CBC/SRC ASSOCIATION FALL LUNCHEON IN NANAIMO-SEPT.24, 2025
A glorious Autumn day in the beautiful setting of Departure Bay, Nanaimo enhanced a get-together of CBC retired and former employees at Carlos O'Bryan's Irish Pub, just a short distance from the ferry terminal. The location is perfect to bring Vancouver and Gulf Island residents together with those from the B.C. mainland but on this occasion all did NOT go according to plan.
The Vancouver Island and Gulf Island attendees - Marv Coulthard, Allan Falconer, Cliff & Kathleen Gilfillan, Ken Golemba, John Mang, Gary Murray and Mike Weir - were at the pub for the intended start time of 11:00 a.m. Those from the mainland - Lori Konorti, Peggy Oldfield and Sue Stern - were not. These three planned to be aboard the 8:35 a.m. ferry from Horseshoe Bay. Sue phoned BC Transit to determine what bus she needed to be on to catch that ferry and Lori estimated driving time to get herself and Peggy there. Busy traffic, however, upset the timing for both modes of transportation and the ferry departed Horseshoe Bay five minutes before car and bus arrived. The days of a ferry departure every hour are no more and the next sailing was at 11:00 a.m. So Sue, Lori and Peggy walked over to Troll's Restaurant and enjoyed a light breakfast (not wanting to spoil lunch at the pub) while waiting, and Peggy scrambled to contact the pub and several of the Island attendees to let them know the mainland contingent would be arriving after 1:00 p.m. It was in fact about twenty after by the time the trio walked from the ferry through the parking lot to the pub. By that time, Marv, Allan, Ken and John had left but Kathleen & Cliff and Mike had stayed and remained for another hour and a half of great conversation while Lori, Sue and Peggy had their lunch. The pub food and service was fabulous and the only disappointment in the day was that it spanned two shifts and we didn't all get to see each other. The journey back to the mainland was via the 4:00 p.m. ferry instead of the originally-thought 2:00 p.m. one.
Ken Golemba kindly took photos of the Lunch-Part-One group (which unfortunately meant he got left out) and the pub wait-person captured the Lunch-Part-Two group.
Sept 24 Vancouverand Gulf Island attendees. L-R: Mike Weir, Marv Coulthard, Gary Murray, John Mang, Cliff Gillfillan, Kathleen Gilfillan. Missing is photographer Ken Golemba.
John Mang with Cliff & Kathleen Gilfillan
Mike Weir, Marv Coulthard and Gary Murray
Lunch Part Two with the Mainland late arrivals. L-R: Mike Weir, Sue Stern, Peggy Oldfield, Lori Konorti, Cliff Gilfillan and Kathleen Gilfillan