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Trail Blazers: Looking at long-ago Labour Day leisure

Trail Blazers is a historical feature in partnership with the Trail Museum and Archives
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A Labour Day model airplane competition drew plenty of interest at Butler Park in 1948. Photo: Trail Historical Society

With Labour Day here, the Trail Times acknowledges the remarkable history of the labour movement in the Silver City.

Instead of showing an industrial image of days long past, this year the newspaper is looking at what locals did for fun on the Labour Day holiday.

This photo, courtesy of the Trail Historical Society, harkens back to a time when the last long weekend before fall would draw huge crowds to special events at Butler Park.

Sports and culture days, circuses, carnivals, and rallies all demonstrated how valuable this East Trail park was to the community.

One such event, dating back 73 years, was a model airplane competition.

“Model airplane building was a popular hobby for young and old alike,” notes Sarah Benson-Lord, manager of the Trail Museum and Archives. “This event took place during Labour Day weekend in 1948 as part of a well-attended Trail Athletic Association sports day, parade, and series of ball games.”

The Trail Times wishes everyone a safe and healthy long weekend.

Please note our front office is closed today. Regular office hours, which are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, resume Tuesday.

Read more: Labour Day of Lore

Read more: Extraordinary fighters for worker’s rights



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Sheri Regnier

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