Most CGS members may not be aware that the CGS has a ceremonial gavel used at the Board of Directors and Annual Business Meetings. CGS Past President Doug VanDine wants to change that, and has temporarily taken on the title “Keeper of the History of the CGS Gavel” as he researches its origins. However, as with most historical research, Doug has come up with several unanswered questions and needs member input. If any CGS-Geotechnical Info Net readers can help, please email the information to Doug at vandine@islandnet.com.
The history so far, as gleaned from various CGS documents, has yielded the following. Your input to the bracketed and italicized queries (or any other information you might have) is welcomed.
The CGS gavel, its case and strike plate, were designed and created by Kazimir Olpinski, a retired CGS member from Beaconsfield, QC. (Still looking for the year it was created? At whose request? Details about Kazimir Olpinski – who he worked for, etc.?)
It was first used in 1984 (is this date accurate?) at the CGS Board of Directors meeting, and for a number of years was ceremonially passed from CGS President to CGS President (when did that tradition stop?).
The gavel was assembled from various pieces of wood contributed by:
· Jack Clark, CGS Past President 1979-1980, donated a piece of Douglas Fir taken from a timber pile used to construct the Cave and Basin Spa in Banff, AB in 1914.
· The St. Lawrence Seaway Authority donated a piece from the 1884 Cornwall, ON canal lock gate,
· The St. Lawrence Seaway Authority also donated a piece of greenheart timber from the 1959 Beauharnois, QC lock fender.
· (were there other pieces of wood?)
The strike plate (currently missing - does anyone know its whereabouts?) for the gavel was made from a piece of spruce recovered from a glacial till borrow pit at the Mica Dam, BC and donated by W.L. Low (looking for details about W.L. Low – who he worked for etc.?). It came from a six-foot-long tree trunk embedded in the till about 25 m below the original ground surface, and was carbon-dated at about 23,600 years of age.
Mr. Olpinski also provided local wood for the case (also missing - does anyone know its whereabouts?) for the gavel and strike plate. The main body of the case is ash, the base section is white pine and the lid is maple. Fastened to the lid is a CGS plaque on which is engraved the names of all CGS Presidents. The case has ample room for the inclusion of other artifacts of geotechnical significance or for records of notable geotechnical achievements.