Delta Marsh History Initiative, Steering Committee Meeting

9:00 am, 16 September 2003
Home of Shirley Christianson, Portage la Prairie

Present: Barry Bills, Shirley Christianson, Denzil Gamble, Heidi den Haan, Gordon Goldsborough (sec), Bob Jones, Cynthia Jordan, Glen Suggett

1. Minutes of the last meeting (23 June) were approved by consensus following a few minor changes: 4f) It was Jordan’s uncle, Jack Home, not her father, who was a train fireman on the run to Delta.

2. Business arising from the minutes

a) Dow – den Haan and Goldsborough met with Doreen Dow and her daughter, soon after the Canada Day Fish Fry at Delta, and borrowed a collection of photographs and documents relating to her late husband Doug’s commercial fishing activities on Lake Manitoba.

b) Denton – Goldsborough had contacted Trevor Denton of Portage la Prairie, on a tip from Mackey, and he had provided a package of documents relating to his grandparents’ farm on the south side of the marsh in the late 19^th century. As the materials related as much to the Oakland project as to Delta, he had provided a copy to Mrs. McGowan.

c) Tin Town – Suggett emailed a copy of the text from the Dangerfield interview to Goldsborough and brought accompanying photos to today’s meeting but he has still not procured permission from Mr. Dangerfield to use them.

d) Brown – No progress to report on contacting Mr. Brown regarding more Delta photographs.

3. New business

a) Fish fry – Gamble provided a $20 donation in lieu of attendance at the Canada Day fish fry, and Goldsborough will make sure that he receives a tax receipt. Expenses incurred by Bills and Christianson are not yet paid. Goldsborough will bring the cheque book to the next meeting to reimburse them. We received $59 from Donalda Johnson as the proceeds from her arts and crafts sale at Delta. Goldsborough will provide a full accounting of the fish fry at the next meeting. Discussion ensued on whether we should organize any more similar events, since we will not need additional funds beyond those already in our bank account until we incur publication costs for the book. There was concern that the long lineup in the hot sun was a disincentive, especially for seniors, although it was generally agreed this was not something over which we had control. Stephanie Christianson spoke with Dennis Blanchard, who indicated that he is willing to do another fish fry sometime. The consensus was that we will not have another one until next Canada Day. It was proposed that this should become a regular annual event at Delta.

4. Delta discoveries

a) Hutchinson – Pauch will report at a future meeting on her interview with Bill Hutchinson.

b) Bumsted – Goldsborough reported on the work that Sian Bumsted did during the month that she worked for us during the summer. She transcribed over 100 pages from the Portage papers, bringing us to the 1980s (effectively, the present). Suggest asked if it would be possible to make these transcriptions available on our web site for use by committee members. Goldsborough will look into it.

c) McKenzie – Jones mentioned that a Ms. McKenzie had been the last Delta school teacher, circa 1965. Charlotte Jones can track her down for a possible interview.

5. Next meeting: The next meeting will be held at the home of Shirley Christianson (118 Wilkinson Crescent, Portage la Prairie) at 9:00 am on Monday, 20 October.

6. Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 am.