Looking for photos of Extension Village.

[DelightfulR]

same here. This cheaper than holiday treasure hunting in bc. treasure hunting in nanaimo!! lol.

[Don]

I'm certainlly into getting my ass outta this couch...

[Bunky]

Hi folks.
Umm..DelightfulR, when you are talking about accessing the secret valley from Nanaimo River Road are you refering to the entrance just before the old quarter mile straight stretch? There used to be an old car dump in there I think. See we used to go into the Secret Valley from Cinabar side, sort of cut through the farms fields and then well up behind the OLD barn area, and then down an old track in the trees following the creek I think. I haven't been there in over 30 years so my memory may be a bit hazy.

Mr. Riverrat, I used to know that ridge you were asking about as Garners Ridge, as old Joe Garner used to own the whole thing. I'm not sure if that's the real name. Could possibly be Cinabar Ridge. Nice area and if you know the way an easy walk between the Valley and the back end of South Wellington. I think there may be Petroglyphs up there in some areas but I don't remember for sure.
If you get the chance look for books written by Joe Garner. Interesting local lore by a local. He has passed on now though.

Man I wish I was over there to go on that hike with you folks! I took some pictures of the Farm when I was over this summer and as much as it has gotten bigger, it does not look that different.

DelightfulR did you live on the farm or somewhere real close? You mentioned riding fences for Mr. Torko. I had some second cousins who lived in one of the old farm houses on the ranch. Last name Baker. Any of this sound familiar?

Best regards, Dave.

[Bunky]

If you want to see a pic of the farm sort of looking in the general direction of the Secret Valley go to www.picasaweb.google.com/bunky7meister/.

Not exact but close in direction.

[Bathtub in Bohemia]

Does anybody remember seeing something that looked like a small racetrack up between the top end of Cinnabar valley and Extension? From the deadend at the end of Cinnabar drive we would come to a gravel road that led south off of what I think was South Fork Rd.. If you followed the road for a while you would come across this site. I seem to recall old, but small, billboards around the area as well.

p.s. It really is great to see images of areas I spent my childhood from the other side of the world! Thanks to all who are posting images!

[riverrat]

p.s. It really is great to see images of areas I spent my childhood from the other side of the world! Thanks to all who are posting images!

Whoah - you really are in Bohemia!?

[Bathtub in Bohemia]

Would I make that up?

[fitz]

Would I make that up?

So you're really a bathtub too?

WHOA. A talking bathtub! ---from Bohemia !

[yogi bear]

Hi all,

It's always interesting reading posts about one of my favourite topics....I'm not really all too familiar with the area being discussed, but I remember scrounging for auto parts at the old car dump off Nanaimo River Rd....just past the local "quarter mile" racetrack, where many a Sunday afternoon was spent watching Nanaimo's finest hotrods face off in a "run whatcha brung" drag race....

If you follow the old rail grade from the place where the trestle crossed the Nanaimo river towards Extension (Old Canadian Collieries ROW) you would eventually come to the site of the old Virostko Bros. sawmill, not too far from where the ROW meets White Rapids Rd...I grew up near the farm where two of the brothers lived, John and Paul....there was another brother who was an alderman for the City of Nanaimo named Alex. They got their wood supply from the forests near the mill, using an old engine from a 1900's era ex City of Vancouver LaFrance firetruck..man that motor was cool (and huge!) They used a real neat 1940's era REO Speedwagon to haul the wood products (mostly rough cut lumber, some of which my Dad bought when he extended our home from the miner's shack he purchased) The Speedwagon was also used to haul the sawdust from the mill which was used as a heating fuel in some of the Extension homes.

I'd love to spend an afternoon checking out the Extension boonies, so if anything gets going I'd like to tag along : )

On a more sombre note, it's with much sadness I note the passing of one of Extension's most noted citizens, Elaine Hamilton...I won't go into all the things she's done for the Extension community and the Regional District on the whole (the local papers have done a fine service noting these) But I would like to say how much she meant to me and my family..she was a great neighbour and friend to all of us, and was a second Mom to me when I was growing up...her son Mark (Hammy to us : )) was only 10 days older than me, and we were inseparable in our "youngin" days....I'm glad she lived to see the City recognise her contribution with the renaming of Trofton Park to Elaine Hamilton Park earlier this year.

Best Wishes to all this holiday season,
Al

[Bathtub in Bohemia]

So you're really a bathtub too?

WHOA. A talking bathtub! ---from Bohemia !

It wouldn't be the weirdest thing to be found here.