Since Canadian Greyhound started in Nelson, B.C. 89 years ago we will be making a last trip on Saturday, Oct. 27 leaving Nelson at 9:35 a.m. and arriving in Grand Forks at 11:45 a.m. Please welcome us during the four hours we have in the Home of Sunshine and Borscht.
In 1922, Johnny Learmonth built his own bus and started a daily trip from his home at Willow Point to Nelson and return. As roads became more passable he was running to Trail, having to rebuild and improve his bus as the rough roads were so tough on vehicles. In partnership with Herb Harrop and others he formed Kootenay Valley Transportation adding trips to Kaslo and Nakusp to the existing ones to Balfour and Trail.
Their successful business was attractive to Seattle men who purchased it and incorporated as Canadian Greyhound Coaches Ltd, B.C. on Nov. 30, 1929. By 1931 a new road was completed up the east shore of Kootenay Lake to Gray Creek where the Sternwheeler SS Nasookin became the ferry to Frasers landing (Balfour). That allowed the company to run buses daily from Nelson to Calgary, with a connection at Kingsgate where passengers could transfer to a bus to Spokane and on to California.
The B.C. government first chartered the big sternwheeler SS Nasookin from the CPR and then purchased it in 1933. Thus this became the only place in the world where a sternwheeler carried a daily Greyhound, carefully balanced across the bow. In the 16 years of this operation there was never an accident of any kind.
My sister Alice and I grew up running the frequent phone messages to the bus drivers. When sometimes the steam powered Nasoookin was off for a boiler clean the SS Moyie would fill in. Since the Moyie was not large enough to carry a bus we would have a spare coach parked in our yard and a mechanic would be eating meals with our family.
My dad never had a car so we always used the bus that came to our doorstep - our store was a Greyhound depot. Having grown up with Greyhound I have always been a dedicated Greyhounder and its sad to see this popular service disappear. Unfortunately offshore management from the existing owners in Dallas, Texas has worn away 89 years of service by dedicated drivers and all other staff.
Tom Lymbery
Grey Creek, B.C.