Chilliwack Museum Moment: Celebrating Chilliwack: Togetherness and Well-Wishing in Chilliwack Progress Advertisements, 1891-2020

Photograph courtesy of the Chilliwack Museum and Archives, [1973.034.005]

Advertisements have graced the pages of the Chilliwack Progress since its inaugural edition on April 16, 1891. Running alongside articles and stories published by journalists, advertisements are designed to draw our attention. Typically self-serving entities, advertisements invite us to purchase products and services and to attend events being held for the financial benefit of the person or company backing the advertisement. In Chilliwack, advertisements of all sizes and shapes have always filled the pages of the newspapers in any way possible, with some like this Thompson & Co. advertisement literally being published sideways.

While prominent in the world of advertising, these types of advertisements are by no means the rule in our local newspaper. Time and time again, advertisements in the Chilliwack Progress have reflected community spirit, used as a community platform to celebrate businesses and celebrate achievements by organizations throughout our City.

Improvements at local amenities have been publicly applauded by businesses and neighbours. In 1951, the upgrades at CHWK radio were received with much community excitement, as the station moved from 250 to 1,000 watt transmission. Businesses took out advertisements – 22 in the December 5th edition alone – congratulating the station and mirroring local excitement about the announcement. Many enterprises merged their well-wishes with a mention of their involvement with the station, undoubtedly to capitalize on the news and in true business fashion, capture a sliver of public favour. The openings of Woolworth’s new location in 1969, Chillibowl Lanes in 1981 and (to a lesser extent) Vantage Foods in 2007 were met with similar enthusiasm, fanfare and advertising patterns.

Significant anniversaries in education and community work were often marked in a similar way. Businesses such as Hofstede’s Country Barn and Simpson Notaries amongst others published tributes to Sardis Secondary School upon its 50th anniversary in 2006. The 60th anniversary of the Chilliwack Lions Club was praised by Chartwell’s Seniors Housing, who used the advertisement to thank the club for their continued community work. The number of these types of advertisements has declined in recent years, likely in part due to the reduction in the number of pages published per print edition of the Chilliwack Progress, the digitization of media and the rising cost of advertising.

Recently, the power of advertisements has been harnessed by community members in different ways. Not your typical anniversary or graduation congratulations, an advertisement in the Chilliwack Progress purchased by a local resident encouraged the sale of advertisement space to support local news through the COVID-19 pandemic. Another advertisement was aimed directly at two friends: issuing a friendly greeting and expressing anticipation to when a round of cards could be played. Both, while distinct in their own ways, demonstrate a willingness by the community to continue to use the medium to call the community to action and to bring individuals (metaphorically and at a later time respectively) together.