By Thelma Fayle
When Lone Butte resident Al Jones dropped a framed picture of the Lion King that had been hanging in his daughters’ bedroom for years, he was surprised at what he discovered beneath the shards of glass. As he stooped down to pick up the pieces beneath the colourful cartoon, a pen and ink sketch of the Lone Butte Hotel emerged.
The print, by Danish/Canadian artist Ole Pii, had been covered over by Polish exchange student, Asha Stencil, when she decided to use the old frame for a cartoon she drew and wanted to give the Jones girls as a gift.
Pii’s meticulous artwork was a significant and exciting find for Al and Gayle Jones, as they have volunteered for more than 20 years with the Lone Butte Historical Society.
The Jones’ have enjoyed working with many friends and neighbours on a variety of community projects identified as historically valuable, local points of interest. Through their collective efforts, the society has worked on the revitalization of the water tower park, the old schoolhouse relocation, the cemetery cleanup, the construction of a cairn honouring old pioneers, the Defenbunker repair work, and the Alice Singleton heritage house restoration, just to name a few of their achievements.
“The community work has been a lot of fun for many of us,” says Al Jones, who graduated from the University of Victoria with a history degree some 40 years ago.
After he and Gayle raised their two daughters locally, both have been keen to do all they can to help their friends maintain the historical treasures they value in their community.
The prized, discovered picture of the Lone Butte Hotel now hangs in the Jones’ kitchen.
“It would be my dream to see someone build a replica of the beautiful old hotel,” says Al.
“I believe it could be financially viable as a working historical B&B, with its half a dozen rooms. However, it would require significant financial resources to make it happen. But who knows?”
Until then Ole Pii’s inspiring print will remain hanging in the Jones’ kitchen; with the crow, Pii’s signature element, staring at the unused, non-smoking chimney.
Many thanks go to Asha Stencil, the Polish exchange student for inadvertently prompting a dream of recreating a piece of community history – the Lone Butte Hotel.
Thelma Fayle is the author of Ted Grant: Sixty Years of Legendary Photojournalism.