019

President

Larry Pontus

Vice President

Pamela Smirk

Secretary 

Jane Burford

Treasurer 

Scott Sedman

Outdoor Events:

Donna White

Membership

Sheila Hunter

Communications

George Welsh

Webmaster

George Welsh

 

2020

President

Larry Pontus

Vice President

John Peebles

Secretary 

Pamela Smirk

Treasurer 

Scott Sedman

Outdoor Events:

Donna White

Membership

Tara Fenwick

Communications

George Welsh

Webmaster

George Welsh

 

2021

President

John Peebles

Vice President

Don Ferster

Secretary 

Pamela Smirk

Treasurer 

Donna Fleming

Outdoor Events:

Donna White

Membership

Tara Fenwick

Communications

George Welsh

Webmaster

George Welsh

 

2022

President

John Peebles

Vice President

Don Ferster

Secretary 

Pamela Smirke

Treasurer 

Donna Fleming

Trip Leader Coordinator

Saurabh Ray

Membership

Tara Fenwick

Communications Director

Eva Gnech