The 1971 Centennial Air Race

(Continued)

The Vancouver Sun thought it a complete waste of money: “The dumbest, silliest and most wasteful commemorative stunt in the whole hundred years of B.C. history within Confederation that it commemorates.”

The daily newspaper was referring to the “nutty idea” of a proposed London-to-Victora air race to be held in July 1971 to celebrate the centenary of BC’s joining Confederation.  

Organizers of the event, the federal and provincial governments, were convinced that the week-long event that would end in the skies over Victoria, would gain BC international attention.

Little did they know what they were getting into.

That’s this week in the BC Chronicles.

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PHOTO: A first day cover celebrating the great air race is now a collector’s item.