Dawson Creek Athletic Association
History

The Dawson Creek Athletic Association was formed on November 23, 1931, by a group of sports minded citizens which included: Wesley O. Harper, William A. Reasbeck, Russell Craig, Harry Morrow, James N. Bond, Ed Anderson, Ace Comstock, and Earl Barkwell. The purpose of the DCAA was to promote sporting activities and facilities in the small village of Dawson Creek, which then had a population of about 300 people.

William A. Reasbeck was elected as the Association's first president, an office he held until 1944. Earl Barkwell was the first secretary treasurer and served until June of 1932 when he and Jack McLaughlin left to go panning for gold.

 

Harrow Morrow was then appointed secretary-treasurer and he served continuously until June 1970, a remarkable span of 38 years.

In June 1969, Harry Morrow was honored by the City of Dawson Creek by having "Harry Morrow Park" named for him.

Shortly after the Association was formed, it leased some 97 acres from the Northern Alberta Railways and then following incorporation in 1935, purchased the land for $40 an acre.

In order to raise money to purchase the 97 acres from the N.A.R., the land between l04th and 100th Avenues, and from 8th Street to 10th Street was subdivided into lots and offered for sale.

 

It took a selling job to convince residents they needed a lot that ranged in price from $75 to $100 per lot with payments of $5 per month.

With the start of construction of the Alaska Highway in 1942, the balance of the lots between 10th and 13th Streets along l04th and 105th Avenues went on sale for $100 to $125 each with a 10 percent discount for cash. This time, there was no need for any sales promotion, as people stood in line for hours, prior to the start of the sale.

During the Second World War, the DCAA was not very active, but invested funds from the sale of lots, and at the war's end had $16,000 in Victory Bonds.

 

Approximately 23 acres, where the Memorial Arena, Curling Rink, H.J. O'Brien Elementary, and Central Junior Secondary Schools are located, was deeded to the Village of Dawson Creek for park purposes.

After World War II, the DCAA purchased from the War Assets Corporation almost three quarters of land, the present golf course lying south of the Alaska Highway and the entire portion of section 21 lying north of the Highway.

A large U.S. Army warehouse 50' x 200' was also purchased, moved onto Block 25 and made into a three-sheet curling rink. Another three sheets of curling ice were later added to this building.

In 1947, the DCAA formed a steering committee to raise money for the construction of the Dawson Creek and District Memorial Arena, which was built in 1951.

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