Skip to content

Fall fair full of history

The 43rd annual Halfmoon Bay Country Fair at Coopers Green July 25 to 26 has a special significance for many reasons.

The 43rd annual Halfmoon Bay Country Fair at Coopers Green July 25 to 26 has a special significance for many reasons. It is not only under new management by the Welcome Beach Community Association, but it also coincides with the centennial of Coopers Green as a resort property. The Green has been providing continuous fun, relaxation and entertainment for 100 years on the Coast.

According to research by Gary Little, the "Map Guy" at Royal LePage Sunshine Coast, the land on which Coopers Green is sited was purchased in 1909 by three early entrepreneurs who created the Redrooffs Resort as it was then known. It was operated as a resort for the next 76 years, the last 40 by Jim Cooper and the Cooper family for whom the park is named. It was acquired by the Sunshine Coast Regional District in 1985 for a nominal sum, from Jim's widow Khona and daughter Patty. The Coopers Green Park we all know and enjoy was born and has been home to the Halfmoon Bay Country Fair since 1967.

In light of this historic occasion, the Welcome Beach Community Association intends to present the best Country Fair yet with all the old favourites plus many new ones. Little, aided by La Cabana Gallery in Sechelt, has donated an elegantly-framed copy of a rare 1911 chart of Welcome Pass, the first one known to use the name of Halfmoon Bay. It will be on display at Coopers Green Hall during the Saturday night family dinner and all day Sunday; it will be a featured item offered by silent auction until 3 p.m. Sunday with proceeds going to the association.

A full detailed history of the Redrooffs Resort, featuring early photographs and maps supplied by Little, will also be on display in the Coopers Green Hall.

- Submitted