The period of Cranbrook’s history from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s was a time of transformation for the community — an era of growth, cultural shift, and exciting happenings that would become historic events. And in many ways, at the centre of this moment in time was the local radio station — CKEK — locally owned and operated.

A golden age of local radio, CKEK — or EK Radio — was staffed by a close knit group of young people, who had arrived in Cranbrook for their first or second jobs in the industry, and got fully immersed in the community.

“To this day, the job I had in Cranbrook has been the best job I ever had,” said Chris McDowall. “It was the most fun — I lived the most, and thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it.

“We were all pretty well the same age. All in our early 20s, it was either our first or second job in radio, and we were all really excited to be there.”

This group — some two dozen people who helped transform the local broadcasting industry while at the same time covering the community — are reconvening in Cranbrook some 40 years later, in June, 2023, for a CKEK re-union. Almost the entire contingent who worked together over those few years, creating lifelong friendships, are coming from places like Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, to meet with others who are still in Cranbrook and the Kootenays.

McDowall, who graduated from Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario, had a stint at the radio station in Kitchener-Waterloo before making his way to Cranbrook, where he worked as Creative Director at CKEK from 1979 to 1983.

“Radio was a very itinerant industry,” he said. “A school of hard knocks, in a sense. You advanced by moving from one town to the next, and as you moved you moved up the ladder, so to speak.

“We were all learning together, and looking to each other, navigating our way, developing our work ethic. It was sink or swim, and we were able to swim and swim a long way.”

Tony Tighe moved to Cranbrook in 1979, from Belleville, Ontario.

“For some reason I decided, ‘hey, I want to move west,’” he said. “Everyone was moving west in the late ‘70s. I applied to a whole bunch of radio stations, and got a call back from the news director in Cranbrook. I packed up my car and drove out.”

Tighe started out as news reporter in 1979, and eventually became news director in 1983.

“We did everything at the station,” he said. “Yes, we all had our roles as news people, DJs, and copy writers … it was a small operation. We all knew what each other did and pitched in to help in any way we could.

“For all of us it was our first or second job in the business. We all had a vested interest — we wanted to make a good impression.”

CKEK — now owned by the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group as 102.0 Rewind Radio — was owned at that time by the Hoole family, who were closely involved in its operations as well. Lloyd Hoole served as manager, Dave Hoole as president. Erin [Petrie, née Hoole] was the production manager there. The family’s benign but engaged involvement fostered a tight-knit company culture.

Gary Cavers was sales manager, Burt Decaire was sports director. F.J. Hurtak was sales and music director. Ron Peck was news director before Tighe took over. Gerry Ridgley later became part of the ownership group before it was bought by Pattison Media. Dave Walker, in sales, only retired a few years ago. Others filled roles as announcers, DJs, program directors, copy writers, reporters, engineers, in sales, production and front office and administration.

“It had a nice family sense to it,” McDowall said. “It was a wonderful place to work.”

The radio station at that time was housed in the small, two-story building on 8th Avenue South downtown.

“Because there were so few of us, we worked a lot — long hours,” Tighe said. “And for a lot of people there, it was their passion. We weren’t just there nine to five. It was like a second home.”

The station played music we now call Classic Rock — mostly from the ‘60s and ‘70s, though at that time it would perhaps be a little too soon to call it “Classic.”

And there was a lot happening in the news — historic events.

Tighe remembers Mount St. Helen’s explosion, and the effect on local air quality. The McPhee Bridge between Kimberley and Cranbrook was built, the airport was expanded with improved flights.

“They were really promoting tourism at the time,” Tighe said. “They were just getting off the ground in getting people to come to the area, and improving the flight traffic.”

Kimberley skier Gerry Sorensen won her world cups. Renowned climber Pat Morrow climbed the world’s seven highest mountains (“Seven Summits”), including Everest. And the Cranbrook Royals won the Allen Cup.

“I remember when the Royals were on their run — Burt Decaire and FJ Hurtak [called the games],” Tighe said. “That was a really big deal.”

It was a time of major growth and expansion for the community. New Dawn Developments was just starting the development — Koocanusa Developments — on the hillsides on the east side of town.

“They were just starting to grow outside the traditional boundaries of the community,” Tighe said. “There was a lot going on. It was really neat to be part of that era.”

“It certainly seemed like there was a lot going on,” McDowall said. “Baker Street always had new restaurants popping up. It felt like a vibrant community. I felt like I’d landed in a great place where I could really grow. It was fun for me, coming from a large city. I’d never lived in a town the size of Cranbrook. So that was a brand new experience for me. I loved the fact you could walk down the street, grab a coffee … you’d always see one or two people you knew. It was a great little neighbourhood.”

The past employees of EK Radio will be meeting once again in Cranbrook, June 8-11, 2023.

“You have a kindred spirit when you work in the same business, but we did have a real bond,” Tighe said. “We played ball together, played hockey together, covered the City Council meetings, became part of the community. When you’re that young, in your early 20s, and you suddenly belong, and you’re part of a community, that makes a difference at small station. Whereas in a bigger city, you’re just one of many journalists doing their job, and you don’t seem to have that same connection.”

McDowall recalls the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the radio station in 1982. He and Tony Tighe climbed to the top of Fisher Peak, and left a box with two EK Radio 25th anniversary T-shirts in it. “Whoever got up there first [after us] would get the T-shirts, and another big prize too,” he said.

Perhaps standing on the summit of Fisher Peak could serve as a metaphor for working at CKEK in the early 1980s.

“That was a real highlight for me,” McDowall said. “It was just spectacular to be up there.”