Events from 1964

CKPG-TV began sending out its signal through a new 500-watt transmitter on Tabor Mountain. It was three times as powerful as the first transmitter situated atop Connaught Hill.

Delta Properties Limited announced the intention to build a hotel called "Inn of the North." The Chamber of Commerce protested vigorously, pointing out "the unfortunate geographic connotation" of the name. The company responded that a contest would be held to name the hotel. The name would stands as "Inn of the North."

In the spring, Mayor Dezell suggested creating a special tourist attraction atop Connaught Hill. He proposed that a model of the fort at Fort St. James be built which could also serve as a tea room and observation point to view the city. Opposition from Fort St. James citizens was strong. One individual threatened that "If Prince George builds a model of our fort every airplane owner in this town (Fort St. James) will dive bomb it. They have no right to capitalize on our fort." The replica fort was never built.

Dr. Gerald Bonham, director of the Northern Interior Health Unit, produced a report warning of the problems of air inversions and prevailing winds which could keep odour from the pulp mills and smoke and fly ash from lumber mills hanging over the city. Because of the city’s topography, air inversions, where a layer of cold air is trapped and held by a layer of warmer air over it, are common occurrences. Cold air is laden with pollutants.

Tragedy in the form of flooding struck homes in the Island Cache area in June. Half of the 900 residents had to be evacuated, and in the low-lying areas, water reached the level of window sills on homes. In most places, water depth ranged from two to four feet; in other places, the depth was as much as 20 to 30 feet.

A new roadway, known as the Bypass Highway, opened to traffic on August 6. The road diverts traffic coming into town on the Vanderhoof Highway around the main business district and leads to the Hart Highway north to Dawson Creek.

By December, construction of the $57 million Northwood Pulp mill was nearing completion. The first load of chips for processing came from the Brownmiller Bros. mill at Quesnel.