The original Doukhobor Village at Castlegar, B.C., is operated by the Kootenay Doukhobor Historical Society and is now renamed the Doukhobor Discovery Center.

I was part of the founding members that constructed the buildings on the site across from the Castlegar Airport. I also was part of the committee that researched the Doukhobor Villages in the Kootenay Region and drew the original drawings.

One day in the late 1970s, I received a phone call from Jim Cameron, Public Relations Officer for Cominco Ltd (now Teck), asking me if could assist him in a arranging a tour of the facility as he was challenged with a request from the Federal Government to conduct an educational experience for approximately forty (40) young entrepreneurs from the province of Quebec. This was to be a program to bring citizens from Eastern Canada to the West and encourage better ties with each other.

Jim and I were Trail Rotarians and so it was easy to have me accept the request.

I was to greet this entourage led by Ed Schreyer, former Manitoba Premier and ex-Ambassador to Australia. Jim allotted one full hour for a tour of the Village and provide a descriptive education on the Doukhobor peoples residing in the area since 1908.

Once completed then the bus would take them to the rest of their tour.

So I needed help and I solicited the following:

1. Harry and Vera Voykin, operators of the Doukhobor Restaurant agreed to meet the group in the traditional Doukhobor fashion. He would then serve them a bowl of Borsch and freshly baked bread. This had to be achieved in fifteen (15) minutes.
2. Members of the Doukhobor Cultural Association (DCA) and I would lead them through the restored orchard (about 300 meters) to the Village Compound)
3. Peter Samolayoff. Conductor of the Kootenay Choir (about 12 young couples), assembled his Choir (all dressed in traditional Doukhobor customes), in the courtyard of the Village and would start singing hymns (in Russian) as soon as the entourage left the restaurant.
4. As soon as the group all entered the compound they were met by members of the DCA who spread them out facing the choir and permitted them to listen for about five (5) minutes.
5. The DCA had prearranged guides that would separate the group into three (3) parties:
   1. One group started the tour of the U-shaped buildings to the right
   2. The second group entered the two story community building
   3. The third group wen directly to the audio-visual Center (the second two story community building
   4. The idea was to provide thirteen (13) minutes in each selected location so that all would be shown and artifacts explained
   5. All the while the Kootenay Choir would sing

Everything took place like clockwork and the group reassembled  at their bus after bidding adieu to the Choir.

A few years went by and my construction company was in contract to construct a one acre sized First Nations School at Nelson House Manitoba. I was travelling from Vancouver to Winnipeg and I looked up as this gentleman walked by me. It was night and the visibility in the plane was poor and I returned to my thoughts.

A few minutes later, this same gentleman was returning from his bathroom visit when he stopped to look at me. “Yes now I remember now…..the Doukhobor Village at Castlegar, B.C. in 197_?, right..”

I was surprised as then I recognized Ed Schreyer.

“I will never forget the acappella singing, the Borsch and the Village Tour..” as I sat there with my mouth open. It was astounding at this man’s memory!

We chatted a bit more and he carried on to his seat.

It has been a long time but I wanted to record this beautiful memory.

Posted 1315, Tuesday, July 07, 2020 by EWV