Robert Filberg’s legacy lives on in Comox park

Of all the things Robert Filberg owned, one of his most prized possessions was the small terra-cotta figure of a young man ‘off to seek his fortune.’

The little statue struck a chord with him — so much so that he wrote a little note and glued it to the figurine’s base.

“This is how I looked and shows all I had on arriving at Comox in 1909 — Trees and people there have been most god awful kind to me. I must always remember I owe them a lot,” he wrote.

This weekend, the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park Association will celebrate the generosity shared between the community, and one of Comox’s best-known residents.

“We’re not just honouring Robert Filberg, but we’re celebrating his spirit of generosity,” said Barb Haffner, administrator for the association.

Marking 100 years since Filberg arrived in Comox, and 30 years since the association was created, Nov. 6 to 8 will feature a series of events celebrating Filberg Days. Nov. 7 has been officially declared by the town as Robert Filberg Appreciation Day.

Filberg and his mother Elizabeth came to B.C. from Denver in 1909 when Robert was 17. He worked with Canadian Western Lumber, which later merged with Crown Zellerbach as Comox Logging and Railway Co., of which he later became president.

He married Florence McCormack, and they had two children, Mary and Robert Jr. (Buddy). In 1929, they hired master builder William Hagarty to oversee the construction of the lodge on a nine-acre waterfront piece of land.

When Filberg died in 1977, predeceased by his wife and children, he willed the property and $11 million to the Vancouver Foundation. With the lobbying of the community and council, the property was sold to the town for public use over two transactions. In 1979, council designated it a heritage site and the association was formed.

While the property is a signature piece of Filberg’s donation, there are many other ways that he contributed to the community. He donated his shares in the Comox Golf Course to the town so that it would always maintain it as a public asset with majority control. He was also a patron of St. Joseph’s Hospital and St. John the Baptist Church.

In 1995, it was funds from the Robert and Florence Filberg Fund that helped establish the Comox Valley Community Foundation. Each year, that group gets 10 per cent of the amount available for distribution from the Filberg fund, to continue its work.

The three-day event recognizing these community contributions will combine adult and family-oriented events.

On Nov. 6, at the Comox Golf Course clubhouse from 7 to 8:30 p.m. author Richard Mackie will present his new book Mountain Timber, focusing on the Filbergs’ history and including a slide show.

On Saturday, Nov. 7, there will be lodge tours, entertainment and exhibits by Mackie, Paula Wild and Carl Tessmann on the soon-to-be-released Filberg book and Union Bay artist Joe Smith.

Sunday, Nov. 8 is the big family day — with Farmer Vicki and Daisy the Cow kicking off the day at 10 a.m. Our Big Earth will be on hand with heritage activities and storytelling for children, and a heritage ground tour will be held along with lodge tours, exhibits and of course, a celebratory cake.

Both weekend days have events planned from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and all are free. Outdoor activities are scheduled for under a heated tent — so the party will happen rain or shine.

The event is being funded by Heritage Canada.

For more information about Filberg Days, the lodge, park or association, visit www.filberg.com.

reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com

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