The pictures below are just a small sampling from the archives of photos that were put away by former Supervisors of the Mechanical Division. This small sampling is a tribute to them. This display provides a good comparator to the hardships that they endured compared to the present day fleet with 400HP trucks equipped with stereos, air conditioning and finger touch electrical controls. |
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I started my career with Highways in 1971 at the age of 17 yrs shortly after dropping out of Grade ten at Ashern High School. The government at the time was in the process of re-surfacing PR 235 (now PTH 68) from PTH 6 to the Lake Manitoba Narrows. I applied for a job on this shop based asphalt crew and was hired as a labourer on the Woods asphalt plant. Making $2.24 hr with tons of overtime I was the proudest kid on the planet....certainley the richest kid in Vogar where we worked for 6 bucks a day in the hayfield. The following year I was hired by the late George Gobelle to work as a flagman on the new seal coat crew. All 40 of us on this newly formed seal coat crew worshipped this very kind and decent man.
With the kind words of reference by George Gobelle, I was hired by Charlie Tanner to work as a Winnipeg shop operator in the spring of 1974. Charlie Tanner placed me as an operator on the new Materials and Research test drill. I was responsible for the mechanical operation of this machine as well as the engineering aspect of this operation. I worked as a Mechanical Division employee for the Materials and Research Division. Fred Young was the Materials Engineer with Alex Livingstone as his assistant along with a young new rising star in the engineering team, Ray Van Cauwenbergh. We conducted preliminary and final grade and soil surveys throughout the province. I had one operator, sometimes two as helpers (mud-shovellers) on this job. This was in the 1970's when there was tons of construction money and so much work. The twinning of the TCH 1 was our primary workplace. District 8 (Dauphin) was also a major hub of activity with the Highways Minister Peter Burtniak as a resident of the area. I met literally all of the provincial engineering staff on this job and had the opportunity to travel to every area of the province meeting staff and learning soils identification and road building solutions for different applications. I couldn't believe I could be this fortunate. Winter activities usually involved being stationed in District six (Portage la Prairie-MacGregor-Gladstone areas) operating rotary snowplows (snowblowers) when the frost became too deep for drilling operations. I have attached but a few photos of this era below. |
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In the spring of 1980 an opening arose for a semi-trailer driver in the shop. I was approached by Charlie Tanner and most gratefully took this job. I drove the ashpalt tanker and lowbed units around the province moving crews around and hauling hot liquid ashpalt to the asphalt plants and maintenance yards. PTH 7 now boasted a brand new four lane highway from Winnipeg to Stonewall. The late Laverne Thompson and Charlie Tanner both called me into the office and asked if I would be intertested in servicing the Stonewall-Warren-Teulon areas in the winter months with a new truck-plow. I must admit I was delerious with shock and happiness. I had the use of my new LT9000 Ford truck tractor being converted to a snow-plow for the winter months and I would be home every night!. I truly was the happiest man on this planet. Life was good.
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The shots below are of the Winnipeg shop personnel. These are the men and women that work so very hard to ensure that all the regional staff have their equipment repaired and delivered in a timely manner. I don't know of any staff that works harder than these guys. These are the guys that go out at any hour of the day or nite to repair equipment on site or lowbed them in for repair. They endure working under oil drenched machines in snowbanks at night in sub-zero weather. You name the worst scenario....they have been there. This is my subtle tribute to them. |
In the winter of 2000 I was involved in an accident that left me with permanent back damage. I was provided an opportunity to work in Portage la Prairie as an accounting clerk with an SAP certificate. With the help of my good friends Bob McKay and Greg Catteeuw I am now in a totally different environment. Opportunity knocked again and I am now working for Compliance and Regulatory Services under the directorship of an old friend Greg Catteuw. I am now temporarily positioned as an A/Manager in Permit Services. This is a great job also. Much stress but I still get to communicate with my old friends in the Department stationed in various parts of the province on a weekly basis. I truly have been blessed. A few shots of fellow workers at CRS above. |
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