This 1958 photograph shows the people of Ocean Falls joining in the province’s celebrations by coming together to launch a new community library, turning the first sod on June 5th. It was a centennial project, marking 100 years since the founding of the mainland Colony of British Columbia.

Remote places like Ocean Falls are a part of a community family that links to the provincial family through records like this one. As men, women and children came together to take the first steps toward their new library, the Ocean Falls community showed their involvement in the province’s celebrations. Since libraries are egalitarian, family-oriented spaces in communities, I think this photograph represents one of the positive aspects of the wider “family”.

Series GR-3280 consists of records acquired by the British Columbia Centennial Committee showcasing projects, celebrations and participants from the province’s 1958, 1966-67 and 1971 centennials. The committee received more than 7,000 photographs from around the province. Photographs in this Ocean Falls file were sent to the centennial committee by Mr. D. Heibert of Ocean Falls.